Ever since he took the helm on July 1, 2022, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has vetoed five bills passed by the 18th Congress, most (if not all) of them well-studied, subjected to hearings and public consultations and have impact on the country’s day-to- day affairs.

Averting the ‘veto spree’

Rightsizing is the buzz word that Marcos used in abolishing the Presidential Anti- Corruption Commission and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary. His reason their functions can be done by the Office of Executive Secretary and by the office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.

The ambiguity of rightsizing

What’s wrong with a party, asked Sen. Imee Marcos in defending the bash they held for the 93rd birthday of the grand old dame, the powerful and ever-visible former First Lady and Metro Manila Governor cum Housing czar, Dona Imelda Romualdez Marcos, wife of the late dictator who fathered the current president and senator.

What’s wrong with a party?

The glory days when the Philippines exported rice and taught its neighbors (Vietnam and Thailand on rice farming technologies which led them to be major exporters now) occurred when government was heavily subsidizing farm production inputs, particularly fertilizers, pesticides and seeds. Those were the Masagana 99 days.

Govt must subsidize farm inputs

A story last July 18 where the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said it is forming an OFW Children’s Circle for 200,000 children left behind by migrant workers is a noble one, albeit long- overdue.

Kids’ program for OFWs long overdue

I saw this story on Inquirer last July 11 where Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista bared his plan to ride buses and jeepneys to experience commuter woes.

Don’t talk, just do it

This early, I laud President Marcos Jr.’s decision to cut on agricultural importation and produce more food locally than face “imported inflation.” He shows an understanding of the interconnection and impact of local production to job generation, food security and sustenance and inflation (particularly imported inflation).

A step in the right direction

On July 26, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla said there will be no more surprise rate increasing coming this year since there is less pressure now on the central bank to fire off jumbo rate hikes to rein in uncomfortably high inflation. The BSP just last July 14 raised policy rates by 75 basis points (BPs) bringing interest rates to 3.25 percent after maintaining it at 2 percent for the longest time due to the pandemic.

BSP vows no more surprises on interest rate hikes

I have often called attention to the penchant of economic people—both in government and private sector, particularly economists—for making projections about GDP growth, inflation and poverty, as if all factors are within their grasps.

The penchant for projections

Looking at employment data, unemployment seems to have eased, but that does not mean more are now employed. The unemployed simply tried to earn from whatever product or services they could sell just to make ends meet.

Growth of informal sector is due to lack of jobs

The Bare Truth column by OpinYon News columnist, Rose De La Cruz.

Bare Truth

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