A mid-aged Japanese guy told me that when he was young, many products sold in his country back then were “Made in the Philippines.” Well, things have obviously changed. From being on the tipping point of becoming the next rising tiger cub of Asia ready to pounce and join the club of Singapore, Taiwan, and Korea, something happened. The Philippines slipped, then flopped, had “misencounters,” and now continues to goof up – resembling a bozo who makes “mistakes” on purpose just to feed on the hearty laughter of a well-entertained crowd.
As the laggard of Asia keeps dragging himself two steps forward only to take a step back with the relentless barrage of appalling displays of corruption and incompetence against the backdrop of poverty, rebellions, accidents and calamities, guess what – a gentle red dragon quietly grows, expands and dominates amidst all the “medieval” turmoil.
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
The Chinese Filipino (Chinoy) continues to make waves, slowly but surely transforming the Philippines into a modern economic powerhouse with the look and feel of the first world. Attesting to their success, the top billionaires in the country are now dominated by Chinese names like Sy, Gokongwei, Tan, Ty, Tan Caktiong, Co, Yap, Yao, and Ang. Not only in business, there is a long list of Chinoys who have become an integral part of Philippine history and success.
Just recently (Q4 2015), Henry Sy’s SM Prime Holdings opened its 55th Mall in the Philippines, a 30 billion peso complex that ranks in size as 3rd in the country and 8th in the world. SM Seaside City Cebu is the biggest in the Visayas and Mindanao, loaded with the cutting edge in entertainment and shopping amenities: 758-meter viewing tower, Olympic-size skating rink, chapel, sports arena, and 447 stores/services.
Meanwhile, in the tech space, Filipino mobile phone brands powered by Chinoy entrepreneurial drive and ingenuity, namely Cherry Mobile (Maynard Ngu) and MyPhone (David Lim), have risen to rival famous international brands like Nokia, iPhone, and Samsung in the local arena. If you question how nationalistic these brands are, all you need to do is look at MyPhone’s logo and you will see the Philippine flag – making any Pinoy beam with pride.
Jobs! Jobs! Filipinos Want Jobs!
While Pinoy political candidates cry out their usual rhetoric in promising the masses jobs to ensure each Pinoy can afford three square meals a day, the Chinoys have done much of the legwork with less of the talk to come up with solutions to unemployment. The answer is simple: Filipinos want jobs! Chinese enterprises need employees! A symbiotic relationship like that of a shark and remora allows the Chinoy-Pinoy partnership to work efficiently like a well-oiled engine.
I’ve heard insider information that SM plans to continue dominating the Philippine retailing market by building a mall every few kilometers. That means jobs (in construction, retail, food, services) not just in primary urban centers, but even in minor cities in remote provinces (country-side development).
Many Pinoys flock to Divisoria (general merchandise), Soler (construction), and Raon (electronics) near the heart of Manila’s port area for low-cost shopping. You will notice that almost every small store is Chinese owned. In one of my visits in the area, I got sidelined into visiting a showroom of the newest condominium being built near Manila Bay. The fast-talking guy who I admired for his sales-talk prowess was a tan-skinned Chinoy. As I viewed the model of the lofty skyscraper on display, it was obvious the project was yet another Chinese-driven venture.
In the days of President Fidel V. Ramos, the president was out surveying the showcase of accomplishments on display in the agricultural sector with some foreign dignitaries when a hand-held instrument called the SHEGA III Grain Moisture Meter caught his attention. He asked where it was made and the research agency representative said it was made in the Philippines. FVR then proudly told the group with him “Look, made in the Philippines!” Thanks to Alexan (Chinoy electronics company), the Philippines can now make world-class products even the highest official in the land can be proud of.
As I ply through the metropolis and see along EDSA all the vacant lots with the big signs “SMDC” (condominium building tentacle of Henry Sy’s empire), I can already see the future of this country. I won’t be surprised if I wake up one day with most of the country in Chinese Filipino hands, and with native Pinoys happily working for them.
Defeating the 60-40 Local-Foreign Ownership Rule
Enshrined in our 1987 Cory constitution (Art. 12, Sec. 2 & 11) is the 60-40 local-foreign ownership rule. It has been identified by many to be the culprit for our losing out against our ASEAN neighbors on tons of foreign direct investments, as it discourages foreigners with capital from coming in to start job-creating projects due to this oligarchy-protectionist policy.
But thanks to the Chinoys who are technically Filipinos (Chinese blood in Tagalog barongs), they are not covered by this restrictive 60-40 rule. They can borrow from their network of Chinese partners and relatives in the Bamboo network (pointed out by OnesimusUnbound) and invest as much as they wish in the Philippines without local Filipinos tying them down, effectively bypassing this outdated counter-progressive law.
The country has enormous potential to benefit greatly from its proximity to the China Circle (intense region of manufacturing and trade consisting of Hong Kong, Taiwan and coastal cities of PRC). It’s all a matter of Pinoy willingness to bring down the walls which our local politicians try to retain to protect their interests and the oligarchies supporting them. Who knows, Taiwan may soon set up a wafer fab through Chinoy connections in Ilocos owing to its proximity to the semiconductor heartland.
The Philippines is bound to become the next Singapore success story of Asia, but it will likely be Chinoys who will be credited for such a feat. Native Pinoys better shed off their dysfunctional Pinoy mentality fast if they want to stay in the game, unless of course they are simply content on bowing low polishing the shiny black shoes of Henry Sy.
Zealous revolutionary advocate of bringing back common sense for the common good in a land of dysfunctional and delusional zombies.
Corruption on all levels of society causes them to fail even from the very start.
The Chinese-Failipinos (with the Koreans right behind them)–although economically successful in the Failippines compared to their aristocratic and self-serving Failipinos counterparts–are as much to blame for the country’s problems.
Chinese-Failipinos condone and fuel graft and corruption by bribing Failipino politicians for economic favors, fleece the country’s natural/human resources by giving back less than what they take, pollute the environment with factory waste and by-products, put Failipino-owned businesses out of business through local and international cartel-style monopolies; and increase the cost of living (inflation) in the country by continously raising the prices of their products and services.
We Failipinos are too stupid, blind, and deaf to realize that the invasion of the Failippines by the Chinese will not come from the disputed territories out in South China Sea; instead, it will come from our own backyard and the very fabric of our everyday lives as Failipinos.
We Failipinos really deserve what we got and each other for being aristocratic, self-serving, and downright stupid.
I know, right?
Also, by making gigantic malls they kill a lot of local businesses. I was born in Baguio and I was insanely proud of how, when I was younger, the entire city used to be like a giant mall with small shops scattered throughout the small city.
Then that stupid SM was built at the top of a hill that used to be a place where people can sit on the grass and look down towards Burnham Park. The last time I visited, I was disappointed and saddened to see a lot of old, charming shops all boarded up, or converted to empty ukay-ukay places peopled by forlorn salesgirls watching people pass them by as they trek up to SM.
When you go up to SM, there’s lots of merchandise, yes. But no more of the variety and handmade stuff from cottage industries that provided for the denizens before. My Aunt and her neighbours used to make a bit of living making and selling homemade peanut butter and strawberry jam. Others used to make handicrafts and kitchen stuff.
Thanks to SM, not only are they devoid of living, quality is also not as high in the products they sell that replaced these cottage industries.
But, oh, SM makes soooooo much money for Baguio. Yes, it does… all focused and centred on just a few people.
And so everyone wants jobs in SM… except that you can only have so many salesladies that greet you “Good morning/afternoon/evening ma’am/sir!” at every corner isle.
That’s what’s happening in the country everywhere.
Why not go all the way and blame whitey for stealing your women and bases again? That xenophobic attitude won’t solve the shit the Philippines is already in it.
Kin,
You are too proud and sensitive(makapal/manipis): a typical Fail-noy attitude when afraid to face the truth.
Aeta
Xenophobia is the truth? That’s news to me and I’m not being thin-skinned here. I’m just calling out prejudice where I see it.
Kin,
The truth is everyone who calls themselves a Failipino (Full-bloodied Failipinos, Chinese-Failipinos, American-Failipinos, and whatever-Failipinos)has contributed–directly and indirectly–to why the Failippines is such a fucked up country. It’s time we all owe up to the responsibility that we are all at fault. It’s not “Xenophobia”; it’s ‘Truth-o-phobia.’
Aeta
Yup. More xenophobic BS.
I’ll make it short for you. Remember this saying: “Don’t get mad. Get even.”
Malaysia was like that; the Malaysian Chinese owns the business, from tooth pick manufacturing to sophisticated products. It resulted to a race riot, some years ago.
Products with mark :”Made in the Philippines”…can be deceiving. The Parts and components, could be made in foreign countries; then assembled in the Philippines. Then, it is marked: “Made in the Philippines”…
We have no heavy industries; no steel industries. Light industries and retailing are what we have , at present. Mostly dominated by Chinese Filipinos.
In the Electronic industry. The Technology is from the U.S. or Europe. But, the manufacturing is done in China, Mexico, or other countries, with low labor cost. Apple Computer Corp. has its Research and Development in Cupertino, CA, U.S.A. However, most of its Apple Computer products, are manufactured in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc…this is how this company produce enormous profits…it’s products are expensive,but, manufactured at very low labor cost.
Henry Sy is the classic self-made man. He started by polishing shoes on a bench.
Probably the typical poor Chinoy in a sando, meaning a white undershirt – they save money.
Then he started to sell shoes on the side. Opened his first store called ShoeMart.
The first SM beside Ali Mall still had ShoeMart in it but also other stores, then you had SM North EDSA in the 1980s…
Used to be that all Filipino restaurants in Germany failed while the Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants thrived. Why? I knew some of the owners. They had a too high mark-up because they wanted to make a lot of money quickly. The Chinese sold cheap with a low mark-up but got more customers and held them. Now there are two successful Filipino outlets in Berlin – one restaurant and one streetfood outlet. Both are run by the generation that grew up in Germany. They have another attitude than their parents.
Irineo B. R. Salazar
“They [Failipinos] had a too high mark-up because they wanted to make a lot of money quickly.”
Yes, this is a typical Failnoy approach when it comes to business; it’s very similar to the “One Day Millionaire” mentality we all have.
“The Chinese sold cheap with a low mark-up but got more customers and held them.”
Yes, this is typical Chinese approach when it comes to trying to beat out the competitors. However, once the competitors are out of the picture, they resort to the Failipino tactic of marking their prices up and start producing inferior products and services—like what the Chinese-Failnoys are doing in the Failippines today.
Aeta
Chinese-Filipinos are sometimes called “Chinoy”; Spanish-Filipinos are usually called “Tisoy”.. but so are American-Filipinos, German-Filipinos, Russian-Filipinos. In fact, any Filipino with some degree of ‘white’ antecedents are collectively “Tisoy”. Are there reasons, other than color, for the distinction? For that matter, what’s with the hyphenated classification? The “Chinoys” and “Tisoys” that you meet every day, (they are allover the archipelago), and their parents, have been around for generations. To all intents and purpose, they are “Filipinos”. If the distinction is based on achievement, which a valid yardstick, let’s remember that any where in the world, there are those who excel and those who take up the rear.. regardless of ancestry. It is a normal thing. Not everyone could be a Warren Buffet, a Carlos ‘Slim’ Helu, or a John Gokonwei.
In some parts of the world.. notably in the US.. this hyphenated qualification has not been shaken off. Visible minorities are still regarded as ‘different’.. never mind that they had been around for at least four centuries. While this situation is evidently changing, that change is ‘glacial’ in its pace; giving rise to suspicion, tension, confrontation, and other counter-productive situations.
Race is a very natural fact of life. We don’t just have to accept it.. we have to get over it. There should not be black, brown, yellow or white in our calculations. There just ought to be good or bad, right or wrong, Filipino or foreigner.
“Race is a very natural fact of life. We don’t just have to accept it.. we have to get over it. There should not be black, brown, yellow or white in our calculations. There just ought to be good or bad, right or wrong, Filipino or foreigner.”
I don’t have anything against the Chinese-Failnoys nor recognizing them as equal. However, do they (Chinese-Failipinos) treat us as equal when it comes to their way of life in the Failippines, by allowing us access to their business and social communities like schools and religion?
Again, I don’t have a problem with the color of the person’s skin or race; it’s what they do (i.e, the Chinese-Failipinos unscrupulously monopolizing our political and economic infrastructure through their own cartel of local and foreign connections)–that I have a problem with. This discriminatory practice destroys our way of lives as Failipinos (regardless of race and skin color), and make life that much harder to live by oppressing the rest of us into poverty or forcing our hands to migrate out of the country as expats and OFWs, so they (Chinese-Failnoys) can have have the Failippines for themselves.
Aeta
Aeta, race/skin is not the real issue. The problem is the mindset. Chinese have a superior mindset because of their culture and upbringing. If a Chinese family adopted a native Pinoy squatter baby and raised him immersed in their culture and values, he can become an equally successful Henry Sy.
I know you have much against the Chinese in PH, but they have succeeded due to Pinoy incompetence. Had Pinoys been equally blessed with their business acumen, we would have had a more level playing field. As of the moment, if you can’t beat them – copy them.
zaxx,
Again, without sounding like I’m personally attacking you, I truly believe you’re very inexperienced about life. The Chinese may be superior in doing business (legal or illegal) and how to handle money (they save more of what they make because they are too cheap to spend any of it to enjoy their lives and help other), but they are definitely inferior when it comes to the caring for humanity and the environment.
Aeta
Aeta, I guess as you were typing that you were closing your eyes to all the filth native Pinoy squatters are dumping into the Pasig river.
Now I’ve been to China town many times and have Chinese friends. I admit they are not the cleanest people in the world. But “in general” I think MegaMall (Chinese) looks much cleaner than Guadalupe wet market (native Pinoy). But that’s just my observation. Anyone can disagree.
Rather than attacking me and going all out “ad hominem” on me for whatever reason you have. I think the audience here wants to know what your proposed solutions are (since mine are all just “crap” right?). We are all ears…
Zaxx,
I have not closed my eyes “to all the filth native Pinoy squatters are dumping into the Pasig river”; and, I certainly have not closed my eyes, ears, and conscience on how the Chinese-Failipino businesses have polluted the country’s seas, rivers, canals, ponds, and ground water of toxic wastes and by-products from their factories; clogged natural water-runoffs throughout the cities when they built their shopping malls and condominiums, causing widespread flooding each time it rains.
You blame the average Failipinos for dumping their garbage into the Pasig river; but you won’t blame the government officials, who neglect their everyday responsibilities to the communities to pick up these garbage, because they are too busy making themselves available to sign off on any commercial contracts from the Chinese-Failipino businesses in exchange for bribe money—even if it means violating building safety, zoning, and environment codes.
Your comments show that you are only concerned about appearances (the Megamall looking much more attractive than Guadalupe wet market) convinces me that you’re a very immature and inexperienced person, impressed only by the aesthetic surface of your surroundings, or whatever you imagined it to be, than what really goes on under the surface.
My proposed solution(s)? Stop looking at just one of the side of the coin of what is wrong with the Failippines. Everyone who had ever set foot and lived on this land for any length of time–Failipinos or Chinese or whatever—are as much to blame for what is wrong with this country—and that includes me and you. It is about time you realized those cold hard facts, and stop making your Chinese friends’ shits look and smell better than the rest of ours.
Aeta
Zaxx,
I have not closed my eyes “to all the filth native Pinoy squatters are dumping into the Pasig river”; and, I certainly have not closed my eyes, ears, and conscience on how the Chinese-Failipino businesses have polluted the country’s seas, rivers, canals, ponds, and ground water of toxic wastes and by-products from their factories; clogged natural water-runoffs throughout the cities when they built their shopping malls and condominiums, causing widespread flooding each time it rains.
You blame the average Failipinos for dumping their garbage into the Pasig river; but you won’t blame the government officials, who neglect their everyday responsibilities to the communities to pick up these garbage, because they are too busy making themselves available to sign off on any commercial contracts from the Chinese-Failipino businesses in exchange for bribe money—even if it means violating building safety, zoning, and environmental codes.
Your comments show that you are only concerned about appearances (the Megamall looking much more attractive than Guadalupe wet market) convinces me that you’re a very immature and inexperienced person, impressed only by the aesthetic surface of your surroundings, or whatever you imagined it to be, than what really goes on under the surface.
My proposed solution(s)? Stop looking at just one of the side of the coin of what is wrong with the Failippines. Everyone who had ever set foot and lived on this land for any length of time–Failipinos or Chinese or whatever—are as much to blame for what is wrong with this country—and that includes me and you. It is about time you realized those cold hard facts, and stop making your Chinese friends’ shits look and smell better than the rest of ours.
Aeta
Aeta,
OK, so I’m kind of figuring out the whole message/agenda you’re trying to convey here. So you’re saying that the solution to fixing the dysfunctional mindset of Pinoys is
1. Blame gov’t for being stupid
2. Blame Chinese for being stupid
3. Blame native Pinoys for being stupid
4. Blame media for being stupid
etc.
We ALREADY KNOW everybody in the country is is damn crazy, aristocratic, and full of themselves. No amount of shouting it out will change anything.
Well, if we hypothetically gather an entire town of people from the mayor down to the janitor and let you give a seminar on this topic, I doubt anything will change.
Pinoys have been there done that for ages. They will all just say – “Yeah ok it’s our fault, so what?” They will just get right back to all their stupidity – raping and pillaging this nation. You know why? Because they’re retards – what can you expect?
It’s like talking to a stone wall! Has any of the articles here berating PNoy or Mar changed them by even a bit? NO! And PNnoy represents your average native Pilipino in all their mentally retarded glory.
Don’t you have any real strategy/concrete plan on bringing about real change in this country other than blaming everybody?
I’ll give you an example of a concrete strategy: ask a stupid Pinay to marry a smart European. The outcome will be that the European father’s values will rub off to the kids and we’ll end up with Pinoy half-breeds whose minds are FIXED!!! Now that’s a solution! Right Pia?
We’re here for ideas. Can you please bring something to the table that’s at least new/effective/feasible? Really, if you come up with a good strategy, I may even become an evangelist for your cause.
Zaxx,
You asked me a question of what my solution(s) would be about the Failippines.
I gave you my answer.
You didn’t like my answer so you came back with a new fucked up logic. This time with marrying Europeans, instead of Chinese, to create another inter-racial offspring.
How much longer are you going to keep this childish game up? You’ve already lost the game a few comments ago.
Aeta
@Aeta, hahaha. I’m really getting to like you man. So you declared yourself the winner of this round of the debate! Great. I concede then – your method of fixing the Pinoy mind will hopefully change 1 in a million squatters – that’s if you’re even lucky.
Meanwhile my childish logic just produced a new born Japanese-Pinoy mestizo who will bring glory to PH by producing Toyota-calibre cars locally using his Jaoanese superior Kaizen 5S mindset.
zaxx,
I didn’t declare myself to be the winner of this round–nor any rounds–for that matter. It’s just you’ve been a loser in previous rounds with other commenters. Just take what I’ve said for for what it’s worth to you and move on.
Aeta
Aeta,
Awww too bad. You’re running away just when we finally have something going in discovering your concrete solution/strategy to fixing PH stupidity.
Anyway, I’m not convinced your blame game approach actually works. If you can show empirical proof that it works on squatters I may consider revisiting your idea.
I’ve heard of parents suing McDonalds for their children turning obese. Blaming is a not the solution. Identifying the problem is only the first step towards finding the solution.
So what if you identified that the Chinese/Koreans are contributing to traffic by selling lots of cars. Is that a solution? A solution will be like asking government to issue permits to new car purchases. E.g. No parking lot – no car policy. Something like that.
What you are doing in GRP -telling people they’re f*d up hardly helps because they already know the problem – that’s why their here in the first place.
What we want are new ideas that can fix us as a society. You appear to be a zealot who loves this country just like me. So I don’t want to see all that energy go to waste.
And just a word of advice – cut down on ad hominems; you can win the argument but you may have lost the person. And try to bullet proof your logic a bit more.
So what if the squatter agrees with you that he is a litterbug polluting the environment? What is your CONCRETE SOLUTION to his mind problem?
I don’t expect you to answer since you already told me to move on. I’ll just sing “let it go…”
vagoneto rieles,
“Race is a very natural fact of life. We don’t just have to accept it.. we have to get over it. There should not be black, brown, yellow or white in our calculations. There just ought to be good or bad, right or wrong, Filipino or foreigner.”
I don’t have anything against the Chinese-Failnoys nor recognizing them as equal. However, do they (Chinese-Failipinos) treat us as equal when it comes to their way of life in the Failippines, by allowing us access to their business and social communities like schools and religion?
Again, I don’t have a problem with the color of the person’s skin or race; it’s what they do (i.e, the Chinese-Failipinos unscrupulously monopolizing our political and economic infrastructure through their own cartel of local and foreign connections)–that I have a problem with.
This discriminatory practice destroys our way of lives as Failipinos (regardless of race and skin color), and make life that much harder to live by oppressing the rest of us into poverty or forcing our hands to migrate out of the country as expats and OFWs, so they (Chinese-Failnoys) can have have the Failippines for themselves.
Aeta
Remember that Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest man, is of Lebanese (or Syrian?) heritage.
Likewise, Singapore won’t be where it is today if it weren’t for the Chinese who took chances in these barren rocks.
Peter Aloysius A. Mossesgeld,
This is a total misconception: “Singapore won’t be where it is today if it weren’t for the Chinese who took chances in these barren rocks.”
Singapore wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for the combined effort of its multicultural demographic–that pressured its existing Chinese leadership to reform its political and economic infrastructures on these “barren” land that has no natural resources–to survive.
The Failippines is not set up like Singapore, where caste systems–Spanish aristocrats, Chinese merchants, Muslims fundamentalists, and disbanded Malayan tribesmen–takes precedence, and where “every man for himself” is the tall order of the day.
Aeta
“combined effort of its multicultural demographic”
76%+ of Singapore’s population is ethnically Chinese. Reality is, without their consent, the efforts of the other groups for reform would be useless.
pt,
“76%+ of Singapore’s population is ethnically Chinese. Reality is, without their consent, the efforts of the other groups for reform would be useless.”
Sitting on a rock with no natural resources and ignorant people to fleece like the Failippines, you better believe those 76 percent-plus Chinese isolationists better learn to concede and work with non-Chinese Singaporeans, to breathe life into that barren rock and make it the envy of the whole world.
Aeta
“…you better believe those 76 percent-plus Chinese isolationists better learn to concede and work with non-Chinese Singaporeans, to breathe life into that barren rock and make it the envy of the whole world.”
It’s the other way around. You better believe those ~24% non-ethnic Chinese better learn to concede & work with Chinese Singaporeans…
“It’s the other way around. You better believe those ~24% non-ethnic Chinese better learn to concede & work with Chinese Singaporeans…”
If those 24 percent non-ethnic Chinese did that (concede and work with Chinese Singaporeans), then the country’s economy would fall into the complete grasp of the “Bamboo Network” and monopolized like that of the Philippines; or…worse…oppressed like mainland China.
once upon a time, makati SM, the so called ‘Shoe Mart’ was rumored as own by the Aquino-Cojuangco clan? is it true?
I am sure that rumor is incorrect.
On other hand, what I am hearing from the grapevine is that one of the Puregold in QC has been gifted to Kris. Talk of Daan TUWID. Smuggling is at unprecedented levels. Puregold is the outlet for smuggled goods. And you can add one and one.
Also, I heard PNoy has been offered a position of the Chairman of the Board. What I am not sure is if this is this minor oil company or that consumer goods company. It is an open secret that these two companies are also into smuggling. They must be crazy; PNoy as their CoB. Hahaha, they will get good credit rating as PHL, but a donut set-up, I.e. nothing in the middle — a vacuous operation.
Whatever, don’t think PNoy is in need of money. I believe the Cojuangcos were already able to sell their sugar mill inside Luisita to the Lorenzo family. I think Martin was able to buy it because he was able to sell his Pancake group of co to Max Chicken at a very good price.
Add,
Why do you think Chavit Singson of Ilocos Norte is so rich? It’ a known fact in that region that all smuggled goods and human trafficking (transforming Chinese nationals into Failippine national with faked documents, and vice versa) from China go through him.
Aeta
martin,
Who knows? All I know to be true is the Chinese-Failipinos only deal with other Chinese-Failipinos in the country or Chinese from mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, or Taiwan.
Everyone else is out of the circle.
Aeta
“All I know to be true is the Chinese-Failipinos only deal with other Chinese-Failipinos in the country or Chinese from mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, or Taiwan.”
-Nothing could be further from the truth. Malay Filipinos do not understand the real dynamic between the Chinoys (guqiao) and the Mainland Chinese (xinqiao), and other Chinese people from SEA. To give you an idea, mainlanders do not join Chinoy associations, nor do they associate with us, because they have a perception that they are somewhat superior being “real Chinese” from China. Chinoys, on the other hand, often have negative perceptions of mainlanders, because of bad manners, and their lack of business ethics (perception among Chinoys that mainlanders are often culprits for smuggling and drugs) which is bad for legit business in general. Chinoys prefer to do business with chinoys to a certain extent, that is true, but not always, because chinoys are kuripot (this is mostly true). Chinoys have a more positive view of SEA Chinese and Taiwanese because of our shared Hokkien (Fukien) heritage and language, as well as anti-communist sentiment, but these do not factor much when it comes to doing business.
Well, the phenomenon is not unique to PHL Big business in Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia are also locals of Chinese blood. In a way, it is the same in South Korea, as 70% of the chaebols (conglomerates) are controlled by descendants of North Korean families who decided to stay South when North became communist.
The commonality among all of them is the heritage that they all come from migrant parents or grannies. Apart from the Confucius mentality that the parents already have that makes them think long-term and that says it is better to be a producer than a consumer, they have this advantage of being outsiders-looking-in. I suppose they have a perspective of the market that natives to the place take for granted and are thus blind.
Maybe, it is not just the Confucian mind, but being migrants per se. Just look at USA; maybe they became the greatest producers in the world because their forefathers were all migrants. In UK, four of the Top 10 richest men are Indians.
In Asia, there is also this thing: start-ups among Chinese or Koreans don’t need to go to the bank to capitalize their business plans. If the bank is asking too much paperworks and if the amount needed is say, not more than 10 million Pesos, they are able to find angel investors among themselves. I think you have heard of the Binondo Central Bank; I believe it is not really a bank, but simply a system of referrals on an informal basis which makes them know at any point in time who is willing to lend money. And it is incredible how they do it — I have seen IOUs written in paper napkins or whatever paper they could probably find while having lunch, and they are to the tune of 10, even 50, million. The trust among themselves is amazing, and yet they maintain a healthy competition. I must say this already puts them at a big advantage. Just imagine if you are having problems with your cash flow and you have these connections. It could solve your problem within an hour — which is really the case among Tsinoys, I understand.
And here, I must say is one of the problems — Pinoys don’t trust Pinoys. And it is with good reason, % bad debt with the banks in PHL is the highest in Asia. This is the reason why banks here are not so open to having an SME portfolio. Micro-financing is just so difficult to manage. I don’t understand why Pinoys don’t understand that bad personal credit rating could wreck them for their whole life. So, this is not really a government problem, but something to do with Pinoy mentality — really no sense of business
The thing is they adversely impact those who want to do good business. Have you heard about this Pinoy inventor who finally migrated to Australia in frustration. Well, he is now a multi-millionaire, and not in Pesos, but AUD. What he invented was a system of transporting live fish without the need of putting them in water. This is big business in Asia, as typical of Chinese restaurants to maintain fish in aquariums up to the very last minute a diner chooses the fish to be cooked. So, imagine the tremendous air freight cost that is saved if such could be transported without water while in transport.
Well, he started trying to borrow from the banks here for his capital. But, the banks were sceptical. Understandable for it was something new. One bank said maybe, but get a certification from DOST that the thing works. He goes to DOST, but put*ng na, somebody there wanted 20% equity in his company. In desperation, he was willing to give the bastard 5%, but really putang na, the DOST guy sticks to 20%. Of course, the guy goes somewhere else. Within two weeks, he finds a venture capitalist in Melbourne. What comes next? Of course, he gives up his Filipino citizenship, and Australia welcomes him with open arms. All because of these bastards in the system here. Final score: dollar income for PHL = zero.
Now let us go further to smaller businesses: sari-sari stores. Statistics: 80% of them close down within 6 months to 1 year after they open. I think it was an AIM study, or UAP/CRC, I am not sure now as it was sometime ago, that advanced two reasons why this is so, (1) this entrepreneurs have no conception of the 4Ps of marketing, (2) they mix their personal money with their business money when they should be compartmented, borrowing JPE’s word. (There is an exception here. Sari-sari stores in ARMM have a good rate of success. For some reason, Muslim are good traders. — maybe because the 1st wife of Mohammed was a good trader.. Ah well, I don’t know.)
Now, those are two fatal mentalities for business, when such things are so intuitive with Chinese; they don’t need MBA for it, it comes natural. In a way, this is the reason why people at the Department of Agriculture could not go full blast on many of their programs. They are fighting a mentality. Yet, if only to grow our middle class, agriculture is the way to go. At the same time, it is from agriculture that industries come from. Honda started as a supplier of agricultural implementsi, if one recalls. So what happened to our land reform? Land distribution became just an end instead of just a means to grow a middle class. Of course, it failed. After the distribution, there is still much work to do, but how can one do it when Pinoys are so hard-headed.
See, instead of putting more money in a factory floor, they immediately want the most beautiful office even when just starting. They become an AVP in a bank, which is of course just a glorified title for a clerk, they immediately want a high-end SUV. Hahaha. No wonder my Korean friend when he sees the virtual parking space that is EDSA, he is wont to say: goddamn, PHL is a rich country. I tell him it is all “daporms”. Goddamn, we have a population of society climbers. Well, pride precedes the downfall of a man. We have lot to learn from the humility of the Chinese, the Thais, the Vietnamese, and the Indonesians – they have overtaken us, and we will soon be eating all their dust when the ASEAN Integration is in full swing. Now, you also see why there is a get-rich-quickly mentality in the government bureaucracy.
Ay naku.
*****
P.S. Maybe, the situation is not hopeless. I understand there is a group of OFW from Saudi who incorporated themselves and now own two hotels in Makati. They are 3-star hotels, but it is heart-warming to hear such news. It is a good start. Then, there is this good number of new grads who are into franchise biz, and some are already earning millions — hope that they also learn that business is not just about money. The ENDO that SM uses has to stop, maybe it is these young entrepreneurs that could end it. Maybe they got inspired by Sia who was able to sell his Mang Inasal to Jollibee at 32 billion pesos when he was only 29 years old. Sia is now venturing into real estate, and I like the concept he is introducing into it, and more importantly, he also wants to end ENDO. It is good PNoy is stepping down because ask any of these youth, and they will tell you PNoy is detrimental to their ambitions — kalbo has no conception of things progressive. Go, young guys, the hope is with you. The old oligarchs have simply wanted money, money, money, and forget the country — I think these old guys have sad lives.
Add, very true. People would rather lend to a Chinito wanting to start a restaurant than to a native Pinoy wanting to start a sari-sari store. You can’t blame them for the bias. Mere Chinese business acumen is almost as good a land title used as a loan collateral. Trust is a big word Pinoys have to earn to compete and “run with the stallions.”
@Add
“He goes to DOST, but put*ng na, somebody there wanted 20% equity in his company. In desperation, he was willing to give the bastard 5%, but really putang na, the DOST guy sticks to 20%.”
This is, probably, what happened when the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) dismissed Mr. Daniel Dingel’s “water powered car” invention as a hoax!
And then, a Chinoy Judge (Judge Rolando How of the court’s Branch 257) ruling favorably to a Chinese compatriot (Dr. John Ding Young of Formosa Plastics Group)…well, talk about the superiority of the Chinese mindset!
Poor Mr. Dingel (or, should it be instead, The Philippines and the Filipino People), who died in 2010, without actualizing his dream invention for us filipinos. You can just imagine the impact of this technology and what it can contribute to the Philippine economy! Up to this very day, nobody has actually proven their claim of Mr. Dingel’s invention a hoax!
Benign0 wrote something about this topic back in 2014, about knowing the true builders of our nation.
ChinoF,
“True builders of our nation” or destroyers? And who ends up benefitting (or suffering) in the end?
Aeta
Here’s something else. If you know about the Benitezes of JASMS and PWU, here’s something shocking about how they ran their school to the ground. And it seems the big corporations we hate, like STI and BDO, are the ones who actually keep it alive. The “proud owners” are the ones who corrupt it.
It’s a double edge sword. Truly they build business but that’s because it is inscribes in their genes. I mean they were immigrant from the 90’s. They can’t compete at home because before they still suffer from the war so they look for a more suitable fertile lands to start and build their business. But in a more realistic view in the business world i’ts all about profit. We will never truly know their intentions.
While I won’t dismiss the fact that they provide opportunities for employment it doesn’t mean that they were all doing it for the community. They are business minded people. That’s why the’re is the supposed and I quote “government” to balance things out.
What we need is a collective mind that would benefit this time trapped Nation. We need to start thinking as a Nation, a whole body of people living on a archipelago. Because if we cannot accept the fact that we are a Filipino, living in ONE NATION, we will never see the light of day. We also need to accept the fact that we need to do it ourselves. No one else will help us if we cannot even stand in our own feet.
da hypocrite,
The only way to achieve that “collective mind” is to create awareness among our aristocratic and self-serving people, that their arrogant and selfish way of life has not move the country in the right direction, and only makes all of us vulnerable to all manners of exploit from profiteers—both domestic and foreign.
Aeta
@Aeta,
Yes your right, it is nearly impossible to achieve that. Especially that the people are just content on our present situation.
The people lack action. Lacking in everything from motivation, to hope, dreams and progress. If we could just rally to a common goal like “A Better Philippines” and actually work it out and see it’s done.
There’s this project and I really hope they would change the name of this mega project by the government. It’s called the Mega Manila and Metro Cebu Dream Plan .
I just wish it didn’t stay a Dream 😛
da hypocrite,
Like what I told Going Nowhere in a comment before this one, that the problems with the Failippines began from Failipinos, still comes from Failipinos, and will finish with Failipinos. Essentially, we all wallow and stink in our own and each other’s shits.
No one–not the Chinese not the American not every “sugar daddy” we find out there–will wipe our own asses, and each other’s, but ourselves. So we might as well start kissing each other’s asses–instead of trying to kick them–if we want to have some left for the long haul.
Aeta
I have distant relatives which prove that inter-marriage with Chinese is good for your offspring. The father was a native Pinoy, while the mother was a soft-spoken yet industrious Chinese. The 6 children all became successful businessmen/women in trade, retail, food, education…- otherwise unthinkable had the Pinoy married a fellow native Pinay.
To all who are against intermarriage, think again. Why do you think there are hardly any halff-breeds, Tisoys, Chinitos in the slums? I really think “stupidity” runs in Pinoy native blood – better dilute it for the sake of the next generation. Blood is thicker than water. There is hardly any “pure Pinoy” blood to preserve anyway, except for like the Limads or Aetas.
Intermarriage is the fast way. The other way is by education – we’ve been doing that for decades now. Many in GRP are already sounding like a clanging cymbal – I doubt squatters are even listening. politicians are still the same crappy type of bozos.
Having Pinoys join the people with superior mindsets esp through blood-bonds is more effective than leaving Pinoys to their own devices. You don’t need a study to prove this point – simply look all around you. I’m sure Pia Wurtzback would agree.
zaxx,
You need more life experience. You take your cue from a distant relatives, who try to justify their actions for marrying Chinese. Then, you try to apply what your relatives had said in your life to make yourself sound like you’ve been around the block and know what you’re talking about.
Aeta
zaxx,
You need more life experience. You take your cue from distant relatives, who try to justify their actions for marrying Chinese. Then, you try to apply what your relatives had said in your life to make yourself sound like you’ve been around the block and know what you’re talking about.
Aeta
Aeta, you’re right about me needing more life experience – in fact, I want to reach 90 just so I can get as much from this life to pass on to the next generation.
Now, if it’s Filipino blood you are so worried about, think again. Our national hero is a Chinito:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal
Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818–1897)
José Rizal was born in 1861 to Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso in the town of Calamba in Laguna province. ….José traced his patrilineal lineage back to Fujian province in China through Lam Co, a Chinese immigrant who came to the Philippines in the late 17th century and was later baptized as a Christian and renamed Domingo
* * *
It’s not kayumangi blood that defines one’s being a true “Filipino” – it’s how much you love your country. So my suggestion is – get over it.
Robert Heighton might as well pass for being Filipino (if he wanted to) since he seems to care for Pinas so much as to be willing to put up with guys from a loser race like ours.
We’re on the same boat man. We’re fighting the same war. Your method may not be the same as mine, but we both want to eradicate this stupid dysfunctional mindset that has afflicted an entire nation.
My genuine concern – the common good.
The original inhabitants of what was to be named the “Philippines” were poly-malay south pacific islanders mostly seafaring hunter-gatherer-famer-fisherfolk with animist religious beleifs that were already trading with the chinese, indians, arabs and were ruled by several sultans and rajahs of different kingdoms defined by geographic terretories. Already known as a rich source of gold during the ancient silk road trade route. All was peaceful and this trade generated vast wealth and cultural exchange, and was already global trade. The Chinese trading as far back as the Han Dynasty until the Europeans arrived with the Dutch East Indies and eventually the Spanish that decided that they “Christianize” the barbarian inhabitants and do away with the pagan/ animist practiced by the natives by conquest. In contrast, the Chinese confuscians and bhuddists as well as the hindu and muslim religions never imposed upon them,and if there were some influences introduced by trade, all was well and coexisted in prospering side by side. Now compare this to conquest first- by the Spanish that sold the land of these original inhabitants to the next colonizers- the Americans for $20M. The inhabitants resisted gallantly by forming revolutionary groups against both colonizers but sadly were decieved by their own selves in overlapping wars or insurrections against both, they never was a Philippine- Chinese war before in ancient times. The Chinese respected the different rulers of the archipelago because trade was the driving force and can only be acheived in peace. The Philippines has been abused, cheated and neglected by their former masters due to their lust for material gain and inter clan struggles that were brought about by conquest of the ancient rulers.
Today we realize that the Chinese practically control everything from banking to manufacturing to trade to politics and culture, all without a war or conquest of a people. The proud Pinoys (what a terrible misnomer) insist that their former colonizers side with them and protect them from China today without sitting down and realizing that if the former colonizers really were looking out for them in exchange for their rich natural resources to exploit for peanuts and still be grateful for this! Logic should conclude that if the Chinese would include them in the establishment of the new silk road just as in the ancient times instead of sticking with their colonizers that has resulted in two wars in the recent past to which they refer to as the beginning of their nation, it is a no brainer.
This so much. Philippine society today is so blinded into thinking, “China is the enemy” nowadays that they often forget that they established a business framework in the Philippines that would’ve crashed and burn if only the “natives” ran it. This mentality all thanks to Cold War sentiments that really never went away in politics.
China? The enemy? Come on, Kin. Who would have ever thought of such absurb notion, that the biggest land and business owners in the entire archipelago–who have our politicians and masses at the end of their puppet strings–are our enemies? That is ridiculous.
Nothing wrong with fellow Filipinos owning land & businesses in their own country. How many generations you have to go back before you’re consider a “true Filipino”? Would José Rizal be the role model then?
pt,
Owning land is one thing. Hoarding and monopolizing land (transforming farmland that fed millions of our people into “concrete jungles” of conodominiums and shopping malls) is another. Big difference, don’t you think?
Aeta
Aeta – Not really. The construction of those condos and malls created jobs, generated tax revenues, provided services, etc.
pt,
The only reason Jose Rizal is the Failipinos’ premier national hero is because our arrogant and selfish countrymen wanted someone who came from an aristocratic family to represent them; not someone like Andres Bonifacio who is equally braver–if not braver. Bonifiacio’s only vice is he did not come from aristocratic background like Rizal. Kind of make you wonder where our people’s arrogant nature came from, doesn’t it?
Aeta
pt,
Which aristocrat’s drugs have you been snorting to believe that lie? Those environmentally-unkind condominiums (and shopping malls) you are talking about are only raising the cost of real estate and living in this country, as monied elites, foreigners, Balikbayans, and OFWs buy up these condos and shop at their “sosyal” SM malls.
Yes, these condominiums and shopping malls provide ‘chump-change’ jobs, but they also destroy more jobs than they create.
Failipino “cottage industry” businesses are going out of business because all the major industries (i.e., agriculture, retail, and manufacturing) are now owned and monopolized by Chinese-Failipino cartels, that engage in bribery and illegal import practices and ruining the economy.
I live in the Failippines and have seen or heard them all. I can tell you all the atrocities that have been taking place in this country that will turn your stomach, and make you change your euphoric mind on how good you think things really are.
Aeta
pt,
Which aristocrat’s drugs have you been snorting to believe that lie? Those environmentally-unkind condominiums (and shopping malls) you are talking about are only raising the cost of real estate and living in this country, as monied elites, foreigners, Balikbayans, and OFWs buy up these condos and shop at their “sosyal” SM malls.
Yes, these condominiums and shopping malls provide ‘chump-change’ jobs, but they also destroy more jobs than they create.
Failipino “cottage industry” businesses are going out of business because all the major industries (i.e., agriculture, retail, and manufacturing) are now owned and monopolized by Chinese-Failipino cartels, that engage in bribery and illegal import practices, and ruining the economy.
I live in the Failippines and have seen or head them all. I can tell you all the atrocities that have been taking place in this country that will turn your stomach, and make you change your euphoric mind on how good you think things really are.
Aeta
my apologies, just testing if censorhip is in place!
What’s up in the horizon for Chinese-dominated Philippines:
1. The Spratlys: a big bone of contention; but no forseeable actual military confrontation. US will only help PH in the capacity of “show of force” but will not risk a war with current big-time trade partner PRC. PH will be a mouse with no fangs. PRC will effectively use their new islands as “aircraft carriers” to dominate the region. Winning the UN tribunal in PH favor will be useless as PH has no way of enforcing its claim.
2. Unlike PNoy, the next presidents will take on policies favoring and appeasing all Chinese Filipinos and China. Oligarchs and Chinese will effectively be controlling government and policies to their favor.
3. Chinese Filipinos will open the front door wide open for thier mainland/northern cousins to come in, Taiwanese, Koreans, Japanese included. With ASEAN integration, Chinese businesses dominating ASEAN will begin to also invest heavily in PH. Even with the 60/40 rule, Chinese will continue to buy up PH prime properties through their network with Chinoys.
4. There will be no “Nazi”-style insurrection against the Chinese-blood invasion of most of trade/industry due to the dumbing down of Pinoys (keep them happy with entertainment) and through appeasement by the pacifist Catholic church. Peace will persist – PH will become a virtual Chinese colony without firing a single bullet.
5. Native Pinoys will continue to stream out of the country as OFWs / migrant workers to maybe 25% of the population leaving within 20-30 years. Working in PH will be almost no different from working abroad since either way, your boss will be a foreigner. Pinoys will become “OFW”s working for foreign-blood in their very own land. Some foreign tech companies will allow Pinoys to work staying partly in native PH due to the online nature of many jobs.
IT-related courses will be band wagon with nursing on the decline.
6. Native Pinoys who remain in PH will be content working for foreigners, government, and conducting small business to feed the main Chinese network. They will supply children for schools to provide for the entire Chinese machinery that will be running the country. They will live in many Chinese-built/developed condominiums and subdivisions. Chinese will buy up properties currently settled by squatters and turn them into new Malls/condos/entertainment centers until cities are saturated. Loss of greenery will be a big issue with Beijing-like smog and worsening heavy traffic in Manila becoming very toxic.
7. Soon the demography/distribution of an upcoming 120M-strong PH population will be:
1/4 Wealthy Chinese/foreign-blood/half-breeds
1/4 OFWs
1/4 middle class natives
1/4 poorer natives (serving as helpers/bhoys/laborers)
Unemployment will be very low as OFW remittances fuel spending/consumerism/construction
Politicians & entertainers will be mostly half-breeds of every race/color. PH demography will resemble that of California – a mixture of all sorts of races. Pinoys will think marrying a Whity will be like winning the sweepstakes. The most native Pinoys will be among the poorest in the “caste system”.
8. Due to the generally well-to-do population, crime will drop and tourists will flock due to the peace and safety situation. Infrastructure to support tourism and travel/goods transfer will be the top priority in the next government officials. Police / military / teachers will be among the most highly paid regularized workers in government.
No matter how great you are, you could always be greater. Let this be a lesson in the need to lessen the size of your ego.
Hard to say whether it could truly happen. The Philippines simply doesn’t have the high quality administrative culture that the British implemented in Singapore and its other colonies, nor an effective system of legislation. No doubt the Chinoys are more successful when it comes to economic ventures, but in the end they are still Failipinos. Any significant contributions to helping make the country great, in my opinion, has to come from the West.
I forgot to state my usual opinion when someone raises the idea of the Philippines becoming “great again.” For me, we were never great. People who think of the past as just great are just looking for the low prices and relatively easier life (and maybe servants, and so they lament the passage of the Kasambahay Law). Practically, people are never after “greatness;” they’re after comfort and security. That’s really all they want.
ChinoF, well maybe greatness like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If we were not really that great decades back prior to the coming of the yellow tide, Filipinos were at least looked up to and respected by its neighbors – including Singapore.
I can’t really judge the motives of Pinoys – but for many in politics, it seems greatness through power/wealth is a prime motivator. We of course can’t count out the possibility of multiple simultaneous motives- like the common drivers of depraved men – gold glory girls or wine women wealth.
Ideally we should be after achieving a functional society (comfortable and secure) with greatness merely as a byproduct. This is likely the mindset of ordinary people, in contrast to politicians.