THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES: OTHER THAN THE HELLO GARCI Subject: Go Philippines!!! The following was written by INTEL General Manager Robin Martin about the Philippines: Filipinos (including the press, business people and myself) tend to dwell too much on the negative side, and this affects the perception of foreigners, even the ones who have lived here for a while. The negative perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate to reality when compared to countries like Columbia, Egypt, Middle East, Africa, etc. Let us all help our country by balancing the negative with the positive especially when we talk to foreigners, whether based here or abroad. Looking back and comparing the Philippines today and 1995 (the year I came back), I was struck by how much our country has progressed physically. Consider the following: 1. The great telecom infrastructure that we have now did not exist in 1995. 1995 was the year the telecom industry was deregulated. Since then billions of dollars have been invested in both fixed line and cellular networks producing a system with over 5,000 kms of fiber optic backbone at a world competitive cost. From a fixed line capacity of about 900,000 in 1995 we now have over 7 million. Cellular phones practically did not exist in 1995; now we have over 11 million line capacity. 2. The MRT, many of the EDSA flyovers (including the Ayala Avenue flyover), the SKYWAY, Rockwell and Glorietta 4, the Fort, NAIA terminal 2 and most of the new skyscrapers were not yet built in 1995. 3. If you drive to the provinces, you will notice that national roads are now of good quality (international quality asphalt roads). I just went to Iba, Zambales last week and I was impressed that even a not so frequently travelled road was of very good quality. 4. Philippine exports have increased by 600% over the past eight years. There are many, many more examples of progress over the last eight years. Philippine mangoes are now exported to the US and Europe. Additional tidbits to make our people prouder: 1. INTEL has been in the Philippines for 28 years. The Philippines plant is where Intel's most advanced products are launched, including the Pentium IV. By the end of 2002, Philippine operations are expected to be Intel's biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide. 2. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS has been operating in Baguio for over 20 years. The Baguio plant is the largest producer of DSP chips in the world. DSP chips are the brains behind cellphones. TI's Baguio plant produces the chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA cellphones and 80% of Erickson cellphones in the world. 3. TOSHIBA laptops are produced in Santa Rosa, Laguna. 4. If you drive a BENZ, BMW, or a VOLVO, there is a good chance that the ABS system in your car was made in the Philippines. 5. TREND-MICRO, makers of one of the top anti virus software PC-Cillin (I may have mispelled this) develops its "cures" for viruses right here in Eastwood Libis, Quezon City . When a virus breaks in any computer system in the world, they try to find a solution within 45 minutes of finding the virus. 6. By the end of this year, it is expected that a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center firms in the U.S. will have set up operations in the Philippines. This is one area in which I believe we are the best in the world in terms of value for money. 7. America Online (AOL) has 1,000 people in Clark answering 90% of AOL's global e-mail inquiries. 8. PROCTOR & GAMBLE has over 400 people right here in Makati (average age 23 years) doing back-up office work to their Asian operations including finance, accounting, Human Resources and payments &nb sp; processing. 9. Among many other things it does for its regional operations network in the Asia-Pacific region here in Manila, CITIBANK also does its global ATM programming locally. 10. This is the first year ever that the Philippines will be exporting cars in quantity courtesy of FORD Philippines. 11. The government is shedding off graft and corruption slowly but surely. This is the first time in our history that a former president is in jail and facing charges of plunder. Despite all odds, we are still pursuing the ill-gotten wealth of Marcos now enjoyed by his unrepentant heirs. Next time you travel abroad and meet business associates tell them the good news. A big part of our problem is perception and one of the biggest battles can be won simply by believing and by making others believe. This message is shared by good citizens of the Philippines who persevere to hope and work for our country. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER FILIPINOS!!! Pedro Austricliciano "Austri" Geneta Basinillo (Male/65) Arellanites Class 1956, Pioneer CIGI 1980, Pioneer PTAG Currently Consultant ORIX TWH CIGI Home Telephone 642-05-78 and 642-05-81 CP 09186346872 or Wife Berna 636-35-57 CP-09189382708 Consultant/Resource Speaker for Seminar - Management, Welding, Safety, Quality, Training, Production, Manufacturing, Marriage Counseling, Catholicism, Human Resources, Counseling, Family Life, Efficiency/Effectiveness, Productivity, Business Investment, Real Estate, Health Care, Career Development, Internet, Microsoft Programs, Defensive Driving, etc.
2 comments:
it is disconcerting to notice that most of Mr. Martins comments are in praise of multinational companies who uses our intellectual and labor market to meet the demands of the international market.
sad to say as i see it this is far from being viewed as good for our country.
theres more evidence in the lack of civic services and literacy in our baranggays.
i also dont think that having more laborers who deliver world class products deserve to earn a limited amount of money while in fact it is being sold internationally in dollars.
the negative Mr. martin is as clear as moonlight. all you have to do is study the statistics particularly in terms of poverty alleviation.
studies have shown that we are in particular getting more and more in the depths of poverty.
our debt has grown astronomically, and we are the second most corrup country in Asia.
if these things spell development for mr. martin then i beg to disagree.
it takes more than looking at the things we have been doing for multinational companies than look at what we can do for ourselves if only we were given the chance.
in this case i hope mr. martin asks himself why these things happen even if we are more than well off the way he sees it?
i like the way he writes it gives us a glimmer of hope and it mirrors a spectacular mirage of hope.
still i beg to disagree.
peace!
I highly appreciate what Mr. Martin here is trying to do. uplift the dying spirit of the "Filipino people." put balance into the negative and positive side of our nation by showing us that for that last 10 years, we have progressed. especially in some areas of business and industries.
But Mr. Martin, this message is only for, as you have stated, the press (who are d people most likely to be speaking with the FOREIGNERS), the business people (the RICH) and you yourself (you must be both). Mr, Martin i hope you realize that majority of the FILIPINO's are POOR. that is not hard to understand.
you don't expect us to try and explain to Manong (who sells ballot) that hey, don't feel bad... our roads are made from good quality asphalt.. that we have the largest producer of DSP (i have no idea)... that we export mangoes? and expect them to appreciate and realize that hey,"10 years ago, there were no MRT's and now we have skyways!!! (i mean, how many people have seen a skyway? not many i guess...) and my favorite..., that if we have a chanve to drive a BENZ, BMW, or Volvo, chances are the ABC system is made here in the philippines... I myself cannot appreciate this coz i haven't even seen a Volvo for christ sake. and the only ABC i know is the one taught to us in kindergarten. how can we , the unfortunate FILIPINO people (which is i think at least 90% of d population) feel luckier and prouder when we cannot even appreciate the efficiency and beauty of a laptop?
Mr. Martin, how do you expect us to realize that we are doing better the past 10 years when many of the jobs that caters to these industries are for college graduates and professionals only? how can I ?, i dont even have a cellphone, and a diploma FYI.
how can the scavengers in the squatter areas even think that we have progressed were in fact the actual scraps of metal sheets that are covering their heads right now are the same metal sheets they had 10 years ago? that the salary that the factory workers are far better 10 years ago than how much they are recieving right now?
you are not talking to the Filipino people Mr. Martin, you are talking to a very few Filipinos, who may not even be residing here in the Philippines... the well off and the upperclass. i have this impression that you care more about how can we defend ourselves againts the critisisms of the FOREIGNERS more than what we think of ourselves .
we have an illigitimate president Mr. Martin, how worse can that be? and you compare us with AFRICA (how could you po? :) ), middle East and Columbia? i mean where is the logic in that? that is never a reason.
Let us not hide our true situation. the true state of our country right now is that we are lost. that we have a system that is extremely corrupt. that the most corrupt countries are the poorest countries. until the time comes that i see progress... tangible progress... that i can see most of the FILIPINOS be able to feed themselves 3 times a day... then maybe, just maybe i'll believe we have defeated corruption.
how i perceive this country, in respect to the positive and negative aspects of it. is entirely pointless. coz putting balance is impossible. reality is that the BETTER side of the Philippines is immersed into oblivion. because there are a hundred times more, BAD things to say about this country that 20 positive reasons does not have a flicker of a chance to compromise . .. unless we start living in LIES and keep on fooling ourselves.
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