Message 2 of 52 in the Usenet group SOC.CULTURE.FILIPINO        Subject thread: Great plan to help Philippines

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From: [email protected] (CLEARAND10)

Subject: Re: Great plan to help Philippines

Date: 16 Sep 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Message-ID: <[email protected]>

References: <[email protected]>

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Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino

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>Thank you for stopping by and thank you for your insight. Your perspective is correct in the limited scope that was presented, but I was trying to get people to stop and look further back, BACK to WW2 and see how things in the Philippines got that way.

  I can't wait to read this.  By the way, why WW2 as a starting point?

>At the end of WW2, Japan, Italy, and Germany  were all in ruins, but the United States as the victors, had the obligation to rebuild these countries.

  Says whom?  Where is it written that we had the obligation to rebuild them? During the lion's share of history the victors went in and looted everythiing, put the men to the sword and carted the women and children off into slavery. We assisted Europe in rebuilding because we knew that we were going to need Western Europe as a bulkwork against communism.  We did it in for our own self interest.  Period.

>Not with stone axes and carabao but with the most modern equipment at the time.

  Well, would it have made sense to rebuild useing outdated equipment.  The Russians did it that way you know.  They worked to death millions and millions of political prisoners.  I believe that about 50 million died under Stalin.

>Take into account, that most of the >commercial industries were not touched (IE. Japan's automobile factories).

Are you crazy?  We reduced Japan to rubble.  The Army Air Corps ran out of targets.  Do you really think that Japan or Germany was turning our automobiles during the war?  That's a trick the United States was unable to do.

>This gave these countries the gigantic head start in EVERYTHING that they enjoy today.

They had a huge head start alright.  It was the fact that a good work ethic and honest legal system were established.  In 1946, when the Philippines gained independence, the Philippines lost it's honest legal system.

>On the other hand, the Philippines was an ALLY and the Filipino people were trusting that their great friend, the United States, would also rebuild their country to an even greater degree than the ENEMY countries.

Then they were idiots.

>Somehow, things got political, the Philippines got backstabbed and the U.S. got away with another one!

God, what pap.  As late as the 1960's the Philippines was developing nicely. There was the real expectation that the trend would continue.  At this time South Korea was a military dictatorship where rural farms and small towns were the norm.  The rest of the Asian "Tigers" produced cheap crap that was infamous for its poor quality.

>Yes, the Philippines is a dirty place, but it is hard to think about painting some walls when you're starving to death.

You're making the old liberal arguement that it really is possible to be too poor to pick up the trash.

>So, I think your tourism solution is simplistic and typical of people in the USA.

What a dick-head.  Take a trip up to the American graveyard in Green Hills. Look at the graves of all those "simplistic" Americans who died to liberate that place. Don't you cheese-dicks ever get tired of calling us names while you have you hand out.  When the chips are down we are never too "simplistic" and "typical" to help.

Do you have any idea of the way the tax and legal system works in the Philippines? Do you know how stupid and idiotic it really is?  Would you put up all the money for a 40% share in the business and then be required to sell to your 60% Filipino partner after 10 years?  There is a reason why the big multi national companies DO NOT invest in the Philippines.

>Perhaps, you were there to watch Claire Danes film her latest epic.

You come up with this retort and call Americans "simplistic" and "typical."

>That's the way I see!  It may not encompass all the facts, but I'm still learning... If you have any more information, I would appreciate the enlightenment.

Tourism would be an excellent place to jump start the Philippine economy. Unfortunately the Philippines is viewed as the Mexico of Asia.  Filipinos believe that if I'm willing to spend $200 a day, or more, to stay on Australia's Gold Coast, Hawaii or Tahiti that I'll gladly spend it to stay in Cebu or Subic Bay.

The Philippines should concentrate on the LOW END of the tourist market.  IF they could provide a safe and healthy environment for people who want to get by on $30 to $50 a day they might get someplace. 

>And you know, there isn't a whole lot that I can do about it (besides bitch and moan) and all I really want to do...  IS GET SOME SOCCER SHOES DONATED TO THE CHILDREN OF THE PHILIPPINES!!

Jesus, put up your own money and buy them.  What you are saying is that if some dumb ass American is willing to pick up the tab you'll hold your nose long enough to take the shoes.

>Take Care,

>Steve Pertubal

>RASSLE Co.

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Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.

-Justice William Douglas

The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.-Tacitus (A.D. 55)