The presidency matters

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 02/15/2022

Someone I know half-seriously claims that we could elect a dog as president, and the economy (and the country) will go on anyway—as if saying that it doesn’t really matter who wins the coming presidential elections in…

A changed economy

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 02/08/2022

Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have fundamentally changed our economy. I came to see the extent of the change upon poring over the latest economic data much more closely than usual. Understanding these changes could help…

Nurturing vs protecting

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 02/01/2022

Many well-meaning people think that we should go slow or even retreat in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest-ever economic bloc. Let me explain why not joining RCEP, and not joining now, is…

Small business travails

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 01/25/2022

It’s that time of year again when many a small entrepreneur is led to throw up his/her hands in anguish over all the paperwork and legwork they must do to renew their business permits and update tax…

Dreading debt

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 12/14/2021

As of today, our government owes money equivalent to nearly two-thirds of all incomes generated in the economy in a year. The total debt owed by the national government as of the third quarter stood at P11.92…

Educated by the voters

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 12/07/2021

I always feel discomfort when I hear talk about the need for “voter education,” usually in the context of lamenting the nature of the candidates who tend to get the strongest support from the Filipino voting public.…

Celebrating greatness of spirit

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 11/30/2021

“I believe that the President should set the example of a big heart, an honest mind, sound instincts, the virtue of healthy impatience and an abiding love for the common man.” These words from the man countless…

Third quarter surprise

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 11/23/2021

I was wrong about how the economy would fare in the third quarter (Q3) this year. And like most everybody else, I’m glad I was. Most were surprised at the unexpected strong upturn in the country’s gross…

Another lazy policy

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 11/16/2021

Our history is replete with policies having the effect of a shotgun that inflicts unwanted collateral damage outside of the targeted objects of the policy — even when rifle-focused solutions would have been better. The thing about…

Taming inflation

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 11/09/2021

Among economic issues, rising prices always tops the list of people’s worries. Surveys consistently show inflation management to yield the lowest approval rating in the list of items respondents are asked to judge the government on. There…

Wild yarns and stunted exports

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 11/02/2021

In all of East and Southeast Asia, the Philippines was second only to Japan in average income in the late 1950s, based on data compiled by the late British economic historian Angus Maddison. Ours was among the…

The wrong reasons

Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet 10/26/2021

It’s both fascinating and alarming to hear some reasons ordinary people have reportedly been giving for favoring the late dictator’s son as their likely choice for president in next year’s elections. Those of us who lived through…

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