⌛ Our damaged culture needs urgent repair

but it seems logical that with graft and corruption as pervasive as it is (26% of all government expenditures are for graft)....
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Where did you read of the 26%?

 

A site that has "Philippine Trivia" http://txtmania.com/trivia/index.php.....I used it to research the statistics on crime in the Philippines..... data came from an article in the Philippine Star

Personally I would think it is higher.....but that is what they said

 

link not working...
ends on a site for txt-mates... give me a break ... i always forward my texts to 10 friends and still didn't become a millionaire ..

thats the link you mean ? http://www.txtmania.com/trivia/social.php

 

That is the link.... Do not know why or how my link got garbled......but Rhoody got it right

 

welcome ...
just another point ..

I don't see much honesty in the PI, what I considered first as a great advantage that many speak a bit english got replaced with: I wish most would not say anything when it is about any kind of valuable information.

Most would simply stick to their lie and tell the same story, even they know they are wrong, what all comes back to a messed up education and a build up false pride and has not a lot to do with losing face.

I tend to agree that the few rulers (not leaders) wanna keep many as low educated as possible, it is easier is to rule them and that has nothing to do with democracy, it is basically from country to barangay level mainly a oligarchy, which is closer to a dictatorship than to democracy.

 

Oligarchy - I had to look it up but sure does describe the PI.

 

Asia's 10 Most Corrupt Countries

 

When the government is frightened of the people - that's democracy.
When the people are frightened of the government - that's tyranny.

 

You have some valid points..... some I have espoused myself..... it is an oligarchy without question.... sadly America is headed in the same direction

BUT I can not agree that culturally / historically Filipinos are inclined to be dishonest....
Long before the Spanish came here.... When it was known as May Li.....Filipinos were known to be the "most honest in Asia" (take from a Philippine history book you can borrow Pat if you like).....The Chinese recorded that once an agreement was made with a Filipino they NEVER broke their word.....
I personally have observed this penchant for honesty in modern times.... although it has been on a small scale it was honesty when dishonesty would have served the Filipino better..... Yes.... a lot of Filipinos lie cheat and steal.....but I feel it is NOT natural to their culture.....one Filipino even joked that his people learned well from the American occupation..... and there maybe more truth than humor there

 

Broadside.....all government is "Tyranny"..... just some forms of government are less obnoxious about it
Democracy is often called the "Tyranny of the masses"