Are you sure about the causal order?
[QUOTE=Gangles]Exactly my point, endemic corruption created widespread poverty. But Marcos did maintain political stability.[/QUOTE]
I think it would be difficult to pin down corrupt practices as preceding poverty. It seems to me that the Spanish colonialists created class differences, in large part by asserting European land ownership practices (fee simple title) where the indigenous people's land ownership practices assumed that land was collectively or communally owned. When they figured out to support village leaders and assist them to "own" land in the European sense, the Spanish facilitated the erection of class distinctions that served their own purposes as colonialists. Christianizing the people subsequently reinforced Spain's colonializing interests.
I have never argued that Christianity caused the poverty, merely that it reinforces it. The points that GE makes are in a similar vein. But if you want to take an informative look at Philippine history, check out the biography of Jose Rizal, their major national hero. Rizal was educated in Spain as an opthalmologist, but became involved in Europe with other Filipinos who were arguing for Philippine independence. When he returned to the Philippines he was exiled to one of the islands in the Visayas. Part of what made him a visible threat was that he wrote about Philippine independence. Others, such as Bonifacio, were actually organizing armed insurrections. Although Rizal had denounced these violent actions, the Spanish rulers arrested Rizal, charging him with causing violent insurrection, largely because of his visible nationalistic writing. The Spanish governor concluded that Rizal was not guilty as charged, but the Catholic Archbishop (a Cardinal) arranged behind the scenes to have the governor replaced with a new governor who would follow through with orders to execute Rizal. Rizal was executed (1895, I think), and his execution inflamed other Filipinos, such that the Philippines was engaged in a large scale war for independence within three years. The U.S. hoodwinked them and subsequently stomped out their nationalistic passions in taking control of them as an American colony until after WWII.
My point is that the Catholic church continues to reinforce the class inequalities. Remember that the bottom line of Christianity is that, no matter what our circumstances are in the present, everything will be made right in the hereafter. The repeated assertion that "God will take care of us," a quote from an earlier monger's post, goes to this point.
Questions for the Experts
hello all,
longtime lurker, thank you to all for your very many informative posts! heading over in feb for my second trip to the pi, a six week trip, on a budget, spending some time in manila as well as ac, but most of the time will be spent on the beach down south, sabang, boracay, guimaras, siquijor, malapusca, baytan, etc. besides sabang and boracay any other places in those general areas that have an active night life scene?
gamahucher, will be checking out harrisons plaza, love the hunt! i am lousy at gauging pinays age. a question concerning age and ids. have read about many scams, harry the horse, etc, about the **** scam, extortion. have read here, that posters and security at hotels have "checked their ids. " is there one piece of id which all pinays should have, which you can check to protect yourself from this scam?
not a first time traveller, will use common sense, but is there any other scams, that you would advise people to be aware of?
will be hitting la cafe, g point, amazonia, harrisons plaza, love the freelancers, will also check out p. burgos st, edsa entertainment complex, any other spots you would recommend?
thanks for any help and advice you can offer! will post a detailed report on this trip later if there is any interest in a budget themed adventure in the pi!
dameon
Where do you get hit on the most?
Gentlemen,
I was thinking about this last night while reading my PI guidebook again and preping for my second trip in country, and I wanted to ask all of you expierces folks here.
In your opinion, what city or area of PI is the best for picking up non p4p? What I mean is, what area would produce the most his by just being out and about? To me the least would be a place like BOra, where there are very few single girls.
So of all the places you've been in PI, where do you get approached and hit on the most from normal girls? Cebu? Davao? GSC?
Looking forward to your replies.
Non Chinese foreigners ever kidnapped
As far as I can recall from my 25 years of living in or being in close contact with Phils. Theres hardly ever been a case of a non Chinese foreigner been kidnapped by normal KFR gangs ("kidnap for ransom " gangs). Yes theres been Abu Sayyaf which were quite different.
And yes the Koreans have a thriving kidnapping community amongst themselves, but Johnny WhiteBoy can happily fly to Phils and have no fear whatsoever of being kidnapped. It just doesn't happen.
