Dr. J.C. Punongbayan is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE). He earned his PhD from UPSE in 2021, where he also graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian in 2009 and was awarded the José Encarnación, Jr. Award for Excellence in Economics and the Gerardo P. Sicat Award for Best Undergraduate Thesis. He previously worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission, World Bank Office in Manila, FEU Public Policy Center, and National Economic and Development Authority. His current research interests are macroeconomics, Philippine economic history, education economics, and development economics. Dr. Punongbayan writes a weekly economics column for Rappler.com. He is also a co-founder of Usapang Econ and co-host of the Usapang Econ podcast. His first book, False Nostalgia: The Marcos “Golden Age” Myths and How to Debunk Them, was published by Ateneo University Press in February 2023 and is currently in its fourth printing.