General Info

[QUOTE=Pimpin Sam;1499379]I don't pretend to know what's going on with US/Phil relations because I don't, but Naome Klein talks about that kind of behavior in her excellent book The Shock Doctrine, the Rise Of Disaster Capitalism.[/QUOTE]SC and others seem to suggest that the American military is taking up control. Klein's argument was not about military or government taking control, it was that Private sector interests manipulate the disaster situation to get essentially proprietary rights to redesign systems, thereby creating a sort of monopoly. The new system, designed as though the private interest's solution becomes a fait accompli, and hemmed in by regulation, prevents others, including government, from offering alternative policy options.

[QUOTE=Pita123; 1500240]Sometimes people think first about the "right thing to do". Israel also cannot be looking for some long term interests.

[url]http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/15/21477819-dr-nancy-snyderman-in-awe-of-israeli-medics-in-philippines[/url][/QUOTE]There are heaps of Filipinos in Israel. *yes, I know. *.

[QUOTE=Skip Kost;1500683]SC and others seem to suggest that the American military is taking up control. Klein's argument was not about military or government taking control, it was that Private sector interests manipulate the disaster situation to get essentially proprietary rights to redesign systems, thereby creating a sort of monopoly. The new system, designed as though the private interest's solution becomes a fait accompli, and hemmed in by regulation, prevents others, including government, from offering alternative policy options.[/QUOTE]

I'm not familiar with Klein's work. However, I have had several meetings over the past ten days about the possibility of involving our company in some of the contracts for reconstruction that will start flowing soon, funded by the mountains of cash being contributed by bi and multilateral donors. I think in the case of the Philippines, placing most of the onus of program implementation with the private sector makes eminently good sense, given the callous indifference and incompetence of the national government; an entity that few trust. It would not surprise me at all if the donor community insisted on the award of implementation projects to private donors, within the context of national policies, and loosely monitored by the national government. I've got some very recent, personal experiences that suggest that the government is overwhelmed and has little idea what to do.

Typically, the government here spends years debating policies, which are often outdated by the time they're enacted into law. Many policies are never implemented, and many more are interpreted differently by various departments of the agencies responsible for their implementation. The government here is so totally incompetent that giving it the latitude to create alternative policies is irrelevant. Then too, the government here doesn't lack for policies: it seems to have one for almost every occasion. Policies and supporting statutes help create the illusion that this is a country of laws. The fact is however that policies are ignored once profits are at stakes and many key laws are never enforced.

The contention that the US military is somehow taking over is, I believe, specious. The 5, 000 or so troops aboard the aircraft carrier have departed, and responsibility for reconstruction and relief is increasingly being turned over to the NGOs and aid organizations. Given the enormity of the devastation, and the likely years-long duration of the recovery efforts, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. I note that over the past few weeks the shrill voices routinely raised by militant nationalist groups about the intrusion of US military presence and the threat that poses to sovereignty, have been uncharacteristically silent.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1500791]responsibility for reconstruction and relief is increasingly being turned over to the NGOs and aid organizations.[/QUOTE]I just hope they stay out of Cebu City.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1500791]I think in the case of the Philippines, placing most of the onus of program implementation with the private sector makes eminently good sense, given the callous indifference and incompetence of the national government; an entity that few trust.

<snip

Policies and supporting statutes help create the illusion that this is a country of laws. The fact is however that policies are ignored once profits are at stakes and many key laws are never enforced.[/QUOTE]Klein is not arguing that private sector competition is a bad thing. What she argues is that disasters create a punctuation in the equilibrium, and that shrewd, powerful, well-connected private firms pounce on the situation, convincing policy makers (and sometimes also the public) to give them a monopolistic handle going forward that crowds out all other alternative policy approaches. I do not have her book under hand to cite some of her illustrations, but I seem to recall that Halliburton figured prominently in the story. Obviously the same results can be achieved by governments controlled by a narrow band of societal elites.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1499918]I've just tuned into this debate, and it's entirely possible that I've missed something, but the comments I've read so far seem overly simplistic. As one who has followed the arguments here over the desirability or lack thereof of an enhanced US military presence, my conclusion is that the US has multiple motivations for it's massive response to the Haiyan disaster. First and foremost, the US did what it did because it's the only nation that could, given its military assets and the level of technology to which those assets have access. The need was undeniable, and without the sizable rapid deployment, more people would have died. A secondary benefit is doubtless the ability to demonstrate to China (and other Asian countries) its indispensability and perhaps it's continued primacy.

The Philippine military is almost pathetically starved of equipment, supplies and expertise, as reiterated in the national and international press. It was, and remains incapable of providing meaningful support to the victims of the disaster. The government here is inept, indifferent and equally incapable of doing much but spewing empty rhetoric.

The desire of the US to re establish military hegemony in the Philippines is, in my opinion, over stated. For the most part, I believe that the enormity of the entire international response was proportionate to the enormity of the calamity and was motivated by a genuine desire to do what the government is both in capable and unwilling to do.

GE[/QUOTE]Agree with this. The USA has been a light to the world for the last century. We helped them because we could. We helped them because the Phillipine government is too corrupt and inept to help anyone.

When I went to Cebu, I was in a taxi going to town, and I saw a restaurant on fire, flames in the air, burning to the ground. The owner was outside crying. About 1/2 mile down the road, there was a fire station. All the firemen were asleep, the lights out, the trucks parked in the garage. I asked the taxi driver about this, and he said,"This is Cebu."

And why the hell we would we want a military presence in the Phillipines? No oil. No Al qaeda. If we want to make China nervous, we already have a huge military presence in South korea that will never go away. Anyone conspiracy theorists that think that we have an ulterior motives are idiots that watch too much TV.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1501021]And why the hell we would we want a military presence in the Phillipines? No oil. No Al qaeda. If we want to make China nervous, we already have a huge military presence in South korea that will never go away. Anyone conspiracy theorists that think that we have an ulterior motives are idiots that watch too much TV.[/QUOTE]Whilst not having a dog in this particular fight, its so wonderful to read ISG and be told that if an opinion that held is different to yours, makes the holder of said opinion " a TV watching idiot ".

Maybe you don't know how the fire stations work in the Philippines and who pays what to whom.

Have a read about the self administered fire brigades in Tondo, you will learn something.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1501021]And why the hell we would we want a military presence in the Phillipines (sic)?[/QUOTE]Well, one of the world's most important shipping lanes is in the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1501021]No oil.[/QUOTE]In the SCS there is.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1501021]No Al qaeda.[/QUOTE]In Mindanao there's a hot Muslim insurrection. Perhaps you've heard of Zamboanga? Guess not.

Wonderfully succinct.

If Manny needs further edutainment, let me add that three of the top ten oil importers depend on oil tankers going thru the Malacca Straits. And then traveling north thru the SCS (China to the west / Philippines to the east) to countries Japan, Korea, China.

I would be especially interested in hearing from Manny how the US forces in Korea are valuable and why the US might be there forever. Does Korea subsidize the US forces like Japan does? X.

[QUOTE=Hutsori; 1501119]Well, one of the world's most important shipping lanes is in the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca.

In the SCS there is.

In Mindanao there's a hot Muslim insurrection. Perhaps you've heard of Zamboanga? Guess not.[/QUOTE]

"Maybe you don't know how the fire stations work in the Philippines and who pays what to whom.

Have a read about the self administered fire brigades in Tondo, you will learn something."

No we don't. Can you enlighten us or give us a relevant link? I saw their website it's a volunteer outfit.

The USA today repoet that Manny Pacquiao own the Philippine government 2. 2 be peso back tax and he have to borrow 1 MIL peso for the Haiyan typhoon relief.

Fast Eddie 48

While driving to Makati one evening recently, the taxi driver said that he could take me to plenty of places where women are available for a fee.

He mentioned "The Dormitory", and I recalled that this was the topic of discussion some time ago.

In fact, it was not a dormitory, but a casa in a quiet location. If anyone needs the location, just PM me. It is in Makati, on the boundary with Pasay.

Gangles

[QUOTE=MidniteRider; 1501379]"Maybe you don't know how the fire stations work in the Philippines and who pays what to whom.

Have a read about the self administered fire brigades in Tondo, you will learn something."

No we don't. Can you enlighten us or give us a relevant link? I saw their website it's a volunteer outfit.[/QUOTE]Tondo is a predominantly Chinese area. Filipinos consider Filipino Chinese (Tsinoys) to be slightly different and know they are generally more wealthy.

Many years ago, there were some fires in Tondo. Fire brigades manned by Filipinos attended the fire but refused to put them out until payment was made. This continued for some time till the local tongs (groups of tradespeople) announced they could no longer be blackmailed and set their own volunteer fire brigades.

So as not to confuse they painted their fire fighting vehicles a different colour and used smaller veihicles to better negotiate the narrow roads of Tondo.

Quezon city, with a large Tsinoy population also has some sporadic volunteer brigades.

In other cities, dependent on the population mix this can also occur, although its mainly in Manila.

Anyone know of a place doing an American-style Thanksgiving supper tonight in Makati, Pasay or Manila. I can only find a place in Ortigas, and I don't want the travel hassle. Thanks in advance.

[QUOTE=Gangles; 1501430]While driving to Makati one evening recently, the taxi driver said that he could take me to plenty of places where women are available for a fee.

He mentioned "The Dormitory", and I recalled that this was the topic of discussion some time ago.

In fact, it was not a dormitory, but a casa in a quiet location. If anyone needs the location, just PM me. It is in Makati, on the boundary with Pasay.

Gangles[/QUOTE]Please PM with the specifics, thanks.