The Philippines In 2050

Read CNN's: World's top economies in 2050 will be...

By 2050, the Philippines will leapfrog 27 places to become the world’s 16^th largest economy.

I was born in 1992 under the late Corazon Aquino administration however it was also already in transition to the Ramos administration. As I was still a child, I barely knew anything about the political and economic condition of my country. But from the time I gained consciousness and awareness, I could say that the dark ages for the Philippines really started in the Arroyo Administration (2001-2010) and still continues to this very day, although rigorous efforts by the current Aquino administration to eliminate corruption and surge our country forward towards a better economy is also commendable.

What put the Philippines in this terrible situation is not the lack of job opportunities, not our huge population, and not the high poverty rate (for these are the effects) but the high rate of corruption. Hence the problem really lies not in our system but in the people who run the system. I am not just referring to public officials in high position, for the culprits have nests everywhere. And they can be anyone too.

So after I read through the article, I immediately thought that a radical change will fall upon the corrupt political system of this country. Something big will happen. Philippines will probably beget a savior-leader and who knows what he's going to be like. Probably a dictator like Marcos, a savior like Jesus Christ, a famous celebrity like the late Fernando Poe Jr., a marxist, a democrat, a monarch, a tribe leader, a cult leader, champion of the masses, name them all.

Of course this does not sound as simple as it is. It will be as coarse as our history. Although the Philippines is used to extreme difficulties, it is also good at survival. There is something about the Philippines, despite pollution, poverty, and corruption, that I find special. Could be the Filipino spirit, our values, our rich cultural heritage, our faith, our history, or could also be the hope and optimism that this prediction by CNN sparked among us.

The fact is, by 2050, I will be in my late 50s. It's an old age, but not too old enough to see and witness a miracle. It's time to give the Philippines a chance after a long time. It deserves it.