If the Aquino government is willing to incur more debts to guarantee the profits of whoever will win the LRT1 project, why can’t it incur those debts for investing instead in LRT’s expansion?
Arnold Padilla
Elite governance, elite economics: When vaunted growth clashes with reality
By ARNOLD PADILLA Bulatlat.com MANILA — In 2012, the dominant theme peddled by the Aquino administration was “good governance is good economics”. Malacañang’s hoax is that the “daang matuwid” (righteous path) has created a favorable environment for inclusive economic growth. From being the sick man of Asia, the Philippines now brims with vitality. Or so,…
News in Pictures: Parade of Coffins
News in Pictures: 43
Meralco Overcharging (Again): Refund, Rate-Hike Suspension, Rollback for Consumers
By ARNOLD PADILLA
Consumers face continuing injustice as they shoulder additional power costs (on top of possible rotating brownouts) while Meralco delays accounting for its over-collections that could reach more than P7 billion. Thus, it is very reasonable for consumers to demand that whatever planned rate increases by Meralco must be disallowed by the ERC.
Community Health Workers: Unsung Heroes of a Failed Health System
By ARNOLD PADILLA
In a poor country where one out of two people dies without receiving any medical attention, where more than half of the population do not have access to basic health care, community-based health workers who provide needed services to fill this health-care gap should be heralded as heroes, not thrown to jail and tortured.
Related blog post: The AFP is telling us we need more NPA guerrillas
Unjustified Sugar Importation to Benefit Traders but Hurt Consumers
By ARNOLD PADILLA
There is no justifiable reason for local sugar prices to increase due to increasing global prices. The Philippines is not dependent on imported sugar and, in fact, is a net sugar exporter.
Why Are Candidates Silent About Debt and Deficit?
By ARNOLD PADILLA
Whoever becomes the next president will have to run a government that is almost P5 trillion deep in debt and with a budget deficit of P300 billion or more. Thus, whatever promises about providing for the basic needs of the people especially the poor are empty rhetoric unless candidates disclose how they intend to address the worsening fiscal situation.
No Relief in Sight for Fleeced Power Consumers
By ARNOLD PADILLA
There’s good news for its close to five million customers to start the New Year, said utility giant Manila Electric Power Co. (Meralco). It claimed that its January billing will go down by 30.5 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) due to lower generation and transmission charges. But Meralco did not say that the said reduction is just one side of the story.
In Lifting Price Cap, Arroyo, Oil Firms Mislead Consumers
By ARNOLD PADILLA
Malacañang is threatening to reimpose an oil price control if oil companies will not follow the conditions outlined by Mrs. Arroyo. Government, however, has given up the high ground with its lifting of EO 839 and continued adherence to the discredited deregulation policy.
Hacienda Luisita: Nob. 16, 2009
Ni ARNOLD PADILLA Bulatlat.com tulad mo rin, noynoy, ang dambuhalang pabrika sa inyong azucarera na walang imik nang dumating ang sandaang sasakyan ng protesta patuloy lamang sa pagbuga ng usok ng mga makinang lumalamon sa tubô at tubo, at tulad ng mga armadong gwardya sa kanyang pintuan hindi ikaw, kundi si bise palengke ang sumalubong…