What deters foreign direct investments in the Philippines? I came across this “Investment Climate Statement” of the U.S. Department of State for the Philippines in 2025, and what struck me is this passage that is very disappointing, yet not at all surprising, for anyone who has tried to do business in the Philippines: “Some U.S. investors describe business registration, customs, and immigration processes as burdensome. Customs processes, in particular, can present challenges and the Embassy has received multiple reports from U.S. businesses of overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges, and solicitations of “facilitation fees” (e.g., bribes) from some customs officials.” Horrible. But again, not surprising.  This is a reality that most businesses have to deal with in our country. There have been attempts to address