The Jake Fonko Series: Books 4, 5 & 6 by Pflingger B. Hesse

Author:Pflingger, B. Hesse [Pflingger, B. Hesse]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Fiction/Action Adventure/Historical
Publisher: Watchfire Press
Published: 2015-12-24T05:00:00+00:00

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A Mercedes sedan pulled up at the Manila Hotel portal close enough to 0900 to attribute the delay to traffic, and the driver opened the door for Juan Ponce Enrile to step out and greet me. The Minister of Defense, at least, seemed not to operate on “Filipino time.” “I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Philco,” he said, with a manner more austere than the people I’d met at the Palace party. The man had gravity. “Please join me, and we will tour some of the sights of Metro Manila.” He motioned me into the back seat of the car. I scooched over to make room for him, and the doorman closed us in.

As we pulled away and headed down the driveway Enrile said, “President Marcos thought I would be an appropriate tour guide. Although I am Minister of Defense right now, in the past I was Secretary of Finance and Secretary of Justice, as well as on the boards of the Philippine National Oil Company, the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Philippine National Bank. So I am well-qualified to explain to you many facets of the Philippine economic situation. I thought first we would drive through the Makati district, the heart of Philippine commercial activity, for an overview.” Well-qualified he certainly was, but also it was becoming clear to me that a close clique controlled this country—a very few men held many important offices each.

The driver rolled us slowly through modest canyons of office buildings old and new in the Makati district. Enrile expounded on the ownership and functions of the chief ones, also pointing out various foreign embassies as we passed by them. I nodded sagely and posed investment-bankerish questions. Then we turned toward the waterfront, not far away.

“What’s that?” I asked him, pointing to a vehicle crossing our bow as we waited at a traffic stop. It looked like a roving stainless steel diner that had been outfitted by Ken Kesey’s Merrie Pranksters in one of their more acid-trippy moods.

“A jeepney. It’s like a tram, public transportation. They are used throughout the Philippines. They follow specified routes and cost a pittance, so they are very popular with the people. Should you venture onto one, and I strongly advise you against doing that, you must hold your wallet in a safe place and keep your eyes open. Pickpockets abound on them, and you would be a prime target.”

Manila Bay affords an excellent natural harbor, and its commercial port facilities were big and busy, if behind more developed, modern seaports like Singapore and Hamburg. Freighters of various flags took on cargoes of agricultural goods; hoists and cranes swung containers of manufactured goods onto wharfside stacks; and tankers piped petroleum products and chemicals to and from storage tanks. I commented that the port was outdated compared to others I’d seen around the world, and Enrile told me that was one of the critical reasons for needing loans—to modernize the Manila harbor facilities.

“It seems to me that, as busy a port as it is, private investors and sound management could turn a good profit here,” I remarked.

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