Theme: The impact of development is good for the Third World countries like Philippines – Issue paper
Is there any development in the third world country? Are we going to equate development with the skyscrapers, mobiles phones, faster internet service or other modern facilities? Most people who never had background in social science will definitely say there is so much development around us and actually we are enjoying it right now. Somewhat true, but actually in real essence we really do not taste the true spice of development.
Before going further, let me quote some definitions of development taken from various sources according to BBC “development means improvement in a country’s economic and social conditions”. More specifically, it refers to improvements in ways of managing an area’s natural and human resources in order to create wealth and improve people’s lives. Since it is hard to measure development geographers develop some measurement in order for us to view development in two ways: one is economic development and the other is human development.
The second definition of development is taken from the site of about.com psychology which describes “development as the growth of humans throughout the lifespan, from conception to death.” This includes all of aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, social, perceptual and personality development.
The third definition was taken from the classical definition of UN World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 which specifically stated that “development must be sustainable and when we speak about sustainability it means that we meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”
Among the three definitions of development it is very clear that development encompasses not only the growing economy or improvement of facilities, high-rise building or modern technology but more so it refers to holistic human development and sustainability.
Before I will provide response if there is any development in the third world countries like the Philippines, let me go back to historical account that will help us better understand what is this so called “development” for us to know if this is really meant for us. Do we have the right to claim that we are taking part of this development?
POST-COLONIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
I have learned from my readings of Evelyne Hong issue paper entitled Globalization and the Impact on Health A third world View – Post-Colonial Development Strategy that there is what we so called Post-Colonial Development Strategy.
Her paper stated that “Imperial policies” and the market enterprise did not end with colonialism: it was given new name with “Development”. After the independence of the colonized countries the Third World states became tied to the world system of trade, finance and investment with the TNCs (Transnational Corporations) in the forefront of economic order. According to her to enable the newly independent states to catch up with their former colonial masters, it was believed that economic development was the answer. This is panacea for the major ill of the Third World was foisted on the latter in no time.
Several Aid programmed in the form of “Development Aid” from the rich Northern countries and the World Bank (WB) and commercial banks, including foundations (like Ford and Rockefeller) and research institutions all played a major significant role in the adoption of a development model imposed from the North.
The WB-promoted post colonial model advised Third World nations to plant more commodities for export which lead to oversupply, lower prices, falling terms of trade, environmental degradation and increasing poverty.
According to her one of the most significant development in the western development strategy in the postwar era was the commercialization of the Third World agriculture through the Green Revolution (GR). This GR replaced indigenous agriculture with modern agriculture; it led to the use of the yielding seed varieties leading to a loss of indigenous rice and wheat varieties; the contamination of soils and water systems from the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and modern irrigation systems and dependence on modern machinery and technology.
Given all this account of Post-Colonial Development strategy the author concluded that colonial rule and post war development strategies played a significant role in the underdevelopment of the Third World. This resulted in serious social malaise and ill health for the majority of the people. This development model has led to increasing polarization of the North and South (and within countries in the North and South as well).
IS THERE ANY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE THIRD WORLD?
I don’t want to go farther to other countries because even in the Philippines it is highly obvious that development was an abused word especially by politicians in order to win votes during election.
Some may say look at Manila as an example of development. But isn’t it showing us development? But maybe we have to ask again what development we are talking about? Do we really understand the word from its original meaning?
We have high rise building but how many people are on the streets? We have modern facilities for transportation but we still have traffic. Pollution, environmental degradation, soil erosion and now here’s flood and sudden climate change. These are clear evidences that we’re able to neglect important aspect of development which is human development.
If we look around us, we can see how our agricultural lands were converted into banana, pineapple and African palm oil. It is ironic that we experienced rice crisis were in fact International Rice Research Institute was established here in the Philippines teaching technology to other countries how to plant rice.
In exchange they send us their modern technology but the question is how many of us can afford it? What an average Filipino can afford to buy are surplus products of appliances and even clothes that were used by people in the First World.
We are a dumping ground of garbage. They enjoyed the best and quality products from our country while we are having feast with their waste.
Despite of our growing GNP and GDP we’re still owe billions of money from the World Bank? Our government set up policies in order to accommodate the standards of the IMF/WB so it leads us to lose our own control over our economy, social services and national policy.
Actually we lose this control from the very beginning because it is for a fact that development was set not by us, but it was already prepared by those highly industrialized countries. What we ought to do is only to follow the scripted agreement.
I will always remember Pres. Ramos in his political banner before “Philippines 2000”. A dream that by the time we reach the year 2000 we will be more progressive country and will be an economic tiger in Asia. But it is already 2008 now and where is this development he is talking about?
There will be only true development if we will be able to craft for our own developmental goals just like China or other countries. But we are only a country which only participates in the game of globalization and modernization which we really know from the very beginning that we are in the losing end so therefore development is not for us but we are just victims of development.
The worse thing our government was doing right now is to venture into human labor export which eventually leads us to brain drain. We are making our maids into super maids and instead of making our education responsive to the needs of our country we are training our people to become nurse of the world. We provide service to first world countries in the form of Overseas Filipino Contract Workers whom we called heroes.
I am not against development but I am anti-post developmental strategy or any development that will destroy our national identity. I am not in favor with development that is not rooted on the felt needs of our people. The needs of the west are not the same with the need of the south. Although, it is good that we are sharing information but it is not also good that we already neglect our own selves.
I do not believe that development happens if we are just mere recipient of it. We must be active planner of our own development.
Not everything that grows is helpful. It depends on what growth are we talking about. Like for instance if in our body if there is particular part that abnormally grows it might be diagnosed as cancer.
I am only for development as long as this upholds the criteria of sustainability which again sets we do not sacrifice the need of the next generation for us to meet the needs of the presence and if development will truly enhance the quality of life of human beings.
As long as it will consider the needs of the people in the Third World and it will put high regard to their culture, tradition and preservation of the environment. Then, this is development.
No comments:
Post a Comment