October 22, 2026
45 years of constructive ideas
The Makati Business Club (MBC) celebrated its 45th anniversary last week. It’s an opportune time to reflect on the past and, more importantly, chart a course for the future.
MBC was established in October 1981 by a small group of businessmen to create a voice for the Philippine business community. MBC’s vision was to serve as a “Forum for Constructive Ideas,” speaking out on socioeconomic issues and recommending solutions. Its founders were progressive chief executive officers who had the national interest at heart, and it was built on constructive engagement and collaboration with the government and civil society. It believed that the business sector had a role to play in national development and that business growth contributed to it.
September 24, 2026
Angry Nerds analyze public spending
One of the best projects I’ve seen in the civic tech movement is BetterGov.PH, which just celebrated its first anniversary. This all-volunteer movement aims to make Philippine government data and services more transparent, accessible, and easier to understand, and to hold government accountable for public money spent and projects delivered. It is powered by over 5,200 civic tech volunteers around the world, known as the Angry Nerds.
Over the past year, they have undertaken over 50 projects, gathered over 439 resources, and uploaded over 100 million public records.
July 30, 2026
EVs, public transport, and clean air
Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) has risen dramatically, driven mainly by rising fuel prices for traditional internal combustion engine cars. EV sales from January to May 2026 are up 133.5 percent over the same period last year, and EVs now account for 18 percent of the total market. There are three types: battery EVs, hybrid EVs, and plug-in hybrid EVs.
July 1, 2026
Business Community, Stakeholders Back a Circular Economy Through Legislation
Business owners, local leaders, and government officials met at AIM Makati to discuss current waste management policies.
Community leaders, government officials, and business owners focused on building a waste management system as the foundation of the Philippine circular economy in a June 24 discussion by Liveable Cities Philippines.
Sustainability and the call to create a circular economy have now been embraced by many in the business community, Liveable Cities Philippines Chairman Guillermo Luz said.
June 25, 2026
PH climbs in World Competitiveness Ranking
There’s a saying, “what gets measured, gets managed.” The World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) is one of those measures. It’s not perfect, but useful. It’s been around for 37 years, constantly refining its methods among a group of economies. It enables a country to evaluate itself over time and, more importantly, to compare itself against its peers in real time. For the Philippines, this means comparing our rank against our immediate competitors in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
June 19, 2026
Energy: Transition to Renewables
The second Liveable Cities Lab of 2026, focused on "Energy: Transition to Renewables," was successfully convened on June 10, 2026, at the First Philippine Holdings Caseroom, Asian Institute of Management, Makati City, by Liveable Cities Philippines, in partnership with Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom, and the League of Cities of the Philippines.
June 17, 2026
Bridging the Gap: Where Public Vision Meets Private Sector Solutions
The Liveable Cities Lab on "Bridging the Gap: Where Public Vision Meets Private Sector Solutions" was successfully convened on March 5, 2026, at Tech Space by Liveable Cities Philippines, in partnership with Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom, and the League of Cities of the Philippines.
May 28, 2026
In search of transparent, accountable governance
A few weeks ago, the Asian Institute of Management’s Rizalino S. Navarro Center for Competitiveness organized a conference called “AIM for Change.” It was borne out of growing concern in the business community that the country is growing less competitive than its regional peers. There’s a sense that the country has fallen adrift and become rudderless, even before the current Middle East crisis started.
