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PalawOne
Perhaps expats may not be aware .. but the Philippines was the second richest country in Asia during the 1960s and the 1970s 1f600.svg   For example ..

Escola St Manila, 1960

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Escola St Shopping, Manila, 1968

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Escola St Traffic, Manila early 1960s

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PalawOne
Escola St, Manila, 1968

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Manila street scene, Oct 10 1949.  Note the Superman model, top right :-)

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Lotus Eater
Thank you for posting those pics Palaw one. Yes many newbies to this site may be unaware of that. Manila was known as the Paris of Asia. Even today Filipinos (male & female) who put their minds to it can match the French & Italians chic apparel look. West meets East in a fusion of stylish colour.
On an evening in Makati after a days business meetings I will sit at a restaurant or bar in Greenbelt 3-5 and watch the promenaders walk by ;)
Those pics are taken in the old Manila of course whose business district has been superseded by Makati with Taguig hot on the heels.
pnwcyclist
Yes, there's been massive corruption, but also high population growth in the Philippines, thanks in part to the Catholic church's policies. In the mid 1960's, the population was 25M, it is now 110M.  No amount of planning, foreign investment or business capital can overcome that degree of overpopulation and resulting poverty. The cycle keeps repeating in large, poor families without education.

Both Vietnam and Thailand have had lower population growth in those years, and hence higher education levels and GDP growth than the Philippines.  It doesn't explain all of the difference, but add in the known issues resulting from the Spanish occupation, corruption and family dynasties and you have a recipe for economic failure. Highly recommend Noli Mi Tangere by Jose Rizal, written in the late 1800’s - in many respects he could have been describing the present day Philippines.
PalawOne
Tondo Baseball Team Event, Manilla 1920s - 1930s

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PalawOne

Perhaps of interest regarding Philippines history and ongoing relationships between the government and Muslims, this 1851 Australian newspaper article is informative.

The article, quoted in full below, is written from the official Spanish / Philippine government point of view and so is obviously biased. But it does clearly depict the historical background to relations between Catholics and Muslims, and does show that things have very definitely improved!

It also shows, to me, that both sides were clever, intelligent warriors. Remember that the Spanish Navy was still considered world class at that time, yet they also received a hiding from what they call the “Piratical Rajah of Sooloo” and his bunch of blood-thirsty local pirates :-)


Newspaper: The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia:  Thu 22nd May 1851.  Page 4. )


"PIRACY. The war between the Spanish Government of the Phillippines and the Piratical Rajah of Sooloo."

From the earliest history of the Spanish settlements in the Philippines, their neighbours, the Moors, inhabiting the chain of islands stretching from Mendavo to Borneo, have been known as incorrigible pirates.

These islands, known by the general name of the Sooloo Islands, take their name from the largest, on the north side of which is situated the principal town or city of Sooloo, and the residence of the Rajah, who holds active sovereignty over the whole Archipelago.

This city is situated at the bottom of a bay of crescent-like form, and is protected towards the sea by a strong battery mounting a double tier of guns, with stockaded outworks ; the fort itself is roofed over, and said to be bomb-proof.

Besides other works of defence, there are heavy batteries at each point of the crescent, which are about two miles and a half apart. The city is said to contain usually about 30,000 inhabitants.

Besides, the well known depredations committed by the Moors at sea they have up to the present time been in the habit of making frequent descents on the Phillipines (mostly at night) burning and plundering the villages, and carrying many of the inhabitants of both sexes into captivity. This actually happened in Manila bay only three years ago, at which time they landed in the night, burned a village within seven miles of the city, and carried off a gun-boat from the Corregidor.

The Phillipine damsels being more comely than those of Sooloo, are mostly retained as mistresses to their captors, but the greatest part of the male captives are sold into slavery to the Dyaks of Borneo.

Most of these are employed as a low motive power in the piratical prahs, but it is also affirmed that they are in request at certain orgies which obtain amongst the Dyaks; when a well-conditioned slave or two being introduced, are tapped near the collar bone on the left shoulder with a sharp instrument, a reed being then thrust into the wound, the blood is sucked in turn by the hellish crew till life is extinct.

Threats and remonstrances on the part of the Spanish Government for these aggressions having long been treated with contempt, and not only so, but the doughty Moors have often invited the Spaniards to come to Sooloo and do their worst.

On the late arrival of His Excellency the present Captain-General of the Phillipines (who is an old Carlist officer and said to be a regular fire-eater) he at once came to the determination of "teaching the Ladrones a lesson," and to carry out this object a small squadron left Manila in December last, consisting of the Bilboa frigate, a gun brig, three war steamers and several gun boats, and having on board 2500 soldiers commanded by the Captain-General in person.

Nothing was heard of the expedition until the 12th January, when the La Rayna steam frigate returned to Manila, when, although nothing official was communicated by the Government to the public, it soon became known that the expedition for the time being had completely failed in its object, and that reinforcements were to be immediately forwarded to Somboango in Minderao, where the Captain-General awaited their arrival.
The following short account of the movements of the expedition after leaving Manila, may be considered as authentic

It appears that after sailing the expedition proceeded to Somboango, and after having embarked 500 more soldiers at that place, they pushed on to Sooloo, landing, however, on two small islands of piratical report on their way, where they burned the villages, and put such of the male inhabitants to the sword as did not effect their escape into the mountains.
On the 30th December, the squadron came to anchor under an island in the front of the bay of Sooloo, and about four miles distant from the town.

Here the mode of attack was arranged, and on the following day they weighed anchor and proceeded into the bay, and anchored in line in front of the town, and about one mile from the beach.

A boat, with a flag of truce, in charge of an engineer officer, was then sent on shore, and having a document addressed to the Rajah, containing certain demands to be immediately complied with, amongst others, to hoist the Spanish flag as acknowledgement of allegiance to Queen Isabella ; but the flag of truce was insulted, and the officer narrowly escaped with his life.

On the return of the officer on board the flag ship, the Captain General and Admiral came to the determination of attacking the batteries on the next morning, and landing troops as soon as practicable ; it was seen however, from the shipping that there were sixteen thousand armed men ready to receive them.

But this plan was completely anticipated by the Moors, for as objects became visible on the morning of the 1st January, a heavy and well directed fire from at least 150 guns was opened on the squadron.

The La Rayna, with the commanding officer on board, was almost immediately struck by a 32-pound shot ; it entered just before the larboard paddle-box, and killed six men. Another shot of the same size buried itself in her larboard quarter, near where the Captain-General was standing.

Another steamer was hulled in the larboard bows which killed three men, and wounded many others with splinters. Several casualties occurred on board the other vessels.
It was soon seen by the Spanish commanding officers that the force they had with them was quite inadequate to attack the place with any chance of success ; and the signal was therefore made for the squadron to withdraw out of range of shot.

This order being promptly obeyed, shortly afterwards the La Rayna was despatched to Manila to order immediate reinforcements, while the Captain General, with the remainder of the squadron, returned to Somboango to await their arrival.

On the morning after the return of the La Rayna to Manila, the troops upon parade were informed that the Moors had been taught a lesson ; but to teach them a lesson "superior," the Captain-General would require the assistance of 4000 more warriors.

This announcement was well received by both Spanish and Indian soldiers, and responded to by immense cheering and waving of cirgazettos.

The Manila Town Council caught the enthusiasm. They immediately met, and " influenced," as they said, "by love of Queen and country, and profound veneration for the imperishable glory of the Spanish arms," they begged of the Government the acceptance of 12,000 dollars, to assist in forwarding supplies, and engaged besides to defray the expenses of the largest vessel required in the service.

This was followed on the same day by a gift of 5000 dollars from the Dominican Fathers. 

These generous precedents were speedily imitated by donations of large sums of money from various corporative bodies and private individuals. Several ship-owners also placed their vessels entirely at the disposal of the Government, and a patriotic apothecary in the Ekolta offered to physic the whole expedition gratis.

This favourable display of public feeling enabled the Government to get the reinforcements in a rapid state of forwardness, so much so, that all being ready on the 2nd February.

On the following morning, 3,500 well-appointed and disciplined troops embarked on board the La Rayna, two other war steamers and seven transports, carrying with them a heavy train of artillery, a number of natives and abundance of shot and shell.

They left the same afternoon, saluted by the national flags of all the vessels of the bay. They were to call at Cebu to embark 1500 more soldiers, after which they would proceed to Somboango to join the original force.

These reinforcements will enable the Spaniards to reappear before Sooloo, with 12,000 men of all arms, and which is considered sufficient to carry out the intentions of the Government in the subjugation of that place and the adjacent islands.

It is, however, admitted that this will not be done without great loss of life, as it will be "war to the knife, and no quarter granted on either side."

But if, as may be expected, the Sooloos should receive assistance from their friends the Dyaks, the result of the expedition will not be so certain.

The Manila public, however, place great confidence in the military skill and determination of the captain-general — indeed he was heard to declare before he sailed on the enterprise that he would either conquer Sooloo, or leave his bones with the Moors to be fashioned into castanets.

The great number of heavy guns in possession of the pirates is accounted for as follows:

About five years ago the Maguienne, a French line-of'-battle ship, was lost near the coast of Palewan — her guns, which were new, and on the most improved principle, were recovered from the wreck by the Malays, and sold or bartered to the Rajah of Sooloo, where they are now mounted.

It is to be hoped that the first accounts from Manila will be of success on the part of the Spaniards as it will be likely to put a stop to an atrocious system of warfare, which his piratical Highness wages on the peaceable traders and inhabitants of the sea coasts of the Eastern Islands of the Indian Archipelago, from the Bathers to New Guinea.

Reprinted from The Sydney Morning Herald."



FilAmericanMom
/extreem byrocrasy. 
E g common business registration is SIXTEEN steps!!!  Several need to be done face to face. Some improved though during the last years by more can be done in same place now.  (In Sweden its 1 - 3 all can be done on distance and Sweden is "famous for being byrocratic  1f923.svg
One type of business need around FORTY permits  (In Sweden I believe 2)
- @coach53

Can you expand on this? Which city has 16 steps in registering a business and what are these steps, so we can avoid that.city and set up shop at another city? And when you mentìoned that a certain business needs 40 permits, are you refering to a business in Sweden or in the Philippines? And what business is it? So we' can avoid going into that business if we're going to be burdened by the need to secure 40 permits. Do you need to renew the permits annually?
Lotus Eater
Without doubt the Philippines has experienced huge population growth over the last few decades not least because of the power and dogma of the Catholic church.

But lets not blame population growth per se for all of the countries woes . The key figure is GDP per head. China for example has a much higher population than the Philippines with a GDP per capita of about $11k compared to the Philippines $3.5K (ish)
Pnwcyclist rightly points out above the other factors that have to be taken into the mix as well.
coach53
/extreem byrocrasy. 
E g common business registration is SIXTEEN steps!!!  Several need to be done face to face. Some improved though during the last years by more can be done in same place now.  (In Sweden its 1 - 3 all can be done on distance and Sweden is "famous for being byrocratic  1f923.svg
One type of business need around FORTY permits  (In Sweden I believe 2)
- @coach53

Can you expand on this? Which city has 16 steps in registering a business and what are these steps, so we can avoid that.city and set up shop at another city? And when you mentìoned that a certain business needs 40 permits, are you refering to a business in Sweden or in the Philippines? And what business is it? So we' can avoid going into that business if we're going to be burdened by the need to secure 40 permits. Do you need to renew the permits annually?
- @FilAmericanMom
It was an article saying 16 steps, but since then have some got Business Centers, which make it a bit less. Some steps are/where by paying and registration in different queues!   I remember: Geting things to bring to these steps.  DTI, Baranggay permit, Municipaly permit.  BIR,  SSS,  PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig. 
An info in Business Center said all will take 30 MINUTES, but it took us 5 MONTHS!!!  If I hadnt manage to make DTI change their registration system, we wouldnt have been done still   1f923.svg
And two of them need RENEWAL every year, one less often.
(In Sweden its  just send 1 form to ONE registration, who tell all the others AUTOMATICLY, except VAT need to be done separatly if needed, because not all need VAT registration. Such permits are FOR EVER (as long as not owner lose the permit by some serious crime. Can start direct when form is send (except when some dangerous business need extra approval.)

If not changed its much WORSE for SEC by needing trips back an forth between own island and Metro Manila!


Several businesses need extra permits, some much understandable as e g when danger for humans as e g food or chemical businesses, but the  WORST of them I know is for forestry even when its planted alien trees inspite of allways suppoused to be approved anyway! (when ownership is correct).
3   At start   Prefered to add one more.
30          (Following years: 2 yearly    +  1  each 5th year I believe. If 15 years from planting to harvest.  Can be more years needed which result in more permits needed.)
4 - 12     (2-3 (can be 6) 2 times between planting and harvest if doing proper maintainance!!!!!!!
3- 6     ( harvest including transport permits and selling right.
So its even worse than the estimated 40 I made    :)    And most of them cost...

FilAmericanMom

Several businesses need extra permits, some much understandable as e g when danger for humans as e g food or chemical businesses, but the  WORST of them I know is for forestry even when its planted alien trees inspite of allways suppoused to be approved anyway! (when ownership is correct).
3   At start   Prefered to add one more.
30          (Following years: 2 yearly    +  1  each 5th year I believe. If 15 years from planting to harvest.  Can be more years needed which result in more permits needed.)
4 - 12     (2-3 (can be 6) 2 times between planting and harvest if doing proper maintainance!!!!!!!
3- 6     ( harvest including transport permits and selling right.
So its even worse than the estimated 40 I made    smile.png    And most of them cost...

- @coach53

So, the 40 or more permits you were referring to are for operating a business in the forestry industry in a 15 year span. You stated that this is extreme bureaucracy. But it's not. Forests are a protected resource. It's very much justifiable and it's good practice that the government is highly  regulating it. By 15 years, even my own small company in an mildly regulated industry, if not unregulated, will have.gone through at least 30 permits.
FilAmericanMom
It was an article saying 16 steps, but since then have some got Business Centers, which make it a bit less. Some steps are/where by paying and registration in different queues!   I remember: Geting things to bring to these steps.  DTI, Baranggay permit, Municipaly permit.  BIR,  SSS,  PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig. 
An info in Business Center said all will take 30 MINUTES, but it took us 5 MONTHS!!!  If I hadnt manage to make DTI change their registration system, we wouldnt have been done still   1f923.svg
And two of them need RENEWAL every year, one less often.

- @coach53

Enlighten us as to your claim of changing the Department of Trade and Industry's registration system. What did you change specifically?

What unique circumstances were you dealing with that it took you five months to register your business with DTI?  It took less than 30 minutes for me. And renewal, which is done every 5 years, was quicker.
coach53

Several businesses need extra permits, some much understandable as e g when danger for humans as e g food or chemical businesses, but the  WORST of them I know is for forestry even when its planted alien trees inspite of allways suppoused to be approved anyway! (when ownership is correct).
3   At start   Prefered to add one more.
30          (Following years: 2 yearly    +  1  each 5th year I believe. If 15 years from planting to harvest.  Can be more years needed which result in more permits needed.)
4 - 12     (2-3 (can be 6) 2 times between planting and harvest if doing proper maintainance!!!!!!!
3- 6     ( harvest including transport permits and selling right.
So its even worse than the estimated 40 I made    smile.png    And most of them cost...

- @coach53

So, the 40 or more permits you were referring to are for operating a business in the forestry industry in a 15 year span. You stated that this is extreme bureaucracy. But it's not. Forests are a protected resource. It's very much justifiable and it's good practice that the government is highly  regulating it. By 15 years, even my own small company in an mildly regulated industry, if not unregulated, will have.gone through at least 30 permits.
- @FilAmericanMom

Yes.  Minimum 33  (11 in 5 years) of them are for ALL types of businesses!!!     (The famous for bureaucrasy Sweden have ONE...)

SOME tree types are protected. Normaly NONE permit at protected forests tree types, because dont get permit for such    :)
7 - 18 permits demanded for proper forestry even when whole forests are ALIEN trees  = NOT protected...

So EXTREEM bureaucracy...      :)
coach53
Enlighten us as to your claim of changing the Department of Trade and Industry's registration system. What did you change specifically?

What unique circumstances were you dealing with that it took you five months to register your business with DTI?  It took less than 30 minutes for me. And renewal, which is done every 5 years, was quicker.
- @FilAmericanMom
"Your claim".
Have you got infected by the BS posters BS?   :)
I know so many TRUE remarkable things, so I dont need to make anything up...   :)

Not all the 5 months at DTI, it took TOTAL 5 months to get a business registered inspite of info at Business Centre say 30 minutes.
DTI hadnt a very common business type among the possible alternatives in the online system!!! which the offices use too.
Even if we would have chosen a wrong alternative within that group of businesses to get a step further in the registration it wouldnt have functioned anyway by next step had 4 mandatory menu choises and the 4th was EMPTY!!! which made the Send button didnt become cliqueable.
We told  this including whats missing to DTI many times both to the local office and to the central customer service, but the only all of them said was
- Use the online system.
1f923.svg1f923.svg1f923.svg
None of them told the error further in long time!
But by I am stubborn  :)   I went on searching for more contact possibilities to DTI. Finaly I found a contact possibility to DTI developer and at Friday afternoon I did send same info to there as I had told the others in DTI every time.  Monday noon it was solved 1f44d.svg

Then some steps got done rather fast
until we got stucked at BIR not registering us!!!  Over and over again they said
-Not ready yet, come back next /Tuesday/.
Very odd it can take long time to give a registration number!
That went on until I got the idea to say to them:
- We cant pay tax if we dont get it registered...    :)
Then it got solved fast...
FilAmericanMom

Yes.  Minimum 33  (11 in 5 years) of them are for ALL types of businesses!!!     (The famous for bureaucrasy Sweden have ONE...)

SOME tree types are protected. Normaly NONE permit at protected forests tree types, because dont get permit for such    smile.png
7 - 18 permits demanded for proper forestry even when whole forests are ALIEN trees  = NOT protected...

So EXTREEM bureaucracy...      smile.png
- @coach53

In that case, it's even more justifiable to have more permits because alien trees can be invasive, bring with them diseases which could infect indigenous plants and wildlife, and damage ecosystems.
FilAmericanMom
Have you got infected by the BS posters BS?   smile.png
I know so many TRUE remarkable things, so I dont need to make anything up...   smile.png

Not all the 5 months at DTI, it took TOTAL 5 months to get a business registered inspite of info at Business Centre say 30 minutes.
DTI hadnt a very common business type among the possible alternatives in the online system!!! which the offices use too.
Even if we would have chosen a wrong alternative within that group of businesses to get a step further in the registration it wouldnt have functioned anyway by next step had 4 mandatory menu choises and the 4th was EMPTY!!! which made the Send button didnt become cliqueable.
We told  this including whats missing to DTI many times both to the local office and to the central customer service, but the only all of them said was
- Use the online system.
1f923.svg1f923.svg1f923.svg
None of them told the error further in long time!
But by I am stubborn  smile.png   I went on searching for more contact possibilities to DTI. Finaly I found a contact possibility to DTI developer and at Friday afternoon I did send same info to there as I had told the others in DTI every time.  Monday noon it was solved 1f44d.svg

- @coach53

So, what you're saying is your change to the DTI's registration system was informing some tech that a button or two on the online form was not working.  Don't you think that hundreds of other applicants already contacted DTI, perhaps at least one of them has a direct contact at DTI (as many have, including companies whose paid services involve registering businesses with all governmnet agencies) , and that they are aware of the issue and are working on it before you called the tech?
Guest9272
Thanks for posting a new angle. It's interesting to see the old pictures, and helping us (me) become better acquainted with the Philippine history. Aside of books, or YouTube, sometimes one has to spend time actually living in a place to truly appreciate it.

Once you get into it (like all places I expect), the Philippines has such a rich history on the International stage.  Manilla was an important shipping port in the days when ships were the primary means by which to explore and trade. I discovered characters such as Jose Rizal, the medical doctor, who led an insurrection against the Spanish. Google tells me Rizal was not ordinarily multilingual (most Filipinos can speak 3 dialects, and OFW's pick up Arabic, Chinese and Finnish etc in a flash), but credited with speaking  22 languages. Rizal also wrote poetry, was a sculpture and a painter -  so you get a sense of his depth. Two years after he was executed for "insurrection", Philippines declared independence from the Spanish in 1898...and to think I travelled down Rizal Avenue so many times without knowing any of this.

Also enjoyed the responses FilAmericanMom - you're a killer lawyer! Reminds me of arguments with my wife, she uses dirty tricks like seeking out evidence, does fact-checks, and remembers every arbitrary statement I made- for the last 15 years. I must remember not to get into an encounter, won't win, Well done.
FilAmericanMom


Also enjoyed the responses FilAmericanMom - you're a killer lawyer! Reminds me of arguments with my wife, she uses dirty tricks like seeking out evidence, does fact-checks, and remembers every arbitrary statement I made- for the last 15 years. I must remember not to get into an encounter, won't win, Well done.
- @gsturdee

Thank you.  But my response is nothing compared to what you posted on homesteading. Excellent post with detailed information based on first-hand knowledge, from water security to homesteading as being communal than isolative in the Philippines. I'm sure many who have pondered on the idea of homesteading, in which the pandemic sparked interest, will find your post very helpful.
FilAmericanMom
Enlighten us as to your claim of changing the Department of Trade and Industry's registration system. What did you change specifically?

What unique circumstances were you dealing with that it took you five months to register your business with DTI?  It took less than 30 minutes for me. And renewal, which is done every 5 years, was quicker.
- @FilAmericanMom
"Your claim".
Have you got infected by the BS posters BS?   smile.png

- @coach53

Awww. Thank you. This is the first time I was suspected of being influenced by someone's BS. There's always a first time for everything. LOL.

The answer is no.
danfinn

@Lotus Eater I hear that a lot (ASS UM E-ING) about Catholic church policies and population growth. Blame it in the Pope, right?  BUT why then do so many non-religious, protestant and Muslim families also have a lot of kids?  I think it has more to do with parents having lots of kids to help support the family and also to support the parents when they get old. Birth control pills are not illegal here.

coach53

Yes.  Minimum 33  (11 in 5 years) of them are for ALL types of businesses!!!     (The famous for bureaucrasy Sweden have ONE...)

SOME tree types are protected. Normaly NONE permit at protected forests tree types, because dont get permit for such    smile.png
7 - 18 permits demanded for proper forestry even when whole forests are ALIEN trees  = NOT protected...

So EXTREEM bureaucracy...      smile.png
- @coach53

In that case, it's even more justifiable to have more permits because alien trees can be invasive, bring with them diseases which could infect indigenous plants and wildlife, and damage ecosystems.
- @FilAmericanMom
But they do no work NO CONTROL at all during growth years for all forests, which dont do any maintainance work -   except taking fee money multiple times...   :)

And what you talk about they NEVER do.
In OPPOSITE the GOVERNMENT  (=DENR) plant ALIEN mahogany in reforestation programs!!! According to several forest people, alien mahogany arent only invasive, they make something chemical, which make some indigenous trees dont like to be there.   So forest people are annoyed at what the GOVERNMENT plant...   
(It isnt the only country where governments screw up though   :)

While they control THREE times for ONE harvest even when they have seen a forest is all alien!!!  At least 3 permits demanded, often it can be even 6 permits needed for ONE harvest!!! When they have seen all are ALIEN trees these additional controls are NOTHING about protected trees, so except the first these additional permits are realy UNNECESARY...
coach53

[Post under review]

coach53
(most Filipinos can speak 3 dialects
- @gsturdee
Well.  Not counting dialects, the Philippines have 120 different languages (plus English).   
E g Tagalog and Bisaya have similarities - e g kanin and kanon - but are different languages similar to e g Norwegian with Swedish. 
There are tribe languages, which are much different from the big languages.  (The words I have learned in Pala'wan have no similariy at all with Tagalog, but Pala'wan borrow words from Tagalog when not having them.)
Its easy to remember words/names when they mean something funny in your own language as e g Pala'wan tribe word for (eatable) mushroom is "colat" which in Swedish street language mean "died" so a scary word for Swedes at mushrooms and Pinaglabanan =meaning TortoureHappyBanana in Swedish   1f923.svg

Yes, Filipinos are in general very skilled at languages (although some have low self asteem concerning English, but often they can.)
A mother to a Cebuana 8 yo -  the daughter knew both Cebuano (= Bisaya)   and Tagalog at young age - said her daughter read bad, so I thought she ment Tagalog, but it was English.  Not odd such young child, who have learned to read Tagalog rather recently,  had problem to read English, because English pronounce some letters wrong :)   and often mute  (while Tagalog and Swedish as well as all other languages I know except French pronounce the letters (close to) same...)
coach53
Awww. Thank you. This is the first time I was suspected of being influenced by someone's BS. There's always a first time for everything. LOL.

The answer is no.
- @FilAmericanMom

Good   :)
FilAmericanMom

Once you get into it (like all places I expect), the Philippines has such a rich history on the International stage.  Manilla was an important shipping port in the days when ships were the primary means by which to explore and trade. I discovered characters such as Jose Rizal, the medical doctor, who led an insurrection against the Spanish. Google tells me Rizal was not ordinarily multilingual (most Filipinos can speak 3 dialects, and OFW's pick up Arabic, Chinese and Finnish etc in a flash), but credited with speaking  22 languages. Rizal also wrote poetry, was a sculpture and a painter -  so you get a sense of his depth. Two years after he was executed for "insurrection", Philippines declared independence from the Spanish in 1898...and to think I travelled down Rizal Avenue so many times without knowing any of this.

- @gsturdee
Jose Rizal was not an insurrectionist, but more like a reformist. Rizal belonged to a class called the "Illustrados", a wealthy class of Filipinos who were educated abroad. At the time when Rizal and his compatriots were studying abroad, they were exposed to the ideologies of liberalism, nationalism and democracy. They pushed for reforms to improve the lives of Filipinos. They published articles, essays and other writings in Spain to enlighten the Spanish as to the abuses against Filipinos. Rizal also wrote two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which are political satires criticizing Spanish rule in the Philippines. But Spain refused to grant reforms. Upon Rizal's return to the Philippines in 1892, he was exiled to Dapitan for his writings.

Rizal's writings, among others, were some of the the inspiration for Filipinos like Andres Bonifacio, the leader of the Katipunan, to fight for freedom from Spain by means of an armed and violent revolution, to which Rizal was against. (Some writings though have emerged that Rizal was not against an armed revolution, but was opposed to it only at that time because he believed that Filipinos were ill-prepared for an armed revolution.) The declaration of a revolt against Spain by the Katipuneros was on August 1896, the Cry of Pugad Lawin. Rizal was arrested around October 1896 and executed on December 30, 1896 for the crime of rebellion against Spain. In present times, December 30, is a national holiday, Rizal Day.
coach53

[Post under review]

Guest9272
@coach53  That's not too bad, is it. I worked in Riyadh for 2 years, and needed help with an Arabic phrase, so asked "Joey", a Filipino cleaner for guidance. (After all, he was Filipino - he should know, right?) He assisted with the correct answer. When I asked Joey how many years he'd been in Saudi, it was a mere 3 months, compared to my two years.

Now, I don't consider myself that stupid, but this begs the question as to why myself, and other native English speakers, don't readily adopt the languages of others? My theory is thanks to the British Empire's colonisation, plus Hollywood exporting the English language around the globe in the form of movies, that we don't really need to learn, and are basically lazy.

On another note, in line with the topic of Philippine History, I met a Cebuano pastor who told me there's evidence ancient Filipinos developed their own written language. He named it "Babayin", adamant it had originated in the Philippines. Intrigued, I did a little research, and it seems Babayin is related to an Indo-European script similar to ancient Sanskrit, used to phonetically spell-out indigenous words. The thesis being; it was not actually derived in Philippines, but transferred through human migration and trade, Babayin being the modified form. But that's all I know. So, if anyone knows more, it would be good to learn more about this ancient Filipino script.
Guest9272

@FilAmericanMom Great stuff! Are there any translations into English? Would be good to get a sense of his reformist ideology.

FilAmericanMom

On another note, in line with the topic of Philippine History, I met a Cebuano pastor who told me there's evidence ancient Filipinos developed their own written language. He named it "Babayin", adamant it had originated in the Philippines. Intrigued, I did a little research, and it seems Babayin is related to an Indo-European script similar to ancient Sanskrit, used to phonetically spell-out indigenous words. The thesis being; it was not actually derived in Philippines, but transferred through human migration and trade, Babayin being the modified form. But that's all I know. So, if anyone knows more, it would be good to learn more about this ancient Filipino script.
- @gsturdee

I think you will get more hits on Google if you use the term "Baybayin" instead of "Babayin." "Baybay" means "spelling." If someone asks you, "Paano baybayin ang pangalan mo?," he / she is asking how your name is spelled.

manwonder
Yes they are indeed beautiful pictures of philippines glorius past....they did have and hopefully still have so much untapped potential.
Infact the founding prime minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew whom many claim was instrumental in the building of Singapore wrote a book named "From Third World to First : The Singapore Story :1965-2000"
In it he mentions that he had this gut feeling way back then (early 1970's) that “something appeared to be missing in the philippine society..."a sort of gel to hold it together"...he further mentions
that the people at the top, the elite mestizos, had the same detached attitude to the native peasants as the mestizos in their haciendas in Latin America had towards their peons.
They were two different societies: those at the top lived a life of extreme luxury and comfort while the peasants scraped a living, and in the Philippines, it was a hard living. They could/did not own land but worked on sugar and coconut plantations. They had many children because the church discouraged birth control. The result was increasing poverty.” as it stlll is sadly till today.
He had also mentioned that in a poor country somewhat like the then developing Singapore...discipline was more necessary than democracy and that the British parliamentary-style system was more effective which he had relayed to a Fidel Ramos whom was the then president ..whom also had agreed,...though not publicly.
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Guest9272

@FilAmericanMom Thanks, appreciated I was probably told the correct spelling but forgot, it was a while back.

danfinn

@coach53 It is culture, not religion. But if you do not like religion, then blame it all on the Catholics. In non-Catholic China they used to have large families too. That must have been Confucious' fault. But the CPC intervened and now have had to reverse course because of an oversupply of males; they never banned abortion for gender selection. The joys of gender selection and eugenics.

FilAmericanMom

@FilAmericanMom Great stuff! Are there any translations into English? Would be good to get a sense of his reformist ideology.

- @gsturdee

To get a sense of Rizal's reformist ideology, you can look up "The Propaganda Movement."

Here's a link to a preview of Chapter 1 and part of Chapter 2 of a book by Fr. Schumacher on the Propaganda Movement.


FilAmericanMom
So, what you're saying is your change to the DTI's registration system was informing some tech that a button or two on the online form was not working.  Don't you think that hundreds of other applicants already contacted DTI, perhaps at least one of them has a direct contact at DTI (as many have, including companies whose paid services involve registering businesses with all governmnet agencies) , and that they are aware of the issue and are working on it before you called the tech? - @FilAmericanMom

Yes I say it depend of me managing to reach the developer, because of the TIMING. It DIDNT get done in months, but very fast after I did send it to the developer...

I suppouse all the others gave up after told the office, without anything happened, and did it "Filipino way" =Registered anything ELSE than the correct just to get any registration - the local office even suggested that -  OR more likely Filipinos dont bother to register*  smile.png      Inspite of its a common business and were a lot there allready, NO ONE had registered such there EVER...

*I suppouse you know its very common in Phils to not register small businesses. The government have even made a special benifit program to try to make owners of such businesses to register.  (Unclear if foreigners can do too, I guess not.)  I made a such for a Filipino. Its APPROVED. First local Business Centre officials had no clue what it is, and later it has been very hard to get it registered!!! so it isnt registered to get use of it still...  But thats an other story    smile.png
- @coach53

Uh... Okay... If you say so. Or rather, if you "suppouse" so. 

LOL.
Enzyte Bob
Without doubt the Philippines has experienced huge population growth over the last few decades not least because of the power and dogma of the Catholic church.

But lets not blame population growth per se for all of the countries woes . The key figure is GDP per head. China for example has a much higher population than the Philippines with a GDP per capita of about $11k compared to the Philippines $3.5K (ish)
Pnwcyclist rightly points out above the other factors that have to be taken into the mix as well.
- @Lotus Eater
***************************************************************
Let me add to the above post which I'm in agreement with. With thousands of islands and with 2,000 inhabited it sure puts a monkey wrench in commerce. So without transportation and distribution businesses are limited in scale.

Unlike the US or Europe with trucks or trains than can run from coast to coast, the Philippine transportation system is not very efficient.
coach53

@coach53 It is culture, not religion.

Well. Religion is a part of it too when being against constraseptives and abortions.
E g compare Ireland with other nothwest European countries (until they become modern there too).
But if you do not like religion, then blame it all on the Catholics.    - @danfinn
I dont bother what people believe - as long as it dont screw up other things.
The Catholic church is very good at scewing up things    :)      as e g taking side with huge amounts of pedophile priests against the wictims!!!1f621.svg
Guest9272
@FilAmericanMom Thanks I took at look at the excerpt. While the author, Schumacher, claims it's not an exhaustive account, it delves deep into that period of Philippine politics and history. For me, as a novice, it's not a light read at all. What is interesting is Jose Rizal, as an elite (generational landowner and Mestizo), was influenced by the Dominicans and Jesuits in his early days,  while latterly more influenced by Burgos Nationalists, which sets him (and others) off on the trajectory toward self-determination and independence. I read also in another source he was an ardent Freemason, so there's unstated political (and probably esoteric) influences coming through there as well. It was an interesting snapshot, and in my mind to read a little more. My brain is however, quite now tired.

There's some great ideas and discussion coming through on this thread, references to GDP and feudalistic history, and geostrategic factors like the number of island - and the can of worms has been opened. I'm anticipating the discourse will be civil and interesting.
PalawOne
`
Simply want to say this whole conversation, with many perspectives, is fascinating.

Almost everyone has made interesting also relevant points regarding Phils history.

Proof again this Forum and our world and all people could indeed become as one.   
Lotus Eater

@Lotus Eater I hear that a lot (ASS UM E-ING) about Catholic church policies and population growth. Blame it in the Pope, right?  BUT why then do so many non-religious, protestant and Muslim families also have a lot of kids?  I think it has more to do with parents having lots of kids to help support the family and also to support the parents when they get old. Birth control pills are not illegal here.

- @danfinn

Those 'assumptions 'are borne out by record. The politically influential Catholic Church vehemently opposed the Philippine Congress in passing the Reproductive Health Law in 2012 which has made contraceptive products widely available complemented by increased sex education in schools. As a result the birth rate in the Philippines has been declining steadily since the legislation was passed. So a direct link has been proven between 'cause' ie the church and 'effect' namely the relaxing of restrictions that the Catholic Church wished to maintain.
Lets take your example of Muslim families and knock that one on the head. Neighbouring Indonesia (90% Muslim) and a comparable emerging economy like the Philippines has a birth rate of 17.75 per 1000 where as the Philippines figure is 20.17 - a substantive difference.
Oh and by the way Indonesia overtook the Philippines years ago in terms of GDP per head. Without the influence of the Catholic Church and kowtowing inept corrupt politicians the Philippines would be enjoying a far higher standard of living today.
Cheryl
Hello everyone,

Please note that some posts were removed from this thread.

Kindly avoid all off-topic and personal attack posts.

Thank you,

Cheryl
Expat.com team
Lotus Eater
Thank you Cheryl for being such a tolerant moderator amongst a group of men whose testosterone sometimes gets the better of them (myself included). If ever the world was on the brink of nuclear war I suggest having female only protagonist negotiators ;)
I visited Port Louis back in 1998. A charming city.

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