Three things beyond rice tariffication

February 19, 2019

President Duterte has signed the Rice Tariffication Bill into law, which promises to reform Philippine agriculture. But until the government genuinely completes land reform and gives sufficient and substantial support to agriculture, the country’s staple and Filipino farmers remain at risk. The law removes quantitative restrictions or limits to rice importation. Any amount of rice […]

Global Trouble, Local Bubble

January 26, 2019

by Sonny Africa The Philippine economy is slowing amid a global economy in a new period of uncertainty, unpredictability and volatility. The country’s economic policymaking however remains stuck in an imaginary world of efficient free markets, beneficial globalization and humane capitalism. A clearer view of where the world is today compels new economics more than […]

2018 Yearender: Are You High? The Economy Isn’t

December 31, 2018

by Sonny Africa Executive Director, IBON Foundation The Duterte administration’s economic managers made some odd statements as the year wound up. Economic planning secretary Ernesto Pernia said “the Philippine economy became stronger and even more resilient than ever”. Finance secretary Carlos Dominguez III insisted on “the soundness of the Duterte administration’s economic development strategy”. Bangko […]

Season’s Greetings from the IBON Foundation Family

December 25, 2018

Philippines in a Happy and Healthy Relationship with China?

November 28, 2018

by Sonny Africa IBON Features – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recently concluded state visit was hyped as historic and relationship-altering in a good way towards “comprehensive, strategic cooperation”. The joint statement released at the end spoke of a couple with a healthy relationship: reminiscing the past, establishing trust, open communication, arguing in a healthy way […]

Duterte’s infrastructure miracle: Resurrecting a damned project

November 20, 2018

By Jose Lorenzo Lim Through China ODA, the Duterte administration revives a project halted by the historical struggle of the Cordillera people against destructive infrastructure The Chico River Basin Dam Project was an infamous World Bank-funded hydroelectric project under the Marcos Era. Local opposition to the project was strong. The famed Macli-ing Dulag, tribal chieftain […]

Heightening China-PH economic relations: friends with benefits?

November 19, 2018

by Rosario Bella Guzman There is a growing concern about the phenomenal increase of Chinese capital flowing into the Philippine economy. China has recently overtaken the US in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and trade. In the first semester of 2018, FDI from China amounted to US$175 million as compared with Japan’s US$154 […]

After five years: Build, Build, Build a new adversary of Yolanda survivors

November 8, 2018

by Jolo Lim IBON Features – Typhoon Yolanda was a disaster of epic proportions. It became an even bigger tragedy because of government neglect and corporate opportunism.  Five years after the super-typhoon, a new adversary is rising for typhoon survivors that are yet to fully recover. The Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program has been […]

Further imperiling Philippine rice

October 29, 2018

The government’s accelerated move to impose rice tariffs and lift quantitative restrictions on rice imports is touted to ease inflation. It comes with a heavy price in the long-term, however, as it puts in peril the livelihood of millions of Filipino rice farmers. Amid runaway inflation triggered by its regressive tax reform program, the Duterte […]