Under the knife: the 2024 health budget

September 8, 2023

FEATURES

The 2024 proposed health budget reflects the Marcos Jr administration’s utter neglect of public health.

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made (Part 3)

August 25, 2023

FEATURES

The budget is only one of the wide range of policy measures the government has to spur growth, develop the economy, and improve the conditions of the people. The attention the public gives is well-deserved because the budget can do so much so quickly to achieve these.

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made (Part 2)

August 25, 2023

FEATURES

Band-aids are not necessarily a bad thing. Social spending can be wielded to improve people’s conditions – which is important in itself even if not prioritized by the administration. But it can also be used to increase overall aggregate demand and stimulate the economy – which presumably even a narrow, growth-fixated mindset would appreciate.

National budget for 2024: A Budget Badly Made

August 25, 2023

FEATURES

Contrary to incredible “pro-poor” claims, the proposed 2024 national budget’s numbers tell a much different story about the administration’s priorities.

Smallest budget increase in 20 years

September 6, 2022

Despite a slowing economy that urgently needs stimulus for recovery, the proposed 2023 national budget gets the least increase in 20 years and mirrors the mispriorities of the Marcos Jr administration. The President and Vice President’s offices for instance get hefty increases as do infrastructure, debt servicing and defense. But crucial service-oriented areas such as […]

2023 Budget Cuts and Increases

September 6, 2022

Despite a slowing economy that urgently needs stimulus for recovery, the proposed 2023 national budget gets the least increase in 20 years and mirrors the mispriorities of the Marcos Jr administration. The President and Vice President’s offices for instance get hefty increases as do infrastructure, debt servicing and defense. But crucial service-oriented areas such as […]

Lower labor budget despite new agency

September 6, 2022

Despite a slowing economy that urgently needs stimulus for recovery, the proposed 2023 national budget gets the least increase in 20 years and mirrors the mispriorities of the Marcos Jr administration. The President and Vice President’s offices for instance get hefty increases as do infrastructure, debt servicing and defense. But crucial service-oriented areas such as […]

Duterte administration’s 2022 budget priorities

September 5, 2021

It’s business-as-usual for the Duterte administration in its proposed 2022 budget. It doesn’t respond to the pandemic and economic crisis that has destroyed livelihoods, lowered incomes, and worsened poverty.

Business-as-usual 2022 budget unresponsive to pandemic – IBON

August 26, 2021

The proposed 2022 national budget is perplexingly business-as-usual with the same priorities as before the pandemic. There is still disproportionate attention to infrastructure, the military and police, and debt service with only marginal changes to the health and social protection budgets. This latest spending plan should not just be scrutinized but also retailored to give due attention to urgent medical and economic responses.