Name: KYLE ADRIANE A.

TIMON Date: June 25, 2022

Program/Section: GED105 – C1

The struggle and challenges the Philippines faced as a developing country, the future of the

citizens of the nation is it at risk?

(Word count: 625)

The challenges facing the global south from our country’s perspective is rather intriguing and

alarming at the same time since in the article, I would be able to know the problems and complication my

motherland is having and possibly how can I contribute to solve its predicament. This provides a bird's-

eye view of the intricacies of the variations of the issues it raises for the developing world. While the

differences may be distinctive, it is challenging to not look past them. Accordingly, I begin by recognizing

the distinctions that the global south symbolizes.

I found out that the Philippines’ connection with other countries like United States, Chinese, and

Japan illustrates unevenness despite its influence and cultural benefits it brings to the citizens, they are

still not quite the same. It was coined by Homi Bhabha “almost the same but not quite.” It means that no

matter how we model ourselves to the First World countries, we won’t be at the same level. I also

learned more about the term First World and Third World country while the third world country lacks at

internal cohesion, legitimate state boundaries, uneven development, etc. the first world country doesn’t

lack at anything of the following I mentioned. Lastly, I learned that the nations in the global south can be

thought of as being stuck in a difficult situation. On the one hand, they differ from the First world

countries. (Bhabha, 1994)

There are many things that are unclear to me but to mention three of them, I would start with the

Hybridity, though it is clearly explained that the hybridity is being reflected in the Philippines. The "Third

World" could engage better and more fully in the international system and would no longer be in a

security bind if it could only consolidate its statehood like the "First World, “the idea of the state and the
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application of rational choice in the framework of the international system all melt together and become

more flexible. Does this mean that the international relation of the Philippines would become smoother?

(Ayoob, 1995)

I used to think that before reding the article, there’s no difference in other third world countries like

ours since there’s not much to talk about and discuss, like we are still trying our best to solve the

country’s issue like poverty, political challenges, and climate change. I also used to think that our

nationalistic personality is something that serve as our identity only, I didn’t know it was also our

statehood. Lastly, I also used to think that international relation is like globalization in which we share

cultural stuffs and political and economic things.

I would like to ask first, how the Philippines can escape the term of being a Third World country

since we modeled after the First world countries wouldn’t it be logical to achieve and solve the things we

lack and what defines us as a third world country. Even while people from the global south feel

differences from those in the north that are more advanced in a comparable way, they are nonetheless

"differently different." How different are we and what constitutes its variety that we could distinguish?

Lastly, what specific counterparts does the global south mimics from the global north. Wouldn’t this

endanger the unique identity of one’s nation or country? (Neuman, S.G. 1998)

The Philippines is considered a part of the global south, though despite being a developing nation

towards being a first world country. It has its own challenges that it needs to face despite that, its citizens

are living in a peaceful time and away from devastation. Truly this is an era of peace and innovation. The

Philippines has its pressures and expectations from others being distinct while embracing their

nationalism.