The 2nd JFINEX Summit, held last March 5, 2026, at the Brittany Hotel in BGC, brought together some of the country’s most promising young finance students—top teams from the Intercollegiate Finance Competition—under the theme: “Confident to Lead: Building the Next Generation of Finance...
So much has been said about businesses bracing for a possible economic crisis ahead. But are we, as individuals, equally prepared? Everything begins at home—even if our businesses can withstand the crisis, how will we manage on a personal level? The right mindset, first of all, is not to panic....
Oil shocks have a way of reminding nations how exposed their economies remain to global energy volatility. When crude prices surge, the consequences ripple quickly through daily life: transport fares climb, delivery costs rise, and food prices inevitably follow. The Philippines is no exception. In...
We have seen this pattern before. A crisis hits, and at first, people freeze. Then slowly, almost quietly, behavior starts to shift. What feels temporary begins to leave permanent marks. We saw it during the pandemic; we are seeing it again now with rising oil prices. The current oil shock is about...
Business groups expect the full implementation of the law suspending or reducing excise taxes on petroleum products to cushion the impact of rising prices on the operations of businesses across the country. In a statement, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said it welcomes...
It comes as a bit of a surprise that Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba—China’s largest private company—names Southeast Asia, rather than China, as the world’s next global economic juggernaut. Ma recently returned to Alibaba following years of Chinese government crackdowns on major tech firms that...
There is likely a whole encyclopedia and countless books written about business. However, as a quick guide and reminder, simply think of the ABCs: Awareness, Buffer, and Continuity. Awareness means knowing the environment in which you operate. This includes your customers, competitors, the...
We carefully plan our vacations, business trips, and even weekend getaways. Yet, who knows when we will take that “inevitable journey” of no return? If we don’t know when it will happen, how do we plan for it? A recent experience shared by my good friend Veronica “Onnie” Lorenzana (of...
When the phrase “digital assets” appears in the news today, it is usually associated with cryptocurrencies or blockchain technologies. That is not the subject of this article. For most organizations, the most valuable digital assets are far more ordinary: payroll records, customer databases,...
In times of war, leadership is measured not in speeches but in presence and coherent action. War is never distant; it comes crashing into markets, highways, and kitchens. When missiles fly in one part of the world, every nation feels the ripple – oil prices spike, supply chains strain, and...
Tourism has always been one of the Philippines’ greatest levers for economic growth. Few countries are as naturally blessed; we boast world-ranking beaches, pristine mountains, a profound cultural heritage, and a people who welcome visitors with genuine warmth. Yet, when I compare our tourism...
When leaders in politics and business get away with whatever they please, the damage is not confined to a single scandal, administration, or balance sheet. The deeper injury is institutional. Impunity—the absence of credible consequences for wrongdoing—reshapes incentives across society. It...
