Its the old story there in past if you wanted to be rich you became a politician, high up in the military or police force . It was standard practice for local Mayors to take 20% of any project(gov) in their area. What I found hard is the way they really look up to corrupt wealthy , even at baranguy level (local politics) if you dont give money you dont get votes, until this attitude changes what chance is there. My partner is indigenous from mindano they have fought everyone in the 50s and 60s christians came and took all good farm land which is now all banana ,pineapple plantations and rice fields they where driven up in the hills also huge areas of land where taken for just boxes of canned fish thru ignorance, by the way Christians to them is someone who is not Muslim or Tribe . They fought the Muslims as they encroached on their area so or course they where ripe pickings for the NPA , she remembers as a 8yr old hiding in caves in the hills as Philippine Airforce bombed them (which the pres has just threatened again) I should note she says they where never NPA they just causing trouble as everything was taken from them, tho some of the young men would go with the Npa and still do.Amazingly Marcos is a hero to them he gave them back land, recognized their identity and showered them with money (to their detriment in the long run) all the while he flew in choppers to take all the gold being mined in the area lol.
