Former Vice President Jejomar Binay GOVERNANCE MATTERS The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), run by economists who are by training more circumspect with their projections and parsimonious with hyperboles, sees poverty and unemployment further worsening next year. The takeaway is...
Former Senate President Manny Villar OF TREES AND FOREST One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is the disruption in terms of employment. A July, 2020, National Mobile Phone Survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed some depressing numbers as adult unemployment reached...
Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) will return to two-shift production at its Sta. Rosa, Laguna manufacturing complex, starting today, Sept. 14, signaling normalization of operations after months of limited capacity. Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has officially introduced the 2020...
National athletes and coaches will finally get their full allowances after President Duterte signed into law the Bayanihan Act 2 or House Bill 6953. (MB File Photo) National athletes and coaches will finally get their full allowances after President Duterte signed into law the Bayanihan Act 2 or...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a sobering assessment last week on the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. WHO officials said that “it did not expect widespread immunization against the novel coronavirus until mid-2021”....
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay GOVERNANCE MATTERS Ever since the government placed Metro Manila and major urban centers under a lockdown, our people have been living in a state of constant fear. The fear is real, not existential. It is brought on by economic uncertainties and the day-to-day...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar Ironically, the piece of legislation providing for the celebration of National Heroes Day — Republic Act No. 3827, passed by the Philippine Legislature on October 28, 1931 — did not specify any particular hero. And so while we have days...
GOVERNANCE MATTERS Former Vice President Jejomar Binay Last week, Congress received from the Executive the proposed budget for 2021 totalling P4.5-trillion. The budget reflects government’s optimism that the economy will be able to rebound from the recession triggered by the extended lockdown...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar It is the nature of great men and women that, long after they have died, their footprints remain embedded in the memories of their nation. Such is the case of Manuel L. Quezon whose 142nd birth anniversary we observed just last week. In fact,...
GOVERNANCE MATTERS Former Vice President Jejomar Binay I came across two recent developments that convey all too clearly the absence of harmony among the key agencies and institutions undertaking the crucial work of addressing the pandemic and its myriad effects on our economy and everyday life....
Jimmy Bondoc A group of performers led by Jimmy Bondoc will hold an online concert dedicated to President Rodrigo Duterte. Bondoc, a staunch supporter of the Duterte administration, said they came up with the idea seeing the President’s tireless effort amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The singer...
PH athletes, coaches will soon get their full monthly allowance Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino (MB Photo / Alvin Kasiban) National athletes and coaches will soon get their full monthly allowance after the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral committee report of...
