The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The global food crisis is no longer a distant threat—it is unfolding before our eyes. The latest escalation in the Middle East has once again disrupted supply chains, driving up the cost of energy and fertilizers. For a country like the Philippines, heavily reliant on imported agricultural inputs, this translates directly into higher food prices, slower production, …
Points of View & Perspectives
June, 2026
-
7 June
THE BEAUTY, AND TRAGEDY, OF TWO
In the story of creation, after God created one Man from the dust of the earth on which He spat, God found that one man alone would be sad indeed. Man needed a companion to be happy, to be complete. And so, from one of his ribs, God fashioned Woman. With two, rather than one, God rested. And He thought He has solved …
-
7 June
The Senate crisis reveals true colors
Senator Allan Peter Cayetano may have inadvertently provided President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with a possible way out of the ongoing Senate leadership impasse. His suggestion that a senator from the Cayetano bloc cross over to the opposing camp would allow the new majority to legally elect a new Senate President and restore order in the chamber. On the surface, the …
-
7 June
Police Must Lead by Example, Not Fear: Napolcom Chief Calinisan
LOVE FOR ALLBy: Virginia Rodriguez The recent controversy involving Rizal police officer Cpl. Simeon Suan and the arrest of a 76-year-old senior citizen has once again raised a fundamental question: What kind of police force do we want serving the Filipino people? A viral video showing a handcuffed elderly man being dragged to a vehicle after a minor traffic incident …
-
7 June
Senate Power Struggle: A Crisis Without a Cause
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The Senate’s latest leadership shake-up is a spectacle that exposes the fragility of political institutions and the emptiness of rhetoric about “service to the nation.” What began as a dispute over quorum has spiraled into a full-blown power struggle, with both camps claiming legitimacy and neither offering the public any real benefit. As Atty. Edward Chico explained …
May, 2026
-
31 May
What is TRUTH?
The eyes incline towards beauty; the ears towards musical harmony; the nose towards pleasant smell; the tongue towards good taste; and the skin towards invigorating touch. Above it all, the human mind inclines towards truth. The past several days threaten the chances of the Filipino mind to get at the truth of many things political in nature. When the mind has an idea …
-
31 May
Senate controversies bordering on comical
The Philippine Senate has long styled itself as the country’s “august chamber,” a stabilizing institution meant to rise above partisan bickering and safeguard democratic accountability. Today, however, that reputation lies badly battered. A succession of political maneuvers, legal controversies, and outright theatrics has reduced the Senate into a spectacle that invites ridicule instead of respect. The most alarming development is …
-
31 May
Triple Threat or Triple Blow?
REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The warning from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) could not have come at a more delicate moment. As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. embarked on his four‑day state visit to Japan, MUFG released a sobering assessment: the Philippine economy faces a “triple threat” — the looming super El Niño, elevated U.S. interest rates, and policy uncertainty at home. …
-
31 May
A New Hope for Reform at the Bureau of Customs
LOVE FOR ALLBy: Virginia Rodriguez The recent oath-taking ceremony led by Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno marks another significant step in the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) continuing journey toward reform and modernization. With 165 personnel taking their oath—120 newly hired employees and 45 newly promoted officials—the event symbolizes not only career advancement but also a renewed commitment to public service and …
-
24 May
NA COUP HA!
Coup is the word of the day, weeks even. Nations all over the world speak of coups in lives and blood. We hear talk of coups as lightly as soups of the day, for instead of sacrificing lives and bathing in blood, our version is more civilized, we speak of bruised egos and political chances in future presidential elections, which …