
Originally Posted by
Rance
Oil Prices Have Dropped
The price of oil dropped below $60/barrel level last week. The peso appreciated also last week. The drop in the price of oil and the improvement in the peso should mitigate any inflationary effects of the EVAT. These developments all the more reinforces the stand of Finance government that the EVAT should be implemented soon.
The government continues to get criticisms from different sectors. However, the peso remains strong :mrgreen:, Philippine bonds are resilient and the capital accounts positive. Either the government is doing right or the fund managers are wrong. But fund managers are usually astute investors and have the talent of looking at the overall picture. Perhaps, the Filipino or the common "tao" and many in the media are looking at the trees and not the forest.
Many Filipinos tend to undermine themselves or sell their own country short. As it is, the investment community is looking positively at the Philippines, and they are encouraged by our economic numbers.
It is clear that we are on the path towards fiscal recovery. While a balanced budget is a long way to go, what’s important is that we have turned around and the trend towards improving our fiscal position continues. As for investors, they should be looking at investing in Philippine assets (the peso, ROPs, equities) now that we are on the path towards a balanced budget by 2008… not when everything is rosy by 2009. Despite all the negativism, we are bullish on Philippine assets in the long term