Advocacies
On imminent win: Duterte challenged to take first real steps as pro-people President
May 10, 2016
Research group IBON said that, if elected, 2016 national elections frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte would have risen to the presidency on a surge of frustration with traditional politics and chronic economic backwardness. The clamor for change deserves economic policies biased for the poor and the national economy and that break from the failed […]
Reject LRT-1 fare hike and junk PPP deal, IBON urges next admin
May 9, 2016
#BeyondElections2016 | As millions of voters troop to polling precincts to choose the country’s next political leaders, research group IBON Foundation urged whomever the new President will be to reject the fare hike being sought by the private operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1). The group added that the new administration […]
Path not to take: The exclusionary and elitist Daang Matuwid
May 8, 2016
#BeyondElections2016 | The Aquino administration’s long-playing call to sustain its so-called legacy of a fast-growing economy driven by “good governance” resonated in the “ituloy ang Daang Matuwid” electoral campaign. That the elections are just a day away and that the term of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III is nearing its end are opportune moments to review […]
Which candidate will strengthen the public school system?
May 6, 2016
Filipino families grapple with the increasing cost of education. Only 50% of Senior High-ready schools are public. Yet government keeps spending public funds for private gain: Php12.2 billion – Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program budget for 2016; Php47.9 billion – Government Assistance for Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) from 2010-2016; Php500 million-Php1 […]
Anyare? Economic decline since Marcos
May 5, 2016
The Marcos dictatorship started the Philippines on a path of economic decline that remains until today. This has already had the worst consequences for tens of millions of Filipinos across two generations. Unless corrected, it will burden generations to come. The Philippine economy’s decline since the 1980s is commonly attributed to the Marcos regime’s corruption […]
Automated Polls: Privatized elections, foreign-controlled democracy (Part 2)
May 2, 2016
Second of Two Parts By Arnold Padilla Why Smartmatic prevails Why Smartmatic keeps on winning Comelec contracts boggles the mind especially considering the numerous and major malfunctions by the machines and services that Smartmatic provided in the past two elections. To illustrate, while the AES law mandates a 99.995% accuracy rate, Smartmatic’s PCOS machines […]
Wage hikes under Aquino smallest since 1990s
May 1, 2016
Research group IBON said that unless the Aquino administration gives a wage hike before its term ends, it will have given the smallest wage hikes of any administration in the past 24 years. Wage repression is among the biggest reasons why recent rapid growth has been exclusionary and benefiting elites rather than the majority of […]
Worst jobs crisis by far: Job creation down; 24 million employed in poor quality work under Aquino
April 30, 2016
#BeyondElections2016 | Research group IBON said that while the Philippines saw growth, increasing corporate profits, investor confidence and international media hype under the Aquino administration, less new jobs were created, joblessness remains high, and the quality of work has worsened. Falling job creation under the incumbent administration has resulted in the most unemployed, underemployed, discouraged […]
P750 national minimum wage doable–IBON
April 29, 2016
Research group IBON said that it is possible for workers nationwide to receive the proposed national minimum wage (NMW) of Php750. Millions of workers and their families will immediately benefit while employers still keep over 70% of their substantial profits. The NMW is an immediate, important, and doable step towards making economic growth genuinely […]