Duterte administration

Financial strength, development weakness

May 14, 2020

COMMENTARY

In this kind of situation, you don’t obsess about fuel-efficient driving or not red-lining the tachometer or limiting the car’s mileage – you step on the gas. Glorifying ‘financial strength’ is stepping on the brakes.

Why can’t food self-sufficiency be our new normal?

May 8, 2020

FEATURES

From the outset of the Duterte government’s military lockdown as its response to the spread of the coronavirus, it has directed the continuous flow of food commodities, along with medicines and other essentials. Food is inarguably essential to people’s survival during a pandemic and in its socioeconomic aftermath.

ABS-CBN shutdown a threat to press freedom, a bane to transformative education

May 8, 2020

NETWORKS | EDUCATORS’ FORUM FOR DEVELOPMENT

We are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to which our government can only muster a militaristic response instead of strengthening our health system and relay incoherent reports, and at times, disinformation.

PH economy was already slowing – COVID-19 just made it worse

May 7, 2020

NEWS

The Philippine economy was already weak coming into the COVID-19 crisis. Growth will remain slow if the government does not acknowledge pre-existing weaknesses that the pandemic merely intensified.

After 7 weeks of lockdown: Meager cash aid puts HHs below official poverty line

May 5, 2020

NEWS

97% of 11.4 million served beneficiaries are barely surviving the lockdown with cash aid that is way below the official poverty line.

Oil tax hike insensitive and will make poor Filipinos suffer more

May 5, 2020

NEWS

Raising taxes on imported oil products will push prices up and burden many poor households already struggling with jobs and income losses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

POGOs not an essential sector, only 0.23% of gov’t annual tax revenues

May 4, 2020

NEWS

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) generate minimal income and employment for the country, contrary to government’s claim that it is an essential sector and should be partially reopened.

Millions left behind during lockdown

May 1, 2020

The Duterte administration’s poor emergency relief leaves 7.7 million working people and their families behind during the worst mass unemployment in decades.

ECQ disrupts livelihood of 19M:

Millions of working people left behind by poor gov’t response

May 1, 2020

NEWS

The Duterte administration’s poor response is causing widespread suffering and passing the burden of containment onto the poorest and most vulnerable.