Monday, Feb. 25, 1963
University Daily Kansan
Page 3
U.S.-Style Democracy Flourishes in Philippines
(Continued from page 2) ing imports, and sometimes financed by loans from government banks, also provide much of the political largess.
The primary question would seem to be whether political leaders can emerge who are not beholden to the wealthier segment, and whether other pressure groups will emerge to further the interests of the farmer, fisherman, and ordinary citizen.
With the unseating in December, 1961, of the forces of former President Carlos P. Garcia, and the chipping away of some of the power of the Nacionalista party by Macapagal and the Liberals, in coalition with two smaller parties, indications are that the questions can be answered in the affirmative.
THE COALITION PARTIES based their campaign on an appeal to the rural electorate, pleading the need for greater integrity in government. While the election was costly, and at times violent it was relatively free and expressed the demands of the people.
Unfortunately, the problems confronting the Filipinos are not all political, and the non-political problems may prove harder to solve.
Despite the fact that Filipinos are uniquely fortunate among the peoples of Asia in terms of relative wealth of unused resources, a disruptive social factor is present in the gulf in living standards between the privileged few and the bulk of the citizens.
THE AVERAGE FILIPINO lives in a rural "barrio" composed of huts. He may be one of more than 2 million unemployed out of a population of 28 million. Or he may belong to an estimated one-half of all farmers who are idle seven months out of the year when lack of rain halts farming.
The island republic stretches from Formosa to North Borneo, covering some 75 million acres. In all there are more than 1,700 islands in the group, the principal land masses being (from north to south) Luzon, Samar, Leyte, Samboanga and Mindanao.
Yet only 15 million acres are under cultivation, and most of this is poorly managed. The handicap in some areas is a vicious tenancy system. In most farming primitive methods are used.
BY COMPARISON, Formosa supports 12 million persons at a higher average standard of living on only 2 million acres. In addition to land already settled, the Philippines have an estimated 15 to 20 million acres that would be suitable for agriculture if it were irrigated. The climate would permit production of crops all year round.
ever, and probably could not support an iron and steel industry.
In resources, iron, manganese, chromite, gold, copper and other ores are being mined on an expanding scale. While no oil has been discovered, several formations suggest its presence. A significant, but largely undeveloped, power potential exists. Coal is of a poor quality, how-
There is a rich store of fibers to meet a growing demand in Japanese and European textile industries, but the growing and processing of these plants is just getting started. Off-shore fishing industries are expanding, and chemurgic industries are being explored in pilot plants.
QUICK UTILIZATION OF these resources, however, is thwarted, at least in part, by a system of merchandising which revolves around small volume and large profit margins.
Neither the Spanish, who came to the islands in the 16th century, nor the Americans, who took over administrative control after the Spanish-American War, did much to encourage economic development.
A further bar to rapid economic development in the deterioration in the past 20 years in the quality of English instruction, the key to technical and professional education. Since only those who can afford to attend the private and better public schools obtain adequate instruction in English, the tendency is to foster a wider two-class breach.
TO HELP COMBAT THIS problem, the Bureau of Public Schools is developing a community school system for rural children who on the average attend school less than four years. But even paper and pencils are expensive in the scheme of the rural budget.
The U.S. has sent 128 Peace
Corps volunteers to help the Philippine government in its rural education program.
Despite some severe handicaps, some industrialization is taking place as the old "dynastic" families turn toward becoming entrepreneurs, investing in plants and factories. This, in turn, is bringing about the emergence of an urban middle class made up of managers and skilled technicians.
LABOR IS BECOMING ORGANIZED and increasingly effective as an economic and political influence. As the countryside and burgeoning urban centers stir with a growing social and political awareness, it is encouraging to see these pressures for change operating within a constitutional framework.