I know what you must be thinking, "This guy is fucking crazy!", well in some regards you would be correct, but not in this case however. Of course, I am not saying that it's all good, there's two sides to every coin but, being an American ex-patriot who makes dollars and not pesos, please hear me out on this one. Yes, you can already guess why I support a declining peso value, it means more money in my pocket but there's more to this issue than just the obvious. Keep in mind that there are millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) all over the world that send money back home, money that is a major contributor to the overall economy here. When that money has a more favorable trade value, it buys more pesos- pesos that will go right back into the economy. Generally speaking, when more money flows back into an economy the stronger the economy will be. Don't think that I am not considering the negatives such as foreign exports costing more, I am not forgetting that but where is the majority of these exports coming from? I don't have exact numbers on this but I know that China is a major player. Just think about that for a second, Chinese goods or as I like to call them "Piece of Shit Chinese Garbage", look at powdered (toxic) milk for example, are the most commonly imported goods in this country. These are among the poorest quality goods on the entire planet and this country is buying them up like crazy, well, many countries are so that so many megastores can score a quick profit. I used to see goods selling in the US with the "Made in the Philippines" label and would assume that it was all the same, just like the "Made in Taiwan" or "Made in China" labels. Basically I thought that if it was made in Asia, it was cheaply made crap. Well, I know now that this is not the case as Filipino export goods are actually of good quality overall. The problem with the economy here, as I see it, is that the workforce is mostly based in the service industries. You know what I'm talking about here- call centers, nursing, hotel and restaurant management, etc. This is the result of so many foreign (mostly American multinational) corporations "outsourcing" jobs to other countries in order to save them money which, in turn, takes away jobs from the host country. The focus needs to change in order to see any real improvement in the economy, that from a service-based economy to a manufacturing-based economy. One thing that I noticed after having lived here for a while is that Filipinos are very mechanically inclined and good with their hands- it seems to be a gift that most of you are born with, us white people aren't quite so lucky in that department. This plays out in BOTH the service and manufacturing industries. Something else I have seen here, which I find quite disturbing, is the growing unemployment rate and the extreme lack of jobs. Overqualified people with degrees are practically fighting for jobs that even a monkey could do. Why the hell would you need an associates degree to be a cashier?- that's fucking ridiculous. With the population of the Philippines continuing to grow at an alarming rate, poor families having 10 or more children, what does the future hold? If there aren't enough jobs now what will happen when all of those children grow up and have their own families to support? OK, I know I'm getting a little sidetracked here but it all goes towards my original point. If you are a member of one of these grossly oversized families, how can you expect to go to college so you can get a rewarding career or perhaps become a successful entrepreneur- I'm not talking about a street vendor here. Well, much of the power lies in the OFW. Take for example if a OFW sends 100USD home to his family every month; When the dollar is only worth 40 pesos, that family only gets 4,000 pesos each month but when the peso value is less, like 50 pesos per dollar, that family gets 5,000 pesos per month. That extra money can be used for anything from more food and new clothes to a college fund savings account so the children born into these families can have a chance at a better life than their parents. The quality and diversity of programs offered by institutions of higher learner are on the rise and yet a quality education overall seems to be more of an option than a necessity. This extra money can be used for just this purpose. It does appear that the economy is improving but not at the rate that PGMA (President Arroyo) would like you to believe. I will say it again, in order for the economy to improve, the focus of industry must change and a larger manufacturing industry is paramount. This will create many more jobs, decrease the dependency on foreign manufactured goods and increase Filipino exports, all adding to the GNP dramatically. More Filipino exports means more money coming into this country, it's just that simple. If the peso has a lower trade value, the exports sold to other countries will bring in more money overall if, of course, the county importing the Filipino goods is buying with their native currency. Perhaps there are pieces to this puzzle that I am missing, my research isn't as extensive as it could be but this is all to be taken as a synopsis of my overall impression. I am not a rich man by any stretch and a low peso has allowed my monthly pension to go from a low of around 14,000 pesos to a high of over 17,000 pesos and it all goes back into this economy. I know how hard it is here and that is why I "Share the Wealth" and buy most of my necessities from the smaller guys ie. street vendors and small, family owned stores, periodically changing who I buy from so more people can benefit from my patronage. I have some good ideas up my sleeve and have noticed that there are many things that just plain don't exist out here or are in low supply. Obviously a demand for something must be present but how can there be a demand if the product or service is rare or non-existent? There is so much potential for new (domestic) goods and services here that the possibilities are nearly limitless. I intend, someday, to bring my ideas to life and grace their presence upon the Filipino people. I want to do my part in improving this economy and will hire employees based upon desire and potential and not necessarily education. We have to break the cycle- if someone really wants a job, they should be able to get a job without having to worry about age/height/education discrimination. My wife actually got turned down from a job because she is only 4'11" tall and they require that you be 5'2"- talk about fucked up! I pledge to anyone who currently owns a business or is planning on owning one to take this into consideration. If someone is bright and energetic with a genuine need and desire to work to the best of their ability, HIRE THEM! You don't need a degree to be a cashier or a merchandiser- that's just silly, and you should never age or height discriminate. Why would you need to be 22 years old or younger to serve pizza at Pizza Hut? At 22 years old and younger you are just a kid, give jobs to responsible adults with families. I not only pledge to do this when I open my own business(es) but will spread my ideas like a virus. Please let me know what your personal feelings are about any part of this blog, I appreciate any comments, criticisms or concerns and welcome any joint venture invites or partnerships. I may not have the wealth but I have the ideas and the initiative. Let us all work together in the common goal of making the Philippines the next first-world nation in Asia and give our children and our children's children a chance at a brighter tomorrow. It begins now, with us!