SPECIAL REPORT: OUTLOOK WITHIN AND BEYOND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN 2005: 1 2

• Published in: Business world (San Juan, Philippines) Philippines), 2005-01, p.1
• Main Author: Aquino, Norman P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advertising; Agribusiness; Agriculture; Alice, Kara; Anniversaries; Banking industry; Banking law; Banks; Beltran-Lucila, Ida; Bienvenido S Oplas, Jr; Boncato, Arturo Jr; Bond funds; Borrowing; Brand loyalty; Budget deficits; Budgets; Caktiong, Tony Tan; Call centers; Carbon; Cellular telephones; Children & youth; Claudio, Erico C; Communication channels; Competition; Competitive advantage; Consumers; Cost control; Cost of living; Costs; Credit ratings; Cua, Steven; Cultural centers; Currency; Customer services; Customers; Debt restructuring; Dee, Donald G; Domingo, Estrella V; Economic conditions; Economic crisis; Economic development; Economic growth; Economic reform; Education; Electric rates; Electricity; Employees; Employers; Employment; Energy economics; Entrepreneurs; Estandarte, Clint; Executives; Expenditures; External debt; Families & family life; Females; Financial performance; Food; Foreign exchange markets; Foreign exchange rates; Franchising; Francisco, Raul; Furniture; GDP; Global economy; GNP; Government securities; Gross Domestic Product; Gross National Product; Growth rate; Hagad, Cathy; Hamlin, Michael; Hernandez, Elmer C; Hotels & motels; Household utilities; Households; Ilagan-Bian, Joji; Industrial democracy; Inflation; Inflation rates; Informal economy; Infrastructure; Initiatives; Insurance companies; Insurance coverage; Interest rates; International finance; Inventory; Investment advisors; Investments; Liberalization; Life insurance; Lifestyles; Light rail transportation; Lim, Bryan; Lim, Gabrielle; Loans; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Marcos, Ferdinand E; Market segments; Marketing; Mines; Mining industry; Money market instruments; Money markets; Monsod, Solita C; Moratoriums; Moving & housing expenses; Mutual funds; NGOs; Nongovernmental organizations; Oliveros, Oliver; Ortiz-Luis; Payback periods; Per capita; Portfolio management; Prepaid services; Presidential elections; Presidents; Price wars; Prices; Private enterprise; Product quality; Professionals; Public sector; Ramos, Fidel V; Raw materials; Reforms; Renato M Reyes, Jr; Restaurants; Retail stores; Retailing industry; Saplala, Sandra L; Securities markets; Sison, Fernando III; Sons; Speculation; Stock exchanges; Strikes; Subsidies; Supermarkets; Supreme Court decisions; Target markets; Tax collections; Tax reform; Text messaging; Theater; Theater companies; Tourism; Trust departments; Trust funds; Unemployment; Uy, Alvin; Vicera, Rodolfo V; Wages & salaries; Wallace, Peter; Wholesale clubs; Wholesaling
• ISSN: 0116-3930

For most part of her married life, [Alice, Kara] (not her real name) has been shelling out P10,000 from her family's monthly income for house rents. But this year they intend to transfer from their rented house at the University of the Philippines Teachers' Village to a unit along J.P. Rizal St. in Makati, in the stretch of residential/ industrial land parallel to the Pasig River. For Alice and her husband, their combined monthly income of P30,000 can only cover essentials like house rent, househelp, food, and miscellaneous expenses that cover transportation and other unexpected spending at work. Similar to Alice's practice, Kara's family also does substitution for certain food ingredients. "With the high cost of other important things, I have to prioritize my money," she says.