Philippines: Barging Ahead

When the U.S. was opening its frontier and beginning to build a national economy, Wells Fargo and Union Pacific earned a place in the country's history and legend. In existence as an independent nation for only 21 years, the Philippine Republic is still pushing back its own frontiers, and it has a carrier that is playing much the same part as the U.S. pioneers. It is Lusteveco (short for Luzon Stevedoring Co.), the biggest and fastest-growing commercial cargo handler in transportation-shy Southeast Asia.

Based in Manila, Lusteveco operates both on land and...