An immigrant is a human on the move, like a whole lot of Filipinos
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
Much of the white human world is on an anti-immigrant rampage, their shores and boundaries having holes in them that allow dark-skinned and foreign tongued strangers to walk in and look for work or a home. Driving up the cost of housing and I suppose eggs.
What is an immigrant? He and she and even kids are humans on the move, that movement usually driven by hard economic conditions at home, or political problems. Take OFWs for instance. They are economic immigrants, or emigrants depending on where you are standing. And a whole lot of Yellows left having exhausted their political stamina and finding white countries more to their liking. Boy did Trump play a good trick on them.
Foreigners inbound to the Philippines these days are mostly Chinese. Before that there were Americans, only a few of whom stuck, and the Spanish who actually laid down some roots.
I’m an immigrant with my permanent visa here. But, by the good fortunes of law, my son is not an immigrant. He’s a real Filipino.
Laws chase immigrants around like so many wasps with big stingers on their ass. Right behind the wasps are the hooded ICE agents and others chartered to levy a nation’s hate against people on the move.
Americans would hate on Jesus if he tried to get in.
All the hate is unnecessary. Immigrants are just you and me in a different place. The hate is racists being insecure, or lunatic authoritarians like Trump needing to fire up his base with anger that he can then use to take their rights away from them. Anti-immigrant rage is nonsense for people who are morally well-grounded in intelligence, strong self-esteem, and compassion.
Intelligence, strong self-esteem, and compassion are the ways people on the move are helped along to become the foundation of a nation’s tomorrow. The US is a nation of immigrants, but that knowledge works against Trump’s power-mongering insanity that has made cowards of most Americans. By cowards I mean enablers of hate and cruelty. By that I mean Republicans and media, lawyers, universities, and others who have gone to bended knee in the face of Trump’s viciousness.
The Philippines is a much less hateful place. Well, Filipinos are almost always on the move, even within the Philippines. Most Filipinos are opportunists, in a good definition of the term, seeking work where they can find it. Well, the opportunism spills over to the bad definition, I have to admit. At some crossing line it becomes greed and the kind of power-mongering we see among mayors and governors and Supreme Court justices, among others.
But I digress.
The point is, immigrants are not nasty villains. They are you and me on the move, in a different time warp..
Policies should respect them, not hate on them. The world would be a much better place.
More Christian, I suppose.
Certainly less ridiculous and cruel.
_____________________________
Cover photo from Harvard International Review article: “Overseas Filipino Workers: The Modern-Day Heroes of the Philippines“.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
Just sharing two maps about this. The first is how humanity based on what science knows by now (a lot confirmed with modern genetic science) migrated to populate the entire world. The ancestors of Native Americans arrived 16 thousand years before MAGA ancestors, that’s for sure.
The other map is of an event that ended the bronze age in the Eastern Mediterranean. The “Sea People”, most probably fleeing famine or other difficult conditions in their part of the Mediterranean, not yet that advanced back then, destroyed all ancient kingdoms except Egypt.
Interesting that Troy is among the cities officially destroyed by the Sea Peoples, meaning that these were most probably the ancestors of the Greeks who would at some point colonize much of the Western Mediterreanean. They would be superseded by the Romans who would in turn be invaded by Germanic tribes wanting to enjoy sunbathing along the Adriatic Sea. Some would go too far in their invasions and happened to be called Vandals, literally. Later, Greeks who called themselves Romans, aka Byzantines, would recruit Varangians as mercenaries, Vikings known for their loyalty and notorious for how they liked Greek women. So basic survival and keeping the gene pool from inbreeding by interbreeding has pushed migration ever since humanity became human. More comments later, woke up a bit too early today.
An extra cup of coffee can help. 🙂 Trump is of German and Scottish descent. Indeed, the world is liquid in more ways than one.
Lumping in the US which is not based on ethnicity with certain European countries that are is a mistake. Nearly 43% of US nationals (including permanent residents) are not White to begin with. And the US is on track to becoming a non-White majority country soon enough, which is not incompatible with American ideals. Contrast that with the Philippines.
I think it’s also not great to broad brush the US with the policies of one man and his enablers. The voters made a mistake and believed in the lies of a charlatan for whatever issue they felt strongly about. Charlatans by definition persuade with lies. Should we have also written off all Filipinos when Duterte held power? Should we also write off the huge numbers of Filipinos who still support the Duterte clan directly or indirectly enough to threaten the current president and the future of the Philippines? No, we should not. Politics is a game of addition and anything that gets in the goal of persuading others to join one’s side is probably the wrong strategy.
Undocumented migrants to the US can easily find gainful employment. Ditto for most of the EU and UK. The reason why I never moved to the Philippines despite having financial means back in my 20s is because it’s near impossible to get work authorization or own land on which to build a home.
Overall Americans, even more so than Europeans, are much more accepting of ethnic, religious or cultural differences than Filipinos. In the Philippines there is still a hierarchy where non-Tagalogs are discriminated against and expected to conform. Nearly everyone discriminates against the “Chinese.” I’m sorry but the Philippines is a much more “racist” and xenophobic country than the US ever has been or will be. When the Philippines opens up immigration with a pathway to full citizenship rights perhaps I’ll change my view on this.
I just think this is the wrong take. Feel good narratives are plenty in the Philippines and I’m not convinced on the utility of such narrative story telling. Feel good narratives prevent people from advancing and evolving their mindset, because if everything is great already there’s no need to change. The dynasties use feel good stories to keep their power by distracting the people away from the real issues. I’d just rather not engage in the same.
MAGA, the ruling coalition in the US, is a white nationalist movement. Most “white” nations of the world are seeking to cut down on foreign visas, even to just study. ICE is as nasty as they come. That’s a reality and I can’t see how sugar coating it by wrapping it in history or hope can help. Feel good narratives about the US or hostility that immigrants face seems like a fiction to me.
How respecting immigrants can be a “wrong” take completely escapes me.
Advancing our mindset past hate seems like progress to me. What utility do you advocate?
How respecting immigrants keeps dynasts in power is more than my feeble mind can calculate.
There are plenty of negatives I can say about Filipinos that broadbrush and entire nation that has some bad people yes, but many more good people that sometimes don’t know what to do because no one ever helped show them the way to make their lives better. But I choose not to say those things as I’m looking towards the goodness in people (generally) unless they prove me wrong.
I have long ago noticed a pattern prevalent in the Philippines along the lines of “haha, look at those other fools, we are better than them” to justify this or that supposed moral superiority of the Philippines. Well, all I’ll say that excuses don’t change reality.
To be quite honest, this is a topic I’d rather not discuss as it is not constructive for the Philippines nor does it reflect reality.
There is no mandate to discuss everything. Just ignore my flights into fancies. I must write two articles a week, so I choose whatever seems like a different take on matters of importance to Filipinos. You can always shape the content here by writing articles yourself. You are likely to be unsuccessful at getting me to write normally.
OK, about to start my second cup of coffee. I do have an advantage Joey does NOT have, I am able to preview articles that are scheduled, just as Karl and Giancarlo can.
I did think, damn it IS a weird article, especially as I am aware of the many aspects of the refugee crisis over here in Europe. Stuff like people moving around is never simple as the people can either be like in the Stone Age, moving around to look for the next foraging ground, or like the Sea Peoples of the Late Bronze Age, looking for a rich place because their own place is stricken by famine, while the people in rich kingdoms fear the impoverished knocking at their gates.
We have LA-style helicopter cops over here in Munich, and there regularly are copters over our neighborhood as there regularly are refugees jumping of the trains from Southeastern Europe that pass nearby. There even were some electrocuted not too long ago as they touched wiring. John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath comes to mind, when people hopped on trains during the 1930s.
As for Filipinos, the attitude of most PEOPLE is similar to that of wanderers ever since. More clannish and tribal than racist or nationalist, those are later ideas. The white man or woman who married into the clan is somehow part of it but isn’t fully. The child is. Joey rightly mentioned that the STATE attitude is antiquated. Hardly any way to officially migrate, very few chances to open a business, much less citizenship. So there is no real contradiction between your POVs, you are just seeing it from very different angles.
People are people, but of course we tend to cluster into different groups, and there are different cultures (basically habits and beliefs we get from parents and peers) which regulate how we get along with one another. Cultures can clash when different groups of people meet. I don’t know if Filipinos are really that accepting of other groups of people or just TOLERANT because they had to deal with different invaders – or different sources of money nowadays hehe. While in richer countries the fear is more like the “hungry, tired, poor” who are more these days will make everybody poorer. So what shall I say? It’s complicated.
Well as I mentioned before without injections of new ideas, it’s probably hard for societies to advance. There’s almost no way to migrate to the Philippines, even if someone really wanted to. Heck, Japan and South Korea which are somewhat xenophobic recognize there is a benefit in attracting foreign talent (at least highly educated/highly skilled ones).
The US has always been open to immigration as there is no fear of ethnic “dilution” like in European countries which originated from ethnostates. As long as immigrants learn the culture, it’s all gravy. Even if the parents can’t fully assimilate, the children would’ve assimilated via the public school system. Ironically the Rust Belt states that are heavy White and afraid of immigrants (actually more afraid of change than anything), the population likely descended from immigrants themselves (e.g. German Americans, Scottish Americans, Polish Americans, etc.). Not too long ago JFK had to publicly state that he wasn’t controlled by the Pope, as even by JFK’s presidential run WASPS were still scared of the Irish. A lot of American anti-immigrant views are also the result of 24/7 propaganda online and in conservative media about legions of criminals running across the Southern border… there are countless news stories about how numerous Trump voters were very upset that their Latino, Asian, or European neighbor who was “one of the good ones who contributed to the community” was taken away.
P.S. Most US state and local (city) police forces that have helicopter officers/troopers use Airbus (formerly Eurocopter) helicopters of either French (AS350/H125/H130), or German design (MBB Bo 105/H135, MBB BK 117/H145). Federal law enforcement usually uses Bell or Sikorsky helicopters.
Like I’ve said before, I probably agree with you 9/10 of the time. This is the 1/10 that I do not.
I might not be academically trained in history, but I am generally well-read and well-traveled. It strikes me that throughout the short 249 years since the Declaration of Independence, there has always been an American reluctance to exert military control (or even economic control for that matter) over the rest of the world for power’s sake. In the 80 years since the end of WWII the US has been accused of all manner of evil deeds and criticized for her imperfections. By my estimation most of the criticisms are from old Soviet talking points that infiltrated the Western mainstream, or by European countries that enjoy US protection while criticizing, perhaps due to envy they are no longer allowed to have their empires.
The only two European countries that consistently seem to appreciate the US are the UK and Germany. It’s interesting that the UK and Germany are the only two countries that seem to seriously want to organize some kind of collective European defense, “just in case.” I had an argument with my French cousins recently and they seem to think that Macron and France will be the new European leader. I replied that when Macron puts action to his love for talking big, I’ll pay more attention. I still laugh at Macron’s “Zelenskyy era” when he grew out a scruffy beard and did his Zelenskyy poses while studying maps at the desk.
My point is that the US is literally the only country in the world with enough industry, IP, and population to act in a unified manner that makes a difference in today’s global world. And act as a bulwark against both Russia and PRC. Theoretically the EU could do so too, but Irineo might know as a German how frustrated Europeans are in general at the antics of small states like Hungary or of big states like France that unilaterally block any forward action. There is no other country at this moment that can help the Philippines as much as the US can, and all the other new allies of the Philippines are allies because the US acquiesced to it. As if the Japanese, South Koreans or Australians would do anything major to damage their defense relationship with the US. Whatever the French are trying to sell it’s all snake oil as France was nearly overrun by neo-Nazis not too long ago.
The US has been through short periods of tumult before, and will get out of this MAGA period in the end. Americans of all political stripes are tired of being crapped on. Of doing the heavy lifting of keeping the world peaceful enough for trade that benefits all the countries who criticize the US. Come to think about it, the Interwar period of isolation was caused by the US feeling like Europe disrespected and didn’t appreciate the US contribution to end WWI when the League of Nations broke up. My guess is ultimately, Americans will feel it to be their responsibility to come help again.
I remember writing, oh, a couple of years ago, that America is institutionally strong enough to weather political and economic shocks. Now those institutions are MAGA loyal and collapsing as visibly as when the World Trade Center went down. Here are two important points for you to know, as facts:
1. I think the Philippines today benefits greatly from America’s backing,
2. I think the Philippines should manage Philippine affairs.
Point 2 clarifies the efficacy of “today” in point 1.
I must also admit, I have no idea what you are disagreeing with me on. My point is that immigrants should be treated respectfully. You disagree because I criticize US immigration policy and methods?
Generally, I don’t agree with feel good stories if not coupled with action. Doing so only sets the audience up for disappointment.
Of course I agree with your two points there. Though I would add a third “a country which benefits from its backer, should generally disagree in a respectful manner,” which again, I think Marcos Jr. does well if he on behalf of the Philippines disagrees with the US.
My disagreement is that US immigration policy is something for Americans to deal with (and we who disagree with Trump are). It is near impossible to become an economic immigrant to the Philippines to build a better life for one’s family. Immigrants are still coming across the US border in droves to find a better future for their families. A few of the students renting a unit from me, are illegals, as are most of their family. They are all gainfully employed and contributing to the community and paying me rent. Perhaps on this subject specifically, the focus should be on inward criticism, not outward criticism that takes away limited attention from more important things.
Also, even if the federal institutions fail, we Americans know too well it would just fall back to the states — the US is a federal system and the Democratic states hold all the economic, population, and military power. The fired federal civil servants can be rehired later. There are still a vast majority of career civil servants who are loyal to the Constitution and not to the political commissar appointed as the agency head. Many people have guns here. I have an arsenal. But there won’t be any need for that. MAGA is already cracking with their overreach and members are leaving, otherwise there would be no need for Trump to try to steal the midterms by ordering Republican governors to redistrict. There are more Republican seats in Democrat states that can be redistricted over to Democratic seats, so let’s see.
You see it as being resolved, or it is reasonably to expect it to be resolved, and I hope you are right. I am horrified at what America has become and view criticism of bad policy as a way to help resolve this ugly American era.
There is a historian, Prof. Heather Cox Richardson, who breaks down the issues of the day on YouTube in a roughly 1 hour live that digests what’s going on. If you have time to watch her, you may find more hope and comfort there.
In my own view of history, and as been said by former Labor Sec. Robert Reich, what the US is experiencing now is a “Second Gilded Age.” The corruption and the disastrous policies of that earlier period were defeated as well. And the corrupt politicians and billionaires of this current period are much dumber than those of the first. Have faith in the US. More actions are being done to fight back than you may realize, much of it by ordinary citizens. Americans always find their way out of the wilderness with national renewal.
I appreciate the reference. I’ve been wanting something like that. I’ll check her out this afternoon. Thanks also for the upbeat update.
I’ve noticed a subtle thumb on the scale in the direction of Trump aligned oligarch interests with both Facebook and YouTube’s algorithm. Twitter is almost a lost cause. I need to spend a lot of time blocking and curating my social media feeds to weed out bad information. It’s quite tiring tbh. But once enough bad stuff is blocked out, there’s a lot of true information that shows that Americans are fighting back. A lot of Trump voters are not MAGA; rather they are habitual Republican voters or economic voters who were duped by all the propaganda against Biden. Both groups are leaving in droves. If fighting back wasn’t so effective Trump wouldn’t be panicking and trying to rig the midterms.
By definition, immigration policy affects people of other nations. If the Philippines decided to throw out Americans, it is not just a Philippine matter. If Canada decides to reduce student visas, which it has, it affects my son and of course he would not be happy about it. I don’t think recognizing that the Philippines manages its OFWs well, and is only trying to toss out criminals among immigrants here, that is not a feel good assessment. It is a real difference from what other nations are doing. There are no masked bands of thugs here dragging foreigners from their cars and shipping them off to concentration camps. There is no bias against Muslim nations, there are good works going on at the diplomatic level. The Philippines is legitimately different. In a very positive way. Why should I bury that fact to make Americans feel better?
Let’s separate the issues.
Every nation has a right to its own immigration policy. The US asylum process has been abused for decades since Reagan did the last major immigration law; Republicans keep blocking even conservative immigration reform so they retain a campaign issue. Some American and European far leftists don’t believe in borders, but conveniently they are all rich and live in comfortable bubbles.
That being said, the US needs immigrants to do low end jobs, just like the Irish, Germans, Mexicans, Italians, what have you did in the past. But an immigration policy also should be orderly as possible, helping new immigrants assimilate. That doesn’t exist now, due to the Republican blocking above. When illegal immigrants don’t assimilate (fast enough) they do annoying things like parking cars on the wrong side of the street, acting like they’re in their own country, etc. Okay, personally I believe that that’s the cost of having people to do jobs I don’t want to personally do, but it can be jarring at times.
As for the masked federal thugs, that is a due process issue (of the Trump admin ignoring constitutional rights that apply to even non-citizens). Something to fight out in the courts and the streets. Eisenhower was convinced to do something similar back in the day (without the masks) on a much larger and organized scale, and Latinos remembered for 2 generations, becoming solid Democrats. Latino Americans just forgot 2 generations later. In 1995 there was an epic backlash on the CA GOP’s racist policies that ended Republican rule in California that lasted since the time California was still a territory. The modern Republican Party is basically a turbocharged version of the old racist CA GOP.
That explains it well. When I lived in Los Angeles I enjoyed the ethnic micro-communities. Well, occasionally there would be stresses and strains between them. My interests were women and eating and occasionally partying. There was no lack of opportunity there. I love LA. And California. And my Republican brother who lives up north and detests MAGA.
The LA melting pot is amazing. A lot more interesting than NYC imho because one can actually own a home here in the suburbs (even if just a small one). The night view from Griffith Observatory or the Getty Center always brings a certain emotion out. LA and the surrounding suburbs are something to behold.
Speaking of your Republican brother, I’ve found that the most effective people at fighting back Trumpism and MAGA are former Republicans or Republicans that actually have principles. Your brother is likely one of them. I’m appalled at the far leftists in the Democratic tent that constantly demand purity and permanent apologies. What better ally to have than people who had been on the inside? You may be interested in Rick Wilson and Stuart Stevens as well. They are both former top strategists who post short strategy messages on YouTube. They are providing the anti-Trump playbook, and it’s refreshing that new rising Democrats are finally ignoring the vocal minority from the left fringe, working with these former Republicans, and focusing on saving democracy.
Ah, Griffith Observatory and the Getty, both old and new. It was such a relief that they were spared by recent fires. I toured Egypt in a group led by Dr. Ed Krupp, head of the Observatory at that time. We examined astronomical paintings in tombs off the beaten path. Awesome. Getty is a great place to take dates, haha. Romantic setting and terrific collections.
OK, I am drinking my first cup of coffee now.. the Philippines has very old school requirements for immigration, that’s for sure. My mother who is German disliked the term “alien” (which is of course a US legacy) as she is not from outer space.
Some inputs on the old naturalization procedure which already was defined during the COMMONWEALTH ERA (well, few people know that the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 defined Filipino citizenship, yes it did) and why it is impractical from ChatGPT:
************************
Why Naturalization Under Commonwealth Act No. 473 Is Rare
1. Lengthy and Complex Process
The process is court-based and legalistic, requiring:
Filing a petition with the Regional Trial Court
Publication of the petition in newspapers
Two court hearings (one to verify compliance, another for the decision)
Vetting by the Solicitor General and Bureau of Immigration
The entire process can take several years and incur significant legal costs.
2. Strict and Dated Requirements
Requires at least 10 years of continuous residency (reducible to 5 in some cases, e.g., marriage to a Filipino).
Applicant must:
Be at least 21 years old
Speak Filipino or English plus one Philippine dialect
Have good moral character
Show integration into Filipino culture
Some requirements are considered outdated or overly rigid by modern standards.
3. Alternative Options Are More Attractive
For children of foreigners born and raised in the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9139 (Administrative Naturalization Law of 2001) is simpler, faster, and non-judicial.
Foreigners often prefer:
Permanent residency
Special Visas (e.g., Special Resident Retiree’s Visa or SRRV)
Maintaining original citizenship while enjoying legal stay rights
*** now for what ChatGPT says about Republic Act 9139 from 2001
Under Republic Act No. 9139 (2001): Administrative Naturalization Law
Designed for foreign-born individuals who were born and raised in the Philippines
Requirements:
Must have been born in the Philippines
At least 18 years old
Completed primary and secondary education in Philippine schools
Resided in the Philippines continuously since birth
Of good moral character
Have mingled with Filipinos and embraced Filipino customs and traditions
This process is faster and simpler than judicial naturalization and is handled by the Special Committee on Naturalization.
*** as for citizenship, Joe’s son is a citizen because he was born after 1987. The 1987 Constitution ALSO made two Miss Universes from the Philippines possible. Before 1987 citizenship only was inherited via the father ***
Yes, indeed it is quite hard to become a naturalized Filipino. But let’s be real here, what immigrant would really want to migrate to the Philippines anyway if they weren’t already secure in financials? Most immigrants are economic in nature, with some political refugees as well. There are not enough jobs in the Philippines for Filipinos, much less immigrants.
About 20 years ago, I had looked into moving to Thailand or the Philippines. After figuring out that there was no way to have a decent income in the Philippines even if I could find a job (this was before Western wages for BPO site managers or remote work), I didn’t move to the Philippines. Thailand had its 2006 coup which greatly restricted foreign nationals to 3 month visas and I didn’t feel like dealing with going across the Cambodian border and doing a U-turn every 3 months. I applied my skills and knowledge in Japan and South Korea instead, with some stints in China and Singapore.
During the period when I had a Filipina partner, I decided to try setting down roots again, but decided not to when the land and house couldn’t be under my name. Well, I have plenty of places to stay when I do visit, oh well.
If you are part of the Men’s basketball team some Senators might lobby for your naturalisation.
We should give up.on basketball and focus on winter Olympics sports….nah kidding.
Snce when did the fewer not harmed a whole nation? Likewise same can be said of a mob. Anarchy need not to be massive for it to exist.
Having said that it is also irritating to read about generalizations if we get or allow ourselves to be irritated easily, but no one has to please everyone.
off topic
Chat Gpt Query
The trope that “the Philippines has no agency” often appears in political commentary, history discussions, and even international relations analysis. It’s shorthand for the idea that the country is always being acted upon by foreign powers, internal elites, or economic forces—rather than being an active, self-determining player.To unpack it, we need to look at where the trope comes from, what truth it contains, and why it’s also misleading.—1. Origins of the TropeColonial History – Over 300 years of Spanish rule and nearly 50 years of American rule fostered a historical narrative where the Philippines was shaped by outsiders rather than shaping its own destiny. Independence in 1946 was formal, but many argue the U.S. retained influence through military bases, trade dependency, and aid.Cold War Geopolitics – As a U.S. ally during the Cold War, foreign policy often aligned with Washington’s positions, which reinforced the perception of limited autonomy.Postcolonial Dependency – Heavy reliance on foreign aid, migrant labor remittances, and imported technology made the Philippines look economically and strategically dependent.—2. Elements of TruthThe trope isn’t entirely baseless. There are historical and structural factors that can constrain Philippine agency:Geopolitical Position – Being in a strategic location means major powers (U.S., China, Japan) have strong stakes, limiting pure freedom of action.Economic Dependence – Trade deficits, foreign investment reliance, and a huge remittance-driven economy can pressure leaders to prioritize external relationships over domestic autonomy.Elite Capture of the State – Oligarchic politics sometimes align more with external investors or power blocs than with grassroots priorities, creating the perception that “real” decisions happen elsewhere.Institutional Weakness – Weak enforcement of policies, corruption, and political turnover make long-term, self-driven national strategies harder to sustain.—3. Why the Trope is MisleadingWhile constraints are real, agency still exists—and has been exercised in notable ways:Foreign Policy Independence – Examples include Duterte’s pivot to China and Russia (whether one agrees with it or not), Marcos Sr.’s removal of U.S. bases from some territories in the 1970s before renegotiating terms, and the 1991 Senate rejection of the extension of U.S. bases.Regional Diplomacy – The Philippines has led ASEAN initiatives on human rights declarations, maritime cooperation, and climate advocacy.Legal Action – Filing and winning the 2016 South China Sea arbitration case against China was an assertive act of lawfare, setting a precedent in international maritime law.Cultural & Soft Power – The Philippines exports global cultural influence via music, sports, and diaspora communities, shaping narratives instead of only receiving them.Domestic Policy Choices – While often underreported, there have been homegrown reforms such as community-driven disaster risk reduction programs and pioneering climate adaptation measures.—4. Why the Trope PersistsNarrative Simplicity – “No agency” is an easy explanation for complex problems, saving people from analyzing messy internal dynamics.Internalized Colonial Mentality – Some Filipinos unconsciously adopt a worldview where power is always external, reinforcing fatalism.Media Focus – International coverage often frames the Philippines in the context of big-power politics (U.S.-China rivalry, migrant labor supply) rather than self-determined initiatives.Cynicism in Politics – Local discourse sometimes uses this trope to delegitimize leaders (“they’re just puppets”), regardless of the nuances.—5. The More Accurate ViewThe Philippines is not without agency—it operates within constraints, but constraints are not the same as absence of choice.It’s better to see the country as having:Relative Agency – The ability to act independently on some issues, while having to compromise or negotiate in others.Strategic Opportunities – Moments when the Philippines can punch above its weight (e.g., leveraging ASEAN, maximizing diaspora influence, or shaping maritime law).Structural Challenges – Enduring issues that make asserting agency harder, but not impossible.—If you strip away the fatalism, the Philippines’ story is less about having no agency and more about balancing autonomy with strategic pragmatism—sometimes succeeding, sometimes falling short.—If you like, I can next give you a list of historical turning points where the Philippines clearly exercised agency despite external pressure, to help dismantle the trope more concretely. That would make the counter-argument far more grounded.
A well-balanced assessment. One can look at whatever one wants and be discouraged or uplifted. One can work for greater “agency” and good works. One can give up, quit. We are free to choose.
I made sure I mentioned PH in a seemingly US query.
Alright — you’ve just combined three big, interconnected economic and policy debates into one question set.Let’s unpack them step-by-step, keeping the links between them clear.—1. US Immigration Limits and Food SecurityIf the US sharply limits or stops immigration, two effects hit food security and the “jobs Americans won’t do” question.A. Labor Supply in AgricultureToday’s reality: Around half to two-thirds of US farmworkers are immigrants, and a large share are undocumented. These workers handle harvesting, planting, and processing — jobs that are physically demanding, low-paid, and seasonal.If immigration is cut:Labor shortages → crops left unharvested, especially fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops (which are labor-intensive).Wages might rise to attract domestic workers, but US-born workers have historically not filled these jobs even with higher pay because of seasonality, physical strain, and remote locations.Mechanization would accelerate, but not all crops can be mechanized cost-effectively in the short term.B. Food Prices & SupplyLabor shortages push prices up for fresh produce and processed food.The US could import more food from countries with lower labor costs — ironically increasing dependence on imports and potentially making food security less resilient.—2. Reshoring, Nearshoring, and Friendshoring Under TariffsDefinitions:Reshoring: Bringing manufacturing back to the US.Nearshoring: Moving production to nearby countries (e.g., Mexico).Friendshoring: Sourcing from allied nations to reduce geopolitical risk.A. Will Reshoring Work Without Immigration?Reshoring in manufacturing also needs workers — but US manufacturing is already facing worker shortages in skilled trades.Without immigration, wage pressures rise, and automation fills some gaps — but capital investment and tech transition take years.Result: Reshoring is possible in high-tech/automated sectors (semiconductors, EVs), but low-margin, labor-heavy manufacturing won’t come back easily without migrant labor.B. Impact of Tariffs on Near/FriendshoringTariffs on China (and potentially other rivals) make Mexico, Canada, Vietnam, the Philippines more attractive for supply chains.However, tariffs also raise costs overall — meaning even “friendly” partners may face price competition pressures.If tariffs become too broad, nearshoring/friendshoring might be undercut by higher consumer prices and slower adoption.—3. Philippine Food Security and the Import BanIf the Philippines bans imports of certain staples (say, onions, sugar, or rice), the idea is to protect domestic farmers from cheaper foreign competition.
A. Pros
Gives local farmers a chance to sell at higher prices.Can encourage investment in domestic agriculture if implemented with strong support policies (subsidies, tech aid, irrigation, seed distribution).
B. Cons
If domestic supply is insufficient, shortages → higher consumer prices → food inflation.Smuggling increases when prices are high domestically.Without improving productivity, farmers are not really “protected” — they’re just temporarily shielded, and consumers suffer.—4. Rice Tariffication Act (RTA) — Repeal or Reform?The RTA replaced quantitative rice import limits with tariffs, using tariff revenues to fund the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) for farmers.A. Arguments to RepealFarmers feel import competition is too strong, depressing farmgate prices.Tariffs have not been high enough to prevent cheap imports from flooding the market.Ageing farmers and limited farmland mean local output is declining — farmers can’t compete without heavy modernization.B. Arguments to Keep but ReformRepealing could make rice prices skyrocket for consumers (since domestic production is insufficient).Instead:Adjust tariffs seasonally to protect farmers during harvest.Make RCEF more targeted — fund mechanization, younger farmer training, irrigation repair, not just seeds and fertilizer.Improve post-harvest storage to reduce waste (which is ~15–20% of PH rice output).—5. Bigger Philippine Problem — Ageing Farmers & Shrinking LandAverage farmer age: ~57 years old.Young people avoid farming because of low income and high risk.Land conversion for housing, malls, and industrial zones is eating up arable land.Without a new generation of farmers, even high tariffs or bans won’t help — there will simply be no one to produce.—Summary TableIssue Short-Term Effect Long-Term Effect Core Risk
US immigration ban Labor shortages → food price hikes More imports, less domestic ag output Food security vulnerabilityReshoring without immigration Skilled worker gaps, wage inflation Automation-heavy sectors survive, others fail Partial reshoring successTariffs on China Boost near/friendshoring Higher costs may slow adoption Consumer price hikesPH import ban Protects farmers briefly Shortages, inflation if supply lacking Smuggling, market distortionRice tariffication repeal Higher farmer prices Consumer price spikes, shortages Inflation + low productivityAgeing farmers & shrinking land Immediate productivity decline Collapse of domestic production capacity Dependence on imports—If you want, I can map out a policy package for the Philippines that both protects farmers and ensures food security — something that balances tariffs, subsidies, youth engagement in farming, and climate-smart agriculture. That way we can see where each lever fits.Do you want me to prepare that next?
The next hit will come in October as price increases gain steam, lack of jobs, loss of insurance, and hits to businesses come from less spending on social support (they supply the food for such programs, for example). Social unrest is already building and Trump is struggling to control the Epstein blow-up. I like Heather Cox Richardson, a straight shooter. An educated, informed rebel, I suppose. Thanks Joey.
No problem Joe. Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of American history but specifically on the Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow. I find her insight very relevant, and calming. Important to be level headed in these times. MAGA is mostly performative, like a small man acting like he’s a bulked up body builder much like pro wrestling subculture that has been subsumed into MAGA. Recognize and call them out on their stupidity and they shrink. Here we have literal women and old ladies chasing out ICE whenever they stop by to film their storm trooper propaganda videos, and citizens pushing back is happening more often.
Back to school will be interesting. Epstein, people finally noticing tariffs when they buy their kids school supplies, grocery prices, etc. As I used to associate with Republicans, many of who went MAGA, they started by reasoning out that we (and they) should make “sacrifices” for the greater goal. Well, hard to be a culture warrior when the culture war hits the pocketbook. Some people need to touch the hot stove to realize the warnings to not touch hot stoves were in fact true.
Rick Wilson and Stuart Stevens are also level headed strategists. They are former Republican operatives who are one of the few providing a playbook on how to translate resistance into opposition. Might be worth giving them a listen when they post a short video weekly.
Trump’s $1 billion assessment against the University of California will likely take Berkeley off my son’s top five list. What a nutter.
You should still consider my alma mater. The illegal cut of $1 billion is to post-graduate research (NIH, NSF), and represents less than 1.8% of the UC budget. California will likely be the forefront of the fight. Regardless of what happens, California will probably the safest state to be in, with an impressively aggressive anti-Trump governor. I had a great time at Berkeley. Maybe not too many young ladies there that I found interesting at that time, but the rest of the Bay Area is accessible by BART.
I just saw that Gov. Newsom and CA AG Bonta immediately sued Trump over the $1 billion today. Newsom has a track record of winning lawsuits against Trump that force reversal. So we will see.
Before I rudely interrupted a thread that is continued below.
The US needs immigrants for food security, shelter and workplace building, infrastructure and all the jobs Americans do not want to do including caring for the sick and the elderly
The others with ageing populations like Japan is beginning to realise that they need to teach incoming immigrants their language or better yet to be fluent in English.
China Politburo still limts immigrants even if the new rich wants more.
US tariffs must not be 101 percent serious it must be part bluff
The Small and medium businesses will turn micro businesses if they do not get erased from the picture.
Apple finally is returning Home but fir sure they will still import China parts.
If the Philippines has this do-calked independent foreign policy then what does India have?
India’s current positioning is indeed a fascinating geopolitical balancing act — a diplomatic jigsaw puzzle where pieces sometimes fit snugly and other times feel like they belong to entirely different boxes.
Let’s unpack this “India quandary” step by step:1. India as a BRICS and SCO Member
2. Russian Oil Buyer
3. Enemy of China Geopolitically
4. Economic Partner of China
5. Member of Quad & Indo-Pacific Strategy
6. Partnership with the Philippines
The Core Quandary
India is:
This multi-vector foreign policy is India’s way of hedging — avoiding full alignment with either the West or China/Russia while maximizing national interest. It’s risky but gives India maneuvering room in a world where alliances are increasingly fluid.
If you like, I can map this out visually as a “Geopolitical Web Diagram” showing India at the center with its sometimes contradictory alignments and partnerships. That would make the quandary crystal clear.
I have pasted something about power Asymmetry.
Instead of playing victim and disadvantaged all the time sometimes we learn to go with the flow, knowing how to take the punch and knowing how to fall like in WWE.
Since the PH is in no position to dictate its terms according to the powerful.
We find our achimedian world shaking levers whatever that maybe.
This works well in hostage dramas.
India is in a pickle, has all it takes to be powerful but has to go with the flow.
CHINA had to remind us that the wold once humiliated her and it is payback time.
PH sometimes it is woe is me sometimes we fight to the death and sometimes we call a friend.
I tell you, the poet in you is creeping out. Very well said.
Thanks Joe, I learned from the best, I learn from you.
Since I do not think CV is alone in his opinions.
If we connect those two political moments—the Marcos family’s return to power and the idea of a Duterte comeback—we’re really talking about two layers of generational political trauma, each rooted in different historical contexts but linked by similar patterns in Philippine politics: unresolved historical grievances, weak institutional memory, and a cycle of “strongman nostalgia.”—1. The older generation’s hurt over the Marcos returnFor those who lived through Martial Law (1972–1986), the Marcos years were not just a political era—they were an intensely personal period of fear, repression, and economic decline masked by propaganda.Direct trauma: People recall disappearances, censorship, cronyism, and deep debt burdens passed on to future generations.Betrayal of memory: When Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. returned as president in 2022, many felt the nation had collectively forgotten—or willfully ignored—the lessons of EDSA.Emotional reaction: It was not just political disappointment, but also a reopening of wounds. For some, it felt as though the sacrifices made in 1986 had been erased.—2. The Duterte phenomenon as a “fresh wound”The Duterte administration (2016–2022) brought its own brand of authoritarian style—this time under the banner of populism and “war on drugs.”Direct trauma: Thousands of extrajudicial killings, attacks on dissenters, and a culture of fear, particularly in marginalized communities.Lingering wounds: These are recent enough that victims’ families are still actively grieving; cases are unresolved, and human rights debates remain heated.The threat of return: The possible resurgence of Duterte or his allies (e.g., Sara Duterte, local political dynasties tied to him) feels to many like an insult to fresh pain, not just historical injury.—3. Interconnection: Old wounds meet new woundsHere’s where the emotional resonance overlaps:Pattern recognition: Those who saw authoritarian abuses under Marcos often see Duterte’s style as a continuation, not an anomaly—state violence, erosion of press freedom, consolidation of power.Desensitization risk: However, some Filipinos who were outraged by Marcos have been less vocal against Duterte, perhaps because the latter wrapped his power in populist rhetoric and targeted enemies the public was conditioned to fear.“Double erasure” of justice: For the older generation, the Marcos return was already proof that the country failed to uphold historical accountability. The potential return of Duterte could feel like a confirmation that impunity has become the norm.—4. Emotional intensity: Which hurts more?While both moments sting, they hit differently:Marcos return: Pain of betrayed history — decades to process, yet no closure.Duterte return: Pain of unfinished present — recent abuses still raw, families still mourning, international investigations ongoing.For those who experienced both eras, it can feel like living through a tragic loop: “We swore never again, and here we are—again, and again.”—5. The deeper tragedyThe continuity between Marcos and Duterte is not accidental—it’s partly due to the Philippines’ cyclical political culture:Dynastic politics keeps strongman families relevant for decades.Weak civic education erodes collective memory.Short-term populist satisfaction overshadows long-term democratic values.For the older generation, the possible Duterte resurgence after a Marcos return might feel less like déjà vu and more like a complete capitulation of the democratic gains they fought for. It’s the sense that the public has grown tolerant of, or even nostalgic for, leaders who once inflicted harm—because the harm was reframed as “necessary” or “strong leadership.”—If you want, I can map this sentiment into a timeline chart showing the two eras side-by-side, highlighting pain points, public reactions, and points of political return, so the link between Marcos and Duterte legacies becomes visually clear. That would make the emotional and historical interconnection easier to grasp.
Oh oh, the computer explains the emotional toll that CV rejects. Pain, hurt, trauma. Unplug the bastard.
Here is more of what the computer explains:
>>Marcos Jr.’s presidency isn’t just an emotional trigger; it’s a real-world situation with potential consequences for the Philippines.
Anger and hurt can be powerful motivators, but they need to be paired with clear-eyed analysis to figure out:
What specific harms or risks his policies bring.
Which actions can actually counter those risks.
How to communicate those actions in a way that reaches beyond the already-angry.
If critics limit themselves to only emotional expressions—no matter how justified—they risk letting Marcos Jr. and his allies dismiss them as irrational or partisan.
So when JoeAm says opponents are acting purely on emotion, it sounds like he’s flattening the whole anti–Marcos Jr. movement into a caricature of rage, ignoring the fact that some people are calling for and using strategic, evidence-based opposition.
If anything, CV’s stance is that critical thinking is the bridge between the emotional urgency and the practical work of defending democracy.<<
Thanks for that CV
Again, you try to put your words in my mouth. I did not say opponents are acting purely on emotions. I said their emotions, the hurts, are what prevent some (not all) Yellows from accepting that Marcos can be a part of the good governance effort going forward. There is a good sized smattering of Yellows who are coming to this conclusion, too. They are willing to apply their critical thinking to THE FUTURE, something you say you don’t care about. We’ve beat this horse dead already. We are working on different problems. Kindly stop telling others what I said, shading it wrongly to fit your angers.
Here is another approach CV,
Got it — you meant “oppositors” (people who oppose Marcos/Duterte) rather than “opposites” (as in an ideological reverse).Here’s the cleaned-up rewrite with that correction.Synthesis: Marcos, Duterte, and the Dynamics Between Oppositors and Their CounterpartsI. Context: Two Controversial Political Returns
Marcos Return
Oppositors’ View: Symbol of failed historical accountability, revival of a regime linked to Martial Law abuses.
Neutral/Pragmatic View: Past is past; judge governance by present performance and needs.
Counterpart View: Historical grievances are overstated; strong leadership and perceived achievements outweigh old wounds.
Potential Duterte Comeback
Oppositors’ View: Risk of repeating human rights violations and authoritarian tendencies from 2016–2022.
Neutral/Pragmatic View: Focus on results in crime control, infrastructure, and economic stability.
Counterpart View: Decisive action, even if harsh, is necessary for order and national discipline.
II. Core Political Pattern Linking Marcos and Duterte
Authoritarian style: Centralized decision-making and strongman image.
Dynastic politics: Political families sustain influence beyond a single leader’s term.
Institutional fragility: Weak checks and balances enable controversial figures to return to power.
III. Oppositors vs. CounterpartsOppositors (Anti-Marcos/Duterte) Counterparts (Pro-Strongman or Pragmatic Tolerant) Advocate for human rights, democracy, historical truth. Emphasize stability, order, and economic delivery over process. Act as moral and historical watchdogs. Frame leaders as decisive actors who “get things done.” Risk elitist perception and weak connection to grassroots issues. Craft simple, emotional narratives that resonate widely. Often fragmented into multiple reformist factions. Unite around the personality or legacy of a strong leader. IV. The Neutral/Apathetic Middle
Focus: Daily livelihood, family welfare, and local community matters.
Belief: All politicians act similarly; changes at the top have limited everyday impact.
Effect: Their disengagement or selective participation can decide electoral outcomes depending on which side mobilizes them more effectively.
V. Why Counterparts to Oppositors Often Prevail
Messaging advantage: Short, emotionally charged narratives are easier to understand than complex reform agendas.
Visible results: Infrastructure, cash aid, and public order are tangible in ways institutional reform is not.
Cultural resonance: Strongman leadership aligns with some Filipinos’ expectations of authority.
Exploiting oppositor weaknesses: Division, perceived elitism, and slow delivery create openings.
VI. Broader Takeaway
The Marcos return and potential Duterte comeback reflect a recurring political cycle where:
Dynasties endure through entrenched networks.
Historical accountability remains weak.
Oppositors struggle to connect ideals with immediate, relatable action.
Counterparts excel at narrative framing and showing quick, visible results.
Neutral and apathetic voters act as swing factors, often unintentionally tipping the balance.
The Philippine political pendulum swings between reformist oppositors and strongman counterparts—each side’s weaknesses fueling the other’s resurgence.
Do you want me to now map this as a visual pendulum chart showing how “oppositors” and “counterparts” take turns dominating? That would make the cycle clearer.
For CV and the rest
My dad always said that you can not decide when you are angry,.
If I am pikon most of the time I am wrong even in hindsight. Sometimes I still think I am in the right I am the victim here and so on.
But just the same if you threw the first punch but ending up not throwing a second but receiving a lot,
This is my way of agreeing with you on the thinking part.
“This is my way of agreeing with you on the thinking part.” – Karl
Thanks…nice to know I got through to someone on the thinking part. Up until now it did not seem like I did.
Welcome.
Another way of interjecting to this type of exchanges in the blog.
Yes — Filipinos absolutely have their own brand of racism and discrimination, both in the Philippines and abroad.It’s not always the same as Western-style racism (which is often framed in terms of Black/White relations), but it’s a layered mix of colorism, ethnolinguistic prejudice, colonial mentality, and opportunistic discrimination that plays out differently depending on the setting.Let’s break it down into “givers” and “takers” (perpetrators and recipients), both at home and abroad:—1. At Home: Internal DiscriminationFilipinos have a long history of social stratification based on color, class, and ethnicity, rooted in both precolonial hierarchies and Spanish/American colonial legacy.a. Colorism (“Kayumanggi vs Mestizo”)Fair-skinned mestizos (often with Spanish, Chinese, or American ancestry) are perceived as more beautiful, smarter, and higher status.Darker-skinned Filipinos — especially from rural, coastal, or indigenous areas — are stereotyped as probinsyano, poor, or uneducated.This is why skin-whitening products are a billion-peso industry.b. Ethnolinguistic ChauvinismTagalog vs Non-Tagalog: Many Tagalog speakers subconsciously (or openly) treat Bisaya, Ilocano, Waray, Tausug, etc., as “less sophisticated.”Conversely, some non-Tagalog groups resent Manila/Tagalog dominance and stereotype them as arrogant or lazy.Regional jokes often cross into outright prejudice.c. Stereotyping by Occupation & OriginChinese-Filipinos: “Beho,” “Intsik,” “uhugin” — seen as money-driven, clannish, sometimes distrusted politically.Indian migrants/lenders: “Bombay,” “Five-six” — reduced to the image of loan sharks or motorcycle lenders.Muslims: Often stereotyped as traders, pirates, or terrorists in media.Aeta/Negrito peoples: Called “negrito/negrita” or worse; infantilized or marginalized.—2. Abroad: Exported Prejudices + Survival ModeWhen Filipinos migrate, the discrimination doesn’t vanish — it morphs, mixing internalized colonial mentality with adaptation to host-country biases.a. Ratting on CompatriotsSome Filipinos abroad will report undocumented kababayans to immigration (like ICE in the US), often out of personal grudges, jealousy, or to “protect” their own legal status.This can also stem from scarcity thinking — the belief that helping others will threaten your own survival.b. Adopting Host Country’s RacismIn places with anti-Black, anti-Latino, or anti-immigrant sentiment, some Filipinos absorb and repeat these biases — sometimes to align themselves with the “in-group” for acceptance.In the Middle East, some OFWs have been known to look down on African workers, echoing local prejudices.c. Hierarchies Among Filipinos OverseasThose with professional jobs (nurses, engineers) sometimes look down on service workers (caregivers, janitors, domestic helpers).Filipinos from Luzon may be dismissive toward Mindanao migrants, repeating the same ethnolinguistic bias from home.—3. Why It HappensColonial Mentality: Centuries of being told lighter, foreign, and Western is better.Scarcity Mindset: Especially abroad, where competition for jobs/legal status is fierce.Cultural Habits of Teasing/“Banter”: What’s framed as harmless asaran often masks prejudice.Internalized Hierarchy: People reproduce the very structures that oppress them, just from a different rung on the ladder.—4. The Filipino “Brand” of RacismIf we had to describe it, it’s:Horizontal more than vertical — often aimed at people on the same social level rather than an established “oppressor class.”Disguised as humor or practicality — many prejudiced remarks are brushed off as “jokes” or “truths everyone knows.”Highly relational — who you are to the person (kin, kababayan, rival) matters as much as your race/ethnicity.Easily turned inward or outward — can be against fellow Filipinos or non-Filipinos depending on context.—If you like, I can map out a chart of Filipino prejudice — home and abroad — showing the giver-taker relationships, ethnic stereotypes, and power dynamics, so you can see exactly how it flows.It would make these patterns very clear.
Karl, Please ask for the chart of Filipino prejudice. That would be fascinating.
Thanks.
This is the output. I Apologize about the formatting, I tried to fix some.
Here’s a structured chart mapping out Filipino prejudice — both at home and abroad — based on the “brand” you described.I’ll show it as a matrix so you can see:Source
→ Target relationships (who’s giving vs. who’s receiving)Common stereotypes or prejudices (both “joking” and openly negative)Underlying dynamics (power, rivalry, insecurity, colonial mindset)
—Filipino Prejudice Map(Home and Abroad)
Source Target Common Stereotypes / Remarks Nature of Prejudice Power / Relational DynamicUrban Filipinos (Manila / Cebu) Rural Filipinos / Provincianos “Promdi” (provincial), unsophisticated, “baduy” Cultural snobbery, classism Horizontal prejudice; city seen as “superior” to provincesLowland Christian Filipinos Indigenous Peoples (Lumad, Igorot, Aeta, Mangyan, etc.) “Uncivilized,” “backward,” “exotic” Ethnic prejudice, colonial hangover Marginalization of minorities; systemic neglect
Tagalog speakers Non-Tagalog ethnic groups “Probinsyano accent,” “bisaya ka siguro” as insult Linguistic prejudice
Manila-centric culture reinforces dominanceLight-skinned Filipinos Darker-skinned Filipinos “Maitim” jokes, equating dark skin with low status Colorism (colonial influence) Rooted in Spanish-era class hierarchyWealthy Filipinos Poor Filipinos “Tamád,” “walang disiplina,” “palamunin” Classism disguised as moral failing Deep inequality masked as personal flawFilipinos abroad (OFWs) Fellow Filipinos abroad Gossip, competition, “crab mentality” Horizontal rivalry in diaspora Scarce resources/opportunities abroad fuel frictionFilipinos abroad Host country nationals “Racism in reverse” (e.g., mocking accents of locals) Insecurity masking as superiority Minorities projecting prejudice outwardFilipinos abroad Other Asian migrants (Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.) “Kuripot,” “mabaho,” “mandurugas” stereotypes Inter-ethnic prejudice Imported stereotypes from PH + local host gossipFilipinos in PH Chinese-Filipinos (“Tsinoys”) “Mandaraya,” “kuripot,” “hindi tunay na Pinoy” Ethnic prejudice with economic jealousy Resentment of perceived economic dominanceFilipinos in PH Muslim Filipinos (esp. from Mindanao) “Terrorista,” “mapusok,” “hindi mapagkakatiwalaan” Religious prejudice Historical conflict, political narrative framingOlder Filipinos Younger Filipinos “Walang respeto,” “too Westernized” Generational gap prejudice Power imbalance but also insecurityYounger Filipinos Older Filipinos “Boomer,” “makaluma” Generational stereotyping Cultural shift and tech divide
—Key Observations
1. Horizontal, not purely vertical:Most prejudice is peer-to-peer or near-peer rather than strictly oppressor-to-oppressed.E.g., city vs. province, one ethnic group vs. another, OFW vs. OFW.
2. Humor as armor:Many of these remarks are packaged as banter (“Uy, biro lang!”) but carry deep biases
.3. Highly relational:A “probinsyano” stereotype may be harmless if said between friends, but demeaning in a job interview.
4. Colonial hangover + internalized bias:Colorism, language snobbery, and classism often trace back to Spanish and American colonial eras.-
–If you want, I can also turn this into a visual flowchart showing the giver→receiver loops — including how prejudice can bounce back (e.g., OFWs abroad mocking each other → back home stereotyping foreigners → back to intra-ethnic jokes).That would make the feedback cycle of Filipino prejudice crystal clear.
Very good, thanks. I’d classify much of this as benign ethnic chatter, not racism. Differences exist, no big deal I think.
Thanks for the way you put it.
I recall recently a long time professor at one of our elite Universities in the Philippines criticizing the content of what someone was saying by noting the fellow’s poor command of English. I remember that was SOP in the schools I went to…to make fun of what we sometimes called “carabao English.”
It was after some time here in the US that I learned to look at the substance of what a person was trying to say, and not at his command of English.
That is nice
I meant your outlook and not the professor”s
Thank you, Karl…but…. 🙂
My English teacher in high school told us never to use “nice” as an adjective to describe something. He said it didn’t really say anything.
I asked ChatGPT about it….but maybe I shouldn’t share what it said because it might be interpreted as throwing a punch.
I am not patronising you by the way, Joey and Irineo noticed my sarcasm.
I mean no harm.
Sorry, Karl, but I think I missed what you were trying to communicate in your sarcasm (which Joey and Ireneo apparently got). When you said “that is nice” I didn’t know what you meant. “Nice” could mean a lot of things, like my English teacher warned us.
JoeAm in his Humpty Dumpty wisdom says it meant what you meant. Okay…but what am I supposed to do with that? I can only read the word you used, not your mind.
You don’t have to respond to me if you prefer not to. You may prefer Joey and Ireneo. I’m easy.
Joey said I was sarcastic but not in a bad way.
Irineo implied my comments have double meaning, or seemingly harmless but….
That is all in the past and commenting life goes on.
Now for nice
I mean you said something on how you treat or would treat others which ai found nice inspite and despite what your professor told you which I found too strict and opinionaredly driven at that moment.
I forgot the exact comment but that was what I meant by nice.
I say it with sincerity
No double meaning or sarcasm
Next time, to avoid vagueness
I will enclose the sentence in quotes like what you do, when I convey a messages to you byt sorry I am not used to it, I may not do it all the time.
Thanks for bringing this up again, Karl. I forget now the context of the whole thing, but my suggestion, unsolicited as it was, was meant in good faith. I recall JoeAm came back at me with something about preferring Humpty Dumpty to my English teacher. In speech, nice works fine because the tone of voice and facial expressions fill in the meaning. But in writing, especially in professional or thoughtful discussions, it’s clearer to use more specific words. That way, people don’t have to guess what kind of “nice” you meant. That is how I have operated every time I have put my thoughts to paper. Sometimes I deliberately choose to be lazy and just say “nice” but knowing the discussion is extremely light.
All is well.
I would go with Humpty Dumpty over your English teacher. Humpty says a word means what the person saying it means to say. I’ve never found that to be wrong.
I would go with my English teacher.
“Humpty says a word means what the person saying it means to say. I’ve never found that to be wrong.” – JoeAm
Growing up in the Philippines, communication was a major problem. We were always asking for clarification. You often heard additional words like “Ang ibig kong sabihin” and “hindi mo ako naiintindihan.” I didn’t notice it because I grew up with it. It was an English speaking foreigner who brought it to my attention. When we speak Tagalog, we often say “kwan” as in “thingamajig” in English. “Paki-lagay mo yung kwan doon sa tabi ng kwan.”
Of course the speaker knew what he/she meant…but good luck for the one he/she is communicating with.
Anyways, my point with regard to that story of the college professor who judged a person’s intelligence by his command of English, I don’t think anyone took an interest in that trait. I know I used to do it as I grew up in the Philippines. Then I come to the US where there are a zillion accents! Which is the accent to connote intelligence? Of course the answer is that it is not about the accent, but rather the substance of what the person is saying.
I had to change my tendency to judge a person by his command of English as I learned in the Metro Manila area. In fact, more often than not, I was the one with the wrong accent or command of English.
I’m with Humpty. Wisdom is the best way to find peace.
That is nice.
Sweet!
Last for a while.
Power asymmetry and power dynamics in the Philippines can be understood as a deeply entrenched system where relationships of influence and control flow both from the top down and from the bottom up, across government, business, civil society, and even personal relationships. It is a layered structure shaped by history, culture, economics, and institutions.Here’s a breakdown from bottom-up and top-down perspectives across both government and non-government spheres.—1. Historical Roots of Power AsymmetryColonial legacy – Spanish patronage and friar control, American bureaucratic centralization, and Japanese wartime hierarchy embedded a culture of strong central authority and patron-client relationships.Feudal land ownership – Concentrated landholdings (haciendas) created economic dependency and local political dynasties.Elite continuity – Post-independence politics largely preserved pre-existing hierarchies.—2. Government Power DynamicsTop-down power flowCentralized governance – Despite decentralization laws (e.g., Local Government Code), national agencies still control budgets, policy priorities, and major projects.Political dynasties – Family-based political monopolies dominate Congress and local government, creating entrenched influence.Law enforcement and judiciary – Enforcement power is often selective, influenced by political alliances and corruption.Regulatory capture – Agencies sometimes serve vested interests instead of the public.Bottom-up power flowGrassroots mobilization – Community organizations, people’s movements, and cooperatives can influence local ordinances and national debates (e.g., anti-mining campaigns, environmental movements).Election leverage – Voting blocs, religious groups (e.g., Iglesia ni Cristo), and social media activism can sway political outcomes.Local governance innovations – Some LGUs adopt participatory budgeting, citizen consultations, and people’s councils.—3. Non-Government Power DynamicsTop-down power flowCorporate dominance – Large conglomerates control critical sectors (telecoms, utilities, media, real estate, retail).Media ownership – Concentrated in a few families or corporations, influencing public opinion.NGO gatekeeping – Well-funded international NGOs can overshadow smaller grassroots organizations in agenda-setting.Bottom-up power flowSocial movements – Labor unions, farmers’ cooperatives, fisherfolk associations, and youth organizations push for reform.Digital empowerment – Social media enables marginalized voices to bypass traditional gatekeepers.Consumer activism – Public boycotts and online campaigns can pressure brands and corporations to change behavior.—4. Intersecting ForcesPower in the Philippines is rarely one-directional—it is negotiated and contested.Patron-client reciprocity – Constituents offer loyalty and votes in exchange for favors, resources, or protection, reinforcing elite dominance while giving the poor limited bargaining power.Elite capture of grassroots movements – Bottom-up efforts can be co-opted by political or corporate interests.Informal power brokers – Religious leaders, retired generals, celebrity endorsers, and even local fixers often influence decision-making.International actors – Multilateral lenders, foreign investors, and aid agencies exert both top-down and bottom-up influence via funding and policy conditions.—5. Cultural UnderpinningsHiya (shame) and pakikisama (smooth interpersonal relations) discourage open conflict but can perpetuate silence in the face of abuse.Utang na loob (debt of gratitude) sustains loyalty even when it undermines fairness.Familism – Loyalties to family or clan often override institutional rules.—6. Ways to Shift the DynamicsInstitutional reforms – Stronger anti-dynasty laws, campaign finance transparency, and decentralization with real fiscal autonomy.Capacity building – Strengthening grassroots organizations’ ability to engage in policymaking.Civic education – Empowering citizens to demand accountability and participate meaningfully.Independent media – Protecting journalists and diversifying ownership to reduce narrative control.—If you’d like, I can map this into a visual “Power Flow Diagram” showing how influence moves between levels—from barangay captains to Malacañang, and from small community cooperatives to multinational corporations—so you can see the asymmetry and feedback loops clearly. It would make the abstract dynamics much easier to digest.
Seems to be spot on. Point 6, solutions, haha, does the computer do probabilities? The power players want to retain power so there will be no actions, as suggested, my guess.
It seems to me that civil society needs to be built up first. Without pressure from constituents, those who already have power have little reason to change, or give up power.
In the Philippines I’ve seen small groups have extraordinary solidarity; e.g. family or friend groups. But outside of small groups there seems to be little that glues multiple small groups together to form greater civil society that creates goals that can be worked towards. When groups are kept small, possibly isolated, not only is control easier, but apathy reigns until a breaking point is reached whereupon people demand a complete 180. I still believe that Duterte took advantage of one of these breaking points to build his supporter base.
A trade union is an expression of civil society, and trade unions are especially weak in the Philippines. Rather than coalitions of those calling out for human rights, there are disparate singular voices that can be ignored, or suppressed. Angat Buhay is a good example of civil society I’d like to see more of in the Philippines, but Angat Buhay is but one organization that I don’t see being copied.
Come to think about it, the pressures of internal migrations due to industrialization was the catalyst of civil society in other democratic countries. Perhaps a major reason why civil society has always been quite weak in the Philippines is that industrialization was never completed.
That makes sense. I think people are used to being powerless workers and there is little sense of righteousness over common issue (like the recent SC ruling). Powerlessness is a common condition.
My worry is even if something like Angat Buhay is multiplied, it would still not be enough.
In a way having more money is the first required step towards having agency. Though workers in the earlier iterations of industrialization earned a pittance, worked long abusive hours in dangerous conditions, they no longer had to be tied to a patron and could choose to work for the factory’s competitor. Despite those workers still being one step away of destitution, they did control their own earnings and could choose their employer.
In many places of the Philippines, especially the provinces, a rubber tapper or coconut farmer even if they owned their own land and trees, are beholden in a sort of feudal relationship with a bigger planter or middleman buyer. They have almost no market access as they don’t own their own trucks (even light duty mini trucks) and the roads that would give them access to more buyers aren’t great.
So it appears that the elites also need to give up something, by let’s say building out infrastructure to facilitate that market access for farmers. The question then is are the elites willing to do that? Giving more freedoms and access carries a risk that people will now have more agency and thus be more willing to oppose leaders. But if a happy medium is struck, the poor become less poor while the rich can become richer. It is risky though, which is why I imagine why Filipino elites don’t proceed with it.
The 6-year single term of a Philippine president along with the often chaotic nature of the Congress may also be limiting factors for even a visionary president. That’s probably what caused Aquino’s policies to ultimately die like seedlings in rocky soil, to be picked out by ravenous birds or choked between the stones. Possibly that might happen to Marcos Jr. also. A vision probably needs to take into consideration a strategy to hold the presidency and Congress within a coalition for at least 2, possibly 3 terms.
That’s a level of sophistication that is out of reach, I think. It goes election to election with no enduring framework among the pro-democracy folks. DDS has a level of permanance.
Two ways to go about achieving that I suppose, but both need a class that is not stuck to take the lead. One is for an elite subset to take a risk and wager that sharing prosperity now means they earn more later. The other is for enough of the vast diaspora to come back and build from the bottom up. Who knows? Throughout history leaders often emerge out of no where.
Manuel Quezon was able to do a lot with his two terms, even if his second term was cut short by Japanese invasion. Of course he had American backing as an advantage. But what happened to his legacy?
Somehow the “big men” of the Philippines fail to leave a legacy. Magsaysay didn’t either. Is is because Filipinos just expect a datu to lead them, and MOSTLY don’t pay attention to lasting lessons that great leaders can impart?
Most Americans have a big sense of guilt if they felt like they did something bad and continually try to rectify “past mistakes,” somehow. Quite possibly, the Philippines is one of the largest beneficiaries of American guilt, *ahem* largesse, since 1898. The US felt immense collective guilt even on the necessary things, like bombing Japan and Germany to hell and back, providing years of investment and development aid to rebuild those two countries. The US even felt guilt over “losing half of Korea” and helped South Korea rebuild as well. But quite possibly, no where was US aid squandered so wantonly like it was squandered in the Philippines starting at the waning days of the Third Republic until the present time.
The problems probably started much earlier than we typically think. Internal mass migration towards the direction of Manila started in the early 1950s, quite early in the Third Republic by Quirino’s time, but definitely by Magsaysay. Perhaps the easiest (though not cleanest) explanation is that the leadership class focused on building what they thought was an approximation of a First World country, but ultimately that building out was limited to elite enclaves and subdivisions. There wasn’t much focus on “outer” provinces, even ones closer to Manila much less the Visayas, Mindanao and Sulu.
People go where the jobs are, because after all most people want to support their families. The Philippines might not have a cross-border migration issue like the US or Western Europe, but in a less centralized-centralized country like the Philippines, the migration is internal. The more people that migrated to Manila drained workforce from provinces. One can go about in many places of Mindanao now and hardly anyone knows how to farm, even if their family own land (and many E families actually do own land in the provinces). Hell, they don’t even know how to grow “famine foods” like kamote, kamoteng kahoy, or kangkong. I know, because this American taught some provincial Filipinos here and there how to grow those things.
The way out of this mess is to spread wealth generation more evenly across the archipelago. With targeted investment in infrastructure, these problems can start to be solved. Let’s say creating better highway networks across Mindanao while planting factories at places close to available workforce and raw resources, improving RO/RO ports at the ends of the infrastructure network.
Can’t really teach people to move away from datu-ism by just telling them “hey that’s bad,” “that’s backwards thinking.” People often figure it out for themselves when they have more agency, and the best way to give a family agency is to give them a way to earn more money. Otherwise the Philippines might still be stuck in a datu-supplicant cycle years from now.
Yes, we have discussed urban sprawl in Manila already, especially with Sonny who having been born at the end of WW2 experienced the 1950s in Manila firsthand. He recalls actually PLAYING at the EDSA-Aurora boulevard intersection in his childhood.
My recall is how UP Balara kept growing, with the likes of our Visayan gardener being one of the first, with enough space to raise pigs and chickens, basically when I went down the small hill we lived on to their place, it was nearly like in the province in the early 1970s.
At some point it got more crowded, and I don’t recall when I stopped hearing pigs squealing when slaughtered downhill. I do recall that at some point they played “Born to Be Alive” every year at the fiesta they held by then. I was a teen and of course knew it was “out”.
By the noughties, poverty porn movies by Brillante Mendoza came out, one was about UP Balara, and the tenements simply had piled up to several stories. The rich family that had been barangay captains in the 1970s were still in power, as placards showed.
That of course expressways have been built, even all the way to Tarlac and Elyu (La Union) is too little too late as urban sprawl is now even making the last open ricelands in Nueva Ecija subject to speculation. Pampanga is practically suburbanized now, Calabarzon too.
Of course some of the rise of Cebu was due to Manila being too crowded already, this was I think the Ceboom era of the 1990s. But your point definitely stands, that stuff never was truly controlled there, it just happened and was patched up later.
I did watch the urban sprawl encroaching into the vegetable farms of Tarlac and Pampanga and the rice lands of Nueva Ecija over the period of subsequent visits, like watching a flip book (kineograph) in slow motion. Quite sad to see those places get paved over, and thoughtless as well in terms of food security.
The continual expansion of Metro Manila suburbs is a lack of planning feature. A lot of things in the Philippines happen organically, and for those developers who paved over surrounding provinces or for the people who moved there they are just doing something that makes sense to themselves in the absence of government planning. Without some kind of intervention, it’s likely that the area around Metro Manila will continue to expand as the subpar transportation in Manila is still leaps and bounds better than the terrible transportation in the provinces. This could absolutely be blunted. The government just needs to invest in building up other provinces aside from Metro Manila. My guess is leaders will continue to do next to nothing, and Metro Manila will continue to get bigger organically.
My happy happy take is that it is worse in Bangladesh. And provincial roads are much better here these days. People encroaching on the other hand is still a problem.
When my dad was a younger man he was very impatient. Now that he’s older (he’s around your age Joe), he is more relaxed and complains that I’m an impatient man and that I should learn to slow down a bit lol.
Haha, don’t listen to him! You can slow down later. 😂🤣😂
Marcos Jr. actually pushing the North South Commuter Railway from Clark to Calamba is a great thing, and the US deal for a freight railway from Clark thru Manila all the way to Cavite makes sense as well. Of course that is all “Mega Manila”. Some of it is just rebuilding stuff that was there even in Spanish and US times (railways) but were not upgraded on time or seen as “backward” when Filipino elites believed more in 1950s American car-centrism. It does seem that the NSCR is being built and hopefully whoever comes after Marcos doesn’t just stop that project for whatever petty reason. I mean there is urban sprawl even here in Munich, and there are maps of how large state forests around town were, showing how they got reduced over the years. But that stuff is at least TAUGHT in geography courses here, with pupils asked to give their analysis of what they see on the maps, what the causes were and what could be done in the future.
Yet we boast of activism and labor groups pressure groups people power and so on.
Those groups are immensely important. I imagine the work needs to be sustained though, even if the next steps seem so hard. Need to push it through.
sorry here is another one that is not off topic.
I noticed Joey that you have forest fire fatigue, it seems like it is no big deal. But for us far away, it is.
Here’s a combined thread that merges the California wildfire situation with its specific effects on the Filipino community, so it reads as a single, flowing piece.California Wildfires: Growing Danger and the Filipino Community’s Experience
California’s wildfires have become an escalating crisis in 2025, not just a seasonal nuisance. This summer’s blazes—like the Canyon Fire near Los Angeles and the massive Gifford Fire—are burning faster, hotter, and over larger areas than in past years, fueled by extreme heat, drought, and dry vegetation. Some fires remain 0% contained for days, forcing thousands to evacuate and putting homes, livelihoods, and health at risk.Why These Fires Aren’t Routine
The Filipino Community’s Direct Experience
Filipinos are one of the largest Asian American groups in California, with strong communities in wildfire-prone areas like Ventura County, Napa, Sonoma, Riverside, and parts of San Diego and Los Angeles. For them, these fires aren’t abstract—they hit home.
Many have faced repeated evacuations. Multigenerational households, common in Filipino culture, mean elderly relatives and children are at higher risk during emergencies.
The Bigger Picture
While wildfires have always been part of California life, the scale, frequency, and destructiveness have grown to crisis levels. For the Filipino community, the threat is compounded by cultural, economic, and occupational realities. They are frontline responders, vulnerable residents, and community organizers all at once.
This is no longer a seasonal inconvenience—it’s a test of resilience for both California and its diverse communities. Tackling it means addressing climate change, urban planning, emergency preparedness, and equitable support for those most affected.
I can take this further by creating a visual map showing wildfire hazard zones overlaid with counties where Filipinos are concentrated. That would make the impact instantly clear. Do you want me to prepare that?
Oh yearly chaparral fires are a big deal in California and much of the American Southwest. And I would define “yearly” or “seasonal” as routine. This year’s fires hit unlucky places compounded by typhoon force winds. Imagine a major typhoon, but instead of rain there’s burning embers, in effect a firestorm. Most of the problem is local cities have allowed unscrupulous developers to build into the hills and mountains that have high fire risk. The Indigenous peoples warned early American settlers about this long ago, and continue to warn. People who live there aren’t as much to blame as bad local policy — most of government here in the US is run at a state and local level. Often the federal government has to come in with disaster funds to make up for bad local decisions. Though to note, Republican led states like Florida and Texas take way more federal disaster dollars than California does. California subsidizes the irresponsible states.
An issue with Trump illegally federalizing the California National Guard is that guardsmen make up a large number of “rattlesnake teams” that identify and direct work crews to clear away dried chaparral from the hills. Joe may remember from his time in LA that in the Spring the hills and mountains around the Southwest go from sunburned brown dead vegetation to bursting out into shades of green and a multitude of wildflower colors. Then by late Summer everything dies again. Perhaps Trump will suggest we take the leaves again.
Corporate mass media is nearly unwatchable. Both-siding and sane washing to the point of outright lies. During the last fire season (which were big but not as big as some I remember in the last 40 years), emergency and rescue crews, rattlesnake teams, and fire firefighters focused on saving lives, as they should. MAGA and the “news” screamed about how houses were burning, when lives should be prioritized instead. Then when it wasn’t a convenient political issue anymore they moved on. Until now Trump hasn’t released the disaster money legally owed to California, leaving affected Californians stranded.
Thanks Joey.
what’s your take on Ramon Ang and his plans to prevent floods in Metro Manila?
Last year I read an article where Ramon Ang first mentioned his grandchildren in more detail. He said something about his grandchildren being his inspiration for a better Philippines in his semi-retirement. At the time I had thought it was something a normal doting lolo would say about his apo, and that better Philippines meant something along the lines of the next generation making the Philippines a better place. With his recent moves, including NAIA, I think possibly Ramon Ang has something else in mind.
1.) Consider that Ramon Ang has 8 children, and while the resource and rent extraction business might have served him and his children well, as his grandchildren increase he may be thinking “is this the Philippines I want my grandchildren to grow up in?”
2.) With regards to Ramon Ang’s plan to address Metro Manila flooding, I hadn’t seen anything aside from his press conference with Manila mayor Isko Moreno and Quezon City mayora Joy Belmonte. The press conference consisted of the usual buzz words, and I’m a bit allergic to buzz words.
3.) Private businessmen doing *basic* government *services* is not great. If the intentions are mostly pure, the result could be good, but if things go south there is no accountability that an elected official technically would be held to.
4.) Sen. Ping Lacson alleges that P1.9 trillion has been wasted by DPWH over the last 15 years. I didn’t dig that deeply but it seems like this number was the actual budget + development aid added up over 15 years. Undoubtedly *some* money did disappear into ghost projects and badly managed problems, or else why has the Metro Manila flooding situation gotten worse over the same 15 years? I don’t live in Metro Manila like Karl does but when I do occasion a visit during habagat it did seem to me like flooding has gotten worse.
5.) From a purely business angle, crappy infrastructure and extended effects from weather events are bad for business. People can’t get gasoline, can’t visit SM malls, no tolls are collected on expressways, to same a handful of impacts to Ramon Ang’s businesses specifically. Maybe Ramon Ang should have gotten into the business of building airboats similar to what are used in the Florida Everglades. It would’ve been cheaper than embarking on major projects, char.
6.) Filipinos are too easily flock to anything with the word “free” in it. From relief food drives, to vote buying, to giveaways at malls for signups. Now we have mayors and top electeds flocking to free, free, free. Well, nothing in life is free. Best case scenario is Ramon Ang is doing this out of his own good heart while getting some reasonable concessions; worst case scenario Filipino billionaires are starting to realize that government in the Philippines is such a basket case they need to take matters into their own hands as rent extraction is probably saturated, especially with PRC dumping cheap goods on the Philippines via online mall apps like Shopee and TikTok Store.
7.) This episode is actually an indictment on the state of government in the Philippines. Across multiple administrations since the return to democracy it has been more of a patch up job, band-aid treatment, whatever we want to call it rather than treating the symptoms and building the infrastructure necessary for a modern society. But the people love it and tolerate it. After all, they get “free” stuff from electeds during campaign season and listen to rousing speeches by surrogates. Is this what being governed by a band of thieves feels like?
I see little contradiction between Joe’s POV that the oligarchs get stuff done and my quip that Lee Kuan Yew would have built malls in the Philippines and not bothered with its politics.
And yes, you may be right that Ramon Ang sees stuff literally sinking and feels he needs to do something if he still wants to have good business there. It is like his much lauded fixing of NAIA was something that was about time.
Most Philippine stuff BTW is going into my C drawer nowadays, thanks for the summary.
The oligarchs do get stuff done when it suits their business interests or image. Still it’s not optimal to wait around for some kind of benefactor to come in and do something. Otherwise what’s the point of electing politicians and having a government at all?
On LKY, if LKY was a Chinese Filipino rather than a Singaporean, I still think that he would’ve whipped the Philippines into shape. That man and his party built something out of nothing. Well, perhaps the Philippines historically has been a land of plenty more or less. Most of the time when I’m visiting in the province, I hardly even go to the wet market or nearby town. I just eat what grows out of the ground or can be picked off of a tree. If I’m thirsty I climb a coconut tree and drink coconut juice.
My quip is more on whether LKY would have CHOSEN to help the Philippines or just thought what the quip implies – these people are beyond helping. I kinda have kept myself motivated inspite of feeling it isn’t worth it by that kind of humor even until now.
thanks will do.
We choose the path we walk on.
slightly OT: https://x.com/RichHeydarian/status/1954005039833657664 is Heydarian reading here, especially Joey’s comments on industrialization?
“SO MANY BILLIONAIRES. But still ZERO GLOBAL INDUSTRIES and manufacturing brands, nothing like even VinFast of 🇻🇳 never-mind Samsung 🇰🇷 or BYD 🇨🇳”
https://x.com/RichHeydarian/status/1954033990048133471 – at a loss if these are good ideas:
“INDUSTRIAL POLICY
The Philippines 🇵🇭 with all its billionaires has ZERO GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL/TECH brands, not even VINFAST 🇻🇳 level never mind likes of SAMSUNG 🇰🇷 or BYD 🇨🇳 — not even PROTON 🇲🇾 What went so wrong???
The best explanation is we never had effective and dynamic industrial policy — namely systematic subsidies and support systems for strategic industries with long-term aim of developing national champions. The classic “developmental state” model era is over. We missed it, thanks largely to Marcos dictatorship follies and his weak predecessors. The best industrial policy principles for countries such as the Philippines in the 21st century are the following: (1) focusing on specific sectors, instead of a whole spectrum of industries; (2) adopting strict monitoring mechanisms to enforce performance-based targets; (3) embracing a more collaborative approach in tandem with domestic conglomerates, especially those who are critical to energy supply and infrastructure development; and (4) creating regulatory and infrastructure conditions to attract foreign investors. Regarding the latter, the Philippines should, for instance, (1) subsidize power and water rates in special manufacturing corridors to enhance productivity; (2) develop its own “chips Act” to support R&D as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are interested in joining semiconductor supply chains in tandem with global investors; and (3) establish a new interagency mechanism—likely led by the Department of Trade and Industry and Marcos’ economic czar Frederick Go with the involvement of Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Economic and Development Authority—to map, coordinate, and implement support polices for new and emerging industries.”
It sounds like you’re asking about Philippine tycoons—particularly those with the potential or current involvement in car manufacturing or heavy industry like ship or truck production. Here are some key figures and companies to know:—Tycoons and Conglomerates in Automotive & Heavy Industry1. Ayala Corporation / AC IndustrialsThrough its industrial arm, AC Industrials, the Ayala group has stakes in automotive manufacturing and distribution—including Honda Cars Philippines, Isuzu, VW, Kia, and BYD, as well as motorcycle manufacturing via KTM in partnership with KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing. Their subsidiary Integrated Micro-Electronics (IMI) is a global automotive electronics manufacturing services provider. 2. GT Capital Holdings (Ty Family)GT Capital, founded by George Ty, manages a diverse range of businesses including car manufacturing and distribution—specifically owning 51% of Toyota Motor Philippines. 3. Francisco Motors CorporationA local Filipino automotive manufacturer, Francisco Motors Corporation produces jeepneys, cars, trucks, and vans. They also once assembled Mazda pickups and Hyundai vehicles. 4. United Asia Automotive / Foton (Rommel Sytin)Rommel Sytin, president of the Foton distributor in the Philippines, is notable for launching a P1.2 billion manufacturing plant in Clark, Pampanga. The facility assembles Foton trucks and heavy equipment. 5. Ramon S. Ang (SMC / San Miguel)Although not a manufacturer himself, SMC leader Ramon S. Ang handles luxury automotive distribution—bringing BMW to the Philippines via SMC Asia Car Distributors. 6. Robert Coyiuto Jr. (PGA Cars)A tycoon in the dealership sphere, Robert Coyiuto Jr. distributes brands like Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Audi, and Hyundai. He also co-founded the Porsche Training and Recruitment Center Asia for automotive technicians. —Summary TableTycoon / Group Automotive Involvement Heavy Industry InvolvementAyala / AC Industrials Multi-brand distribution & IMS manufacturing None specifiedGT Capital (Ty family) Toyota Philippines (51% ownership) None specifiedFrancisco Motors Corp. Jeepneys, trucks, vans, local manufacturing Local vehicle manufacturingRommel Sytin (Foton) Foton truck and equipment assembly Heavy equipment manufacturingRamon S. Ang (SMC) BMW distribution None specifiedRobert Coyiuto Jr. Luxury car distribution & training programs None specified—Insights from the CommunityOne Reddit user highlighted that Philippines is the 4th largest shipbuilder globally, but local industry struggles to retain skilled labor. This limits growth in heavy manufacturing. Another noted that despite challenges, there are local manufacturers, especially for buses and maritime vehicles, pointing out that our country is not as devoid of heavy industry as often presumed. —Final ThoughtsSo if you’re thinking of which Philippine tycoons or companies could potentially venture further into car or heavy vehicle manufacturing, the most direct contenders are:Francisco Motors Corp. (local vehicle manufacturing),Rommel Sytin / Foton (truck & heavy equipment assembly),Ayala (via AC Industrials/IMI) and GT Capital (major in automotive manufacturing & distribution with strong infrastructure).If you’re looking for more depth on any specific company or want to explore emerging players or potential future ventures (e.g. EV manufacturing, shipbuilding syndicates), let me know—I’d be happy to dig further!
If you mean Philippine companies involved in making smartphones or computers, the short answer is: there’s no major homegrown brand that designs and manufactures them entirely in the Philippines yet — but there are several players assembling devices, doing R&D, or branding imported hardware.Here’s the breakdown:—1. Philippine Smartphone Brands (Mostly ODM/EMS from China or Taiwan)These brands design some features and do local marketing, but actual production is typically outsourced to factories in China, Vietnam, or India.Brand Known For Manufacturing Origin NotesCherry Mobile Budget to midrange smartphones, tablets China (ODM partners) One of the largest local brands, with assembly lines in the PH for some devices in the past (Laguna) but most now imported.MyPhone Affordable smartphones China Early local smartphone brand, targeted for Filipino consumers.Starmobile Phones, tablets China Tried some local assembly in Quezon City in early 2010s.Cloudfone Budget to mid-tier smartphones China Collaborated with Intel for some devices.Torque Mobile Ultra-budget phones China Heavy focus on low-cost mass market.—2. Computer & Laptop PlayersMostly the Philippines doesn’t have a full-scale PC manufacturing industry, but there are a few notable activities:Company / Brand Role Manufacturing Origin NotesRedfox Technologies Laptops, desktops, tablets China/Taiwan Filipino-owned brand, markets to schools and gov’t.Acer Philippines (Taiwan-owned) Assembly, sales Taiwan/China Global brand with strong local presence.Stratpoint, 8Layer, and local OEM assemblers Build custom PCs Local assembly Mostly small-scale, using imported components.Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI) (Ayala group) EMS for global brands Philippines, China, Europe Manufactures electronics for automotive, telecom, consumer electronics, including PCB assemblies for global brands — potential to support PH-made PCs.—3. Big Industrial CapabilityIf the government or private sector pushed, the Philippines already has electronics manufacturing capacity (mostly for export), thanks to companies in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Cebu that make semiconductors, PCB assemblies, and components. Examples:Texas Instruments (TI) Philippines – Baguio and Clark plants assemble semiconductors used in smartphones and laptops globally.Analog Devices, Maxim Integrated, ROHM – Make chips for global brands.Murata, Epson, Brother, Lexmark – Manufacture printers, parts, and electronics.—4. Challenges & OpportunitiesChallenges: Lack of large-scale R&D, high production cost compared to Vietnam/China, supply chain gaps (e.g., display panels, batteries still imported).Opportunities:Leverage existing electronics export base to create a local smartphone/PC line.Public–private investment in a “Philippine tech brand” with global reach.Tap into AI, green tech, and rugged devices for niche markets (marine, tropical, educational).—If you like, I can map a realistic roadmap for a Philippine-made smartphone or computer industry — from chipset sourcing to assembly lines — based on existing local electronics capability. That would include possible partnerships with Ayala’s IMI, PEZA tech parks, and Taiwanese ODMs.
Karl, it is a nice sunny day today, after we had ALMOST NO SUMMER in my part of Europe, so I will act as if I am one of the semi-literate (at least in terms of reading comprehension) leaders of the present Philippines or an illiterate King in Europe of the Dark Ages, I like the second role better: “I ask of thee now, Abbot Karl of Paranaque, is this saucy lad named Heydarian speaking the truth in saying that the great merchants of my realm do little to promote industry?”
“And based on that learned opinion of yours, do you recommend that I take this Richard of Heydarian as an adviser, or shall I send my knights to cut off his head?”
“And if Sir Joey of Nguyen’s analysis belies thy analysis, thou shalt be banished.” 😀
I am simply too lazy to read much more today. Online.
I’m going to read the weekend Süddeutsche Zeitung which is like the New York Times Sunday edition, learn how to read offline again, which I have unlearned. 😦
Have ath thee knight of the triangle table We hath roadmaps aplenty for you to look at for thy travels
Fair winds and shining stars
Here’s the synthesis of the situation:—SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) is exiting its 18.1% stake in YCO Global Cloud Centers Holdings Inc., citing high electricity costs in the Philippines and a lack of strategic focus on the data center sector. The exit follows a ₱200 million impairment loss in 2024, and SM is already in talks with potential buyers.Data centers remain extremely power-intensive, so while cheaper power could ease operating costs, the Philippines still faces structural disadvantages compared to lower-cost hubs like Malaysia and Vietnam.Potential buyers for SM’s stake cluster into three groups:1. Global hyperscale developers and digital infrastructure firmsST Telemedia Global Data Centres (with Ayala), SpaceDC/Digital Halo, EdgeConneX (with Aboitiz), and PAG’s partnership with Ayala Land are aggressively building capacity in the Philippines.These firms could view YCO as a quick route to expand their local footprint.2. Local telecom and network operatorsPLDT is unlikely to buy, as it’s committed to building and expanding its own VITRO hyperscale facilities.Globe, Converge, and DITO are expanding digital services and might see value in YCO’s carrier-neutral infrastructure.3. Private equity and institutional investorsInfrastructure funds and investment groups are pouring capital into Southeast Asia’s data center market for long-term returns, and YCO could be a strategic acquisition.Outlook:The sale will likely attract interest from global infrastructure players or financial investors, more than from local telecom giants like PLDT. The decision underscores both the growth potential of the Philippine data center market and its persistent operational challenges, particularly in energy costs.—If you want, I can also map this into a strategic scenario matrix showing buyer motivations and probability. That would make the landscape even clearer.
Another power intensive what if.
Here’s a synthesized version combining the historical background of aluminum smelting in the Philippines with the power and energy requirement realities:—Aluminum Smelting in the Philippines – History and Energy RealitiesThe Philippines has entertained the idea of building a large-scale aluminum smelter since the 1970s, with proposals from Reynolds Aluminum, Shell Billiton, and others focusing on Samar Island due to nearby bauxite deposits and the potential to tap Leyte’s geothermal energy. The National Development Company engaged in negotiations, and feasibility studies examined ore reserves, infrastructure, and energy supply.Despite these efforts, no project reached operation. Several factors consistently blocked progress: limited and lower-grade local bauxite reserves, high financing costs, political-economic instability, and—most decisively—electricity pricing and availability.Why Energy is the Decisive FactorEnergy Intensity: Producing 1 ton of aluminum requires 13–15 MWh of uninterrupted electricity—making power 30–40% of the production cost.Scale of Demand: A mid-sized 500,000-ton/year smelter would need 6.5–7.5 TWh annually, equivalent to about 6–7% of the Philippines’ total current electricity consumption.Competitiveness Benchmark: Global leaders in aluminum smelting operate with power costs under US$0.04–0.05/kWh, often secured via abundant hydroelectric, geothermal, or natural gas resources. In contrast, Philippine industrial rates are typically US$0.08–0.10/kWh, among the highest in ASEAN.Philippine Energy ContextPast and present proposals considered geothermal (Leyte), hydro, LNG, and renewables. While geothermal offers stable base-load, capacity is geographically limited and transmission to industrial hubs adds cost. Coal and LNG are reliable but raise carbon and ESG concerns. Solar and wind are low-cost but intermittent, requiring large-scale storage to meet smelting’s 24/7 operational needs.Current OutlookInterest persists, such as Cauldron Aluminum Corporation’s Pampanga proposal, likely relying on imported bauxite and a tailored power mix. For success, any Philippine smelter would require:Dedicated, low-cost, high-reliability power (possibly geothermal + solar/wind + LNG/nuclear backup)Long-term power purchase agreements to shield against price volatilityIntegration into regional supply chains where ESG-compliant “green aluminum” could fetch a premiumBottom Line:The Philippines’ half-century pursuit of an aluminum smelter has been constrained less by vision and more by physics and economics. Unless the country can secure power at competitive, stable rates—and align with global trends in low-carbon aluminum production—large-scale smelting will remain an unfulfilled ambition.—I can also put this into a visual one-page fact sheet showing the timeline, energy needs, and cost competitiveness gap, which would make it easier to digest for policy or investor discussions.
Seriously, I think what Joey has said is correct, first steps are way more important than all roadmaps. Whether it is industrialization, or other paths one wants to take.
GDP per capita is a good indicator for overall economic productivity, but is not great for measuring real wages of workers. Per capita income (average income) while not perfect, is much better for that purpose.
Consider that per capita income in the Philippines is barely higher than that of Myanmar (Burma), a former empire now a basket case that has been in an on-and-off civil war since 1948 due to colonial map lines (thanks again for nothing, Brits), and is in active conflict now since 2021. Something sobering to think about.
ooh, that is a bit scary to think about. Myanmar. Anyhow, I was interested in Heydarian’s ideas on industrialization which reminded me superficially of Mahathir’s 1990s Cyberjaya stuff. I asked ChatGPT about it, this is what came out:
Possible limitations / risks
Execution risk: The Philippines has historically struggled with policy continuity, corruption, and infrastructure bottlenecks—industrial policy without strong governance can become corporate welfare.
Global competition: Even targeted sectors will face entrenched players; being late to semiconductors or EVs is much harder than in the 1990s ICT boom.
Talent gap: Without major skills development, subsidies and corridors won’t be enough to produce national champions.
✅ Verdict:
These ideas are current and draw on the best of modern industrial policy thinking—more focused, metrics-driven, and collaborative than the 20th-century developmental state. They share Cyberjaya’s ambition for strategic hubs but are aimed at manufacturing and supply chains rather than ICT utopias. Success would hinge on sustained political will and capacity for tight public–private coordination.
That was just the final excerpt, not the entire text of the ChatGPT response.
Seems then that Heydarian is trying to go up the roof without climbing the ladder?
Heydarian strikes me as being like most Filipino elites: soft hands. Okay, one can say that brainy people are necessary too, but without practical application stuff usually stays in theory. Can’t get the theory through? Just add more on trend industry and lefty buzz words. Eventually the problem seems so hard and complicated that one can just throw up their hands and say “woe is me, it’s not really my fault, the deck is stacked against me” — then be vindicated in doing nothing.’’
Theory vs praxis. Clearly most Filipinos prefer theorizing over praxis, or apply theory into action. Theorizing is a safe space where one can express one’s opinions, perfect as those opinions are, sometimes to the point of viciously arguing over one theory or another, veering quickly into pilosopo. Then argue over why nothing got done, and whose fault it is. There is value in simply placing one foot in front of the other, then adjusting stride or direction when new inputs arise.
Bingo. So perfect. But the gap resides both with practitioners of theory and of praxis. I’m in the theory business. President Aquino was the Commander in Chief of Praxis. He and his staff would read here and elsewhere and pick up ideas to test or impliment. My point? Praxis people need to read, test, and do. Theory people are always putting out ideas. Boo Chanco is a special praxis oriented theory guy. Every President should read his columns.
The trouble with praxis in the Philippines is that Filipinos are mostly hecklers. PNoy had to deal with it extensively, Marcos Jr. too though he has a great counter-heckler in his Press Secretary Claire Castro. What an exhausting nation.
The hecklers of for instance Mar Roxas in Tacloban or even the perfect storm responses of Leni Robredo didn’t heckle Duterte flying over storms, or Isko Moreno’s performative being at the flood scene with white sneakers and all. Sheesh.
True. No vision. Little arguments not big thinking.
Theory and praxis go hand-in-hand; without the other success remains elusive. But just like permanent theorizing isn’t very helpful, praxis that isn’t informed by sound theory is a set up for failure. Though I’ll say that a lot of people think they’re engaging in praxis, while not being informed by theory, which is just another way of saying they are “winging it,” which isn’t actually what praxis is.
A fundamental Filipino problem I think is that of en grande mentality. There is an intense feeling of “go big or go home.” Which usually one gets pressured into when one puts something important off for too long, then suddenly need to *do something*, anything when the water gets up to one’s neck. How about recognizing that “hey, the water seems to be rising, and if I don’t move I might down” well before hand.
You’re right about President Aquino. He and his advisors indeed did engage on many smaller projects that in their totality became something that benefited the nation. And they did it by first taking into account sound advice from internal and external experts to give themselves an idea of how maybe to approach a problem. I see Heydarian is still mostly pontificating, perhaps outside of his area of expertise (has he ever really done anything aside from being a professional commentator?). To become an architect of a big building, one also needs to have callused hands early in one’s career from holding the hammer while listening to the experience of the workmen and carpenters. I do not take seriously the advice of anyone who doesn’t have at least a bit of hands on experience.
LOL, reminds me of Edgar. Nice.
“It sounds like you’re asking about Philippine tycoons—particularly those with the potential or current involvement in car manufacturing or heavy industry like ship or truck production.”
The Philippines does not even manufacture bicycles, while lowly Bangladesh manufactures about 800,000/year and exports roughly half of them, mostly to the EU and Canada. The company is called Meghna Group. I asked ChatGPT why the Philippines, once a colony of the USA and later an independent country but with special trade ties to the USA does not manufacture bicycles. It gave me an eye opening response both in terms of the choices of Bangladesh vs. those of the Philippines.
If anyone is interested, I can paste what ChatGPT had to say. One thing of note is that ChatGPT did not foresee the Philippines entering the arena of bicycle manufacturing because unlike Bangladesh, the Philippines has a heavy reliance on imports. Bangladesh took a strategy of “vertical integration” which means a lot of the parts needed to make a bicycle they can get from local sources like parts, paint, and R & D. ChatGPT notes: “Bangladesh bet on bicycles, the Philippines bet on Malls.”
Surprise! We do not manufacture ballpens.
Oops I am wrong! I fell for hyperbole in opinion news articles.
Yes — the Philippines does manufacture ballpoint pens, both through local brands and contract or OEM production. Local Pen Manufacturing in the Philippines
Imports vs. Local Production
While several local manufacturers exist, the Philippines still imports a significant volume of ballpoint pens:
Summary Production Type Examples Local mass production Digno Pens, FlexOffice, Titus, Panda Artisanal craftsmanship Banwa Pens Import-heavy supply BIC, Pilot, Uni-ball, etc. primarily imported
So yes — the Philippines does manufacture ballpoint pens locally through brands like Digno, Titus, Panda, and FlexOffice, with even boutique pens like Banwa emerging from local craftsmanship. However, imports still account for a large portion of overall pen supply. Let me know if you’d like details on where to buy any of these or how they compare!
“Surprise! We do not manufacture ballpens.” – Karl
Probably too difficult for us. More on the subject from ChatGPT:
✅ 2. Clustered Manufacturing Infrastructure
✅ 3. EU Duty-Free Market Access (GSP)
I was surprised that Bangladesh has a population of 173 million versus the Philippines 116 million. But the Philippines has a bigger GDP at $331 billion versus $274 billion. The Philippine fluency in English is also a big deal and has shaded employment to services rather than screws.
I was mistaken on the ballpens but here is a side by side Bangladesh vis a visual Philippines
Nice — good comparison topic. Below I’ll do a focused, side-by-side comparison of Export/EPZ capabilities in Bangladesh vs. the Philippines, covering economic scale, investment & exports, workforce & education, and socio-political / governance factors — then a short section on opportunities & risks and pragmatic takeaways for policymakers or investors. Quick snapshot (one-line)
Side-by-side (compact table) Dimension Bangladesh (BEPZA / EPZs) Philippines (PEZA / Eco-zones) Number & structure Small number of state EPZs plus growing SEZ programme; BEPZA runs major EPZs. Large network of PEZA zones plus private economic zones; strong regional clusters (Clark, Subic, CALABARZON). Export dependence EPZs/garment clusters are a core engine — BEPZA firms account for a substantial share of export and FDI activity. Zones support export manufacturing and services (electronics, semiconductors, BPO); PEZA projects show large recent investment approvals and job creation. Typical investors / sectors Garments, textiles, light manufacturing, suppliers/inputs; global buyers/brands. Electronics, semiconductors, automotive parts, chemicals, pharma, and services (BPO/R&D). Labour cost & skills Lower nominal wages (garment minimums remain low vs region), large unskilled/semiskilled labour pool; skill upgrading is ongoing but tertiary enrollment relatively lower. Higher labour costs than Bangladesh in many regions but stronger English proficiency, higher tertiary enrollment and larger pool of IT/technical graduates; active TVET and private training for zone needs. Infrastructure & logistics Improving seaport/road links near zones but capacity and reliable power/logistics remain constraints for high-value manufacturing. Better established industrial clusters with ports/air connectivity (near Manila, Clark, Subic); ongoing upgrades but congestion and power remain issues. Incentives & ease of set up Generous tax and import duty exemptions in EPZs; government active in promoting new zones. Well-established one-stop service through PEZA, long tax holiday regimes and fast-track permits; investor services considered more mature. Socio-political risks Periodic labour unrest, pressure for wage increases and labour rights reforms; political events can disrupt production. Political stability varies by period; rule of law and contracting environment improving but regulatory complexity and local permitting can be inconsistent.
(Table draws on government/agency reports, World Bank context and reputable media; see sources cited inline.) Deeper read — by theme
1) Economic scale & export performance
2) Workforce, education & skills pipeline
3) Governance, investor services & regulatory environment
4) Socio-political & labour dynamics
Opportunities & Risks (practical takeaways)
Bangladesh — strengths: lowest-cost garment manufacturing at scale; deeply integrated apparel supply chains; improving zone footprint and high export dependency (buyers know the ecosystem).
Bangladesh — risks: labour unrest, pressure to raise wages, infrastructure & power constraints for higher value manufacturing, and reputational risk for buyers if standards aren’t improved.
Philippines — strengths: more diversified zone economy (electronics + services), better-skilled workforce (English + tertiary/technical grads), mature investor services (PEZA), good potential for moving up value chain into electronics/semiconductors and services/R&D.
Philippines — risks: higher labour cost than Bangladesh in many regions, infrastructure/congestion issues around Manila, and uneven local permitting/regulatory complexity. Short recommendations (for policymakers or investors)
If you want, I can:
Which next step would you like?
I find it helpful if the person pasting information from AI tells us the point he (not AI) is trying to make.
I can do that too.
I am just doing a side by side companion of Bangladesh and Philippines to see how far or not far both the Philippines has reached or regressed.
I, Karl, you have made quite a few “pastes” from AI, w/o comment. I wasn’t sure what point your were trying to make. The topics were not of particular interest to me, so I just browsed them quickly in case something caught my attention. In the browsing, I was looking for a comment from you, but I don’t think I saw any. You have to be careful with what I see is called “TL/DR.” I asked AI what that meant and they said: Too Long/did not read.
Ha, I gave Irineo that response the other day, but in different words. Maybe we should develop a prompt to attach to queries. “Be pithy with your answer. Don’t waste my time.”
My personal policy on ingesting information is:
1.) If something is of intense interest, I’ll check the experts then personally research it more.
2.) If something is of lesser interest, I’ll rely on the experts pre-digesting information for me.
3.) Anything else is probably useless clutter; I probably won’t remember it in a month’s time, nor will it be relevant, and so I truncate it.
This process makes AI regurgitations largely useless to me.
A, B, and C drawers. It’s where all the e-mails I’d get in my job would go. The C drawer was huge. The A drawer was wee small but got 95% of the attention.
Exactly!
One major test of reading comprehension is being able to give a summary in own words about ANY long text.
Ok, nowadays I can even ask AI to summarize for me, but I decide to use it little.
Haha. Two thumbs up.
CV,
All points well taken.
Bangladesh is doing good in exporting garments inspire, despite of China and India.
If China and India killed PH garments Bangladesh put the nail in the coffin.
Now even divisoria sells products from UK meaning Ukay UKay.
I’m pleasantly surprised at the interest taken in Bangladesh’s experience compared to the Philippines. In my other e-group, there was no interest expressed.
I stumbled upon it from seeing a couple on a tandem bicycle at the park. They were newbies because they stayed on the sidewalk, not the street itself. The brand of their folding tandem bike was Meghna which I had never heard of. So I looked it up. There were 2 companies, each independent of the other, that made that brand name of bicycle – one was Chinese, the other Bangladeshi. My guess is the one that I saw was from China. The riders looked Chinese, and Meghna in Bangladesh does not export to the US in any significant amount. But it doesn’t matter. The point is, in my research on the name Meghna I got led to the Bangladesh story.
An interesting topic. From Gemini on comparing GDP growth of the two countries over the past 20 years:
“Over the past 20 years, Bangladesh’s GDP growth has generally been higher and more consistent than the Philippines’. While both nations have seen periods of strong growth, Bangladesh has maintained a higher average growth rate, often exceeding 6%, while the Philippines has seen more fluctuation with growth rates sometimes falling below 4%.
Here’s a more detailed comparison:
Bangladesh:
Has experienced robust and relatively stable GDP growth, averaging around 6.3% in recent years.
In the past four years, Bangladesh’s economy has grown at an average annual rate of 6.3%, according to World Economics.
Demonstrates strong performance in sectors like industry and services, while agriculture’s contribution to overall growth has been relatively smaller.
Is ranked the 13th largest economy in Asia-Pacific.
Philippines:
While the Philippines has also seen growth, it has been more uneven, with some years experiencing growth below 4%.
In the second quarter of 2025, the Philippines’ GDP expanded by 5.5 percent year-on-year, reports the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Has seen a shift towards industry and services, but agriculture still employs a significant portion of the workforce, indicating a slower transition compared to some other regional economies.
According to a Philippine news outlet, the Philippines’ economy is projected to reach a $2 trillion size by 2050 if current growth trajectory continues.
Another news source reports that the Philippines is expected to be the fastest-growing economy in the ASEAN region this year.
In conclusion, while both countries have demonstrated economic progress, Bangladesh’s GDP growth has generally been stronger and more consistent over the past two decades.”
By the way, this analysis shows the limitations of AI that can only scrape available information, iteratively, I suppose. So you don’t see parallel data for the two countries. You don’t get Bangladesh’s GDP as you do with the Philippines or the difference in size, which affects the ease of high percentage GDP growth in the smaller Bangladesh economy. AI might say the problem is in the prompt. A human would naturally look at what’s behind the growth. The computer just answers the question posed.
“The computer just answers the question posed.”
And I have caught it many times in error. Sometimes the error is obvious. Once recently it gave me a list of prominent right handed baseball players that batted left handed. It included in the list Barry Bonds and labeled him as left handed who batted left handed. I asked AI why it included Barry Bonds in the list, and it replied “That was a mistake.”
That is one thing about AI. If you catch an error, it will admit it without any sugar coating.
Yes, I’m actually highly impressed with the machine’s breadth of reach, speed, and organizing power. And objectivity, as you point out. But it can be organized in “propaganda mode”, as with China’s Deepseek. And it is not gospel, lol.
“And objectivity, as you point out.”
Sometimes I have felt that ChatGPT, the one I most often use, is not being objective…I feel like it is patronizing me, and I would rather it not. When I feel it is doing that (which is not very often), I double check w/ another chat bot.
That’s true, the relentless “I know everything, just ask” conclusions. Or the caveats, “be sure to get a doctor’s advice”. Yes Daddy.
There literally are prompting courses in corporations nowadays.
I did get the answers I wanted from Google Deep Research when it came to Chinoys by asking the question properly. The other half was the “exec summary” for you.
New skills.
I found Tweets with advice on how to use ChatGPT well, and for instance prompted it to check my last 6 articles here and give me ideas for improvement. It told me they could use a few interviews and case studies to give them more substance. Hmm..
Interviews require work. Not my bag. 🙂
Another observation and supposition
Here’s a revised, integrated version of your idea — tying the U.S. manufacturing vs. services debate to the Philippine context:
Even if MAGA-aligned policies try to “reshore” manufacturing, the United States will remain a service-driven economy. Services already make up about 77–80% of U.S. GDP, while manufacturing is only around 11%. Even with policy incentives, automation and productivity gains mean that new factories create fewer jobs than in the mid-20th century. The U.S. also depends heavily on immigrant labor for many labor-intensive sectors like agriculture, food processing, construction, and caregiving. Without immigration, labor shortages will worsen, especially as the population ages.
This raises a question for developing nations like the Philippines: should they focus more on services or manufacturing? Unlike the U.S., the Philippines does not have an immigration challenge — it has a surplus labor force — but it also isn’t a high-tech economy yet. Manufacturing can generate stable jobs and develop supply chains, but without strong technological capacity, it risks competing only on low wages. Services, especially business process outsourcing (BPO), tourism, and creative industries, are already strong earners, but they can be vulnerable to automation and global market shifts.
For the Philippines, the optimal path may be a balanced strategy:
While the U.S. can afford to lean on services due to its technology dominance and capital base, the Philippines must think in terms of job absorption, skill upgrading, and global competitiveness — ensuring that growth in both manufacturing and services feeds into long-term development.
If you like, I can make a side-by-side comparison table of U.S. vs. Philippine realities in services vs. manufacturing, so the contrast is very clear. That would make the argument much sharper.
I believe the Marcos government is moving along this path but is conflicted as to where to spend money, social services vs subsidies for tech advancement and foreign investment. I think it is natural that the Philippines will move in this direction. It would be nice to capture a ‘name’ investor to show the way for others.
The way Japan, then Taiwan, then South Korea, then PRC, then Vietnam did it is to focus tax monies on building the necessary infrastructure. Which then attracts more established businesses from more developed countries to invest in order to access cheaper labor. All the above countries started with almost nothing. Japan got a lot of her post-war investment from the US. By the time Vietnam industrialized Vietnam had access to investments from all the previously mentioned countries (they are in order of industrializing/re-industrializing). Investing in government-owned (vs privately owned) infrastructure is one of the smartest moves a government with limited resources can do, in my opinion.
And of infrastructure choices, what would your top three investments be?
If I were to decide, I’d do, in order:
1.) At least 6-lane highways that can handle up to tractor-trailer “skeleton trucks” to transport 20-ft/40-ft ISO containers connecting all major cities, with arterial highways out to factory locations and urban satellite cities. Need to have at least 1-lane in each direction for goods movement, other two lanes can be for personal and mixed use (buses, panel vans and box trucks carrying local goods).
2.) Ports upgrades at the end of highway network for export and inter-island Ro/Ro ferries, later expanded to pleasure cruise traffic.
3.) Railroad network on each major island group (Luzon-Leyte, Mindanao) that focuses on industry and movement of commercial goods first, to be expanded for commuter travel later.
seeing Philippine news on social media, I often see container trucks stuck somewhere in streets not built for them.
They barely existed in the Philippines even until the 1990s is what I recall.
Yes. The better highways and bridges are often expressways with toll concessions to whatever private corporation that invested part of the money to build it — in effect “public infrastructure” that is privately owned by other words.
In my grandfather’s diplomatic archives and my dad’s old war mementos, I’ve seen photos they took at a certain point on MacArthur Highway at various periods in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. By the time I took a similar photo in the early 2000s, hardly anything had changed from the original America built 2-lane highway. Some sections in Luzon around Manila have since been expanded to 4-lanes or 6-lanes, but if the infrastructure is that bad, what foreign companies would want to invest in the Philippines? There is a certain expectation from Filipino leaders that foreign datus will just parachute in and gift out new stuff, including factories, highways, and military equipment. Kinda shows how the thinking even among the “elite class” hasn’t changed much since the time “foreign” Bruneians and Javans invaded and became datus and rajahs.
Those are good. Probably 50 year timeframe. Port upgrades are being made. They are very busy with many competing ferries. More is needed, but there is progress there. This all needs a master right-of-way law and compensation formula.
Yes. There is no replacement for steady, hard work towards a goal. Philippine leaders need to get real and stop relying on foreign development aid and private entities to do everything. Even in Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom has more or less “unlimited money,” the Saudis keep failing with building stuff fast. Compare with neighboring UAE which has “less” money than the Saudis, comparatively, and has taken a more deliberative approach. Somewhere along the way the population also needs to be “upgraded” with better education and changing social expectations towards more personal responsibility.
Marcos has sky high loans but most foreign debt are paid by domestic debt so that is good, I hope.
More Filipinos are participating in PH retail bonds, T bonds and what not
So to those lambasting the rich FYI
PPP is good for our 60 40 setup.
Foreign partners partner well with the the tycoons and Taipans than a 6 year administration.
All you have to do is ask.
Ok to avoid being a AI addict thanks for the intervention.
Manila decongestion is needed.
Otherwise if Rakin Ang has his say he will build another Skyway in EDSA.
Even with BRT, I do not think the land can hold, I have no basis other than my gut.
Central Luzon Southern Luzin us already being developed
Eastern Luzon should follow
Ports should be added and some ports repurposed for off shore wind and Navy and Coast Guard.
Marine platforms is also needed for multipurpose purposes.
Inter island bridges will not kill the ferry system because demand will.always be there.
If this happens we can see that we are not really over populated
Maybe you have heard of Patria bicycles
https://www.facebook.com/share/18qBqVxZaF/
Cebu bicycle framing was way before Patria
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-sports/2021/12/13/2147623/history-bicycle-frame-building-cebu-city
Reply to CV that got lost
make that a series of replies
Listen to the wise words if Obama, who of course, can never be wrong.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1GM3FKi7GS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Welcome to the blog, Fendi. How about an introduction? Nationality, interests, and interest in the Philippines. Thanks.
What are now called the Americas were created by immigrants as they flocked there hoping for a better future. But then as it is now, so-called “nativists” — mostly white — do not want others to have a place there and the piece of the pie, so they came up with threatening things such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and those Jim Crow laws, and now unleashing ICE agents to grab and kick out anyone who’s not white and have no “complete papers”. Paradise of manicured lawns and pretty low houses no more for most but only for monsters of avarice and hatred living in their monstrous villas, plotting and scheming how to make more money and control anyone lesser than them.
Rather, of the hells offered to me, I have chosen the one that I can control and bear with much better than others, this hell I can still sleep through and wake up in the morning, this hell where I can use my head and street smarts, this hell I don’t feel persecuted nor being told by awful “doomers”. This country, the “hell” that President Quezon called the Philippines.
Worms turn, and Israel is behaving more like Hitler’s Germany than its victim, as the US is another Russia in Trump’s eyes. The Philippines is constant in its economic doldrum and political self-dealing, and a fine place to live if you have just a little money.