Crisis upon crisis: 2021 Yearstarter Birdtalk highlights

January 23, 2021

It is important that the government acknowledge the enormity of the public health and economic crisis. This is necessary for the vital shift in attitude from business-as-usual to undertaking urgent COVID-19 response and long-term reforms.

Gaining ground vs disaster vulnerability

January 3, 2021

No matter how bad things were last year, civic action kept our hopes high

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.

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.

To give or not to give SAP tranche 2

May 19, 2020

How many mothers have been forced to leave their little ones at home, walk far, and stand in long lines for ayuda only to go home empty-handed? How many senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD), despite their frailty and limits, still tried to get support but in vain?

Financial strength, development weakness

May 14, 2020

COMMENTARY

In this kind of situation, you don’t obsess about fuel-efficient driving or not red-lining the tachometer or limiting the car’s mileage – you step on the gas. Glorifying ‘financial strength’ is stepping on the brakes.

The fate of BBB in the time of COVID-19

May 7, 2020

FEATURES

The Philippines has to improve the current state of infrastructure especially in the context of COVID-19: one that supports a strong public health system and the stable production of the nation’s needs in order to withstand and battle a pandemic.

Dealing with COVID-19: Just reboot the economy?

March 30, 2020

POLICY NOTE

The coronavirus pandemic and the expansive efforts to address it are new and unprecedented. But they also exposed many old problems that have always been there.

Record trade deficit under Duterte

February 27, 2020