if you think the Philippines is poor..

[niky]

Okay, the Philippines is poor, relatively. If we're talking about the masa, with over 70% below the poverty line, yes, we are poor. But there are almost 50 million people below the poverty line in the US... lucky for them they've got welfare.

But for those of us feeling sorry for ourselves because of our relatively low income, life is just as easy or as difficult for any other middle class. Like the lower middle class in the US, who are holding two to three jobs each to keep up with the Cost-of-Living.

Here, on the other hand, we may have it tough, but if even the squatters living under the bridge can get a TV and a ref (I hope I'm not the only one who's noticed), it's not unbearably bad.

Many people are leaving for overseas work merely because of a favorable exchange rate. Pennies overseas equals pesos here. I'm not going to say they won't be more prosperous... because some of my friends are doing VERY well for themselves over there, having benefitted from a GOOD and CHEAP education in the Philippines, making them more qualified than some of the Americans they're competing with for jobs... but they could be living an okay life here also.

As for the kind of life our kids will lead in the future here...


well, that's got me worried.

[backbone]

its not poor,,,very very poor!

[woulfe27]

Nah, it's because we're currently in a "trial and error" period of the nation's history (which I think is coming to a close). Remember, between the mid-Martial Law days and the Cory days, the economy was significantly slowing down (and shrunk in the '80's!).

Part of the current problem is that the politicians don't have the political will to tell the people what's good for them (the corruption is another issue, but not as big). We can't have this "I will defer to the people" attitude all the time, because your people tend to be unreasonable sometimes.

corruption issue is not as big? JDV owes $200M (excluding interest) to the Phil govt and obviously has no intention of paying up. To me, $200M (stolen by one corrupt politician alone) is very big.

[Isuzoom]

Malas natin Spain ruled for nearly 300 years ano nakuha natin? Religion lang. If only British ang nag rule sa atin baka naging ok tayo...

[oldblue]

Malas natin Spain ruled for nearly 300 years ano nakuha natin? Religion lang. If only British ang nag rule sa atin baka naging ok tayo...

you're bloody right, mate!

[woulfe27]

Actually, lahat ng dating colonies ng Spain at Portugal naghihirap (El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Brazil, etc.). tinuruan kase ng mga friars na pag sinampal sa kanang pisngi, ipasampal pa ulit yung kaliwa. kaya pag ninakawan ng pulitiko sa kanang bulsa, ipapanakaw pa yung laman ng kaliwang bulsa.

[woulfe27]

but we were ruled briefly by the British in the 1700s (time of Diego Silang yata yun and Spain and Britain were at war). kaso mga 3 years lang yata. And the British soldiers raped a lot of Filipinas.

[moneywhiz]

OT: i'm here in NY now and i'm interested in where i can get a decent meal for $2.25. but, hey, that was 2001 right?

just read the direction i posted.....the $2.25 half-chicken meal in 2001 could be $3.00 now


airshaq......$8-$9 for half chicken is kinda steep

[mantoy]

well, compared talaga sa nigeria, the philippines is super rich. but...why not try comparing the philippines to thailand and malaysia? heheh. pansin ko kasi parang bumaba benchmark natin eh -- nigeria, bangladesh, pakistan, somalia, etc. c'mon...

i agree wit this:

it just doesn't sound right that in order to feel good about what you have .. you have to look at someone who has less ..

while it's good to be thankful for what you have ('blessings' in religious term), it's no good if what you have is not enough.

[StraightSix]

Malas natin Spain ruled for nearly 300 years ano nakuha natin? Religion lang. If only British ang nag rule sa atin baka naging ok tayo...

you're bloody right, mate!

That's a big "IF" ... Nigeria was a British colony. Almost one-half of all the African nations were. For better or worse, only we ourselves can chart our destiny.