Category: Philippines

The Blues on the First Workday After a Long Holiday

We are all familiar with the Monday blues. But there is something much worse than Mondays — It is the first workday after a long holiday. What makes this day specially bad?

  • There’s a lot of work to do – because tasks didn’t just miraculously accomplish themselves during the holidays.
  • Long lines in banks and government offices. It’s permit and licensing season in the Philippines as well, so expect mayhem in queues everywhere.
  • A lot more shoulda woulda coulda from people who just slept through the break and didn’t make any plans
  • For those who actually made plans, a hoilday mood that will take longer to shift to work mood.
  • Specifically for the Papal visit, a lot of people got drenched in the rain during the record breaking mass. They may be ill now. Those who are not ill will have more work to do, since the ill ones will call in sick.
  • Specifically for the Papal visit, a lot of people were on their best behavior while the Pope was here. Your co-worker may suddenly unleash the nasty side that he’s been suppressing all week long.

 

What about the markets? Do they do well after a long break or did they also get the blues? — or since this is finance related — the reds? Continue reading The Blues on the First Workday After a Long Holiday

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Investing in the Haiyan – Ravaged City of Tacloban

This is a post, a part of a series, to commemorate the Pope’s visit to the Philippines on January 15-19 2015.

 

The highlight of the Pope’s visit in the Philippines was his trip to Tacloban, otherwise known as ground-zero of the Haiyan devastation. On the day the Pope visited Tacloban, another storm hit the city. Interestingly, the storm was named locally as “Amang”, which translates to Father in English. The storm cut the Pope’s Tacloban visit short, killed a woman volunteer, and caused a plane carrying government officials to skid off the runway.

The Pope in a raincoat, as he waves to a crowd after holding a mass in an airport in Tacloban City, Philippines on January 17, 2015. Image from Damir Sagolj/Reuters

 

The Pope’s visit gives residents of Tacloban hope and inspiration as they continue to rebuild their city.

There’s another thing that Tacloban needs — Investment. As the parable goes (and I am paraphrasing here), the people of Tacloban don’t only need fish, they also need the means to fish. On the 20th of November 2014, another event gave the people in Tacloban hope. It was the opening of a large mutli-level grocery store. Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Investing in the Haiyan – Ravaged City of Tacloban

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Invest in the Pope and Earn Big Returns

This is a post, part of  a series, to commemorate the Pope’s visit to the Philippines on January 15-19, 2015.

 

Since this website is about investments, don’t you know that you can invest in the Pope and earn big returns. When I say returns, I am not talking about those of the spiritual nature (that would be too obvious), but financial ones. Do you know someone who had done it?

I did. Here’s how I earned by investing in the Pope. Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Invest in the Pope and Earn Big Returns

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Economies of Catholic Countries

This is a post, part of a series, to commemorate the Papal visit to the Philippines on January 15-19 2015.

 

Which among the predominantly Catholic countries have the largest economies?

Nationmaster defines a Catholic country as one with at least 60% Catholic population.

Catholicism by Population Percentage. Original image by Starfunker226

 

How does your country stack up?

As a Filipino, I would like to know how the Philippines stacks up.  Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Economies of Catholic Countries

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: How much is the Catholic Church worth?

This post is part of a series that commemorates the Pope’s visit in the Philippines on January 15-19 2015.

How much are the assets of the Catholic Church worth? The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., University of Santo Tomas in Manila, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, are just a few of the prime real estate assets of the Catholic Church. The Church also has a vast collection of expensive artworks. The Catholic Church is also the largest non-government provider of health care services in the world.

It is safe to say that the Catholic Church is one of the most asset-rich entities in the world. So how much is the Catholic Church worth? Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: How much is the Catholic Church worth?

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Justified or Overboard? Smart and Globe Disrupt Mobile Services During the Pope’s Visit

This is a post, part of a series, to commemorate the Pope’s visit to the Philippines on January 15-19 2015.

 

Smart Communications (TEL:PM latest stock quote) and Globe Telecom (GLO:PM latest stock quote), the two largest telecommunications company in the Philippines, plan to disrupt mobile services during the Pope’s stay in the Philippines from January 15-19 2015.

On the morning of January 16, I personally experienced disruption of my Smart Bro mobile internet. People I know also experienced disruptions with their Smart (and Sun) mobile signals. I didn’t experience any disruptions with my Globe cellular signal during the same time period. By the way, I was located far away from the Papal activities.

According to news reports, the two companies plan to disrupt services based on the directive of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The NTC, as its name suggests, is the government agency that oversees telecom companies in the Philippines. The reason given is to secure the Pope, as mobile signals may be used to detonate bombs.

Do you actually think that this action is justified or is the government going overboard? Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Justified or Overboard? Smart and Globe Disrupt Mobile Services During the Pope’s Visit

Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Catholic Based Investing, Anyone?

This is a post, part of a series, to commemorate the Pope’s visit to the Philippines on January 15-19 2015.

 

Faith based investing, anyone?

Religion and religious leaders can influence their followers which businesses and investments to support, and which investments to avoid. Many often associate religious based investing with Shariah investments for Muslims. There are even Shariah-based stock market indices for Shariah compliant companies.

There are also many Catholics who try to abide by the teachings of the Catholic Church in their investment decisions. This is the reason for the existence of Catholicism compliant investment funds. These funds usually implement negative screens in order to avoid companies that have activities that go against the Church’s teachings. These funds may also choose to invest in companies that promotes or has a long track record of compliance with Catholic teachings. Continue reading Papal Visit Philippines 2015 Special: Catholic Based Investing, Anyone?