News

As SONA nears: Aquino performance notably poor in prices, jobs, wages, land

July 19, 2011

Even this manufactured post-Arroyo sense of hope is diminishing with growing disenchantment among the public and even among erstwhile allies of the administration The likely hype and promises in the president’s upcoming state of the nation address (SONA) should be seen in the context of economic realities,according to research group IBON. Pres. Aquino’s performance has […]

Hacienda workers poorer under SDO: SC decision denies chance of improved condition

July 4, 2011

The SC missed the opportunity of making a landmark verdict on the Hacienda Luisita issue, which would have broken the feudal monopoly of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan over the 6,453-landholding and brought immediate and long-term economic benefits to the farm The Supreme Court (SC) decision fails to give justice to thousands of Hacienda Luisita farmers, as […]

IBON: Psalm rate hike bid anti-consumer, EPIRA to blame

June 30, 2011

The financial bleeding of Napocor continued under EPIRA because the law legitimized the onerous contracts signed by Napocor with the IPPs The petition for another 39-centavo per kilowatt-hour (kWh) hike in power rates through the universal charge is anti-consumer, according to research group IBON. The petition filed this week by the Power Sector Assets and […]

Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016: A Social Contract With Whom?

June 22, 2011

The essential economic thrust is straightforward: stick to the globalization policies implemented over the last decades, deepen and broaden privatization… [wpdm_package id=4209 template=”link-template-default.php”] The Aquino administration adopted the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016 in March this year which the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) formally released to the public on May 30, 2011. The […]

Aquino’s plan upholds discredited development model

June 2, 2011

The PDP gives disproportionate stress on public-private partnerships (PPP) as if, the group said, these will substantially address the country’s underdevelopment troubles The Aquino administration has formally released the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016, but research group IBON says the plan poses serious problems for the economy as it insists on a discredited development model. […]

Slow 1st Quarter Growth Indicates Year-End Target Unlikely To Be Met

May 30, 2011

The government should not merely bank on PPP-driven infrastructure, multi-million cash dole outs, global economic recovery and the supposed “business and consumer” trust in government to achieve meaningful growth. The slow 4.9% growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter shows how the relatively high growth in 2010 was mainly a rebound […]

Economic sovereignty at risk with looming E.U. free trade deal

May 25, 2011

Filipinos have witnessed their livelihood and social welfare deteriorate from decades of free trade Trade officials will reportedly begin consultations among stakeholders for the proposed bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), but research group IBON urged government not to abandon the country’s right to implement key development policy in favor of EU […]

P13-wage increase insufficient: Inflation erodes NCR minimum wage to only P235

May 6, 2011

An increase of Php18.50 will merely restore the value of the minimum wage to its real value upon the start of the Aquino administration of Php243.50 The Php13-wage hike proposed by employers is not enough to even restore the real wage to its June 2010 level, said research group IBON, adding that inflation has eroded […]

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 […]