Invest in the Philippines?

there is a lot of stuff going on here: we got a second mall and now we see shops and restaurants  opening (and closing) all the time. 

With the covid epidemic over more people are moving to work overseas. Alas, since I had dengue two years ago, I am essentially home bound (I kept asking the docs to check why I am so weak, and after extensive checking they smiled and pointed out that I am old. Sigh). 

 But I do see development going on: Joy working on a government project to help on the business side of the farmers coop for organic food in Bulacan (she is a trained accountant but took advanced business courses thanks to Goldman sachs 1000 women initiative a few years ago).

we are gradually mechanizing our farm here, which I have written about in previous posts. But cleaning out the irrigation canal means less irrigation water this season but more available in future years. And then there is the plan to put solar panels in our area to supplement electricity to Manila and also locally. And we already have advanced internet connectivity, not to mention Star link is starting to be available (we have two internet connections: One with Globe, the local phone company and one with Huawei. The reason? Partly a back up if the lines break.

this video is about investment in the infrastructure of the Philippines: to us it means instead of what was once a four hour drive to Manila is now two to three hours (in heavy traffic it can take up to five hours), and in the near future shorter, rail lines to replace the slow buses. We still will have to use our trucks to transport the rice to the market, but for meetings and trade fairs, we won't have to use our cars.

they are also tightening up the checking about our OFW, to make sure they aren't getting cheated or exploited. The bad news: my granddaughter has a job that she got through her school connections to teach in Thailand, but since she didn't do paperwork or have a recruiter to do that, she has to do lots of paperwork.

So far she is teaching on line so she still has the job offer, but it is a hassle.

Well, anyway my Youtube connection keeps putting up cheerful videos on how the government is working on infrastucture etc. which will allow businesses to invest here.

The good news? We have an English speaking educated and trained workforce who might prefer to work here instead of overseas. The bad news? corruption of course.

Part of this is to attract business investments from companies who were burned by China and also because Chinese wages are going up. The bad news? Our wages tend to be higher than places like Viet Nam. But if the infrastructure improves it would be cost effective

Marcos was elected because people remember how his father attracted business (ignore that his government devolved by overreacting to the Communist threat and started jailing non communist opposition).

You have to realize that things here are run by your connections: Friends and relatives. This is good, but it does make it hard for outsiders to break into the oligarchy which is mainly Chinese or old families but now includes a lot of Protestant businessmen (joy's business connections often are fellow Protestant Christians)

so the Pope's emphasis on giving to charity ignores that the saying: Give a man a fish and he eats for one day. Teach him to fish and he feeds himself.

So here are two videos (advertisements of course) on what is being done:

,,,,this video also discusses the pros and cons of tariffs and how it affects local rice growers and also discusses how the government is pushing development of infrastructure.

one thing not noted: If China goes nuts and invades Taiwan, the Philippines will be involved, not just because China is grabbing the West Philippine sea, but that this would increase China's ability to block the sealanes from the Middle East.

So will they start a war before Trumpieboy takes over and scares them into staying quiet?

And another factor about the WPS: there are extensive natural gas deposits there that China has long offered to "help' the Philippines develop (read steal them). Access to those fields could improve the economies not just of the Philippines but of Viet Nam which is another country trying to attract investments.