Pinoy Blog-3: Philippines is around 2 centuries behind—really?

To Take A Stand
By Rafael M. Alunan III
Philippines: Around 2 centuries behind

Something in the news caught my eye late last week. Several sources cited an ADB study entitled “A Cross-Country Analysis of Achievements and Inequities in Economic Growth and Standards of Living” that framed what I had long sought to find out, i.e., how far behind is the Philippines vis–vis its neighbors and the world?

The ADB disclosed last Thursday, May 7, the study authored by economist Hyun Son of ITSS Economics and Research Department based on data from 177 countries covering the period 2000 to 2007. While the precise calculation of the study’s findings may still need further expert vetting, it’s a matter of getting its drift.

To the point, it would take the Philippines between 132 years and 241 years — depending on the indicator being measured — to catch up with the living standards of industrialized countries at its current pace of economic growth. The disparity in per capita income was far greater than in the other indicators of living standards. Even if the calculations were off by 10 or even 20%, the gaps remain dismayingly wide.

Six indicators were factored: per capita GDP at 2005 purchasing power parity terms; life expectancy at birth; adult literacy rate; primary enrollment rate; under-5 survival rate; and births attended by skilled health personnel.

The ADB said these indicators were selected to reflect the people’s material well-being, health, and education. They are also a mix of inputs and results that satisfy certain criteria, such as availability of data and statistical correlation with other development indicators.

The Bank said that while economic growth is essential, it is not enough to improve a society’s total well-being. Factors other than income also impact on a country’s standard of living. Increases in public spending, for example, must be matched by investments in good planning, service delivery, and management of public services.

Evidence suggests that the poorest one-fifth of the ASEAN countries examined by the study receive less than one-fifth of state education and health expenditures, while the richest fifth get more. This is because spending is often biased toward services for the moneyed class.

The harsh reality today is that the Philippines is no better off than Bangladesh. It is only beaten by Pakistan, and Nepal, which is seen as unable to catch up with the rest of the world. Versus its ASEAN neighbors, Indonesia is slightly ahead of the Philippines, while Thailand and Vietnam are at rough parity with the World’s average condition, which is slightly more than half a century behind the Industrialized Countries.

From being touted as the second most powerful economy in Asia after Japan up to the early 1960s, the Philippines careened down the slippery slope of irresponsibility to where it is today, some 50 years later, around second from the bottom.

I don’t fault the government alone for this, although it must be held accountable for its outrageous contributions to the failure. The fault is collectively ours. From patriotism to self-discipline to self-sufficiency to self-reliance, the Philippines is a national disaster that, from the looks of it, remains headed toward a black hole.

The nation’s disunity and disarray across-the-board is evidently society’s roll ing failure spanning generations, largely due to deficits in leadership and followership; governance and civics; ethics and lawfulness; performance and achievement. Deficits in what former Senator Jovito Salonga describes as the “intangibles that make a nation great.”

Come now the 2010 national elections and a parade of presidential candidates. Unless a miracle happens, that will be another futile exercise and nail in the country’s coffin. The bidding failure for the polls’ automation and the desperation for leaders with the “right stuff” are warning signs that the slide to Hell is unstoppable.

This study depicts clearly where we Filipinos are situated in the firmament. What could be more distressful than the thought of being left behind? What should we do about it? For sure, more stupidity and smug indifference by those who have the power to make a difference can no longer be afforded.

Commitment to study and hard work, patient dedication to duties and obligations, passion for achievement, and love of country will win the day for the Philippines, like the Mt. Everest Team and Manny Pacquiao. If society transforms itself to be like them, it will just be a matter of time before the country, too, reaches the top of the world.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Let me share my observation: I lived in Japan for nearly 2 years way back in 1991. Before leaving Manila, my Japanese superior told me to prepare myself with cultural & technological differences that I will surely encounter in Japan—in Tagalog, he really meant this—”Ingat ka at baka ma-culture shock ka doon pagdating mo.”

He realized it was my first overseas trip—and a long one—and he just wished that I enjoy the trip and relax.

What registered more to me was the matter he mentioned about technological disparity, he said, “Japan is nearly 30 years ahead of Philippines in terms of technological advances—be prepared.”

Of course I felt bad when he said that—me, being a Filipino. To the point of saying in my mind, “Hmmp, yabang naman nito—anong akala mo sa Pilipinas, bundok?”

When I arrived in Japan-Toyota City, it was the moment of truth—for me to experience the real disparity! NGEK! BAKA HINDI LANG 30 YEARS—BAKA 50 YEARS PA!

Well that’s life—bayaan mo na nga siya.

Now a new article has been published—that the Philippines is 2 centuries behind—hmmm, baka nga totoo ito ah.

Well that’s life—bayaan mo na nga siya.

Imagining and dreaming of possibilities.

Homer Villa
2009 May 29

Pinoy Blog-2: Konting hintay na lang—malapit na—mga 130 years pa.

130 years for RP to attain 1st-world living standards.

It will take the Philippines more than 130 years of growing an average of 2.9 percent a year for Filipinos to attain the living standards enjoyed by advanced countries at this time, according to a working paper, “A Cross-Country Analysis of Achievements and Inequities in Economic Growth and Standards of Living.”

The paper is an Asian Development Bank study authored by economist Hyun Son of ITSS Economics and Research Department. It studied 177 countries.

On life expectancy, the average Filipino will need 151 years to live as long as the present citizens of industrialized countries; it will take 132 years to get all Filipinos literate; 155 years to have a similar number of babies live past 5 years from birth; and take 241 years to have all birthing Filipino mothers attended by medical personnel.

Apparently, it’s a way of impressing upon governments—mentioned in the report are Asean member countries Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam—that to shorten the years to greater progress, governments must increase public spending and have efficient policies that promote such progress.

The estimates made for the other Asean members included in the study are rather shorter than those for the Philippines. Thailand could catch up with industrialized countries’ GDP per capita in only 59 years because it has an average growth rate of 4.3 percent between 2000 to 2007; life expectancy at birth, 84 years; adult literacy, 29 years; under-five survival rate, 23 years; and births attended by skilled personnel, 17 years.

Vietnam, which Filipinos believe to be lower in the economic ladder, is seen to be faster than the Philippines in catching up with industrialized countries’ GDP per capita, taking just 61 years at the average growth rate of 6.3 percent it attained in the period 2000 to 2007; life expectancy at birth, 47 years; under-five survival rate, 34 years; and births attended by skilled personnel, 55 years.

Again, Indonesia is faster, needing only 110 years to catch up with its 2000-2007 average growth rate of 3.7 percent; life expectancy at birth, 121 years; adult literacy, 13 years; under-five survival rate, 106 years; and births attended by skilled personnel, 146 years.

Son said that for policy interventions to reduce mortality, it will be necessary to improve educational programs that aim to increase primary school completion rates. There is also a need to closely monitor how efficiently funds are used and policies implemented.

“The cross-country association between public spending and outcomes, after controlling for national income, is found to be statistically and substantively weak,” he said, meaning for every peso spent, perhaps only 10 centavos give any result.

He said, however, that the message “is not that public funding cannot be successful; rather, it is commitment and appropriate policies, backed by effective public spending, that can achieve these goals.”

He said there is evidence that suggest the poorest one-fifth of a country’s population in the Asean members mentioned receive less than a fifth of state education and health expenditures, while the richest fifth gets more.

One reason for this imbalance, he said, is that spending is often biased toward services that are mainly used by richer people; and another, that services intended for the poor do not reach the targeted beneficiaries.

“If more public money is spent on services and more of that money is spent on services utilized by the poor, the spending pattern will determine the efficacy of spending,” concluded Son.

BUSINESS MIRROR
2009 May 07
www.businessmirror.com.ph

++++++++++++++++

Konting hintay na lang mga kababayan…malapit na…

2009 May 12

Pinoy Blog-1: Mabuhay si Manny Pacquiao

Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino—saraaappp maging Pinoy!

Pacman vs. Hitman (Hatton)…