I have never actually been to the Philippines, however I worked closely with a colleague in my former airline who was Filipino and he told me a thing or two about the country.
If you want to have a successful career, do not do your license there.
Do not get involved with there. Forget the pay2fly disease that was once rampant in Europe, because in the Philippines, you have to bribe someone to even let you pay them do pay2fly
Honestly, go to Brazil and do your license and if you can I suggest you try to work there.
You will experience nothing but a nightmare dealing with officials in that country, you will have to bribe your way into everything. You yourself said you know it's corrupt. Don't think it is different in their aviation, I have been told that it is one of the biggest examples of corruption in that country.
I wouldn't like to spend a lot of money to be at the mercy of those cowboys.
If you want a bigger chance of success, look elsewhere.
Filipinos usually have great Pinoy proud too ... so you know it's really bad when you hear someone tell you all of the above!