A VIEW FROM MANILA'S STREETS: GENERAL PESSIMISM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 005364 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/PD, DRL/CRA, DRL/IL TAGS: PGOV PINR PINS KDEM SOCI PREL KPAO RP SUBJECT: A VIEW FROM MANILA'S STREETS: GENERAL PESSIMISM ABOUT FUTURE AND CYNICISM TOWARD POLITICAL ELITE REF: A. MANILA 5138 ¶B. MANILA 4662 ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please protect accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Poloff and Pol FSN visited a poor neighborhood in Manila on November 14 to canvass views about residents' lives, politics and the U.S. Filipinos on the streets were generally pessimistic about their situation. They viewed politicians as corrupt and indifferent to the pressing needs of the poor. The U.S. was viewed favorably. The sample, while by no means representative, with only about 15 people who were interviewed, highlighted a continued disconnect between citizens and those in power in the Philippines which shows up in more formal surveys. End Summary. Walkabout Near the Port -------------- ¶3. (U) On November 14, Poloff and Pol FSN visited a poor neighborhood in the Port area of Manila to listen to the views of ordinary Filipinos. Some of the interviewees in this old, busy area with narrow streets made a living as casual laborers, including at the docks. A handful were operators of small "sari-sari" stores that sell cigarettes and candy. Many were squatters, living in clapboard structures huddled up against the streets, whose families had migrated to Manila from rural areas, mostly on Luzon Island. Poloff and Pol FSN interviewed around 15 men and women with ages ranging from 17 to 55. Pessimistic About Future -------------- ¶4. (U) All the interviewees were pessimistic about their own and their families' future. They complained about the high price of essential items, the lack of jobs, and -- for those with some form of employment -- about inadequate incomes. Several "sari-sari" operators said their sales had fallen in recent months. Two men who claimed to have jobs with the city government, but who appeared to be unoccupied, said their salaries were too small to meet their families' basic needs given recent price increases. Several laborers, who had not found work that day, related that their children could not find jobs though they (the children) had gone through high school. One said his son had even graduated from a college and still could not find a job. Given the option, most would gladly leave the Philippines and work abroad. Some noted that they might depart Manila and go back to their home areas if things did not change for the better. The Politicians: Power-Hungry and Corrupt -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Residents of the neighborhood were uniformly cynical about politicians and Filipino politics in general. Politicians "forget their campaign promises" immediately after elections and only have "personal agendas," interviewees asserted. They all criticized political bickering and said they wanted politicians to stop the attacks because it "only hurts us." They felt that politicians were seeking political and financial gain instead of trying to help the poor. No one could name a politician that they believed was really both competent and honest. "They're all the same," was a common refrain, and one man said he had stopped voting in elections because of this. Several passionately denounced corrupt politicians and corruption in government, and asserted that this was the most significant problem in the Philippines. "Corruption, corruption, corruption!" exclaimed one neighborhood resident several times. A man who was listening in on the conversation expressed his apparently hopeless perspective by declaiming, "If I could sell the Philippines, I would," and walked away. ¶6. (SBU) Almost every person interviewed was dissatisfied with President Arroyo and her administration. A few vehemently accused her of corruption. By and large, however, no one could suggest a suitable replacement -- a person that they would prefer as president. Most felt that there was no choice but Arroyo, even if they did not really like her. "Can we borrow Bush for five years?" one man asked, apparently referring to the roughly five years remaining in Arroyo's term, which ends in 2010. Some of the interviewees felt that Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and his administration were doing an adequate job in delivering services. ¶7. (SBU) Residents were either indifferent to the proposals for Constitutional change or felt that it would not make a difference in national politics or in their day-to-day life. (Note: Per Ref B, most of the Constitutional change proposals seek to create a unicameral parliamentary system with an executive prime minister, replacing the current bicameral system and its executive president. End Note.) Most did not really appear to understand what exactly the proposals were, or how a parliamentary system of government would differ from the current system. "Nothing will change," said one person in reference to the proposals, summing up the general mood of the interviewees. Positive About the U.S. -------------- ¶8. (SBU) When asked what they thought about the U.S., everyone was upbeat. They viewed the U.S. as both a friend and an ally, and felt the U.S. presence in the Philippines was beneficial. One man specifically mentioned the assistance provided through USAID. Another man was thankful to the U.S. for fighting the Japanese during World War II. "Make us one of your states," said another, only half in jest, while another nodded vigorously in agreement. None made any reference to the case of the U.S. Marines recently accused of rape in the Subic Bay area (Ref A),which has received much recent press coverage. Comment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The sample, while by no means representative, highlighted a continued disconnect between citizens and those in power in the Philippines which shows up in more formal surveys (including in a report issued this month by the Department's Office of Research entitled "Filipinos: All Stressed Out and Nowhere to Go"). Despite the pessimism and the cynicism, no one was inclined toward radicalism of any sort; no one expressed support for the left, for example. The views about the U.S. were heartening -- with these Filipinos the U.S. was seen decidedly as a force for good in the world, a view that in general also shows up in more formal surveys of Filipinos.