anti-poor taxation

Group refutes government’s defense of TRAIN

July 23, 2018

In a consumer forum held in anticipation of the third State of the Nation Address, research group IBON debunked the Duterte administration’s avid defense of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. The group said that contrary to government’s pronouncements, the tax program is not beneficial to the poor majority of Filipinos and […]

TRAIN-driven rising cost of living makes wage hike urgent

July 9, 2018

Research group IBON said that tax-driven inflation is making the meager wages of poor Filipinos fall even further behind the rising cost of living. The group said this makes it even more urgent for the government to immediately raise wages even as it revisits the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law behind the […]

Govt’s TRAIN to blame for highest inflation in nearly 10 years — IBON

July 5, 2018

Research group IBON said that the government’s insistence on higher taxes especially on the poor is among the factors driving inflation rates to their highest in nearly a decade. The group said that runaway inflation is due to the peso depreciation and rising global oil prices combined with the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion […]

TRAIN-induced price increases are permanent—IBON

May 10, 2018

The inflation spike marks the start of increases​ driven by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN)​ in the prices of basic goods and services for the next three years, research group IBON said. Further inflationary surges are likely to happen in 2019 and 2020 when the next two rounds of additional taxes on […]

Slow TRAIN cash transfers highlight govt’s insensitivity–IBON

February 27, 2018

The poor will get relief about three months into suffering TRAIN-induced price increases with millions of others only getting it much later  Research group IBON said that the slow implementation of the Duterte administration’s social mitigation measures including its cash subsidies highlights how these are just an afterthought to cover up how the Tax Reform […]

Double taxes on oil show govt’s lack of concern for poor – IBON

February 23, 2018

Slapping additional taxes on oil products makes the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law anti-poor, research group IBON said. Contrary to the argument that the new law is ‘fair’, the group said that these oil taxes should be scrapped for the benefit of millions of Filipinos who will otherwise continue to suffer the […]

Even more money for the rich under TRAIN law – IBON

January 12, 2018

The rich and other higher income groups will have larger take home pay than previously estimated under the new tax law, while the poor will still bear the brunt of paying higher taxes, said research group IBON. IBON said that the highest earning 40% or about 9.1 million households will have even more money in […]

No thanks: US behind Duterte’s anti-poor tax reform

November 13, 2017

At the onset of the much-anticipated first-ever bilateral talks between United States president Donald Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte on Philippine soil, it should be reiterated that the US has a hand in what would be the most anti-poor tax program in the country’s history. The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) exemplifies how […]

Under TRAIN, the majority poor do not gain from income tax reforms (TRAIN Infographic #3)

September 11, 2017

The DOF’s estimates of personal income tax gains for the poorest Filipinos erroneously assumes that the poorest Filipinos currently pay income tax. This is untrue because the BIR’s records indicate only some 5.6 million taxpayers at present who are wholly from the highest income brackets. The poorest Filipinos do not pay income tax now so, contrary […]