News

Job generation minimal, poor-quality jobs persist under Aquino administration

December 11, 2015

Unsatisfactory employment outcomes are despite the 6.0% third quarter economic growth in 2015 being faster than the 5.5% growth rate in the same period last year The Aquino administration overplays labor force data to showcase the Daang Matuwid program and ensure its continuation under presidential bet Mar Roxas, according to research group IBON. But job […]

Megawide pullout not excuse to push PPP Act–IBON

December 9, 2015

The group reiterated its concern over an existing policy that favors investor rights over public interest Government should not invoke the pending pullout of a huge company from a public-private partnership (PPP) project to push the PPP Act, research group IBON said. The group also reiterated its concern over an existing policy that favors investor […]

Globalization not way to address climate vulnerability, gov’t told

December 4, 2015

The very manifestations of the country’s disaster vulnerability worsened under globalization At the onset of the Paris climate negotiations, research group IBON urged government to discard globalization as its framework for economic policies that have spawned growing inequality and aggravated the Philippines’ disaster vulnerability. The 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Convention […]

Still exclusionary: growth fails to create quality work—IBON

November 27, 2015

An overall deterioration on the jobs front affirms the limits of service-driven growth Growth in Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter is still not creating enough decent work for Filipinos and remains exclusionary. The services-driven growth is the reason for the prevailing jobs crisis in the country, research group IBON said The […]

Proposed hike in salaries of high-ranking officials hit

November 13, 2015

‘Don’t base gov’t pay on private sector salary’, says group Research group IBON today said that the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL) of 2015 may give some relief to long underpaid government workers, but the increases for the highest ranking government officials are excessive and undemocratic. Basing government officials’ salaries on private sector pay distorts […]

Rescinding MRT deal, PPPs urgent–group

November 11, 2015

Allowing PPPs to channel public resources to private profits deprives the nation of much needed resources for social services and development As the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) has been bogging down, prompting the Philippine Senate to deliberate on the train’s deteriorating services, research group IBON underscored how putting a public utility in the hands of […]

Lowering income taxes on low and middle income families urgent and doable – IBON

November 5, 2015

Lowering income taxes for the majority of families can be the start of more wide-ranging income tax reforms Given the burden of rising prices and a regressive tax system, the lowering or even removal of taxes on low and middle income families is long overdue, research group IBON said. Revenue losses can be compensated by […]

APEC to be launching pad: PH should thwart TPP bandwagon, group warns

October 13, 2015

The TPP is expected to eliminate tariffs further on thousands of goods and services, impose stricter rules on intellectual property rights and the supremacy of investor over state interest Research group IBON warned that the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting will most certainly be used to campaign for a powerful Pacific multilateral trade […]

Over one million jobs generated under Aquino poor in quality

October 5, 2015

Think-tank belies NEDA claim of better jobs climate Poor quality work has marked job generation under the Aquino government, while the country’s jobs crisis reached unprecedented levels. Research group IBON repeated this amid government claims that its mantra of good governance and good economics has led to better job opportunities. At the recently-held Philippine Economic […]