Recto Bank, an underwater reef in the West Philippine Sea, remains an enigma. Little is publicly disclosed about it beyond its geology, oil and gas potential, and the decades-long struggle between the Philippines and China for control of its surface waters and the rich hydrocarbon deposits in its depths. One thing is clear, industry experts...
Category: Business
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Data centers raise concerns for energy-burdened households
In a low-income community in the Metro Manila suburb of Fairview, a large rectangular structure is rising near a busy highway clogged with vehicles, commuters, and commerce. Few passersby realize that this building is one of four data centers that will be built in Fairview. Together, they will draw up to 124 megawatts (MW) of...
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Loans ‘R’ Us
The loaning culture has become diversified with the emergence of various platforms, ever-changing and increasing inflation rates, and immobility of households, among other factors. Loan sharks increase their visibility and accessibility by utilizing loan applications and guarantors, which are now institutionalized through registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It’s telling that according to the...
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Toward people-centered and publicly-funded progress in Baguio
BAGUIO CITY—Many in (and even out of) the summer capital celebrated when news broke that a project involving the Baguio City public market would not push through. In a letter dated Dec. 19, 2025, and addressed to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) officially withdrew its proposal of redeveloping the public market under a...
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The illusion of Asean’s economic integration
Since its establishment in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has gone through several phases in its bid for regional integration. From the 1992 Asean Free Trade Area, the 2002 Asean Economic Community, and finally the 2007 Asean Charter provision of three guiding pillars foremost of which was the Asean Economic Community, a...
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Something greater results when cooperatives harness the collective power
BAGUIO CITY—When cooperatives invest in their people and innovate together, they transcend traditional business boundaries to become something greater: both social movements and economic forces united by shared aspirations. This was the vision shared by leaders of cooperatives at the inaugural National Cooperative Summit 2025, which was held on Oct. 9–10 in Baguio City. It...
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Amid extreme inequalities, 306 million Southeast Asians languish in poverty and low incomes
Southeast Asians classified as poor and low-income shared a high 44.7% of the region’s population, or 306 million of a total of 686 million. Social inequalities are similarly endemic in Southeast Asia, as reflected in the distribution of incomes across seven categories—poor, low income, lower middle, middle, upper middle, upper income and rich (see Table...
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Revamped forex mastery series for Filipino traders launched
SmarTrade, the financial education company dedicated to empowering Filipinos through free learning sessions and personalized coaching, has officially launched its revamped forex mastery series. The program is designed to help aspiring traders, from beginners to advanced learners, understand the world of forex trading in a clear and structured way. By providing accessible financial education, SmarTrade...
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The unrest in Indonesia is driven by inequalities and entrenched oligarchic rule
Indonesia has been ravaged by its worst popular unrest since the downfall of the dictator Suharto in 1998. Large-scale street protests began last Aug. 25 in the capital Jakarta—the culmination of widespread economic frustration and anger at widespread corruption, democratic regression, gross inequalities, and the indifference and lack of empathy of Indonesia’s leaders, elite classes...
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The employment impact of a national ban on single-use plastic will be manageable
Negotiations for an international plastics treaty ended in failure last month, setting the stage for a new round of talks. Nevertheless, local environmental groups argue that no deal is better than a bad one or a watered-down treaty. An agreement could have nudged the Philippine government to finally enact a national ban on single-use plastic...