Group challenges Senate: Stop Charter change

May 19, 2019

Research group IBON is challenging the succeeding Senate to prove its independence by rejecting the proposal to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution or Charter change (Cha-cha). Lawmakers should keep in mind the dangers that Cha-cha poses on Philippine economic sovereignty, said the group, and not be swayed into passing other laws that fulfill the consistent […]

Regarding efforts to change the 1987 Philippine Constitution

January 10, 2019

Charter change for development? (Excerpt from IBON Facts & Figures)

May 25, 2018

The latest call for changes in the Philippine Constitution or Charter is the latest among the many attempts, in more than a decade since the 1990s,  seeking to remove the Charter’s nationalist and other progressive economic provisions. Widepsread protests and outright resistance from various sectors however deterred legislators from pursuing the changes. Those who are […]

Charter Change: Renewed blow to sovereignty (IBON Facts & Figures excerpt)

April 22, 2018

The Philippine Congress pushed anew efforts towards amending the 1987 Philippine Constitution… This call for changes in the Charter is the latest among many attempts, seeking to remove the Charter’s nationalist and other progressive economic provisions. Widespread protests and outright resistance from various sectors however deterred legislators from pursuing the changes. Those who are opposed […]

Public funds for private gain in education

April 8, 2018

Foreign ownership of education could lead to the further commercialization of education especially with the introduction of new competitors to the private education business. Commercialized PH education has already seen decades of increasing tuition and school fees, the rise of oligarchs-run educational institutions against a weakening public system, and a career-oriented curriculum instead of one […]

What You Need to Know About Charter Change and its Possible Effects on the Education Sector

April 4, 2018

By Jose Lorenzo Lim (In a series of articles, IBON tackles proposals to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution*, focusing on social and economic provisions. These touch on agrarian reform for industrialization, and full foreign ownership and control of Philippine lands and natural resources including agricultural lands, public utilities, labor rights, educational institutions and mass media. […]

2017 Yearend Birdtalk: Dutertenomics and Dictatorship, Thwarting Democracy

January 29, 2018

Download the 2017 Yearend Birdtalk briefing paper here The year 2017 will be remembered as the year when the first major signs of distress for the Duterte administration showed themselves. The signs of economic troubles and the fundamentally anti-poor direction of economic policies became even clearer. The political agenda of centralized power and extended rule […]

Independent foreign policy? Foreign interests behind TRAIN, Cha-cha, says IBON

January 18, 2018

While President Duterte likes to claim that his administration adheres to an independent foreign policy, it appears that his major programs such as the packages of tax reforms and the planned Charter change (Cha-cha) are actually pushed by US and other foreign interests. IBON noted that the tax reforms and Cha-cha are among the key policy reforms long lobbied for by […]

Five ASEAN features that show “One Community” is exclusionary

November 12, 2017

By Casey Salamanca On its 50th year, and under Philippine chairmanship, the Association of South East Asian Nations or ASEAN is being hyped to have brought development to its member countries. Themed “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World” for 2017, the convergence of ASEAN’s ten-member countries and its dialogue partners is anticipated to bolster the regional […]