The term "sick man of Asia" refers to a time in history when the country of Philippines was facing a lot of difficult problems. Think of it like when you get sick and your body doesn't work as well. The country was also having a hard time.
Back then, the Philippines was facing a lot of challenges like poverty, high unemployment rate, weak economy, and political instability. It was a really tough time for the people living there.
But, like when you get sick and go to the doctor for medicine, the Philippines did a lot of work to improve its situation. The government and people worked together to create new policies and programs to address the issues. They also worked on improving education, technology, infrastructure, and other important areas.
And, just like when you start feeling better after taking your medicine, the Philippines began to see improvement. It's not perfect yet, but it is now considered as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia with better overall standards of living for its citizens.