The Philippines is the third poorest Southeast Asian country after Burma and Cambodia. Burma is always in civil wars while Cambodia still hasn't gotten out of the trauma of the Khmer rouge, French and American bombings.  The Philippines was an American colony and gained independence right after WW2 with all infrastructure in tact, improved and left with a huge reserve.  It was one of the richest country in Asia in the 1950s.

Instead of working with the rest of Asia and rebuild its economy, it still wants to pretend to be low class "Westerners".  I always feel the the Filipinos are the Indians of Southeast Asia. Delusional and incompetent.  Acting big but has no substance.

Like his dad, Marcos Jr effectively stalled the Philippines development for another two decades.   I wonder if tensions between China and the Philippines will affect the hundreds of thousands of maids hired in Hong Kong and Singapore.