The real opposition is a Marcos

April 16, 2025

It’s interesting times we are living in, especially when it comes to Philippine politics. There’s a post doing the rounds on the internet that’s interesting food for thought. The real opposition is a Marcos – as early as mid-2023, I already heard this remark from some Senators and political observers. And our monitoring has shown that Senator Imee has been a strong critic of the policies of the BBM administration and the Romualdez Congress. Very valid points from the original poster – what do you think of this brewing Marcos-led opposition?

Musings from eight years ago for a Better Philippines

April 9, 2025

Saw this in my notes from eight years ago: Three things will guarantee the country’s image as an investment haven: tough bureaucratic and economic reforms, tax system overhaul, and an infrastructure build-up. I believe it was true then, and it is still true now. If you think about it, the groundwork for the last two was already laid with the TRAIN Law, CREATE Law etc., and the Build Build Build project. We need to keep moving forward – and my hope is that our current and future leaders work together in order to change the country for the better. Enough of the politicking.

The Broken Windows Theory, and the Man Who Went Viral Because He Was Addressing It

April 2, 2025

Have you ever heard of the Broken Windows Theory? It’s a theory in criminology introduced in 1982 by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. Simply put, the Broken Windows Theory suggests that visible signs of disorder, e.g. actual broken windows, graffiti, litter, etc., encourages further rule-breaking, disruptive behavior, and even more serious crime. The idea is that enforcing laws addressing “petty” things and minor issues actually leads to reduced incidences of crime. The metaphor that Wilson and Kelling used is a building with broken windows – symbolizing neglect, broken windows show that rules are not enforced, and negative behaviors are tolerated. In the Philippines, we have a lot of “broken windows”. The Man Addressing these “Broken Windows” One recent issue that

Birthday Wishes and Calls to #BringHimHome

March 29, 2025

The biggest birthday celebration and call for PRRD’s return home is still ongoing across the Philippines and various parts of the world. These activities are indeed a celebration of his legacy and a protest against his detention. Moreover, it is also a call for his return to the Philippines. Will the protests stop? – I don’t think so. Will it affect the trust ratings of this administration? – It will further go down. Will it affect the winnability of the admin’s slate? – Certainly. I came across a post online that lists all the different celebrations and what they were calling “peaceful gatherings” of different Duterte supporters planned today on PRRD’s birthday. It was an amazing list that showed not just the planned demonstrations in

Judgment Day? Former President Duterte’s arrest by the ICC

March 14, 2025

Everyone’s talking about it – Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested and flown to The Hague. As of today, March 14, 7:00 a.m., the sentiments regarding the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) are varied: Opposition and Skepticism Duterte’s supporters view the arrest as an infringement on Philippine sovereignty and an act of political vendetta. They argue that Duterte enjoyed high approval ratings for his tough stance on crime, suggesting that his actions were in line with public demand for security. There’s skepticism about the ICC’s jurisdiction and motives, with some seeing it as foreign interference. Support for the Arrest Human rights groups and activists have celebrated the arrest, seeing it as a significant step towards justice for the victims

Thoughts about our Economy and the State of the World

March 5, 2025

I attended the Center for Research and Communication’s (CRC) 1967 – 1990 homecoming last February 22, 2025. And it was so great to see friends, batchmates, and the country’s leading economists in one venue! The highlight of the event, of course was listening to the messages of two of the founders of CRC – Jesus “Jess” Estanislao and Bernardo “Bernie” Villegas. They brought up very interesting points for reflection of the economic situation of the Philippines (and the world), which we all could learn a lot from. Let me share with you some snippets of their messages. *** From Jess Estanislao’s Message to the CRC (Jess Estanislao is a Filipino economist, and the Secretary of Finance of the Philippines during the time of President Corazon Aquino). “But we

The Art of Shining Shoes

February 26, 2025

Limpya Bota is a lost art. It was once a ubiquitous part of life, before the advent of those do-it-yourself liquid shoe polish that you buy at the grocery store. You shake it, press it directly on the shoe, slather it all over the surface and you are done. Convenient, yes, but soulless. In Cebuano, Limpya means to clean up, and Bota means boots. It’s exactly the same in Spanish, although with a slightly different spelling. Shoe shiners are called limpiabotas both in Madrid and in Padada. At one point in my past, I was proud to be one of them. You see, it was the 70s. Money was tight, and Papang was still recovering from his accident. We had to pull our weight so

The Most Difficult Times of Our Lives

February 19, 2025

Sometimes, life just gives you one challenge after another – and it’s up to you to see how you can rise to it. Just after my graduation from elementary school, Papang got into an accident. The vehicle he was driving was rammed by a passenger bus. He survived – but he sustained serious injuries. We didn’t have any money, and Papang’s release from the hospital was delayed because we couldn’t pay his medical bill. It was only after he and Mama signed a promissory note that he was able to leave the hospital. Life was tough before, but this accident made it even worse. Papang was bedridden for more than six months. We could not afford a wheelchair, so he was on crutches for more

A Father’s Promise, and an Important Lesson

February 19, 2025

Life was hard during those early days in Padada. My family was poor, and there were times we didn’t even have money to buy food. We had to borrow corn or rice from our neighbors just for us to have something to fill our empty stomachs. We may be poor, but no one can call us lazy. My father was a hard worker – he worked in a logging company before becoming a bus driver. Eventually, that bus company went bankrupt, so Papang went to work as a driver for the town mayor. Papang was my role model. Being poor was never an excuse to not do what is expected of us – I knew I had to work hard, just like my father, in

The Land of Luck and Opportunity

February 12, 2025

Padada, my hometown, is named after an extinct mangrove species that once was abundant in the region. According to a study by Lucille G. Tanguihan*, “age old tradition” says that the Padada tree brings good luck – whether true or not, no one can truly say. My family is of migrant stock – like most of the inhabitants of Mindanao, we can trace our lineage to those who joined the “Great Exodus” of the 1900s. Mindanao is the land of opportunity, and economic benefit was the primary reason that people flocked to Mindanao, specifically to the province of Davao. (This may be a little hard to believe if all you’ve ever known is the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila life, but I believe this

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