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 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 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. 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.
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.
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.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER FILIPINOS!!!
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 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 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. 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.
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.
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.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER FILIPINOS!!!
posted by:
|
Los Angeles
|
