The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
As Southeast Asia braces for a potentially strong El Niño, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reminded that cooperation among ASEAN member-states must extend beyond diplomatic declarations. Humanitarian assistance and disaster response are not merely logistical arrangements; they demonstrate whether neighboring countries can genuinely depend on one another when crises strike. The challenge is turning that principle into action. A severe El Niño …
Points of View & Perspectives
November, 2026
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1 November
Leave Nobody Hungry Foundation: Bringing Hope, Nourishment, and Livelihoods to the Underserved
LOVE FOR ALLBy: Virginia Rodriguez The Leave Nobody Hungry Foundation Inc. (LNHFI) remains steadfast in its mission to extend a helping hand to less fortunate individuals and underserved communities, particularly those in remote areas that are often beyond the reach of assistance. Guided by compassion and a commitment to public service, the foundation believes that every Filipino deserves access to …
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1 November
The True Test of Political Will
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) ultimatum requiring EDSA Busway operators to install and maintain functional left-side doors within six months is, at first glance, a minor operational adjustment. But look closer, and it becomes clear that this policy is about far more than bus design. It is about accessibility. It is about safety. And ultimately, it is about respect …
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1 November
Local fruits clinch $17.5M in Hong Kong
EBITDABy DIEGO C. CAGAHASTIAN The Philippine peso continues its struggle to attain a semblance of stability, falling to its historical low of 64.17 to one US dollar, then recovering somewhat to 64.025 after a couple of days. President Bongbong Marcos issued an assurance that Filipinos should not panic because the government has many options and tools in its cabinet that …
October, 2026
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25 October
Wanted – Matalinong Botante
This early, this nation that lives on its daily bread, is future-oriented enough to think of the elections come 2028. The main position up for grabs, of course, is no less than the Presidency of the Philippines. Thereafter follows the rest, down to the lowest levels of the local government. For all the negativity of our times, there is always …
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25 October
Malacañang’s problem is governance
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declining approval ratings have acquired a more serious political dimension with Vice President Sara Duterte reportedly leading a recent survey of potential candidates for the 2028 presidential election. For Malacañang, the numbers should be a warning. Unfortunately, the apparent response is another round of image management. Replacing the Press Secretary—for the sixth time in four years—will …
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25 October
Focus on PHL, Asean trade with China
EBITDABy DIEGO C. CAGAHASTIAN Despite the din and mess in Philippines-China relations caused in part by the stridently boastful Jay Tarriela, and the rabidly pro-American Gibo Teodoro and Erwin Tulfo, among others in the stupid membership of the Philippine Association of China Haters, there is still a whiff of fresh air, a wind-stream of hope, for Filipinos who just want …
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19 October
Starbucks, CALE88 in the same boat
EBITDABy DIEGO C. CAGAHASTIAN The ongoing Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has brought to the fore an otherwise quiet and low-key local business firm called CALE88, an exporter to various countries—not just China—of processed banana chips made from Philippine cardava bananas (saba). Cale88 Foods Corp. has become controversial because VP Inday Sara and her husband were linked …
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19 October
ASEAN Summit: Opportunity China should not ignore
The expected attendance of US President Donald Trump and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on November 16-18 presents the Philippines with a diplomatic opportunity it cannot afford to waste. With the Philippine government hosting the gathering, massive street protests are likely to accompany the high-profile event. Trump can expect demonstrations from critics of his policies, while …
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19 October
Nostalgia or Necessity?
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro During his working visit to Singapore, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. openly expressed disappointment over the closure of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) four decades ago. His remarks come at a time when Filipinos are grappling with some of the highest electricity rates in Asia, juxtaposed against the looming threat of an intense El Niño crisis. The …