Better Side of the 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 became 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 . Today a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center firms in the U.S. 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 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. (I have an idea this article was written between 2001 - 2002, so this operation should have been on-going for the last 3 years or so. CYN)

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.
56,000,000 Filipinos speak, read and write in English even if we have our own national language. Speaking a second language takes a certain kind of unique intelligence.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER FILIPINOS!!!

Reasons to Visit the Philippines

1. Each country has its own unique feature. The Philippines is interesting in that it has 7107 islands divided into three major island groups - Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
2. That means there are plenty of beaches to choose from including the world's best white sand beaches. Boracay, Camiguin, and Dakak are amongst the more popular ones, while hundreds of virgin beaches remain undiscovered along the coasts of Mindanao, at the northernmost province of Batanes, and in the coastal provinces of Pangasinan and in Palawan. Plus, you can go to the beach anytime of the year.
3. The regionalism created by the different islands has produced a nation so varied culturally - from the Ivatans in the North to the boat people in the South. Each culture has their own set of interesting festivals too.
4. Filipinos are a friendly people and are known for their oftentimes excessive hospitality. Attend a public wedding celebration in the Cordilleras, or walk through a town celebrating a fiesta in the Tagalog region and you'll certain to be invited to a meal.
5. Almost 400 hundred years of Spanish rule, and 100+ years of American rule that mind you, extends to the present, has created a unique culture that combines the European flair for tradition and the American's penchant for anything new. 9 of 10 Filipinos speak English - one of the highest percentage amongst Asian countries.
6. As the country that introduced the karaoke to the world, Filipinos are known for their musical abilities and grace in dancing. Most major festivals include street dancing, and Asian singing contests are normally won by Filipino singers. Three of the four Asian finalists in American Idol history come from Filipino families and not one of them is named Sanjaya.
7. The Philippines is home to very unique group of animals such as the world's smallest monkey, the largest and smallest species of bats, 5 of the world's seven species of marine turtles, the monkey-eating eagle, the world's smallest hoofed animal, the tamarraw (pygmy water buffalo) and flying lemurs.
8. Shopping is cheap. Buy world class local products at just about 1/10 of the price you'd get for similar ones outside the country. Plus, the Philippines has 3 of the 10 biggest malls in the world.
9. It is home to several UNESCO world heritage sites such as the Baroque Churches, the historic town of Vigan, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, and the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park.
10. You find the tastiest species of mango, the world-renowned coconut oil, bagoong (fish fermented sauce) - flavored dishes, kalderetang kambing (goat stew), various forms of pulutan (finger food), sorbetes (fruit flavored coconut-based ice cream), rice pastries, taho (beancurd with caramel syrup), the highly exotic balut (boiled, pre-hatched poultry eggs), tapey (Igorot rice wine), lambanog (coconut-based alcoholic drink) and San Miguel beer.

BANAUE RICE TERRACES

Though rice terraces are common in the Cordillera region of northern Philippines and in other Asian countries, the most extensive and impressive collection is found in Banaue, Ifugao. More than 2000 years old, it is located 1500 meters above sea level and covers an area of 10,400 square kilometers. These terraces are thought to be built mostly by hand and with minimal use of tools, and were created out of necessity to create flat fields for planting rice in the mountainous regions. It uses an ancient irrigation system.

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are some 1268 eerie hillocks, ranging from 20 to 50 metres in height, which dominate the landscape for miles around. In summer months, their grass covering dries out, turning them a 'Chocolate' brown, hence their name. In the morning if you can watch the sunrise over the mysterious landscape. As it rose, it will gradually illuminate the fields exposing the awe-inspiring surroundings of Bohol; surely one of the most stunning natural backdrops in the world.

Boracay Island and Beach

Arguably the best resort in the world, is located at the northwestern tip of Panay across PALAWAN Islands, in the West Visayas Region, off the Sibuyan Sea. Boracay has managed to pack its thousand-hectare area with all the elements of a tropical paradise -- crystal blue waters, powder white sand, liberal doses of tropical palms and flowering plants, and a healthy marine life underneath the seas.