Journal
Beyond the Pump: Why Suspending Excise Tax on Fuel Is Not a Silver Bullet
We cannot think of wars, especially the currently ongoing conflict in Iran and the Middle East, as far removed from our daily lives. It’s true before, and it’s even more true now – this war that the US and Israel started against Iran is sending shockwaves all around the world. The thing is that this is not a war we chose, but we are already starting to feel its effects. It’s such a difficult time to be living right now. Daily war updates fills our social media and broadcast news feeds. The price of diesel and gasoline is slowly starting to go up. Jeepney drivers are earning only ₱56 after spending ₱1,200 pesos on diesel for the day. But President BBM suspended the fare hike,
How Connections Shape the Philippine Economy: Nepotism and Political Patronage
Introduction In this blog we will discuss the impact of nepotism and political patronage on the Philippine economy. This concludes our series on corruption’s impact on the economy. We trust this journey has been enlightening, prompting deeper reflection on the diverse manifestations of corruption and its influence on daily life in the Philippines. Nepotism: A Hidden Type of Corruption There is a kind of corruption that many people often overlook because it doesn’t always look obviously corrupt. In fact, many Filipinos just accept it as a normal part of life. However, just like other types of corruption, it quietly affects the country’s economic future. Favouring Relatives and Friends in Business Helping relatives, friends, or people you know well doesn’t seem wrong. This practice is common
Why “Kotong ” is Bad for the Economy
We’re almost at the end of this series on the economic effects of corruption. We’ve talked about different types of corruption, like customs fraud, misused public funds, distortion of public spending, inflated project costs, and regulatory friction. But one type of corruption that hits us every day—and severely affects the economy—is corruption within law enforcement, especially among traffic enforcers and police. It’s a persistent problem the government is trying hard to fix. Its popular name is Kotong. Here is a breakdown of how this specific type of corruption, known as Kotong , hurts our economy and what we can do about it. What is Kotong Culture and How Does it Work? Ask any Filipino driver, and they likely have a story about this kind
How to Produce an Indie Movie – The Case of Happyland
In an earlier post, I wrote about the circumstances behind my joining the Happyland team as one of its producers. Here is the second part of my experience as an indie movie producer.
How I Became a Producer of the Indie Movie – Happyland
I become a producer of a movie about football two years before the sport got widespread attention. We even tapped the country’s most popular football player, Phil Younghusband, as one of the major actors in that independent film.
EXPOSED: What the Impeachment Vote Means for Congressmen
In this blog post, we explore what the Sara Duterte impeachment vote means for congressmen and its implications for the current political landscape. (This is a follow-up piece to my blog on the structural consequences of Sara Duterte’s early declaration that she will run for president in 2028.) For as long as I’ve been observing political campaigns, one pattern remains constant: when national timelines accelerate, the spotlight rarely stays where it began. When Sara Duterte declared her presidential candidacy, the impeachment effort ceased to be a contained institutional process. It entered the electoral arena. That shift has already been discussed. What has received less attention is the second movement of that shift. The spotlight has moved. It now rests on the House of Representatives. An