News
Big Three’s profits more than combined income of country’s poorest families
May 5, 2011
IBON reiterates its position against the oil deregulation policy because it encourages such wanton profiteering at the expense of Filipino consumers. The profits of the Big Three oil firms are rising as rapidly as the increasing oil prices, with a record of at least Php141.7 billion in profits in the last decade. This is more […]
No more P25/kl rice in the market: Rice price monitoring group urges halt to NFA privatization
May 3, 2011
It also yielded a unity pact by participants, one urgent demand of which is bringing back to the market the Php18.25 per kilo NFA rice and increasing the NFA’s palay procurement by restoring its budget of at least Php8 million Ph Bantay Bigas, a rice price monitoring group comprised of rice industry multistakeholders recently urged […]
Repeal of VAT on oil not bad for economy
April 20, 2011
Repealing the value-added tax (VAT) on oil will actually even spur economic growth while mitigating the effects of oil prices on ordinary Filipinos. Research group IBON disputed claims of some economists that repealing the value-added tax (VAT) on oil will hurt the economy, saying that it will actually even spur economic growth while mitigating the […]
Raising minimum wage by P40 or less will be smaller than what GMA granted
April 20, 2011
A significant wage hike would go far in making the Aquino government’s promise of change from previous administrations more concrete. As government deliberates on a minimum wage increase, research group IBON said that granting a Php40-wage hike would just bring the real value of workers’ wages to the highest it was under the Arroyo administration. […]
NCR wages only 2/5 of cost to live decently: gov’t urged to raise wages to decent level
April 18, 2011
Daily minimum wage in Metro Manila has dropped to only about 41% of the amount needed for decent living Amid calls for a wage increase, research group IBON says that the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila has dropped to only about 41% of the amount needed for decent living. This is less than the […]
Wage increase justifiable, possible
April 14, 2011
The total cost of the proposed wage hike will only be Php135.6 billion which, subtracted from total profits, will still leave establishments with Php759.6 billion in profits. If small and large employers in the Philippines accept a cut in their already-substantial profits, they can afford to grant a sufficient wage increase, according to research group […]
Diesel, gas prices could be cheaper by Php6/liter without VAT; Reverse VAT to ease impact of oil price hikes, gov’t urged
April 6, 2011
Consumers of regular gasoline would have paid o only Php48.26 per liter and not the current Php54.85 without the VAT. Diesel, meanwhile, would have been priced at only Php41.45 per liter without the VAT With the public bearing a new round of oil prices hikes, research group IBON reiterates its call for government to reverse […]
IBON urges progressive specific tax system in place of VAT on oil
March 17, 2011
IBON proposes an improved progressive system of specific taxes on unproductive sectors wherein socially sensitive oil products diesel, LPG, and kerosene are exempted while personal, corporate income and wealth-related taxes are higher. If the Aquino government is seriously looking for measures that would cushion the impact of high oil prices on consumers and the local […]
Gov’t’s revised poverty methodology detached from real situation
February 17, 2011
Use of ‘least cost’ food bundle questioned Research group IBON criticizes government’s new poverty methodology as unreflective of the real situation of poor Filipinos, saying that the adjustments made on the already-flawed methodology has further distorted the picture of poverty in the country. The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) yesterday released official poverty figures based […]
