WTO confirms irrelevance for development–IBON
December 27, 2015
Underdeveloped economies did not gain anything from the talks The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) tenth ministerial conference in Kenya’s capital Nairobi confirmed its inability to deliver development, research group IBON said. Economies continue to be opened up at the expense of the world’s poor majority. The United States (US) and European Union (EU) also blocked […]
Searching for an Alternative to the WTO: Revisiting the Bandung Conference
December 19, 2015
The system we replace this with does not have to be as equally hegemonic but it must at least respect the diversity of our alternatives By Sonny Africa The World Trade Organization (WTO) is on its twentieth year of existence as it holds its tenth ministerial conference in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. It has […]
The erosion of the right to health in Aquino’s ‘Daang Matuwid’
December 14, 2015
The Philippine government has treated health as a commodity, subjected it to a market-driven system, unprotected and unregulated Approaching election season, the Aquino administration brandishes the accomplishment of universal health care as a legacy that would be continued by Liberal Party candidates. Yet, what the Aquino presidency does not mention is how his administration eroded […]
Manila Water P79 billion demand outrageous: rescind anti-consumer CA now
December 14, 2015
Government should take hold of the country’s water resources and ensure public benefit first and foremost Private concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc.’s (MWCI) move for arbitration and demand for public compensation for the company’s projected losses is an utter display of greed, water consumer watchdog Water for the People Network (WPN) said. The company’s assertion […]
Job generation minimal, poor-quality jobs persist under Aquino administration
December 11, 2015
Unsatisfactory employment outcomes are despite the 6.0% third quarter economic growth in 2015 being faster than the 5.5% growth rate in the same period last year The Aquino administration overplays labor force data to showcase the Daang Matuwid program and ensure its continuation under presidential bet Mar Roxas, according to research group IBON. But job […]
The Aquino administration’s socioeconomic rights violations
December 10, 2015
In addition to its widely-known civil and political rights violations, the Aquino administration is also the biggest violator of economic, social and cultural rights in the country The Aquino administration has the duty to uphold, protect and promote the human rights of all Filipinos. This is the responsibility of every government. The administration’s civil and […]
Megawide pullout not excuse to push PPP Act–IBON
December 9, 2015
The group reiterated its concern over an existing policy that favors investor rights over public interest Government should not invoke the pending pullout of a huge company from a public-private partnership (PPP) project to push the PPP Act, research group IBON said. The group also reiterated its concern over an existing policy that favors investor […]
Globalization not way to address climate vulnerability, gov’t told
December 4, 2015
The very manifestations of the country’s disaster vulnerability worsened under globalization At the onset of the Paris climate negotiations, research group IBON urged government to discard globalization as its framework for economic policies that have spawned growing inequality and aggravated the Philippines’ disaster vulnerability. The 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Convention […]
Still exclusionary: growth fails to create quality work—IBON
November 27, 2015
An overall deterioration on the jobs front affirms the limits of service-driven growth Growth in Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter is still not creating enough decent work for Filipinos and remains exclusionary. The services-driven growth is the reason for the prevailing jobs crisis in the country, research group IBON said The […]