Commentary
Supporting democracy amid undemocratic PH elections
May 12, 2025
The vote is to show that we believe in something better.
America First, Philippines Last: The art of the bad deal
April 29, 2025
COMMENTARY
It is baffling how the Philippine government can so badly misread the US’s unambiguous “America First” statements and actions as signaling an interest in Philippine development.
Php20 rice, unli lies
April 27, 2025
COMMENTARY
The president is claiming to do something for hungry Filipinos that he promised long ago but hasn’t really done anything about since he took office.
EPIRA beyond reform
February 28, 2025
COMMENTARY
The lament borders on cliché – the Philippines has among the highest electricity costs in the region.
Looking beyond corruption rankings
February 21, 2025
The real challenges are not simply about improving the country’s Corruption Perception Index scores. It is rather in seeking real accountability for high-level abuse of power.
Making upper middle-income status matter
February 20, 2025
Understanding what upper middle-income status really means easily clarifies that it is in many respects just a fantasy.
Rate expectations: Rethinking PH credit ratings
December 12, 2024
The economic managers don’t seem to realize that credit ratings are just, well, credit ratings. These shouldn’t be overstated as any kind of measure of economic performance or much less of national development.
PH “upper middle-income status” is just a number and a fantasy
December 1, 2024
The measure of being an upper-middle income country refers to an average that completely obscures the conditions of the majority. UMIC doesn’t really mean development in its most important sense of the well-being of people.
BBM admin to foreigners: Take our land, please
November 12, 2024
COMMENTARY
The proposal to increase the land lease limit to 99 years really won’t make much difference in making the Philippines more attractive to foreign investment, and certainly won’t mean anything for long-term economic development.
