‘All the way’ mere soundbite?

In an inadvertent slip on election day, the political Big Boss and father of the biggest coalition in this election may have “revealed” his ballot to viewers and to those present at the voting precinct where he filled it out.

Observers and members of the media were quick to notice that the Big Boss’ shading may have been incomplete. Only nine circles were shaded on his ballot for the 12 senators list.

Since the detention of his predecessor, his political alliance, one by one, seemingly backed away from his endorsement, resulting in a much-reduced number of candidates.

Based on the sample ballots handed out to voters, the alliance had only nine candidates.

During the campaign, his oft-repeated “All the way” chant signaled a still united front amid challenges with the departure of an influential political figure.

Voting straight for the alliance is a vote for a better tomorrow, went the spin. The two other candidates, based on the sample ballots, were also women on his team. The first appeared in a political ad with his old running mate, while the second is a sister of his predecessor’s running mate.

Could this be the final nail in the coffin of a once-solid political tandem? Was it nine all along? Was the ballot “reveal” deliberate? Only he knows. This midterm election is considered a referendum on the incumbent administration.

Jollibee dispels tariff scare

Among Philippine stocks, Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) has absorbed the bulk of the market’s sour sentiment, with a 15-percent drop in its stock price since US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day.”

Most of JFC’s input costs for its US-based stores are sourced in North America. In 2023, JFC had the highest procurement budget allocation for local suppliers. Although this is a consolidated representation of all the stores, JFC’s corporate policy is to patronize local suppliers wherever possible, which helps diversify against tariff risks.

In addition to indirect impacts, the Philippine market still contributes 65.1 percent of global earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), while the US makes up around only 7.1 percent.

“From both larger and smaller scale perspectives, we see JFC’s earnings should remain largely unaffected by tariffs as it sources its raw materials locally in regions where it operates. However, suppliers seeing elevated input costs and consumers reducing discretionary spending are potential indirect impacts from tariffs that JFC faces,” AP Securities assessed.