GLOBALIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Globalization has offered considerable controversial impact. It has been viewed as a process that is major factor that
is a key to the development of the world economy and also it is inevitable and irreversible. Some regard it with hostility, fear
that increases inequality between nations, threatens employment and living standards and social progress. These brief facts
is an overview of some aspects of globalization and aims to identity ways in which countries can tap the gains of this process
while remaining realistic about its possible abilities and its dangers.
In fact, globalization offers essential opportunities for global developments but it is not progressing in an evenly pace.
Some countries have adapted to globalization and it is participating into the global economy faster than other countries are.
This is because countries with globalization some countries have been able to integrate and are growing faster and reducing
poverty. However, the effectiveness of globalization in developing countries is widely active because globalization helps give
opportunities in such countries in order to establish stability especially in the economy, trade, politics, society, labor,
technology and to reduce poverty level.
Developing country like the Philippines , is one of the countries in Asia where the country has been effected by
globalization. The country is taking part in the process of globalization ever since the country signed agreements with WTO
(World Trade Organization) in 1995. Since then, the nation had hope for WTO to bring developments within the nations poor
economy and also to have a role within the global economy and trade. Now, globalization is very effective in the Philippines,
it has allowed major changes in the nation like more labor, and moreFilipino and foreign companies has emerged in the
nation in order to help the countrys developing economy. Generally, the Philippines is one of the developing countries that is
rapidly dealing with globalization ever since the influence of the US during the World War II.
The country had high levels of education and English literacy due to the influence of Uncle Sam, decent savings
rates, and an export-oriented agricultural sectorthat generated more than sufficient foreign exchange. The industrial sector
was growing rapidly and the country had one of the highest per capita incomes in Southeast Asia.
There was much to look forward to on the economic and business front. ThePhilippines is a country of ups and
downs of conspicuous consumption of devastating poverty, hunger and suffering. The economy is basically agricultural, with
rice, corn, and kamote (sweet potatoes) the staple food crops. Key cash crops include coconuts, fruits and vegetables, sugar,
tobacco, and abaca (the famous "Manila hemp" used for rope making). In aggregate, about two-thirds ofFilipinos continue to
depend on the agricultural sector. The Philippines is rich in natural resources, as reflected in the fact that foreign exchange
earnings have derived largely from export of primary commodities. The export of fruits and vegetables, especially pineapple
products and bananas, plays a key economic role every year.
Among the minerals that the Philippines produces are copper, gold, nickel, chromium, iron, and manganese. Mining
will continue to be important in the future, particularly copper, nickel, chromite, and iron. It is estimated that 90% of the
country's mineral resources are unsurveyed and undeveloped. However, the costs are high according to the international
standards and many gold mines and other operations are not economically at its best. The Philippines global economy
remains in transition and the nation has been living through a period of increasing volatility. Globalization, whether individuals
favor it or not, is taking place at a rapid pace, integrating more and more of the nations and world economy. Philippines have
four regions that globalization has targeted and these four are: liberalization, mobility of capital, technology, and management
of organization through private and public sectors.
Each of these factors has been in its own way force throughout the world. But more interesting is the realization that
governments today no longer possess the reserves to materially affect the global capital markets. Capital now moves
according to the dictates of markets, not of governments. With its great confidence on joining the WTO, the Philippines are
still lagging behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of economic performance. Whereas, the Philippine economic

growth was second only to Japan s in the 1960s. But when the nation joined the WTO in 1995, the Philippines had entered
the global economic game with its domestic political economy unprepared and undeveloped.
As a result, the Philippine state has failed to create the kind of organized socioeconomic environment that would
have prepared the country for global competition. There are many things that globalization that brought quick changes into
the Philippine society. With its vast development it has brought abouttechnologies mostly computers and software and also
telecom companies are being introduced into the market. Thanks to globalization, such technologies were influenced by
Philippines neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia and China , and even Japan . Thanks to globalization, it has opened its
economy to foreign trade and investment. Furthermore, globalization has allowed Filipino workers to travel the world, but
most head for the Middle East, East Asia, the US and Canada and Europe due to better economies and better
money. Filipinos working overseasnumbered more than three million - about 10 percent of the labor force. The total number
of overseas Filipinos may be as high as eight million, according to the government.
Those Filipinos working overseas send about $10.7 billion back to their families or relatives in the Philippines in
2005. In contrast, the question that the Filipino society asks themselves is: Can the Philippines handle globalization? Many
Filipinos believe that globalization has done nothing for their country. And this is due to the poverty that has been becoming
worse each year. The Philippines is still corrupt and still faces economic and political problems, therefore, the nation and its
people does not trust the process of globalization. The majority of Filipinos believe that globalization has brought about
problems and conflict rather than changes. The people of the Philippines mostly rely on its leaders because its the leaders
whom the society believes and trust for the people know that the leaders are the ones that can make the whole Philippine
society better and much more developed or well-organized. So, globalization has to take place within the country in order to
make such changes happen. Due to the process of globalization in the Philippines , poverty level has been increasing.
There are over 80 million people living in the whole of Philippines about 60 percent of the population lives in poverty. This is
why the Philippines is corrupt because they cannot solve nor reduce the poverty rate. However, poverty has been a major
struggle within the nation and most the society is the ones that are suffering especially those who suffer are the ones who do
not have any jobs, money, and homes. That is why the people protest to the leaders and the government to ask them for
better lives. For example, the world economic globalization affects nearly every person, but the process of globalization is a
challenge to indigenous peoples.
In most countries, native peoples have little voice within the government, and their owned lands are taken away by
corporations. Indigenous farmers typically farm small plots and sell their crops locally; their farms do not scale up to the size
and technology necessary for export.Like the indigenous peoples of the Cordilleras, in the southern part of the Philippines ,
have lived in the mountains for generations. In the past century, Cordilleras farmers began planting cash crops, including
vegetables, coffee and beans. Increasingly the people are moving to towns and cities because they government are taking
over their lands and allowing companies to built their industrial plants there due to the major threats that the indigenous
people face.The farmers in the Philippines are suffering and this is due their competitiveness in selling crops to the market is
being eroded by foreign imports. In fact, vegetable prices in the Philippines are high. Consumers in non-producing areas pay
50-100% more than what farmers usually receive.
Farmers receive 28% more than wholesale prices in surrounding countries. These results are why vegetables are
smuggled in the nation for vegetables have become a form of contraband. These are the problems with developing countries
is that they are very corrupt politically and economically but its not the fault of globalization but its the whole nation is at
fault.Overall, the Philippines is a developing country that is bound to develop due to globalization. I believe that globalization
will make its impact in the Philippines because the whole society relies on westernization due to globalization.
Globalization can make the Philippines into a better nation if the Philippine leaders to make their economy more
advance through global trading and allowing more foreign investors to the help boost the economy. And by accomplishing

those goals, the Philippines should be able to reduce the poverty level as well as increase labor force for job opportunities for
those that are in need for a living. However, sine the poverty level is still increasing, most Filipinos has managed to find work
overseas and they have managed to seek better living than in the Philippines. The most effective factor in the Philippines is
education. The societys mentality is to be educated and its with education that people in the nation see their opportunity for
a better life in the future.