Sonny Africa
Sonny Africa is the executive director of IBON Foundation.
World Bank wants to tax Filipinos, but not the rich
April 8, 2025
Tax reforms should align with broader developmental goals like reducing inequality, strengthening public services, and promoting inclusive growth rather than narrowly focusing on revenue maximization. The government should object to World Bank conditionalities as a matter of principle.
EPIRA beyond reform
February 28, 2025
COMMENTARY
The lament borders on cliché – the Philippines has among the highest electricity costs in the region.
Looking beyond corruption rankings
February 21, 2025
The real challenges are not simply about improving the country’s Corruption Perception Index scores. It is rather in seeking real accountability for high-level abuse of power.
Making upper middle-income status matter
February 20, 2025
Understanding what upper middle-income status really means easily clarifies that it is in many respects just a fantasy.
The bright side of the economy in 2025
January 7, 2025
Public awareness and demands for a better budget are essentially demands for an economic framework that prioritizes the welfare of the many over the interests of the few. This is a potentially powerful foundation for better economic policymaking in 2025 and beyond.
2025 BBM: Budget Badly Made
December 17, 2024
The government easily decides on austerity for the poor, yet just as easily decides to give huge budgets for pork and patronage, infrastructure for the rich, and even sacred debt service.
Rate expectations: Rethinking PH credit ratings
December 12, 2024
The economic managers don’t seem to realize that credit ratings are just, well, credit ratings. These shouldn’t be overstated as any kind of measure of economic performance or much less of national development.
The Long Game of Development (3)
December 8, 2024
We can’t neglect the most important strategy of democratic mass mobilizations to shift the balance of power and policies towards the majority.
The Long Game of Development (2)
December 8, 2024
From the 18th century and the first industrial revolution, how much have great leaps in technologies really contributed to fixing social underdevelopment? The expanding poverty and vulnerability of billions of people gives an answer.
