Category: Economy

Are OFWs’ right to travel being violated by the Philippine Government?

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 Ilda 41 Comments

The Philippine economy will collapse without the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Remittances from the OFWs contributed significantly to the 7.3% growth in the economy in 2010. The spending fuelled by the billions of dollars they send back home is a factor that is likely helping the country avoid a Greece-like economic failure. Even without drastic…

Economy, Government

OFW ‘exit permits’ make sense – because taxpayers’ funds are at stake

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 benign0 14 Comments

Exit permits for OFWs? You gotta be kidding. That plus anecdotal evidence of all sorts of red tape before one can depart for a job overseas? An outrage! It sounds like something reminiscent of the Cold War when East German citizens would risk life and limb to make a dash across the border for a…

Economy, Lifestyle, Politics, Society

Saudi Arabia shuts its doors to Filipino domestics

July 1, 2011 benign0 6 Comments

What exactly needs to be “clarified” between the governments of Saudi Arabia and the Philippines in the aftermath of a shutdown on any further granting of work permits to Filipino domestic workers? The announcement was reportedly made after a failure “to agree on hiring conditions imposed” by the Philippines. The stakes, as far as Filipinos…

Development, Economy, Money Talks, Society

The Philippines is one big SQUANDERED foreign investment

June 30, 2011June 30, 2011 benign0 17 Comments

So we want more foreign investment, do we? Stop to think. How much of it have we already received? Look around and take stock of what exactly it is about “the Philippines” that is of any consequence to anyone that is indigenous in origin. Indeed, the Philippines is one big foreign investment. Much if not…

Culture, Development, Economy

Without operational excellence, capital is squandered

June 29, 2011June 29, 2011 benign0 5 Comments

The grand-daddy of our culture-as-root-cause thesis, the late great Teddy Benigno, in his classic 2002 Star article Why investors avoid us: The trust factor highlighted what, at the time, was a very conservative forecast regarding China’s fortunes made in a Nomura Research Institute (NRI) study that foresaw a China that could “burgeon into the world’s…

Culture, Development, Economy

Hope for the Philippine economy lies in domestic investment and not foreign investment

June 28, 2011 benign0 13 Comments

I am undoubtedly seen as a determined critic of the administration of Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. But that is only because the man generally personifies much of the underbelly of the Filipino psyche that I’ve made it a personal online career to highlight over the last several years. In short his character just…

Development, Economy

President Noynoy Aquino’s Second State of the Nation Address (SONA)

June 24, 2011February 10, 2019 Ilda 67 Comments

President Noynoy Aquino (PNoy) will be giving his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) soon. Like his first SONA, his speech will most likely be full of motherhood statements similar to all the previous speeches he had delivered since he announced his plans to run for the Presidency in 2009. There is very little…

Culture, Development, Economy, Government, Politics, Society

Philippine-China conflict: How did we come to be so dependent on Chinese imports?

June 14, 2011March 7, 2014 benign0 24 Comments

Last weekend Governor Joey Salcedo of the Philippine province of Albay issued what on the surface looks to be a ludicrous proposal — that Filipinos “boycott” Chinese-made products. Salcedo made this call to Filipinos to “hurt [China] where it counts” in light of recent military and diplomatic tension between the Philippines and China over the…

Culture, Development, Economy, Lifestyle