Essay about Corruption and Neoliberalism in the Philippines

International Development SIS 637-002 International Development Paper #2 November 17, 2013 Despite this year’s onslaught of devastating earthquakes, factional rebel sieges, and most recently, record breaking typhoons, the Philippines is doing surprisingly well for itself. In fact, The Economist Intelligence Unit reports that though the wreckage caused by last week’s Supertyphoon Haiyan will likely slow GDP somewhat, economic damage will not be significant, the Eastern Visayas region accounting for only two per cent of the country’s GDP. Economically, at least, the Philippines has had a good year: the first half of 2013 saw GDP growth at 7.3 percent, the highest growth rate in Asia; it saw seen record foreign direct investment†¦show more content†¦Most recently in the news is the Pork Barrel Scandal, where President Aquino and the ombudsmen have charged 3 senators, 2 former lawmakers, and a businesswoman for misusing over $200 million in state funds (Hookway). Pork Barrel is a state allocation of funds set aside for senators t o use on development projects of their choice, of which the president says the accused used for fabricated project proposals to take personal kickbacks. Public protests against the scandal have been massive, and the people are calling for not only the eradication of the Pork Barrel fund itself, but of the president’s own spending fund as well. President Aquino faces the dilemma of upholding his strict anticorruption agenda, appealing to the public, and maintaining support of powerful lawmakers and congressmen (Hookway). James Hookway argues that Aquino’s decision on the scandal will heavily determine foreign investor confidence in the Philippines, influencing the path of the country’s development. Indeed most development professionals agree that corruption and bad governance are inversely related to the development of a country. The worst indicators in the Philippine Failed States Report outwardly suggest governance issues are a threat to the state and a major c ause of internal violence and conflict. Good governance has been the recent focus of many World Bank projects, the group stating that,Show MoreRelatedThe Roots of Poverty and Globalization2272 Words   |  9 Pagesdeveloping countries exports were of manufacturers (9) entering the neoliberal project. Neoliberalism: opening up markets to trade by privatization. The neoliberal project was seen as a way to aid the financially broke countries. It is economic growth and not redistribution that is the answer for eradicating poverty, according to neoliberalism. Development is a necessary form for the welfare of the countries. Neoliberalism is the core of what happened in the 1980s and it is here where globalization reallyRead MoreWorld Trade Organization ( Wto )2137 Words   |  9 Pagesunions, universities, and regional development agencies with a real commitment to the overall goals of local and national economic development. The reform policies Vietnam had established a project to transform the nation afar from most of the neoliberalism ideals and guidelines introduced during the Post-Washington Consensus while upholding some. Although the state gradually began to give space to the market as it allowed private-owned corporations into the industry, the state and politics of VietnamRead MoreU.s. African Development Foundation6843 Words   |  28 Pagesunder extreme poverty, which basically means under the least amount of income per day per person. For instance, when we look at East Asia Pacific, there are six countries listed on the chart (Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) and almost all of them, except for Lao PDR who have a population between 20-40 percent who live under $1.25 a day, have a population of less than 20 percent living under the $1.25 poverty line. However, under the $2 a dayRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the Worl d Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesof global liberalism (after 1950 and more worldwide after 1990) did not stop the multiplication of migration controls, the proliferation of identity documents, and ever more complex laws to sift and select the optimal migrant. In this sense, neoliberalism has proved to be more â€Å"quasi† than â€Å"neo,† promoting the free movement of goods, capital, technologies, information, and culture, but not of people. At the most brutal level, the consolidation of borders and purification of   national spaces