The Philippines thread

[Yeagerist]

This is where anyone would want to discuss the current political, social or economic trends and events in the Philippines, or just place some anecdotes about living in the Philippines or interacting with Filipinos. I was inspired to start this thread from an anecdote of a guy who spent 8 months in the Philippines before returning to the States:

https://www.rooshvforum.com/threads/should-i-stay-another-six-months-in-the-philippines.41532/

And based from the replies it seemed that it's a cultural shock from foreign expats to see the level of authoritarianism of Duterte's government over Covid. And I myself tossed my two cents about the reality of living in the Philippines which is obscured by the romanticized imagery from second-generation Filipino immigrants.

On a more timely note, the next presidential elections in the country are right around the corner, and Monday will decide who gets to succeed Duterte for the next six years. I haven't voted myself and, after all the red-pilling I've gone through, won't for the foreseeable future. Anyways, it seems that the son of the former dictator (of all people!) is leading the presidential race, and the mainstream media, the Philippine Left and the self-proclaimed champions of democracy were all having a meltdown over the possibility of Marcos Jr.'s victory.

https://thediplomat.com/2022/05/marcos-maintains-large-lead-as-philippine-campaign-enters-final-week/

From my own perspective otoh, nothing much will really change in the country if the systemic problems remain, such as the continual emigration of Filipinos overseas and the culture of bribery + corruption + bureaucracy. Also, when I did some history digging, I found out the huge influence of Freemasonry on the establishment of the Filipino nation, starting with the "Revolution" against Spain and the takeover of the American Masonic elite, and continuing on how the neocons and other influential blocs have a hand in determining who becomes president.

 

[BLMeToo]

Why are Filipinos so dumb? Even by Asian standards, they seem gullible and shallow, and eager to follow the crowd. Maybe I'm just being ignorant, but what's going on there?

Also, is Jollibee that good?

 

[Yeagerist]

Why are Filipinos so dumb? Even by Asian standards, they seem gullible and shallow, and eager to follow the crowd. Maybe I'm just being ignorant, but what's going on there?

Also, is Jollibee that good?

I don't even take it as an insult. We're the only ones in the Southeast Asian region who are so gung-ho over democracy and political correctness, and mindlessly consume anything and everything that's coming out of Western pop culture (including all the woke politics).

As for Jollibee, well it's good so far as you wouldn't mind the pasta which is too sweet for Italian and even American taste

 

[Max Roscoe]

The Phillippines is an interesting place. Extremely friendly people. Mix of hispanic and asian genes. Lots of natural beauty. But so much pollution and poverty and mismanagement of the environment. The people seem to have a hive mentality, with so many thinking alike. Manila is possibly the poorest place I've ever seen.

They have a troubling attraction towards strongman dictators, sort of like in the middle east: Duterte may have had some good policies but was extremely crude and I would say almost a thug, but was popular. The other popular person there is the son of the former military dictator Ferdinand Marcos. It would be sort of like supporting King George's son for president in America in 1790, only King George wasn't as cruel as Marcos was.

If you want to see a really strange documentary, watch The Kingmaker, about Imelda Marcos, the extremely out of touch billionaire wife of the dictator.

But despite all that I really like the country and people. There are many conservative traditional people, particularly outside the major cities, and divorce is illegal. Prices are extremely cheap. You can get a massage for $5 to $10, great meal for about the same, and there are over 7000 islands with tons of beautiful beaches. The people are extremely respectful and address you as sir everywhere you go.

The population density is very high, and families of 8 or more is not uncommon. This is likely one of the impediments to development and escaping poverty. But the biggest problem is they simply haven't had enough time to recover from the colonialism of both the Spanish and the Americans. They produce a lot of nurses, with many working in the mideast and Europe.

If they managed their environment a little better, they could really develop an eco-tourism industry (it is already fairly popular for tourism). The island of Bohol is home to the incredibly cute tarsier:

I have two friends who are happily married to Filipinas, who they found extremely loyal and fun, and I know some members here are as well. The ones I have met have a fun, happy lighthearted innocence.

 

[Aizen]

Why were COVID rules so over-the-top in Phills? Despite it being hot and humid most of the year, people were required to wear masks AND face shields simultaneously. Haven't seen this level of hysteria in any other country.

 

[Max Roscoe]

I wonder if the strict rules were in place in rural areas too, or only in the large cities.
Many countries had very strict rules implemented in the cities. Not least of all Wuhan itself, whereas rural China was fine.

Another point that should not be overlooked is that many of these nations are paranoid (often rightly so) of the US engineering a bioweapon against them. In fact, it may come out that the US was doing just that in the Ukrainian labs. And the Phillippines in particular has been pivoting away from the US and has legitimate reasons to fear retribution.

There was a very suspicious outbreak of covid deaths in Iran when all this started, and it still hasn't been adequately explained.

 

[Yeagerist]

The Phillippines is an interesting place. Extremely friendly people. Mix of hispanic and asian genes. Lots of natural beauty. But so much pollution and poverty and mismanagement of the environment. The people seem to have a hive mentality, with so many thinking alike. Manila

It goes into the root problem that Manila and nearby cities were the economic opportunities for the vast majority of Filipinos, and the political establishment has tight controls and regulations over the economy. The Philippines has actually excessive taxation, labor regulations and impediments to capital investment, and the leftist "intelligentsia" here continues to promote those while pretending that they're opposed to the oligarchs. What most foreign observers don't realize is that Duterte himself has been a fellow traveler of the Communist insurgency, and the mainstream media and the left here try to portray him as a far-right strongman when in reality it's all petty partisan conflicts. Of course, as with democracy in general, the Filipino masses have no choice but to pick the lesser of two evils.

They have a troubling attraction towards strongman dictators, sort of like in the middle east: Duterte may have had some good policies but was extremely crude and I would say almost a thug, but was popular. The other popular person there is the son of the former military dictator Ferdinand Marcos. It would be sort of like supporting King George's son for president in America in 1790, only King George wasn't as cruel as Marcos was.

If you ignore the fearmongering of the mainstream media here, most people who are backing Marcos Jr. do so more out of opposing the Communist insurgents and the wokes who are themselves supporting the rival candidate. Another explanation I could think of is that the incessant media attacks on Duterte backfired a la Streisand effect and got him the sympathy from the masses. Before that, Philippine politics has never been this polarizing and the media was pretty balanced towards the various politicians and parties.

Why were COVID rules so over-the-top in Phills? Despite it being hot and humid most of the year, people were required to wear masks AND face shields simultaneously. Haven't seen this level of hysteria in any other country.

The elites of this country, alongside the media they control and the leftist intellectuals all fancy themselves to be the Asian counterparts of the globalists over in the West. It's paradoxical that everyone pretty much follows along with the current administration despite supposedly being divided over Duterte.

Another point that should not be overlooked is that many of these nations are paranoid (often rightly so) of the US engineering a bioweapon against them. In fact, it may come out that the US was doing just that in the Ukrainian labs. And the Phillippines in particular has been pivoting away from the US and has legitimate reasons to fear retribution.

Actually it's just Duterte and his partisan allies that are explicitly anti-US and pro-China. And I don't really see anyone here viewing Covid as a bioweapon of sorts. Funny thing, most of the anti-American rhetoric in Filipino politics came from the Communists who cry over US imperialism and called for the closing of US military bases. Duterte gave them what they wanted but they hate him with their guts

 

[Yeagerist]

The guy is pushing for abortion, and by extension whatever other globohomo subversion in the Philippines, on top of all the systemic problems that have been going on for a long time now.

https://politics.com.ph/her-body-her-choice-marcos-jr-supports-abortion-in-cases-of-rape-incest/

 

[Aizen]

The elites of this country, alongside the media they control and the leftist intellectuals all fancy themselves to be the Asian counterparts of the globalists over in the West. It's paradoxical that everyone pretty much follows along with the current administration despite supposedly being divided over Duterte.

Is it true that the Han Chinese minority basically run the country from an economic standpoint? (similar to Indonesia)

 

[Yeagerist]

Is it true that the Han Chinese minority basically run the country from an economic standpoint? (similar to Indonesia)

There are Chinese-Filipino business families that are certainly influential financially but they don't have the monopoly of control, it's mostly the oligarchic class that arose from the years of U.S. occupation

 

[Doraemon]

What is your opinion regarding elected authoritarian leaders such as Duterte and Marcos Jr.? Do you think they are good for the Philippines, or democratic leaders are better?

I asked because according to my observations, Asians and Westerners have different mindset. In the West democracy and freedom is absolutely better for the people and development of their nations. But in Asia the opposite is true, the more authoritarian and brutal a country is, the better they tend to be in all aspects.

Look at India vs China for example, India despite being the biggest democracy is also less developed compared to China and vice versa. In South East Asia authoritarian states such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, and Vietnam is much more efficient and competent compared to democracies like the Philippine and Indonesia.

Do you have other opinions or insight?

 

[Max Roscoe]

In the West democracy and freedom is absolutely better for the people and development of their nations.

Is it though?

Economically and scientifically, most of the western advances and discoveries occurred under the Roman Empire, European monarchies, or regimes like the Third Reich.

Morally and socially, I don't think we need to even provide examples. Democracy has been an absolute assault on social values.

Is this a true statement or just something you've been told all your life? "We live in the bestest, greatest society in the world / My country right or wrong"

 

[Doraemon]

Is it though?

Economically and scientifically, most of the western advances and discoveries occurred under the Roman Empire, European monarchies, or regimes like the Third Reich.

Morally and socially, I don't think we need to even provide examples. Democracy has been an absolute assault on social values.

Is this a true statement or just something you've been told all your life? "We live in the bestest, greatest society in the world / My country right or wrong"

I think so.

Let's take a look at the current event. Canadian trucker protest (good guys) vs Justin Trudeau's government (bad guys), Dutch farmer protest (good guys) vs Mark Rutte's government (bad guys), January 6 capitol protest (good guys) vs Joe Biden's government (bad guys).

Looking at events like that, I can draw conclusions that in Western countries the pro-democracy freedom fighters are the good guys fighting against the evil authoritarian government that is keeping their countries in the dark age.

Now back to my post above, the Philippine is different because although they are a democracy, they use the very freedom they have to elect authoritarian leaders. I think this is a unique phenomenon and maybe worth a discussion.

 

[Max Roscoe]

Well what you are describing is not endemic to democracy. You're actually describing bad policies that democracies have fostered against their own people with the above examples. Yes, all governments have bad policies. If the Canadian, US, and Dutch governments have bad polities that their people oppose, isn't that more of a critique of democracy being bad for white people as well?

I do think it is an interesting question whether autocracies can be beneficial, but I'm not certain that the distinction based on race or ethnicity even applies. What about the cases where white Europeans were under a more centralized rule such as monarchy or the Third Reich. Is it not a universal rule that democracy is a weakened form of society, for all peoples?

One can look to centralized nations that are allowed to exist (most are attacked because of "Our Values Democracy!" and "we must push anal sex everywhere" but Singapore is one shining example of a prosperous, stable, and safe nation that is an organized autocracy. Thailand is another, though its monarchy is under assault and it appears to be falling to democractic trends. But it is one of the only nations in the world free from western / European interference throughout its history.

One should examine the general idea first, and test its validity, before applying it to sub-racial groups.

 

[CaliforniaBased]

Now back to my post above, the Philippine is different because although they are a democracy, they use the very freedom they have to elect authoritarian leaders. I think this is a unique phenomenon and maybe worth a discussion.

Authoritarian leaders in places like Russia, Iran, Syria, Belarus, Myanmar, Nicaragua etc. are fighting against the authoritarianism of globalism. I won't comment on the way they run their own countries - but these governments favor local elites and values over mainstream western values and economic control.

Power in a nation comes in three pillars - millitary, economic, and political. Many nations may be politically democratic and independant, but in nearly all cases their economy and in some cases even their millitary are gobalist owned.

 

[CaliforniaBased]

I also believe I do remember that Duterte was critical of Marcos, Jr.

Generally I believe people have a tendency to select strong leaders - Duterte was very popular among Filipinos. By this logic Biden isn't really in charge - someone that incoherent could never lead a nation.

 

[Virgil]

I'm curious on how the country will react on February 25th, which is the anniversary of the overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos—now that his very son is the president of the Philippines.

I hate how Filipino politics has devolved into an almost feudal level of petty fighting between two political families (the Marcoses and the Aquinos), when everybody was distracted from Marcos Jr. being just another NWO puppet

LIVESTREAM: Pres. Bongbong Marcos speaks at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 - Replay

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. speaks in the Moving Towards Nutrition Security session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023.COURTESY: World Econo...

www.youtube.com

 

[Virgil]

Marcos Jr. reversing Duterte's geopolitical course, looks like he's bringing back U.S. forces into the Philippines. He also met up with the Japanese Prime Minister to make similar deals.

The neocons are probably agreeing to this move in their own part following the partisan change in Taiwan's election last year. If the ROC doesn't want to be the location of the next proxy war, then the Philippines is more than happy to fill this role.

 

[aeroektar]

Marcos Jr. reversing Duterte's geopolitical course, looks like he's bringing back U.S. forces into the Philippines. He also met up with the Japanese Prime Minister to make similar deals.

The neocons are probably agreeing to this move in their own part following the partisan change in Taiwan's election last year. If the ROC doesn't want to be the location of the next proxy war, then the Philippines is more than happy to fill this role.

View attachment 54556

What is the ROC? and are you saying the Philippines will enter war with China?

 

[Virgil]

What is the ROC? and are you saying the Philippines will enter war with China?

ROC = Republic of China, aka Taiwan

In last year's elections in Taiwan, the ruling party of President Tsai Ing-wen, which has been toeing the line of the globohomo warmongers, lost a lot of their political seats to the KMT and other opposition parties. Which means a setback for Washington's strategy to weaken China.

And now the new president of the Philippines sets to bring back the presence of US troops (and possibly Japan), on top of attending the WEF meeting in Davos. So I infer that the US will use the Philippines as its proxy against China because things didn't work out with Taiwan.