upper middle-income country

Upper middle-income, Lower-end reality

July 6, 2026

The UMIC overhype shows how the government’s presentation of the economy gives disproportionate emphasis to a favorable statistical reclassification while giving comparatively little attention to the country’s persistent structural weaknesses.

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.

Upper middle-income status: A smokescreen for underdevelopment

September 30, 2022

Does getting an upper middle-income designation really mean the Philippines and its people are achieving genuine development? Or is it just another label being hyped by the Marcos Jr administration to project economic success while hiding a troubled economy and the millions of Filipinos being left behind?