IBON Foundation

Unsolicited projects for favored business interests to rise under Pres. Duterte?

March 2, 2018

By Arnold Padilla ​When President Duterte said last month that “all projects of the Philippines would be something like a Swiss Challenge”, media attention has focused on the Swiss Challenge and its implications. But what the presidential statement implied was that in order to supposedly fast track his ambitious Build Build Build program, the administration […]

January inflation partially due to TRAIN—IBON

March 2, 2018

No cash transfers to cover January inflation, with prices going even higher in the months and years to come The Department of Finance (DOF) said that January inflation was not caused by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. Research group IBON however points out that the new tax program definitely contributed to […]

Gov’t must ensure efficient and accessible transport for all–IBON

February 28, 2018

Policy study baring unsound transport policies released Research group IBON said that the Philippine government’s policies have increasingly opened the transport sector to profit-oriented control, thereby privatizing the transport system and undermining public usage of this very basic service. Government should reverse this trend and strengthen the public transport system to improve people’s mobility and […]

Slow TRAIN cash transfers highlight govt’s insensitivity–IBON

February 27, 2018

The poor will get relief about three months into suffering TRAIN-induced price increases with millions of others only getting it much later  Research group IBON said that the slow implementation of the Duterte administration’s social mitigation measures including its cash subsidies highlights how these are just an afterthought to cover up how the Tax Reform […]

Double taxes on oil show govt’s lack of concern for poor – IBON

February 23, 2018

Slapping additional taxes on oil products makes the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law anti-poor, research group IBON said. Contrary to the argument that the new law is ‘fair’, the group said that these oil taxes should be scrapped for the benefit of millions of Filipinos who will otherwise continue to suffer the […]

Wholesale ‘Swiss challenge’ will lead to greater, more hidden corruption–IBON

February 2, 2018

The Duterte administration’s proposal to do away with public bidding and replace this with the even less transparent ‘Swiss challenge’ system for all government projects could lead to more extensive and veiled corruption, said research group IBON’s executive director Sonny Africa. Pres. Duterte’s push for the Swiss challenge system is supposedly aimed at getting rid […]

2017 Yearend Birdtalk: Dutertenomics and Dictatorship, Thwarting Democracy

January 29, 2018

Download the 2017 Yearend Birdtalk briefing paper here The year 2017 will be remembered as the year when the first major signs of distress for the Duterte administration showed themselves. The signs of economic troubles and the fundamentally anti-poor direction of economic policies became even clearer. The political agenda of centralized power and extended rule […]

Dutertenomics at Cha-cha: Pagsagasa sa Demokrasya Yearend 2017

January 29, 2018

Download Usapang IBON Yearend 2017 primer here Umiigting ang ligalig sa administrasyong Duterte, wala pang dalawang taon sa panunungkulan. Lumalala ang kalagayan ng mamamayan, habang ipinatutupad pa rin ng gubyerno ang mga kontra-mamamayang patakarang neoliberal. Tuluyan nang napako ang mga popular na pangako ni Duterte, pero patuloy pa rin ang kanyang pagpapanggap na siya ay […]

Guns Against Needles: Escalating attacks on community health workers in the Philippines

January 24, 2018

This month, IBON Foundation launches thru a mini-forum the book “Guns Against Needles: Escalating attacks against community health workers in the Philippines”. The event will be on 26 January 2018, 2pm at the IBON Conference Hall, 4th Floor located at the IBON building, #114 Timog Ave. QC. The forum/ launch intends to bring together health […]