If we improve our country’s transportation system and build more railway lines, can we remove “Filipino Time” and make it on par with Japanese punctuality?
Meanwhile, don’t you think that studying history in detail will make one realize that no nation, religion nor political ideology is truly “special”, as each is mired with violence? (I used to think eastern religions to be more “peaceful” ones.)
The congestion we experience in Manila was similar to the conditions of Osaka in the 1700~1800s. Moreover, the culture of traps (Kabuki Theater) and maid cafes had their origins in the Tokugawa and Meiji era.
It is also interesting to note the factors which gave rise to Imperial Japan in World War II. As mentioned by the book, the factors include economic crisis, sharp polarization of left versus right politics, intense conflict in industrial workplaces, and murderous right-wing terror. To add to that, there is also blind obedience to an absolute monarch (the emperor) and “purification” of any dissent.
Student activism and rural militant activism played a major role in modern Japanese history (Showa era). Tokyo University had to stop its operations for about one and a half years because of a massive boycott. Likewise, Tokyo University also bred the craziest minds, one of whom became a terrorist (refer to Aum Shinrikyou) who planted poisonous gas in a certain train.
The recent Dengvaxia incident can also be compared to their 1996 Blood Transfusion incident.
While Japan was not yet a world power, they believed in their own race and identity. Relative to the Philippines, one might say it’s kind of extreme, or “ultranationalist”. It became “too good” to the point of imperialism.
There seems to be a parallelism of what’s happening in our country to those mentioned in this book. There was likewise tremendous conflict and struggle for a better society in modern Japan.
Here are some notable excerpts from the Japanese history book “A Modern History of Japan from the Tokugawa Times to the Present”. There are other excerpts which may be notable to you; with this, I recommend reading this book. 
Incognito 