Opinion and Commentary
Zaldarriaga: Marcos administration to ensure economic recovery
September 6, 2022, 9:21 am
2022 is a banner year of economic recovery, with the Philippines managing to sustain positive growth amid increasing commodity prices. Latest fiscal reports say that private consumption expenditures have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels and continue to grow as the economy further opens and… Read More
Laurel: Mahathir's clarion call: Pivot to China
September 5, 2022, 10:15 am
The Malaysian newspaper Malaysiakini headline this last August 31, 2022: “Citing US ‘provocation’ Dr M calls on Asean to pivot towards China.” It is a powerful call that should reverberate not only across Asean but also throughout the world. It is a courageous statement from the usually… Read More
Lauengco: The Food Security Puzzle
September 1, 2022, 5:20 pm
In today’s ever changing world, things have become more complex. In trying to understand the problems and issues of today, It may help to view the scattered but interconnected pieces of the puzzle and observe with an oblique point of view. Recently, both our executive and legislative branches… Read More
Laurel: New economic advisory group for PBBM
August 29, 2022, 6:27 pm
PBBM ordering a crackdown on hoarding on major basic commodities from rice to sugar, uncovering billions worth waiting in bodegas for higher prices before being released into the market. Now when these are released fully, we can expect a major impact on the lowering of prices and inflation. Unlike… Read More
Laurel: World supports PBBM on 'Strongest Partner'
August 22, 2022, 3:38 pm
A Yahoo! Finance news item of Aug. 11, 2022 reports that "About 78.34 percent of respondents from 22 countries believe the Chinese economy has become the engine of the world economy." This is from a survey of respondents, averaging 39 years old, across the US, UK, Australia, Japan as well as… Read More
Laurel: Taiwan's adversity, PH's opportunity
August 15, 2022, 4:03 pm
As the dust and din from the Pelosi-Tsai caper and the US-China test-of-wills settles, we can now see clearly who the winners and losers are from the one-week geopolitical drama. The standout winner is without any doubt the People’s Republic of China (PROC) scoring a knockdown of all its… Read More
Laurel: US ‘forever wars’ ends with Pelosi-Tsai stunt
August 8, 2022, 1:57 pm
When US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called China’s military drills around Taiwan “significant escalation” he apparently forgets that in fact the US media speculated on worse scenarios, such as Pelosi’s plane being forced down on some airfield before reaching Taiwan. Some Western… Read More
Laurel: China-Philippines agricultural teamwork crucial
July 31, 2022, 2:54 pm
ONE of the major crises stemming from current geopolitical tensions that the world is facing today is the global fertilizer shortage threatening food production and mass starvation in many parts of the globe, and the Philippines is not exempted from this danger. It is fortunate that due to correct… Read More
Ledesma: Railways
July 30, 2022, 5:14 pm
AMONG the vital infrastructures that precede the growth momentum of advanced economies are roads, bridges, and railways. Movement of goods, mobility of people, and the speed and ease of transport are essential in achieving their development goals. During the frontier era of America otherwise known… Read More
Ledesma: Land reform, history, and tsismis
July 14, 2022, 5:29 pm
WITH a farmer’s blood in my veins, I still cannot leave the subject of agricultural productivity and what hounds it to date. There is one issue that has not come to the fore simply because it would impact on the political characters that emerged after the government of the late Pres. Ferdinand… Read More
Ledesma: PBBM not amused over sick joke on farmers
July 7, 2022, 7:01 pm
LAST week, the buying price of palay in Midsayap, Cotabato increased to ₱18/kilo. This looks like finally traders had their Damascus and bothered by their conscience raised the buying price of paddy rice from a low range of ₱12.50 to ₱13.50/kilogram and offered to buy the farmers’ produce… Read More
Ledesma: Passing the baton
June 30, 2022, 10:03 pm
TODAY, June 30, we saw the passing of the baton from outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte to incoming President Bongbong Marcos. It was a smooth and orderly transition of leadership, power, and authority. We say goodbye and express appreciation to PPRD for his six years of presidency. He may… Read More
Ledesma: How good are you with money?
June 27, 2022, 5:03 pm
STILL in some sectors today, talking about money is taboo. Some people are uncomfortable talking about it as they don’t want to be branded as greedy or “mukhang pera” in Tagalog. For them, money is the root of all evil. But should it really be the case? Should we really be ashamed to… Read More
Ledesma: The children of destiny
June 24, 2022, 12:07 pm
THE euphoria spawned by the oath-taking of Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Z. Duterte as the 15th Vice President of the Philippines took a while to ebb. While everybody who is somebody was invited to a reception later, Inday was busy and was and is still busy literally rubbing elbows with the hoi… Read More
Ledesma: Achieving financial independence
June 21, 2022, 12:24 am
WE recently celebrated our 124th Independence Day as a nation. The day we commemorate the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain in 1898. While we have been freed from this bondage, as a people, we still have to enjoy freedom from a number of things… freedom from inequality,… Read More
Ledesma: A Davao City-Samal bridge at last!
June 18, 2022, 3:20 am
THE long-awaited Davao City-Island Garden City of Samal bridge has finally come to fruition with the signing of the concessional loan made available by China to the Philippines. The long wait is finally over. Finance Sec. Sonny Dominguez and Ambassador Huang Xilian of the Peoples Republic of China… Read More
Ledesma: United we stand, divided we fall
June 8, 2022, 12:54 pm
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte issued a clarion call to the nation to unite behind the incoming administration. Indeed, we are facing the biggest challenges -- the wave after wave of oil price increases and resulting in the looming food crisis. We have just wiggled out from the scourge of… Read More
Ledesma: Midnight madness
June 2, 2022, 10:56 am
SENATOR Imee Marcos minces no words in describing the fish importation as “midnight madness” which Agriculture Sec. William Dar approved. Obviously, a fiery senator cannot hold her temper any longer. Navotas fish port was awash with freshly caught fish and here is the head of a Philippine… Read More
Ledesma: Meanwhile in Davao City
May 27, 2022, 3:31 pm
HUGPONG ng Pagbabago ruled over in the just concluded elections. But what else will one expect? Except in the mayoral race where former congressman Ruy Elias Lopez challenged Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, While social activist Magz Maglana tested a bid for a congressional seat against incumbent… Read More
Ledesma: Flying out and coming home
May 21, 2022, 12:33 am
WHAT do we have here? VP Leni Robredo has flown to New York City to attend her daughter’s graduation. We should not deprive her of that. She too will have the opportunity to be in a community where she won in the overseas elections. She will find comfort there with Loida Lewis as her host. The… Read More
