Vacation and Observations about Philippines part 2

... From page 1

(http://hubpages.com/_dyesebel10/hub/Vacation-and-Observations-about-Philippines)


This article was contributed to me by a friend. Here it goes.

------------------------------

Next day we went to the mall, there’s not much difference as compared in the US. They are selling the same brand but a little expensive as compared to US. I saw lots of television sets on display. One thing that caught my attention is Samsung television. I will critique, in the early 60’s we are assembling televisions, stereos and radio sets in the manufacturing facility in Mandaluyong City. We are in a better position to rival the Japanese than Koreans in this field of industry. For some reason people stopped patronizing these locally assembled brand, instead they bought imported counterpart while Samsung of Korea continues to develop with the help of their government. Today, Samsung is well placed in the electronics industry. They owned thousands of patents to protect their inventions and business existence. I thought we should learn a lesson from this experience or we don’t know what the lesson is all about.

As we hopped from store to store, I noticed most of the products they are selling are imported goods. This is beginning to make me wonder what’s going on here? Colonial mentality is still part of our culture. The OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) are sending dollars to the Philippines, NOT MILLIONS BUT BILLIONS, yet these dollars leave this country as soon as you purchase imported goods. My question in my mind is, can’t they purchase locally made products like clothes, shoes, foods etc. to keep some dollars here? This will generate employment as well because they will create demands for locally made goods. I heard that shoe industry in Marikina is dying slowly because of imported shoes coming in our country without control. It’s the same thing happening in the garment industry. Patronizing your own product is not a protectionist act as others will argue, this is about job creation for our kababayan (fellowmen) and keep their pride we once had as the best manufacturer on this part of the region.

Even in the entertainment industry, some population preferred foreign movies, NBA’s, foreign music etc. In prestigious events like sports or beauty pageant, contestants from non-English speaking country around the world speak in their native language so the world can hear how sweet it is. Isn’t it sweet to hear our entry speak Tagalog, shout “Mabuhay” so the world will hear it?

In 2008, the OFWs remitted $16,430,000,000 (billions of dollars) or $16.43B and will grow by as much as 10% in 2009 to $17.8B. Imagine if portion of this money will be used to stimulate our economy by buying locally made goods and services, this money will not leave our country, it will circulate and multiply and create jobs. This money will invite investors to build manufacturing facilities for our “kababayans” (fellow countrymen) so they will not leave our country and their family to work abroad. Moreover, the opportunity of exporting the products they made is a big challenge for Pinoy (Filipino) ingenuity and creativity which we are known for. Unfortunately, the big chunk of this money leaves quickly as we remit them because most of the recipients purchase imported goods and services – meaning the hard earned dollars just pass and will come back again and the cycle goes on and on.

Thanks to the 9 million Filipinos spread all over the globe who endure the hardship of being away from their loved ones, a necessity and not by choice to have a decent living which they can’t afford if they stay home. Filipinos on every trade migrate to other countries to find jobs no matter how much and how long they will take them to get there, even sometimes pawning their properties. Some were killed or abused with no clear justice given.