Banish the thought that the World Bank 's classification of the Philippines as an “upper-middle-income” economy is the silver bullet to slay the dragon of widespread poverty. It is a myth—not reality. Find out why. From 1987 to 2025—spanning almost four decades—the Republic of the...
Three of the country’s largest business groups have backed the expansion of benefits provided by state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), but stressed that timely and complete premium payments are crucial to sustain the national health insurer’s finances and further widen...
It is bad enough not to have any savings, but to be in consumer debt is much worse. What is consumer debt? It is when you borrow money for personal, family, or household consumption—such as eating out, shopping, auto and appliance loans, holidays, travel, vacation, entertainment, and all kinds of...
When a crisis hits, the atmosphere is filled with intense stress, uncertainty, and chaos. The natural instinct is to pull down the blinds, stay tight-lipped, and hope the issue simply goes away. But a crisis is not just a threat to a brand’s bottom line; it is a human event that impacts real...
Artificial intelligence is poised to become the defining technology of our generation. Like electricity and the internet before it, AI will transform how we work, learn, govern, and compete. But unlike previous technological shifts, AI has the potential to widen inequality at unprecedented speed....
To talk about succession planning is to embark on a long journey; the limited space of this column is simply not enough to cover it fully. Thus, I will focus on the most significant highlights applicable to many family corporations. The tendency among most family businesses run by Filipinos is to...
In a recent column in The Economist, economist and former presidential adviser Arthur Laffer revisited two of the most consequential tax reform programs of the late twentieth century: the tax cuts implemented by Ronald Reagan in the United States (US) and Margaret Thatcher in Britain. When Reagan...
Recently, the PNB Board and Senior Management, led by Chairman Ed Cua and President Edwin Bautista, attended an energy briefing conducted by Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara. She certainly impressed the PNB Board and inspired confidence as a public official. She...
The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) in the Philippines often creates the impression that organizations are already far along in their journey. Press releases talk about AI pilots. Executives speak about transformation. Vendors showcase impressive demonstrations. Yet when I recently...
Twenty-twenty-six marks the diamond anniversary of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Manila-based institution that stands at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific’s transition toward a more sustainable and resilient future. Since its establishment in 1966, the ADB has evolved from a traditional...
Every position requires specific qualifications to meet the needs of the employer looking to fill a vacancy. Even when you are looking to hire a house helper, there are certain traits you seek to fulfill your requirements. These typically include basic criteria and, perhaps, specialized skills....
As yellow and red alerts return to the Philippine grid, the recurring drop in power supply exposes deep weaknesses in the country’s energy system. Delayed infrastructure, aging plants, thin reserves, and rising demand continue to strain the national electricity grid, leaving millions vulnerable...
