ABSTRACT
Manila is the metropolitan city of the Philippines, a country of more than 7,000 islands with a geographical diversity that is mirrored in its population of over 60 million people comprising Malay, Chinese and numerous tribal groups speaking some 80 different languages. Religion is an extremely important element with 85 per cent of the population being Roman Catholic, one of largest Catholic populations in the world. At the core of Philippine life is the extended family, a primary source of emotional and financial support as well as forming a building block for local and national politics (Timberman 1991). The family is a powerful influence on the economy with most businesses being family-owned and managed. Prior to the imposition of martial law in 1972 it is estimated that the Philippines was controlled by about 400 families whereas in the late 1970s (at the height of the Marcos regime) the economy was said to be dominated by only 60 families (Golay 1968). The combination of conservative Catholicism fused with family values and traditions has led to a highly personalised form of political economy with a pervasive scepticism of government and the role of the state.
