COVID-19
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.
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.
The neglect of PH education: Where do we go from here?
October 5, 2021
The Philippines is one of two remaining countries in the world that have not reopened schools and conducted in-person classes. This is quite telling not only of the Duterte government’s poor pandemic response but also of the pre-existing problems of the Philippine education system. This is aggravated by the administration’s budget mispriorities, where it allocates more for infrastructure projects than education.
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.
IBON Executive Director on 2022 budget preventing speedy recovery
September 25, 2021
The 2022 budget prevents speedy recovery. Doesn’t spend enough to stimulate the economy and even spends on the wrong things.
Spending like normal during the very abnormal pandemic crisis
September 16, 2021
