Philippine economy

Book: Mining Ills

March 17, 2018

The book Mining Ills probes violations on social determinants of health in a number of Philippine communities upon the entry of mining companies, most of which are transnational corporations (TNCs).

In Asia Pacific, the Philippines has the second slowest average connection speed and the third slowest average peak connection speed. To illustrate, the Internet speed in South Korea is more than seven times the average Internet speed in the Philipines. Singapore’s peak connection speed is five times the Philippine Average. #BetterDigitalWorld Read: http://bit.ly/2Gwe13g

PH telecoms: Towards greater foreign control (IBON Facts & Figures excerpt)

March 15, 2018

Government should play a central role in the telecoms industry through nationalization and reversal of privatization, deregulation, and liberalization of the sector. Basic principles may include but are not limited to ensuring telecoms services with affordable rates for the working people, including free Internet, and that serves the needs of national economic development; promoting public […]

Highest unemployment in ASEAN

March 12, 2018

Latest data shows that the number of employed Filipinos fell by 663,000 to 40.3 million in 2017 from the year before and the number of unemployed rose by 66,000 to 4.1 million. The unemployment rate has also risen to some 9.2% and remains by far the highest in ASEAN.

UCTs only temporary

March 11, 2018

DOF said TRAIN will be ‘manageable’ since there would be unconditional cash transfers (UCT) for 10 million poor households. However, UCT is at Php200 per month in 2018 and 2019 then becomes Php300 per month in 2020. It is discontinued in 2021, when the poorest Filipino families will be confronted by markedly higher prices that […]

US still a major player

March 10, 2018

While the Duterte administration claims to have an independent foreign policy, his major programs such as the packages of tax reforms and the planned Charter change are among the key policy reforms long lobbied for by US business groups together with US aid agencies. Moreover, the US remains a major player in the Philippine economy. […]

Unsolicited projects for favored business interests to rise under Pres. Duterte?

March 2, 2018

By Arnold Padilla When President Duterte said last month that “all projects of the Philippines would be something like a Swiss Challenge”, media attention has focused on the Swiss Challenge and its implications. But what the presidential statement implied was that in order to supposedly fast track his ambitious Build Build Build program, the administration […]

January inflation partially due to TRAIN—IBON

March 2, 2018

No cash transfers to cover January inflation, with prices going even higher in the months and years to come The Department of Finance (DOF) said that January inflation was not caused by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. Research group IBON however points out that the new tax program definitely contributed to […]

Wholesale ‘Swiss challenge’ will lead to greater, more hidden corruption–IBON

February 2, 2018

The Duterte administration’s proposal to do away with public bidding and replace this with the even less transparent ‘Swiss challenge’ system for all government projects could lead to more extensive and veiled corruption, said research group IBON’s executive director Sonny Africa. Pres. Duterte’s push for the Swiss challenge system is supposedly aimed at getting rid […]