Philippine news

Bloomberg has an article on the improved economy in the Philippines

but they get it wrong: Saying it is "despite Duterte". They are missing that he is not just against drugs but against  Corruption.

The reason for people not being willing to invest include corruption costs, not just the price of bribes but because a lot of the money supposed to improve the infrastructure gets diverted, resulting in shoddy workmanship and delays.

Rappler article. has details (Rappler is an investigative reporter site and usually anti Duterte).

In the USA, business is seen as "evil" so the culture in schools etc. urge kids to go into SJW type stuff.

Here, it is recognized that what is needed is jobs, so we don't have to send ten percent of our population elsewhere to find jobs and so the poor can find work near their families.
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the big controversy here is the permission to bury Marcos. A lot of those who suffered under Marcos, or were involved in the EDSA revolution are upset.

Ex President General Ramos pointed out that, unlike himself, Marcos never repented or tried to make up for his excesses. (Ramos risked his life by backing Cory in the EDSA revolution).

Marcos never repented nor did he ever try to make up for his "excesses"...he had to be sued to get some of the stolen money returned to the Philippine people, for example. Rappler article on the billions of dollars stolen by Marcos. and of the numerous lawsuits etc trying to get it back.

Marcos was a war hero and had a lot of support from his local area. (Translation: The family are still in politics and have a lot of power . Money will buy votes, but also clans run a lot of the provinces, so locals cheer for their own. As the saying goes: Yes, he's an SOB but he's OUR SOB).

Of course, in their defense, the family claims they didn't steal the money from the Philippine people: They found Yamashita's gold.

That is a famous conpsiracy theory type mystery: Where was it hidden, and who found it, or is it still there? Actually, even if the treasure trove existed, and even if Marcos found it, the gold was stolen by the Japanese from many places in SEAsia so should have been returned.

Also, although people are still proud of the EDSA revolution, they also recognize that Cory was too weak to punish the corrupt and push through needed reforms. Things improved with Ramos, but then things stagnated until Duterte took charge.

Duterte said it is time to forgive and move on, but that is not easy for those who had family members who suffered under Marcos.

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