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The Bright
Side
By Michael Alan Hamlin
July 22, 2002
It's not easy to find cheerleaders
for the Philippines outside of government. So when I do come across
one, and after I've picked myself up, I try to help spread the message.
The past week or so, recent remarks made by Robin Martin, Intel
Manufacturing general manager in the Philippines, have been circulating
on the Internet. I'm sharing them in hard copy, below, with some
minor editing.
"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 (MAH: Very true.). The negative
perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate to reality
when compared to countries like Columbia, Egypt, Middle East, Africa,
etc (MAH: Actually we're not so bad compared to quite a number of
developed economies either, but let's let Martin get on with his
argument.).
"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 kilometers 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 (lines). Cellular
phones practically did not exist in 1995; now we have (a line
capacity of) over 11 million. |
| 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 traveled 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.
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"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 are expected
to be
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 mobile phones. TI's Baguio plant
produces the
chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA mobile phones and 80% of
Ericsson
mobile phones 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 solutions, PC-cillin, develops
its 'cures' for viruses right here in Eastwood 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. |
By the end of this year, it
is expected that a majority of the top ten U.S. call center
firms in the U.S. will 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 (MAH: Note that he didn't say low
cost.). |
| 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-office work for 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. |
| 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 (MAH: More impressive for me was a recent
expat executive who told me he has never had a problem with
corruption in customs!). |
"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."
And making people believe is critical
to establishing the momentum the Philippines needs to finally breakout
and reach its potential.
(Michael Alan Hamlin is the managing
director of consultancy TeamAsia and the author of three books on
Asian economies and companies. His latest book is Marketing Asian
Places, of which he is a co-author (Wiley, 2001). He can be e-mailed
at mahamlin@teamasia.com.)
Copyright © 2001 Michael Alan Hamlin. All Rights Reserved.
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