Circumstances: Looking at the Newspapers, 2/4/19 (Local)

Philippine Daily Inquirer, "Learn from last year"

Many experts agree: After suffering one of the most challenging years in recent memory, the Philippine economy is poised for a comeback this year. And this early into 2019, there are already several encouraging signs that give credence to this belief. For one, the local currency, a key barometer of foreign and local investors’ confidence in the local economy, has appreciated significantly since it hit multiyear lows last year. The equity market has also been on an upward trajectory in recent weeks, with the Philippine Stock Exchange Index no longer flirting with bear market levels as loss-weary investors had grown accustomed to just a few months ago, but with bull market territory that indicates the return of confidence in the country’s economic prospects. Then there is that issue of inflation — the main killer of confidence last year, which forced many consumers and business conglomerates to tighten their purse strings. [link]

The Mindanao Daily Mirror, "What SWS surveys show"

PTwo survey results of the Social Weather Station last week are worthy of consideration. One is the revelation that most Filipinos are expecting their personal quality of life to get better in 2019. The SWS survey showed that 45 percent of adult Filipinos are looking forward to an improved quality of life for the next 12 months as against five percent who are expecting life to get worse. The survey said the optimists increased in all areas, especially Metro Manila and Mindanao. The same survey showed 43 percent or four in 10 Filipinos are optimistic that the economy would get better as against 11 percent who said it would deteriorate. The other SWS survey results should be cause for celebration to Davao and to Mindanao: that Christopher ‘Bong” Go the senatorial candidate from Davao City has made it to the so-called “Magic 12.” He has actually landed in fifth to sixth place, alongside re-electionist Sonny Angara. This is indeed a mind-boggling accomplishment for Go who describes himself as “a simple provincial man working as a staff, unpopular, not an actor, not from a family of politicians (but who) can dream of serving others in a higher capacity.”  In fairness, Go has been all over the news the past year for providing the word “service” a more hands-on interpretation by his ability to respond to situations in real-time. [link]

Sun.Star Cebu, "Re-education on heritage"

IN THE late 1980s, University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu students enrolled in a recreation games class had their weekly bowling session at the Patria de Cebu. As the school had no facilities for this Physical Education class, students used several bowling alleys in Cebu City. Jonalyn, now in her 50s, said UP Cebu bowling students benefited from the Patria’s accessibility and affordability. Following online the campaign waged last year by members of civil society to convince the Archdiocese of Cebu to back down from its plan to demolish the Patria to create a modern mixed-use commercial structure, Jonalyn learned more and appreciated the Patria’s role in history, particularly how students volunteered to solicit and help construct what was first used as a recreation center for the youth in 1954. [link]

Manila Times, "Pork race in Congress: P7B per senator, P160M per congressman"

AS if they were engaged in some kind of arms race, leading members of each house of Congress are lambasting the other chamber for appropriating for its members obscene and unprecedented pork barrel appropriations in the proposed 2019 national budget, which is now under intense discussion in the bicameral conference committee. The discussion has become very heated and confusing because tactics of demagoguery are being employed to advance arguments and curry public favor. Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who has made denouncing the pork barrel his calling card, started the fisticuffs when he declared in a media conference that each member of the House of Representatives stand to collect P160 million in pork barrel appropriation for his district from the proposed budget, if it is enacted into law. [link]