OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT *(Part 1) * These are interesting times. The Philippine Senate is about to discuss the final version of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF). This bill went through several public hearings and three meetings of the technical working group. Lest we forget, the proposal is to...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo There must be another way of appreciating this issue of presidential visits to other countries supposedly to foster and maintain relations and on the sides, ink investment agreements with their business community. The two presidents before President...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo Just when Philippine inflation appeared to have been tamed based on its month-on-month movement in December 2022, inflation shocked the market with the highest annual rate since November 2008. For last Tuesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo Jullebee Ranara could be any Filipina who braved the Middle East for better money for her family. She could be anybody’s mother, aged 35 years old with four kids, always expectant of returning with her savings and dreams. But as that one broadsheet’s...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo The most useful part of last week’s Davos for global perspective was the wrapping-up session with the heads of the European Central Bank (ECB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bank of Japan (BOJ), as well as the finance minister of France and the...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo This may not exactly be the best time to be attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) being held in Davos, Switzerland this week of Jan. 16-20. The Philippines is embroiled in serious domestic problems too many to cite. To be sure, the President will talk...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo It was something that did not happen in the Philippines after the May 2022 presidential election. Despite the incredible results, those who lost their bids in the election either conceded or decided to wait for the official results, but no one parroted...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo Putting up the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) cannot save us from the more urgent economic and social problems we face this year. For instance, no government can prevent shear line-induced heavy rainfall that caused flash floods and landslides in Mindanao...
REFLECTIONS TODAY John the Baptist is a character we often hear about during Advent. John’s message challenges us to put right what has gone wrong in our relationships. Today’s Gospel narrates the announcement of the birth of John. The angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth will...
Editorial “Let's have a more humble Christmas, with more humble gifts,” Pope Francis said in his weekly general audience at the Vatican. The Pope’s message “to lower the level of Christmas spending” is a plea for help to the people of Ukraine who will be spending winter nearly 10 months...
The parol, or Christmas lantern, shines brighter today as a symbol of faith and hope. After two Christmases of restricted movement due to the pandemic, people are carefully feeling their way back to normal socialization, businesses are open, and the commercial centers are alive with the spirit of...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo Nobody can accuse the Philippines for lack of strategic economic ideas on how to overturn what many believe to be an inexorably uncertain future for this nation of 112 million Filipinos. This is true not only today but also during the previous political...
