The Long Game of Development

December 8, 2024

The current era remains fundamentally neoliberal in essence, agenda and practice – state power over the economy is still systematically wielded for the benefit of a few. In particular, the so-called market reforms that have made capitalist elites so prosperous remain in place.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Odd jobs: Spiraling through another day

July 6, 2024

It may seem to be a mere picture of urban poverty and underdevelopment at first glance. But a closer look reveals something more profound.

Philippine economy so right it’s wrong

June 18, 2024

The Philippine Economic Briefing tried so hard to show that everything is right with the economy that it only succeeded in showing everything that’s so wrong with it.

Independent? How the Philippines still serves US economic interests

June 13, 2024

All the celebratory hullabaloo and hype of “hard-won independence” and being a “free country” distorts how Philippine independence is nominal without true self-determination.