Imagine for a moment that the Philippines was suddenly swallowed up by the seas leaving no trace of it, its culture, and its people. Then ask yourself this question:
Will the rest of the world miss the Philippines?
What a confronting question, right?!
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It may be true, of course, that the Philippines is a source of the world’s “friendly” people, its hordes of OFWs that provide cheap labor to the world’s big business, that care for the rich world’s kids and senior citizens, and the seamen who man its merchant fleets. It is supposedly home to “the world’s best beaches” where the world’s backpackers and holidaymakers get their tans. The Philippines also hosts the vast call centers and business process outsourcing centers whose labor-saving services fatten the bottomlines and share prices of countless businesses in the First World.
If these labor services, these great beaches and these call centers and BPOs suddenly disappeared, what is the rest of the world to do? Can these services and facilities be easily replaced?
We Filipinos also pride ourselves in our country being home to the world’s “pound-for-pound best fighter in the world”, boxing champ Manny Pacquiao. How soon can the world produce a new champ if he were to disappear along with the rest of his kababayans in that hypothetical scenario?
If all we get while considering the above is nothing more than a lot of headscratching, maybe there are more nuances to the question worth exploring.
What world-class ideas and cultural things do Filipinos contribute to humanity’s collective intellect and artistry? The United States, for example, is a source of much joy to billions of people thanks to the unparalleled output of its entertainment industry. Germany, despite much of the First World practically giving away its technology and manufacturing expertise to China, still manufactures lots of stuff that are “engineered like none other in the world”.
What do Filipinos have to offer that will convincingly assure us that we make a mark in the world and that we contribute something truly valuable to the human race? Honestly, while all the feel good “Pinoy Pride” material I see shared and shared again all over the Web may be patriotic candy every now and then, I still struggle to pin down exactly what our society’s real value proposition to the world is.
What can we be truly proud of if we fail to articulate exactly what it is that justifies our continued existence as a people on the planet?
What does the Filipino stand for?
Do we stand for “freedom”? I’d think twice about that. I don’t think Filipinos are truly free — just suckers for the bullshit their leaders and celebrities feed their little minds.
Do we stand for “justice”? Hmmm… I don’t think so. There’s lots of crimes that remain unsolved in the Philippines. Some of these crimes are even big fat mass murders that would normally send an entire society screaming with indignation. Not in the Philippines. Injustice is pretty much the national morality nowadays. The eminent BongV refers to Pinoy-style justice by its apt colloquial term: just-tiis, ha ha!
Are Filipinos a beacon of Christian values in Asia? Well, the pope is coming to the building this January. He might have some ideas coming out of the experience on whether or not this remains true. But out of respect for our Muslim “brothers” in the south, I’d say this notion is sort of passé — no more than a quaint relic of a pre-politically-correct world of old Pinoy bukang bibigs.
In terms of contributing economic value to the world, well, beyond cheap labor, I don’t think we’re much of a player in that field. I mean, c’mon, beyond San Miguel and Jollibbee what else is there? Bench? Lol! You should see a Bench shirt I bought just six months ago. It used to have a snug neckhole. Now I can wear it like an off-shoulder top! Think too that San Mig and Jollibee are such so-last-century labels. The US, for example, creates a handful of world-class brands every year.
If we want to see ourselves as a great country that is home to a great people, I suggest we even at least think of something that differentiates us in an increasingly competitive world. What makes us unique as a people? What sort of icon can we put up on a stick (aside from our flag) that foreigners can spot and straightaway say: Hey that stands for Filipino!
You know what? I can only think of one universally-recognized icon that fits that criteria — Imelda Marcos’s face. Put that on a flag and the world will look at it and scream: “Filipinos!” Ha ha!
Sad. But the truth, indeed, hurts.
Frustrated artist doing geek for a living.
Would the Philippines be missed? Apparently not. Ever notice that when CNN or BBC show the weather in SE Asia all major countries and cities are mentioned, but the Philippines is always missing. No one gives a rats ass.
You will notice when you travel to a western country that hardly anybody knows where the Philippines is or even care about you at all. Having oriental features, many people think I’m either a Korean or a Chinese tourist. When I say “no, I’m Filipino”, the people will simply stare and say nothing as if they don’t care or don’t even bother to ask further questions. The ones that do know have a tendency to mess with you by calling your a nation of servants and a great place for sex tourism. I am tired of it. Like seriously, I am totally sick of the discrimination people throw at me whenever I travel. Going to another country as a traveler is supposed to be exciting and, at the same time, scary. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about another culture and be a better person by seeing things you never see in your homeland. The things I got from all my travels to the West are mostly blatant indifference and a realization of how bad things have become in our country.
It’s harsh but it’s the truth. Just have to accept it and play on. I still want to travel. As far as the people go, I let them be.
Can’t be more accurate. I’m an OFW in sg, The only thing they know about Phils here is it’s the place where maids come from. Here, Philippines is like the country they are least curious about, maybe they know how pathetic our country is and they don’t want to have a depressing conversation.
Specially after Yolanda struck last year. Now most of the world’s people probably associate us with the world’s most powerful typhoon in history…
In the UK I’d say the Philippines is viewed as a generic third world country where natural disasters, poverty and corruption happen, it doesn’t really stand out in that regard. It isn’t the go-to reference for mean jokes about bad call centre accents (that would be India) or maids/cleaners (Poland/Eastern Europe).
It isn’t promoted too much as a holiday destination either – I used to write copy and news for a lot of UK travel agents and airlines and the Philippines was never a featured destination, so I knew a lot less about it than the likes of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam before I travelled to Asia myself.
But it’s a fair exchange, considering most Filipinos don’t know a thing about my country either!
Dave,
Sooo…you’re saying that what it boils down to is that the Philippines is mediocre even at ‘BEING’ mediocre.
Really I just wanted to explain how it might be different than America, where the Philippines is presumably better known both for travel and imported/outsourced labor compared to Europe.
I don’t know how the Philippines is viewed/known in Australia – being so much closer – but these days I write for Australian companies and come to think of it, I’ve never been asked to write a single page about the Philippines either, despite writing about other Asian destinations all the time. So it looks like it isn’t promoted very much as a holiday getaway there either.
The ‘Hey Joe’/’kano’ heckles that usually annoy me are actually starting to make a lot of sense if it really is mainly Americans that are encouraged to come here.
Could be accounted for the fact that it wasn’t exactly part of the Commonwealth Empire and rather was a Spanish/American colony so Brits and Aussies don’t really have much to go by compared to Malaysia or Singapore, two nations which were under the Queen’s flag in the past. You can tell from the culture in the PH too which embraces everything American more than European.
I was mistaken for Cambodian, Black, Mexican and at one point: RUSSIAN.
But I didn’t care after awhile once I realized racial profiling doesn’t really apply to me.
But in reply to the article above, there is only one definite contribution the Philippines gives to the world.
How not to run Country. We have a Justice system that takes forever to resolve any issue (Annulments and the Ampatuans are sore stickers) and what happens if the quality of Education is lowered in the public sector.
I had a chat with someone from Argentina and she thought Philippines is filled with jungles and filipinos live in nipa hut. LOL!
This is why, when asked where I’m from, I’m quick to say my PARENTS are from the Philippines, but I grew up in Florida. I do this in an attempt to quell the stereotypes, and to hammer in the point that I am as American as any American.
We lack National Identity, Modern Filipinos today will more likely to embrace foreign culture rather than our own. Today’s Youth are more into K-Pop, Ottakus, Foreign dishes, fashion, etc. We are more likely to copy other culture rather than embrace our own, just to say that we are in trend with the world.
We lack the a mark that really is Filipino, for example, when we hear about Samurai, Ninja, Kimono we can easily say it is Japanese. That is what is missing we lack an identity that is truly unique.
Unlike the Marcos Era, where our heritage are showcased to the world. Building of the CCP, the Coconut Palace, and almost all infrastructure with architectural designs are Filipino.
We are so in touch with other foreign culture that we do not have any sense of identity.We are not internationally known by our culture, instead we are known as a place were great singers are from, that are sensationalize by YouTube. So if we were to vanished on the face of the planet, we will be most likely to be missed as nurses, domestic helpers, call center agents rather than our heritage.
Actually a lot of what we showcase to the world was built by former colonial masters — Baguio City, Subic, Intramuros and all that. That’s evidence enough in itself…
I agree we have an identity crisis! It’s really hard to put yourself out there and make your mark if you don’t know who the fuck you are! It doesn’t help matters that the erroneous idea that our history began in 1521 is still floating around! That idea should be BANISHED from our collective consciousness for a start!
..That is why we know quite a number of Pinoy families, relatives and friends, who have migrated to the US, Canada and Australia, who have children who have terrible identity crisis when they reach college or when they graduate. And, this may not be the typical or simple adolescent crisis. Here the case of a family in New York, a relative of ours, can be offered. They were rather alarmed by their eldest daughter, who was known to be very friendly from Grades 1 to 12, was all of sudden keeping to herself in mid-college and was very rebellious when at home. They persuaded her to see a psychiatrist, and she went after so many prodding.
It is interesting what the shrink found. To everybody’s surprise, the problem was very simple. The daughter couldn’t find even one, or two, close friend, and to her who was wont to have close friends as in high school, this was devastating. The campus was still dominated by Americans, black and white, but unlike high school, there were more students of other nationalities. Being raised in America, it was natural for her to feel at home with the Americans in the initial year. But in college, as you know, there are “secret” parties from time to time, exclusive for whites or for blacks. She, of course, felt left out because she is neither black nor white. She, thus, started to hang around more with Asian students. But, then the same thing was happening — the Japanese, the Chinese, the Indians were also having their respective secret, exclusive parties from time to time, of which she could not be a part of. When the shrink suggested that she better look for a Filipino friend, she said that while she is used to hanging around with Filipinos who are relatives or friends of the family, she was kind of hesitant to get to know another Filipino, who are normally not that friendly anyway outside of the circle of Filipinos they already know. The shrink was puzzled and thus, did a little research on his own. Here comes the interesting part, nobody could tell the shrink who and what is a Filipino; there are no identifying marks. In the end, the shrink suggested that she go back with the Americans for afterall she was an American by the way she think and speak. But, she went through college with this thing on her shoulder, kind of a maturing process, but more not knowing her real national identity by blood.
Well, the problem is not her. The problem is the very racist US society. When foreign students are in the Philippines, they integrate, but there’s a social apartheid in America and it pushes you into having to make friends with ” your own people” by virtue of rejection by other races. It’s screwed up. This is why you should not copy America in everything.
Part of the reason we embrace other cultures is because we associate our own culture with failure.
Because with all those old concepts that you’ve mentioned (Samurai, Ninja) they belong with a country that has succeeded in many ways.
In our case though, its hard to be prideful even to our heroes because in the end, our government is a wreck, the economy is still in the toilet, and not to mention things only get worse and worse.
Leyte Dance Theater could be a sensation worldwide. They show true native culture. Something like this needs to be all over the country and shown to tourists when they arrive. It should be taught to the locals as a source of pride.
The Japanese and the Koreans modernized their native cultures and are known for those. Filipinos can and should do the same.
When Filipinos are abroad, they showcase Tinikling, they dress in native customs. But when inside own country, they proudly walk around Manila with a T shirt that says USA and has a giant US map or flag.
They take foreigners to clubs where singers sing American songs from 1960ies- ostensibly to accommodate foreigners.
So, a Filipino is a Filipino abroad but an American/Korean in his own country.
The music on the radio is mostly non-Filipino. The books in bookstores are mostly non-Filipino. How can a nation have a strong identity if it does not have its own strong music and literature?
Start by no longer wearing these ridiculous T- shirts with US flags. By establishing clubs and cultural associations promoting native cultures. Show them to the world. Have cultural exchanges with neighbors such as Laotians, Cambodians, Indonesians.
All your Asian neighbors of whom you know very little are developing their own native cultures. As a result, they are great attraction to people worldwide. Visit Bali, for one- to see what you could be.
Indonesians- who were colonized just like you were- don’t run around in T shirts that say Holland, they don’t sing/play Dutch music all day.
The world and your neighbors are not impressed with America ( and Korea) wannabes. They want to see Filipino culture. When you stand strong as Filipinos with Filipinos music, dances, clothes, literature, then you will have respect of the world.
Truth to be told, this so-called freedom is a façade of mental slavery–many people are allowing themselves (and are willing) to be enslaved by these dubious masters, who are the elites in general. These elites should be ousted through revolution and not only that, these people who are enslaved should oust the elitists who are protecting the greedy interests of the elitists who are still in power.
This piece is the dose of reality to all those fluff treatments where KSP pinoys try to justify their existence that the world will be doughnut should they all vanish from the face of the earth. All this pound for pound crap is just local hype . Flag waving over beating a boxer of zero notoriety. The nation hands out a gold medal once every six years and in 2010 they handed it to a 50 year old non achiever whose mother died. If that does not speak to the sum of the ambitions of this culture I don’t know what does.
True that! The president himself is a representation of everything about Pinoy society and its lack of anything of substance to give its nationhood some meaning.
You think our current president is the epitome of the filipino fail? wait for the next one.
If you want to test nuclear weapons, an easy target is the Failippines. Nuke it, and I’m pretty sure, nobody in the international community will give a damn. In fact, they will all be happy for what happen.
Sad for me to say, but i do agree that if the Philippines were to disappear form the face of the earth tomorrow, it will not be missed. The Philippines have not contributed anything substantive to the world for almost a generation. If this was the 70’s or 80’s maybe, but not now.
Its funny that the Philippine GDP is 30th in the world (wikipedia). Bigger than some European countries and asian neighbors and yet the Phils. have no investments in technology or medical research. The infrastructure is dismal, education in all levels is mediocre and the society itself has no discipline. The country cannot stand on it’s own in terms of economy or militarily. It takes balls and determination to play in the world stage, traits that elude the common Filipino.
Singapore, Norway, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Sweden and even oil rich Dubai or Kuwait does not have an economy like the Philippines and yet those countries have invested heavily on their infrastructure, created a worldwide identity to be proud of and a disciplined society that if any of those countries disappeared tomorrow, i bet you that everyone will notice. Lose, Singapore and Hong Kong and the financial industry will have a meltdown. Lose Switzerland, no more fine watches or chocolates. Lose Sweden, no more Volvo’s or IKEA 🙂 Lose the Philippines, and the world misses nothing.
I don’t even think the world will miss the health care professionals as pointed out by Kenneth because the only reason the OFW’s are sought after world wide is because they are cheap labor. That’s it. No OFW will earn as much as their western counterpart that was educated in their own country.
As DiGriz mentioned above, news outlet in the US or EU does not show the weather in Manila in their forecasts. The Philippines, with its so called world class beaches and hospitality, is not on the world’s radar.
Remember, those countries you named have very small populations. The Philippines may rank 30th in total GDP but where does it rank in GDP per capita?
By some means, Kate, your article show how we should focus first on how the Filipinos will see their worth and how this country has a place on this world regardless if other countries would benefit from us or not. We could only speak of the world missing us if we’re able to mend our own wounds and really make a step forward since there are lessons and inspiration there (like how we note how Singapore and S. Korea work its way to being first world countries and how our neighboring developing countries are starting to be competitive globally and it made one dream something bigger for his country). Truth of the matter is we’re so mindful of what non-Filipinos think when we should be thinking more of how to right our own (when this adage “for the service of the Filipino” go to the pit and got buried, wala na.) I mean, even in critical point of views do we have to depend on them just to awaken the number of Filipinos what’s wrong in this country (it never get its desired effect though. It only triggers the defensive attitude)? I know how the intelligent Filipinos are prioritizing how to knock the sleepyhead Filipinos to their senses and it’s but right that they focus on what’s happening in their own backyard. Like start thinking on the basis of what we here lack or need or what’s there to cultivate not on what other nations have and how we are so far behind (I’m guilty of this sometimes and on wishful thinking dang!). We’ll get there if we work hard and not base everything on wishful thinking and not keep on comparing (it’s useless to compare. The BIG difference is obvious). Thus, instead of being butthurt on criticisms or opinions of concerned foreigners, we should be more butthurt on how the laws and justices in our country aren’t being use for equal opportunities and progressive march of Filipinos. Even on what should affect us most we get it wrong. I don’t think it’s simply because of incapability to care but more on the lack of ethics that governs our government and society.
I recall back in my FilipinoVoices days some bozo writing something similar that went viral. The title was something to the effect of ‘Imagine a world without Filipinos’ or something like that… except that it was written by some emo who asserted that the oil industry in the Middle East would not be possible because there’d be no Pinoy engineers to run things or that the world’s old people would be left without ‘much-needed’ carers, etc…
Thing is, it is capital that is created by the affluent world that gives labour its value. Without capital being put to use intelligently and productively, there would be no employment to absorb the world’s workers and we’d be left with an enormous surplus of idle men and women drinking beer on the sidewalks and squeezing out babies every year respectively. Hey wait… That sound like an awfully familiar scenario.. 😀
And stupid Filipinos kept sharing that article in their facebook for months. Got an OFW classmate posted it then I was like, man are you stupid? Only imbeciles will believe that article. He deleted me the next day. Pinoy pride is always butthurt.
“The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land, for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This, say its advocates, is free labor—the just and generous, and prosperous system, which opens the way for all—gives hope to all, and energy, and progress, and improvement of condition to all.” The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, “Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin” (September 30, 1859), pp. 478-479.
Kate,
although I do understand what you are saying and I do agree with you, there will me more countries that wont be missed. And that includes my own country. And its not even impossible that my country will be vanished from the surface of this planet. With the melting of the ice caps, rising sea/water levels, my country can be washed away.
All I can say now when that will happen is, life will go on and nobody is waiting for us. Harsh, blunt? Just reality. It is like a train. It will depart from the platform and it will continue to ride.
So true! There is NO such thing as an indispensible country! Even the most powerful empires fall eventually! It may shock and hurt the world for a while (especially in this globalized age), but eventually life will go on as new countries take over the voids left behind by fallen empires!
..The above write-up is terrific; the observations are amazing, spot-on from many angles. It is not only that we are nobody in the world stage, in fact, it is a scary proposition to be carrying a Philippine passport these days. If you are observant in airports, you will notice that immigration officers allow other nationalities to go through in less than a minute. With our passport, they take over two minutes, especially when queues are not that long; and if that airport happens to be either Hong Kong, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Rome, Chicago, or New Jersey, which all seem to be the strictest when they encounter our passport, there is a likelihood you will asked into a nice side room for a 15-minute interview before they let you thru..
It wasn’t always like this, and my grandpa could attest to that. We just had a big family reunion for his 98th birthday last September, and the topic of the party was similar to what we have here. Grandpa is still quite lucid even if his body has obviously been fast deteriorating lately. Funny that when almost all the family members were seated around him for what seemed like over three hours expecting to hear what might be his last will, he just ranted in his typical baritone hoarse voice how he was afraid for his grandchildren. Interesting that the write-up seem to imply a cut-off period about the time of Marcos when there was major shift in PHL. Grandpa thought the same thing.
Grandpa said that the biggest mistake of Marcos was when he meddled with industries. PHL had the first integrated steel mill in South East Asia, but FM instead exiled the Jacintos. PHL had the first and most competitive airline in Asia, but allowed a crony to run it very badly. PHL had the most advanced textile and garment industry in Asia, a top 3 exporter to the US, but FM milked the industry so much that it dis-incentivise any initiative to further modernize. FM further killed this when he tried to monopolize the nylon yarn raw material through the factory of the Disinis in La Union. When producers of artificial sweeteners started their PR campaign against sugar, FM did not fight back when sugar was a top dollar earner, but was more interested in making PhilSuCom through the Benedictos capture a trading monopoly. When the German JVs of palm oil in Malaysia and Indonesia also started similar campaign against coconut oil, FM again just stoodby because he wanted to make sure Danding had the trading monopoly in coconut. PHL was a major rice exporter, and that is why IRRI is here, but again FM was more interested in trading monopoly thru NFA and didn’t do anything to help the rice farmers advance to modernity. Every farm to market road was built to accumulate more tongpats. Of course, Grandpa will never forget that FM grabbed his magnetite iron mines in the north via a dubious law. Grandpa hates every inch that is Japanese and he was happy that he managed to sell his products to the likes of Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, etc at exhorbitant prices as a way of getting back at them who ravaged the country in WWII. To this day, he feels that PHL should get together to surpass Japan, which he felt we had all the chance prior to the greed of FM setting in. He recalls some of these with tears in his eyes.
And when he would rest from talking, he would call from time to time one of his now grown-up and mature grandchildren at random just to hold their arms tightly or to hug them, tears also flowed freely. To all of them, he had one word: “Please be strong. Don’t be discourage. Philippines is not like this.” Grandpa could not believe what has happened to PHL. When it is not FM trying to destroy the country, it is Filipino themselves doing it. There was a time when every multinational company had a manufacturing or banking unit in PHL. We were a major hub in Asia. Of course, FM could not touch these companies. But, it was the labor unions turn to ravage the country. Backed by the CPP/ NPA network, strikes became rampant and most were so unreasonable. They were made to appear as fighting for labor, but with time, it became more and more obvious that their ulterior motive was to kick out of the country all the multinationals, who were of course immediately welcome by Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Grandpa looks at Singapore with envy, which he said was just a backwater, but has become the hub for oil and banking. And, with China becoming the world power, Singapore will be the topmost player for it is poised to be the hub for renminbis. That is why Grandpa’s blood boils every time he sees on TV these leaders who are permanent fixtures of street protests. He said they are criminals who should be tried for crimes against humanity. Every jobless Filipino should have chance to give one punch each to the face or stomach of these leaders.
He also suspects that the Left were the ones behind the move to remove English and Spanish from schools, which to him is a big, big mistake. Although he reads mostly religious books now for he says he is now obviously in the departure lounge and has to know more about how he, who was terrible sinner in his younger days, should be meeting this Fellow on the other side, he still laments that we have cut off the entire country from knowledge. Grandpa loved literatures and thinks the youth are missing a lot — probably the reason why they could only love moronic TV shows. It is even more incredulous for him that PHL is now the sin city of the world. “How could we allow them to screw our girls, when it was us Filipinos who went to Seoul, Osaka, Taipei, Kaoshung, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Penang, and Singapore if one wanted a good screw.” To him, this indeed is the sign that we have reached rock-bottom — we are the disgusting filth of the world. The rise in criminality, of course, pisses him no end for Grandpa hates bolted doors and closed windows. He loves fresh air and does not like air conditioning. He is fond of recalling the days when he could just sit in the front veranda, wave and welcome anybody to the house because there were no high walls that separated neighbors, sleep or leave the house without even closing the doors, and walk the streets even on a moonless night feeling safe.
Therefore, I say, if Philippines disappeared from the map, some people will say: good riddance.
The Philippines would be remembered for…uh, lemme think real hard about this.
A place where you can get a quickie from an underaged prostitute? Oh wait, Thailand has that covered.
BPO’s and Call Centers? India’s already in on that.
Beautiful Beaches? Name any country within the Tropics or Caribbean and you’re set.
English Speaking natives? Singapore and Hong Kong are there.
Basketball? Filipinos aren’t even very good at it.
Corruption and crooked politicians? Most African nations already have that title.
Sole Catholic Asian Nation? East Timor would like to have a word.
Yeah, basically everyone else can do the job good ol’ Phil is supposedly good at.
For people who become defensive and arrogant when they are criticized for a wrong they really did or a fault they really have?
may be all the things you wrote about us filipinos are true … perhaps, this country will not be missed at all, but who cares? seems that you don’t…so why keep whining?
for me, this article is just another piece from someone who has a very poor self-esteem. so, filipinos are disgusting, then go somewhere else. stop being a filipino (oh oh, you are australian? american? british?), give up your citizenship! leave this country. go where your dream state rises? live amongst the people you dream to live with. or go to hell!
So that means you’re PROUD of the corruption, the cheap labor, the constant poverty & lack of development in the Philippines? It’s people like you who make the Philippines into this state of underdevelopment. These people who write these articles on this site want a country to be proud of! They want to be proud to be Filipinos! But it’s hard clinging to an idea when there is no substance, no tangible proof or evidence to showcase for. If you cannot accept this, then it is you who is out of place in this site.
Hope you didn’t mean that. Yes, there is a big difference between those who are objectively looking at the country from the outside and those who look at it from the inside. But, either way, who loves the country more, those who write about the rot inside so something could hopefully be done about it, or those who keep quiet about it and even accept it?
I guess the Philippines, if disappeared, will be missed if only for the world to have something to laugh at, or as a negative example of how not to run a country or culture.
We have contributed OFW Slave Labor in our times; in our civilization…Cheap Slave Labor.
Pacquiao contributed, for himself, as a boxing champion. We must not attach ourselves to his success.
We send our Best and the Brightest to the industrialized countries; particularly , the U.S., Canada, Europe, etc…
We can be a “Poster Country” as a failed “Coconut Republic”…Feudal Oligarchy still existing amidst a modern world…our politicians are the most corrupt and incompetent, compared to other countries…
I would like all Politicians to disappear, from the face of this Earth…so we can start all over again. We Hope the Philippines will not disappear like the continent:Atlantis.
Atlantis had advanced technology and system of government. It is still an enigma, why the continent disappeared…
Anyone CAN be replaced! and NO ONE is ever missed. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, BUT as soon as Filipino’s rightfully ask for higher wages at these ridiculously low-paying call center jobs (just like Mumbai’s Indian populations have gotten sick of low-paying crap jobs)they will move elsewhere ,like Nairobi, in search of the low-pay workforce.
Manny Paquiao is a great 135 lb. fighter,maybe the best lightweight since Roberto Duran, BUT HE IS NOT the best LB.-4-LB.fighter in the world. Jose Aldo, Floyd Mayweather ,Cain Velasquez all are better fighters, have better records and do not have their opponents hand picked by their promoter ala Bob Arum. Neither do they fight at ‘catch-weights'(WTF is that anyway?)nor fight for the WBO-gus Super-welterweight/154 LB.title w/a weight limit of 150 LBS. as ‘PAC-MAN’ did against Margharito. Again, great 135 LB Champ, best of his time, but fixing fights to win meaningless titles diminishes his stature in the International arena.
S E Asia could get sucked into the Pacific Ocean tomorrow and the world would move the manufacturing done there to Africa.
The philippines would be missed by some, its a part of a chain, for pedeaphiles and sex addicts, its the dumping ground for goods that fail to sell, either illegal/harmful ingredients, out of date, or crap manufacture in Europe and the world.
Its where everyone smiles even when getting robbed by the politicians, in fact they will vote for them and re-elect these thieves. Its where prostitution is available, but they are called GRO’s.
Its where everyone carries a gun, during elections they are so greedy they shoot the opposition including their own family.
They have armed guards on doorways to all stores and shops etc.
But be a foreigner, they are treated as walking ATM’s by everyone, family and government, but you are not allowed to criticise or comment about any injustice, if you buy a house or land, they will welcome you with open arms, but later you find you never owned it, its against the law. Scams are common, banks fail monthly, thieves and murderers buy their way out of justice, and as always the poor stay poor and the rich get richer.
Its where there is no real investment made by outside companies, too much corruption and theft, but they like to have the title they are a Catholic country, its also the country with the largest number of children born out of wedlock, and few live with their wives, its partners and live ins, cos the RC church does not want divorce. Go to church sunday, murder and steal till friday, confession on saturday and start again on sunday…
Its where if you have an accident, the ambulance will ask if you have money or credit, if not they leave you, doctors and hospitals will not treat anything without cash, except in government hospitals, but you could die waiting for treatment.
Will anyone miss Andorra? Uzbekistan? Azerbaijan?Eritrea? Kosovo? Nauru? Do they care if they’re missed?
Do we care about the countries that were there before? We know there was a Babylon and a Mesopotamia and a Persia, but do we miss them?
We only miss something if we have a connection to it. The only people who will miss the Philippines when it’s gone are the Filipinos and those who share memories with them.
If we stand disconnected from the good this country still has and the people who are still fighting for the goodness that’s left then how can we expect others to share themselves with their countrymen.
If we keep comparing ourselves to the rest of the world we end up with enough envy and jealousy to paralyze us into stagnation.
Reach into the history of our country and you will find no lack of valiant men and women who have fought to bring about the true nature of the country; the Fighting Filipinos of the Korean War, the Filipino Saber pilots sent to Africa, Motherly Domestic Helpers, Resourceful and Reliable Seamen.
It is unfortunate that we are a witness to this state in our history. However, in every moment of darkness there is an opportunity for light. It is YOU who must choose what to see. It is YOU who choose must what to do. It is YOU who must choose.
History is not made by people who laze around during the day, looking to see where the grass is greener. It is made by people who stand long enough through the night to see the dawn.
We are in a war, the battlefield is in the hearts and minds of the people. What you fill those people with determines the side you choose to fight for.
April 22–23, 1951 Battle of Yultong-Filipino 10th Battalion Combat Team trapped at the Yultong area by 23:00.Although the 10th BCT had lost all contacts with the outside world, the Filipinos held their position until the Chinese stopped their attacks on the morning of April 23. The 10th BCT’s action at Yultong allowed the US 3rd Infantry Division to successfully withdraw from the battlefield.(saved SoKor)
Battle of Bataan (1945).The surrender of Bataan would hasten the fall of Corregidor, a month later. However, without this stand, the Japanese might have quickly overrun all of the U.S. bases in the Pacific, and worse, the Japanese could have even quickly invaded Australia
1940. President Quezon opened the Philippines’ doors to up to 10,000 Jewish refugees.German and Austrian Jews—1,200 of them—narrowly escaped Adolf Hitler’s gas chambers just before the German dictator rounded up 6 million Jews who were eventually tortured and murdered in his concentration camps.
1949. as the Chinese Red Army are advancing to the Northern China, the International Refugee Organization appeal to several leader in the world if they can afford to give a temporary refuges for White Russian refugees in China.The only country to reply on the said appeal was the Republic of the Philippines under President Elpidio Quirino that provided the island of Tubabao in the municipality of Guiuan as the temporary refugee sites of Russian refugees fleeing from China.
The Filipinos contributed two items to modern-day volleyball- Inspiration for the three-hit limit, Setting and spiking the ball
And in the last 60 years…?
Unless that volleyball one was within that period, because that’s obviously groundbreaking and deserves to be mentioned.
what an impertinence!! my wife is a Cebuana, born in San Simon, near Pagatpat, CDOC, and though my son was born in Australia, he carries Filipino citizenship. If it didn’t matter one way or the other, why would he?
Or why did we choose to live here instead of back in Australia? Could it be that we see something here that tends to be devalued and overlooked elsewhere?
Like commitment to family through thick and thin, little social alienation, far lower rates of suicide, far fewer older people living alone and dying alone as happens more and more in Australia and other ‘developed’ nations.
Do you imagine these are trivialities?
Yeah and what do you get? Gross overpopulation with lack of proper education and sanitation with a worsening crime rate all round which leads to relatives leaving the country and breaking the family dynamic anyway. Pendulum swings the other way.
Poland disappeared off the map of Europe for 123 years but in 1918 fought against the bolsheviks and stayed free up till 1939, and it wasn’t until the rise of Solidarity and a certain Polish pope in the early 80s that the history of Europe dramatically changed – for the better.
When it comes to history, the Philippines never really was “great” or “memorable” to begin with. I wrote this some time ago:
—
These islands were (chronologically) an outlying set of islands at the edge of Chinese maps; a Srivijayan outpost; a Majapahit vassal state; a loose collection of small sultanates; a Spanish colony; an American protectorate; and finally a third-world country. None of these would comprise what could be considered as “great.”
Even then, the concept of the “nation” wasn’t invented until the 18th Century.
The Philippines today only has the POTENTIAL to be great; however, this potential has barely been exploited due to a predominant “pwede na ito” attitude.
Perhaps the first step towards greatness is to inculcate the value of humility; to actually admit the idea that WE WERE NEVER GREAT in the first place, then go forward from there.
—
My 2 cents…
The only thing the Philippines can be remembered for is this: a nation of missed opportunities.
At different points in our history, there were Filipinos who believed that their nation is great, or can become great. But the unfortunte thing is, when a chance reach to that greatness present itself, we always fell short. Maybe because of pure rotten luck or our own incompetence; or a mix of both.
Well past is past. What we should do is to learn from it, so that when the opportunity presents itself once again, we may finally succeed where our predecessors epicly failed.
I don’t aspire for the Philippines to be a great or unique country. If we’re going to have that kind of mentality we’ll always read articles and stories which have the same subject as the above. It’s silly.
All we have, all our problems and shortcomings, all our economic and political mistakes etc. are not unique to us.
Don’t think of the Philippines as having the potential to be perfect and be great as the other countries. Just think of our country as one ordinary and regular country whose people strives to live decent and happy lives.
Let’s just make it simple.
I am an American. Now that statement has all kiind of conotations that comes up in ones mind. Some time ago I fell in love with a pinay woman and since then I am proud to call her my asawa. I have learned a lot about the country and I find it beautiful. Period. As an American the one thing I have to say is that nothing is going to change until you are happy with what you have. Happy with the country that you have and work in every little way to improve it every day in what ever small way one can. America is suppose to be the standard that all aspire to? I think not. We have plenty of problems here as well, including corruption and the highest levels of government, just like you over there I suppose. So why be like us I might ask? So who to aspire to then? Japan? Korea? Most of these places are over corwded, full of unhappy people. I feel that the Philippeans are a special place full of wonderful people who have a lot of good things going for them and with a little work and some time, can make it an example of how a people can have progress, a great standard of living, exceptional natural beauty and a great enviroment. You can show the world how to lead a green revoulation, create good jobs and live peacefully in the world. You as a country have had a lot of damage, hurt and theivery done to you over the centuries and now it is over but you now have to stop doing it to yourselves. Be proud of who you are first and others will take notice. Does anyone really question if Manny, while in the ring, is wondering if the people watching him like him? Do we think that he is questioning how the audience sees him as a Phillippeano ? Stand up folks and be proud of who you are!
With regards to your question about Pacquiao thinking if people like him while in the ring, YES HE DOES:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/manny_pacquiao.html
Furthermore, wouldn’t it be better for Filipinos to be humble about being Filipino, rather than being proud?
Wait , you forgot mentioning beauty queens, dancers, and entertainers.
What about so the cheap pussy that Filipinas provide to western men? While a horrible and amoral statement, it does seem to be an answer to your question. If it doesn’t add value, then why do the old white guys keep coming back for more.
There is a nationwide identity crisis that needs attention. If we accept all sorts of culture and turn it into our own then brand it as “pinoy pride”.
We would be missed. Please read this:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/47047/love-letter-to-filipinos
If the Philippines were gone sure no one will miss us but they sure will say that if there were only a cluster of islands in below China and above Borneo in WW2 the Philippines saved the rest of Asia and Australia from the Imperial Maps and we were an unsinkable Aircraft Carrier,Supply ship and a Hospital for the Americans and Japs we were needed for the Japs the Phil’s was a super carrier and has a ton of resources and they could launch lots of Airstrikes at the US fleet and maybe even use theyre supreme battleships for the US if they skipped the Phil’s they would get attacked by Aircraft and ambushed by Japanese Battleships
if I may beg your indulgence, to please find the time to discover Mr Wendell Berry, who is an old American farmer, a poet, a conservationist, and a mystic, and a mighty fine writer and poet.
May I recommend the one and only book that is his standout contribution to what it means to be human in this age of alienation and dissipation:
“What Are People For?”
If after reading this, your heart is not moved and your spirit is not inspired to transcend itself, then kindly hand in your membership of the human race, as you no longer qualify.
Wala eh. Feeling lang ng philiplines importante sila. Wala ngang nacontribute sa pagbuti ng mundo. PilingerO philippines.
Philippines do have contributions to the world. Their inventios but not recognize as their since the government did not credited them so other countries benefited from it and not filipinos