Toro-Córdoba, Jorge Hernán

Socio-economic strata are categories assigned to subdivisions of Colombian cities according to housing and environmental characteristics. They were established in 1994 to aid to cross-subsidize the price of utilities. At the time, they were considered an effective targeting alternative due to…

A recent paper from the journal Essays on Economic Policy (ESPE in Spanish) by Banco de la República (the Central Bank of Colombia) deals with the financial and fiscal aspects of the Colombian health care system and includes a…

In a recently published blog on Banco de la República’s profits, it was shown that in 2023 these mainly came from the yield of foreign reserves, which in the last 10 years reached…

Following the enactment of the 1991 Constitution, which increased the fiscal autonomy of subnational governments, there was a growing deterioration of territorial finances, which, in turn, threatened to jeopardize the fiscal position of the Central Government. In response, fiscal rules for…

A paper recently published in the Working Papers on Economics, number 1267, analyzes some aspects of economic and financial education in Colombia using a survey that follows the…

The mismatch between the skills of workers and the needs of companies is a problem that affects the efficiency of labor markets in developing countries. The vocational education sector as well as technical and technological education and skills certification are mechanisms for adjusting this…

In its most recent financial report for 2023 (only available in Spanish), Banco de la República (the Central Bank of Colombia or Banrep) reported historical profits…

High-altitude climbers know very well that the descent from the top can be as dangerous as the ascent, so they advance cautiously in this second stage of the journey to ensure a healthy return home. Something similar could be said of monetary policy. Risks do not disappear in the decline period…

Economic observers who monitor monetary policy often compare the timing of interest rate increase or decrease cycle decisions across countries to determine which countries were ahead and which were behind in their decisions. This might be correct if the countries had identical economic…

Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality in the world. These diseases are mainly associated with older age groups and, therefore, their financial burden is expected to increase progressively due to the aging of the population and risk factors derived from…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia has seen a significant increase in the use of electronic payment channels. This blog presents detailed information on the evolution of these payment channels and their characteristics, identifying the main gaps observed in the country.

A health system reform is currently being discussed which proposes that payment to Healthcare Service Providers (IPS in Spanish) be made directly by a public entity, the ​​Administrator of Resources of the General System of Social Security in Health (ADRES in Spanish), based on fee schedules per…

Retail payment instruments play a crucial role in economic and financial stability and in the functioning of trade. These include cash, debit and credit cards, checks, and wire transfers.

The Colombian peso has exhibited a volatile behavior and a significant depreciation in recent months. In view of this trend, the question arises as to whether an intervention by Banco de la República (the Central Bank of Colombia) in the foreign exchange market to stabilize the currency would be…

There is a broad consensus in the scientific community regarding the risks associated with climate change on the economic activity of most countries in the world. Such risks may be physical or transitional. Physical risks are related to the gradual increase in temperatures around the globe and…

Since the second half of 2021, food prices in Colombia grew on average 12 percentage points more than in the other OECD countries and seven percentage points more than in the rest of Latin America.

In September last year, a blog was published announcing the quarterly publication of the National Accounts by Institutional Sector (CNSI in Spanish), which include the national accounts by…

When citizens of a developing country decide to emigrate in search of a better future, their lives and those of their families are not the only ones affected. This decision can also have an impact on different aspects of the country of origin  , such as income, inequality, the quality of…