WITH the Philippines’s continuing economic growth during the last six years, the country’s business leaders believe it is time to focus on inclusive growth under the new administration.

“Inclusive growth will have a true meaning for the country in a sense that not only the economic growth of 6.5 percent or 7 percent will continue, but how we address the 25 percent of the population still living below poverty line,” Asian Institute of Management (AIM) President Dr. Jikyeong Kang said during the AIM for Change discussion at Fairmont Hotel Makati on Wednesday last week.

BAGUIO CITY – A political analyst said autonomy is a benchmark for federalism that is why the renewed pursuit for autonomy in the Cordillera will not run counter to the plan of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to shift to a federal form of government considering that the two governance systems are complimentary.

Concerned local leaders in their own right are gearing up to travel across the country to promote a federal system of government.

Federalism was one of the key advocacies of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte. Prior to the presidential campaign, he had gone on a grueling “listening tour” to educate the public on federalism.

The proposed coalition between the Liberal Party (LP) and the incoming ruling PDP-Laban may not materialize, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte said he could not accept the plan of the group of Davao del Norte representative-elect Pantaleon Alvarez to reduce the LP membership that would coalesce with PDP-Laban to just 20.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will focus on the country’s 10 poorest provinces as part of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s thrust to increase food production and alleviate poverty.

Incoming agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol said through a strategy called Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), the department would look at the weaknesses of an area, its potentials in food production and livelihood programs.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has received more than P28.8 billion in donations from the private sector through its Adopt-A-School Program (ASP) from 2011 to 2015.

The program enables the private sector to assist the DepEd in improving the country’s public education system by investing, giving donations and adopting schools, especially those in the poorest provinces.

“Because of you and through you, change has come for our schools and our learners,” Mario Deriquito, DepEd Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages, told donors during the recent ASP activity at the Meralco multi-purpose hall in Ortigas, Pasig City.

The pound sank Monday to 30-year lows while most stock markets tumbled following Britain's decision to leave the European Union, with traders fearing it will lead to months of uncertainty.

Sterling plunged two percent in early exchanges as dealers rushed into assets considered safe, such as the yen and gold, although Japan's Nikkei stock index rallied after suffering a battering on Friday.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) peace panel has only 12 months to finish the talks and come to an agreement with Communist Party of the Philippines – National Democratic Front (CPP-NDFP).

Davao City business leaders and some political parties gather in Davao City for a conference entitled, "Pursuing Federalism: A Shift from Unitary-Presidential to Federal-Parliamentary Government" organized by the Centrist Democracy Political Institute (CDPI) in collaboration with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Inc on the Proposed Revision of the 1987 Constitution by the 2005 Consultative Commission to support and promote the initiatives of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's Administration.

Benjamin Franklin, in 1789, once famously said: “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

This article will ponder upon the question of death and federalism; taxes will be taken up in later articles.