OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT (Part II) As we suggested in our last column, it is no secret that the Philippines’ official sports program is not perfect. The first known government sports organization was the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF) in 1911, which was formed only to resolve...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT (Part 1) Tik Toks have institutionalized the Carlos Yulo landings in his floor routine for which he was awarded a perfect 15. We see people ending whatever they are doing with Yulo’s trademark open arms, or a series of tumbling into their shoes. With a 3.5 twist, Yulo...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT To be sure, and we heard them from NewsWatch Plus, there were many “sanas” during the 3rd SONA (State of the Nation Address) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Sana bumaba ang presyo ng bilihin. Sana dumami ang trabaho. Sana ipagtanggol ang West Philippine Sea. Sana...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT (Last of two parts) The IMF’s Tobias Adrian talked about 10 metrics aimed at helping central banks (CBs) and policy makers fortify CBs independence. Adrian was quick to point out that “this is the first new CB independence index in 30 years.” These 10 metrics...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT (Part 1) At the IMF, countries are represented by their central banks in the International Monetary and Financial Committee while the finance or development ministers constitute the joint Development Committee to advise both the World Bank and the IMF mostly on issues...
OF SUBSTANCE AND FOREST Certainly it was exhilarating news last Sunday, that decision of Fitch Ratings to affirm the Philippines’ investment grade rating at BBB, a notch above the minimum investment grade. Equally significant is the stable outlook that Fitch maintained for the country. Such a...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT It was the American political scientist Hans Morgenthau who proposed that the word “equilibrium” is equivalent to “balance.” Nothing is more important than ensuring the stability of the whole while preserving the independence of its components. In its global...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Some TikToks say it all. To afford a rare McLaren 620R, worth at least $280,000 or more than ₱16 million, one should get used to living in a farm and running a piggery business. Prepare to live a simple life, grow with your father’s workers and yes, do homeschooling....
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Bloomberg and online news last Tuesday reported a closing rate of ₱58.27 to a dollar, nearly the same level it did on Nov. 8, 2022, and the worst in 18 months. BSP Governor Eli Remolona emailed media to explain that “the peso weakened beyond ₱58 to the US dollar...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Let me share some excerpts from my most recent In Brief piece for GlobalSource Partners this week. I thought we need to do a deep dive into the latest twist in China’s bullying of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea because of its economic...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT There could not have been a more inspiring message from the IMF’s April 2024 World Economic Outlook than the global economy’s avoidance of a recession in 2023. With a strong financial system, steady capital flows to emerging markets, some downtrend in inflation, the Fund...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Not a few market players and observers were unnerved when the Philippine peso breached ₱57 to a dollar last April 17, the lowest at that time since November 2022. It was good BSP Governor Eli Remolona tried to calm the market by saying that those movements are something we...
