TJ Palanca

👋 Hey there! I'm TJ. I write about data products, technology, software, and economics.

I'm a husband and father, living in Singapore, and from the Philippines. I explore data engineering and accounting at Titanium Birch.

Articles • 2013-10-14 ∞

On Why You Shouldn't Save While You're Young

“Save while you’re young” is one of the most common pieces of financial advice for the fresh young professional, but there is an economic argument that it can be overdone. In your early twenties, you’re better off having fun, learning, and making new connections, because YOLOETSI (You Only Live Once and the Earnings Trajectory Strictly Increases).

Thoughts • 2013-10-12 ∞

On Crappy Opinion Polls and Belt Tightening

A Nielsen survey attempted to determine the changes in spending habits when food prices rise; that is: what spending items do people prioritize or sacrifice, when food becomes more expensive?

The survey was based on results from 29,000 online respondents (albeit from different countries) across February and March 2013. Filipinos, according to the survey, would be more flexible with luxuries such as clothing, accessories, eating out, and recreation, and would prioritize household expenses, meals, education, and health.

If this survey was intended to determine whether Filipinos knew what wise spending meant, then it was probably successful. However, if the conclusion is extended to whether Filipinos would actually do so, the survey falls short of saying anything meaningful.

Articles • 2013-10-08 ∞

On W.H. Taft Residences: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride

A building along Taft Avenue, W.H. Taft Residences, is still under construction after nearly 7 years, serving as a prime example of why diversified conglomerates should be wary of putting their foot in the real estate and construction industry, where stretched operating cycles require special attention.

Articles • 2013-10-04 ∞

On the UAAP Season 76: DLSU vs UST Finals Game 1

The UST Growling Tigers stole the first round of the UAAP 76 Men’s Basketball Finals, at 73-72. (Photo: inboundpass/Flickr, CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0)

What a heartbreaking loss! After recovering from a 17-point deficit, the DLSU Green Archers struggled to make the winning basket in their finals matchup against the UST Growling Tigers. To come to terms with it, I’ve tried to analyze the outcome of the game the way I know best: through data. Let’s take a look at the numbers on the hard court.

Articles • 2013-10-01 ∞

On Tax Evasion in the Philippines: They go to crooked politicians, anyway

TAX EVASION LOSSES - The Tax Justice Institute estimated the amount of taxes lost due to tax avoidance for several countries, including the Philippines, using World Bank data on shadow economies (the unregulated, but not illegal part of the market). Find out how much the government loses from tax evasion and how it compares to some commonly quoted government numbers.

Articles • 2013-09-28 ∞

On Traffic Accident Hotspots - EDSA and C-5

Ever wonder where and what types of vehicles are involved in road accidents along Manila’s major thoroughfares? The MMDA twitter account can shed some light on that. Vehicular accidents reported by the MMDA along EDSA and C-5 are parsed to reveal the most dangerous intersections and flyovers, as well as expose buses and trucks as major accident culprits.

Articles • 2013-09-25 ∞

On the News: The Philippines is hitting the jackpot, and the cash is here to stay

This week in news: The Philippines posts large gaming revenue gains from recent resort and casino developments along Manila Bay, and the risk of capital flight remains relatively low amid prudent government finance and capital controls. Read more about them in this post.

New developments along the Manila bay, like Solaire in Pasay City, have boosted Philippine gaming revenues to significant levels, and more are likely to come as a large PAGCOR gaming complex is being built. (Photo: Flickr/Renzelle Mae Abasolo, CC-BY-2.0)

I’ve decided to restart my previous series highlighting notable pieces of news that don’t really make it into the headlines, but (at least for myself) merit attention and interest. It’ll mostly be about the Philippines, business, and economics, and a little humor in between.

Amidst the pork-barrel scam, its ensuing antics, the Zamboanga crisis, and a new revelation regarding the Corona impeachment, there are at least some things that Filipinos can be happy about: Our investments near the Manila bay have actually brought a significant amount of gambling revenue to our shores, and the economy is unlikely to be affected by the emerging markets crunch.