THE National Economic Development Authority (Neda) in Region 10 has again released its second quarter report for this year. As expected, the agriculture sector in Northern Mindanao experienced downward figures on crop production due to the El Niño phenomenon that hit Mindanao greatly.
As such, some sectors relating to agriculture such as labor (in relation to agricultural industry) was also in decline. This has been the trend even during the first quarter this year. Even commodities were partly affected although some remain stable for the months of April to June.
A word of caution, however, is that we are experiencing the peso fallback against the value of a US dollar.
Neda chief specialist Cecilio Clarete said that the current exchange rate may benefit the Overseas Filipino Workers but it may cause the general public a little stretch on their pocket especially on "Christmas" products such as imported goods for gifts and food like grapes.
But the months covered on the quarterly report remain a reflection on the previous administration. What is highly curious now will be the third quarter report which will be released by December after consolidation of statistical data from respective agencies.
The third quarter economic report will be an interesting performance evaluation of the new administration, at least in Region 10, on how the leadership of Duterte and his cabinet fared so far on their first three months.
It is going to be a curious case if the War on Drugs would likely affect basic commodities as well as agricultural production and local exports and imports.
In the recent report, the crime index for the second quarter plunges down further for both index and non-index crimes as compared to the second quarter of 2015. This is according to the data submitted by the regional office of Philippine National Police to Neda-10.
Will the data for crime index for the third quarter be maintained considering that reports of "deaths under investigation" are rampant nationwide due to the administration's policy on war on drugs?
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The death of (former) Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was indeed a death of an era. We can only tell our grandchildren that there once lived strong-willed politicians like Sen. Miriam who have the guts to lambast questionable actions and information in every Senate investigations and hearings.
There will be no one that can follow her footsteps not even her legacy in her government career especially in this time where entering government service, and let alone politics, are often motivated by personal interests.
(Nefluczon@gmail.com)
