Philippine economy
Less land for food
March 30, 2018
While foreign land grabbing intensifies across the globe, the concentration of Philippine agricultural lands in the hands of oligarchs amid sham land distribution is becoming even more rampant, depriving the tillers of the fruits of the land they made productive, and threatening the country’s food security.
Book: Guns Against Needles
March 25, 2018
“Communities are organizing themselves to form committees on health and sanitation, livelihood, and sustainable agriculture to provide social and economic services where government is absent or wanting. But State forces have often linked these development efforts to insurgency and anti-government actions thus have targeted them in counterinsurgency operations. Military operations have not only resulted in […]
Book: Mining Ills
March 17, 2018
The book Mining Ills probes violations on social determinants of health in a number of Philippine communities upon the entry of mining companies, most of which are transnational corporations (TNCs).
Slow internet speed
March 16, 2018
In Asia Pacific, the Philippines has the second slowest average connection speed and the third slowest average peak connection speed. To illustrate, the Internet speed in South Korea is more than seven times the average Internet speed in the Philipines. Singapore’s peak connection speed is five times the Philippine Average. #BetterDigitalWorld Read: http://bit.ly/2Gwe13g
PH telecoms: Towards greater foreign control (IBON Facts & Figures excerpt)
March 15, 2018
Government should play a central role in the telecoms industry through nationalization and reversal of privatization, deregulation, and liberalization of the sector. Basic principles may include but are not limited to ensuring telecoms services with affordable rates for the working people, including free Internet, and that serves the needs of national economic development; promoting public […]
Highest unemployment in ASEAN
March 12, 2018
Latest data shows that the number of employed Filipinos fell by 663,000 to 40.3 million in 2017 from the year before and the number of unemployed rose by 66,000 to 4.1 million. The unemployment rate has also risen to some 9.2% and remains by far the highest in ASEAN.
UCTs only temporary
March 11, 2018
DOF said TRAIN will be ‘manageable’ since there would be unconditional cash transfers (UCT) for 10 million poor households. However, UCT is at Php200 per month in 2018 and 2019 then becomes Php300 per month in 2020. It is discontinued in 2021, when the poorest Filipino families will be confronted by markedly higher prices that […]
US still a major player
March 10, 2018
While the Duterte administration claims to have an independent foreign policy, his major programs such as the packages of tax reforms and the planned Charter change are among the key policy reforms long lobbied for by US business groups together with US aid agencies. Moreover, the US remains a major player in the Philippine economy. […]
Unsolicited projects for favored business interests to rise under Pres. Duterte?
March 2, 2018
By Arnold Padilla When President Duterte said last month that “all projects of the Philippines would be something like a Swiss Challenge”, media attention has focused on the Swiss Challenge and its implications. But what the presidential statement implied was that in order to supposedly fast track his ambitious Build Build Build program, the administration […]
