A Filipino Explains The Filipino
The following is a comment our site received recently, which hit a few points with me. So much so. I decided to make it an article. While the writer makes a few points (combined with the expected insults) towards our recent story regarding the economic collapse here. What caught my interest above all else. Was his insistence of speaking for every Filipino out there, as if he knew what everyone wanted. So go ahead and read it for yourselves. And then I shall give my closing argument. Enjoy:
Thank you for such an insightful article. Though I agree with most of your observations, I do not agree that a collapse is inevitable. Also your tone is bit arrogant which is common for foreigners like yourself who think they know everything just because they come from the west.
Sure you may know about economics, but you clearly know nothing of the Filipinos and the Philippines. Living here has done nothing but make you sound like a twat who couldn’t make it in his own shitty country.
In any case, if the economy does collapse, do you think 95 percent of the country will care? Sure the rich may forgo the luxury car upgrade, God forbid actually have to sell off some assets, but the vast majority will be just fine.
You know why? Because for one we’re a resilient bunch. We’re a stubborn and stupid lot, but we survive. We’ve been ruled by mostly idiots starting with the Spanish and then taken up a notch by the Americans (we’re are still suffering from the sheer idiocy that you imparted on us– American style law and democracy), we have the worst traffic (in the cities), the slowest internet (which doesn’t stop us from breaking twitter records), no infrastructure/highest electricity (I.e. No nuclear plants, no fluoride in our drinking water), and not many factories (that further pollution, consumption and poor work conditions), not to mention the worst storms in the world. But we’ve weathered them and will continue to do so. Yes it’s a lot of suffering, but it’s this suffering that has made us tougher and more connected. So tough that we’re willing to live away from our families and our homes just so we can earn a little more and put family through school.
But for the sake of argument, let’s say we’re not tough enough to weather Another (wouldn’t be the first in my lifetime and I’m just 30) economic collapse. You still forgot that the sheer majority of Filipinos are daily wage earners. The masses don’t own any of the big companies. We don’t invest in index funds, or have portfolios. We don’t even keep that much in banks. We are mostly simple people, who are happy to have enough.
So yes, you may be right about an economic collapse. But the great majority of us care very little. If anything an economic collapse would rid of us of the filth that you foreigners have brought to our lands. Take the foreign companies and factories away and I’ll even give you the government for free. We’ll just go back to the agricultural economy that we were and should always have been if not for Western “civilisation and progress”. You see we never really needed you guys or your money. We have all the rich food producing land we need to survive while you keep writing stuff like this as if our lives were ending when in truth, it’s only you that’s afraid. You’re afraid that your cushy Western life in the tropics is over. No more beautiful women, good beer, great beaches, and year round warm weather.
I do sincerely want to thank you though. It’s this condescending tone foreigners take up with us talking about our own land that needs to be broadcast all over the Philippines, because it’s this kind of stuff that unites us. It’s these kinds of articles they make me want to reply.
With that, I hope I’ve helped you understand Filipinos a bit better. We’re sensitive and defensive when it comes to something we deeply love. Now, when did you say you were leaving?
So what have you learned folks? Do you agree with his claims that you are all a resilient bunch? Maybe so? But let’s touch on a few of the key points he highlighted. And let’s take a closer look at what he said at the same time?
- We’re a stubborn and stupid lot, but we survive. – He admits to his people being stupid. But blames the colonizers or ruling classes for that.
- We have the worst traffic. – Claims this only occurs in the cities. When my personal, nationwide experience has engulfed me in some of the worst driving techniques known to man. Which brings us back to the stupidity claim.
- The slowest Internet. – You all know (and complain) about the horrid services supplied by your Telco’s. Yet he is more concerned with reminding the readers of the importance of Twitter records. As if that’s going to fix your voice/data shitbox.
- No infrastructure/highest electricity. – He claims no nuclear power plants. What about BNPP sitting there, unused for 30 years now? And why admit the water is sub-standard, due to the absence of fluoride?
- Not many factories. – Your nation was a lot more industrialized in the past. Than it has been post EDSA. And who’s fault has that been? Certainly not anyone from the outside.
- The worst storms in the world. – He stated you have weathered them. And will continue doing so. Of course you will. But does that mean, as a people, 4+ million of you should still be suffering in some way. Because your government has ignored your well being for the last 2 years? I think not.
And now. Last but not least. The cherry on the cake of his silliness. The two items I am sure most of you might find a bit strange.
- We’ll just go back to the agricultural economy that we were. – In his arrogance. He is actually claiming you’d have all been better off if no outsiders had ever showed up? As if the Philippines, being the heart of Asia, would have been completely bypassed throughout history? And where is all this “rich food production” he claims exists? If so. Why then, have you been importing rice as if it’s going out of style? Weren’t you a rice self sufficient nation in the 1970’s?
- We never really needed you guys or your money. – Really now? If we’d known you all felt that way to begin with. We never would have stopped by in the first place. Maybe we should have invested in Thailand. Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam sooner. At least they have a true, open door, free trade policy when it comes to FDI. Unlike your arrogant, self serving “Filipino first” 60/40 ownership guidelines. Which is the very reason no major players will evercome here. And that is exactly why there are no jobs here.
But that’s another story, in and of itself now. Isn’t it?
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