Let that eagle drink your tears

THIS past Monday, I had the chance to sit down for an extended one-on-one conversation with World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand Ndiamé Diop — properly Dr. Diop (he has a PhD in Economics) although I don't think he likes personal formalities — at his office in BGC. The World Bank has figured prominently as one of the Philippines' development partners for years and never more so than during the coronavirus pandemic. So, any opportunity to see what's going on behind that curtain is not to be missed for someone like me in the professional knower-of-things business.

As I mentioned in my column on Thursday, the discussion was too substantial not to break it up into more manageable pieces. Much of it amounts to very good news for the Philippines, and very little of it was technically off-the-record. So, I will satisfy my obligation to share it all but in moderation, so that it can be better appreciated.