The Philippines in 2026: What Is Our Major Challenge Today?

I saw a chart online this week: "Countries and Their Major Challenges." United States - gun violence. China and Japan - aging population. India - quality job creation. Pakistan - water scarcity. Brazil - Amazon deforestation. Twenty countries listed.

The Philippines was not on that list. So I asked myself, if we were No. 21, what would our challenge be?

I was born in the Philippines during the Commonwealth era. I worked for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, retired in 2002, and have been a snowbird since - winters in California, summers in Marinduque, the previous several decades. At 91 nearing 92, I have seen the country go through war, martial law, people power, and now this.

If that chart allowed only one challenge, it would be misleading for us. We don't have one major challenge. We have five that are connected.

1. The Economy Has Slowed Down Again

In October, the World Bank lowered our growth forecast to 3.7 percent for 2026, down from 4.4 percent in 2025. Inflation was 6.2 percent in July 2026 and is projected at 5.8 percent for the whole year. Reuters reported the government itself cut its forecast, citing a graft scandal that slowed government spending and an energy crisis. For ordinary families, that means what I hear from my relatives in Marinduque - higher fuel, higher food, less money left. 

The good news hidden in that bad news: the World Bank reclassified the Philippines this year as upper-middle income, with a GNI per capita of $4,850. We crossed a threshold. But the poverty rate is still 55.2 percent under that upper-middle standard. That is the real challenge - we are classified as richer, but more than half still live as poor. 

2. Energy and Cost of Living

In a recent survey, 92% of respondents from the Philippines cited reliance on fossil fuel imports as our top economic vulnerability. When oil prices go up in the Middle East, tricycle fare goes up in Boac. We are an island nation that imports almost all our fuel.

That is why brownouts and fuel prices hurt more in the Philippines than in the United States. My old refrigerator in Marinduque costs more to run now than it did three years ago.

3. Climate and Environment Is No Longer Seasonal

The chart lists Japan's aging and Bangladesh's flooding. For us, it is both climate and daily environment.

Reports this year list our critical environmental issues as deforestation, water pollution, soil degradation, urban flooding, typhoons and rising sea levels. Over 70% of our rivers are polluted. In June 2026, PAGASA warned of a very strong El Niño bringing droughts, food insecurity and power shortages.In Marinduque, we know this. When it floods, it floods the low houses. When it is dry, the wells go salty.

4. Jobs and The Young People Leaving

The Philippines still has unemployment hitting 3 million reported this year, and that ripple affects tourism, airlines, and families dependent on OFW money. Our challenge is not just "quality job creation" like India. It is keeping quality jobs in the country so our nurses, seafarers, and IT graduates don't have to leave.

5. Governance and Trust

The BTI 2026 report says under President Marcos Jr. there have been slight improvements in human rights, but significant challenges persist. And analysts still put the Philippines at high risk for political instability because of supply chain and energy security issues. For me at 91, this is the oldest story. Projects get delayed. Money disappears. Then growth is cut not because we don't have money, but because we didn't spend it well.

So What Is Our One Major Challenge?

If I had to write one line for that chart, like "Gun violence" for America, I would not write one thing.

I would write: "Making upper-middle income mean middle-class life."

We have the income classification. We have the talent. What we don't have yet is affordable housing, cheap and stable electricity, clean rivers, and jobs that pay enough that you don't have to go to Dubai or Walnut Creek to find a better life.

At 91 nearing 92, I am hopeful. I have one blog with nearly 3 million views and seven more over a million. Most of my readers are from the Philippines and from Filipinos abroad. You write to me that you are worried. I tell you what I learned after 91 years: the Philippines always faces a crisis, and Filipinos always find a way through with family, faith, and resourcefulness.

What do you think is the biggest challenge we face today? Leave a comment. I read them every morning with my coffee in Walnut Creek.

• David B. Katague, Walnut Creek, California and Boac, Marinduque, Philippines
  October 2026

My Photo of the Day:

Do you have a Favorite? Mine is Number 7!  

Finally, Do you Know that....

Binondo in Manila is widely considered the oldest Chinatown in the world.

It was established in 1594 by Spanish colonial authorities as a settlement for Catholic Chinese residents, and it grew into a center of trade that still thrives today.

Today it is known for its food, temples, and family-run shops.

Ray Kurzweil Predicts Humans Could Begin Overcoming Aging by 2030

Ray Kurzweil Predicts Humans Could Begin Overcoming Aging by 2030

Futurist Ray Kurzweil believes humanity could begin overcoming some of the effects of aging around 2030. The idea is not that people will literally become immortal, but that advances in medicine and biotechnology could eventually extend human lifespans at an increasingly rapid pace.

A former Google AI researcher, Kurzweil has made more than 140 public predictions about technology. According to a review conducted by Kurzweil himself, 86% of 147 predictions he examined had either come true or were essentially correct. In 1999, he received the National Medal of Technology for his contributions to computing.

In his book The Singularity Is Near, Kurzweil introduced the concept of “longevity escape velocity.” The hypothesis suggests that medical technology could eventually advance to the point where a person gains more than one additional year of remaining life expectancy for every year they continue to age.

One technology Kurzweil has discussed is nanobots—microscopic machines that, in the future, could potentially travel through the human body, monitor health problems, repair cellular damage, and assist in fighting diseases.

Kurzweil has also become known for several technological predictions that later came close to reality. In 1990, he predicted that a computer would defeat the reigning world chess champion before the end of the decade. In 1997, IBM's Deep Blue defeated world champion Garry Kasparov.

He also anticipated the widespread adoption of portable computers, wireless communication, and voice-based interfaces.

Kurzweil further predicts that artificial intelligence could reach human-level capabilities around 2029, while by 2045, humans and machines could become deeply integrated.

These predictions do not mean that immortality is guaranteed. Kurzweil's broader argument is that aging, which is currently considered an unavoidable biological process, could eventually become something that advanced technology is capable of slowing, managing, or even partially reversing.

In short, the vision is not “immortality by 2030,” but a future in which medicine advances quickly enough to dramatically change how humans experience aging and disease.

Meanwhile, Here are the Signature Dishes of Some Philippine Provinces

Marinduque is not in the List: What Do you think is Marinduque Signature Dish?

Finally, My Photo of the Day: 

The Philippines is not in the List. What Do you Think the Philippines is Best Noted For? Like to hear from You!  

My Reel of the Day: A Beautiful orchestral Arrangement of Autumn Leaves

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1478477624129238

Why Might an Adult Child Stop Valuing or Speaking to Their Mother?

It is sad but this subject resonates with Me. 

Why Might an Adult Child Stop Valuing or Speaking to Their Mother?

Seven Psychological Reasons and a Lesson About Family Relationships

I recently came across the image above with a provocative question:

“Why doesn't a child value their mother?” The question made me stop and think.

At 91, I have lived long enough to see many kinds of family relationships. I have been a son, a husband, a father, a grandfather and now a great-grandfather. I have also watched friendships and family relationships change over the decades.

Most mothers and fathers hope that their children will remain close to them throughout life.

But that doesn't always happen.

I know of one family in which three adult children no longer talk to their mother. I don't know everything that happened inside that family, and I certainly would not presume to decide who is right or wrong.

But their situation made me wonder: How can a child who was once so dependent upon a mother eventually become so distant from her?

Psychology gives us several possible explanations.

1. They may have felt emotionally neglected

A mother can provide food, clothing, education and a home—and still fail to provide the emotional connection a child needs.

Children need to feel that someone listens to them, understands them and takes their feelings seriously.

A child who repeatedly thinks, "Mom doesn't understand me," may eventually stop trying to communicate.

What begins as childhood disappointment can become emotional distance in adulthood.

2. They may have experienced too much criticism

Some parents believe criticism will make their children stronger. But constant criticism can have the opposite effect.

A child who repeatedly hears that he or she is not good enough, smart enough, successful enough or responsible enough may eventually protect themselves by creating distance.

Sometimes an adult child doesn't stop loving a parent.

They simply stop wanting to be around someone who makes them feel inadequate.

3. They may feel controlled

There is a difference between guidance and control.

Parents naturally want to protect their children. But even after children become adults, some parents continue trying to make decisions for them.

Who should they marry? Where should they live? What career should they choose?

How should they raise their own children?

Eventually, an adult child may decide that the only way to establish independence is to create boundaries or even cut off communication.

4. Old childhood wounds may never have been resolved

This may be one of the most important reasons. Parents sometimes say:

“That happened 30 years ago. Why can't you just forget it?”

But emotional memories don't always disappear simply because many years have passed.

Perhaps there was favoritism between siblings. Perhaps there was a divorce.

Perhaps the child felt abandoned. Perhaps something was said during childhood that the parent has completely forgotten, but the child never did.

Time can heal some wounds. But time alone does not necessarily heal every wound.

Sometimes the wound needs to be acknowledged first.

5. They may have different memories of the same childhood

This is something I have learned as I have grown older.

Two people can experience the same family event and remember it completely differently.

A mother might remember: “I sacrificed everything for my children.”

Her child might remember: “My mother was never there when I needed her.”

Both people may sincerely believe their version.

Memory is not a perfect recording of the past. It is influenced by emotion, personality and individual experience.

That is why family arguments about the past can sometimes become impossible to resolve.

6. A spouse or partner may influence the relationship

When children become adults, they form new families of their own.

A husband, wife or partner can sometimes become an important influence on how an adult child views his or her parents.

Sometimes that influence is healthy. Sometimes it can increase existing family tensions.

An adult child may begin seeing the mother differently after hearing a spouse's perspective about past family conflicts.

This doesn't necessarily mean the spouse is responsible.

It simply means that family relationships become more complicated as people grow older.

7. Sometimes distance becomes easier than reconciliation

This may be the saddest reason of all. Family conflicts can continue for years.

A phone call is not returned. Then another one isn't returned.

Christmas passes without a visit. A birthday comes and goes.

Eventually, silence becomes a habit.

After enough time, both sides may become afraid or unwilling to make the first move.

The mother may think: "My children don't want me."

The children may think: "Our mother doesn't understand why we're hurt."

And the wall becomes higher with every passing year.

But Does This Mean the Mother Is Always to Blame?

Absolutely not. This is where I would be very careful with the question in the original image.

An adult child can also be unreasonable. Some children become selfish.

Some become resentful over money or inheritance.

Some blame their parents for problems that were not really the parents' fault.

Some are influenced by other people. And sometimes parents have done everything they reasonably could and the adult child still chooses estrangement.

Parenthood does not come with a guarantee of gratitude.

Nor does being a child mean that everything our parents did was automatically right.

Family relationships are complicated because they involve human beings with memories, personalities, disappointments, expectations and imperfections.

What I Have Learned at 91

Perhaps reaching 91 gives me a different perspective on this subject.

When we are young, we tend to think we have plenty of time to settle our differences.

When we become older, we discover that time is one thing we cannot replace.

I have lost my wife, Macrine, after more than 63 years of marriage. I have watched our children become adults and create families and lives of their own.

I have learned that children eventually have to become their own people.

And parents eventually have to let them. The greatest gift a parent can give an adult child may not be advice.

It may be respect. Respect for their decisions. Respect for their boundaries.

Respect for their different opinions. And perhaps most importantly, the willingness to say:

“I may not completely understand how you feel, but I am willing to listen.”

And What About That Family of Three?

I keep thinking about the family I mentioned at the beginning. Three adult children who no longer speak to their mother.

I don't know what happened behind closed doors. Perhaps the mother made mistakes.

Perhaps the children made mistakes. Perhaps everyone contributed to the breakdown.

Maybe there were wounds that were never properly discussed. I would not want to judge them from the outside.

But I do wonder whether, somewhere underneath all the anger and silence, there might still be a desire for reconciliation.

Sometimes someone has to take the first step. It might be the mother. It might be one of the children.

It might begin with nothing more complicated than: “I miss you.”

Or: “I'm sorry.” Or even: “Can we talk?”

At 91, I have learned that being right is sometimes less important than being connected.

And when it comes to family, there are some bridges we should try very hard not to burn.

A David at 91 thought

We enter this world needing our parents. We leave home needing our freedom.

And somewhere between those two moments, we must learn how to love one another
without controlling one another.

A mother is not perfect. Neither is a child. We are all human.

And sometimes the greatest gift we can give our family is not another argument about the past, but the courage to open the door one more time.

Because tomorrow is never promised.

AI Overview

A child may fail to value their mother due to a mix of unconscious psychological patterns, family dynamics, and developmental stages.

Key Psychological Reasons

Invisible Constant Love: A mother's steady, daily presence and consistent support can become invisible to a child over time, making her feel taken for granted. 
A Safe Space for Emotions: Children often direct their pent-up anger, stress, and raw frustrations at their mothers because they subconsciously view them as a source of unconditional acceptance.
The Individuation Process: As children grow, they must separate and build their own independent identities, which can temporarily manifest as emotional distance or rejection of parental influence.
Learned Disrespect from the Environment: Children closely observe family dynamics. If they witness a father or other household figures talk down to, interrupt, or disregard the mother, they internalize that behavior and mimic the disrespect.
Lack of Self-Respect Modeling: Mothers who completely erase their own needs to serve everyone else can accidentally teach children that self-sacrifice is mandatory and that the mother’s boundaries hold no weight.
Premature Peer and External Influences: During adolescent shifts, such as around age 14, children naturally begin questioning authority, and outside peer groups can displace family values if strong boundaries are missing.
Unmet Expectations and Unresolved Wounds: If a mother is emotionally distant, hypercritical, or inconsistent, the child develops an insecure attachment style, which can harden into resentment or emotional detachment.
Lastly, My Photo of the Day:

MY FAVORITE IS NUMBER 3, FROM MARINDUQUE SERVED AT CHATEAU DU MER
 

Davao Dark Chocolate + Orange by Askinosie-A Surprise Gift from A Friend

A long-time and good friend had a small surprise for me the other day- a bar that says DAVAO PHILIPPINES DARK CHOCOLATE + ORANGE from Askinosie chocolate. Thanks a million, my friend for the unexpected gift. 

I have written about otap from Cebu and barquillos from Iloilo, but I have not written about our chocolate for a long time. It is about time.

A little history on our table

In the Philippines, many of us grew up with tablea. Cacao came to the Philippines in the 1670s, brought from Mexico to the Philippines via the Acapulco galleon. For centuries we made it into tablea for champorado and tsokolate. It was always good, but it was always for home.

Now Davao is different. Davao City and Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, in Mindanao, is our cacao capital. The soil, the rain, the elevation- it is perfect for Trinitario beans, which is what is in this bar. For many years we exported our beans as commodity. Now chocolate makers from America, France, and Japan come to Davao to buy single-origin beans. This bar is 58% dark, made from Davao Trinitario beans.

The Maker

Askinosie is not a big factory. It is a small bean-to-bar maker in Springfield, Missouri, started by Shawn Askinosie in 2007. They do direct trade - they go to Davao, meet the cooperative, and pay above market price. That is why the farmer's face is printed on the wrapper. When you buy the bar, you know who grew it.

They also press their own cocoa butter in their factory. That is rare. Most small makers buy it.

What is inside and how does it taste?

I like simple ingredients. I worked many years as a chemist for the US FDA, so I read labels.

Ingredients: Davao Philippines Cocoa Beans (Trinitario), Organic Turbinado Sugar, Cocoa Butter (made in their factory with Davao beans), Organic Oranges, Organic Orange Oil, Organic Vanilla Bean. Nothing else.

They mix in organic oranges, peel and pulp plus a little orange oil. It is like candied orange peel dipped in chocolate, but in bar form. On first bite: bright, juicy orange. Then the dark chocolate comes - fudge, a little tart citrus, and vanilla sweetness at the end. Askinosie's own tasting notes say juicy orange, chocolate-dipped citrus peel, and vanilla. That is exactly right.

Net weight: 85 grams (3 oz). It is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free. Price on their website is $11.50.

How I enjoy it at home

Here in Walnut Creek, I do it the Filipino way:

1. After dinner, with black coffee. The bitter of Barako or even plain American coffee cuts the sweetness of the orange. Break it into small pieces, do not chew fast.

2. With otap or barquillos. As I posted last week, we had three tubs of otap - buko-pandan, ube, and classic. A small piece of this Davao chocolate with a crisp otap is wonderful. The butteriness of otap and the citrus of the chocolate balance each other.

3. For tsokolate. If you like to experiment, shave a little of this bar into your tablea when you make tsokolate for a light orange aroma. Your grandchildren will notice.

Do not put it in the refrigerator if you can avoid it. Chocolate likes cool, not cold. Keep it at 65-68 degrees if you can, and it will keep its snap.

Why I am proud of this bar

When I was young during the war, chocolate was a luxury from America. Now American makers are putting Davao on the wrapper. This means our farmers can earn more from quality, not just volume. If you visit Davao, you will see chocolate shops and cacao farm tours now. That is new, and that is good for our food tourism.

If you find this bar, please try it and tell me what you think. And if you are in Davao, what is your favorite local chocolate? Is it Malagos, Theo & Philo, Auro, or this kind of small American maker?

You can find Askinosie Davao bars at askinosie.com and at World Wide Chocolate and specialty stores.

https://worldwidechocolate.com/shop/askinosie-chocolate/davao-philippines-58-dark-chocolate-bar-with-orange/?attribute_pa_quantity=five-pack&nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ax%3A17809749528%3A%3A&nb_adtype=pla_with_promotion&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=&nb_mi=117016111&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=as-101-mp5&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17811045280&gbraid=0AAAAADKrQi8slyDb0zBjk8ShTQlBpt25u&gclid=CjwKCAjwuczWBhA9EiwAYGgEoRskvz2yqfbDTNaV7gKMo04nBE9FQznNTkPMLsmN2z6mdeSQIAPpYxoCKlUQAvD_BwE

AI Overview:

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Askinosie Chocolate 77% Davao, Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar

$11.00

Askinosie Chocolate& more

An earthy single-origin craft chocolate bar made with Trinitario cocoa beans sourced directly from a cooperative in Davao, offering tasting notes of brown sugar, nutmeg, and a clean caramel finish. Available directly via Askinosie Chocolate or through World Wide Chocolate.

The maker: 

Askinosie is a small-batch bean-to-bar maker in Springfield, Missouri. Founder Shawn Askinosie started it in 2007 and they are known for "direct trade" — they go to the origin, meet the farmers, and pay well above commodity price. They press their own cocoa butter in-house.

The beans:

• 
  
• Origin: Davao, Mindanao in the Philippines. Davao is the cacao capital of the Philippines -Trinitario beans.
• This bar is 58% dark. Askinosie also makes a 77% pure Davao bar, a 62% dark milk, and a white chocolate from the same origin.
• The man on your wrapper is one of the farmers from the co-op they source from. Askinosie puts the actual grower on every bar.

This flavor:

The description from Askinosie is: "Imagine a candied orange peel, dipped in chocolate. Now imagine it in bar form".  It's not just orange flavoring. Ingredients are: Davao Philippines Cocoa Beans (Trinitario), Organic Turbinado Sugar, Cocoa Butter (made in their factory with Davao beans), Organic Oranges, Organic Orange Oil, Organic Vanilla Bean. They blend in organic orange peel and pulp plus a dash of orange oil. Tasting notes they list: juicy orange, chocolate-dipped citrus peel, and vanilla, and from retailers: notes of fudge, tart citrus, and vanilla sweetness. 

Specs:

85g (3oz) bar, $11.50 on their site. It's Certified Kosher D.E., vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, but processed in a facility that also processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat. It's a nice example of how good Philippine cacao has become in the last 10 years, Davao used to export mostly bulk beans, now it's recognized for fine-flavor single-origin like this.

My Photo of the Day:

Beef kaldereta is the rich, tomato-based stew that shows up at every big Filipino celebration.