Or How the Victim Mentality Continues to Plague Our Society from the Bottom to the Top
Despite all the great leaders it has had, all the great Filipinos it has had, and all the resources it has, the Philippines is still one of the poorest countries in the world.
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From the time of Emilio Aguinaldo to Noynoy Aquino, most of our people are still born poor and will die poor.
Is this because of the system of government? Is this because of the people in that system of government? Is it because of how Filipino society is? Is it because capitalists exploit labor? Is it because of the muslims in Mindanao? Is it because of criminal syndicates? Is it because of corrupt politicians?
Really? If you think that those are the reasons why most Filipinos are poor, then, I have to say that in a lot of cases, people who believe this have been played for a fool and have been used for someone else’s agenda.
It’s a ruse really, part of the arsenal of agitators. The first thing they’ll do is to find something that you’ll get angry about — low wages, unfair treatment, corruption, injustice, and such. The next thing they’ll do is blame what you are experiencing on someone or something. After that, they’ll string you up by the nose and lead you to do any number of things which they will make you believe will solve your problems.
When I was a freshman in high school, my sociology teacher told us that the reason why the country was poor was because President Ferdinand Marcos and his friends mismanaged the economy. I didn’t know much about economy beyond what I was taught and what I understood about it, but it did make me angry to think that a few people had so much power that they could make a lot of people poor.
At home, we did experience not having enough money. Then again, my father was a government employee with a fixed salary and we were a brood of five children. We had all the modern appliances, two cars at one point, ate out often, and went to field trips out of town. We kids were all enrolled in private schools. We shopped in department stores and our mother insisted on getting us the best stuff. My father smoke, drank, and bet on horses.
So, yeah, in my mind back then, Marcos and his cronies were to blame for our lack of money as well as economic advancement. My father said that so many times after his sixth beer on Sundays. LOL!
Anyway, my teacher basically told us that the way to end the injustice being done to us and the poverty we were experiencing we needed to end the rule of President Marcos and return to a real and true democracy… where we could vote for our leaders, where we would have a greater say in how the economy was managed, where we could speak up against injustices, where we could organize ourselves to work together in bringing about solutions to widespread problems…
Guess what? From the time it was claimed that the country returned to “true” democracy to the present when Cory’s son is nearing the end of his term as president, nothing much has changed.
Most of our people are still born poor and most of them will die… …still poor.
Clearly now, to me, it doesn’t seem like Marcos was the reason why the Philippines is one of the poorest in the world.
It could still be argued that the country’s leadership from Emilio Aguinaldo to Noynoy Aquino had an impact on how the country’s political-economic system was set up and managed. The rest of the argument can go so many ways and most of these arguments center around the idea that the only way to improve your life is to change “the system” or “change the people who run the system.”
Do you believe that? If so, stop reading this because the rest of what I have to say may upset you.
If you buy into the crappy argument that has you putting blame on people and things as the cause for the circumstances of your life, then you are what is called a victim… a mark in someone’s con game… a cat’s claw for someone who doesn’t want his or her hands sullied.
To begin explaining to you how foolish it is to hope that changes in the country’s leadership or changes in the political and economic system will enable you to have a better life, I have to tell you about the Rube Goldberg machine.
It is an excessively elaborate machine that is built to do a simple thing in as an indirect and circuitous way as possible. It is bit entertaining to watch a Rube Goldberg machine work perfectly and see how one component sets off another component like a row of dominoes, but in the end it is just a waste of time.
The only people that benefit from a Rude Goldberg machine are those people who set up such machines. They either set up such machines for their own entertainment or are paid to set up such machines for the entertainment of others. The machine itself doesn’t do anything useful for anyone else and even if it does end up doing anything of practical value, it would only be incidental.
It is almost the same thing with people who advocate systems change as a means towards lifting people out of poverty.
A direct way to lift people out of poverty is still through skills training and education. Yes, folks, it is that simple and it works.
The system changers’ plan to lift people out of poverty involves getting congress to change the constitution to change the system of government from presidential to parliamentary, re-organize the country a federation, and take out all restrictions to foreign investments.
These changes in turn will lead to the following:
- It is assumed that somehow the parliamentary form of government will perform better than a presidential form of government in the delivery of services such as an improved public education system, an improved health services, improved public transportation, etcetera.
- It is assumed that because the country is organized into a federation with provinces or regions as separate states, the heads of these states will run their territories in a way that would benefit their people in many ways.
- It is assumed that because more investments will flow into the country, more people will have jobs (perhaps even higher paying ones) and because more people will have more money, they will be able to use this money in a way that would lift themselves out of poverty.
It seems like a simple thing to do, especially so because these proposed massive and complex changes can be packaged into a couple of words and phrases.
But don’t let that fool you. Even just getting legislators to formally discuss charter change involves a number of steps and involves the consent of so many people. Just to give you an idea of how long it might take, just figure that moves to just discuss changing the constitution were initiated during former President Fidel V. Ramos’ term and till now, it is still being discussed — though not as prominently as it had been a couple of times in the past.
In the short and immediate term, the only people who have benefitted and who will benefit from advocating “systems change” are the advocates themselves or the people who pay them to advocate it for whatever gain it may have for them, the rest of us just end up wasting time or money or both.
So really, if you are advocating something you better get something out of it other than a t-shirt and membership in an exclusive club of some sort.
I am not saying that systems change won’t work. What I am emphasizing is that you shouldn’t wait for systems change to happen before you starting changes that will improve your own life.
Don’t waste your time ranting and whining on social media about how stupid the government or how inane a corrupt a government official is, unless you are getting some substantial benefit out of it. Even then, there are better and much more beneficial uses of your time on social media.
When it comes to the topic of changing things for the better, there are a lot of people who “talk game” but very few people who actually “bring game”. You know what I mean?
Some people who talk game basically just diss people who are actually playing the game, which is in some cases the farthest that they can ever hope to achieve because they are not even in the game.
If you really want things to change in this country, here’s the deal: Do everything to stop being a victim and quit participating in schemes that end up making more victims. Stop blaming things outside of yourself for the things you are experiencing or not experiencing. Start taking full responsibility for your life and focus on developing yourself so that you realize your full potential and can better handle the situation your are in.
More importantly, remember that you don’t get what you deserve in life… …you only get what you negotiate for. What that means is that you have to work for everything that you are going to get in life, there aren’t any magic genies or disembodied yayas that will give you the things that you need or want because you behaved like a nice boy or girl.
A very good and dear friend once said, “If you want to help the country, don’t be poor.”
I think that THAT is not enough. That just ensures you don’t add to the number of poor people which we already have.
If you really want to help this country and its people, become rich… extremely rich. Depending on your circumstances, it may or may not be possible to become extremely rich here in the Philippines and nothing should prevent you from trying to become extremely rich in some other part of the world.
Then, with what you can spare, get involved in a project or start one that will help other people to become rich. Put more money in helping people who want to become rich because there’s really little use in helping people who will not help themselves.
Writer.
If you really want to help this country, Get Out!
As an OFW in a first world country, your mind will get reprogrammed with the Zaxxun mindset. Then, that’s one less ass cramming into clogged MRT, plus you get to fuel this consumption driven economy by sending all your hard earned money to your happy go lucky relatives itching to spend it all in Henry Sy’s remittance siphoning machines – ubiquitously positioned at the prime area of a city near you. Cheers!
@zaxx,
“If you really want to help this country, Get Out!”
That is exactly what more and more Filipinos are trying to do these days, and that is what the Philippine government–and the Chinese-Filipino and Korean business communities–wants you to do.
In this way you can send more remittance money as OFWs and your loved ones can spend it patronizing the monopolizing businesses and their well-bribed politicians; or, you can come back as Balikbayans–along with other foreign expats–and do the same things, by investing in residential properties and other luxury items, so you can number among the growing number of aristocratic elites in the Philippines.
This growing “consumer mentality” is what drives the cost of living (inflation rate) throughout the country up, and makes it nearly impossible for the rest of the population–who cannot afford to get out–to keep up with.
It really is a vicious cycle with no end in sigth.
Aeta
@ >$26billion annual remitance, Philippines main Export commodity are OFW – modern day hero or a form of slavery? Philippines rank 103 in the 2014 Global Slavery Index
http://www.globalslaveryindex.org/download/
In fact, real population control measure will never be implemented to maintain a continuous supply of cheap/quality labor and organ/stem cell donor to the world.
Our money (Philippine Peso) is backed by the U.S. $ or other Foreign Currency from:
a. Remitances our OFW bring
b. Generated by our BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) or IPO (Industrial Process Outsourcing.
Without these Foreign Currency – our Peso is basically worthless and trading will be difficult or impossible.
I’m totally not against overseas employment, but the part I hate is we Export our Best People (OFW w/c are hard-working, productive, highly skilled & intellectual) to which result to “Brain Drain”. And forever relied on their dollar remittances to fuel our economy. Those left behind (lazy & AMPAW) who are tasked or voted to lead our nation and others are appointed to vital positions in the government.
“It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there’s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and master, and intends to be the master” – Ayn Randolph
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/500918/economy/moneyandbanking/infographic-where-26-92b-of-ofw-remittances-come-from
@Dale Jose Gozar. All Filipinos need to realize that our OFWs–and their remittance monies–are only enriching our corrupt politicians and foreign-owned (Chinese and Korean) businesses, and adding more fuel to a smoldering and dysfunctional system.
Paul,
If I am poor and if I cant give my own kid(s) a certain future, then why should I procreate?
Love doesnt pay the bills and I am raising my own kids to be and stay unemployed. I really dont get it that people still procreate in the Philippines.
Ah yes, parents dont care about the future of their own kids,. Parents only take kids (preferably daughters) so that those kids MUST take care of the parents.
So dear Paul, can you pls stop blaming the government while in fact the parents are ruining their own country.
I think Paul is emphasizing more on that Filipinos should stop playing the victim card and find ways to enrich oneself.
You have to save yourself first before you try to save others, let alone the country.
Thing is, some people are afflicted with messianic tendencies which some times is really just something to cover up for their inability to get their life on track.
@Paul Farol. “You have to save yourself first before you try to save others, let alone the country.”
There is certainly no shortage of what you’ve about saving yourself first in the Philippines and among our people. In fact, there is an over-abundance of this self-serving’attitude that it is causing more problems than solutions.
True, things will not change for most Pinoys (the middle class and the poor); they will continue to be suckered into patronizing and suscribing to these monopolizing Chinese-Filipino-owned and Korean businesses, that has the protection of well-bribed politicians.
It’s really a dare, if you want to take it that way.
I am daring people to stop blaming others and things outside their control, daring them to focus their energies on self-development more than national development.
@Paul Farol.
“daring them to focus their energies on self-development more than national development.”
Again, there is no shortage among Filipinos “focus[ing] their energies on self-development more than national development.”
You can see evidence of this self-serving, and increasingly arrogant, attiude in the Philippines and abroad, with Filipinos working against each other–instead of with each other–that they tread on the verge of what is considered legal or illegal, moral or immoral when it comes to their country and their own people.
This self-serving attitude always comes at the expense of the country–and its resources–and our people’s cooperative and trusting relationships with one another.
Perhaps by changing the attitude of our people from “self-development more than national development,” to a ‘national development more than self-development,’ we might start seeing a shift from the negative direction our country has been taking for generations.
It’s worth a try anyway.
Aeta
Let’s be aware that “self serving” is not the same as “self-development”.
@Paul Farol,
What is the difference between–between “self-serving” and “self-development”?
When you wake up in the morning to brush your teeth, take a bath, and eat breakfast, aren’t you serving yourself? When you go to school to educate yourself, aren’t you serving yourself? When you take care of your loved ones because they’re a vital part of o your life, aren’t you serving yourself?
When you plan your goals in life and go for it each step of the way through “self-development,” aren’t you still serving yourself?
The term “self-serving” and “self-development” are both innocuous (benign) words. It’s the meaning we give these words, the methods we apply them in our lives, and how they affect our sorroundings and others, is what makes them good, bad, or the same.
Aeta
Why stop blaming others (President/government)? if PNoy or public servants is directly responsible or affects my life, job, safety, security, health, and our future, such as:
Chaotic Traffic,
Perinial Flooding,
Lack of Disaster Preparedness,
Rebellion,Insurgencies,Invasion
Disease outbreaks
Crimes, violence
1. Blaming doesn’t do anything. You can blame all you want, but for sure, whatever problem you are blaming someone or something for will remain a problem.
2. You have to ask yourself, are public servants really “directly responsible (sic) or affects my life, job, safety, security, health…”. I will grant, that to a certain extent, you will depend on the government, its officials, and employees to provide certain services — traffic management, flood mitigation, disaster preparedness, peace and order. But beyond that, you are really out on your own for the most part and you have to work out your own solutions — both short term and long term.
When it comes to heavy traffic, the long term solutions may include designing and implementing a true public MASS transport system for people and freight, REAL urban planning as well as decentralization, etcetera. The short term solutions are improved traffic management, staggered working hours, etcetera. The immediate term solutions are stuff that we figure out for ourselves and it can include checking WAZE as well as AM radio for news on traffic conditions along our routes before leaving the office or the house.
The long term solutions are far from coming and rather than rely on “political will” which is really a rare thing, people should become better at organizing themselves into a pressure group that will goad the government into doing something about heavy traffic in Metro Manila. Same goes for short term solutions.
A lot of people complain on Facebook about the MMDA Chairman and leave it at that. How many have gone out of their way to file a letter of complaint or file the appropriate charges against the chairman as well as the city mayors for not doing anything about managing traffic better?
The thing with filing a formal complaint is that government officials have to respond to it within a certain number of days and run through an entire process. If they don’t, they’ll be liable for violating a number of laws regulating the conduct of government officials and employees.
One complaint is easy to dismiss, but how about a hundred complaints? How about a thousand? How about ten thousand complaints?
The lesson here is simple, assume that government officials are lazy lying bastards and it is our duty to prod them to either perform adequately or get the heck out of office.
And you know what? All it takes is a letter to the agency concerned. If you want to make sure that the agency acts, get a lot of people to write letters of complaint. Make and distribute a template for the letter.
I emphasize individual letters rather than a petition because a petition can be responded to in one go. The idea is to threaten to tie up the agency in an effort to answer all the letters from hundreds of people.
@Dale Jose Gozar,
I’ll tell you the same thing I told Christine Diaz on another Get Real Philippines article (“Why Democracy Does Not Work in the Philippines”).
“My point is so plain and simple everyone misses it: ‘ALL FILIPINOS deny they are part of a corrupt culture, and that they have nothing to do with why the country is what it is today,’ makes us directly—and indirectly—a part of it. Just because we’ve managed to convince ourselves that “I’m not part of the corruption that’s been going on for ages”; yet we continue to subscribe and patronized what this corrupt culture is providing to the public–by way of its vast networks of political and business organizations like shopping malls, movies and television shows, hotels and restaurants, the house or condominiums we live in, and even the automobiles we own and drive—then we are just condoning the “dastardly deeds of others [our corrupt politicians and businessmen],” fattening their wallets, and reinforcing the idea in their minds that they’re doing a ‘wondering deed’ for the country and its people.”
Aeta
Baseless victimhood is usually the last stage before outright aggression.
You are actually right.
First one realizes they are a victim and they can choose to become a fighter.
But, the better strategy for life is to become a creator, to realize that one doesn’t have to fight to win but to create solutions for their problems which can be shared with others… then everybody wins.
I dont get it. Thats is what our politicians are trying to do too- getting rich. Are you saying they are doing the right thing?
Yes they are doing the right thing in the wrong way. With power comes wealth, it can’t be helped. But the thing is, if you get it the wrong way, there’ll be payback later and depending on what the politician does, it can be something that will taint their name for generations.
Who is your question addressed to, Tani?
Paul Farol
“Pa-troll” (sorry & no offense Bro) ako dito at bash lang kita ng konte. Correct me if wrong, maybe you have not yet experience to be an OFW/OCW or leave the country and settle abroad in frustration? Maybe you’re rich or Living comfortably-an easy job, very secured and spoiled by family, society or Religion?
That you failed to see (blind) to see our TRUE condition or problem.
It’s very clear we need to Change our Political System (Federal) and/or Reform our Constitution (allow FDI, freedom of information, anti-political Dynasty, etc). It’s already 30 long years of incompetence and mediocrity (Pwede na yan),anti-intellectual attitude brought about by 1987 Constitution.
How?
Try look around/observe, since EDSA revolt majority of people (Oligarchy) running the businesses and government (national/local)are product/link and allies of Aquino/Cojuangco. Ever since Aquino took power from very old/weak FMarcos, incompetence/mediocrity/anti-intellectual has been infecting (viral) everyone both in public & private sector. Because very few people control economics/business activity (Money) & political positions (Power). No competition = idle /lazy mind = stagnant/poverty/danger
Also, the following statement you explicitly adviced/recommended cannot be applied or impossible in the Philippines.
1. “If you want to help the country, don’t be poor”
2. “If you really want to help this country and its people, become rich extremely rich.”
I totally DISAGREE because there is really Nothing GOOD (economics) is happening in the Philippines. Every Filipino want to be rich and if really given the choice or at the very least will never choose a life full of hardship (Poverty).
Why?
1. Very few Foreign Direct investment (FDI) or Multi-National Corporation (MNC).
2. Limited jobs openings – over worked, under-paid, under employed, abused or exploited (contractual employee), etc.
3. LACKS opportunity to excel in your craft or practice your profession. Because vital positions (Private/Government) given not to best or most competent people. PADRINO and PALAKASAN or kamag-anak, Kabarilan, kapwa ilocano, kapwa born again, etc.
4. Law of supply & demand. TOO many competition (supply) due to overpopulation, centralized at Metro Manila and less HIRING (demand)
5. To be rich, you need to do BAD things or join a MOB or GOONS- be a corrupt politicians, exploit/abuse others people (OFW or employees), sell drugs, human trafficking (prostitution, illegal recruitment), carnapping, kidnapping, pyramid/investment scheme, etc.
6. To be Blessed, you need to be religiously active or pretend to be (hypocrite) praising God’s (Amen / God is good) or spread His gospel or Bible.
7. money=debt
opportunity to rich will given to individuals with loans or debt problems. But in reality he’ll be slaved to his company and bank.
And too many more to add/mention…….
@Dale Jose Gozar.
You took the words right out of my mouth.
“I totally DISAGREE because there is really Nothing GOOD (economics) is happening in the Philippines. Every Filipino want to be rich and if really given the choice or at the very least will never choose a life full of hardship (Poverty).”
Your words go along with what I’ve always believed about our people. We are a self-serving (makasarili/kanya-kanya) and arrogant/aristocratic (hambog) bunch. We Filipinos could care less about each other, and just want to get the most for ourselves out of our country.
These are the reasons why the Philippines is what it is today.
Aeta
No I disagree, I never said Filipino are SELFISH or SELF-SERVING (mapansarili at kanya kanya), ARROGANT/aristocratic (hambog)?
Sacrifice yourself away from your family, relatives and friends just to earn a decent living is a really being thing (modern-day hero).
The part I hate is we Export our Best People (OFW w/c are hard-working, productive, highly skilled & intellectual) to which result to “Brain Drain”. And forever relied on their dollar remittances to fuel our economy. Those left behind (lazy & AMPAW) who are tasked or voted to lead our nation and others are appointed to vital positions in the government.
“It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there’s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and master, and intends to be the master” – Ayn Randolph
@ Dale Jose Gozar,
I’ve never said you considered “Filipino are SELFISH or SELF-SERVING (mapansarili at kanya kanya), ARROGANT/aristocratic (hambog)?”
I said that your words– “I totally DISAGREE because there is really Nothing GOOD (economics) is happening in the Philippines. Every Filipino want to be rich and if really given the choice or at the very least will never choose a life full of hardship (Poverty)”– parallels what I’ve always believed about the Filipinos as being self-serving and arrogant, and will do almost anything—even at the expense of their own country—to get what they want and stay out of poverty.
Filipinos have put themselves in a situation of having to “sacrifice yourself [themselves] away from your [their] family, relatives and friends just to earn a decent living” because they have all bought into the design of our corrupt and monopolizing oligarchs of modernizing the whole country beyond its capacity of sustaining the lives of the people through agriculture and simple industries.
We’ve turned our agricultural/aquacultural land that once fed hundreds and millions of our people into “concrete jungles” to accommodate our housing subdivisions, shopping malls, resorts, and various forms of commercial properties. We’ve opted out of educating our children in public schools and prefer the glamor of private school settings.
We no longer patronized “mom and pop” stores and restaurants, and considered it a “status quo” to hang out and spend the whole day at SM and Robinson malls. We’ve considered it our pride and accomplishment to have at least one Korean-made automobiles lining the driveways of our homes.
I can think of other examples why we “sacrifice [ourselves] away from your family, relatives and friends just to earn a decent living”—for the simple reason we’ve gone above and beyond on how we define “decent living.”
In fact, we’ve convinced ourselves–and our oligarchs–that we want more of what they selling, as long as they can make us feel—at least in our imaginations—that we are making a difference in our lives by helping the country move towards modernization, even if it cost us to leave our loved ones and friends behind and work abroad.
You see, going abroad as OFWs is not a “sacrifice”; it’s what we want, to get what we want.
Aeta
Dale, no offense taken. Because of your long comment here, I’ll just first answer this part…
“Correct me if wrong, maybe you have not yet experience to be an OFW/OCW or leave the country and settle abroad in frustration? Maybe you’re rich or Living comfortably-an easy job, very secured and spoiled by family, society or Religion?
That you failed to see (blind) to see our TRUE condition or problem.”
My not having worked as an OFW does not necessarily make me blind to our true condition.
One does not have anything to do with the other.
Even though I have not left the country to work abroad or live there permanently, all of my siblings have.
Yes, it was hard for them to re-establish themselves in a foreign country and they wish they didn’t have to. However, they see their decision to leave the country as more of a plus than a minus.
My eldest brother who lives in Toronto put it this way, “Why wait for the country to get its act together? I’m moving to where things are already better.”
and let me burst your bubble… You are trying to make it seem that it is impossible to become rich in the Philippines and yet, there are people who do get rich.
Getting rich doesn’t have anything to do with a bad economy or a good economy — although it will be more difficult under a bad economy, it will not be impossible.
Anyway, as I said, I am not throwing out the three point agenda. Go right ahead and continue advocating it, if you want. But while you are at it, spending time and money (for internet connection and whatever), you might as well try to get funding or some kind of reward for your efforts if you are really good at advocating this thing.
That is all I am saying.
“Advocacy is a political process by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions.”
In my case – individual (solo) and free of charge or community service (none monetary) which is more sincere. Concerned lang talaga for our children future. Otherwise if you aim to get rewarded it defeats your motivation or may conflict of interest to help.
“A Better & Safer Philippines”
I started my advocacy after my life threatening experience @Typhoon ONDOY and due to my work exposure/specialization.
Incl. but not limited to ff:
1. Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, Climate Change Adaptation.and Flood control.
2. Good Governance,
3. Mass Transport System,
Reduction of heavy Traffic, road accidents.
4. Constitutional Reform & System Change
5. None of The Above (NOTA) or Nobody for President movement
@Dale Jose Gozar
I agree on your stand against what the Aquino/Cojuangco have done to this country I am experiencing every bit of it sincerely.
However I think what @paul is trying to say is currently we or as individuals are so small to voice out or do something game changing in the status of our nation,culture etc. Ranting and grieving will not get you or this cancer strickened nation anywhere and it’ll just mess you up.
So the solution is be big, big enough to get your voice heard be it an academe or a billionaire philantropist(or a model Government employee? you’ll probably get killed tho. I personally know someone who was too honest in his post as dilg sec tried to sack the allies of his allies.. and bang they made it look like an accident)
in relation to your post #5
“5. To be rich, you need to do BAD things or join a MOB or GOONS- be a corrupt politicians, exploit/abuse others people (OFW or employees), sell drugs, human trafficking (prostitution, illegal recruitment), carnapping, kidnapping, pyramid/investment scheme, etc.”
-I strongly disagree that this is the path to be rich
With the average intellect,will and motivation it is easy to conceive pathways on how to get rich, but actually quite hard do it. You could choose to be financially rich, or mentally wealthy.
path:
1) is the easiest and safest way but a very long journey. Finish college with good credentials, enter into good company preferably (MNC) like IBM,etc, then do your job,WORK SMART not HARD and impress your boss, massage his back, be emphatic, they might even probably offer to sponsor your masteral degree, get a promotion earn good salary and soon start a business and hopefully escape the rat race.
2) Hard and risky but trust your gut. Be an entrepreneur, ask your self what is you’re true passion, something you love or really good at and keep in mind that every passion has a MARKET. Now that is where you’ll get your profits (but bear in mind successful entrepreneurs do not put profits as his priority but the passion to share, or serve his consumers) it will follow, If you don’t have capital for your supposed venture go and work it out, maybe you can get funding from banks, friend, family etc.
but in the end it all boils down on how well you handle yourself and how will you act on it.
As charles darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.
We should learn to adapt to our environment, be water my friend anywhere you go take the shape of its form.
rofl
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/12/21/14/why-bo-sanchez-wanted-become-rich
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19)
Jesus is the least materialistics person to ever roam on earth. We now have Preachers & Followers completely opposite to Jesus ways or teaching:
“God created us to love people and use things”
But materialist(Hypocrite) love money and use Jesus name & people only to enrich himself by taking advantage of their hope to also get rich.
Ummm it is also biblical to prepare for our future. Many are poor because believing that money is evil, they dispatch it right away once they earned it, is saving money evil? I believe it is not, because by saving and investing you are preparing for the future when you could no longer work for money. If something happen to you, let say a matter of life and death and because money will pay the bills to keep us alive, so is money evil? We were given times of plenty to prepare for drought, but instead we splurge, so instead of fending for ourselves, we deoend on charity, probably blaming the government but in reality it is because you splurge too much on things that you dont need. The love of money is the root of all evil, saving doesn’t mean evilness, it is preparation for inevitable, there will be the time when we couldn’t work for money anymore, that’s life.
Many people are poor not because they believe “Money is Evil”, but mainly because of lack opportunities – plain & simple. They dispatch it right away because it’s not enough. How do expect them to save money when in reality they’re earnings or wages are very low (underpaid and underemployed)
Rich people need poor people in order to remain rich. Because even if people get employed & started working, they may not be poor, but actually they are actually creating more wealth for those who would be considered rich. Furthermore, the poorer they are, the richer the owners become.
What is the use of being rich in Philippines if everything else in our surroundings are all f___up, dysfunctional, deteriorating, and maybe close to anarchy.
-Incompetent/corrupt
-Government
-Chaotic Traffic
-Poor transportation system
-Perineal Flood/Disaster
-Pollution problem
-High population
-Rise in Crimes & Violence
-Volatile Peace/security
Why be afraid of hospitalization? Death is inevitable and its an opportunity to escape a life in Philippines that is full problems/hardship, hypocrisy and mediocrity.
“The first rule of leadership – It’s always your fault!”
Of course government should be blamr! specially on very important matters (Tranportation-traffic/MRT, Fuel Increase,Electric/water Supply, Soaring Price of rice, garlic and other basic goods) and frequent problems (Inflation/Poverty/Unemployment/Disaster Risk Reduction & Preparation ) PNoy always FAIL to address every year.
http://leadershipdoneright.com/the-first-rule-of-leadership/
http://dongles.org/the-first-rule-of-leadership-its-always-your-fault/
THE PRIMARY DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE THE BASIC NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE (FOOD & SHELTER). Government must ensure the steady supply of goods and services in order to maintain economic growth and lessen poverty.
>> THE PRIMARY DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE THE BASIC NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE (FOOD & SHELTER)
No no no no no. This is absolutely NOT the primary duty of government. It is the duty of the PEOPLE to provide their food and shelter. It is the duty of the government to ALLOW THEM TO DO IT, unhindered.
The reason food, electricity etc is expensive is that the government places a million roadblocks in the way of businesses trying to provide these things. The Philippines has what in India is called “The License Raj” – a system of permits specifically designed to skim of dozens of taxes and fees from hard-working people. The people doing the work get nothing. The people issuing the licenses get rich. Eventually, the people doing the work decide that it’s not worth bothering, and the entire country descends into poverty.
@Marius,
“No no no no no. This is absolutely NOT the primary duty of government. It is the duty of the PEOPLE to provide their food and shelter. It is the duty of the government to ALLOW THEM TO DO IT, unhindered.”
I agree. Many Filipino-owned businesses had no choice but to close their doors because their bribe money to government officials were not as big as what larger business Chinese-Filipino and politician-owned business were giving.
And, as large business monopolies becomes the norm, the general population had no choice but give in it to the price set for the same products and services by these corrupt government officials and business conglomerates.
This is exactly what happened to our agricultue/aquaculture, manufacturing, and export industries.
Aeta
You guys are going to lose me in this discussion when you start quoting from the Bible. Let’s keep it real. We’re talking about worldly things here; therefore, let’s stay within the convention (protocol) of everyday language—minus the mysticism and spirituality.
I’m quoting BO SANCHEZ who also stated the following:
1. “If you want to help the country, don’t be poor”
2. “If you really want to help this country and its people, become rich extremely rich.”
Think about it though, how would it help the country if you were poor? How much more can you help if you are very rich?
@Paul Farol,
How do you define poor? The Philippines and its people are not poor; Filipinos just have a ‘Poor Mentality’ because they are always envious of their neighbors and try to covet what they have or surpass it. If you have your health and eat 3 meals a day–plus snacks in-between–you’re not poor.
Aeta
Not necessarily get yourself RICH and spoil the poor by giving them cash such as government CCT (Conditions Cash transfer) or Pantawid Gutom Program.
For me it’s more important if people would rather EXCEL in work to help poor people.
In my field of practice or profession (architecture & engineering) many big Petrochemical plant projects (global) begins/start in my hands (conceptual drawing).
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/447361/economy/companies/ag-amp-p-to-hire-over-2-000-pinoy-workers
One of many Project we started that not only employs thousands of people (local & international), generate business opportunities & economic activity worldwide, but also create a steady supply of energy (LNG).
PROBLEM with our GOVERNMENT is forever relied on this setup to Export our Best People – exploited by other countries instead of using their talents/skills to improve our nation and help the poor.
@Dale Jose Gozar,
I’d say the same things Bo Sanchez said about getting rich if it’ll help me sell my books and programs. The Philippines doesn’t need more Filipinos trying to get rich at the expense of country and people; it needs more less self-serving and aristocratic Filipinos who will give more than what they take in.
Aeta
“The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same”…they usually say. Government, Political Leaders, the System are to blame for the deterioration of our country.
If the government funds Stolen from the National treasury; were used to create Projects; there would be jobs for people. Instead, these Funds end up in Foreign Bank Accounts of most of our Political Leaders.
If our Political Leaders, would have good Visions, to prosper the Filipinos people. Then, implement these programs/Visions to really prosper the people. There would be less Poverty.
If every Filipino would abide by the Laws, and have discipline, in their own self, for the goodness of all. There would be less crime.
Change begins with ourselves. To better yourself. You can contribute for the betterment of others and your community.
I believe it is, in the disfunctional Mindset of Filipinos, that is also, to blame. The disfunctional culture is also, to blame. The Political Leaders are mostly , to blame…
We have to treat the illness, instead of the Symptoms of the Illness. Band Aid solutions will do no good in our situation. It is the long term solutions, that will do good.
Filipinos don’t speak up , even if they are abused by their political leaders. It is good we have now these Blog Sites. So, people can learn to speak up…and not be afraid of retaliation…
One quick accessment for the authors suggestion…to change Philippines is to have a civil unrest , a civil war or a revolution…why?????? More people who has money will fight the change and 80% of the population are poor will not fight because, they don’t have the means or funds…and the Filipinos are peace loving people ,,they easily forgive and forget….I believe there’s no way out of it…
@Cezar There is a way out of this mess in the Philippines without having to incite a civil unrest: create a public awareness campaign. By letting the Filipinos–and the world–know, that everytime time they subscribe to or patronize the products and services that these oligarchs are offering, they are condoning and contributing to graft and corruption. Therefore, we need to start boycotting these oligarchs, and whatever it is they’re trying to shove down our throats.