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Showing posts with the label economics

The Philippines 60-40 Equity Scheme Doesn't Prohibit FDIs But It's Still VERY DISCOURAGING for International Business

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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

From Lying About the Marcos Years Parliamentary System to Marcos Years Economic Liberalization?

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Manuel L. Quezon III"s Twitter Account The first issue I've had is people saying on social media, "No to the parliamentary system because the first Marcos Administration was parliamentary!" It's really something because such people never bothered to do any further research. Please, knowledge isn't that expensive! Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" A. Aquino Jr. even stated, "We had a parliamentary form of government without a parliament." Later on, even Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.'s own words showed that the Philippines was still presidential . Why would people still insist that it was a parliamentary form of government? Even more, I'm not surprised that some people are saying on Facebook, "Economic charter change is all about term extension." Even worse, it can be from the Philippine mass media. Sadly, the late Lee Kuan Yew was right to fall the Philippine press rambunctious in his book From Third World to First . I can refer the book t

It's NOT More Fun Discussing Business and Economics in the Philippines

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  It's September and the -ber months are here. It's already known that  the Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration in the world . Christmas can be the most expensive time of the year. In the Philippines, Christmas decorations tend to be out earlier. With Christmas in mind, the keywords and key phrases that come to my mind are "overspending", "last-minute shopping", "buried in debt", "spending beyond your means", "feasting over finances", "just add sugar if it's bitter"--just to name a few of the many financial stupidities during Christmas. Such phrases can be linked to  the Filipino's typical lack of financial literacy . That's why discussing business and economics isn't more fun in the Philippines! It's not just because of financial illiteracy but also due to  economic illiteracy . Even worse, some people still adhere to what the late Lee Kuan Yew would call a third-world mentality . Suc

The Irony That COMMUNIST Vietnam, Not DEMOCRATIC Philippines, Established the Government-Owned Foreign Trade University

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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

Vietnam's Doi Moi Disproves the Philippines' Trust Me Bro School of Economics

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Vietnam now enjoying the benefits of open FDI Source: Quan Doi Nhan Dan Some fools on Facebook are using Vietnam as a reason why the Philippines shouldn't open to FDI. The Philippine Anti-Fascist League (whose original Facebook page has been deleted) spread the misinformation that Vietnam progressed through protectionism. According to PAFL--Vietnam's real "FDI" is in distributing its products worldwide and not by accepting FDI. The idea is absurd on so many levels. Why would countries around the world want to buy Vietnamese products, if Vietnam wouldn't even allow their MNCs to do business in Vietnam?! Instead of listening to what fools say that Vietnam is a protectionist country--let's dig into an important part of its history. This important part of its history is called Doi Moi--which literally translates to restoration . Before that, I encourage you to read my article on why using Vietnam as an excuse against economic charter change for the Philippines, is

Why I Believe in Moving Certain Holidays for Long Weekends

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Make no mistake that I didn't vote for Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. for president. However, I support any decisions he makes if it's good. Right now, Bongbong should move towards economic charter change, for the sake of better investments. Some Filipinos still think the problem is government corruption. Never mind that Vietnam's current head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, ate an expensive gold-crusted steak (read here ). Backlash even continued when Ninoy Aquino Day was moved to August 23, 2024, which is a Friday. August 28 is National Heroes' Day. However, the holiday was  Yesterday was Ninoy Aquino Day. For those complaining about the movement--they need to realize it's a non-working holiday. It's not like Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Eid-El Adha, Christmas, or the Gregorian New Year. Ninoy's death anniversary has its historical significance, not some religious significance. It's not like as if Bongbong's presidential decl

Remembering the Late Jesse Robredo's Quote on Systems That Force People to be Good

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It's been some time since Jesse M. Robredo died too soon. Hopefully, his wife Atty. Maria Leonor Gerona-Robredo is true to her word, in her willingness to amend the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, for the sake of foreign investments. It's a shame I never wrote about the late great man. The CoRRECT Movement on Facebook gave this important note on Robredo's life. Robredo said, "It's not enough for an official to be good. There has to be a system that forces them to be good." Whether or not Robredo was for charter change or a few constitutional amendments, I can't tell. For some racists, let me remind them that Robredo's real surname is Lim  and his paternal grandfather is the late Lim Pay Co.  In terms of Robredo's credentials (and I tend to sometimes brag about the credentials of those I quote), here's what the City Government of Naga website says: He is an Edward Mason Fellow and a graduate of Masters in Public Administration at the John