NewZ NewZ with a Zeal
“BANANA republics” refer to politically unstable countries that can change leadership at the drop of a hat. These countries are heavily dependent on one agricultural product, like pineapples or bananas, as the primary source of their gross domestic product (GDP). The phrase was coined by American writer William Sydney Porter — better known as O. Henry — in his 1904 book “Cabbages and Kings” to describe a fictional country in Central America called Anchuria.As economically impoverished and politically unstable nations ruled by corrupt regimes, banana republics are also heavily controlled and influenced by foreign colonial powers or large corporations. An illustrative case was the United Fruit Co., which owned the entirety of Honduras’ banana industry and had significant influence over its political authorities.In the past, the term was confined to countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Today, it extends to other countries in Asia and Eastern Europe plagued by widespread corruption, weak or captured state institutions, a shortage of economic resources, and overreliance on foreign capital.There are three recent events that purport to allude that the Philippines is regressing into a banana republic. First was the collapse of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela, which injured six people, including a child recovering from cancer. Taxpayers paid P1.2 billion for that bridge, which took over 10 years to complete. Second was the kidnapping of a 14-year-old student from the British School of Manila, whose little finger was cut off by his kidnappers on video, which was sent to his horrified parents. News media allege that the child was released after the payment of a $1-million ransom that was facilitated by high-ranking officials, instead of a “heroic” rescue operation by the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) anti-kidnapping group. And third was a FA-50 jet that crashed into Mount Kalatungan in Bukidnon, killing its two ace pilots. The jet was purchased from South Korea in 2015 as part of efforts to modernize the Philippine Air Force.Foreign experts have a negative impression on our country’s public safety, economy and political stability. Few would describe the Philippines as a banana republic, where the rule of law is weak, officials are corrupt, and faltering infrastructure and old military hardware often result in death or disasters. The country’s dependence on the United States military’s backing in South China Sea tensions reinforces that the country is a “banana republic” reliant on a former colonial superpower. We seem helpless if China chooses to occupy any part of our territory without US security guarantees.Despite some viewing the Philippines as a banana republic due to the severe challenges of poverty, income inequality and corruption, there are positive features that argue against that. The Philippines has diversified its economy into retail services, business process outsourcing, agribusiness, tourism and overseas remittances. To punish those who commit corruption in high places, there are oversight agencies and courts like the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice and the Sandiganbayan. Majority of our police officers are dedicated to serve and protect our people despite a few scalawags tarnishing the PNP’s reputation. Also, the country continues to strengthen its self-reliant defense systems through the acquisition of more modern weaponry, resilience to cybersecurity attacks and pivot toward external security.But a banana republic is also enabled by our people’s distorted consciousness and behaviors. Do we ingrain an impoverished and mendicant mindset? Are we unruly, unstable and ungovernable as a nation? Or have we become a proud and ambitious race, setting our sights to become one of the world’s middle-income countries by 2030?The Philippines must never be a banana republic.
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