News
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.
Railroading 2022 national budget without ayuda confirms Duterte govt’s apathy
October 2, 2021
Important pandemic emergency aid programs implemented in 2020 were discontinued in 2021 and are also not in the proposed 2022 budget. The budget and social welfare departments should bat for this in the 2022 expenditure plan in Senate and bicameral deliberations
Worsening joblessness and informal work can be fixed with immediate ayuda, stimulus
September 30, 2021
Latest labor force data of high unemployment and increasing informal workers should be a wake-up call for government to immediately undertake stimulus measures.
Billionaire tax can fund ayuda and health–IBON
September 27, 2021
The Duterte government’s insistence that it lacks funds for a bigger COVID-19 response does not hold water. Substantial revenues can be raised by taxing the country’s super-rich who can well afford to contribute much more to pandemic response and other needs.
Still only token ayuda in 2022 budget – IBON
August 30, 2021
The Duterte administration’s proposed 2022 budget once again refuses to give the ayuda that millions of Filipinos need to alleviate the economic distress from lockdown-induced disruptions to livelihoods. COVID-19-related emergency assistance programs have been discontinued. There is some additional funding for existing social welfare programs but this falls far short of huge needs since the pandemic.
Govt’s 7-9% growth in 2022 is just a fantasy – IBON
August 26, 2021
The Development Budget Coordination Committee has had a poor record of projecting economic growth in the last five years with their estimates always off the mark. Worse, their narrow-minded fiscal conservatism is the biggest factor preventing more rapid recovery.
Business-as-usual 2022 budget unresponsive to pandemic – IBON
August 26, 2021
The proposed 2022 national budget is perplexingly business-as-usual with the same priorities as before the pandemic. There is still disproportionate attention to infrastructure, the military and police, and debt service with only marginal changes to the health and social protection budgets. This latest spending plan should not just be scrutinized but also retailored to give due attention to urgent medical and economic responses.
2022 budget stalls recovery, worsens inequality
August 23, 2021
Government’s proposed 2022 national budget is the second budget in a row that fails to respond to the pandemic. The Duterte administration is not spending enough on economic stimulus, health, ayuda, and small businesses which are the most important things to recover quickly and stop worsening deprivation. The economic managers’ misguided fiscal conservatism is counterproductive and needs urgent correction.
