Tag: first world

Filipinos need to get better at killing in order to prosper

October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 benign0 36 Comments

The seeming aversion of Filipinos to large-scale infrastructure projects — the sorts needed to achieve the vast economies of scale needed to compete in the global market likely stems from the Filipinos’ heritage of smallness. This prescient snippet quoted from Nick Joaquin’s seminal piece describes the underlying character of Philippine culture that is at the…

Culture, Development, Economy

From First World to Third: The Philippine Story

August 6, 2017 zaxx 10 Comments

The Philippine case of reverse-transformation from a former colony of first-world USA that was only 2nd to Japan and burgeoning with potential in the middle of the last century into the foremost basket case among emerging tigers serves as a prima facie model example in the world’s handbook on “How NOT to run a country”. As…

Culture, Development, Government

Does the First World owe the rest of the world, its migrants and its refugees anything?

August 27, 2015 benign0 38 Comments

Europe and much of the rich world today is faced with a moral dilemma surrounding a tidal wave of desperate migrants massing at their borders fleeing war and poverty in their respective homelands. It’s a no-brainer. Migrants are seeking a “better life” in the First World and a slice of that legendary welfare state pie…

Civics, Culture, Development, Politics, Society

Is ‘Daang Matuwid’ (straight path) enough for the Philippines to catch up?

July 29, 2015 benign0 24 Comments

If we are to believe President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III and his minions, the Philippines’ only hope for a bright future is to continue the “reform” agenda set in motion by the current administration. But of course they will say that — because the current party in power — the Liberal Party — wants…

Development