The situation, in brief
It only takes one subway ride abroad for the jokes to start: “Ano na, Pilipinas?” Every time I travel abroad with fellow Filipinos, this familiar chorus comes up: “Philippines can never.” Soon enough, the group’s running commentary is set: “Ibang iba talaga dito, no? Why can’t we have this in our…
It only takes one subway ride abroad for the jokes to start: “Ano na, Pilipinas?”
Every time I travel abroad with fellow Filipinos, this familiar chorus comes up: “Philippines can never.”
Soon enough, the group’s running commentary is set: “Ibang iba talaga dito, no? Why can’t we have this in our country? May good governance kasi sila.”
Whilst wrapped in humor, these remarks are borne out of frustration. Because when you live in the Philippines, dysfunction becomes part of the routine: traffic that swallows hours, floods that appear with every downpour, public services that lag decades behind.
So when Filipinos travel abroad and encounter systems that simply work, the comparisons are inevitable. And no, it isn’t about marveling at futuristic skylines or million-dollar theme parks.
What captures our awe are the little things: efficient public transport, pedestrian-friendly streets, clean roads and highways. Things that feel like luxuries to us back home.
Of course, these countries we visit are not perfect. They, too, wrestle with inefficiencies and scandals. And to be fair, the Philippines has strengths others envy: our warmth, community spirit, and resiliency.
But when we travel, what stands out is not what we already have but what we continue to lack: the bare minimums of governance that elsewhere are simply assumed.
For some Filipino travelers, trips abroad become less of a vacation and more of a reckoning: a reminder of how much our people endure at home, and how much better life could be with competent governance.
Abroad, efficiency is ordinary. At home, it feels impossible. Yet if others can make it happen, why can’t we?
Some dismiss these comparisons as negativity, but they are really a form of aspiration. We point out what works abroad because we want the same at home.
The real danger is when the jokes stop meaning anything—when we laugh at our own dysfunction so often that we begin to accept it as normal.
If anything, those offhand remarks abroad should remind us of what we deserve: basic services that work, systems we can trust, and leaders who deliver.
What amazes us overseas should not remain a punchline. It should be our standard.
