Philippines electricity tariff decoded
By Chemrock The Philippines’ electricity cost is one of the highest in the world. Is it really? And if so, what accounts for it? The easiest way out is to put the blame squarely on Cory Aquino for mothballing the Bataan Nuclear project as the underlying reason for costly electricity today. Die-hard Marcos supporters still … Continue reading
The President of the Philippines hates Manila
By JoeAm The President of the Philippines hates Manila. That is my opinion. It is not a fact. It is a deduction. You can decide if it is within a range of acceptable probability. You can decide if it is meaningful or not. The President detests all that Manila stands for. He hates the place. … Continue reading
Global warming, the end game for humanity, and the Philippines
By JoeAm I wonder how many Filipinos consider that their children who are now in school will have to deal with drastic, life-threatening impacts of climate change before they are middle-aged. Storms will be horrifying. Not just typhoons, but freak events like raging floods or killer lightning storms. Droughts. Heat. And even man-made disasters like … Continue reading
The Philippines as an Upper Middle Income Country: hoax or doable?
By JoeAm I was shocked to hear Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Earnesto Pernia make the claim recently that the Philippines will be an upper-middle-income country by 2019. It clashed with my knowledge of the rampant poverty in the nation and how my neighbors struggle with food, transportation, and health. When I think of upper-middle income, I … Continue reading
Who’s really in charge of the economy?
By Andrew Lim How is economic policy made in the Duterte regime? It’s a legitimate question to ask in these times of deteriorating economic indicators and the weak, unorganized responses we get from the economic managers. Who’s really in charge, and how is economic policy formed in this government? We’ve discussed in previous blog posts … Continue reading




