Don't cut off your nose to spite your face

Perhaps some third world leaders should look at the latest poll conducted among the citizens of Cuba before making bold statements about the United States. The latest poll reveals 79% of Cubans are dissatisfied with the country’s economic system; 70% want to start their own business and the Cuban government will not allow them to do so. Nearly two-thirds of Cubans (64%) believe normalizing relations with the U.S. could change the economic system, though only 37% thought the Cuban political system would allow the changes to take place because it would mean them surrendering control to the people.

Growth has slowed sharply in recent years. According to Cuba’s national statistical agency, the country’s gross domestic product in 2013 was 77.2 billion pesos – which, depending on which exchange rate one uses, could equate to anything from $77.2 billion (at the official rate of 1 convertible peso to $1) to $3.2 billion (at the internal rate of 24 regular pesos to 1 convertible peso). But either way, growth has slowed dramatically from the mid-2000's. The rate exchange of their money is different for Cuban citizens and foreigners visiting or doing business in the country. The growth rate in GDP is below 1.3 percent. They rank 177 out of 222 countries world wide. Compare that to the Philippine GDP - The Philippines economy grew an annual 7.0 percent in the second quarter of 2016. GDP is based on population that must be kept in mind.

The Soviet Union was the main trading partner and strategic ally of Fidel Castro during the time of the Cold War. The collapse of the socialist bloc put the island on the brink of economic collapse in the early 1990's. Since the Russian government could no longer provide the support they had given Cuba they agreed in 2014 to reduce the DEBT Cuba owed Russia by 35%. Cuba could not pay the debt anyway.  Cuba still owes Russia 3.5 billion dollars after the debt was reduced. In return for reducing the debt Cuba agreed to allow Russia to open a small spy facility in Havana.  

There was a time in the early 1960’s when Fidel Castro made statements like, “It will be Russia and Cuba against the United States.”  That did not work out so well! Obama in my opinion is making a bad mistake in giving Cuba any aid and relaxing the trade embargo with Cuba. It is obvious due to the Russian economy slowing Russia cannot provide what the Cuban government needs to survive so why should the United States bail Cuba out of their bad decision to “sever ties” with the United States in the 1960’s. Why should our incompetent President Obama be allowed to give them the $132 billion in aid he wants to give them, since in 2014 Cuba agreed to allow Russia to open a small spy station in Cuba?

Cuba is so desperate today that they are drifting out of Moscow’s orbit and wanting to return to the United States orbit. The people  not the leaders paid a price for fifty years by severing their ties with the United States for Russia and no longer can afford to pay the price. It seems some third world leaders do not do their research before making bold statements against the United States and other Western Nations.

It is best for third world countries not to sever ties with any first world country. They should try to maintain a relationship with them all. What does a third world country really have to offer a first world country? If Roosevelt and Truman believed they could attack and beat Japan without defending the Philippines I believe modern day Presidents realize they do not need the Philippines to defend themselves against China.  A war that most likely will never happen because China or the United States or Russia do not want that.

Cuba could not survive with the help they were getting from Russia and had to turn to Venezuela, the Cuban authorities made it clear that further economic cooperation with Moscow was not a priority.  Today the Venezuela economy is failing and Cuba cannot depend on Venezuela or Russia so they reach out to the United States to save them. Why should we?

Russia did build In northeast Cuba two nickel plants, but Russia has since turned them over to the Canadians. Why would Russia be interested in mining in the Philippines if they were not interested in maintaining mining in Cuba and turned the mines over to the Canadians? The Canadians presently mine in the Philippines. New hotels were built by Mexican and Spanish firms in Cuba they were not build by Russia or China. True, two years ago Cuba did seem to express renewed interest in working with Russian oil companies. But experience tells us to remain cautious. For two decades Russian experts explored for oil off the Cuban coast, finding a few juicy items along the way, but then suddenly turned all their discoveries over to  Mexico. I would tend to think any oil deal China makes with the Philippines will benefit China far more than it will the people of the Philippines. I doubt that the Russians really have any interest in the South China Sea oil production since it would possibly damage their relationships with China.

I have also been amused that all the contracts and deals China has proposed with the Philippines requires they use China Companies to build them which helps the Chinese economy not the Philippine economy. The loans to build go right back to the Chinese government and the Philippines pays interest on the money. I am not aware of any contract or deal that the United States has made with the Philippines that requires them to only use American companies.

I know that the powers to be in the Philippines have far more knowledge of deals, contracts, trade agreements, foreign relationships than stupid little me. I have never work for any government in my life. I am just a simple man with little knowledge, but I cannot make sense of all the talk of ending a long term relationship for a promise that may never materialize and if it does the strings attached may be more than the strings you claim you want to break with the United States.

In my personal life I have never ended a long term friendship in order to gain a new friendship. In my professional life I have never ended a business relationship with an old reliable company to do business with an unknown company with no proven record. 

Revenge is hell and destroys! The Aquino's and some in the Philippines have spent three decades trying to get even with the Marcos family and it has not brought them peace. There are some that were and still are loyal to the Marcos family that have sought revenge on the Aquino family and the United States for not supporting Marcos and it has not brought them peace. Only forgiveness brings peace. 

To show how arrogant some in governments can be when it comes to revenge a United States Congressman is stopping the sale of 27,000 weapons to the Philippine National Police. Who does that hurt? Certainly not the Philippines. Duterte will purchase the weapons in China, Israel or Japan. It only hurts the people of the United States and the United States economy. The people we elect are not as smart as we think they are. 

Expat in the Philippines - that loves it but does not understand it all

I do not understand, but I am only a guest in the Philippines – so who cares?

I moved to the Philippines over a decade ago. My reason for moving here was to do mission work. I was told EVERYONE spoke fluent conversational English. I also had responsible, loyal, dependable Filipino neighbors in the states. It sounded like a perfect place to work and retire in.

I think I have adjusted to the new culture, new traditions, third world living pretty well, but I cannot get use to the litter. There is a large vacant property across from my house that is owned by a Filipino doctor now living in California. My NEIGHBORS use his lot to dumb their garbage night after night. Not only is it unsightly it breeds RATS!

These neighbors are church going, family orientated people, own homes, children go to college, and some even own businesses. In fact one owns a large agricultural fertilizer business and he used to park his large trucks on the property at night for free without seeking permission. These people are not squatters.

The owner of the property on his visit in 2015 had a four foot block wall fence with four feet of wire on top installed trying to stop the problem. The neighbors just throw the garbage bags over his fence as if it was not there. One neighbor even commented, “I am glad he put up the fence the garbage does not blow in my yard now (and laughed).” It did stop the people from using his property for a parking lot. They now park on the NARROW streets in front of everyone else’s house blocking their gates when they actually have one car space at each house. You cannot address a problem with people that do not even realize it is a problem.

I do not sit on my front balcony any longer because I have to look at Davao’s version of “Smokey Mountain” (without the smoke) in Manila.

Filipinos are known to be disciplined abroad. Most OFWs tend to finish everything at work before the day ends; they are seen as courteous, refined, and well-mannered; and they carefully follow the rules of the company or community where they work and live. This observation is based on my personal experiences.

I do not understand why so many Filipinos lack discipline when in their own country.

Could it be that they demonstrated and won their freedom from martial law and now they take that freedom for granted and abuse it? It is as if they have forgotten others have rights to. The family next door live in a nice townhouse with two full bathrooms (CR’s). The men walk past the downstairs bathroom to go across the street and urinate on the neighbors fence – why? Do they understand that they are vandalizing PRIVATE property or do they just not care about others property? Democracy has limits! We now play a game when going from my home to downtown the one that catches the most men urinating on walls win a free coke when we arrive.

I have noticed since living in the Philippines a lot of Filipino children are growing up with less regard for rules and regulations. Is this because they are getting to be more Westernized? If it is I would not blame it on Western Nations I would blame it on Filipino parents for allowing it to happen.  ‘Po’ and ‘Opo’ were trademark words of Filipinos when it came to showing respect to people older than them. These are the words I seldom hear these days from the younger generation.

 This morning a six year old a few doors from me cried and screamed for over 1 and ½ hours. He beat on the fence gate with a hammer. Eventually the father started yelling at him and then the mother started yelling. Later in the day I ask the aunt what was the problem with the child – he wanted an ice cream from the Nestle peddler. His tantrums happen frequently.  When the tantrum is over the family members think it is funny – they call him “little macho man”. Does anyone think that this little monster will grow up to respect the rights of others – I do not think so. In the States I would have walked down to see if the kid was okay, but it is just a normal occurrence here.

Do some Filipinos not take discipline seriously because they do not see how serious it is? How would they when even their government officials do not follow the rules they have enacted? Under the table transactions; vote buying; VIP treatments in public activities and processes are just among some of the rampant forms of corruption in the government that remove the power of discipline in the society.

Some law enforcers are not being good role models either: Traffic enforcers getting bribed to let violators go and police officers are involved in crimes like kidnapping and drug trafficking. People do not see the need of following rules or even taking the initiative to take steps to improve things, because they know nothing would happen when the movement does not come from the top.

My neighbor was stopped when we were on our way to Mass. He was speeding and ran a traffic light. He bribed the law enforcer to let him go. He laughed and said, “I am glad I did not get stopped by the ONE honest law enforcer in the Philippines.”  I ask him did he realize his 15 and 13 year old boys were in the car and witness what he did. He said, “Father, they have to learn how to survive in the Philippines.”

No matter how good the regulations are if they are not implemented by the powers to be then what good are they? As long as the citizens do not see any danger of not following the laws, they will not obey them. I pray newly elected Duterte will address that issue.  From what I hear in the media he is a tough law enforcer, but we still have rape, drugs, murders, thief’s in Davao. Maybe not as bad as Manila or other places but we still have too much crime. 

I do not know why, but it seems many Filipinos are impatient or believe themselves to be privileged people. I think this is why shortcuts are popular here. Some people, who do not like getting into long lines when paying bills cut in line or go to the front of the line or even use their connections to avoid the line. This is common in the banks or waiting on a taxi. I use to say something until my Filipino friends kept getting on me because I was making the rude person ‘lose face’ – who should care if they ‘lose face’.  They need to ‘lose face’. But, I stopped saying anything because I always looked like the bad guy - the arrogant, ignorant, pushy person who was taking advantage of everyone else seem to be the victim to Filipinos.

Lack of respect indeed seems a problem that some people in the Philippines seem not to mind, although it poses a serious dilemma on peoples values and character. People should consider when we tolerate this disrespectful behavior, it can eventually lead to crime and violence. Clearly, society worldwide today lacks the clear perception about respect.

President Marcos had a lot of faults, but people were disciplined in his time. The economy was healthier than most in Asia. I hope someday politicians and citizens embrace the good of Marcos and avoid the bad. Learn from history do not ignore it and stop making the same mistakes over and over again.

P.S. – I know many Filipinos do not like foreigners making any comments about their country or their people – they are usually the same ones that bash the United States on a regular basis.  I like living in the Philippines better than in the U.S. or I would go home – that is common sense. I regularly point out problems with the U.S. on my blog – I just do not think it does anyone any good to bury our heads in the sand and pretend to the world we do not have problems.