You can’t keep a good man down

In the aftermath of the March US congressional investigation of Facebook for data privacy breach, the company’s stocks plummeted 18 percent. Since then, Facebook made one of the most amazing rebounds in Wall Street. From a low of $ 152, FB stocks breached $200 last week, a 33 per cent upswing.

The quick turn-around is explained as follows. It all boils down to the adage, “You cannot keep a good man (in this case, company) down.”

Facebook and its Instagram and Messenger units have provided a very important and effective platform for information dissemination. FB answered the needs of its more than two billion users (this writer included) in a way that no other provider has. Its users kept growing, far outpacing its competitors. With growth came the potential for more revenue.

All things considered, Facebook’s good fundamentals simply overshadowed initial concerns about data privacy.

Imagine, if one had bought Facebook shares last March. He would now be whistling his way to the bank. The likelihood, however, is we missed the boat because unfortunately, we do not have a crystal ball. Even the best analysts don’t have sure-fire formulas for making money in the stock market. But for those who wish to try, (and I am not just talking of the local stock market) here are some rules of thumb which have generally worked.

1. Look at the fundamentals. Look at the company’s growth and earnings potential. Look at the management.

2. Buy low and sell high.

3. Be ahead of the trend.

4. Invest only what you can afford to lose.

5. Last, but certainly not the least, pray.

Enter the ‘modern jeepney’

One of the best news I read last week was the much awaited roll-out of the DOTr’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

Fifteen units of the “modern jeepney” were initially turned over by Isuzu Philippines Corporation to the Senate Employee Transport Service Cooperative (SETSCO), with 20 more scheduled for delivery within the year.

The “modern jeepney” uses Isuzu’s QKR77 platform. Its body was designed and manufactured by Almazora Motors Corp.

Its features include: more environment-friendly Euro 4 engine; provisional seats for persons with disabilities; tap card system of payment; Entry/exit doorway on the right side that opens to the sidewalk; headroom to allow standing passengers; fully air-conditioned; led TV monitors for real time information updates; CCTV, dashcam camera.

The fleet will serve the Star City-Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) route with stops at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)-Senate and SM Mall of Asia (MOA) complex. Priced at P2 million per, the units are deemed economically affordable by Cooperatives.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio

In my books, he would have been one of the most respected Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.

But Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio pre-empted everybody by declaring he would decline any nomination to the job.

Carpio twice served as Acting Chief Justice, in the aftermath of the Corona impeachment and after the ouster of former CJ Sereno.

Justice Carpio is best known for his advocacy to protect and preserve Philippine territorial and maritime sovereignty specifically in the West Philippine Sea.

One of the dissenters in the Sereno Quo Warranto case, Carpio nevertheless was among the first to urge everyone to respect the high court verdict.