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Why this treatment?
Well, it's due to the debt trap. It's nothing new. You plunge yourself deeper in debts, the more they treat you as slaves. Debtor countries can never make demands. They're always at the losing end of the negotiating table, begging than brokering. And we've been like that to our international creditors ever since.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. [Proverbs 22.7]Of course, it's different with debtor super power countries like the US which can show off military muscles even with its huge debts. Accordingly, as of January 2019, the US owes China some 1.13 trillion dollars, said The Balance in its US Debt to China article (www.thebalance.com). And yet you see the US defying demands by China at the South China Sea.
By the way, this US debt to China should alarm the Philippines about relying on the US to save us in case we go to war with China. Why? Well, Proverbs 22.7. Debtors are slaves to creditors. Moreover, beware of China's move to strengthen the yuan by increasing exports to Asian countries to untie its economy from the US. No wonder it wants more trade relations with us. Once the yuan becomes stronger than the US dollar, watch how China would become more aggressive in the West Philippine sea unchallenged anymore by super powers.
Anyway, we've been treated this way by all our super power "friends" due to our international standing. Creditor countries and international institutions like the World Bank and IMF keep us deeply indebted so they can treat us this way. Even in small ways. Like once in Tagaytay, we stayed in this resort we later learned to be Korean owned. Filipino staff and employees there were not treated well and even Filipino guests were banned from entering areas they made exclusive for Koreans. And how many times have US servicemen treated natives in Zambales as wild boars? And I remember the time when we were not allowed entry in some parts of Subic and Clark when the US bases were still there.
A lot of incidents have happened where foreign nationals treated us like garbage right here in our own country. And why not? Some of our own fellow Filipinos treat us the same way when it's a choice between foreigners and their fellow Filipinos. Yup, we have prejudice against one another. Even the government sometimes shun our rights in favor of foreign envoys visiting the country. Remember the times when squatters were kept out of sight when our international creditors paid us a visit?
In history, it was a Filipino who led American soldiers to a more advantageous spot against Filipino soldiers led by General Gregorio Del Pilar, and which led to his death. Filipino soldiers later betrayed President Emilio Aguinaldo to their enemies. And remember the "makapili" who betrayed local guerrilla heroes to the Japanese in World War II?
Perhaps, this was also why they betrayed the Supremo of the Katipunan--looking down on their fellow Filipinos, especially those not of the elite and the landed class. And look at how even the Filipino-Chinese community here treats Filipinos. They often look down on us. Up to this moment, a lot of Filipino-Chinese families won't allow intermarriage with pure Filipinos.
But don't get me wrong. I've met some foreigners and Filipino-Chinese who have genuine respect for us, but they're few and far between. These are broad-minded individuals who see through the Filipino as a person, understanding what things he's been through in history. They see that his patience and politeness are results of how he's been treated by his conquerors in the past and how politicians in his own country have robbed him of everything, at the same time making him see how he's indebted for the small pittance he gets from them.
So, for centuries, this has been the image given him locally and internationally--given to him by his oppressors and abusers. China never invaded us--in fact, we have always had trade relations with them, we all know this for a fact. And like us, it's also been oppressed by foreign nations. But lately, this sleeping giant woke up and assumed power in these parts, and like any other, it began to see us through the arrogant eyes of a super power. It's like how a Filipino domestic helper is treated by most employers in other countries who see us as slaves. It's because of our given image.
Right now, China sees us through the eyes of the US, UK, Japan and South Korea. They seem to grant us favors but these are all in exchange for something we will be deeply indebted for, aside from strengthening our slave image. Don't think even once that one of them wants to help us benevolently. Their helps come always with strings attached.
Can we still change this slave image of ours? We can, if we really unite for this cause. Problem is, we probably won't because we have been programmed for centuries to think parochially and remain disunited. Only Christ's Second Coming will save us from all this. So yeah---there's still big hope for us Filipinos. If we surrender our present and future to HIM.
