8 Things Filipinos Can Be More Thankful For Than Americans

By Tim Henares

Thanksgiving may not be a holiday we celebrate here in the Philippines, but all things considered, we have a lot of things to be thankful for, maybe even more than our American counterparts, regardless of how we might feel about the current powers that be. Things such as…

8. A still-robust economy.

The fastest 3rd quarter growth in Asia? Despite all the gloom and doom about how our economy would supposedly tank, that has yet to actually happen.

7. A more welcoming president.

Assuming they don’t bring drugs in, the Philippine President, unlike the incoming US president, is willing to welcome refugees to the Philippines “until we are filled to the brim.” Considering the presumptive US president has plans of deporting around 3 million illegal immigrants in contrast (while we have never lifted a finger to deport Keith Martin), we are still relatively more hospitable than most others. Relatively.

6. The Tagalog dub of Ghost Fighter.

We will always have this over the US. Always.

5. A greater recognition of our own minorities.

Let’s make one thing clear: the victory of a man from Mindanao as president is as much of a milestone as Barack Obama’s victory in 2008, regardless of what we might think of the job President Duterte has been doing so far. The so-called Imperial Manila has taken a cut in power and influence, and that is actually a good thing in the long run.

Meanwhile, a Republican victory in this particular US election means a re-consolidation of the power away from the minorities.

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