Opinion and Commentary

Laurel: For PBBM's consideration: Xi's Security and Dev't Initiatives

The Doomsday Clock is today, Oct. 3, 2022 still set at 100 seconds to midnight. It should be readjusted to 50 seconds to midnight after the alleged sabotage of Nord Stream 1 and 2 discovered last Sept. 28, 2022. I blame the US because it answers the question "cui bono" or who benefits. Now, Germany... Read More

Pattugalan: Global Media Congress: Shaping the Future of the Media Industry

Aptly themed “Shaping the Future of the Media Industry," this year’s Global Media Congress will be held in Abu Dhabi from Nov. 15 to 17, 2022.The international event, organized by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and the Emirates News Agency (WAM), one of the partner... Read More

Samonte: How 1972 martial law hastened PH's land reform program

Filipino men and women born a decade before the advent of the September 1972 martial law may be interested to know that such imposition of partial military rule became very beneficial to the country's landless farmers commonly called tenants.Here's why: The implementation of Republic Act 3844 or the... Read More

Lauengco: Biotech solutions for agriculture

Abandon normal instruments… There are times when one must try new methods to produce different and faster results…This week, the Philippines was hit by another typhoon. According to the Department of Agriculture, Typhoon Karding destroyed an estimated PHP1.29 billion worth of crops and... Read More

Zaldarriaga: OFW remittances, exports to benefit from stronger dollar

Last week, the Philippine peso fell to its lowest level of PHP58, losing as much as 14.7 percent vis-à-vis the greenback since the start of the year.Several economists have pointed to the higher interest rates in the US as having strengthened the dollar after the Federal Reserve raised its... Read More

Laurel: A short review of Philippines-China educational cooperation

“To gain knowledge quietly, to learn without losing interest, to instruct others relentlessly,” – Lao TzuLast July, as Chinese State and Foreign State Minister Wang Yi attended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s inauguration, he also made a side visit to... Read More

Lauengco: Cheese, PBA and salt

One of my favorite books is a 1998 motivational business fable written by Spencer Johnson entitled, “Who Moved My Cheese?”. It is a simple treatise on how people react to changes in situations and life. In the book, there are four characters who live in a maze. These characters were two... Read More

Zaldarriaga: Expect better PH internet connectivity

The need for a better internet connectivity in the Philippines that is comparable to the rest of the world has become more crucial as businesses are now pivoting towards a digital economy.This was boosted further by the Covid-19 pandemic when the series of lockdowns forced companies to temporarily... Read More

Laurel: Good luck to PBBM's UN debut

By the time this article comes out, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be on his first day in New York for his United Nations debut. As of now, details of his various side meetings are still up in the air, but it seems clear at this point that his schedule does set apart any... Read More

Lauengco: Food loss: Sci-tech, cold chain, cheap acquisition cost bias

Go out. Shut the door. Listen from the outside. This is one of the tenets of “Oblique Strategies” as written by Peter Schmidt, another practitioner of the oblique approach. There are times when you have to get out of your comfort zone and look at problems in a different way and maybe... Read More

Zaldarriaga: Solid support for PH FIBA World Cup 2023 hosting

PH public and private sectors have put up a reinforced unified front to ensure the success of the Philippines’ hosting of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The event, which will be co-hosted with Japan and Indonesia, is set to be one of the biggest basketball events in the country and is... Read More

Laurel: Laudable: PBBM asserts ASEAN centrality

By making his first state visits to the leading countries of ASEAN, Indonesia first and foremost followed by Singapore, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. acknowledged and saluted the centrality of the ASEAN. It is an important signal explaining the president’s foreign policy which will be... Read More

Lauengco: Kaps and Kags

In today’s everchanging 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, a substitute bill seeking to postpone the... Read More

Zaldarriaga: Marcos administration to ensure economic recovery

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 the... Read More

Laurel: Mahathir's clarion call: Pivot to China

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... Read More

Lauengco: The Food Security Puzzle

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... Read More

Laurel: New economic advisory group for PBBM

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'

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

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

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.... Read More