Category Commentary

The permit trap

In fast-growing economies, governments often face a familiar temptation: regulate first, explain later. The Philippines nearly stumbled into that trap this week. What began as a drafted Department Administrative Order (DAO) from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) proposing…

When prices bite

April’s inflation rate of 7.2% is not just an unpleasant surprise; it is a reminder of how quickly macroeconomic stability can unravel when external shocks meet domestic vulnerabilities. For households, it shows up immediately in higher food and fuel costs.…

A diplomatic lapse in Prague

The story of how a fugitive slipped through Europe is not really about one man. It is about a system that moved just slowly enough—and spoke just too soon—to lose him. When former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co…

Ousting Piki comes with a poison pill

The controversy surrounding First Gen Corporation’s ₱62-billion hydropower deal with Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) has brought an uncommon term into public view: the “poison pill.” In this case, the clause allows Prime Infra to buy out First Gen’s…

Why good products can still fail

In Southeast Asia’s tech scene, the startup ecosystem is rapidly evolving. Parallel to this growth is companies’ ability to build products at breakneck speed. Today’s tools—artificial intelligence, no-code platforms, and widely available technical talent—mean that teams can move from idea…