Category: News
Slower economy affirms undue hype over credit rating upgrade
May 9, 2019
Sign of unsound economy Slower gross domestic product (GDP) growth during the first quarter of 2019 belies any claim of a healthy Philippine economy. Research group IBON stressed that the Duterte administration’s enthusiasm over the recent credit rating upgrade that the country got is unwarranted. Instead of hailing business-biased programs, government should look to more […]
Malacañang’s enthusiasm on credit rating upgrade unwarranted-IBON
May 4, 2019
IBON executive director Sonny Africa said that the recent credit rating upgrade is not a sign of economic progress and that Malacañang’s enthusiasm is greatly unwarranted. The credit rating upgrade is most of all an assessment of the government’s ability to repay debt and not of economic development. There would be no such upgrade if […]
Employers can afford Php750 minimum wage—IBON
April 30, 2019
Employers can very well afford to raise the minimum wage to Php750 which only entails a small cut in their profits, research group IBON said. The Duterte administration should support this hike which will help millions of Filipino households dependent on wages and salaries cope with the rising cost of goods and services, said the […]
Workers left behind in growing economy under Duterte administration
April 29, 2019
Wages of workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) continue to fall even as their growing labor productivity drives economic growth under the Duterte government. The mandated minimum wage is not even keeping up with the rising cost of living for ordinary Filipinos. Research group IBON said that keeping wages low distributes wealth unevenly and […]
Don’t insist on low poverty threshold, address jobs crisis, gov’t told
April 17, 2019
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently attributed reduced poverty in the first semester of 2018 to the rising quality of jobs under the Duterte administration. But research group IBON said that dismal jobs creation, the magnitude of joblessness, poor quality work, and meager wages give away the true picture of Philippine poverty. The […]
Lower official poverty estimates don’t mean less poor Filipinos — IBON
April 10, 2019
Research group IBON said lower reported official poverty estimates for the first semester of 2018 unfortunately do not necessarily mean that the country’s poverty situation is improving. The group observed that standard of living allowed by the official poverty line is very low and grossly underestimates the real number of poor Filipinos. Unless corrected, it […]
Gov’t designed Kaliwa loan to favor China—IBON
March 26, 2019
The Kaliwa Dam loan agreement is designed to unduly favor Chinese interests over that of the Philippines. IBON Foundation raised this concern in the wake of the release, upon public pressure, of this and other loan agreements. Metro Manila private water concessionaire Manila Water Company, Inc. and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) have […]
Govt should be transparent, release 9 signed foreign loan agreements — IBON
March 16, 2019
Research group IBON said the Duterte administration should immediately release to the public all nine foreign loan agreements it has already signed for infrastructure projects, especially for the upcoming Kaliwa Dam project with China. The group raised concerns of government’s transparency since it has denied IBON’s previous requests for copies of the loan agreements. The […]
WPN: Water crisis confirms failure of water privatization
March 16, 2019
Advocacy group Water for the People Network (WPN) said that the ongoing water crisis confirms the failure of water privatization and the need for public control of this essential service. The group said that the disruption of water services for over a million Metro Manila residents amid growing water concessionaire profits is unacceptable. Water services […]
