Insights from the Econ-tuhan Session 2 on Macreconomics: Recent Economic Developments and Monetary Policy

On 16 August 2024, the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Economics, in collaboration with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), successfully conducted the second session of the "Econ-tuhan" series. This virtual event, organized by the department's Outreach Committee and BSP's Economic and Financial Learning Office (EFLO), brought together high school teachers and academic administrators to explore the latest economic developments and their implications for the Philippine economy.

The session, titled "Recent Economic Developments and What They Mean," featured Mr Eduard Joseph D Robleza, Deputy Director of BSP’s Department of Economic Research, as the main speaker. With a strong background in monetary policy research, Mr Robleza provided a comprehensive overview of current macroeconomic trends, focusing on inflation, monetary policy, and the broader economic outlook.

Mr Robleza's session provided a comprehensive overview of inflation, explaining its measurement through the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the significance of its components, such as food, housing, and transportation. He emphasized the BSP's role in maintaining price stability, crucial for sustainable economic growth, through monetary policy tools like interest rate adjustments. The session highlighted recent economic developments, noting that rising energy costs and food prices are key inflation drivers, while also discussing non-monetary measures to mitigate these pressures. Mr. Robleza concluded with an optimistic economic outlook, suggesting that inflation will remain within target, supported by a more accommodative monetary policy.

See photos from the event here:

As the school year progresses, the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Economics, together with BSP, plans to continue offering similar training sessions to support high school educators in delivering quality Economics education. These initiatives reflect a commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of economic principles among the younger generation.

For those who missed the event, the speaker's presentation is available here, and the department encourages everyone to follow the Facebook Page (here) tuned for future seminars in the 2024-2025 school year.

For any inquiries regarding future events, please contact Ms Dani Andres at economics.soss@ateneo.edu.