For years, global trade was the default engine of growth. But as we pass the midpoint of 2025, it’s sputtering badly—and not because of any natural cooling. This slowdown is man-made, self-inflicted, and increasingly perilous. According to the World Bank, global trade growth is forecast to decelerate from 3.4% in 2024 to just 1.8% in […]

As economic pressures mount across the developing world, the Philippines should shift its focus—placing jobs, not aid, at the heart of its fight against poverty. That opportunity lies in harnessing the country’s most abundant asset: its people. With nearly 1.2 billion young people in emerging economies reaching working age over the next decade—and only an […]

The Philippines is pushing forward with its digital transformation agenda, backed by a $750 million policy loan from the World Bank designed to modernize infrastructure, expand access, and drive inclusive growth through technology. Approved in late 2024, the Second Digital Transformation Development Policy Loan is now fueling a government-led push to integrate digital tools across […]