I'm sure other members who know far more than I do about the Philippines will enlighten you, but I think you ARE only seeing one side of the story. The country has a higher proportion of extreme poor (those living on $1 a day or less) than does China or Vietnam. But the famed Filipino cheerfulness is impressive Some 9m ( 1 in 10 of the population) work abroad and send home over a tenth of the GDP which is helping consumption and housing .