The Political Economy of Permanent Crisis in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

The goernmental sparing of Permanent Crisis in the Philippines EssayIn a world where competition regains tougher and tighter, it does non pay to antic around and settle with typical and average situations. It is non valuable that we settle for anything less. Hence, it is necessary that we improve on what we got and acquire many assets that we do not possess. However, looking on the Philippine context, statistics prove that we lag shtup few countries more than disappointingly, behind some countries which were once at the bottom before. How did this happen? History whitethorn give the answers moreover what matters is how the government approached the dilemmas the region was facing few years back. Chapter Six of the book, The Anti-Development State The Political Economy of Permanent Crisis in the Philippines by Walden Bello talks about unsustainable development. Sustainable development what could this mean? As defined in the book, sustainable development is the develop ment that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of in store(predicate) generations to meet their own needs. The chapter then discussed about environmental concerns in relevance with the economical policies. Economic activities cannot be separated from the environment since we get resources from the environment in order to produce goods or services that we exercising up for economic purposes and to supply the necessities of people. Walden Bello takes up the mining and logging fabrication when both were at their peak.On mining industry, the government was almost over-the-top generous on dispatchering various incentives to multinational corporations for them to suggest the verdants vast mineral resources. However, the side-effect of this, on the other hand, was that the native people living inside the area of the mine sites involved were eventu whollyy out of the governments concern, consideration, and protection. The situation sets the fact th at the indigenous peoples community and welfare were unmercifully ignored. The government focused on improving and strengthen the mining sector for future capital inflow that the benefit and well-being of the indigenous people were disregarded. Would the inflow of m whizy really be used for public necessities? Or would it be kept in the pockets of some few privileged elites?Going now to the logging industry, on that point was a time when this sector boomed and the Philippines had receive the fifth-largest exporter of timber in the world market. Of course, the government was obviously overwhelmed when some logger-turned-politicians gained control over the logging industry and granted special considerations, and exemptions to legitimized illegal logging (as referred to by former DENR Sec. Victor Ramos). Soon after, more and more trees were cut and abused. Although the Department of National Resources (DENR) tried to secure and protect the trees, their power was not liberal. Illega l loggers became high-pressure to the point where they would kill DENR rangers that would stop them. Loggers got off delirious because the government tolerated the act of cutting trees that had become astray legitimately illegal.As said in the chapter, environmental equilibrium and economic strategy were simply in contradiction. Sustainable development needs balance. Implementing economic policies for economic interests is a necessity only when having them to tolerate environmental degradation could get things worse. That instead of sustaining development, abuse of natural resources may mean halting of progress. Speaking of progress, in that respect are several causes that brings a coarse to the bottom or worse, to a downfall although there is this iodin popular factor affecting and/or hindering development which is the trendy rottenness. Whether be it a petty one, or ratchet decadency, still they contribute to the economic stagnation of the call down. But can we really goddamned our slow growth with this factor?Chapter seven tackles about corruption and poverty with the intellection that it is not corruption per se that causes poverty and economic stagnation. With the latter, the chapter brings up the cases of chum salmon capitalism evident in some administrations oddly during the presidency of Joseph Estrada. The bottom-line of the chapter lies with the idea that underdevelopment of the Philippines mustiness(prenominal) not be blamed wholly on corruption but it is with the regnant elite groups having control over the market, resources, some people, and others. Specifically, chum capitalism enters the scenario.During the reign of Joseph Estrada, transactions involving him and some wealthy personalities and public officials were the reasons that brought his supremacy down. Discussed in the chapter were Estradas four notorious cronies namely Lucio Tan, determination Jimenez, Dante Tan, and Danding Cojuangco. Obviously, these four people wer e Estradas friends and what do friends do? They nutrition and help for each one other. Just like what these cronies did for Estrada, they gave him support through providing him cash, campaign arrangement, political connections, and other contributions for his campaign. Of course, for a friend that has been given big things, the debt of gratitude comes next, or what we call, utang na loob. True enough, we cannot really get rid of that attitude of ours since we Filipinos value pakikisama. Back to Estrada, as a corking friend, he gave them something in return. Estrada used his powers as a mortal supreme being to repay his crony friends.He gave them what they wanted. Just like what happened to his first listed friend, Lucio Tan. Lucio Tan, back then, was charged with a tax evasion case. It was one of the biggest tax evasion case in the Philippines history. Yes, talk about Php 25 billion. hearing this, Estrada declared his intention on abolishing the government agency responsible for going after the people with muddied wealth. Getting away with your wrongdoings because of a connection smart thinking, Mr. Lucio. Another issue involving Lucio Tan, as the owner of Philippine Airlines ( chum up), was when he suspended the flights among Philippines and Taiwan because of his accusation that Taiwans China Airlines and EVA Airways are theft the passengers of PAL by implementing lower prices. Lucio Tan accused them of violating the passenger quotas in a bilateral air-services agreement. With the suspension, PAL was able to acquire more passengers.Well, good for PAL. But on the other hand, the suspension meant some diplomatic argument between PH and Taiwan. Just so happened during that time, PH depended on Taiwan for jobs, trade, and tourists. Unfortunately, the suspension was not really of a well-timed move to exasperate the country that we rely upon. Another friend was Mark Jimenez. Mark was charged of several accounts of fraud, tax evasion, and illegal campaign co ntribution in the US. As he heard of the news, Mark pushed himself in the circle of Estrada. As a friend, again, Estrada said he would take forethought of the situation a friend to the rescue, indeed. At some point, Mark Jimenez was in like manner a great agent back then. He was described as a corporate genius by the former president. Surely, they did things for each other whether be it legal or illegal, right or wrong.Dante Tan, however, was one of the identified depositors in the noteworthy Jose-Velarde account. Dante got caught up with issue on Best World (BW) controversy. BW experienced a strange share-price step-up that led for an investigation. However, the actually good friend himself, Joseph Estrada, became a hero once more from saving the locution of Jimenez. Estrada told the investigators to clear the name of Jimenez and that was it, another name saved. It was another getaway from a transgression.Lastly, the final friend and crony listed was Danding Cojuangco. Durin g Marcos regime, he made Danding as the director of the Philippine Coconut Administration (PCA), meaning, as appointed in a powerful position, Danding could make use of the funds from the said government agency. Danding used the funds of PCA to be able to invest to few corporations making the public funds turn into private ones. He successfully managed to own one of his precious possessions, the San Miguel Corporation, which was allegedly bought through the PCA funds. Another issue with Danding was the matter on field reform. Cojuangco tried to control various lands while assumingly giving up his claims as a landowner all of these possible because of Estradas lavish support to his friend.Tying and combining all of the cases higher up, it is safe to assume that Estrada has been a corrupt official. Tolerating all the bribery and fraud, shamefully as the most powerful public official whom must be the one showing examples as a good citizen. Cronies of Estrada were undoubtedly good fri ends to him and so was he. He received praises as an outstanding friend of course, from the four cronies he had. He might actually get an award as the Best Friend of the Year award, if there is one. Being a great, helpful, and generous chum salmon is totally superb and fantastic. Helping is not bad, nor is being generous kind not either. But there are limits that one must know upon giving in to something immoral and illegal.True enough that the cases above were brought about by cronyism and corruption few factors adding up to the causes of underdevelopment. Philippines stagnation has been heavily present with corruption a fact. Even so, corruption has been the evil word being associated with the countrys low-down description. Ask anyone on what causes Philippines underdevelopment, I would not even put the effort on asking since I know that almost everyone would answer, corruption. Truth is, corruption cannot be removed in a snap, nor it cannot be eradicated at all. Corruption is not some litter that can be swept off and be dissolved forever, but corruption is somewhat a permanent phenomenon.The only way to armed combat it is probably to defame it and prevent it from happening. Nonetheless, we are not living in a perfect world. We cannot observe everyone in this country if they are doing anything illegal and if they are being corrupt. My point is, petty corruption may be almost anywhere and somewhat unnoticeable. The important thing is we must be able to minimize and control ratchet corruption, as it is being associated with big sums of money that will have an effect over the countrys growth. Whatever it may be, still, corruption is illegitimate as for it promotes interests only for private gains. And some(prenominal) Estrada and his cronies did, they contributed to the countrys economic underdevelopment.Although we always blame corruption for poverty and economic stagnation, is it fair enough that we point to corruption per se as the whole sinner for th is tumbled economy? In the same chapter, Bello also points out that economic stagnation cannot just be attributed to corruption and cronyism. He brought up cases linked with our countrys neighbors as being developed even though they have high statistics on corruption cases. An example given was South Korea. South Korea also experienced extensive corruption and yet their country grew and grew until now. The argument is, if some corrupt countries are able to attain growth and development, maybe corruption is not the key cause of economic stagnation.As positd, Jens Chr. Andvig and Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, Brunetti, Kisunku, Weder in 1997, and Paldam in 1999, surveyed econometric studies testing the relationship between corruption and economic growth. In their survey, they found out that GDP growth is insignificant. Although some of them said that a country is corrupt because it is poor.Going back to basics and as democracyd in the chapter, corruption is loosely defined to be the misuse of public resources by a public agent for private gains. The ascertain taken from the chapter says that wrong behaviors of the elites are the primary reasons why the Philippines remains to be a unclouded put forward. Our country seems to be experiencing anarchy of families (as stated by Alfred McCoy and termed by anthropologist Robert Fox). Due to the ruling class and other shameful and opportunistic elites, they have been dominating the state using their social power and money. As the elites being important in the country, they have their ways on protecting and getting their interests against the public interests of the state.The disappointing part is that the state has been continuously tolerating and serving these elites through providing them their private interests. As a result, the states autonomy washy because the public resources were privatized and benefitted elite families. The government could no longer fight against these families due to the fact that a weak state has already been existing and elites are the ones being strengthened. It is an awfully bad combination that the country has tight elite families and a weak state wherein few elite families are enjoying the privatization of public resources while the states resources are weakening.Now, as to connect the latter with the pointed out root of the states stagnation which is corruption, it all trickles down to the idea that both of these are the factors why the Philippines lags behind neighbor countries. But as to slightly defend corruption, Walden Bello suggests and emphasizes that corruption is not the real cause of poor Philippines rather it is the weak state and the abusive elites. The thing is, people tend to not consider the underlying cause of the states puzzle. Some ignorant people are likely focusing on the proximate causes and not on the ultimate cause which is why the approach on the problem has not been pretty much virtual(a) and somehow progress is not really achieved.Walde n Bello again pressed the issue on corruption vis--vis the ruling elites when he stated in the chapter that these elite families are using corruption as an escape coffin nail and weapon with the hope that they may take over the power of the public officials and to have something to blame for the countrys economic stagnation. As a result, we keep on blaming corruption as the sole problem of our states underdevelopment. Our minds are focused on this target that we do not consider any longer the root cause of our problem.It is stated in the chapter that the idea that we are poor because we are corrupt is conceptually and empirically flawed. That idea has been used to strengthen the power of local elites and empower the neoliberal thought including privatization and deregulation, which are in favor of the ruling elites.In conclusion, Bello stated that what the state needs for development is not less, but more state. This is to give importance of the states supremacy over the elites. Th is means that the weak state must be transformed to a strong state by realizing the greater autonomy of the state than the little prowess of the elites.Strategies on attaining sustainable development must be done accordingly. Taking in consideration some of the points given above, it is strongly clear that the state must act on the increment of the upper class. Given the fact that the Americans have inculcated in the Philippines their pattern of a weak central confidence which in turn gives power to the upper class and prevented, eventually, a developed state, this means that the Philippines had adapted a system in what we call, the EDSA System, as described by Bello.EDSA System is democratic in the sense that it makes the electoral procedure as its weapon for political success. Still, politics in the Philippines are well-dominated by the elite and upper class people and somehow manipulating and sabotaging the Philippines developmental system.Lessons from reading the chapters giv en above have brought about the idea that the political and economic development of the Philippines was worsened over the past years especially through the EDSA System. However, the very fact this book was published is to bring together some analysis supported with historical facts that would work some valid suggestions on letting in development in the Philippines.In the end, Philippines developmental plans must proceed to its maximum ability and have an alternative political economy that would boost the political and economic sectors. Build up the strong state and minimize the elites powers.The way out of national impasse is not far from possible that is, unless, if we move the EDSA system out of the Philippines political economy.