Wilfredo G. Villanueva
Cha Coronel Datu
Juana Pilipinas
Karl Garcia
giancarloangulo
Irineo B. R. Salazar
JPilipinas
karlgarcia
JoeAmThe Philippine Gambling Machine: Revenue, Power, and the Architecture of Impunity
By Karl Garcia Gambling in the Philippines is routinely framed as a pragmatic compromise — a tolerated vice justified by revenue, employment, and economic spillovers. That narrative is politically convenient and socially reassuring. It is also incomplete. What exists today is not merely a vice industry with regulatory challenges, but a state-entangled gambling ecosystem where … Continue reading
Planting Hope, Growing Lessons: A Philippine Reflection on Tree Planting
By Karl Garcia Tree planting has become one of the most universally embraced environmental acts in the Philippines. It is politically safe, socially celebrated, and emotionally satisfying. Government agencies announce ambitious targets. Corporations organize volunteer drives. Schools mobilize students. NGOs rally communities. Few activities so neatly combine symbolism and action. But symbolism, while powerful, is … Continue reading
Continuity, Not Just Planning: Why the Philippines Must Mainstream Multi-Year Financing
By Karl Garcia The Philippines is not short of plans. It is short of continuity. Across administrations, the country produces development roadmaps, modernization programs, infrastructure pipelines, and reform frameworks that diagnose problems with clarity and ambition. Yet execution frequently lags behind intent. Projects stall, timelines stretch, costs escalate, and priorities shift with political cycles. The … Continue reading
Canals, Chokepoints, and the Tyranny of Geography
Why the Kra Canal won’t happen, why China built a different canal, and why Philippine isthmus dreams should stay mothballed By Karl Garcia Every few years, a canal proposal resurfaces in Asia like a zombie idea that refuses to die. Most recently, headlines about China nearing completion of a US$10-billion canal sparked renewed speculation: Is … Continue reading
Policy Reliability and Investor Confidence: An Objective Analysis
By Karl Garcia Investment decisions, especially foreign direct investment (FDI), are influenced by a complex mix of economic fundamentals, governance quality, and domestic policy environments. While factors like tax rates and infrastructure clearly matter, predictability and credibility of policy commitments are often decisive in long-term investor decision-making. When governments alter rules mid-course—whether by withdrawing incentives, … Continue reading
The Society of Honor by Joe America 