Dr. Cielito F. Habito

Dr. Cielito F. Habito, Chairman, Brain Trust: Knowledge and Options for Sustainable Development, Inc.

Interviewed by Dr. Ricardo T. Jose
Brain Trust: Knowledge & Options for Sustainable Development, Inc. office, Pasig City
19 September 2017

Dr. Cielito F. Habito has a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (1978), master’s degrees in Economics from the University of New England (1978) and Harvard University (1981), and a PhD in Economics also from Harvard University (1984).

After spending some years after his graduate studies teaching economics at University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Dr. Habito was invited by the late Dr. Cayetano Paderanga Jr. to join the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), which Dr. Paderanga then headed. Dr. Habito was NEDA Assistant Director-General until 1992, then Director-General until 1998. He has been teaching Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University since 2001.

Dr. Habito also writes the “No Free Lunch” column at The Philippine Daily Inquirer.