Department of Finance

Infographic: Large Dams Under the Flagship Infrastructure Projects of the Duterte Administration

October 4, 2018

  Eight large dams are targeted for construction under the Duterte administration’s flagship infrastructure projects. These dams pose a threat to communities such as displacement and flooding. The cost for building them will also be passed onto consumers through taxes and high water and electricity rates. Read more: https://bit.ly/2yjISwz

Poor and middle class burdened most by TRAIN’s oil taxes

October 3, 2018

The higher oil excise taxes of the Duterte administration’s Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) is a greater burden on the poor and middle class than the rich, said research group IBON. The poor and middle class, even those few with gains from personal income tax cuts, will suffer cuts in their standard of […]

TRAIN-2: The Sequel Makes Things Worse

August 13, 2018

by Sonny Africa (Updated September 10, 11:57pm) The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Package 2 (TRAIN-2) recently approved by the House of Representatives (HOR) on third and final reading with 187 voting in its favor, 14 against, and 3 abstentions, increases corporate profits at the expense of Filipinos. TRAIN-2 was renamed Tax Reform for […]

Poorest 60M Filipinos suffer income loss due to first 6 months inflation in 2018

August 7, 2018

Lowest-income households lost as much as Php2,700 since start of 2018 Accelerating inflation since the start of the year has eroded the incomes of the country’s poorest families. Research group IBON estimates that the poorest 60 million Filipinos have suffered income losses of anywhere from Php993 to as much as Php2,715 because of worsening inflation […]

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 […]

Under TRAIN,the poorest will have less and the richest will have more (update)

January 14, 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. The highest earning 40% or about 9.1 million households will have even more money in their pockets under the recently passed Tax […]

Downplaying the price impact of TRAIN dishonest and insensitive–IBON

January 8, 2018

Petroleum excise taxes proven to be very inflationary in the past The administration persistently downplays certain increases in the prices of goods and services, research group IBON’s Executive Director Sonny Africa said. This is dishonest and insensitive to the burden that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) imposes on the poor to avoid […]

Duterte’s TRAIN a scourge, not a gift—IBON

December 21, 2017

Research group IBON said that contrary to its claims, the Duterte administration affirmed its apathy towards the low-income majority of Filipinos upon its signing of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN). By signing the tax program into law, government has proven its determination to collect funds for its purportedly pro-poor centerpiece programs but […]

Prices will increase beyond the Christmas season

December 19, 2017

On the day that Pres Duterte signs the tax reform package, IBON underscores how TRAIN will entail price hikes on various goods and services beyond Christmas. IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1987 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues. — Media & Communications Department […]