COVID-19 response
Debt benefits
January 22, 2022
The national government deficit and debt are historically large amounts and so easy to raise alarms about. But if current borrowing is used productively, this debt burden is actually not necessarily unmanageable.
BBB: Farce multiplier
January 19, 2022
The real question is what balance to strike between universal social protection and infrastructure. The disproportionate attention to urban-centric transport infrastructure of the Build Build Build program is clearly a problem.
Scar-crossed Labors
January 17, 2022
We will likely hear claims of strong economic performance, early recovery, and returning to a path of rapid and inclusive growth. But labor force and poverty figures for 2021 already show how any claims like that will just be bluster or, worse, blind to the daily experience of millions of Filipinos.
Yearstarter: Seeking better normal in 2022
January 14, 2022
The administration that is exiting and the new one entering can take a more rational and humane approach to recovering and reforming the economy.
IBON Executive Director on govt’s heightened alert levels and COVID strategy shift
January 12, 2022
IBON Executive Director on gov’t COVID strategy shift
Yearender: Unrepentant economics in 2021
December 31, 2021
For the economic managers, managing the economy is really about making big business prosper most of all. It’s unfortunately not about doing everything to improve people’s lives or alleviate their distress.
Railroading 2022 national budget without ayuda confirms Duterte govt’s apathy
October 2, 2021
Important pandemic emergency aid programs implemented in 2020 were discontinued in 2021 and are also not in the proposed 2022 budget. The budget and social welfare departments should bat for this in the 2022 expenditure plan in Senate and bicameral deliberations
Funding war on communities, not defense of Philippine sovereignty
October 1, 2021
The House of Representatives (HOR) railroaded approval of the 2022 national budget, including bloated funds for the defense department which has been more visible in violating human rights than defending Philippine sovereignty.
Worsening joblessness and informal work can be fixed with immediate ayuda, stimulus
September 30, 2021
Latest labor force data of high unemployment and increasing informal workers should be a wake-up call for government to immediately undertake stimulus measures.
