Mindanao: The Next Islamic State Wilayat?

Angelica Mangahas, ADRi Deputy Executive Director and Mark Davis M. Pablo, ADRi Research Analyst Filipino extremists pledging allegiance to ISIS. (Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/122649-jihadist-groups-allegiance-isis) The specter of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is creeping on the shores of southern Philippines. On 17 February 2016, ISIS officially recognized certain jihadist groups in Mindanao—a step closer to… Read More

US Ambassador honors former DFA Secretary Del Rosario

By Babe Romualdez Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg. US Ambassador Philip Goldberg hosted a small dinner at the embassy residence with friends of the United States to honor recently retired Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario — a gesture that displayed the highest regard by which the United States… Read More

For Inclusive Economic Growth, Keep Investing in People

Dindo Manhit, President, Stratbase-ADRi The Aquino administration has touted the 6.3 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the fourth quarter of 2015.1 The GDP growth was primarily driven by the services sector, which grew by 7.4 percent, in comparison with 5.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Growth in the services sector offset… Read More

Agriculture and Industry: Two Sides of the Anti-Poverty Coin

Dindo Manhit, President, Stratbase-ADRi During last Sunday’s presidential debate in Cagayan de Oro City, the Filipino nation glimpsed the presidential candidates’ respective economic programs. The candidates tackled poverty and development during the second round of the debate, raising different policy options—such as post-harvest support for farmers and easier access to capital for fishermen—focused primarily on… Read More

Take Corruption Seriously: Prioritize FOI and Whistleblowers’ Protection

Dindo Manhit, President, Stratbase-ADRi With the Presidential elections just around the corner, fighting corruption is, as expected, becoming a major campaign issue. Not only does every presidential candidate have “fighting corruption” or some version of the phrase as part of his or her governance platform, but one of them has actually vowed, if elected, to… Read More

Think beyond politics! Voters deserve a higher level of debate

Dindo Manhit, President, Stratbase-ADRi We recently launched the Stratbase ADR Institute (ADRi)’s first book, “Thinking Beyond Politics; A Strategic Agenda for the Next President”. A rare compilation of papers born from a yearlong series of consultations with the country’s most respected intellectuals from the academe, industry, government and civil society. Our motivation to spearhead this… Read More

Old renewables and coal are cool, they are complementary and not contradictory

Bienvenido Oplas, Jr., Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi) Fellow Darkness and lack of electricity is inhuman. Having expensive and unstable electricity supply when cheaper and stable power sources are available is wrong and lousy. When many streets and roads are dark at night because local governments or private subdivisions are economizing on their monthly… Read More