IBON AVP: Haciendas Remain

July 30, 2017

Tax ‘reform’ program burdens poor more than the rich–IBON

July 30, 2017

Research group IBON said that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation (SONA) statement that “we achieved the first step towards more equitable taxes” is incorrect because the poorest majority of Filipinos will be more burdened by taxes than the rich. The Department of Finance (DOF) is covering this up, the group also said. According […]

2017 SONA: Change is not always for the better

July 25, 2017

Sonny Africa Among Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s idiosyncrasies is preferring a vulgar stream-of-consciousness approach in his speeches. This is even for the annual state of the nation address (SONA) at the opening of Congress which is undoubtedly the government’s highest-profile policy speech of the year. The president’s choice is a matter of style but then this […]

2017 SONA dismissive of PH socioecon problems—IBON

July 25, 2017

The 2017 State of the Nation Address was dismissive of the Philippines’ serious socioeconomic problems especially joblessness, poverty and inequities, research group IBON said. The President even tended to oversimplify the economic situation to justify authoritarianism, said the group. President Duterte delivered Monday his second State of the Nation Address to the country’s senators and […]

President’s SONA can unite, but will likely divide

July 24, 2017

Sonny Africa Pres. Rodrigo Duterte started his term as a potentially powerful unifier of the nation, but he is now unfortunately its biggest source of division. Last year, he spoke of resuming peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), bringing all Moro groups together in an undivided peace process, and upholding […]

What Ever Happened To Change Is Coming?

July 24, 2017

Click to view video What Ever Happened to Contractualization in PH? Click here to view video What Ever Happened To “Occupy Oligarch Lands”? View video “What Ever Happened To Oligarchs Shouldn’t Get Rich At People’s Expense?” View video What Ever Happened To Land Use Conversion Moratorium? View video What Ever Happened To “Am Answerable Only […]

Building destruction? Foreign creditors gain more from Duterte’s infra plan

July 21, 2017

by Arnold Padilla #PeoplesSONA2017 / IBON Features — One of the anticipated highlights of President Rodrigo Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) is his grand infrastructure plan dubbed Build! Build! Build!. There are concerns that it would result in a heavy debt burden. The issue is valid. After all, the price tag of […]

On peace talks interruption:  Negotiated econ reforms risk being lost–IBON

July 21, 2017

#PeoplesSONA2017 / Research group IBON said that the interruption of peace talks between the government and the NDFP also interrupts important discussions on economic reforms. The group said this in the aftermath of the announcement of Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, that the back-channel talks with the National Democratic Front of the […]

Dutertenomics: lost cause?

July 20, 2017

During the Duterte administration’s first year, there was all the hype about aiming for inclusiveness and championing the common Filipino family’s dream for a comfortable life. The President took important, some unprecedented steps including hinting nationalism, willingness to work with progressives in the cabinet and pursuit of peace negotiations. Yet the administration capitalized on bloody […]