Quote Originally Posted by Tawi2 View Post
Its changed massively in the 20 or so years since I first went,even peoples attitudes have changed,20 years ago you would never see a pinoy Rasta Even though it was classed on the DEA files as the worlds second largest producer back then of Grass(baguio gold)nowadays its commonplace to see a younger guy sporting dreads 15 years Hence Big changes with a population growth of 3%
Yes I know I missed out on a lot.

In 1997 I re-engineered a factory management system, ERP/MRP system for a large electronics company that was opening a new factory near Batangas, my customer was based in Cumbernauld in Scotland and I did all the work there, kept hoping that I would get on the implementation team as well but sadly they left the one man (me) development team in Scotland and the hardware implementation guys and a couple of young post grads got on the flight to the Phils to go get the factory up and running.

So I missed out on seeing a lot of the changes already, although the guys did have to live in a guarded compound back in those days as it was a bit less safe

When I finally went over myself it was to hire programmers from one of those two posts grad guys, he stayed as a trainer and support tech for a year then decided after coming back to rainy grey Cumbernauld for four weeks that he had to start a business over there.

He was gone in just over a month and was selling programming services back to my customer within another month

I was asked to do the telephone interview of his first programmer, a lad who later visited the UK three or four times and who became a good friend to me long before I went over there myself.

That French post grad engineer has now been out there over ten years, he started with nothing and is now employing over a hundred Filipinos, done well for himself, so although it is hard to succeed in business in the Phils as a westerner it is possible.

I'm rambling a bit, but the above is part in answer to Iain's point as well.

Yeah a Pinoy rasta is a strange sight but seems to be very popular with the young folk in the Visayas.



I rather envy this lad he bums about surfing and kite boarding all day, sings and plays at night (mostly reggae) looks like he gets good tips from the tourists, relaxes with his mates drinking before and after his spot, good life

As you say 3% population growth will put a lot of pressure on the country, I really hope they manage it well.