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Beyond the Headlines: The Next Test for the Philippine Economy

By Karl M. Garcia Over the past year, the Philippines has received a series of encouraging endorsements from major international institutions. The World Bank has recognized that the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains manageable despite years of elevated public spending and has officially reclassified the Philippines as an upper-middle-income economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), meanwhile, … Continue reading

A $500 Million Bet on Bamboo: An Opportunity to Build a New Philippine Industry

By Karl Garcia The Philippines has no shortage of promising ideas. The greater challenge has often been transforming those ideas into industries that create lasting jobs, strengthen local economies, and compete in global markets. That is why reports that the government is exploring $300 million to $500 million in financing to develop a Philippine engineered … Continue reading

The Cycle of Cruelty

When Suffering Becomes a License to Make Others Suffer By Karl Garcia One of the more uncomfortable realities in Philippine society is that not all suffering produces compassion. Sometimes it produces resentment. Sometimes it produces indifference. And, in its darkest form, it produces a desire for others to endure the same pain. This mentality appears … Continue reading

From Overcrowded Jails to Smarter Justice: Why the Philippines Must Expand Community-Based Sentencing

Justice Should Be Measured by Public Safety, Not Prison Population By Karl M. Garcia The Philippines has long struggled with a pattern of reactive governance. Rather than anticipating problems and investing in prevention, we often wait for crises before responding with sweeping enforcement measures. When a problem becomes highly visible, the instinct is to tighten … Continue reading

Five people standing around a table looking worried while reviewing a document

The Anti-Dynasty Bill: Congress Finally Agrees to Maybe Stop Being Itself

Analysis and Opinion By Joe America After 38 years of constitutional foot-dragging so impressive it deserves its own museum wing, the House of Representatives has passed an Anti-Political Dynasty Act. On final reading. With 267 votes in favor. Pause and let that sink in: a chamber where eight out of ten members belong to a … Continue reading