Multimedia

Build rather than burn bridges. This is one of the tenets I have adhered to in my life, professionally and personally. It is something that is difficult to do especially in our current times where social media has amplified divisions and where civility seems to be optional rather than required.

My daughter Camille, who represents the legislative district of Las Piñas City and who is also the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, recently filed a bill designating November as “Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month.” But House Bill 5682 is more than appropriating a particular month to celebrate Filipino products. It does not pay lip service to Filipino-made products nor does it promote economic nationalism.

Rising interest rates tend to be a precursor of an economic slowdown. A tool to curb surging inflation, higher interest rates in the long run may lead to stable prices, albeit at a cost of sacrificing growth in general. Economic managers, thus, must find the delicate balance between preserving the growth momentum and tempering rising inflation.