The Philippines stands at the precipice of an unprecedented national crisis
Posted by mark000@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 74 comments
Posted by mark000@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 74 comments
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
This is just the start of what’s to come.
Bluest_waters@reddit
People just do not get that trump has fundamentally destroyed the modern economy. He threw a monkey wrench into the factory and the gears are all mashed up. This is going to be an economic downturn like none we've ever seen before. This is gonna make 2008 look like a Sunday in the park. People have no idea what's coming
living_dah_dream@reddit
I have no idea what is coming. Please elaborate. I am not trolling and seriously want to know. So we can prepare. Thanks.
colondollarcolon@reddit
Ronald Reagan was the USA President in the 1980's. He was a Free Trade champion, and he advocated the elimination of all global trade tariffs. He helped to create the foundation that led to the global interconnected commerce including the fast, easy financial transactions between countries. He signed many free trade agreements with many foreign governments, which was followed by his predecessors. Through global Free Trade, countries some to rely on each other (become partners) and wars can be avoided. He only laid the groundwork, successive US Presidents added their own ideas to global Free Trade.
Former US president Ronald Reagan FULL 1987 speech on tariffs and free trade
The fact that the USA can keep on taking debt is because the USA have trade deficits, but so what, Japan, China, etc. just buy 30 year US Treasury Bonds. The USA trade deficits are balanced out by non-USA countries buying long-term US debt (bonds). So the USA trade deficits don't really matter, because the countries that the USA have deficits with, buy the USA bonds. Donald Trump tariffs are breaking this agreement. If non-USA countries stop buying US 30 Year Treasuries, then the USA is screwed.
If you look at Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Egypt, etc TODAY and compare them to what they were in the 1980's, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Egypt, etc these countries grew and developed economically, financially, socially, academically, etc. through global free trade. The World interconnected global logistics, supply system is all based on global free trade. Donald Trump is breaking the linkages of this interconnected global logistics, supply system which is disrupting the supply chain, make things unpredictable, unplannable and making everything more expensive.
The fact that US Dollar Stores are able to stock cheap $1 Dollar products made in China is due to global free trade. Same for all stores able to stock cheap clothing, shoes, cookware, furniture, home decorations, car parts, consumer electronics, etc. Global free trade made overseas shipping and flying (1) faster and (2) cheaper. The prices for shipping by seas and air are phenomenal cheaper today 2026 than in the 1980's. Donald Trump's tariffs is making the cost of manufacturing more expensive including shipping. This disrupts global free trade by (1) creating unemployment in Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Egypt, etc and (2) making every item in the USA more expensive. The $1 Dollar Stores and now $5 Dollar Stores. This causes Americans to spend less, leading to shrinking GDP.
I can go on forever, but I am going to stop here. The modern 2026 interconnected world that we all live in today with our communication (mobile phone, social media, internet, etc), with our financial institutions (paypal, Wise, banking, easily sending money overseas, ATM's, paying by mobile phone, etc.), overall general standard of living since 1980 (employment all over the World, cheap products for the USA, cheap/fast overseas shipping, fresh fruits and vegetables in USA supermarkets during all through winter, etc.) and technological advancements (xrays, MRI, CT-SCAN, fuel efficient modern airline jets, modern automobiles, mobile phones, laptops, etc.) are all due to the global free trade set in motion in the 1980's. Donald Trump wants to break this and set the entire world back several decades which means unemployment all over the world, slowing of global economy, shrinking GDP in almost every country and the USA not being able to finance it's debt.
JMaster098@reddit
"Ronald Reagan supported a plan called supply-side or trickle-down economics. He proposed a phased 30% tax cut for the first three years of his Presidency. The bulk of the cut was concentrated at the upper income levels. According to this theory, tax relief for the rich would enable them to spend and invest more, which would stimulate the economy and create new jobs for ordinary citizens.
This plan sparked a deep recession in 1981-1982. The high interest rates caused the value of the dollar to rise on the international exchange market, making American goods more expensive abroad. As a result, exports decreased while imports increased. The economy stabilized in 1983, and the remaining years of Reagan's administration showed national growth.
The defense industry boomed as well. Reagan insisted that the United States was vulnerable to the Soviet Union regarding nuclear defense. Massive government contracts were awarded to defense firms to upgrade the nation's military.
Economists disagree over the achievements of “Reaganomics.” Tax cuts plus increased military spending cost the federal government trillions of dollars. Congress approved his tax and defense plans, but refused to make any deep cuts to the welfare state. The results were skyrocketing deficits.
The national debt tripled from one trillion to three trillion dollars during the Reagan years. The growth that Americans enjoyed during the 1980s came at a huge price for the generations to follow."
L O L
AngusScrimm---------@reddit
All kidding aside, Ronald Reagan is: The Father of Shithole America
redditmodsRrussians@reddit
Little bit of Great Depression, dash of Mad Max, a pinch of Last of Us and maybe a nice reduction sauce made with global nuclear war. Either way, a lot of people probably not makin it out of this shitshow.
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
Yeah shows and movies like Fallout, Silo and Mad Max are documentaries. They are a perfect example of our future.
Weekly-Landscape-543@reddit
You paint quite a picture friend
redditmodsRrussians@reddit
Think of it this way. We are looking at massive unemployment already. Global demand shocks are going to crater exports and the whole just in time economy the rich in America built is gonna get pressed so hard it might break. Add on Rat Fuck Jr dismantling the healthcare system cause the random worm infested whale meat he ate made him feel so fantastic that he now believes nobody should get vaccines. This is on top of a continuing healthcare crisis the US is already suffering from. Farming is basically fucked into a cocked hat from government dysfunction and fertilizer shortages to diesel fuel going to the moon.
With that backdrop, climate change is accelerating while nuclear powers are engaged in regional wars that might spiral out to bigger wars. There doesn’t seem to be any off ramp for the conflicts and in fact chances might be high that Fanta Menace decides to use a nuke to “win bigly”.
Anywho, I’m kinda in the smoke em if you got em mentality these days.
SmellSmellsSmelly@reddit
You’re a histrionic fool.
collapse-ModTeam@reddit
Rule 1: In addition to enforcing Reddit's content policy, we will also remove comments and content that is abusive or predatory in nature. You may attack each other's ideas, not each other.
farfrompukenjc@reddit
I think they were cooking quite the dish?
living_dah_dream@reddit
Whenever there is a "crash" scenario like this, don't sovereign governments just print and distribute a shitload of money? Those at the top get the most benefits. Problem solved!
nakedonmygoat@reddit
Sure. Worked great for Weimar Germany. 🙄
tennezzee88@reddit
that's not what happened there but okay lol
0xFF0000@reddit
It takes (depending on destination) 3-8 weeks for oil tankers to finish their routes from the Strait of Hormuz. So the actual oil shock has not even reached most of the planet yet. There is amortization so to speak, especially given historically unprecedented (in size) release of reserves by IEA, plus individual country reserves.
Oil deliveries to e.g. Europe stop around 10-15 April, US 15-20 April; SE Asia stopping around now. Actual proper price hikes (from fierce demand vs supply change, worldwide) to follow. Main input into global GDP is energy. 20% contraction in oil supply globally... we will have famine (in some poor places) even without discussing fertilizer supply. Next winter should be.. interesting:( (in Europe we're supposed to now be stockpiling for next heating season; all of Northern hemisphere is supposed to be starting around now-ish, I think...)
Not predicting anything particular, but cannot see how economic depression in most/all areas can be avoided, it will just take time to unravel. And famine in some places.
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
Yeah this global depression is impossible to be avoided.
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
So true. Unfortunately so many people are either in denial about the catastrophe that awaits us, or they have no idea as they are only focused on BS like the latest celebrity gossip or the latest sports game.
deadlandsMarshal@reddit
Yeah, me and some veterans I used to work with. We met working for DHA (Defense Health Agency) and the location was one of the climate disaster refugee stations in case something like another Katrina happened.
We got a briefing about an unavoidable global Dustbowl event like 7 years ago. The expected date was never told to us and we had several technological deployments we had to do to prepare.
My co-workers and I have a still running pool going as to when a lot that we were preparing the site for would happen. Looks like I'm winning the Dustbowl AND the Great Depression round 2 pools. Probably this year.
Mellero47@reddit
Does Making America Great Again involve reverting to the post-WW2 state when the USA was the only factory left standing?
colondollarcolon@reddit
The Global Trumpcession starting to take hold in the Philippines.
ibonek_naw_ibo@reddit
You mean Trumpression
96-62@reddit
The ongoing Donald Trump crisis.
redditmodsRrussians@reddit
All those passport bros livin out there better start booking their flights back to the US cause they gonna have angry fans after them in a hurry
Konradleijon@reddit
This is Americas fault
Bluest_waters@reddit
I mean when you really think about it it's the entire world's fault for allowing the entire economy to be built on fossil fuels when we're well aware that fossil fuels are absolutely destroying the biosphere. The whole planet needs to get off oil right now. That's the message here
Tiny-Sink-9290@reddit
And yet.. MAGA voted for the oil dick to runt he show.. "drill baby drill". Then he tries to take over Venezuella without consulting oil dudes and they all say "Yah.. no.. way too dangerous and the oil is crap"
Lord___Rictor@reddit
Iran's fault. Literally attacking civilian ships. But yeah it's America's fault for making the terrorists angry because they couldn't build a nuke yet.
Bluest_waters@reddit
Thanks for checking in Netanyahu, good talk
Lord___Rictor@reddit
You would wait for the nuke to drop. And then 100 more nukes would be the response.
Smart move.
TraditionalLaw7763@reddit
It is. But if you read the article, the whole nation allowed a private company to keep the stockpiles at a 15-day supply for years without question. No other investments in wind, solar, hydro or any other renewable has been made at all. Nothing. Not even EVs. Maybe this is the perfect time for the world to start looking into alternative energy sources for a change. America is the biggest asshole on the planet right now… right up there with Israel… but maybe it can jumpstart something better in the world.
youcantexterminateme@reddit
China already did it
TraditionalLaw7763@reddit
I know. I’ve been buying one dollar solar powered garden lights from Them forever. Something so cheap… is so valuable to me when I go camping. They have solar farms, cheap EV cars that now charge in 5 mins… wind farms and can sell solar cheap to the rest of the world (before tariffs, anyway)
Etalokkost@reddit
Nowhere in the article did it say that the Philippines has made zero investments in renewable energy. Renewable energy as a share of the total power generation in the country has reached 25% as of 2025, which is not enough but it has accelerated in the past years. Also, less than 1% of the electricity that the Philippines generates is directly from oil, although the largest source, which is coal, has to be imported and is affected by global oil prices.
TraditionalLaw7763@reddit
“We face a crisis unlike any in its past—one that cannot be survived through the mechanisms that have always worked before. An extended oil shortage triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would expose a fundamental vulnerability: our total systemic dependency on oil that cannot be quickly replaced, cannot be imported from unaffected regions, and cannot be compensated for by adaptation or community spirit alone”
From the article… that doesn’t sound like they’re just bangin’out alternatives. But yeah, I come from A country where [redacted] is giving one billion dollars to a French company to NOT build windmills here.
loralailoralai@reddit
It’s typical ignorance of people from that country.
loralailoralai@reddit
Even countries with lots of household solar, uptake of EVs, wind, hydro etc are on the path to this as well thanks to the useless moron in charge of the USA.
The USA is just coasting along whining about how expensive ‘gas’ is. Totally oblivious and selfish as per usual
MrowkaMuch@reddit
Shits about to get real very very soon
PotentialPower5398@reddit
Let it be a lesson to reckless nations that don't plan renewables autonomy at all
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
My country has one of the highest fuel prices in the world right now and people are still living like there's nothing wrong and the government is trying its best to appear that everything is still normal. It just feels wrong on all levels. It feels like your country's being invaded and are already at the border but your boss is still dogging you about charging your phone at work. Absurd as hell.
I get it, don't cause panic among the people. But, are we really going to walk blindfolded into a cliff? Take the blindfold off FFS. If there was ever a clearer sign of systemic and worldwide collapse in our recent history, it's this one.
_cynicaloptimist@reddit
The Philippines will make it thru. I’ve heard Filipinos are resilient. Or rather the narrative pushes them to endure their shit government.
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
Yes to both, we are resilient but local politicians keep drumming that narrative up during disasters but do nothing to improve our situation. I think we're too tolerant and just downtrodden by life that we don't have energy to protest and riot anymore, even if similar things were to happen other countries, they'd most likely burn down the presidential palace.
All I know is, I fear for the day when Filipinos finally snap. I remember a saying from somebody from Dumaguete, where it's known as the land of the gentle people as saying, one should not push the limits of another's kindness because there will be no kindness after.
_cynicaloptimist@reddit
I mean that's part of it, no one wants to be the initiator of revolt because if it doesn't work out, they're fucked. Even if the 'system' doesn't come get them, they have to take time off and well, the cost of living ain't getting any cheaper.
That's how it's designed, make people barely able to hang on so they can't afford to do anything else but work, eat, sleep.
JagBak73@reddit
"Bahala na"
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
Yup, this mindset exactly! I hope people can still say that when they start going hungry and mass unrest starts.
scionspecter28@reddit
The downside of being the “SocMed Capital of the World” honestly. Most Filipinos are perenially distracted by this modern version of bread & circuses that they ignore the BS of the government & oligarchs.
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
True, you can't go outside even for an hour and not hear somebody on their phone watching short form content or playing games.
theguyfromgermany@reddit
Add it to the list
Lord_Vesuvius2020@reddit
I read an article yesterday that the Philippines had concluded an agreement with Iran for safe passage. From what I can tell today three of their ships have exited Hormuz.
Bluest_waters@reddit
I think Iran just allowed a few through here and there but not enough to sustain the economy.
Historical-Crow-5394@reddit
I wonder what the Marcos government traded/promised Iran… 🫠
HanzanPheet@reddit
It takes 14-20 days to get to the Phillipines. They use 500 000 barrels per day, and the biggest ships carry 2 million barrels. They are going to need a lot more ships to make up for the shortage. There will be catch up issues for a while.
metalreflectslime@reddit
More 3rd world countries will face crises in the near future.
JagBak73@reddit
Let's hope this is true
'Iran to allow safe passage of Philippine ships, fuel supply through Strait of Hormuz, says Manila'
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/iran-allow-safe-passage-philippine-ships-fuel-supply-through-strait-hormuz-says-2026-04-02/
"The Philippines has received an assurance from Iran that it will allow the safe passage of Philippine-flagged vessels, fuel and Filipino seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz, Manila's foreign ministry said on Thursday. The assurance came after Philippine foreign minister Ma. Theresa Lazaro spoke with her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, with the two top diplomats tackling energy supply security and the safety of Filipino seafarers."
Lord___Rictor@reddit
The problem is Iran doesn't really have control. It's difficult to coordinate ships moving through right now. So they can give lip service to allowing this or that through but it's not going to actually work out that way.
loralailoralai@reddit
And how about the rest of the countries that are suffering. Yall DO know there’s a lot of places outside the USA that are staring down the barrel of this right?????
JagBak73@reddit
Did you even read the article, let alone the headline? This is about the Philippines. Not the U.S.
miklayn@reddit
It's very likely there will be one or more megadeath wet-bulb events within the next decade or so.
loralailoralai@reddit
Filipinos (and plenty of others) are more worried about fuel right at the moment thanks to
miklayn@reddit
These things are not in any way mutually exclusive.
Energy-economy collapses mean there would be no air conditioning, for example.
loralailoralai@reddit
Not just third world. Thanks trump. And the idiots who voted for him.
jarena009@reddit
As always, poor people will suffer the most.
zewayofjay@reddit
Ah damn. Been on this sub a while and this is the 1st time I've seen my country on a post title front and center. Welp, time to pack it up. It's been a good run, ladies and gents.
As Leo said at the end of Don't Look Up, "We really did have everything..."
haro0828@reddit
To put it in perspective, imagine you make $650 a month, and to fill your 60 liter gas tank once currently costs $134. That income is already considered good/mid-level
mark000@reddit (OP)
Articles outlines how Philippines is facing catastrophe due to extremely high fuel prices and or shortages. Describes the breakdown of society that may occur over the next few months and portrays it as hard to avoid.
Alt532169@reddit
AND keeps taxing us while adding more bureaucratic red tape and middle management to inflate cost.
shewholaughslasts@reddit
"Structurally incapable of responding".... girl same.
Ok_Willingness_9619@reddit
Nah. This is business as usual in Philippines. One catastrophe to another.
I know, I live here.
Plane-Breakfast-8817@reddit
The Philippines has received an assurance from Iran that it will allow the safe passage of Philippine-flagged vessels, fuel and Filipino seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz, Manila's foreign ministry said on Thursday.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/iran-allow-safe-passage-philippine-ships-fuel-supply-through-strait-hormuz-says-2026-04-02/
Konradleijon@reddit
Why rely on cars
TryptaMagiciaN@reddit
because the US told their vassal state they would do so. I suspect part of the deal Iran will make with these smaller countries is to weaken their US ties which is convenient given that the US is currently seeking to burn all bridges and break all ties.
Im not phillipino, Im from the US, but the Phillipines should understand that this new US is the same evil it's always been, but that evil is now coming to the countries the empire previously considered allies.
Vdasun-8412@reddit
Digo..los trenes son buena opcion pero aun asi..
Necesitan gasolina para los barcos
StatementBot@reddit
The following submission statement was provided by /u/mark000:
Articles outlines how Philippines is facing catastrophe due to extremely high fuel prices and or shortages. Describes the breakdown of society that may occur over the next few months and portrays it as hard to avoid.
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1sckl0w/the_philippines_stands_at_the_precipice_of_an/oebmfkv/