the fall from 2nd place

Been reading things about the Philippine history lately.

It's painfully funny when you re-encounter the fact that our economy, for a long time, at the early part of the 20th century, was 2nd only to Japan in Asia. I mean, we were even bigger than China. Bigger than South Korea. And yet those two nations, has already hosted the Olympics to date.

What happened?

Greed and corruption?

But greed and corruption is everywhere. Wall Street is going through a greed and corruption tele-novela right now but it is unthinkable that USA would lose its preeminent position as the number 1 economy anytime soon.

So, what gives?

Then, you ask - what were we doing "right" during those times that we were held in "esteem"?

The answer, America!

We were the primary westernization object of America at that time. She put in place industry, democracy, rule of law and free education. To give you a glimpse of what they were doing at that time, think what they are doing now in Iraq and in Afghanistan but scale it down a bit in terms of TV coverage, 24-hour cable news and talking heads :- )

When America was running the show here, we have to understand that we did not have any flourishing industry. Business was not the strong suit of the Spanish Conquistadores. They are into kings and queens. So, how come we were 2nd in terms of economic size?

Simple answer - most of our lush forest was exported by the Americans in the Philippines to Americans in the United States of America! This would explain why during this time the foreign exchange was $1:PhP1 to $1:PhP2. The Americans in America must give the Americans in the Philippines a reason to stay in the Philippines to "build the country". Meaning, the earnings of Philippine-based Americans would not depreciate if these earnings would be brought to the United States.

As time rolled on towards the 60s and the 70s, what begun as an economic adventure during the start of the 20th century has turned into a proof of concept exercise. The Americans wanted to prove, and has already proven around this time, to the whole world that democracy, as a "product", can be exported to the Far East and thrive.

Simply put, the Philippines were the living testimonies to the Asian monarchies and the two, then, powerful Communist regimes (remember USSR aka Russia and Red China) that there is another way to govern people.

Remember, we were the ones who elected all our Presidents after Emilio Aguinaldo including the 20-year President. Coincidentally, around President Marcos' ascent to Malacanang, our forest and mineral resources, the primary engine of our economic growth for the past decades, is showing its limits. (This is, for me, the start of the end of an American Adventure to the Far East. A new chapter is being written. More on this on the next blog.)

And as the Asian region embraces democracy and communism's powers waned, America's hold on the Philippines relaxed.

This is why the Philippines has been esteemed by its Asian neighbors during 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. We were a very big social experiment. A very huge commitment. A statement. An example of what the United States of America can do! We were the result of a strategy to promote and to sell that democracy is the way of the future to and for the Far East.

And being a testimony to the wonders of democracy, it is but natural that we, the Philippines, will be a country under the scrutiny of the microscope. That's why you hear stories and read emails stating that the South Koreans were envious of the "progressive" Philippines back in the 60s. But my plea is this - please, my fellow Filipinos, do not stop at "they were envious of us" because they were not simply envious. They were doing homework!

My point, we fell from 2nd place because our economy, for the longest time was base on natural resources, forest and minerals. And by now, we have exported almost 80% of it, compared to early 20th century numbers, across the globe. Now that we do not have much anymore to sustain our ever growing population, 90 million and counting, what's next?

Well, we are, apparently, a messed up race. Our psyche is one of a pampered and spoiled brat! We want results now, that we are exporting our next natural resources - our people, and selling our lands to foreigners!

Though we can do reforestation for we already have a science for that. And thank God, we are aware that we have to enforce the law. But I think, it is far more challenging to "reforest" the soul of our people.

And the challenge starts with knowing what really happened to us, as a country, minus the finger-pointing and the impatience of a hormonally fired up teenager! We have to accept that it takes time to change! We have to accept that our past economic success up to the 1960s is an off shoot of the fact that we were a big and "successful" sales pitch for democracy to the Far East!

We have to know this. We have to accept this fact! We have to accept that we, the Philippines, had a role to play for democracy to spread in Asia, not that we wanted it or we were even aware of it during those times :- )

But we have to know it and accept it now so that we can start to write a new chapter.

This will not be the first time a country looks back to the past to get better. All that we know of the Great Roman Empire, was written 300-400 years after the start of Roman Empire. This written history was the writer's way to understand why they are where they are so that they can propagate Pax Romana even further. Another example is actually the story of United States of America. They looked to the past and transported an idea from the Romans which we now called - democracy!

To end, as our Asian neighbors studied us in the past decades, its time for us to study them now for they have progressed so much. Now, it is our turn to stay up late and burn the midnight oil. Now we know how the South Koreans and Singaporeans felt during the 1960s :- )

Lord, I will be still and know that You are God! You are in control! You have a plan for us, Filipinos!