Duterte government’s green smokescreen

November 7, 2021

STATEMENT

At the COP 26, the Duterte administration pledges to cut local carbon emissions and transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society according to its Sustainable Finance Roadmap and its Guiding Principles. Yet its mining and energy policies go in the opposite direction and ruin the environment.

Job losses despite quarantine easing may be early sign of economic contraction – IBON

November 5, 2021

The Duterte administration should not be dismissive of the significant drop in employment and rise in unemployment in September 2021. These are signs that the economy is still floundering despite quarantine restrictions easing and vaccinations increasing.

Of fake democracy and open dictatorship

November 2, 2021

How do we vote then in 2022? We need champions of human rights and social justice, an economy governed by the people for their needs and their prosperity, equality, sovereignty, and freedom from the shackles of neoliberalism and foreign dictates and from the control of the few.

Suspending TRAIN oil taxes will lower oil prices and ease inflation—IBON

October 23, 2021

Suspending oil excise taxes, can ease the burden of rising prices on ordinary Filipinos, and revenue losses can be compensated by suspending corporate tax cuts. These can be the start of a more progressive tax system and a prelude to better regulation and control over the country’s oil industry.

Duterte admin’s neglect of agri erodes food self-sufficiency — IBON

October 21, 2021

The Duterte government’s glaringly low prioritization of agriculture is worsening the country’s decline in food self-sufficiency. Production support for small farmers and fisherfolk as part of a larger economic stimulus program is even more urgent.

On World Food Day: Widespread hunger justifies more ayuda

October 16, 2021

Hunger and food insecurity are worsening amid the ongoing pandemic crisis. More ayuda has to be immediately given to millions of poor and vulnerable families to ensure that everyone has economic access to food.

We will green more backyards

October 16, 2021

From idle or sweat-and-blood-stained rural land
greened by united farmers’ hands
To urban Church grounds, factory belts,
mass housing patches, informal decks,
Add to the school plots, herb and vegetable walls,
rooftops and flowerbeds,
We are greening more backyards.

Who is afraid of degrowth?

A Global South economic perspective

October 12, 2021

Environmental scientists, economists, academics and social movements have been talking about “degrowth” as an approach in dealing with the climate crisis. The concept makes perfect sense, but it has provoked doubts and objections, even among well-meaning environmentalists.

The neglect of PH education: Where do we go from here?

October 5, 2021

The Philippines is one of two remaining countries in the world that have not reopened schools and conducted in-person classes. This is quite telling not only of the Duterte government’s poor pandemic response but also of the pre-existing problems of the Philippine education system. This is aggravated by the administration’s budget mispriorities, where it allocates more for infrastructure projects than education.