Shaun T. Dy's Business & Economics Perspective Blog

  Uproxx As Christmas is just around the corner--I feel more stress coming in! It doesn't help when people try to use the late Andy Williams' "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" to try and skip the problem. It's already known that most Filipinos love to start Christmas in September . However, the irony is that Filipinos start Christmas early but do their Christmas shopping late. If they began the Christmas Season early, shouldn't they think about what to do before December strikes?  Two years ago, I wrote a post discussing last-minute Christmas shopping . Many Filipinos tend to do last-minute Christmas shopping. They had all of November (when the Christmas sale usually begins) but why do the Christmas shopping in December ? One of the things I blame is the one-day paycheck lifestyle (see here ). It can be observed that many Filipinos never learn to prioritize more important things . One can get their stars when they see their paychecks. However, the

First and foremost, I'd like to tell people that I don't believe that the Marcos Years were the "golden years". I still agree with economist Cielo Magno that land ownership isn't a factor, since some countries without equity restrictions, don't allow foreigners to buy land. In contrast, inflation and the like were rampant during that time. However, we need to realize that any gains after EDSA 1986 weren't realized. As I was looking at Facebook, a page called Punch the Lies by Atty. Mike Navallo stated this:  FACT: The 1987 Constitution does not prohibit entry of global investors into PH. What it regulates is foreign investment in areas deemed critical such as public utilities; exploration, devt and use of natural resources; and certain investments as determined by Congress. (Art XII)   Public utilities (water, electricity, petroleum distribution, seaports, PUVs) are considered vital to socio-economic devt that's why they're subject to foreign owner

  As the countdown to Christmas continues--it's easy to expect the toxic Filipino trait that I'll dub as "Kahit Konting Awa". The literal meaning is "Just a Little Pity". I named it after that song by Nora Aunor, the theme song of The Flor Contemplacion Story . I wasn't a bit surprised when the hit movie was uploaded on VIVA Films' YouTube page last 2013 (read here ). Back on the topic, I noticed it's easy for people to desire to reconcile because it's the Christmas season. The Philippines has the longest Christmas season. However, people love to do last-minute Christmas shopping presumably due to their poor budgetary habits. Ever heard of the one-day paycheck pandemic in the Philippines? It's a common abusive trait in the Philippines to have that "Kahit Konting Awa" attitude. There's the problem of "Utang (debt) is life." It's no surprise that financial literacy is that low in the Philippines. A not fun fact a

Tealive Asia I've tasted many milk tea brands. However, Tealive is the first one I've tasted that fits into the halal standards. Tealive Philippines has its more or less standard coffee shop food with a halal twist. During the time when the ube flavors came in-- I wrote that Tealive may want to invest in the Bangsamoro region . I checked the Tealive Asia Facebook page and found some items not yet served at Tealive Philippines. One of them is the Nasi Lemak Ayam Rendang (picture above). Historically, the Philippines has had its settlers from Malaysia and Indonesia. Taiwanese natives also descended from Malaysians and Indonesians. I even remember seeing how Malaysians and Indonesians are often mistaken as Filipinos. One might find similar delicacies between Mindanao Malaysia and Indonesia. For example, reading about  25 Malaysian desserts  made me think, "It's closer than expected!" The lokot-lokot of the Philippines is similar to the garajilu of Malaysia or Indones

I grew up complaining and complaining about stuff. I always looked at the Philippines as a hopeless case. I hated studying the Tagalog subject--which was mandatory by the DepEd. I was told, "Look lazy bum! If you want to make the Philippines a better place--study harder!" In college, I began to apply myself more seriously even if I didn't graduate summa cum laude. I felt a sense of achievement when I won a commerce award for making an outstanding difference. What I never thought was that during the practicum--it was working smart and not working hard. Sure, hard work is there but smart work allows more hard work to be done at a better pace. Not long after, I took my MBA course but it was also at that time, I was scammed . I discovered I wasn't alone in being scammed--many MBA students were scammed during the same time I was scammed! However, what I discovered was the problem of saying, "Your grades will determine your future!" It was typical in Philippine sc

Đoàn Thanh niên Trường Đại học Ngoại thương Facebook page Tomorrow is Vietnam's Independence Day. I planned to publish  my article on Vietnam's Doi Moi project  today. However, I felt the urgency to publish it because some people on Facebook gossip that Vietnam is supposedly protectionist. While looking at the pages and using Google Translate--I found pictures of Vietnam's Foreign Trade University (FTU) --a university located in Hanoi, Northern Vietnam. Fortunately, there was an English page since I don't speak Vietnamese.  The idea that Vietnam doesn't accept FDI is silly. Those fools at the now-defunct Philippine Anti-Fascist League (and others) believe that Vietnam's only "FDI" is selling its products worldwide. However, this is also found in the  FTU's introduction : Promoting international cooperation has always been recognized as an important measure for the development of the FTU in an increasingly globalized environment. Towards the develo

It's still Buwan Ng Wika or Month of the Language. Even if it's not Buwan Ng Produkto or Month of the Product --I still feel the need to write this. It's because schools tend to focus more on Filipino heritage than the Tagalog language. The meme above with Atty. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna (last 2016) has an absurd statement. Where do you think the microphone and other stuff that Atty. Colmenare is using, came from ? Atty. Colmenares' statement in complete English is, "The moment you allow entry of foreign products in the Philippines, they will beat down the local businesses and industry." The claim to that claim is baloney . What's Atty. Colmenares going to encourage? Would Atty. Colmenares encourage Filipinos to blame the richer Asian neighbors (read here )? Last August 10, I wrote about asking if the Philippines is poorer because Singapore is richer . I find the statement as stupid as saying the Philippine peso is weaker because the U.S. dollar is str

Lawrence Wong's Facebook Page Yesterday was Singapore's 59th foundation day. Okay, I missed it but it's not too late to write this post. Above is a photo of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shaking hands with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. Whenever Singapore is mentioned, I noticed that some Filipino clowns on Facebook (or any social media) tend to say, "Oh no! Not Singapore again! The  Singapore card again! I'm getting tired of the Singapore argument!" Some of these Filipino Facebook clowns may even have the habit of blaming the rich for their poverty, saying that the rich don't really need that money (never mind big businesses require big amounts of money to sustain it), and maybe even raise the same old Flor Contemplacion Card (read here ). This reminds me that I wrote a post mentioning that the Philippines will never get richer by blaming its richer neighbors . One of the neighbors is Singapore. It can be a common practice for the p

Buwan Ng Wika (Month of the Language) may not be Buwan Ng Produkto (Month of the Product). I'm going to continue indirectly targeting this fat whiner I dub as Porky Madugo. A lot of Porky's statements on his Facebook account (which I will not link here to avoid getting personal or giving him any more clout) are just plain ignorant or he knows he's lying. One of the statements that Porky said something like this: To all the inattentive people who push for FDI (foreign direct investment), why are you relying on foreigners to have a better economy in the Philippines?  Why don't we just strive to work to improve our economy? Don't keep complaining that the 1987 Constitution is already old and that we need FDI. All you do is rely on foreigners. You are all rocks! Work and don't dilly dally in your jobs. You are not given mininum wage just to be inattentive.  Once again, Porky has his stupid argument based on Pinoy Pride Economics. A few days ago, I wrote an article d

Tatler Asia In elementary, I remember how the Sibika at Kultura (Civics and Culture) subject talked about Filipino achievements abroad. Some great Filipinos mentioned in our classes are the late Lydia De Vega,  Lea Salonga-Chien, the late architect Leandro Locsin, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Raphael "Paeng" Nepomuceno, and Eugene Torre. It's effortless to gloat about Filipinos achieving this and that. One may even notice that these names get mentioned in a Buwan Ng Wika program. By the way, I think Buwan Ng Wika feels more like it should be renamed as Buwan Ng Filipino instead. I mean, the programs tend to raise awareness of one's Filipino heritage and history, more than the Filipino language! The recent wins of athlete Carlos Yulo should be something to be proud of. I see it on my Facebook feed and I feel happy for Carlos, even if I don't know him personally. These days, I've already accepted that I'm a Filipino. Sadly, some Filipino "natives" st

Art by Hugo Yunzon It's finally August or Buwan Ng Wika (Month of the Language), though it may be better to call it Buwan Ng Kultura (Month of the Culture). Buwan Ng Wika programs tend to focus more on the uniqueness of several types of Filipino people. What I recall back in my high school days (late 1990s) is how I was asked to play an "American" in a Buwan Ng Wika program. There were also other people asked to portray the Chinese traders, Arab traders, Indian traders, and the Japanese occupation. It would be good to do a review of the pre-colonial Philippines. The name Philippines was derived from the Spanish king, King Philip. Back then, the natives were called Indios which sounds very similar to Indonesia . Yes, most Filipinos are either Malay or Indo. A look at the Indonesians and Malaysians would have one mistake them for Filipinos. A note is that the Chinese population there usually speaks Hokkien.  From Purdue Filpino --here's some basic information about Fili

I read through some arrogant fat guy's Facebook post. As always, I will not openly or directly mention him. He shared a post from the Philippine Star which mentioned that more than half or 54% of chief executive officers (CEOs) are worried about the viability of their business beyond the next decade without implementing changes to their business model, according to a PwC survey. He wrote and said that the solution for tangas (inattentive in English) is for open FDI. I wonder if that arrogant fat guy ever bothered to read the article ? PwC means  PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited , which the survey was conducted, is a multinational firm . The arrogant fat guy hates FDI but when he's confronted about his use of imported stuff, stuff made by capitalists, etc.--he always has his arrogant answers such as, "Oh no! Not the imported stuff card again!" I believe the fat guy believes that he and his kind have "no choice"--because the foreigners "unfair