News
Rate hike for Maynilad customers approved: Looming increase in water rates to burden consumers more
September 14, 2018
Amid soaring prices, the MWSS Board of Trustees has given the nod to higher water rates for Maynilad Water Systems Inc. This and impending Manila Water Company, Inc. rate increases are bound to burden consumers anew, said water rights group Water for the People Network (WPN). WPN urged the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Regulatory Office […]
295,000 jobs lost since Duterte assumed office, IBON maintains
September 13, 2018
Research group IBON stood by its estimates that close to 300,000 jobs were lost since the start of the Duterte administration, that has been downplaying the fact. The group stressed this after Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) honorary chair Sergio Ortiz-Luis said that IBON’s description of jobs lost is “deceiving”. Ortiz-Luis reportedly said that […]
Jobs crisis getting worse under Duterte gov’t – IBON
September 10, 2018
Research group IBON said that the jobs crisis in the country is getting more severe under the Duterte administration. The group said that the government should be more forthright and admit growing economic insecurity from inflation and joblessness rather than keep trying to downplay this. Millions of Filipinos are jobless, including those excluded from official […]
Government losing control of economy –IBON
September 5, 2018
The Duterte administration is losing control over the Philippine economy and the poorest Filipinos are suffering for this, research group IBON said upon the release of the August inflation rate. The greatly accelerating inflation is only the latest in a series of bad economic news about the economy’s so-called fundamentals. The Philippine Statistics Authority […]
IBON: Wage hike needed as Filipino families’ incomes erode January-July due to inflation
August 31, 2018
A substantial increase in the minimum wage is necessary and doable as the country’s poorest households are losing income due to escalating inflation, said research group IBON, contrary to the recent claims of an employers’ group. IBON estimates that income losses of the poorest 60 million Filipinos ranged from Php1,276 to as much as Php3,489 […]
Crisis of PH agriculture drives high inflation and economic slowdown
August 10, 2018
Research group IBON said that the recently released second quarter 2018 growth figures confirm the fundamental reason for rising food prices: underdeveloped agriculture from government neglect. While the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law is the most proximate driver of inflation within the Duterte administration’s control, the agricultural sector’s underdevelopment is the long-term […]
Projected rice tariffication revenues may not be enough support for farmers
August 10, 2018
Research group IBON doubted that projected revenues from imposing tariffs on unlimited rice imports instead of quantitative restrictions (QRs) on the staple would be enough to support farmers’ production. The group stressed this amid worrisome agriculture decline and increasing food prices, which the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) yesterday used to justify proposals for […]
Poor Filipino families worst hit by rising July 2018 inflation
August 8, 2018
Research group IBON said that faster inflation largely due to rising food prices hits poor households the worst. The group also said that the Duterte administration’s proposal to increase food imports is short-sighted, and that the best defense against rising food prices and high inflation is to increase domestic food supply through long-term solutions that […]
Poorest 60M Filipinos suffer income loss due to first 6 months inflation in 2018
August 7, 2018
Lowest-income households lost as much as Php2,700 since start of 2018 Accelerating inflation since the start of the year has eroded the incomes of the country’s poorest families. Research group IBON estimates that the poorest 60 million Filipinos have suffered income losses of anywhere from Php993 to as much as Php2,715 because of worsening inflation […]