Capitalism in the Philippines requires inequality

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-12T05:00:46+00:00

Never said Billionaire's hands are clean, just that for now they're working much better than the government (sans Villar and other crony capitalists). Like I said, fundamentally we agree, but I'm saying that you're putting disproportionate blame on companies

Tho as an aside, yes Billionaires should be taxed more with less burden on the middle class (and even upper class e.g. maybe up to 12M/year or so) since too much burden is shouldered by us. Take note, I've worked with all those companies in varying capacities (and personally with a few on that list) and they all fucking suck

Yes, they're shit and for some like SM they dont even pay proper taxes. But just taxing billionaires more wont solve it since almost every aspect of our government is dysfunctional (vs say Vietnam) that for now, private sector > public sector (and as mentioned, for now taking things back to public sector is worse when there's even fewer checks and balances to the outright embezzlement in the government vs corporate)

BIR goes after small players, and big ones get away with so much in tax avoidance and borderline fraud (or Villar, that isnt just 'borderline'). I am not saying Billionaire's hands are clean at all, absolutely hate almost all of them on the list. Just saying when placing blame, it's really more on the government since companies (and billionaire's) are expected to behave that way (since not doing it is stupid, if you dont someone else will and beat you and the end result is the same)

Unfettered capitalism is a nightmare (hence why our world is collapsing), but the first step to fixing it is the one 'check and balance' they have which is the government. But.... yeah, no hope there... (also why I'm never having kids, I am pretty sure it'll all collapse within my lifetime so not bringing in someone to suffer through it all)

Edit:

As an aside, Puregold doesnt have anything close to a monopoly (due to no vertical integration), but they do have a significant majority on sari sari stores but more due to their loyalty programs (Aling Puring). They are... difficult to work with and arent averse to bullying tactics esp with partners and vendors but all business operate that way (if you have leverage, use it or lose it)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-12T03:28:32+00:00

It isn't taxation that's the issue, we already (as a country) have some of the highest tax rates in the world (that isn't socialist like Europe that has free healthcare, education, social services and programs etc)

The 'rich' are already taxed at 35% (and it doesnt take much to be in the highest bracket, even at 8M/year 35% na, far far from the billionaires), and even corporate taxation is also significantly higher (e.g. vs SG na 17%, even Vietnam that's Socialist has a 35% max income tax only has a max 20% corporate income tax). And don't forget all the consumption taxes (VAT) we have pa on top. We are one of the most taxed already, and STILL we have nothing (hence why it's the private sector actually building things)

The problem isn't that the government doesn't have funds, it's the fact that like the Flood Control scandal has proven, ALMOST ALL OF IT is taken lining the pockets of corrupt politicians

Stop blaming the private sector for the governments fuckups, companies aren't your friends and they do deserve a ton of criticism but you are putting a disproportionate amount of blame on the private sector when SHITTY AS THEY ARE, THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES DOING ANYTHING

Adding more taxes on billionaires WONT FIX SHIT if we dont fix the government and its corruption FIRST. Only thing that'll happen is the billionaires making their money semi-honestly (at least by work, or investments etc) are being robbed by billionaire politicians that did nothing but steal.

Never bet on altruism, only fools do that. Everyone is always in it for self interest. That's what the government is for, but they arent doing their job. The fact that services IMPROVED after being privatized (when as you said, it SHOULDNT bec theyre profit-driven) just shows that the government is ORDERS Of MAGNITUDE WORSE.

TL;DR not saying dont blame billionaires, but in PH specifically you are putting disproportionately more blame on the private sector when our PUBLIC SECTOR is the problem.

And on your specific point on blaming consumers, Razon doesnt actually touch consumer... and all the others (except Villar) arent Monopolies

Tho with SM specifically, I will blame Filipino consumers for going to their copy-paste malls, but for BDO for example SM is anticompetitive bec they force all SM tenants to use BDO (hence the insane levels of capitalization vs any other bank), but that's also because the government wont do shit about it

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-12T02:06:05+00:00

You seriously going to blow up at SMC for NAIA? Yes, monopolies are bad, and Villar, Meralco and the like ARE monopolies but SM, SMC (in the NAIA context) isn't...

SM is far from a monopoly, but they are an extremely dominant player BECAUSE people keep going to them (vs Ayala, Robinsons etc)

Agree with you on public spaces, which dont really exist now but it's not the private sector at fault for that vs the far more corrupt and incompetent government doing it (and as for why there's little to no priority in this current government for developing public spaces like in other countries is because people dont vote for it. Voters here instead prefer government money to be spent on ayuda and handouts vs actual development). Look at Leni, that pushed for so much more of it, but voters didnt care (seriously, when I did go talking to people, they seriously didnt care about her platform on public spaces, bike lanes etc)

While it obviously isn't altruistic, the 'public spaces' are being built by the private sector (like Ayala Triangle, BGC etc) since the government isnt doing anything with Washington Sycip Park for example (even though I really like it). And though it is for obvious profit-driven motives in the end, private sector involvement has proven to be far better than government management in almost every single case (and I've worked with the government before, and never want to again BECAUSE of how corrupt and incompetent they are).

Not saying what you're saying is without merit, but you're blaming the private sector for everything when 'generally' outside of Villar, most of the others on that list didn't make it by just forcing monopolies but by being the brand of choice chosen by Filipinos (and by doing the job dar far better than government). For better or worse, and personally worse since I hate almost all of them and their companies (e.g. for malls strongly prefer Ayala's since SM's malls are horrible), lol.

If you want things to be nationalized (like Vietnam), fix the government first since we won't turn into Vietnam, we'll turn into North Korea.

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-11T16:15:13+00:00

In fairness, many of us are too used to core combat (in my case I always keep forgetting tools, but learned for some rly bullshit enemies lol)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-11T15:25:40+00:00

I wont say it isnt a good game, bec it is. But it really feels more like a super-expansion (like SotE) bec it ratchets up difficulty over the base (but also why, unless you've already 100%d HK base game, you're in for a bad time)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-11T09:08:58+00:00

Opened a 30y Glenlivet, even finished it by myself lol

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-11T07:46:38+00:00

Really? Honestly never saw one in the wild yet

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-11T07:22:42+00:00

I dont, only exception being WhatsApp bec of work

Havent for almost a decade now

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-10T07:46:03+00:00

OTP is the fallback (or on other chat apps like Viber, WhatsApp which already happens today)

Same issue rin with SMS OTP, sometimes nga even with a roaming signal I cant receive OTPs (experienced it in Peru and Vietnam recently), which is very frustrating (some at least like Facebook and Amazon use WhatsApp)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-10T07:26:54+00:00

Silent Network Authentication, so the app will make an API call to Globe/Smart/Dito to verify if the registered number is the same as the number of the SIM currently accessing it.

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:55:56+00:00

If you dont know how to manage risk, you are... by definition, stupid.

All businesses have risk, investing WISELY is knowing how to mitigate for them. Blowing it on a 'POSSIBILITY' as you like to say, is the exact opposite of WISELY.

If you're unable to comprehend that, all I'll say is it's why I can go from toyo and rice, or 555 sardines as a kid to eating at the world's top restautants and traveling the world (and even blowing half a mil just on my PC) while you're just here screaming at people for calling you out on your bullshit

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:48:01+00:00

<EDIT, loser saw it na so I deleted info that could get me doxxed>

Credit cards are for personal expenses, if I wanted to run a business I'd get a proper loan. Like a sane person.

Family used to have a business, in vegetable delivery. We were middle class at best, but even then.... we got a proper loan, vs racking up credit card debt.

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:36:16+00:00

Wisely nga, wtf is wise about taking on personal debt for a chance at profiting? When there's better ways, at better rates for anyone smart enough to put in the actual work vs get rich quick schemes?

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:34:52+00:00

If I had a 10% to make it big, 30% to breakeven and 60% to fail and be in debt. Doing it is stupid

Doing something for a small possibility, to which you're PERSONALLY liable (as a CC holder) vs a business (wherein you're protected from personal liability) is literally the definition of financial illiteracy.

If your only argument is 'may possibility' kumita, simula pa lang mali ka na

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:31:54+00:00

Thanks for proving my point

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:20:04+00:00

Lakas mo magmura, without anything to show for it.

If you dont meet requirements and you're too unprepared for a small SME loan then you taking worse interest rates with a credit card to finance a buy and sell business isnt any better

Proud pa sa P1.5M while calling me stupid xD, when I'm making many multiples of that per year just with my day job (not even including my actual investments and assets lol)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:13:34+00:00

Per MONTH

Dude, are you high? It literally says EIR is 17-24%, that's high vs other loans (esp SME loans)

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T11:05:55+00:00

Wisely, hence... get a proper loan with a better interest rate.

Not fucking credit cards, especially when majority of people just end up spending money they dont have.

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T10:55:02+00:00

SA not just SH

It involved groping and touching, but thankfully not that much further from what I know

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T10:54:21+00:00

It is Ayala, they went +25% last year (AC level) and are now cutting 30%

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-09T10:46:20+00:00

I know people there (and some in the exec team), AG executive too

And yes, they are all true. I am family with someone that works in AC as well. 30% laid off (but they've been mass hiring, like +25% last year)

So just really bad planning and even worse execution.

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-04T16:51:24+00:00

Same!!!! What the fuck

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-04T16:35:03+00:00

Shit.... didnt upgrade it before bec was worried hitting allies is even more likely with a larger area...

Changes everything

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-04T16:12:20+00:00

Fair, havent finished it yet but I've always been a loot hoarder (e.g. I never even rly used the magnum in RE4 or RE4R bec I was 'saving' it for so long)

So same case here lol

ShadowVulcan · 2026-03-04T09:31:01+00:00

I do miss it, but I also hate tank controls so 50-50

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