Unregulated power rate hikes: What are friends for?

October 31, 2024

The automatic power rate hike proposal is yet another step backward away from protecting consumers and regulating profit-seeking firms providing essential electricity services.

Mining incentives for our industrialization?

October 30, 2024

Incentives for mineral processing will support industrialization only if they prioritize Filipino firms over foreign ones and as part of a more comprehensive industrial policy.

What, more tax cuts on the rich…?

October 29, 2024

We should be skeptical about this nonsense that tax incentives for companies to establish corporate pension plans will create wealth for Filipino workers.

The fakeness of economic freedom indexes

October 17, 2024

The metrics of “economic freedom” indexes come from a narrow prioritization of so-called market freedoms and property rights that unfortunately doesn’t align with a broader and more inclusive understanding of economic well-being and development.

Korea-PH free trade agreement: Even BINI does better

September 24, 2024

COMMENTARY

South Korea’s world class industries today were built on protectionist foundations – reason enough for the Philippine government and our economic managers to radically rethink the country’s obsolete free market globalization policies.

Not another PhilHealth mess, please

August 25, 2024

Why is the Marcos Jr government maneuvering to centralize PhilHealth’s robust funds when ordinary Filipinos – the PhilHealth members and sponsored indigents – are receiving less and less health services? This is unraveling to be just one of the many ironies in the Marcos Jr government’s optimistic portrayal of the national situation.

Are there less poor Filipinos?

July 26, 2024

There is much to be done to develop the Philippines. Among the first steps is being more honest about the real extent of poverty and underdevelopment.

5 economic distortions to watch out for in Marcos Jr’s 3rd SONA

July 22, 2024

Some bold distortions about the economy and the situation of the people, not the truth, can be expected at the third Marcos Jr SONA.

Non-alignment to benefit from West Philippine Sea

July 10, 2024

COMMENTARY

The Philippines is so desirable for the US and for China because it is a geographically self-standing archipelago with an incomparably strategic location.