Category: Economy

Loser mentality: Filipinos’ lazy development strategy of attracting foreign investment

May 28, 2013May 28, 2013 benign0 33 Comments

The title of today’s Inquirer.net editorial Excess money says it all. There is enough money swirling around in the domestic economy to fund significant capital expansion. Big Philippine banks manage a big chunk of these funds. Trouble is, as the Inquirer editor observes, “banks choose to park these funds at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas…

Development, Economy, Lifestyle

President Noynoy Aquino may have a good reason for giving a no-go to charter change!

May 22, 2013 benign0 45 Comments

In a pre-emptive strike on the whole discussion around ‘charter change’ that is likely to come up after the opening of the 16th Congress in July, President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III issued his two cents on the matter of foreign ownership of land in the Philippines. â€œI donâ€™t think they are necessary detriment to…

Charter Change, Development, Economy

The Quest Endures…

May 20, 2013 P. Farol 18 Comments

“Here we are again Kate… Ups and Downs.” — Dick Gordon, May 20, 2010 Days after garnering 500,000 votes in the 2010 Presidential Elections I cringe at the thought that after the second automated national and local elections to be held in the Philippines, aÂ sizableÂ portion of the country’s electorate is back to square one. For…

Why Enabling Steps Are Not Enough

May 13, 2013 P. Farol 47 Comments

Political dilettantes talk about “enabling steps” because that’s all they know. Most people can’t tell how a chess game will go simply just by looking at the opening game. Â I think it’s actually the middle game that determines a great game from a mediocre one and the greatness of the game is not seen in…

Charter Change, Culture, Development, Economy

Should we junk the minimum wage law in the Philippines?

May 2, 2013November 11, 2014 benign0 46 Comments

Workers unite! But then ask the question: Unite to do what exactly? That slogan has been around for more than two centuries now, and though many “activist” elements out there might want us to believe that their “fight” was what put iPhones in our hands, WiFI signals in our living rooms, and Hong Kong vacations…

Development, Economy, Lifestyle, Politics

The Rediscovery and Re-enchantment of Our Humanity: in Honor of the May Day and In Defense of the Global Occupy Movement

May 1, 2013May 1, 2013 Jose Mario de Vega 8 Comments

The present times are complicatedly so fast and furious. So fast the pacing that we forget to stop and pause to enjoy the quality time with our family and savor the moment with our friends! We are so concern with so many pressing issues and material needs that we forgot the importance of silence, of…

Civics, Economy, Lifestyle, Society

Why you should be worried about 2015

April 30, 2013 BenK 5 Comments

Already wrestling with the public relations fallout of the latest poverty statistics, the Aquino administration apparently was too busy last week to notice the press release from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) announcing the results of a study that raises serious concerns about the preparedness of the Philippinesâ€™ small- and medium-enterprise (SME) sector…

Economy, Money Talks

Anti-Pinoy Sentiments in Singapore?

April 21, 2013April 21, 2013 P. Farol 50 Comments

Apparently, The Real Singapore doesn’t want a Filipino company to hire Filipino staff for its operations there. Unlike other multi-national fastfood restaurants like Macdonalds and KFC which hire mainly Singaporeans and even the disabled and elderly, Jollibee Singapore intends to hire their fellow pinoys to fill up jobs in their latest Singapore venture. The Filipinio…

Economy