Features

Under the knife: the 2024 health budget
September 8, 2023
FEATURES
The 2024 proposed health budget reflects the Marcos Jr administration’s utter neglect of public health.

Beyond rice price populism
September 5, 2023
The standalone rice price caps will not just be ultimately ineffective but might even backfire

2024 education budget: When will government learn?
August 30, 2023
The 2024 budget reflects at least slipshod management of the education sector and at most self-serving interests, pushing our problems from bad to worse

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made (Part 3)
August 25, 2023
FEATURES
The budget is only one of the wide range of policy measures the government has to spur growth, develop the economy, and improve the conditions of the people. The attention the public gives is well-deserved because the budget can do so much so quickly to achieve these.

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made (Part 2)
August 25, 2023
FEATURES
Band-aids are not necessarily a bad thing. Social spending can be wielded to improve people’s conditions – which is important in itself even if not prioritized by the administration. But it can also be used to increase overall aggregate demand and stimulate the economy – which presumably even a narrow, growth-fixated mindset would appreciate.

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made
August 25, 2023
FEATURES
Contrary to incredible “pro-poor” claims, the proposed 2024 national budget’s numbers tell a much different story about the administration’s priorities.

5 marks of a crumbling democracy
July 20, 2023
The Marcoses personify the worst aspects of Philippine politics. And Marcos Jr is levelling up these anti-democratic features in the 21st century.

Agriculture deserves a competent leader
July 1, 2023
The Marcos Jr administration has not been looking at the stark reality of long-term agricultural decline. This chronic crisis deserves a full-time, competent and diligent leader.

One year of BBM: More hype, less help
June 30, 2023
The Marcos Jr administration has profusely hyped its one year of achievements that have supposedly helped the Filipino people amid the economic crisis. But looking back, did the President really achieve that much and help the Filipino people as much as he claims?