Carpio still best man for SC’s top post
As I write this column, one ear is cocked to the last of the Judicial and Bar Council interviews, and it is obvious to me that some of its members reached and passed the point of diminishing marginal productivity, their contributions to the selection process turning negative.
Where “h” matters
In a rare bright spot for the country's global academic standing, the University of the Philippines (UP) ranked 18th among institutions in non-OECD countries in terms of the significance of its research in health economics, based on a recent global analysis of forty years of research done in the field.
Population, poverty, politics and the Reproductive Health bill
The population issue has long been dead and buried in developed and most developing countries, including historically Catholic countries. That it continues to be debated heatedly in our country merely testifies to the lack of progress in policy and action. The Catholic Church hierarchy has maintained its traditional stance against modern family planning (FP) methods,...
The SONA and its messages
The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is the annual occasion when the President, as the nation’s leader, submits a report to the people . It is a major occasion for conveying major messages to various listeners and to spell out his vision of the nation’s future.
Nye on structural reforms
Government should aim for economic growth that is supported by structural reforms, not just one that is the result of "whims of macroeconomic forces," a renowned economist said. “Part of the reason why the Philippines is doing well right now is because other countries are doing badly,”
In search of that plus-plus factor
The idea of televising the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) hearings is a great one. That it has finally come to pass is a triumph for the advocates of transparency and accountability in government. And the first day was an eye-opener, not only with respect to the candidates who were being interviewed, but also with...
Read his lips on the RH bill
Is President Aquino for or against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill? Why can’t he make a bold, clear, and categorical statement in support of the RH bill considering that reforms in population management play a crucial role in his plan for a strong, sustained and inclusive growth for the Philippine economy?
The debate on charter change
Follow the important pros and cons of changing the economic provisions of the constitution as carried in several articles on this site. Follow the links below.
FDI policy is “broken” and needs repair
The subject of amending the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution took center stage in the public media recently. These economic provisions have an impact on the country’s policies toward foreign investment. I will make an effort to summarize the points coming from the main political power centers.
Good, average, or poor performance?
While everyone in the media is playing guessing games on what President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address will be, NSCB has just put out StatDev 2011, which monitors the performance of the government in implementing the Philippine Development Plan.
The risks of complacency
In the face of a better-than-expected 6.4% gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of 2012, Malacañang and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) run the risk of being too complacent. “It ain’t broke, so why fix it?” says President Aquino in response to calls for amendments of some economic provisions in the...
Improving the investment climate
Introspective Business World, 16 July 2012 The development of the private sector is key to a country’s long-run economic growth and poverty reduction. Steady increases in investment and productivity underpin the evolution of the private sector. Investment and productivity growth critically hinge on the quality of the investment climate. Fostering a sound investment climate...
