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Eagle Watch
Describing the new (next) normal
How will the new (next) normal look like? Here are some points to consider:
Overhauling land transportation in the new normal and beyond
By Jedd Ugay, Monica Lavares, Jerik Cruz and Marjorie Muyrong
Recommendations on health improvements, economic rescue and stimulus program for the rest of 2020
By Joseph Anthony Lim
Recommendations on health improvements, economic rescue and stimulus program for the rest of 2020
By Joseph Anthony Lim
Fighting Covid-19 and food insecurity
The enhanced community quarantine implemented by the Philippine government has been lauded by the World Health Organization. It was deemed necessary to slow down the transmission and spread of the Covid-19. However, the emerging management of this health emergency is replete with illustrations of unevenness in accessing basic resources, and powerlessness of the most vulnerable groups to weather the situation. Most daily wage workers and informal workers still lack adequate social protection and safety nets after being barred from going to their places of work during the ECQ period. These economic shocks have dire consequences on the most vulnerable groups, primarily the children and the older members of the households who, more than ever, need adequate nutrition, to ward off a possible attack of Covid-19.
Opportunities and threats under the Asean economic integration
THE Asean Economic Community 2015 (AEC 2015), established by the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, aims to eliminate trade barriers and facilitate trade of both goods and services within the region. With a population of 631 million people, total trade amounting to $2.82 trillion and total current GDP of $2.53 trillion as of 2015, the Asean Free Trade Agreement will expand the region’s consumer base and promote economic growth.
Economics of happiness in public policy
Not many would argue against the universal view that maximizing happiness is the essential objective of human existence—everyone wants to be happy. Economics has been concerned with individual welfare (utility) maximization, which is linked with the ultimate pursuit of human happiness. Economics of happiness is slowly becoming embedded in its influence in academic circles. Economists have mainly examined how economic determinants, including income, inequality, inflation and unemployment shape happiness. These figure quite prominently in the realm of public policy.
The firewall may break
The Philippine economy has been protected by a firewall from being significantly affected by political events and noises for many years now. Despite confronting various issues involving
Employability issues
AN interesting Facebook post has made the rounds of the Internet recently. An anonymous entry, this post dares to ask an eyebrow-raising question: “We’re more worried about the fact that Ateneo is a top university, so why aren’t its graduates getting snapped up like lechon at a fiesta?”
Protectionism and the Philippine economy
ON February 9 the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) hosted a seminar, entitled “Global Uncertainty: Regional Headwinds and the Philippine Economic Promise” given by Dr. Dan Steinbock, who noted that, with global economic integration at a standstill, the world economy is coping with diminished growth prospects.
Tax reform: A make-or-break policy
“Build, Build, Build” is a new development mantra signifying the largest infrastructure push in Philippine history to propel economic growth in the next five to six years. Among the key investments that the Philippine government will make are big-ticket infrastructure projects, specifically roads and bridges, mass urban-transport systems and alternative green city solutions. These are envisioned to solve the problems attributed to traffic congestion, inadequate mass-transport facilities, air pollution and lack of green, healthy community spaces.
Markets and foundations
THE last weeks have seen weakening in the financial markets. The stock-market index has lost roughly 300 points from July 1, or 3.6 percent. This was after it has reached a peak of 8,100 in end-July. The peso-dollar rate, meanwhile, hit a nine-year high of 48.26. At this level, the peso has depreciated by about 2.4 percent from the start of the year. These “weakenings” have been attributed to the political noises that have been hugging the headlines. No doubt they have stoked worries among local and foreign investors. It is important, therefore, to look into the details of what has been happening in a broader and a longer context. Ultimately, we need to look at the strength of the foundations regardless if the storm is political, local or international.
Does the EKC hypothesis apply to the Philippines?
By Rosalina Palanca-Tan, Allen Timothy Dy and Angela Tan
Creative industry, tourism and local development in South Korea
By Fernando T. Aldaba and Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes
The real and financial value of the illegal-drugs market
By Dr. Luis F. Dumlao | Dean John Gokongwei School of Management, AdMU & Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes Lecturer, Economics Department, School of Social Sciences, AdMU