Global Competitiveness Report - is out!

It looks like the Swiss know their act this year in spite of the global financial crisis and the continuing pressure from the European Union and the world business leaders to open up the nation’s best kept secret—the Pandora boxes of bank accounts from wealthy individuals. Switzerland may have the wealth status but many regarded this wealth as coming from—questionable, and even blood money. I guess the Swiss can turn the eye other and pretend they are humanoid borgs. All for the glory of money.

The - Global Rankings:

1. Switzerland
2. United States of America
3. Singapore
4. Sweden
5. Denmark
6. Finland
7. Germany
8. Japan
9. Canada
10. The Netherlands
11. Hongkong SAR
12. Taiwan, China
13. United Kingdom
14. Norway
15. Australia
16. France
17. Austria
18. Belgium
19. Korea, Republic
20. New Zealand
21. Luxemburg
22. Qatar
23. United Arab Emirates
24. Malaysia
25. Ireland
.
.
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87. Philippines

The usual Nordic suspects are in the top 10 except for its Salmon producing sister falling behind on the 14th slot. I’ll be in that region next week and will try sampling the high quality (read: expensive too) of life the UN has been raving about for like decades already.

There is an impressive line up of six Asian countries that have sprung up into the list, and two Arabian countries too, while my beloved Philippines who was once the tiger of Asia, revered in the region by her neighbours during my childhood days and before I was born, has now sunk deeply in the dark bowels of flaccidity. 87th slot, previously occupying the 77th slot a year before. How so sad. Questions like—How come? WHY have the Philippines lacked competitiveness?

Personally speaking, I find Filipinos not really competitive at all because in the Philippines if you are a cutthroat individual, people will label you with these anti-social monikers that would eventually alienate you from the all-for-one and one-for-all collective type of society mentality—mayabang (proud), ambisyosa (ambitious), feeling (like you have delusions of grandeur), etcetera, which I must say are NOT bad qualities of a person at all, in fact they are basic characteristics of an individual who will definitely succeed in life, and moreover, who will make a difference. OK, I hope nobody despises me furiously after writing that, lol! I am not in a belligerent mood tonight so I will stop.

The Dutch on the other hand, after sliding from the previous held 8th slot to 10th this year, haven’t really been quite as ruthless as they should be. Well, some would probably say—at least we are in the top 10! Umm, OK.

Read further the full report at the World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report -
.