Context.ph

Woke up this morning hoping for a reset, with my circadian rhythm hopefully back on track after weeks of near-sleeplessness, due in part to bodily changes occasioned by advancing age and to the ayuda economy, which has gone from bad to worse to overdrive. I cannot believe what has recently been printed in both legacy news outlets and portals like the one where I currently work, or the level of absurdity that has pervaded the country. When I ask any reasonable person what ails the Philippines, with its rich resources and poor economic performance, the retort and the discussion that follow quickly turn absurd. The survey firms Pulse Asia and OCTA have a four-word answer: the cost of living. Two-thirds of the country say the most urgent issue is inflation, and that “public sentiment . . . is being shaped primarily by economic strain and the rising cost of living.”

Subic EnerZone Corporation, a power distribution utility of Aboitiz Power Corporation, has officially renewed its partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to continue managing and operating the Subic Bay Freeport Zone’s electrical distribution system for another 25 years.

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has proposed allowing licensed pharmacists to remotely supervise multiple community pharmacies, a move that could expand access to essential medicines in underserved Philippine communities while easing staffing constraints.

Tetra Pak’s paper-based carton technology could help Philippine tuna processors reduce packaging and logistics costs, strengthen export competitiveness and respond to growing demand for more sustainable food packaging.