WHAT are the conclusive indications that we are in the right direction in building our nation? Two indices came out recently that augur well for our national health: the ease of doing business by the World Bank and results of the first semester 2018 official poverty statistics by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The Philippines recorded a jump of 29 ranks in the recent World Bank 2020 Ease of Doing Business report, gaining an overall score of 62.8. Among the 190 countries, the Philippines’ position rose to 95th place from 124th place last year with a score of 57.68 plus (1.36). According to the report, the Philippines improved in three areas: starting a business, dealing with construction permits and protecting minority investors. On the other hand, the PSA placed “poverty incidence among individuals — the proportion of Filipinos whose incomes fell below the per capita poverty threshold of P10,481 per month — at 21 percent, compared to the 27.6 percent recorded in the first half of 2015. The latest poverty data translates to a reduction of more than 5 million poor individuals, from 28.8 million in 2015 to 23.1 million in 2018.