Rappler's latest stories on jc punongbayan
[ANALYSIS] How ABS-CBN’s exit will hurt the PH economy
It will seem our laws and regulations can be easily weaponized against certain business interests, at the President’s whim
[ANALYSIS] How Duterte failed to meet the Bayanihan Law’s objectives
Far from being proactive, orderly, and based on clean, reliable data, Duterte’s pandemic response has largely been reactive, chaotic, and based on murky, unreliable data
[ANALYSIS] Free money for every Filipino, at least during emergencies
'Through universal basic income, every citizen above a certain age will be entitled to cash aid. That’s as straightforward a solution to poverty as one could get.'
[ANALYSIS] Is the PH ‘healing as one’ from the pandemic? Far from it
Unless the Duterte government gets its act together, some groups will inevitably end up healing more than others
[ANALYSIS] Why we can’t Build, Build, Build our way out of this pandemic
In this time of crisis, government needs to get its act together and divert all its energies and resources to saving people’s lives
[ANALYSIS] Rare Philippine recession: Why this one’s unique, even necessary
Let’s make this recession and our collective sacrifice count. But that won’t very well happen if government fails to set its priorities right and get its act together fast.
[ANALYSIS] The inhumanity of PhilHealth’s new fees on overseas Filipinos
Although PhilHealth already put on hold the collection of the new premium rate – at least over the course of the pandemic – it must also revoke some of the unconscionable rules it had put in place
[ANALYSIS] Should Duterte lift the lockdown? An imagined debate
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the stakes are much, much higher. Now is not the time for the capricious, evidence-bereft brand of policymaking Duterte has grown used to and gotten away with.
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s coronavirus aid: Too little, too slow, too politicized
'We also need to rethink and reform our country’s broader social protection system: if anything, this crisis has shed light on just how fragmented and puny it is'
How do these thinkers see a post-pandemic Philippines? Part 1
In Part 1, we feature economics, business, politics, and more
[ANALYSIS] May pera nga ba? Does Duterte have money to fight COVID-19?
Today we’re enduring two types of crises: one in public health, another in governance
[ANALYSIS] ‘Freezing’ the PH economy: Can we survive it?
With billions of additional funds soon at Duterte’s disposal – and a spotty track record of transparency and accountability – we should all watch the money trail closer than ever
[ANALYSIS] Why Filipinos need to stay at home until June (or even longer)
Two studies suggest the Philippines is only at the very beginning of this public health crisis
[ANALYSIS] The flawed economics of Duterte’s partial Metro Manila lockdown
Rather than firearms and checkpoints, we need more masks and testing kits
[ANALYSIS] Can Duterte ward off a coronavirus economic slump?
The first order of business is for the economic team to support efforts of our health agencies to contain COVID-19 and mitigate its impact
[ANALYSIS] How the budget deficit exploded under Duterte’s watch
Allowing the deficit to blow up to 6.8% last quarter does not reflect well on fiscal managers and suggests fiscal irresponsibility and mismanagement
[ANALYSIS] Why Nokia, Wells Fargo, and Honda are leaving the PH
(UPDATED) Although global factors are at play, the Philippines’ business climate and government policies are also partly to blame
[ANALYSIS] China's creeping influence in PH telco, electricity, water
China’s creeping influence and encroachment in our vital infrastructure shows we ought to be extra careful especially where the nation’s security is at stake
[ANALYSIS] Why Duterte’s attack on ABS-CBN reeks of double standards, desperation
Duterte and company know they have little time in power left. If they want to corner strategic portions of the country’s business landscape, now’s the time to act.
[ANALYSIS] Will novel coronavirus also infect the Philippine economy?
In this uber-globalized world, we have to accept that when China sneezes we will all likely catch a cold. But how can we minimize the risk?
[ANALYSIS] Why did Philippine growth drop to an 8-year low?
Why is there disappointing growth, given the country's potential? Let's talk about lower investments and the weakening of industry.
[ANALYSIS] The economic lies in ‘Duterte Legacy’
Ranking officials of the Duterte government will do well to know a memorable quote in HBO’s Chernobyl: 'Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later that debt is paid'
[ANALYSIS] The stroke of genius in Robredo’s drug war report
For too long Duterte’s war on drugs has hidden behind a veil of fear, lies, and misconceptions. It’s high time for facts and statistics to pierce that veil.
[ANALYSIS] 2020s: Can we sustain the stellar growth of the 2010s?
There’s a lot to be thankful for in the 2010s when more Filipinos became more prosperous and healthy, so much so that the 2010s might be considered our economy’s true 'golden age.'
[ANALYSIS] Why slashing the ranks of Angkas bikers is anticompetitive
Is it fair for government to slash the number of Angkas bikers to make room for competitors? Is that the spirit of competition policy? Not at all.
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s foul attacks on big business: What is he up to?
The Duterte government has shown a propensity to disrespect contracts, ignore property rights, and harass businesses
[ANALYSIS] Making sense of the surprisingly good jobs, poverty stats
Moving forward, government must make sure growth lifts all boats, and no region is left behind. Inclusivity is key.
[ANALYSIS] Dismal PISA rankings: A wake-up call for Filipinos
At least we now have baseline data that we can use to compare our country’s PISA performance with other countries. It’s better than groping in the dark.
[ANALYSIS] Following the money trail of the 30th SEA Games
So many mishaps and anomalies have marred the start of the 30th SEA Games, and the opening ceremony hasn’t even happened yet
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s ban on rice imports: Enough of these capricious policies
Was rice tariffication a miscalculation by Duterte? Did he not anticipate that rice prices would plummet? Was he ill-advised by the economic team?
[ANALYSIS] The moving goalposts of Duterte’s Build, Build, Build
Moving goalposts is ill-advised. Not only does it render BBB practically impossible to evaluate, it also serves as a convenient excuse for the economic managers’ sloppy conception and implementation of the program.
[ANALYSIS] Is the Philippine economy in the pink again? Not exactly
Latest data betray troubling trends in the economy that soon need to be addressed
[ANALYSIS] Duterte to take over water distribution? That spells disaster
Prior to privatization in 1997, water was distributed, not by private corporations, but by a government agency called the MWSS. It did a crappy job.
[ANALYSIS] Duterte the Defeatist
It’s one thing for presidents – or any leader for that matter – to make mistakes. But it’s a different thing altogether for them to give up as a matter of habit.
[ANALYSIS] How Duterte’s drug war is negating key anti-poverty programs
For as long as Duterte’s drug war continues, existing policies meant to alleviate poverty will only come off as futile, insincere, and hypocritical
[ANALYSIS] Why this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics is relevant to Filipinos
It's a testament to the power of research, scientific thinking, and empirical evidence in the crafting and implementation of economic policies and programs
[ANALYSIS] Why free-falling inflation is not all good
A sharp drop in inflation is not an unalloyed boon. As they say, keep everything in moderation.
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s perverse priorities in the proposed 2020 budget
The national budget is one of the clearest expressions of a government’s values, its priorities, and its plans for the country. It tells us to what extent our politicians reflect the will and interests of the people.
[ANALYSIS] What Duterte doesn’t get about Metro Manila traffic
Metro Manila is more than the sum of its parts, and traffic authorities will do well to keep this in mind. Otherwise, their policies will only keep backfiring and making traffic worse.
[ANALYSIS] Just how bad was corruption during the Marcos years?
The Marcoses not only ransacked the economy, they also flaunted their loot to the world
[ANALYSIS] Will Duterte’s new tax measure kill foreign investments?
Many other things could make or break our country’s attractiveness to investors. Citira's stricter investment incentives may be the least of our worries.
[ANALYSIS] Plummeting rice prices: How will our rice farmers cope?
Unquestionably, we need to support all farmers whose incomes and livelihoods are now hurting because of rice tariffication
[ANALYSIS] Just how valuable is the West Philippine Sea?
The monetary value of our marine ecosystems in 2007 was thought to be US$966.59 billion, or close to $1 trillion. Using the 2007 exchange rate, that’s P44.61 trillion or nearly 6.5 times our GDP back then.
[ANALYSIS] SOGIEnomics: Why fighting for LGBTQ+ rights makes economic sense
Most Philippine companies cannot be said to be LGBTQ+-friendly
[ANALYSIS] Dismal growth: Why is the PH economy losing its momentum?
Economic managers need to be more forthright about the state of the Philippine economy and not paint a picture of it that is rosier than the data suggest
[ANALYSIS] How Duterte’s whims and caprices hurt the economy
A common theme seems to thread all these policies: not only do they tend to hurt economic efficiency, they’re also often anti-poor
[ANALYSIS] The paper tiger that was the anti-endo bill
The Duterte government roared to end endo, but the final product of their collective efforts sounded more like a meow
[ANALYSIS] The pipe dream that is Build, Build, Build
What’s the status of the Build, Build, Build projects? Why have they proceeded so slowly? How are we going to pay for them?
[ANALYSIS] The poor quality of economic growth under Duterte
It's been a jobless, ruthless, voiceless, rootless, and futureless growth
[ANALYSIS] Praise Duterte for lowering inflation? He didn’t do it
Since we’re coming from very high prices last year, and prices have now stabilized at high levels, we can expect inflation to drop significantly this year – all thanks to the base effect
