Post by Ben Dover on Aug 28, 2007 11:32:35 GMT 8
many of you might have read this before, but just the same please let me post it for others.
THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES
The following was written by INTEL General Manager
Robin Martin about the Philippines :
Filipinos (including the press, business people and
myself) tend to dwell too much on the negative side,
and this affects the perception of foreigners, even
the ones who have lived here for a while. The negative
perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate
to reality when compared to countries like Columbia ,
Egypt , Middle East, Africa , etc.
Let us all help our country by balancing the negative
with the positive especially when we talk to
foreigners, whether based here or abroad. Looking back
and comparing the Philippines today and 1995 (the year
I came back), I was struck by how much our country has
progressed physically.
Consider the following:
1. The great telecom infrastructure that we have now
did not exist in 1995. 1995 was the year the telecom
industry was deregulated. Since then billions of
dollars have been invested in both fixed line and
cellular networks producing a system with over 5,000
kms of fiber optic backbone at a world competitive
cost. >From a fixed line capacity of about 900,000 in
1995 we now have over 7 million. Cellular phones
practically did not exist in 1995; now we have over 11
million line capacity.
2. The MRT, many of the EDSA flyovers (including the
Ayala Avenue flyover), the SKYWAY, Rockwell and
Glorietta 4, the Fort, NAIA terminal 2 and most of the
new skyscrapers were not yet built in 1995.
3. If you drive to the provinces, you will notice that
national roads are now of good quality (international
quality asphalt roads). I just went to Iba, Zambales
last week and I was impressed that even a not so
frequently travelled road was of very good quality.
4. Philippine exports have increased by 600% over the
past eight years. There are many, many more examples
of progress over the last eight years. Philippine
mangoes are now exported to the US and Europe .
Additional tidbits to make our people prouder:
1. INTEL has been in the Philippines for 28 years. The
Philippines plant is where Intel's most advanced
products are launched, including the Pentium IV. By
the end of 2002, Philippine operations became Intel's
biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide.
2. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS has been operating in Baguio for
over 20 years. The Baguio plant is the largest
producer of DSP chips in the world. DSP chips are the
brains behind cellphones. TI's Baguio plant produces
the chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA cellphones and
80% of Erickson cellphones in the world.
3. TOSHIBA laptops are produced in Santa Rosa ,
Laguna.
4. If you drive a BENZ, BMW, or a VOLVO, there is a
good chance that the ABS system in your car was made
in the Philippines .
5. TREND-MICRO , makers of one of the top anti virus
software PC-Cillin (I may have mispelled this)
develops its "cures" for viruses right here in
Eastwood Libis, Quezon City . When a virus breaks in
any computer system in the world, they try to find a
solution within 45 minutes of finding the virus.
6 . Today a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center
firms in the U.S. have set up operations in the
Philippines . This is one area in which I believe we
are the best in the world in terms of value for money.
7. America Online (AOL) has 1,000 people in Clark
answering 90% of AOL's global e-mail inquiries.
8. PROCTOR & GAMBLE has over 400 people right here in
Makati (average age 23 years) doing back-up office
work to their Asian operations including finance,
accounting, Human Resources and payments processing.
9. Among many other things it does for its regional
operations network in the Asia-Pacific region here in
Manila , CITIBANK also does its global ATM programming
locally.
10. This is the first year ever that the Philippines
will be exporting cars in quantity courtesy of FORD
Philippines . (I have an idea this article was written
between 2001 - 2002, so this operation should have
been on-going for the last 3 years or so. CYN)
11. The government is shedding off graft and
corruption slowly but surely. This is the first time
in our history that a former president is in jail and
facing charges of plunder. Despite all odds, we are
still pursuing the ill-gotten wealth of Marcos now
enjoyed by his unrepentant heirs.
Next time you travel abroad and meet business
associates tell them the good news. A big part of our
problem is perception and one of the biggest battles
can be won simply by believing and by making others
believe. This message is shared by good citizens of
the Philippines who persevere to hope and work for our
country.
56,000,000 Filipinos speak, read and write in English
even if we have our own national language. Speaking a
second language takes a certain kind of unique
intelligence.
THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES
The following was written by INTEL General Manager
Robin Martin about the Philippines :
Filipinos (including the press, business people and
myself) tend to dwell too much on the negative side,
and this affects the perception of foreigners, even
the ones who have lived here for a while. The negative
perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate
to reality when compared to countries like Columbia ,
Egypt , Middle East, Africa , etc.
Let us all help our country by balancing the negative
with the positive especially when we talk to
foreigners, whether based here or abroad. Looking back
and comparing the Philippines today and 1995 (the year
I came back), I was struck by how much our country has
progressed physically.
Consider the following:
1. The great telecom infrastructure that we have now
did not exist in 1995. 1995 was the year the telecom
industry was deregulated. Since then billions of
dollars have been invested in both fixed line and
cellular networks producing a system with over 5,000
kms of fiber optic backbone at a world competitive
cost. >From a fixed line capacity of about 900,000 in
1995 we now have over 7 million. Cellular phones
practically did not exist in 1995; now we have over 11
million line capacity.
2. The MRT, many of the EDSA flyovers (including the
Ayala Avenue flyover), the SKYWAY, Rockwell and
Glorietta 4, the Fort, NAIA terminal 2 and most of the
new skyscrapers were not yet built in 1995.
3. If you drive to the provinces, you will notice that
national roads are now of good quality (international
quality asphalt roads). I just went to Iba, Zambales
last week and I was impressed that even a not so
frequently travelled road was of very good quality.
4. Philippine exports have increased by 600% over the
past eight years. There are many, many more examples
of progress over the last eight years. Philippine
mangoes are now exported to the US and Europe .
Additional tidbits to make our people prouder:
1. INTEL has been in the Philippines for 28 years. The
Philippines plant is where Intel's most advanced
products are launched, including the Pentium IV. By
the end of 2002, Philippine operations became Intel's
biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide.
2. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS has been operating in Baguio for
over 20 years. The Baguio plant is the largest
producer of DSP chips in the world. DSP chips are the
brains behind cellphones. TI's Baguio plant produces
the chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA cellphones and
80% of Erickson cellphones in the world.
3. TOSHIBA laptops are produced in Santa Rosa ,
Laguna.
4. If you drive a BENZ, BMW, or a VOLVO, there is a
good chance that the ABS system in your car was made
in the Philippines .
5. TREND-MICRO , makers of one of the top anti virus
software PC-Cillin (I may have mispelled this)
develops its "cures" for viruses right here in
Eastwood Libis, Quezon City . When a virus breaks in
any computer system in the world, they try to find a
solution within 45 minutes of finding the virus.
6 . Today a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center
firms in the U.S. have set up operations in the
Philippines . This is one area in which I believe we
are the best in the world in terms of value for money.
7. America Online (AOL) has 1,000 people in Clark
answering 90% of AOL's global e-mail inquiries.
8. PROCTOR & GAMBLE has over 400 people right here in
Makati (average age 23 years) doing back-up office
work to their Asian operations including finance,
accounting, Human Resources and payments processing.
9. Among many other things it does for its regional
operations network in the Asia-Pacific region here in
Manila , CITIBANK also does its global ATM programming
locally.
10. This is the first year ever that the Philippines
will be exporting cars in quantity courtesy of FORD
Philippines . (I have an idea this article was written
between 2001 - 2002, so this operation should have
been on-going for the last 3 years or so. CYN)
11. The government is shedding off graft and
corruption slowly but surely. This is the first time
in our history that a former president is in jail and
facing charges of plunder. Despite all odds, we are
still pursuing the ill-gotten wealth of Marcos now
enjoyed by his unrepentant heirs.
Next time you travel abroad and meet business
associates tell them the good news. A big part of our
problem is perception and one of the biggest battles
can be won simply by believing and by making others
believe. This message is shared by good citizens of
the Philippines who persevere to hope and work for our
country.
56,000,000 Filipinos speak, read and write in English
even if we have our own national language. Speaking a
second language takes a certain kind of unique
intelligence.