A Damaged Culture: A New Philippines? By James Fallows This 19 !

Atlanti" #onthly arti"le was a $inalist $or the National #aga%ine Award in the &nited 'tates and has remained the su()e"t o$ "ontro*ersy and attention in the Philippines+ This is the te,t as originally pu(lished in the maga%ine+Copyright 19 ! Atlanti" #onthly Company The Atlanti" #onthly: No*em(er- 19 ! A DA#A./D C&0T&1/ A New Philippines? 2N T3/ &N2T/D 'TAT/' T3/ C4#2N. 4F T3/ A5&2N4 go*ernment seemed to ma6e the Philippines into a su""ess story+ The e*il #ar"os was out- the saintly Cory was in- the worldwide mar"h o$ demo"ra"y went on+ All that was le$t was to argue a(out why we stu"6 with our tawdry pet di"tator $or so long- and to support Cora%on A7uino as she dan"ed around "oup attempts and wor6ed her way out o$ the pro(lems the #ar"oses had "aused+ This *iew o$ the New Philippines is "om$orting+ But a$ter si, wee6s in the "ountry 2 don8t thin6 it8s *ery realisti"+ Ameri"ans would li6e to (elie*e that the only "olony we e*er had99a "ountry that modeled its institutions on ours and still "ares deeply a(out its relations with the &nited 'tates99is progressing under our wing+ 2t8s not- $or reasons that go $ar (eyond what the #ar"oses did or stole+ The "ountries that surround the Philippines ha*e (e"ome the world8s most $amous show"ases $or the impa"t o$ "ulture on e"onomi" de*elopment+ Japan- :orea- Taiwan- 3ong :ong- 'ingapore99all are short on natural resour"es- (ut all ;as their o$$i"ials ne*er stop telling you< ha*e "lawed their way up through hard study and hard wor6+ &n$ortunately $or its people- the Philippines illustrates the "ontrary: that "ulture "an ma6e a naturally ri"h "ountry poor+ There may (e more misera(le pla"es to li*e in /ast Asia99 =ietnam- Cam(odia99(ut there are $ew others where the "ulture itsel$- rather than a "ommunist politi"al system- is the main (arrier to de*elopment+ The "ulture in 7uestion is Filipino- (ut it has (een hea*ily shaped (y nearly a hundred years o$ the >Fil9Am relationship+8 The result is apparently the only non9 "ommunist so"iety in /ast Asia in whi"h the a*erage li*ing standard is going down+ Now a $ew dis"laimers+ 'ome things o(*iously ha*e gotten (etter sin"e Ferdinand and 2melda #ar"os $led the "ountry at the end o$ Fe(ruary last year ;though most Filipinos seem to thin6 that the threats to the A7uino go*ernment 99o$ whi"h the worst was the (loody August "oup attempt 99imperil su"h progress as the "ountry has made<+ Not so mu"h money is (eing su"6ed out at the top+ #ore people are $ree to say what they li6e a(out the go*ernment- without (eing thrown in )ail+ Not so many peasants are ha*ing

their "hi"6ens stolen (y underpaid soldiers $oraging $or $ood- although the soldierswhose pay has (een in"reased- are still woe$ully short on e7uipment and supplies+ The e"onomy has stopped shrin6ing- as it had (een doing in the late #ar"os years- and some ri"h Filipinos ha*e (rought "apital (a"6 home+ 2 was not in the Philippines during the #ar"os era and "an8t "ompare the atmosphere $irsthand- (ut e*eryone says that the (loodless dethroning o$ #ar"os ga*e Filipinos new dignity and pride+ /arly this year- on the $irst anni*ersary o$ the >/D'A re*olution8 ;named $or /pi$anio de los 'antos A*enuewhere many o$ the "ru"ial e*ents too6 pla"e<- tele*ision stations ran round9the9"lo"6 replays o$ all the most emotional moments: the nuns8 attempts to prote"t the (allot (o,esthe de$e"tion o$ #ar"os8s two main military supporters- Juan Pon"e /nrile and Fidel 1amos- the a(orti*e swearing9in o$ #ar"os- his sudden disappearan"e in an Ameri"an heli"opter+ 2t was inspirational and mo*ing and heroi"- and as late as this summer- )ust (e$ore the attempted "oup- some o$ the same atmosphere remained+ Filipinos are $amous $or their lo*e o$ religious i"ons+ A *isitor would ha*e to (e (lind not to see the religious element in Cora%on A7uino8s pu(li" role+ 'tores sell small Cory dolls with (right yellow dresses and round9rimmed glasses+ They8re not e,a"tly i"ons- (ut 28*e seen them displayed in homes and "ars as i$ they were+ /*en when (eginning to grum(le a(out her go*ernment- many Filipinos spea6 o$ Cory8s goodness- patien"e- and piety in tones that suggest they thin6 o$ her as a se"ular- widowed Blessed =irgin- and as the only person with e*en the potential to hold the "ountry together+ Demo"ra"y has returned to the Philippines- in a (ig way+ As i$ to ma6e up $or all the years when they "ould not *ote- Filipinos ha*e (een analy%ing the results o$ one ele"tion and preparing $or another almost nonstop sin"e early last year+ /le"tion disputes ha*e returned too+ For three months a$ter the legislati*e ele"tions last #ay- long re"ounts dragged on to determine whether Juan Pon"e /nrile- #ar"os8s $ormer De$ense #inister- whose swit"h to A7uino helped topple #ar"os- would get one o$ the twenty9$our seats in the 'enate+ 'enators are ele"ted nation9wide- in what o$ten resem(les a popularity "ontest+ Among the new senators is a Charles Bronson99style a"tion9mo*ie star? /nrile is a(out as well 6nown as the a"tor- and though he has made many enemies- most $oreigners 2 spo6e with $ound it hard to (elie*e that in an honest *ote "ount he would ha*e lost to e*eryone on A7uino8s list o$ nominees- whi"h in"luded a num(er o$ new"omers and no(odies+ Finallyin August- he s7uea6ed in as num(er twenty9$our+ Demo"ra"y has unleashed a Philippine press so *aried and li"entious as to ma6e e*en Ameri"ans $eel ner*ous99 or rather- to re"all standing in gro"ery "he"69out lines loo6ing at #idnight and 'tar+ Newspapers are always starting up and "losing- (ut at any gi*en time #anila has at least twenty dailies- most o$ them in /nglish+ /a"h paper $eatures its sta(le o$ hardwor6ing star "olumnists- any o$ whom is "apa(le o$ turning out @-AAA to B-AAA words o$ politi"al "ommentary and inside gossip99the e7ui*alent o$ a whole Ameri"an op9ed page99in a single day+ Philippine politi"s has a small9town $eel- (e"ause so many o$ the prin"ipals ha*e 6nown one another all their li*es+ This adds to the *elo"ity and intensity o$ gossip99espe"ially the rumors o$ impending "oups- whi"h ha*e "ropped up e*ery wee6 or ten days sin"e A7uino too6 power- and whi"h preo""upy politi"al #anila the way s"andals preo""upy Cashington+

4ne $inal dis"laimer: it "an seem (ullying or gra"eless $or an Ameri"an to "riti"i%e the Philippines+ 'een $rom #anila- the &nited 'tates is strong and ri"h+ 'een $rom anywherethe Philippines is trou(led and poor+ Chy pi"6 on people who need help? The Filipino ethi" o$ deli"ade%a- their e7ui*alent o$ sa*ing $a"e- en"ourages people to raise unpleasant topi"s indire"tly- or- (etter still- not to raise them at all+ 4ut o$ respe"t $or deli"ade%a- or $rom a *ague sense o$ guilt that the $ormer "olony is still $loundering- or (e"ause o$ genuine $ondness $or the Filipino people- the &nited 'tates tolerates polite $i"tions a(out the Philippines that it would ruthlessly pun"ture i$ they "on"erned Fran"e or e*en #e,i"o+ 2 don8t pretend that my *iew o$ the Philippines is authoritati*e- (ut 28*e ne*er (e$ore (een in a "ountry where my initial impressions were so totally at odds with the standard- "om$orting- let8s9all9pull9together *iew+ 2t seems to me that the prospe"ts $or the Philippines are a(out as dismal as those $or- say- 'outh :orea are (right+ 2n ea"h "ase the (asi" e,planation seems to (e "ulture: in the one "ase a "ulture that (rings out the produ"ti*e (est in the :oreans ;or the Japanese- or now e*en the Thais<- and in the other a "ulture that pulls many Filipinos toward their most sel$9destru"ti*e- sel$9de$eating worst+ The Post9:lepto"rati" /"onomy C4N'2D/1 F21'T T3/ 4=/1A00 /C4N4#2C: P2CT&1/+ 4$$i"ials in (oth 'outh :orea and the Philippines ha*e pointed out to me that in the mid919DAs- when the idealisti" ;as he then seemed< Ferdinand #ar"os (egan his $irst term as President- the two "ountries were e"onomi"ally e*en with ea"h other- with similar per "apita in"omes o$ a $ew hundred dollars a year+ The o$$i"ials used this $a"t to ma6e *ery di$$erent points+ The :oreans said it dramati%ed how utterly poor they used to (e ;>Ce were li6e the PhilippinesE8 said one som(er :orean (ureau"rat<- while to the Filipinos it was a reminder o$ a golden- hope$ul age+ 2t demonstrated- they said- that the e"onomy had (een (asi"ally ro(ust until the #ar"oses laun"hed their 6lepto"ra"y+ 'in"e the 19DAs- o$ "ourse- the Philippines has mo*ed in the opposite dire"tion $rom many other /ast Asian "ountries+ 'outh :orea8s per "apita annual in"ome is now a(out F @-GAA99whi"h gi*es the "ountry a low9wage ad*antage o*er Japan or the &nited 'tates+ That same in"ome ma6es :orea loo6 li6e a land o$ plenty relati*e to the Philippines- where the per "apita in"ome is a(out F DAA+ The a*erage in"ome in the #anila area is mu"h higher than that $or the "ountry as a whole? in many $arming regions the per "apita in"ome is a(out F 1AA+ The go*ernment reports that a(out two thirds o$ the people in the "ountry li*e (elow the po*erty line- as opposed to hal$ in the pre9#ar"os era+ There are te"hni"al arguments a(out where to draw the po*erty line- (ut it is o(*ious that most Filipinos la"6 de"ent houses- "an8t a$$ord edu"ation- in some areas are short o$ $ood- and in general are *ery- *ery poor+ The o$$i"ial unemployment rate is 1@ per"ent- (ut i$ all the "igarette *endors- surplus (ar girls- and other underemployed people are ta6en into a""ount- something li6e hal$ the human talent in the "ountry must (e unused+ 'ome Filipino e"onomists "ontend that the "ountry is a(out to turn the "orner- is ready to ma6e a new start e"onomi"ally as it has done politi"ally+ 2s the world pri"e o$ sugar stagnant? Plantation owners "an $lood seaside sugar"ane $ields and raise shrimp- whi"h

(ring high pri"es and $or whi"h Japan has an insatia(le demand+ Are Ameri"an- Japaneseand /uropean "ompanies shi$ting their produ"tion sites worldwide? Chy not (uild more o$ the plants in the Philippines- whi"h (elie*es it has a well9edu"ated wor6 $or"e and relati*ely low wages+ Just (e$ore the $irst anni*ersary o$ the /D'A re*olution 2 spo6e with Jaime 4ngpin- an intense- pre"ise (usinessman in his late $orties- who had (e"ome the new Finan"e #inister+ For the immediate $uture- he said- the trends loo6ed good+ The go*ernment was (rea6ing up some o$ the "artels run (y #ar"os8s >"ronies8 and e,posing them to "ompetition+ Constru"tion and small9(usiness a"ti*ity were pi"6ing up+ The pri"e o$ "opra ;the "ountry8s leading e,port< was $inally rising+ And the e"onomy might grow (y $i*e or si, per"ent this year99more than the e"onomies o$ Japan and the &+'+ Another e"onomist- Bernardo =illegas- has (een predi"ting an /ast Asian99style sustained (oom $or the Philippines+ #any man9on9the9street Filipinos share a *ersion o$ this *iew- whi"h is that #ar"os was the sour"e o$ all their pro(lems- so his remo*al is itsel$ a solution+ There is some truth to what they say- espe"ially as it "on"erns #ar"os8s last ten years in o$$i"e- when he had graduated $rom his earlier- nationalisti"- land9re$orm9and9industriali%ation phase and $ormed the >"on)ugal di"tatorship8 with his wi$e+ 'till- $or all the damage #ar"os did- it8s not "lear that he "aused the "ountry8s e"onomi" pro(lems- as opposed to intensi$ying them+ #ost o$ the things that now seem wrong with the e"onomy99grotes7ue e,tremes o$ wealth and po*erty- land9ownership disputesmonopolisti" industries in "o%y- "orrupt "ahoots with the go*ernment99ha*e (een wrong $or de"ades+ Chen reading Philippine no*els or history (oo6s- 2 would "ome a"ross a passage that resem(led what 28d seen in the #anila slums or on a $arm+ Then 2 would read on and dis"o*er that the des"ription was (y an Ameri"an soldier in the 1 9As- or a Filipino nationalist in the 19BAs- or a $oreign e"onomist in the 19GAs- or a young politi"ian li6e Ferdinand #ar"os or Benigno A7uino in the 19DAs+ >3ere is a land in whi"h a $ew are spe"ta"ularly ri"h while the masses remain a()e"tly poor+ + + + 3ere is a land "onse"rated to demo"ra"y (ut run (y an entren"hed pluto"ra"y+ 3ere- too- are a people whose am(itions run high- (ut whose $ul$illment is low and mainly restri"ted to the sel$9perpetuating elite+8 The pre"ise phrasing (elongs to Benigno A7uino- in his early days in politi"s- (ut the thought has (een e,pressed (y hundreds o$ others+ :oreans and Japanese lo*e to taunt Ameri"ans (y hauling out old- pompous predi"tions that o(*iously ha*e not "ome true+ >#ade in Japan8 would always mean >shoddy+8 :orea would >always8 (e poor+ 3ah hah hahE Hou smug Han6ees were so wrongE 0ea$ing (a"6 through Filipinology has the opposite e$$e"t: it is surprising- and depressing- to see how little has "hanged+ B/CA&'/ P1/=24&' C3AN./' 4F .4=/1N#/NT 3A=/ meant so little to the Philippines- it is hard to (elie*e that repla"ing #ar"os with A7uino- desira(le as it dou(tless is- will do mu"h (esides stan"hing the $low o$ "rony pro$its out o$ the "ountry+ 2n a so"iologi"al sense the ele*ation o$ Cora%on A7uino through the /D'A re*olution should pro(a(ly (e seen not as a re*olution (ut as the restoration o$ the old order+ #ar"os8s rise represented the triumph o$ the nou*eau ri"he+ 3e was- o$ "ourse- an 2lo"ano- $rom the tough- $rugal 2lo"os region- in the northwest "orner o$ 0u%on+ #any o$

those whom he enri"hed were also outsiders to the old9money- old9$amily elite that had long dominated the "ountry8s politi"s+ These elite groups- o$ten re$erred to in shorthand as #a6ati ;the name o$ the wealthy distri"t and (usiness "enter o$ #anila<- regarded #ar"os the way high9toned Ameri"ans regarded 1i"hard Ni,on: "le*er and am(itious- (ut so un"outh+ Cora%on A7uino8s $amily- the Co)uang"os- is part o$ this landowning elite+ ;Their name illustrates its 3ispani" pretensions+ 3er great9grand$ather "ame $rom China and was reportedly named :o 3wan :o- whi"h was gentri$ied into Co)uang"o+ #ost edu"ated Filipinos spea6 $luent /nglish- (ut in the stu$$iest rea"hes o$ the upper "lass- 2 was toldthe residual 'panish in$luen"e is so strong that it is a sign o$ greater re$inement to spea6 per$e"t Castilian 'panish+< 3er hus(and- Benigno A7uino- was also $rom a $amous $amily+ 3er running mate in the 19 D ele"tions- 'al*ador >Doy8 0aurel- is the son o$ Jose 0aurel- who was the 5uisling9li6e President under the Japanese+ #any o$ her $irst Ca(inet appointees and sponsored "andidates $or the 'enate (ear old- $amiliar names+ And so when Cora%on A7uino repla"ed #ar"os- it was as i$ :atharine .raham- ha*ing dri*en 1i"hard Ni,on $rom o$$i"e through her newspaper- su""eeded him as President99or Ja"7ueline :ennedy 4nassis- or #rs+ C+ Douglas Dillon 222+ The traditional upper "lass was (a"6 in its traditional pla"e+ Carmen Na*arro Pedrosa- a writer some o$ whose wor6 was (anned under #ar"os- re"ently pu(lished a de(un6ing (iography o$ 2melda #ar"os+ 2ts 6illing (low- in its $inal "hapters- was its assertion that while 2melda always pretended to (e an aristo"rat- Cora%on A7uino really was one: >3er )ewels were truly heirlooms- not re"ent pur"hases $rom =an Clee$ and Arpels+ 'he was a true (lue sto"6ing- edu"ated in the &nited 'tates- and $luent in Fren"h+ 'he represented all that 2melda had e*er aspired to+8 /spe"ially on my se"ond trip to the Philippines- in the summer- many Filipinos told me that A7uino had (e"ome strangely passi*e in o$$i"e- a"ting as i$ her only tas6 had (een to get rid o$ #ar"os and ride out the periodi" "oups- rumored and real+ As long as she did those )o(s99that is- stayed in o$$i"e99she did not $eel dri*en to do mu"h else+ Perhaps she will do something to pro*e that )udgment un$air? the August mutiny and pre"eding so"ial unrest may $or"e her not only to "ontrol the army more tightly (ut also to ta6e e"onomi" pro(lems more seriously+ But e*en with the (est will in the world- she will ha*e trou(le dramati"ally impro*ing the "ountry8s prospe"ts+ 4ne morning this summer- as 2 stared out the window at the monsoon rain- 2 listened to two $oreign e"onomists des"ri(e the e"onomi" trap in whi"h the Philippines is "aught+ The men had wor6ed in the Philippines $or years and had a(sor(ed the ethi" o$ deli"ade%a+ They did not want their names- or the name o$ the (an6 they wor6ed $orre*ealed+ This relu"tan"e might suggest that their *iews were unusually "riti"al- whi"h was not the "ase: they were remar6a(le only $or how "on"isely they summari%ed what 28d heard in other (an6s- in em(assies- in (usiness o$$i"es- and $rom a $ew Philippine go*ernment o$$i"ials+ The men ti"6ed o$$ the list o$ possi(ilities $or Philippine de*elopment and e,plained the pro(lems in ea"h "ase+ #anu$a"turing? >There were not many *ia(le se"tors to (egin with- and most o$ them

were ta6en o*er (y "ronies+ The industrial se"tor is used to guarantee monopoly and high9 tari$$ prote"tion+ 2t8s inward9loo6ing- (elie*es it "annot "ompete+ People are used to paying a lot $or goods that are o6ay9to9shoddy in 7uality+ 0a(or "osts are a"tually 7uite high $or a "ountry at this stage o$ de*elopment+ They should (e li6e 'ri 0an6a8s (ut they8re li6e :orea8s- (e"ause union organi%ing has run $ar ahead o$ produ"ti*ity+ 2t8s a poor "ountry99(ut an e,pensi*e pla"e in whi"h to produ"e+ Ameri"an and Japanese $irms ha*e set up some ele"troni"s assem(ly plants- (ut they8re only (uying la(or- not (uilding su(sidiary industries or anything that adds real *alue+8 Agri"ulture? >2t8s (een hea*ily s6ewed $or $i$ty years to plantation "rops+ All those traditional e,ports are down- sugar most o$ all+ Copra is o6ay $or the moment- (ut it8s ne*er going to e,pand *ery mu"h+ Prawns are the only alternati*e any(ody "an thin6 o$ now+8 Agri"ulture is also nearly paraly%ed (y arguments o*er land ownership+ 'in"e the 'panish days land has (een "on"entrated in a $ew giant ha"iendas- in"luding the 1!-AAA9 a"re 3a"ienda 0uisita o$ the Co)uang"o $amily- and no go*ernment has done mu"h to "hange the pattern+ >Hou "ould argue that real land re$orm would lead to more produ"ti*ity- (ut it8s an entirely hypotheti"al argument-8 an Australian e"onomist told me+ >This go*ernment simply is not going to "ause a re*olution in the so"ial stru"ture+8 Just (e$ore the new Congress "on*ened- as her near9di"tatorial powers were a(out to elapseA7uino signed a generali%ed land9re$orm9should9happen de"ree+ #ost o(ser*ers too6 this as an indi"ation that land re$orm would not happen- sin"e the de"ree le$t all the de"isions a(out the when- where- and how o$ land re$orm to the landowner9hea*y Congress+ 'er*i"es and other industries? >They8re *ery mu"h in$luen"ed (y the politi"al "limate+ 2 thin6 this has tremendous potential as a tourist "ountry99it8s so (eauti$ul+ But they don8t ha*e many other ways to sell their la(or- e,"ept the o(*ious one+8 The o(*ious one is the se, (usiness- *isi(le in e*ery part o$ the "ountry99and indeed throughout Asia- where Filipino >entertainers8 are "ommon+ 2n Da*ao- on the southern island o$ #indanao- 2 wat"hed T= one night and saw an ad repeated o*er and o*er+ Comen wanted $or opportunities o*erseas+ 5uali$i"ations: taller than $i*e $eet two in"hes- younger than twenty9one+ Chen 2 too6 "a(s in #anila- the dri*ers routinely in7uired i$ 2 wanted a woman+ Chen my wi$e returned our "hildren8s rented inner tu(es to a (ea"h *endor at Argao- the *endor- a toothless old woman- as6ed i$ she was lonely in her room and needed a hired "ompanion+ 1esour"es? >/,ploiting natural resour"es has always (een the (ase here-8 one o$ the e"onomists said+ >But they8*e ta6en e*ery tree they "an easily get+ 2t8s not li6e Bra%il or Borneo- with another $i$ty years to rip out the heart o$ the earth+8 /*ery single day Japanese diners ta6e hundreds o$ millions o$ pairs o$ "hopsti"6s out o$ paper wrappersuse them $or $i$teen minutes- and throw them away+ #ost o$ the "hopsti"6s started out as trees in the Philippines- though more and more o$ them now "ome $rom Ameri"an $orests+ The Philippines has more naturally spe"ta"ular mountains and *istas than #alaysia or 2ndonesia- (ut you "an tra*el $or miles in the "ountryside and mainly see eroding hillsides stripped (are o$ trees+ 0i6e Ameri"ans who spea6 o$ >"on7uering8 the $rontier- Filipinos sometimes ta6e a more romanti" *iew o$ what >ta6ing e*ery tree8 "an mean+ F+ 'ionil Jose- a prominent no*elist in his early si,ties- who grew up in 2lo"os- has written a

$amous $i*e9*olume saga99the 1o%ales no*els99a(out the migration $rom the harsh 2lo"os region to the $ertile plains o$ "entral 0u%on+ The 2lo"ano migrants made a new li$e $or themsel*es- he o(ser*es- and they did it (y "utting down the )ungle and planting ri"e+ >There is some hope with minerals and gold-8 one o$ the e"onomists said+ 2ndeed- a Forty9 ninerstyle gold rush is now under way in #indanao+ 2 was told that "ommunist re(els#oslem separatists- and $ormer Philippine Army soldiers now wor6 side (y side in the gold mines- pro*ing that e"onomi" de*elopment "an (e the answer to politi"al pro(lems+ The e"onomists went on: >.eographi"ally- the "ountry is $ra"tured (eyond (elie$+ The most "ontrolla(le area is right around #anila- (ut (eyond that the go*ernment8s writ has ne*er run *ery $ar+8 For instan"e- the newspapers that (lan6et #anila ha*e *irtually no "ir"ulation in the rest o$ the "ountry: among a population o$ GG million- the "om(ined readership o$ all twenty9plus daily papers is a(out $i*e million+ >The edu"ation system has run down terri(ly+8 The Philippines spends a(out one eighth as mu"h money per student as #alaysia does+ Free edu"ation runs only through the lower grades- and a$ter that the annual $ee o$ F 1A a student 6eeps enrollment down to GA per"ent+ >The $i$teen9 to9twenty (illion dollars that #ar"os "reamed o$$ has had a (ig e$$e"t+ There8s a 6ind o$ "orruption that )ust re"y"les the money- (ut all this was ta6en out+ >And then you ha*e population growth- whi"h is "loser to three per"ent than two9point9 $i*e- e*en though the go*ernment says two9point9two+ The population "ould go o*er a hundred million in $i$teen years+ 'in"e the e"onomy doesn8t grow that $ast- the per "apita in"ome 6eeps going down+8 #ost people 2 met in the Philippines as6ed me how many "hildren 2 had+ Chen 2 told them- the normal response was- >4nly twoE8 By the end o$ my stay 2 was e,perimenting- raising the num(er to test the response+ >4nly si,E8 a priest said on my last day+ The e"onomist "on"luded- >All in all- you8d ha*e to say it8s a worrisome situation+8 The #eaning o$ 'mo6y #ountain H4&8D 3A=/ T4 'AH '4#/T32N. #41/ T3AN T3AT+ #ost o$ the time 2 spent in the Philippines- 2 wal6ed around $eeling angry99angry at mysel$ when 2 (rushed o$$ the latest platoon o$ "hild (eggars- angry at the (eggars when 2 did gi*e in- angry at the ri"h Filipinos $or li*ing (ehind high walls and guardhouses in the $orti$ied #a6ati "ompounds euphemisti"ally "alled *illages- angry as 2 pi"6ed my way among piles o$ human $e"es le$t (y homeless $amilies li*ing near the Philippine Na*y head7uarters on 1o,as Boule*ard- angry at a so"iety that had degenerated into a war o$ e*ery man against e*ery man+ 2t8s not the mere $a"t o$ po*erty that ma6es the Philippines so distressing- sin"e some other Asian "ountries ha*e lower li*ing standards+ China- $or instan"e- is on the whole mu"h poorer than the Philippines- and China8s human (easts o$ (urden- who pull huge o,"arts $ull o$ (ri"6s down streets in 'hanghai or Bei)ing- must ha*e li*es that are among the hardest on the planet+ But Philippine po*erty seems more degrading- $or reasons 2 will try to illustrate through the story o$ >'mo6y #ountain+8

'mo6y #ountain is- 2 will admit- something o$ a "li"he- (ut it helps illustrate an important and non9"li"hed point+ The >mountain8 is an enormous heap o$ gar(age- $orty a"res in si%e and perhaps eighty $eet high- in the port distri"t north o$ #anila- and it is home to some 1G-AAA Filipinos+ The li*ing "onditions would seem to (e misera(le: the smell o$ a *ast "ity8s rotting gar(age is so ran6 and power$ul that 2 "ould not (reathe through my nose without gagging+ 2 did $inally ret"h when 2 $elt my $oot sin6 into something so$t and saw that 28d stepped on a dis"arded hal$9$ull (lood9trans$usion (ag $rom the hospital- whi"h was now emitting a dar6- "lotted oo%e+ >2 ha*e (een going to the dumpsite $or o*er ten years now and 2 still ha*e not gotten used to the smell-8 Father Benigno Beltran- a young #od '7uad99style Domini"an priest who wor6s in 'mo6y #ountain- has written+ >The pla"e (e"omes in$ested with millions o$ $lies that o$ten get into the "hali"e when 2 say mass+ The smell ma6es you dea$ as it hits you li6e a (low to the solar ple,us+8 The signi$i"an"e o$ 'mo6y #ountain- though- is not how (ad it is (ut how good+ People li*e and wor6 in the gar(age heap- and say they $eel lu"6y to do so+ 'mo6y #ountain is the "enter o$ an ela(orate s"a*enging9and9re"y"ling industry- whi"h has many tiers and many spe"iali%ed $un"tional groups+ As night $alls in #anila- hundreds o$ s"a*engersnearly all men- start wal6ing out $rom 'mo6y #ountain pushing (ig wooden "arts99a(out eight $eet long and shaped li6e "hildren8s wagons99in $ront o$ them+ They spend all night "riss"rossing the town- pi"6ing through the "ur(side gar(age dumps and loo6ing $or the most *alua(le items: glass (ottles and metal "ans+ At dawn they push their "arts (a"6 to 'mo6y #ountain- where they sell what they8*e $ound to middlemen- who own $leets o$ "arts and (ail out their suppliers i$ they get pi"6ed up (y the poli"e in the o""asional "ra"6downs on *agran"y+ 4ther s"a*engers wor6 the gar(age o*er on"e "ity tru"6s ha*e "olle"ted it and (rought it in+ 'ome loo6 $or old plasti" (ags- some $or ru((er- some $or (ones that "an (e ground up $or animal $eed+ 2n the late9a$ternoon at 'mo6y #ountain 2 "ould easily imagine 28d had my pre*iew o$ hell+ 2 stood on the summit- loo6ing into the lowlands where tru"6s 6ept (ringing new gar(age and se*eral (ulldo%ers were at wor6- plowing through heaps o$ old (la"6 gar(age+ 28d o$ "ourse heard o$ spontaneous "om(ustion (ut had ne*er (elie*ed in it until 2 saw the old gar(age steam and smo6e as it was e,posed to the air+ 2n"hes (ehind the (ulldo%ers- sometimes riding in the s"oops- were a(out $i$teen or twenty little "hildren "arrying (as6ets- as i$ at the (ea"h+ They darted among the ma"hines and pi"6ed out *alua(les that had (een newly re*ealed+ >2t8s hard to get them to go to s"hool-8 a man in his mid9twenties who li*ed there told me+ >They "an ma6e twenty- thirty pesos a day this way899F 1 to F 1+GA+ >3ere the money is so good+8 The residents o$ 'mo6y #ountain are mainly =isayans- who ha*e "ome $rom the =isayas region o$ the "entral Philippines 990eyte- Negros- Ce(u99o*er the past twenty years+ From time to time the go*ernment- in em(arrassment- has attempted to mo*e them o$$ the mountain- (ut they ha*e "ome (a"6: the money is so good "ompared with the pay $or anything else they "an do+ A real "ommunity has grown up in the gar(age dump- with the tight $amily (onds that hold together other Filipino (arangays- or neigh(orhoods+ A(out

1A per"ent o$ the people who li*e in 'mo6y #ountain hold normal- non9s"a*enger )o(s elsewhere in #anila? they "ommute+ The young man who guided me had )ust graduated $rom "ollege with an engineering degree- (ut he planned to stay with his $amily- in 'mo6y #ountain- a$ter he $ound a )o(+ The people o$ 'mo6y #ountain "omplain a(out land9tenure pro(lems99 they want the "ity to gi*e them title to the land on whi"h they8*e (uilt their sha"6s99(ut the one or two do%en 2 spo6e with seemed *ery "heer$ul a(out their "ommunity and their li*es+ Father Beltran- the young Domini"an- has wor6ed up a thri*ing (usiness spea6ing a(out 'mo6y #ountain to $oreign audien"es- and has used the le"ture $ees to pay $or a pa*ed (as6et(all "ourt- a "ommunity9"enter (uilding- and- o$ "ourse- a "hur"h+ As 2 trudged down $rom the summit o$ the mountain- ha*ing wat"hed little (oys dart among the (ulldo%ers- 2 passed the "ommunity "enter+ 2t was $ull o$ little girls- sitting in a "ir"le and singing nursery9s"hool songs with glee+ 2$ 2 hadn8t "ome at the last minute- 2 would ha*e suspe"ted Father Beltran o$ putting on a Potem6in =illage show+ The (i%arre good "heer o$ 'mo6y #ountain undou(tedly says a lot a(out the Filipinos8 spiritual resilien"e+ But li6e the se, industry- whi"h is also $airly "heer$ul- it says something depressing a(out the other "hoi"es people ha*e+ Chen 2 was in one o$ the "ountless s7uatter *illages in #anila- tal6ing with people who had (uilt houses out o$ plywood and s"a*enged sheet metal- and who li*ed eight to a room- 2 assumed it must (e (etter to (e poor out in the "ountryside- where at least you had some spa"e and "lean air to (reathe+ 4(*iously- 2 was (eing romanti"+ Ba"6 home there was no way to earn moneyand e*en in 'mo6y #ountain people were only a $our9"ent )eepney ride away $rom the amusements o$ the (ig "ity+ 2n 'mo6y #ountain and the other s7uatter distri"ts- 2 "ouldn8t help mysel$: try as 2 would not to- 2 6ept dwelling on the "ontrast with the other e,treme o$ Filipino li$e- the wealthy one+ The "ontrast is relati*ely hard to see in #anila itsel$- sin"e so mu"h o$ the town8s wealth is hidden- literally walled up in the $orti$ied >*illages+8 But one day- shortly a$ter 28d listened to s"a*engers e,plain why some grades o$ animal (one were worth more on the resale mar6et than others- 2 tagged along with a $riend and *isited one o$ #anila8s ri"h young $amilies in the mountains outside town+ To enter the house we had to tal6 our way past a ri$leman at the gate99a standard $i,ture not only o$ upper9"lass areas o$ #anila (ut also o$ (an6s- o$$i"e (uildings- #"Donald8s99 and then $ollow a long- twisting dri*eway to a mountaintop pala"e+ The $amily was- o$ "ourse- $rom old money? they were also well edu"ated- pu(li"9spirited- sin"ere+ But 2 spent my day with them in an ill9"on"ealed stupor- wandering $rom room to room and estimating how many %illions o$ dollars had (een sun6 into the art- $urniture- and $i,tures+ Ce ate lun"h on the patio- $our maids in white dresses standing at attention a $ew pa"es o$$- ea"h (earing a platter o$ $ood and ready to respond instantly when we wanted more+ Another maid stood (ehind my "hair- leaning o*er the ta(le and wa*ing a $an (a"6 and $orth to dri*e o$$ any $lies+ As we ate- 2 noti"ed a strange rat9a9tat sound $rom inside the house- as i$ se*eral reporters had set up a "ity room and were pounding away on old &nderwoods+ Chen we $inished our dessert and went inside- 2 saw the e,planation+ Another two or three uni$ormed ser*ants were stationed inside the "athedral9li6e li*ing

room- in"essantly twit"hing their $lyswatters against the walls+ The Car o$ /*ery #an Against /*ery #an A# 2 '344T2N. F2'3 2N A BA11/0? '&1/99H4& C4&0D wor6 up an e*en star6er "ontrast (etween Par6 A*enue and the 'outh Bron,+ But that would mean only that the &nited 'tates and the Philippines share a pro(lem- not that e,tremes o$ wealth and po*erty are no pro(lem at all+ 2n New Hor6 and a $ew other pla"es the e,tremes are so *isi(le as to ma6e many Ameri"ans uneasy a(out the e*ery9man9$or9himsel$ prin"iple on whi"h our so"iety is (ased+ But while the 'outh Broni, is an Ameri"an pro(lem- $ew people would thin6 o$ it as typi"al o$ Ameri"a+ 2n the Philippines the "ontrasting e,tremes are- and ha*e (een- the norm+ Chat has "reated a so"iety in whi"h people $eel $ortunate to li*e in a gar(age dump (e"ause the money is so good? Chere some people shoo $lies away $rom others $or BAA pesos- or F 1G- a month? 2t "an8t (e any inherent de$e"t in the people: outside this "ulture they thri*e+ Filipino immigrants to the &nited 'tates are more su""ess$ul than immigrants $rom many other "ountries+ Filipino "ontra"t la(orers- wor6ing $or Japanese and :orean "onstru"tion "ompanies- (uilt many o$ the hotels- ports- and pipelines in the #iddle /ast+ >These are the same people who shined under the Japanese managers-8 Blas 4ple- a *eteran politi"ian- told me+ >But when they wor6 $or Filipino "ontra"tors- the s"hedule lags+8 2t seems unli6ely that the pro(lem is "apitalism itsel$- e*en though Philippine #ar,ists argue endlessly that it grinds up the poor to $eed the ri"h+ 2$ "apitalism were the "ause o$ Philippine underde*elopment- why would its re"ord (e so di$$erent e*erywhere else in the region? 2n Japan- :orea- 'ingapore- and elsewhere Asian9style "apitalism has not only led to trade surpluses (ut also "reated Asia8s $irst real middle "lass+ Chinese e"onomists "an8t "all what they8re doing "apitalism- (ut they "an go on $or hours a(out how >mar6et re$orms8 will lead to a (etter li$e $or most people+ 2$ the pro(lem in the Philippines does not lie in the people themsel*es or- it would seemin their "hoi"e (etween "apitalism and so"ialism- what is the pro(lem? 2 thin6 it is "ultural- and that it should (e thought o$ as a $ailure o$ nationalism+ 2t may seem per*erse to wish $or more nationalism in any part o$ the Third Corld+ Ameri"ans ha*e "ome to identi$y the term with the tiny9"ountry e,"esses o$ the &nited Nations+ Nationalism "an o$ "ourse (e di*isi*e- when it sets people o$ one "ountry against another+ But its a(sen"e "an (e e*en worse- i$ that lea*es people in the grip o$ loyalties that are e*en narrower and more $ragmented+ Chen a "ountry with e,treme geographi"tri(al- and so"ial9"lass di$$eren"es- li6e the Philippines- has only a wea6 o$$setting sense o$ national unity- its pu(li" li$e does (e"ome the war o$ e*ery man against e*ery man+ Nationalism is *alua(le when it gi*es people a reason not to li*e in the world o$ 3o((es99 when it allows them to loo6 (eyond themsel*es rather than pursuing their own interests to the ruination o$ e*eryone else+ 2 assume that most people in the world ha*e the same mi,ture o$ sel$ish and generous moti*es? their "ultures tell them when to indulge ea"h impulse+ Japan is strong in large part (e"ause its nationalist9ra"ial ethi" tea"hes ea"h

Japanese that all other Japanese deser*e de"ent treatment+ Non9Japanese $all into a di$$erent "ategory+ 2ndi*idual Filipinos are at least as (ra*e- 6ind- and no(le9spirited as indi*idual Japanese- (ut their "ulture draws the (oundaries o$ de"ent treatment mu"h more narrowly+ Filipinos pride themsel*es on their li$elong loyalty to $amilys"hoolmates- "ompadres- mem(ers o$ the same tri(e- residents o$ the same (arangay+ The mutual tenderness among the people o$ 'mo6y #ountain is enough to (rea6 your heart+ But when o(ser*ing Filipino $riendships 2 thought o$ten o$ the #a$ia $amilies portrayed in The .od$ather: total de*otion to those within the "ir"le- total war on those outside+ Be"ause the (oundaries o$ de"edent treatment are limited to the $amily or tri(e- they e,"lude at least 9A per"ent o$ the people in the "ountry+ And (e"ause o$ this $ragmentation99this la"6 o$ nationalism99people treat ea"h other worse in the Philippines than in any other Asian "ountry 2 ha*e seen+ 0i6e many other things 2 am saying here- this )udgment would (e hotly disputed (y most Filipinos+ Time and again 2 heard in inter*iews a(out the Filipino people8s lo*e o$ re"on"iliation and their proudly nationalisti" spirit+ The /D'A re*olution seems emotionally so important in the Philippines not only (e"ause it got rid o$ #ar"os (ut also (e"ause it demonstrated a (ra*e- national9minded spirit+ 2 would li6e to agree with the Filipinos that those $our days re*ealed the "ountry8s spiritual essen"e+ To me- though- the episode seems an e,"eption- e*en an a(erration+ For more than a hundred years "ertain traits ha*e turned up in domesti" des"riptions and $oreign o(ser*ations o$ Philippine so"iety+ The tradition o$ politi"al "orruption and "ronyism- the e,tremes o$ wealth and po*erty- the tri(al $ragmentation- the lo"al elite8s willingness to ma6e a separate pro$ita(le pea"e with "olonial powers99all re$le"t a $ee(le sense o$ nationalism and a "ontempt $or the pu(li" good+ Pra"ti"ally e*erything that is pu(li" in the Philippines seems negle"ted or a(used+ 4n many street "orners in downtown #anila an unwary step "an mean a (ro6en leg+ 3oles two $eet s7uare and $i*e $eet deep lur6 )ust (eyond the "ur(? they are supposed to (e "o*ered (y metal grates- (ut s"a*engers ha*e ta6en the grates to sell $or s"rap+ #anila has a potentially (eauti$ul setting- di*ided (y the Pasig 1i*er and $ronting on #anila Bay+ But three $ourths o$ the "ity8s sewage $lows raw into the Pasig- whi"h in turns empties into the (ay? the smell o$ 'mo6y #ountain is not so di$$erent $rom the smell o$ some o$ the prettiest pu(li" *istas+ The Philippine telephone system is worse than its "ounterparts anywhere else in non9 "ommunist Asia99whi"h (ogs down the "ountry8s (usiness and in"on*enien"es its people99(ut the Philippine 0ong Distan"e Telephone Company has a long history o$ high ;and not rein*ested< pro$its+ 2n the $irst9"lass dining room a(oard the steamer to Ce(u- a Filipino at the ta(le ne,t to mine pi"6ed through his plate o$ $ish+ Chene*er he $ound a pie"e he didn8t li6e- he pushed it o$$ the edge o$ his plate- onto the $loor+ 4ne "ase o$ (ad manners? #ay(e- (ut 28*e ne*er seen its li6e in any other "ountry+ 4utsiders $eel they ha*e understood something small (ut signi$i"ant a(out Japan8s su""ess when they wat"h a (ar man "are$ully wipe the "ondensation o$$ a (ottle o$ (eer and twirl it on the ta(le until the la(el $a"es the "ustomer e,a"tly+ 2 $elt 2 had a glimpse into the $ailures o$ the Philippines when 2 saw prosperous9loo6ing matrons (uying "a6es and donuts in a (a6eryeating them in a department store- and dropping the (o, and wrappers around them as they shopped+

2T8' /A'H T4 4B'/1=/ T3AT JAPAN8' 3AB2T' A1/ #41/ use$ul e"onomi"ally than those o$ the Philippines- (ut it8s harder to $igure out e,a"tly where the destru"ti*e ha(its "ome $rom+ The $our hundred years that the Philippines spent under 'pain8s thum( o(*iously le$t a lasting imprint: at $irst glan"e the "ountry seems to ha*e mu"h more in "ommon with #e,i"o than with any other pla"e in Asia+ The 'panish hammered home the idea o$ Filipino ra"ial in$eriority- dis"ourging the nati*e indios $rom learning the 'panish language and re$using to "onse"rate them as priests+ ;The 'panish are also said to ha*e $or(idden the nati*es to wear tu"6ed9in shirts- whi"h is why the national shirt- the (arong tagalog- is now worn untu"6ed- in a rare $lash o$ national pride+< As in 0atin Ameri"a- the 'panish $riars taught that religion was a matter o$ su(mission to do"trine and authority- rather than o$ independent thought or gentleness to strangers in daily li$e+ And the 'panish rulers set the stage $or the "ountry8s e"onomi" pro(lems in the twentieth "entury- (y gi*ing out huge ha"iendas to royal $a*orites and "onsigning others to wor6 as ser$s+ As in 0atin Ameri"a- the 'panish there(y implanted the idea that >su""ess8 meant landed- idle ;that is- non9entrepreneurial or "ommer"ial< wealth+ The mainly #alay "ulture with whi"h the 'panish intera"ted was di$$erent $rom the A%te" and other 2ndian "ultures in 0atin Ameri"a? $or instan"e- so"ieties throughout the #alay regions ;in"luding what are now 2ndonesia and #alaysia< are usually des"ri(ed as (eing de$erential to their leaders- passi*e rather than re(ellious+ Perhaps $or this reason the Philippines has not o*erthrown its "lergy or its landed elite in the twentieth "entury- the way most 0atin Ameri"an "ountries ha*e tried to do+ But $or all that might (e said a(out the 'panish lega"y- the ma)or outside in$luen"e on the modern Philippines is "learly the &nited 'tates+ Ameri"a pre*ented the Filipinos $rom "onsummating their re(ellion against 'pain+ 2n 1 9 the &nited 'tates inter*ened to $ight the 'panish and then turned around and $ought the Filipino nationalists- too+ 2t was a (rutal guerrilla war- in whi"h some hal$ million Filipino soldiers and "i*ilians died+ 0osing an ugly war has its "osts- as we learned in =ietnam? (ut wining- as in the Philippines- does too+ 2n opposing our poli"y in the Philippines- Cilliam James said- >Ce are pu6ing up e*erything we (elie*e in+8 3is seems a pres"ient "omment a(out the warespe"ially "ompared with President Cilliam #":inley8s announ"ement that "on7uest was ne"essary to >Christiani%e8 a "ountry that in ironi" point o$ $a"t was already o*erwhelmingly Catholi"+ 2n its (rie$ $ling with running a "olony- Ameri"a undenia(ly (rought some material (ene$its to the Philippines: s"hools- hospitals- laws- and "ourts+ #any older Filipinos still spea6 with $ondness a(out the orderly old "olonial days+ But Ameri"an rule seemed only to intensi$y the Filipino sense o$ dependen"e+ The &nited 'tates 7ui"6ly earned or (ought the loyalty o$ the ilustrados- the edu"ated upper "lass- ma6ing them into what we would "all "olla(orationists i$ the .ermans or Japanese had re"ei*ed their $a*ors+ 2t rammed through a num(er o$ laws insisting on $ree >"ompetition8 (etween Ameri"an and Philippine industries- at a time when Philippine industries were in no position to "ompete with anyone+ The "ountries that ha*e most su""ess$ully re(uilt their e"onomies- in"luding Japan and :orea- went through e,tremely prote"tionist in$ant9industry phases- with Ameri"a8s (lessing? the &nited 'tates ne*er permitted the Philippines su"h a period+ The

Japanese and :oreans now (elie*e they "an ta6e on any(ody? the "on$iden"e o$ Filipino industrialists seems to ha*e (een permanently destroyed+ During the 'e"ond Corld Car- Filipinos $ought heroi"ally against the Japanese- (oth (e$ore and a$ter the $all o$ Corregidor (rought on the Ameri"an surrender o$ the Philippines- in early 19I@+ Following the war the &nited 'tates >ga*e8 the Philippines its independen"e and was in most measura(le ways its (ene$a"tor: o$$ering aid- in*esting in (usinesses- pro*iding the se"ond largest payroll in the "ountry at &+'+ military (ases+ But in unmeasura(le- intangi(le ways it seems to ha*e eroded "on$iden"e e*en $urtherlea*ing Filipinos to (elie*e that they aren8t really responsi(le $or their "ountry8s $ate+ Chether 2 was tal6ing with #ar"os9lo*ing right9wingers or "ommunists who hated the &nited 'tates- whether the dis"ussion was a(out e"onomi"s or the &+'+ (ases or the "ourse o$ the guerrilla war- most o$ my "on*ersations in the Philippines ended on the same dis"ouraging note+ >4$ "ourse- it8s not really up to us-8 a soldier or politi"an or "ommunist would tell me+ >Ce ha*e to wait and see what the Ameri"ans ha*e in mind+8 2n deeper and more perni"ious ways Filipinos seem to ha*e a(sor(ed the idea that Ameri"a is the "enter and they are the periphery+ #u"h lo"al ad*ertising plays to the idea that i$ it8s Ameri"an- it8s (etter+ >2t8s got that stateside "asteE8 one grinning (londe model says in a whis6ey ad+ An ad $or Ban deodorant warns- >3old 2tE 2s your deodorant ma6ing your s6in dar6?8 The most glamorous $igures on T= shows are generally light9s6inned and sound as i$ they grew up in 0os Angeles+ 2 spo6e with a (la"6 Ameri"an who said that the yearning toward >white8 "ulture resem(led what he remem(ered a(out the (la"6 (ourgeoisie o$ the 19GAs+ College or graduate edu"ation in Ameri"a is a mar6 o$ so"ial distin"tion $or Filipinos- as it is $or many other Asians+ But while &+'+9trained Taiwanese and :orean te"hno"rats return to impro*e $a"tories and run go*ernment ministries- many Filipinos seem to "onsider the e,perien"e a purely so"ial a"hie*ement- a trip to $inishing s"hool+ >This is a "ountry where the national am(ition is to "hange your nationality-8 an Ameri"an who *olunteers at 'mo6y #ountain told me+ The &+'+ Na*y a""epts IAA Filipino re"ruits ea"h year? last year 1AA-AAA people applied+ 2n 19 @- in a sur*ey- @A! grade9s"hool students were as6ed what nationality they would pre$er to (e+ /,a"tly ten replied >Filipino+8 >There is not ne"essarily a "ommitment (y the upper "lass to ma6ing the Philippines su""ess$ul as a nation-8 a $oreign (an6er told me+ >2$ things get di"ey- they8re o$$- with their money+8 >Hou are dealing here with a damanged "ulture-8 $our people told me- in more or less the same words- in di$$erent inter*iews+ 2t may (e too pessimisti" to thin6 o$ "ulture as a 6ind o$ large9s"ale geneti"s- "hanneling whole so"ieties toward progress or stagnation+ A hundred years ago not e*en the "rusading /mperor #ei)i would ha*e dreamed that >Japanese "ulture8 would "ome to mean >e$$i"ien"y+8 Ameri"a is $ull o$ people who ha*e "hanged their >"ulture8 (y mo*ing away $rom the old "ountry or the home town or the $arm+ But a "ulture9(rea6ing "hange o$ s"ene is not an answer $or the people still in the Philippines99there are GG million o$ them- where would they go?99and it8s hard to 6now what else- within our li$etimes- the answer might (e+

Ameri"a 6nows )ust what it will do to de$end Cora%on A7uino against usurpers- li6e those who planned the last attempted "oup+ Ce8ll say that we support a demo"rati"ally "hosen go*ernment- that this one is the "ountry8s (est hope- that we8ll use e*ery tool $rom e"onomi" aid to pu(li"9relations pressure to help her ser*e out her term+ But we might start thin6ing ahead- to what we8ll do i$ the anti"oup "ampaign is su""ess$ul99to what will happen when A7uino stays in- and the "ulture doesn8t "hange- and e*erything gets worse+ This arti"le a*aila(le online at: http:JJwww+theatlanti"+"omJte"hnologyJar"hi*eJ19 !J11Ja9damaged9"ulture9a9new9 philippinesJ!I1IJ Copyright K @A1B (y The Atlanti" #onthly .roup+ All 1ights 1eser*ed+