The best candidate for chief justice
With the conviction and removal of Chief Justice Renato Corona from office, attention has turned to the choice of his successor. Who should be the next chief justice? As far as I am concerned, the Judicial and Bar Council needn’t look farther than the end of its nose, at least as far as the best...
The Philippine economy on the comeback II
The good news on the horizon about the economy comes from diverse sources that monitor the country’s economic problems and performance. These begin with work at home by those managing the economy. Getting the major levers of policy right so that economic fundamentals are strengthened is a major task. Thus, the government in charge...
Win some, lose some
The May inflation rate hit 2.9%, making the year-to-date inflation 3.0%. This is equal to the lower end of the 3% to 5% full year inflation target of the Bangko Sentral. That’s good news. But even better, there is a strong likelihood that this relatively low inflation number might hold for the rest of the...
Keep or adjust?
The Philippine economy grew at a 6.4% annual rate, surpassing even the government’s own forecast. Should the Development Budget Coordinating Committee, the official agency of the government responsible for setting macroeconomic targets, keep its original target of 5-6% gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2012 or should it adjust upward?
The tasks at hand
Let us bask in the good news of the economy’s first-quarter growth -- a 6.4% growth rate is nothing to be sneezed at, and if the administration errs on the side of extreme "what-a-good-boy-am-I" enthusiasm, far be it from me to pour cold water on its elation. Let’s look at what contributed to the growth,...
When the shoe’s on the other foot
A brewing cultural and legal battle between the Obama administration and the Catholic church in the US should serve as a cautionary tale for the Philippines. The essence of the dispute is the new US health care law that requires all health insurance providers to include contraception as component parts of the plans they offer...
The Philippine economy on the comeback
In the past, the Philippine economy has been an average economic performer among many developing countries. But in comparison with some East Asian dynamic neighbors, it has been the one left behind. Now, it seems, the horizon has changed for the better.
