Downgrading GDP growth (COVID-19 impact)

By Romeo Bernardo
Since our quarterly outlook issued a little over two weeks ago, the Philippines reported three new cases of the COVID-19 disease in addition to the three cases detected at the time of our report (with one death). In the meantime, travel ban for inbound travelers from certain regions of South Korea has been imposed, alongside that for China and its administrative regions. With the virus spreading rapidly in different continents, the fear is that the virus is spreading undetected within the country. Analysts in the meantime have started to increase their estimates of the adverse impact of the COVID-19 on local growth with some shaving 0.3 percentage points (ppt) off their original forecasts.

Water, transparency and mining concerns in the Philippines

By Cielo Magno
The communities of Didipio, Nueva Visacaya have been up in arms against the operation of Oceana Gold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI). OGPI has been operating a copper-gold mine in Barangay Didipio in Kasibu, Province of Nueva Vizcaya. A Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) was awarded to OGPI in 1994, but the company only started its full operations in 2011. The first commercial production was reported in April 2013. Now, the FTAA has expired and is up for renewal.

In retail, evolve or die

By Andrew J. Masigan
In the early 2000s, the rise of fast-fashion brands like Zara, Mango, H&M, and Topshop caused a bloodbath among traditional fashion retailers. Unable to compete in price, style turnover, and vastness of selections, brands like Nine West, Diesel, and The Limited either filed for bankruptcy or were absorbed by bigger firms. Years later, when fast fashion brands hit the Philippines, local clothing retailers such as Regatta, Tab, Monakiki, Tyler and many others were either bought-out or closed.

The impunity of money laundering

By Amelia H. C. Ylagan
Nulla poena sine lege (Latin for “no penalty without a law”).

To understand the world today, read Thucydides

IN 416 BCE a mighty army from Athens, the superpower of the day, showed up on the small and neutral island of Melos in the Aegean Sea. The Athenians told the Melians to submit and pay tribute or be obliterated. Stunned, the Melians appealed to morality, justice, law, even the gods. There’s been a misunderstanding, the Athenians replied: You simply have a choice between doing as you’re told and being destroyed, so please stop wasting our time. This isn’t fair, the Melians insisted.

Reinventing EDSA 1986

By Luis V. Teodoro
Perhaps the most outlandish lie ever concocted by one of the most notorious disinformation hirelings of the Duterte regime is that the Marcos kleptocracy was overthrown in 1986 because of the “fake news” that the communists and the “yellows” had supposedly been spreading about Ferdinand Marcos, his wife, his family and his government.

Growing old sucks

By Jemy Gatdula
Actually, the title should have been “growing old sucks ass.” But I flaked out. A sign perhaps that I am not hopelessly old yet, as apparently bits of filter still linger in my head. But, like Ricky Gervais, sometimes I just don’t care anymore.

Correcting the illusion, breaking the myth

By Diwa C. Guinigundo
This is my inaugural column in BusinessWorld. My profuse thanks to Willy Reyes, BW editor-in-chief, for the opportunity to contribute to discussions in civil society on how best to shape public policy and institutions in the context of attaining high, self-sustaining, and inclusive economic growth.

What is to be done

WE NEED to look long-term -- beyond the six-year presidential term. There are a number of things we need to do and carry over the long term.

The coronavirus is a human credit crunch

IT IS THE FLOW of people, as much as money, that keeps the global economy ticking over. It follows that a sudden halt to the movement of workers, shoppers, and tourists should worry us just as much as the drying up of credit during the global financial crisis in 2008. With fewer obvious quick fixes, the virus outbreak should perhaps concern us even more.

Spies in our midst

By Marvin Tort
Intelligence collection and intelligence analysis are key components of the intelligence-gathering discipline. But, gathering intelligence is not always clandestine, does not necessarily entail espionage, or employ subterfuge. At times, in fact, information is freely given or divulged with consent, either through human source, or research in open publication.

A TV network for the common good

By Benito L. Teehankee
I’m a regular ABS-CBN patron. I watch ANC, listen to DZMM, and watch Channel 2 for entertainment and excellent documentaries. I even have TV Plus in the condo. The network is part of my daily life, and I appreciate the services it provides. I’m kapamilya.