“If you want any industry to improve, just give them competition”
Towards the weekend, our senior business columnist Boo Chanco posted a story on Facebook about how Vietnam will soon allow 100% ownership of companies put up by foreign investors. It did not take long for respected opinion leaders and followers of Boo Chanco to comment on the possible reasons why Vietnam would do such a thing and why such progressive and forward thinking policies would never happen in the Philippines.
In brief, Boo’s on-line friends commented that Vietnam’s bold move was a manifestation of their confidence (presumably because of their political and economic stability, where the government has continuity and control of the country’s direction). Such confidence could also be construed as “cultural” and “political humility or open mindedness” of Vietnam’s government to welcome help or to partner with investors who have vast experience and resources that could contribute to the nation’s growth.
On the flipside or Filipino side, others countered that it would never happen in the Philippines because “the leftists would surely raise hell,” while investors will continue to be turned off by the “high wages, red tape and never ending variation and multiple interpretations of the law.” I was tempted to add one of the many standard Filipino remarks but I quickly realized that there was more to the matter than a “Like” or another status post.
I remembered the comment on how competition would instantly put local businesses in order, and it dawned upon me that the real reason why the Philippine government has not embarked on a program or policy like Vietnam is because the Philippine government is created, operated and manipulated by big business and rich families in the Philippines who would all end up in the poor house when faced by established and professionally run corporations.
While the PNoy Misadministration recognizes the low and insignificant numbers related to Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), you have to wonder why they have not acted with intentionality the same way they tried to improve tourist arrivals by giving it cabinet level focus or sending political enemies to jail. The reason is big business does not want it, are not supporting it and therefore “media” and politicians will not promote or push for it. We have also heard and read so many criticisms about the economic growth as being exclusive to the top 5% or 10% of Filipinos. While all other countries in the ASEAN are studying, making plans and gearing up for expansion when ASEAN integration begins in mid-2016, there is very little being said and done locally to prepare.
All of this is indicative of how “confident” the “Exclusive and Big Business ” is in the Philippines. They are confident that they have enough influence to protect their interests from foreign competition while being able to put in place agents supportive of protectionists “safety nets”. If all that fails, there is the good old “state of corruption” that these elite businessmen actually sustain because they can navigate this minefield and still make money while law abiding foreign companies find themselves bound to integrity and trust doctrines both local and international such as the European and American “Anti-corruption and Anti trust doctrines.”
* * *
Any legitimate, ethical and professional group that studies or investigates political process in the Philippines will likely discover in 48 hours that the so-called candidates, “Presidentiables”, political parties, trends and developments are largely false, manufactured and manipulated by a band of local and foreign con artists paid to brainwash the public to believe that there is an ongoing democratic process that is slowly bringing out a “choice” or line-up.
The saddest part of it all is that mainstream media has unwittingly or lazily agreed to go with the flow because many of us are essentially part of the middle or upper class with jobs to protect and a way of life we want to preserve by promoting the “right” choice. If that is not the case then there are a number of practitioners who’ve set aside facts and reality just to file stories that can be classified as fiction and fantasy and non-educational material!
Last week, Filipinos were treated to several comedies of errors beginning with claims that the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition had decided to support one candidate as President. In less than 24 hours an NPC official labeled the announcement as false. Then someone leaked to the media that our Governor in Batangas province Vilma Santos was being wooed to become a Vice-Presidential candidate; 48 hours later Governor Vi is quoted as saying: “That’s news to me.” The fact of the matter is that since the beginning of the year, we have been introduced to candidates or Presidentiables who have never publicly announced their intention or their plans to be candidates. So officially and logically they are all NOT candidates and anything they say is absolute hogwash.
I am not ranting or trying to exercise my apolitical brain. What I am trying to do, in spite of the fact that it amounts to swimming against the current, is to point out to the thinking and educated Filipinos that 90% of the “political issues” and media reports are all part of the mass brainwash being instituted by Big Business and their political minions who want to direct the course of the 2016 election and the ultimate results. That election will not be a democratic exercise because the entire campaign will be conducted on the strength of billions of pesos, that only big business and corrupt politicians and parties have. This, my friends, is why I have refused to say who my candidate is for 2016. It is not a choice; it is a done deal that’s being decided by the “Exclusive Rich.”
* * *
E-mail: utalk2ctalk@gmail.com