To reap what was not sown?

April 4, 2021

This is a crucial time to rethink our entire strategy for reaping the demographic dividend. While things are bleak from where things stand at present, the experience of our neighbors tells us that a demographic dividend is possible given the right set of policy choices.

What’s up, pork? (Part Two)

March 19, 2021

FEATURES – The Duterte government can do a lot of things to recover domestic hog production, consumer capacity and the national economy. But it has just opted to cater to private profits, foreign pressures and whims of public officials. And they have just been hogging everything to themselves, as they have done during the pandemic lockdown and beyond.

What’s up, pork? (Part One)

March 19, 2021

FEATURES – Again, the Duterte government is proposing importation without careful consideration. A year of unscientific and irrational responses – that has been more fatal than the plague itself.

14 Charts: What the Government Has Done to Our Pandemic Economy

February 10, 2021

The Philippines needs a much more ambitious COVID-19 economic response than the Duterte administration’s current business-as-usual approach.

CREATE’s three mistakes

February 7, 2021

From a development perspective, the fundamental problem is that CREATE asks the wrong question: what CIT will attract foreign investment? This puts us in a mindless race-to-the-bottom where our fiscal policy is defined by what corporations want rather than what national development and upholding social and economic rights demands.

2020 Yearender: Economic lessons from Jose Rizal

December 30, 2020

The worst economic collapse in Philippine history and in Southeast Asia is mainly due to the government’s stumbling pandemic response and lackluster economic measures in 2020. If, again, there is more bluster than action in 2021 then real recovery will be much farther away than it should be.

Dire state of PH economic, social, and cultural rights

December 27, 2020

The pre-pandemic year saw the nation’s pre-existing social and economic woes worsening. Pursuing the people’s economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights is urgent and vital in getting out of the COVID crisis and moving towards real recovery.

Duterte gov’t fails to meet its human rights obligations amid the pandemic

December 10, 2020

STATEMENT

The country’s poorest and most marginalized are being left behind by the COVID-19 response of the Duterte administration. On the other hand, wealthy creditors are protected and large corporations including foreign investors are getting their profits boosted.

Winds of democracy in the Philippines

November 30, 2020

Features/ Commentary | On a historical scale, there’s no doubt that the world is changing for the better. There’s too much creativity, energy and bravery committed to that for it to be otherwise.