Here it is:

1. This year, if you reach Php 250,000 above taxable income (less all your tax exemptions), you pay Php 50,000 + 30% excess of the Php 250,000. If you made more than Php 500,000, you pay Php 125,000 plus 34% excess of Php 500,000. This hits hardest on the salaried middle class, whose little savings are mostly in interest rates that do not beat inflation (6.4%). Forget about where the tax money goes.

2. The world market price increase of rice has hit the poorest of the poor. But if it's true that we only import 10-15% of rice, how come we have such a huge shortfall (if 10-15% is all we have to cover)? Ask the smugglers then, who could account for as much as 20% of the rice in the market, and have no stopped smuggling because rice is, well, too darn expensive.

3. The human species is messed up when there are thousands dying of starvation every day and we are growing corn in unprecedented quantities to put into our cars. Makes me un-proud to be a member of this species.

4. The average Manila teenager spends close to 30% of his/her disposable income on internet access. Another third on his/her cellphone. Teenage savings rates -- those who have bank accounts -- are next to 2% in urban areas. The next generation of leaders might not be any better than the current one.

5. Unemployment hovers at 8%, with underemployment at 19%. That's nearly a fifth of our labor force tagged as underemployed. This year, we will give birth to the 90th million Filipino. Our fertility rate is only lower than Laos and Cambodia, at 3.5 births per mother.

6. The total annual family income in 2006 was estimated at P 2.99 trillion up by 22.7% over the 2003 estimate of P2.44 trillion. The total family expenditure was approximately P2.56 trillion, an increase of 25.7% over the 2003 estimate of P2.04 trillion. Hardly any savings left.

7. Food prices jumped an average of 8% from last month. All bets are on food prices steadily rising, some say at least for another decade.

8. Meanwhile, the best news I've had all week is that Ronaldo is into trannies.

9. And, that I had a great ride over the weekend.

10. And that prescription medicine prices could go down.