I travel to Asia, and the same holds.

The Philippines are a waste hole right now and there is alot of political turmoil going on. The main reason is there is a stranglehold by the affluent there. They do not have open markets.

The best thing they could do is open up their country to the US MARKETS, like China is doing, and Japan did in the 60's.

There is tons of cheap labor available. If they allowed US and other countries to open manufacturing plants, eventually the lower class would become a middle class and so on and so on.

The reason they wont is because the affluent and powerful , aka policiticians, convince the masses that US is the bad guy, that we only want to be Imperialistic and own them. That mentality is pushed along by all those who claim the US is Imperialistic. Its too bad, the poor masses buy into it.

It wouldnt be that difficult to open a car manufacturing company there. They have tons of excellent, but low paid engineers, and tons of unskilled workers who could learn skill very quickly.

RP, Republic of the Philippines, was once the "pearl of the orient".
If only you manufactured taxis, ha, there are millions of japanese and korean made taxis all over manila.
The labor market is there
the engineers are there
the only thing stopping it is the stupid mentality that US is gonna rape the country,,, fukkkkkk, they have already been raped and quartered by their own, there is nothing to lose, but those in power use fear and partiotism to subvert any possible changes, and those worldwide who use propaganda to claim the US is Imperialistic and will destroy your country only add fuel to their fire.