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Duterte (part 2)

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  1. #361

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    Around 30% of the labour force work in agriculture and on many of the 7100 islands there is nothing but agriculture. It therefore needs to be handled gently and gradually to avoid even more social unrest. It only accounts for 10% of GDP but is an overwhelming drag on growth. 90% of the economy is growing at 7% or so, then this 10% at less than 1%. Unfortunately the last serious investment in agriculture was when they built the rice terraces over 2000 years ago.

    If agriculture output could be doubled (easily achieved) poverty levels would collapse overnight.

    You ask what the problems are that have held the Philippines back? Well I could write a book on that - but in a nutshell "The Families". The landowning feudal aristocracy from the Spanish era (and that includes the Catholic Church). They own the media (newspapers and TV), Congress, the land, much of business legal and illegal. They have private armies to enforce their empires. The Philippines never had the revolutions that happened in Europe so the aristocracy are still in charge.

    The end result is corruption and complete blocks to competition including a Constitution that legally prevents it. Why would you want competition when the status quo is so profitable? A totally ineffective judicial system. A corrupt media.

    Duterte is a junior baron in English historical terms but is trying to smash it up - hence the language as he has admitted himself. However the aristocrats are exceptionally well connected, for example the Clintons, hence the disconnect between the views of Filipinos and the outside world. If Duterte fails then I think there will be an uprising with the end result a Marcos back in power perhaps followed by the communists.

  2. #362

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    The tarrifs are set at a level not to make the rice too expensive, that is the whole point. Local rice 30 peso. Imported rice 17 peso plus 30% = 22 peso. Customer still 8 peso better off (actually the estimate is 5 to 7 peso). Hence the significant impact on inflation. 5 peso a kilo goes to develop local farmers so their price can come down to match. Yes the consumer is paying that tariff so it is a hidden cost I agree.

  3. #363

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    It's a bit silly to say you can move to a free market overnight since it doesn't really exist anywhere. Every country has policies to protect certain industries. It's all very easy to say that it's good for "the people" but everywhere there are different vested interests with links to power. It's simply unrealistic to say that a government can act in a vacuum. Those who are in power whether in a democracy or not have debts to pay and are accountable to others. A totally free market is about as achievable as peace on earth.


  4. #364

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    Another SCMP classic "Duterte channels Marcos in calling for Philippines name change". Though to be fair the article is taken from Bloomberg.

    Unless you consider "perhaps someday we should change the name" to be calling for the name change.

    The name of Maharlika was first proposed by a Liberal Party senator in the 1960s and then taken up by Marcos.

    It is not a particularly novel idea: Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, wasn't Taiwan called Formosa?


  5. #365

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    It would be a good idea to change the name of the country to better reflect its inhabitants instead of honoring the colonial oppressors of the past


  6. #366

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    It would be a good idea to change the name of the country to better reflect its inhabitants instead of honoring the colonial oppressors of the past
    Yes I think most people agree, but it takes a lot of money to change so is it worth it is really the issue. Quite a nice name too .

  7. #367

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    Arrested for libel in a case brought by someone libelled in 2012. Rappler falsely accused him of being a human trafficker and drug smuggler. Do you defend libel of innocent people?


    History (I might have got some of the years a bit out)

    2010/11 Supreme Court orders land in the Aquino/Cojuanco Hacienda be distributed to tenant farmers under the land reform Act

    2011/2012 Aquino refuses to give up land, farmers strike, some are shot dead
    Chief Justice of SC Corona says he will seek justice for the farmers
    Rappler is founded receives a lot of money from the Liberal Party and associates
    Corona faces impeachment (purely coincidentally)
    Rappler launches a long series of attacks on Corona and his associates which is where this libel comes from.

  8. #368

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    At least two "fabrications" (otherwise known as lies) in that report.

    The case was not filed by "officials" but by the businessman. Officials can't file a libel case, it has to be the person libelled.

    Apparently there were "plain clothes party officials" present at the arrest. Which party and which officials would this be? They were NBI as it says elsewhere. "Party officials" is so much better sounding though even if it is totally made up.

  9. #369

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    OK then, which "party" and which "officials" were present? Can officials file a libel case?

    I have given up complaining to the BBC. They correct stuff but it takes months so there is no point.

  10. #370

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    While you are working out your answer to my previous questions here is another one. They were "plain clothes party officials" so what would uniformed party officials look like?

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