The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
This impeachment of the sitting Philippine Vice-President that unfolded last July 6 is remarkable for being the first such political exercise under the glare of social media – for anybody interested and to the world. With a high unemployment rate, with 120 million souls this side of the globe, it can be assumed that most with free time on their hands would go watch the …
Points of View & Perspectives
July, 2026
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12 July
Prosperity on paper
A recent PUBLiCUS Asia survey presents a striking contradiction. While most Filipinos remain hopeful that their own households can improve financially, they continue to express deep skepticism about the country’s overall direction. It is a reminder that official economic milestones do not automatically translate into public confidence. According to the second quarter 2026 survey of 1,509 registered voters, 72% remain pessimistic about …
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12 July
Results That Matter More Than Rhetoric
LOVE FOR ALLBy: Virginia Rodriguez Public approval is rarely sustained by promises alone. It is earned through programs that people experience in their daily lives. Recent governance surveys have shown improved public perception of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and several members of his Cabinet, with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian consistently emerging as one of the country’s top-performing Cabinet officials. …
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12 July
Navigating Russia, Sanctions, and Strategic Diversification
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent visit to Russia is more than a diplomatic courtesy call; it is a calculated move in the Philippines’ ongoing search for strategic diversification. As Prof. Froilan Calilung, political analyst and geopolitics expert, aptly warned: “Dependence on a single country or bloc exposes the Philippines to geopolitical shocks, including wars and unforeseen conflicts.” …
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12 July
Hidden numbers, hidden agendas
EBITDABy Diego C. Cagahastian In the corporate world, EBITDA is short for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The number serves as a measure of the company’s operating performance by excluding financing costs, taxes, and certain non-cash expenses. Of what use is EBITDA? This item is excluded from the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and its main utility is …
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5 July
ALEXANDRA THE GREAT
Though just 21 summers old, our very own Alexandra Eala, in my estimation, is already great. At 13, she embarked for Spain to insulate herself for a sport she loves, as others are struggling withtheir identities, gender, career and a future . There, Alexandra parks herself at the Rafa Nadal Academy for years of gruellingpreparation for a future in professional tennis. To be able to discern that …
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5 July
The illusion of economic progress
The country’s elevation to upper-middle-income country (UMIC) category by the World Bank is being hailed by Malacanang as a major achievement. Crossing the gross national income per capita threshold of $4,636 with a reported level of $4,850 signals that the economy has expanded and places the country in a more favorable statistical bracket. It is expected to strengthen investor confidence and enhance the nation’s international standing. But the celebration should not …
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5 July
PBBM’S Canada Visit Strengthens a Partnership Built by Filipinos
LOVE FOR ALLBy: Virginia Rodriguez President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s official visit to Canada is more than a diplomatic engagement—it is a recognition of the enduring friendship between two nations and the invaluable role of nearly one million Filipinos who have helped shape both societies. During his visit, the President met with the Filipino community to express his gratitude for …
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5 July
Peace and Trade as Strategic Imperatives
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro In the shifting landscape of global politics, the Philippines finds itself at a crossroads. The recent meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Russian President Vladimir Putin underscores a reality that many policymakers often overlook: peace and trade, not military alliances, are the true engines of national prosperity. Despite Western sanctions led by the United States, …
June, 2026
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28 June
THE ORIGINAL SIN
The challenge facing us today is how to make democracy work. Political philosophers during the Enlightenment at the end of the Middle Ages cut the heads, literally and figuratively, of the Divine Right theory of monarchs to rule over the populace. Then top it off with a Napoleon and his military genius and voila! — one has the recipe of …