Interesting commentary by a researcher I respect, Dada Brina Docot: Tondooohhh? First, please pronounce TONDO properly. May tunog ng conviction sa dulo. This is probably one of the most unbelievable expert commentaries on history, rural-urban migration, political development, informal settlement, and generally, on the Philippines, that I have seen in ages. Why does Al Jazeera even listen to this elite of a man who has nothing to say but speculations? The church owned all the land? All of the post-WW2 settlers ended up in this area? Urban migration because of lack of jobs in the provinces? Modern laws and 1987 constitution as causes of contemporary problems? He is obviously pro-foreign ownership and he blames this hostile policy as the root cause of Filipino overseas migration. What an outright simplification of Philippine colonial history and of the outrageous impact of foreign interventions in Philippine soil and politics. He creates troubling binaries such as skilled/non-skilled workers, wealthy/poor, gated communities/squatters communities, among others, while forgetting the colonial, historical, and political roots of these divides.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:33:37 +0000