People’s Agenda

Marcos-initiated “globalization” led to PH economic decline

November 26, 2016

  “In 1980, the Marcos regime actually made the Philippines the first country in Asia and the second country in the world, after Turkey, to be at the receiving end of a World Bank structural adjustment loan (SAL). The conditionalities of the US$200 million loan included among others tariff cuts, removal of import licenses and […]

Marcos ensured US-directed IMF/WB intervention in PH policy making

November 25, 2016

    “The rule of Nacionalista Party’s Ferdinand E. Marcos which began in 1965 was strong on nationalist and patriotic rhetoric. Yet Pres. Marcos was by no means a nationalist if ‘nation’ is understood as the majority of Filipinos and ‘nationalism’ as upholding their interests and asserting Filipino sovereignty over foreign powers. “Most anti-nationalist president. […]

Under Marcos dictatorship unemployment worsened, prices soared, poverty persisted

November 25, 2016

  “The decade 1975-1986 was actually a time of intense social crisis and economic difficulty for most Filipinos. The unemployment rate was falling in the early years of the Marcos regime – from 7.1% in 1966 to 3.9% in 1975. But this reversed in the mid-1970s to rapidly rise back to 7.9% in 1980. The […]

Word-class bureaucrat capitalism under Marcos added to PH econ woes

November 24, 2016

“This narrative highlights the evils of dictatorship and abuse of power. But it falters in explaining why, over three decades after the end of the Marcos regime, the economy still remains so backward in the things that matter – job creation, poverty reduction, agricultural and industrial development, and policy sovereignty. “Bureaucrat capitalism under Marcos was […]

Punlaan music album at People’s Bookshop Sale

November 23, 2016

Experience the Punlaan land to the tiller food for all-themed music album at the People’s Bookshop Sale (starts November 23). Launched last October, Punlaan is a unique compilation of original Filipino farmers, indigenous and cultural groups’ compositions narrating the stories and struggles of the Filipino people in the context of a backward and underdeveloped economy […]

Tribute to animator Gibet Torres

November 23, 2016

IBON pays tribute to animator Gilbert “Gibet” Torres, who recently passed away. A Martial Law victim and a staunch advocate of pro-people alternatives to the country’s socio-economic woes, Gibet was also an IBON artist. We share some of his artworks for IBON and for nationalist Jose “Pepe” Diokno’s book “A Nation For Our Children”.

64% of Filipinos had trouble paying for electricity—IBON Survey

November 21, 2016

​IBON’s latest survey showed that many Filipinos had trouble meeting expenses on electricity and water in the recent months. Asked how their family met expenses on electricity and water in the past three months, six of ten said they had trouble meeting electricity expenses while many said they had trouble meeting water expenses. Sixty-four percent […]

IBON promotes “Economics for Filipinos” with National Book Awardee

November 20, 2016

During National Book Week, research group IBON is set to launch its 2017 “Economics for Filipinos” planner with recently-proclaimed National Book Awardee Manix Abrera. Themed “Promoting Pro-people Economics for Filipinos”, the 2017 IBON planner was illustrated by the  celebrated Philippine Daily Inquirer cartoon strip “Kiko Machine” artist and author. His recent work “News Hardcore!” earned […]

2017 IBON Planner “Promoting pro-people economics for Filipinos” excerpts

November 20, 2016

  “This year, IBON highlights twelve points for nationalist and progressive economics. These counterpose the neoliberal economic policy-making that worsen poverty and inequality in the Philippines. Neoliberal  economics results in joblessness, job insecurity, decrepit social services, and foreign plunder of our natural resources. “These twelve points are drawn from the People’s Agenda for Change. The […]