EDUCATION - but what type? Unfortunately they are educated as mentioned here in other posts, but in the wrong way to do things. The education needs to go much farther than just driving but also learning to respect others around them also. I believe many Filipinos are not aware of what is happening around them. How many times have you seen them walking or driving in one direction while looking in another direction? How many times have you had a Filipinos spin around and walk right into you as they did not look in the direction they were going to walk. ? Many Filipinos seem to act as they are the only ones in the world, or the area. Learning teamwork as a society would be a great benefit in moving this country forward within the world. But then again the may not consider themselves as being part of the world, but that is understandable when your focus may be on where you next meal is coming from and not world peace, hunger, etc. (Could it be the powers in control here, whether religiousness or political, keep them focused on food so they do not know what is really happening in this country?) . Remember as foreigner's here we come from a much more free and different society structure and with a different set of needs, that probably are not focused solely on food, shelter, and procreation.
Education ? " The reason among others that we cannot get the best potentials to run for public office is because elections in the Philippines means money to buy votes. The reason why candidates have to buy votes is because voters lack enough education to discern that vote-buying breeds corrupt public officials with a few exceptions. Therefore, lack of education is the root cause of poor brands of elective public officials who dare run for public office. Maybe some of them know that inside government, if you know how, it is easy to be dishonest and make money. Moreover, our government has persistently failed, if not refused, to improve the quality of education in our country. In the meantime, the student population increases every year, because there is no effective and responsible family planning. When parents do not plan their families, their children come at the wrong time when most parents cannot afford to raise healthy children, much more, well educated siblings. The reason why we have poorly educated graduates is because most of our schools are not equipped enough to gain quality education. Therefore, we are breeding poorly educated and jobless graduates. Since they are jobless, they then accept money from candidates in an election knowing that after election, most of the elected ones will simply forget the voters. Understandably, many of them who know how, will regain what they spent during the elections, while they are in office. The reason why corruption proliferates in government is because our internal rules allow it. Our policy makers have already laid down exceptions before the rules were even made. They have allowed loopholes so they can get away from accountability. Worse, our COA cannot initiate corruption cases. They simply point out mistakes and hope for corrections. But the corrupt remain in office if no case is filed against them. This is the vicious cycle of elections, it always starts with poorly educated voters. And most, but not all candidates in general want to keep the voters ignorant, so they can always buy their votes. So where are we really going ?" I know this thread started with a theme about bad driving habits, but it metamorphesised into lack of education as being one of the causes, so this article is relevant. People would be jumping up and down with accusations of criticism if that statement had been made by a foreigner. But it wasn't. It is the Editorial from the most recent Negros Chronicle. In a country which has the highest murder rate of journalists in the world, it is a brave and wholly accurate statement to make, and even more courageous to put it into print. Source of original statement:- Negros Chronicle Vol 39 #17 dated October 7th 2012
Judging by the age I think most of us on DI are, we are not likely to see any major changes in our life-time I am sad to say. It will take several generations "after" a new mind set is accepted for old habits to fade away. So myself I mumble and grumble under my breath as I drive but know it will not change as long as this is a third world country, and that will most likely be for quite a while. Drivers education is of course very important, but enforcement is even more important. Personally I'd like to at least see the 50% or so motorcylces, cars, trucks, etc. with no lights at night taken care of. Has anyone ever heard of someone being stopped for no lights ? Oh well , remember where we are.
In Bacolod often we would be travelling on the highway at night and see an image ahead, "what is that? oh f--k a sugar cane truck doing 20kph on 2 of its 6 cylinders with no lights at the rear or covered with sugar cane, often the reason that it can’t be seen early is because some f--ker is driving in the other direction with their headlights on high beam, I think phill drivers are blind or just plain ignorant.
I have to agree with this. Its not about driving even but simply respecting others and being disiplined. I just got back from a short trip in the greater Manila area and was just relaxing at a halohalo place and had 6 HS girls come in and sit in the middle of the place and start talking so at obnoxious levels as if they were 100 meters apart. I proceeded to cut in quietly and school these girls who were from obvious rich families thinking the world revolved around them simply asking if their school teaches important things like disipline and respect for others and when they said "yes" I asked then why they never paid attention before giving them a 10 minute lecture To many filipino's think the world revolves around them and just don't think of those around them. No disipline or respect for others, later on those same start to drive. Still I'd say I like the Ceres Bus's, they seem to not be so crazy and very careful while of course still fast. What gets me most is trike drivers followed by any Pajero (seems if a filipino buys a Pajero they automatically become driving idiots and dicks, goes with the SUV thing back home).
There is very little respect or consideration for others on many fronts; at times it seems to be a very inward looking society where the individual concerned thinks only of themselves with a total disregard for others. It's very obvious in the driving habits; pulling out without looking, being on the extreme right of the road and suddenly turning left, overtaking you on the outside just as you're about to turn left, headlights on full beam plus fog lights on and just driving at 5mph because the driver can barely see over the steering wheel, etc., but it happens in other areas too. While stopping to look at something in a shop, someone will come and stand right in front of you, but you're only a foreigner so you're invisible. Those who sit at a restaurant table and talk at the top of their voices, and then start shouting into their cell phone, completely oblivious to those around them, while all the time their unruly offspring are running around the place uncontrolled and seemingly uncontrolable. People who want their sound system turn up to maximum with full bass at 2 in the morning, and don't care who else it disturbs withing a half mile radius. People who tie their dogs up and then leave the house so that the dog barks for hours on end. No thought for anyone else, the old, the sick, young children sleeping, nursing mothers, people who have to work the following day. In a more enlightened society they would be branded neighbours from hell and forced to change their ways. But that is unlikely to change here. The attitude of "I'm all right Jack, and I don't care about you" is too entrenched into the psyche. Of course there are exceptions, but those people really are rare and exceptional.
I used to hold the door open if entering a premises when I first came here only to get a blank look from the person, since then I have had many a door slammed in my face expecting people to do the same,manners cost nothing! I don't tend to do it now. You are right roger, there is no thought at all for anyone else.