Asia's Latin America: Pinas

[jpdm]

Asia's Latin America
By Isabel Escoda
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:04am (Mla time) 12/29/2007

Indeed the Philippines, with its traditionally corrupt politics, festering economic problems and impoverished happy-go-lucky people, has long been perceived as one of Asia’s more bizarre nations. T


Besides the continuing export of migrant workers which produces those precious remittances, tourism is another of the country’s hoped-for revenue generator. Unfortunately foreign travelers apparently consider Thailand and Indonesia, even communist Vietnam, more desirable holiday destinations than the Philippines.


Still another correspondent jeered, .... Indonesians have out-competed Filipinos in all sectors, not just in the maids market, commanding respect from consumers in both the developed and developing countries. Where are the Filipino products?”

As for the absence of our exports, indeed one doesn’t find quality Philippine-made products like textiles, appliances, foodstuff, household goods in the various commodities from the other Southeast Asian countries.


All this confirms what a few perspicacious commentators in Manila have decried: that genuine industrialization has eluded the Philippines, thanks to the wrong-headed policies of past and present, inept and corrupt administrations. And so we have fallen back to being a mere service economy, with our major export being warm bodies, particularly female ones.


A British friend once asked me why such a “sweet” people as the Filipinos seem always to have such rotten governments. With the country adrift and viewed as an Asian Latin America, perhaps the banana republic label will morph into a “mango republic” -- signifying the sweet, sometimes sour, fruit which sadly does tend to rot.
(Isabel T. Escoda is a longtime Hong Kong resident who has been writing about migrant workers in Asia.)

Copyright 2007 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Jun aka Pekto]

Hmmm. Nothing new here. My feeling is it's easy to criticize. If they want to criticize, then they should at least put forward some corrective proposals. If not then they should just shut up.

If I'm not mistaken, many have already decided that the Philippine media exist mainly to make a buck hence, all the sensationalism. Maybe they should all get together and start putting out more articles on how to improve the lives of the masses even though such articles probably won't have the shock effect of a sensational news scoop.

[jonski]

HMMMM. Consistent talaga Inquirer sa bas news about Philippines. Maasahan mo talaga ang newspaper ito na imbis mag balita ng good news para sa next year ay ganyan mababasa mo. I notice na walang sinabi na negative about Trillantes na isa sa dahilan kaya umaatras mga investors ng ibang bansa.

[Isuzoom]

and the writer lives in hong kong.......nice research.

[jpdm]

Hmmm. Nothing new here. My feeling is it's easy to criticize. If they want to criticize, then they should at least put forward some corrective proposals. If not then they should just shut up.

With all due respect sir, the article was based on the news articles written in Hong Kong newspapers. In other words , these are perceptions coming from another country. But this is true contrary to the government press releases that our economy is doing good (we have the highest poverty incidence rate in ASEAN. Check IMF, WB, UNDP, MDG, NSCB)

Truth hurts. We are far behind the competition. Our standing in the 2007 SEA games (6th place) reflects our position among the original members of the ASEAN or ASEAN-6.

Anyway, indeed, newspapers should start bringing more good news than bad news. And I agree that they should start providing proposals through their opinion segment.

On the otherhand, we really have to work together as one nation to compel our government to do its best, work for the interest of Pinoys and not for the foreigners (like the ZTE scam).

The government should pursue a genuine industrialization program ( such as a integrated auto manufacturing industry which our detained fellow tsikoteers in Saudi belong to. They risked going to Saudi because Pinoy auto workers have no job here. The auto industry here employ only marketers/salemen/mechanics/car fashion designers because most the vehicles here are CBU-the only local components are air freshener, LTO sticker or kits that has nothing to do with the performance of the auto)to catch up with our ASEAN neighbors.

We should also develop our agricultural sector because the bulk of the unemployed (who are forced to go abroad) from our country comes from this sector.

[Jun aka Pekto]

With all due respect sir, the article was based on the news articles written in Hong Kong newspapers. In other words , these are perceptions coming from another country. But this is true contrary to the government press releases that our economy is doing good (we have the highest poverty incidence rate in ASEAN. Check IMF, WB, UNDP, MDG, NSCB)

Truth hurts. We are far behind the competition. Our standing in the 2007 SEA games (6th place) reflects our position among the original members of the ASEAN or ASEAN-6.

Anyway, indeed, newspapers should start bringing more good news than bad news. And I agree that they should start providing proposals through their opinion segment.

On the otherhand, we really have to work together as one nation to compel our government to do its best, work for the interest of Pinoys and not for the foreigners (like the ZTE scam).

The government should pursue a genuine industrialization program ( such as a integrated auto manufacturing industry which our detained fellow tsikoteers in Saudi belong to. They risked going to Saudi because Pinoy auto workers have no job here. The auto industry here employ only marketers/salemen/mechanics/car fashion designers because most the vehicles here are CBU-the only local components are air freshener, LTO sticker or kits that has nothing to do with the performance of the auto)to catch up with our ASEAN neighbors.

We should also develop our agricultural sector because the bulk of the unemployed (who are forced to go abroad) from our country comes from this sector.

It's old news and has been written before. Everyone knows all the woes the Philippines is going through. No need to kick a horse when it's down with 4 hooves up in the air.

There's really no one to blame but the Philippines herself. But like the Philippine media, maybe the Hong Kong media should just stay quiet if they don't have anything constructive to say. That's just me though. Others may welcome the criticism.

Anyway, the author looked like a Pinay to me. He He.

[smooth]

Hmmm. Nothing new here. My feeling is it's easy to criticize. If they want to criticize, then they should at least put forward some corrective proposals. If not then they should just shut up.

If I'm not mistaken, many have already decided that the Philippine media exist mainly to make a buck hence, all the sensationalism. Maybe they should all get together and start putting out more articles on how to improve the lives of the masses even though such articles probably won't have the shock effect of a sensational news scoop.

+1

that's the problem with philippine media. sensationalist talaga.

re: economic progress, the philippines is the only democratic country mentioned. economic progress in a democratic setting is very very difficult, lalo na with such an uncooperative press. however, i've said it so many times that its already so redundant to me: we are taking not just small baby steps, rather we are taking two steps forward and one step back (vis-a-vis economic progress). yes, its painstakingly slow but i sincerely believe the economic gains we achieve will be longer lasting (compared to our asian neighbors) because they were achieved under democracy. to my mind, ours is really rather slow, but its built on more solid foundations.

[mazdamazda]

and the writer lives in hong kong.......nice research.

:funny:

===

Warning: Too much self-pity & negative thoughts are bad for your health. :lol:

[Galactus]

Never shoot the messenger for the bad news he/she brings.

A critical and independent media is a clear sign of a democratic nation. As it is, we have too many rubber stamps, so media's independence is a welcome breath of fresh air. The government has its own propaganda mouthpiece, the PIA, so it should use the proper channels to counteract perceived negative information

[mazdamazda]

Never shoot the messenger for the bad news he/she brings.

When the messenger is just rehashing over generalized statements... I think he/she deserves to be shot twice.

Like this statement for example:

As for the absence of our exports, indeed one doesn’t find quality Philippine-made products like textiles, appliances, foodstuff, household goods in the various commodities from the other Southeast Asian countries.

Doesn't the messenger know that we export food product (c/o Nestle, URC, etc.), vehicles (c/o Ford, Mazda, and even Isuzu!), electronic/appliance (c/o Pentax, Panasonic, Casio, etc.), etc.?

:lol:

[Galactus]

With regards to exports, a swallow does not a summer make.

The problem with GMA's administration is that it's always in a constant state of denial. It denies that there's corruption, that there are pay-offs in Malacanang, that it's in full control of the situation. It's always looking for a scapegoat and naturally, it blames the media for all the bad publicity.

Well, the media will always be critical, and everybody in power has to live with that. That's a given, and people in power should take heed. It is the 4th estate, and freedom of expression is guaranteed by the constitution. Instead of denial, the government should take concrete steps to remedy or correct the situation. And the moment it does, media criticism will wane.

Pag walang kwenta naman ang nirereport ng media, people won't pay notice.