Watt a burden

April 26, 2026

What is the government doing? Despite President Marcos Jr’s Executive Order 110 declaring a “state of national energy emergency”, on March 24, it’s business as usual for oil, energy, and electricity firms. The government, meanwhile, just continues with the 12% value-added tax on electricity, adding to the burden of the majority who are already financially struggling, while power firms profit from the crisis.

Disconnection Notice! Villars, oligarchs, should have no place in public services or utilities

May 6, 2025

Disconnection Notice! Villars, oligarchs, should have no place in public services or utilities

Duterte giving public utilities to foreign capital

February 3, 2022

Congress recently ratified the bicameral version of the bill amending the Public Service Act and opening up domestic sectors to 100% ownership by foreign capital. This includes telecommunications, shipping, airports, airlines, railways, subways, expressways and tollways. Passing this proposed law will be one-step-forwards-two-steps-backwards for the country.

IBON Executive Director on Foreign Ownership of Public Utilities

February 20, 2020

Water You Up To, Mr. President?

December 13, 2019

BY SONNY AFRICA

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is posturing against oligarchs again. This time, the tough talk is against corporate water giants Manila Water and Maynilad.

Their Wealth is Tu-big!

December 6, 2019

INFOGRAPHICS

Water is a human right and should be a public service. But did you know how much it boosts private profits of the country’s richest oligarchs?

On President Duterte’s take on the water crisis in his SONA speech

July 24, 2019

#MalalangEkonomiya #MayMagagawa #PeopleEconomics

Public services for foreign ownership

June 13, 2019

2019 midterm elections results: Harsher policies ahead

May 26, 2019

Administration-backed bets dominated the 2019 midterm elections especially in the Senate. The Duterte administration will certainly fast track its priority neoliberal policies as soon as the 18th Congress opens. It already used its super-majority in the 17th Congress to pass socioeconomic measures aggravating the country’s jobs crisis, poverty, and underdevelopment. More and harsher ones loom […]