Gov’t hyping employment gains to avoid giving more ayuda, stimulus – IBON

May 6, 2021

Latest labor force figures show that Filipinos are not regaining their jobs and incomes and, on the contrary, are desperately trying to make a living in whatever way they can.

Greater Manila ECQ/MECQ shallow without aggressive COVID response – IBON

May 5, 2021

Repeated quarantines to slow the spread of COVID-19 will be futile if it is not coupled with sufficient health and economic measures so that citizens can return to work safely, have more purchasing power, and spur economic activity.

EO 130: Much fuss about paltry gains

April 26, 2021

The Duterte government with its EO 130 continues to argue for the reckless exploitation of the country’s vast mineral wealth for other countries’ corporate gains and industrial benefits. This makes the projected gains from large-scale mining even paltrier than they already are. We are giving up the non-renewable resource, the Philippines’ huge potential to industrialize, for nothing.

More than enough funds available to give urgent cash aid — IBON

April 26, 2021

The government can finance the very urgent and long overdue cash assistance if only it chose to. It has to make emergency relief and support a priority and not something provided only if there is somehow extra cash lying around.

Incentives granted under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995

April 22, 2021

The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 worsened the plunder of the country’s mineral resources by big local and foreign mining firms at the expense of the environment and people’s livelihoods, culture and national sovereignty. The Duterte administration should repeal this law for all the damage it has done and will do. Instead, it recently lifted […]

Big business plundering the environment

April 22, 2021

Mass vaccination PH: Throwing away our shots (Part Two)

April 15, 2021

The Philippines is not expected to be ahead of the vaccine race being a poor, non-industrial and import-dependent country. But despite our underdevelopment, we still deserve better and more efficient government handling of our predicament.

Mass vaccination PH: Throwing away our shots (Part One)

April 15, 2021

A number of Asian countries are seeing an increase in COVID with surges particularly large in South Asia and, in Southeast Asia, the Philippines. The Duterte administration has been telling us since last year that the arrival of vaccines is its ultimate solution but, dismally, these are coming in trickles.

Late rollout, slow vaccination

April 7, 2021

The number of COVID cases in the country has surpassed 800,000 and is projected to reach 1 million by end-April. Yet vaccine rollout remains slow and chaotic.