Neo-liberal Globalization in the Philippines

This article argues that neo-liberal globalization is not a neutral process. Using the Philippines as a case in point, it shows that neo-liberal policies have exacerbated poverty especially within already marginalized communities, and especially among women, while benefiting transnational capital and wealthier nations. Consequently, neo-liberal globalization has engendered conflict and resistance both on the home front and across national borders.The politics of GABRIELA, the militant women's movement organization in the Philippines, and Migrante International, a coalition of Filipino migrant organizations overseas, are examined. Both organizations challenge neo-liberal globalization in the Philippines.The nation-state is implicated in the implementation of neo-liberal policies and in the politics of resistance. In the former, the state plays an instrumentalist role; in the latter, the state is a target for transformation and is called upon to take the side of those who are harmed by globalization.