Philippine GDP halftime report
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released Q2-2021 gross domestic product data on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. Now, the…
Endgame rally
“Last two minutes!” These are familiar words to Filipino basketball fans who grew up in the 1980s. In…
A bright spot in a gloomy economy
Last week, space was devoted to discussing the tourism industry, which, by all accounts, appears to have been…
The current state and outlook of global and Philippine tourism
Tourism, broadly defined, refers to travel for business or leisure. It is beneficial to an economy because it…
Probabilities and the pandemic
ON Monday, March 29, 2021, it was reported that a lone bettor from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur…
Probabilities and the pandemic
ON Monday, March 29, 2021, it was reported that a lone bettor from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur…
Would anyone care to bike now?
IT has been argued that the long-run solution to the choking traffic in Metro Manila and its surrounding…
Covid-19 and trade-offs
The subject of economics is usually premised on the notion of scarcity. Time and resources are limited, so…
Digitization as development driver
Digitization is a buzzword nowadays, so there might be a need to discuss its meaning. Doing so requires…
Can ≠ Should
Dodong tells an interesting story. A local bank has been bugging him, through several text messages and phone…
When good economics makes good politics
Princeton economist Alan Blinder provides an interesting description of what he calls the Lamppost Theory: Politicians typically use…
A tricky yet indispensable business
Like any science, economics is concerned with the explanation of observed phenomena. Theories are developed to explain these…
Musings on agriculture
Dr. Gunnar Myrdal, a Nobel laureate in economics, is known for this assertion: “It is in the agricultural…
Pension systems
This month is graduation season, which formally marks the commencement of young Filipinos’ new lives in the world—in…
Why a free market for news could be undesirable
An interesting quote by Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque Jr. has made the rounds of the Internet recently.…
Insights on financial markets and economic performance from PES 55
Over the next five years, the Philippine Development Plan will aim to build a solid foundation for more…
Where is the market failure?
Part Two A previous article discussed how the issue involving Uber, Grab and the Land Transportation Franchising and…
Where is the market failure?
This issue involving Uber, Grab and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has caused quite a…
Risk awareness and control appreciation
The title of my essay comes from a seminar organized by Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) some…
What are the financial markets responding to?
April 11 ended with the peso going back to 49.58, while the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) reached…
Reversing the tragedy of the commons
An interesting video posted by TV Patrol has made the rounds of the Internet recently, and it features…
Insights on financial literacy and inclusion from PES 54
WITH the theme “Ramping up Towards Philippines 2040”, the Philippine Economic Society (PES) held its 54th annual meeting at…
Amla, secrecy of bank deposits and the greater good
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee held a hearing early this week to probe the alleged involvement of Philippine…