Opinion and Commentary

Lauengco: Lessons from the Taiwan midterm local election

November 30, 2022, 8:29 am

“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” - Sir Winston Churchill In the recent midterm local elections held in Taiwan, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) again suffered a series of setbacks with their party only winning 5 out of the 21 city and… Read More

Zaldarriaga: Law needed to level playing field in motorcycle taxi industry

November 29, 2022, 10:37 am

When it comes to the country’s transportation situation and commuter satisfaction, surveys from local and international think tank groups would always put the Philippines in the lowest ranks. A UK-based study conducted by insurance technology site GoShorty, showed that Manila ranks as the eighth… Read More

Laurel: Xi’s unity and cooperation wins ‘Asian Moment’

November 28, 2022, 12:59 pm

The last of three major global conferences this November 2022 affecting the peace, progress and prosperity of mankind, the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC) meeting in Cambodia just ended on Nov. 19. This followed the conclusion of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia on Nov. 16 and the… Read More

Samonte: The proliferation of acronyms in PH and elsewhere

November 24, 2022, 2:14 pm

Have you ever noticed the seemingly unending proliferation of acronyms of almost all kinds not only in the Philippines nowadays, but also in other countries throughout the world? An acronym is defined by the dictionary as "a word formed by the combining of initial letters or syllables and letters… Read More

Lauengco: The next generation of Filipino farmers

November 23, 2022, 11:27 am

“It takes a village to raise a child.” This is an old proverb commonly attributed to African cultures. It means that it takes a whole community of people to provide the environment for children to properly grow and develop. In meetings with several farmers lately, I have been hearing a common… Read More

Zaldarriaga: Staying alert helps prevent road accidents

November 22, 2022, 9:21 am

Long before the pandemic hit the Philippine economy, transportation had already been a huge challenge to Filipino commuters. The lack of quality infrastructure, railway projects and public terminals has taken its toll on the quality of life of the commuting public and heavily affected their… Read More

Laurel: Marcos: A new journey in PHL-China cooperation

November 21, 2022, 4:02 pm

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will be meeting China’s President Xi Jinping in the first official visit outside of ASEAN in the first week of new year 2023. That is a significant point in itself I point out to many people, signifying the highest importance President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is… Read More

Samonte: The 1973 oil crisis and PH

November 18, 2022, 12:49 am

Filipinos born a few years before the advent of the September 1972 martial law maybe interested to know that during the 1973 global oil shock, the Philippine government had to ration regular and premium gasoline to vehicle owners and other users of such fuel products. Such rationing was… Read More

Lauengco: Look north to Taiwan

November 16, 2022, 1:06 pm

Perceptual constancy or object constancy is a tendency to view familiar things as having the same characteristics regardless of changes. For example, when we see a person, often, we sometimes do not notice certain changes in their appearance or demeanor. Hidden in the middle pages of one of our… Read More

Zaldarriaga: Stronger collaboration needed versus cable theft

November 15, 2022, 7:04 pm

Illegal cable cutting and theft are now considered some of the biggest challenges for utility and telecommunications companies in the Philippines amid the disruptions they cause to electricity, cable and internet services and the life-threatening risks they pose. Data from the Manila Electric… Read More

Laurel: PH-China cooperation in the ‘Asian Moment’

November 14, 2022, 10:37 am

The world’s attention is now focused on Asia as the rare convergence of several crucial regional and international activities pursuing the unity and welfare of mankind are convened in Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia this November. Three major regional and international meetings of world leaders… Read More

Samonte: LGUs and 'One Town, One Product' strategy

November 10, 2022, 1:04 pm

There is a bright prospect that after 18 years, an economic-boosting program launched through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) by the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010) to provide much-needed stimulus to the economic growth of towns, cities, provinces… Read More

Lauengco: Situational awareness: Basketbrawls, politics, business

November 9, 2022, 12:36 pm

"In today’s dynamic world, your effectiveness … depends 
on your readiness to adjust quickly to the moments of need or opportunity, adversity, and change.” — Jennifer Touma One of the trending topics this morning is the punching spree that occurred during the NCAA basketball game… Read More

Zaldarriaga: National gov't support crucial to enhance LGU operations

November 8, 2022, 4:15 pm

We are all living proof to this—business and government transactions a few years back were among the most challenging and time-consuming interactions Filipinos have ever encountered. Citizens have had to endure long lines and spend a significant amount of time to process documents and pay taxes… Read More

Laurel: The pitfall traps to PH modernization

November 7, 2022, 3:13 am

I was recently invited to speak at the “Think Asia” global forum entitled “A dialogue amongst leading think tanks in Asia for the 21st century 2022: Asia in a Complex World” held on Nov. 2, 2022. The introduction to the forum explained, “’Think Asia’ seeks to affect policy… Read More

Samonte: Why November is unique month in PH history

November 3, 2022, 4:36 pm

November, one of the four months of the year with 30 days, along with April, June and September, can be considered unique. It is the only month that begins with a number in red, being a legal holiday, and ends with another number also in red. In Philippine tradition, Nov. 1 is observed as "All… Read More

Lauengco: The logic of organic

November 2, 2022, 11:14 am

Abandon Normal Instruments – there are times when we must change the way we do things when they do not help us achieve our goals. If these supposed tried and tested methods harm us as well , this change must be done immediately… In life we must sometimes discover the recipes we use and change… Read More

Zaldarriaga: Balancing business and consumer welfare this Christmas

November 1, 2022, 9:38 am

The fourth quarter of the year is what most Filipinos usually look forward to especially since the Philippines has the longest Christmas season, the most important holiday to many Filipinos. However, what we anticipate as a joyful Christmas will hopefully not be a bleak one, following the… Read More

Laurel: China: Beacon of peace in the tumult

October 31, 2022, 11:50 am

“The world is entering a decade of tumult as the pursuit of a more just world order clashes with the arbitrary hegemony of the collective West...” Russian President Vladimir Putin is quoted to say at the annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club held from Oct. 24 to 27, 2022 in Moscow. US… Read More

Samonte: PBBM-VPSZDU30 Team: A nice choice by Filipino voters

October 27, 2022, 6:15 pm

When Filipino voters elected with an overwhelming majority the tandem of President Bongbong Marcos (PBBM), and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte (VPSZDU30) last May, they deserved an accolade for having opted for the nicest, if not the best, combination of the country's top two officials in terms of… Read More