America First, Philippines Last: The art of the bad deal

April 29, 2025

COMMENTARY

It is baffling how the Philippine government can so badly misread the US’s unambiguous “America First” statements and actions as signaling an interest in Philippine development.

Trump’s hyper-neoliberalism

April 21, 2025

FEATURES

While the Trump administration represents a rupture from neoliberal globalization, its protectionist stance reflects a deeper continuity. Trump is not repudiating neoliberalism but rather accelerating and concentrating it.

IBON Executive Director on the RCEP trade agreement

November 18, 2020

Peace talks a casualty of the Trump-Duterte meeting?

November 24, 2017

By Arnold Padilla IBON Features – President Rodrigo Duterte’s hosting as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings solidified the sort of foreign policy that his administration will chart throughout its term. It is one that critics have already pointed out as still dependent on the patronage of the […]

RCEP talks secretive, undemocratic – IBON

September 4, 2017

Research group IBON expressed concern about the secretive and undemocratic proceedings of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) especially considering its apparent significant impact on the country’s economy, economic sovereignty and people’s welfare. The group said that it is the Duterte administration’s responsibility to ensure genuine transparency and public consultation to uphold the interests of […]

Duterte’s RCEP push at ASEAN, implications on PH economy & development (Part 2)

August 13, 2017

By Arnold Padilla Part 2 –  The more far-reaching implication of the RCEP is on the country’s sovereignty in regulating foreign investments and in designing and implementing development plans that would serve the national interest and public welfare. FTAs like the RCEP want to further erode the mandate of governments and other state institutions. This is […]

Duterte’s RCEP push at ASEAN, implications on PH economy and development

August 10, 2017

By Arnold Padilla Part 1-At the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal. RCEP is being negotiated by the 10 member states of the ASEAN plus six other countries that ASEAN has a free trade agreement (FTA) with or the so-called […]

RCEP is Undemocratic and Anti-Development

May 11, 2017

IBON Foundation Statement for the Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC)18th Round of Negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Manila, May 10, 2017 Our countries should not be prevented from implementing real development policies. After over three decades of globalization we need to reclaim our economic sovereignty, not erode this even […]

Rethink RCEP, liberalization, ASEAN told

April 20, 2017

  Research group IBON today asked the Philippine government and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) to rethink plans of further deepening economic liberalization. This has only caused unprecedented production decline, poverty and joblessness while undermining national sovereignty, development planning, and public welfare and interest in the country and region. IBON […]