Paralell Importation of Drugs: Administering Social Justice

Friedman will probably agree to the government's importation of cheap medicines when the local drug industry has made prices unreasonably very high for the consumers.

"A report released by the Senate trade and health committees showed, for example, that mefenamic acid under the brand name Ponstan costs P20.98 in Philippines but only P2.80 in India and P1.46 in Pakistan. Immodium (loperamide hydrochloric acid) costs P10.70 in the Philippines but only P3.27 in India and P1.94 in Pakistan."

Let the market dictate. However, in the event of market failures, which happens quite often in small economies, I wouldn't object to measures such as the importation of cheap medicines in order to correct the inefficiencies of the market.

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US PRESIDENTIAL CONVOYS

A columnist for a Philippine newspaper talks about the costs and massive preparations required by the US Secret Service whenever President Bush and other (US Presidents) travel outside of Washington DC. I remember watching a CNN report that showed how big a US presidential convoy is, compared to the two vehicle transport being used by Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK.

DOHA Round Updates & Preferential Tariffs in Practice

T he DOHA round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations intends to promote the opening of markets and promoting free trade. This April, the latest meeting failed to reach a conclusion. Director-General Pascal Lamy of the World Trade Organization delivered a speech before the US Chamber of Commerce on April 23, 2007. Here are excerpts from his speech. "T oday we know that the Doha Development Round will not be concluded until and unless all these participants are ready to walk the extra mile and table additional contributions to the collective success of this multilateral enterprise. It is clear that the contributions will be linked to the degree of development and wealth of each participant, with the world poorest countries making the smallest contribution. It is also clear that no one will be asked to move first: countries will have to move in concert, like a big orchestra playing to the same tune. For the moment, a group of major actors — the EU, US, Brazil, India — d

Competitive Advantage of the Philippines II

Despite being a newcomer in the global BPO industry, the Philippines have steadily increased its foothold as a top outsourcing destination. Rest of Asia ready to grab BPO jobs from India, RP--study INQ7.net, Agence France-Presse Last updated 08:44pm (Mla time) 11/05/2006 THE PHILIPPINES and India have to boost their overall competitiveness, as Asian countries gear up to get their share of the global offshore outsourcing pie, a recent global study showed. These top two outsourcing destinations will eventually compete with China, and other Asia Pacific countries that have similarly positioned themselves as outsourcing destinations, the latest Offshore City Competitiveness Report of market research firm neoIT showed. The study noted that companies have "moved beyond India" and the Philippines into not so well-known cities in the world since companies want to create a "global footprint." China and Eastern European countries are starting

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