Second World Daw

I was checking the weather advisory over at Inq7.net: classes in all levels including post-graduate are suspended tomorrow, lots of passengers stranded in the various sea ports, Taal is "acting up" like a brat. We're in for some blanket weather, I thought. Until I came across this report which totally bowled me over:

President Arroyo now claims that the Philippines is now "Second World."

Right.

All because this year the country's per capita income will supposedly reach 1,400 dollars. But wait, here's more:

[I]f we are able to continue the trajectory of (a) one percent decline in the poverty level, we can reach hopefully the First World status by the year 2020. If what has been happening during the early years of our administration, that the poverty level has been going down by one percentage point every year, that means that by 2015, we will be able to reduce our poverty level by one half to what it was in 2000.

I mean, sure, the peso's going strong and all that blah. But somehow, I'm really not convinced. Maybe I just lack school strong country spirit what can I say.