World Bank
US imperial decline and escalation
October 24, 2025
The second Trump presidency deepens rather than resolves the crises of US imperialism, sharpening contradictions both at home and abroad.
World Bank wants to tax Filipinos, but not the rich
April 8, 2025
Tax reforms should align with broader developmental goals like reducing inequality, strengthening public services, and promoting inclusive growth rather than narrowly focusing on revenue maximization. The government should object to World Bank conditionalities as a matter of principle.
PH “upper middle-income status” is just a number and a fantasy
December 1, 2024
The measure of being an upper-middle income country refers to an average that completely obscures the conditions of the majority. UMIC doesn’t really mean development in its most important sense of the well-being of people.
Upper middle-income status: A smokescreen for underdevelopment
September 30, 2022
Does getting an upper middle-income designation really mean the Philippines and its people are achieving genuine development? Or is it just another label being hyped by the Marcos Jr administration to project economic success while hiding a troubled economy and the millions of Filipinos being left behind?
Golden years?: The real long-lasting economic damage wrought by Marcos
September 21, 2021
The Marcos administration was notorious for world-beating cronyism and corruption. But this is not enough to fully explain the worst economic collapse in Philippine history and continued decline long after the dictatorship was overthrown.
Heightening China-PH economic relations: friends with benefits?
November 19, 2018
by Rosario Bella Guzman There is a growing concern about the phenomenal increase of Chinese capital flowing into the Philippine economy. China has recently overtaken the US in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and trade. In the first semester of 2018, FDI from China amounted to US$175 million as compared with Japan’s US$154 […]
Aid for profit undermines development
December 5, 2016
Official development aid (ODA) is increasingly becoming a tool to support private profits rather than people-centered development. This indicates the persistence of the neoliberal ways that prevent aid from meaningfully contributing to national development. The Second High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, concluded with a […]
Marcos ensured US-directed IMF/WB intervention in PH policy making
November 25, 2016
“The rule of Nacionalista Party’s Ferdinand E. Marcos which began in 1965 was strong on nationalist and patriotic rhetoric. Yet Pres. Marcos was by no means a nationalist if ‘nation’ is understood as the majority of Filipinos and ‘nationalism’ as upholding their interests and asserting Filipino sovereignty over foreign powers. “Most anti-nationalist president. […]
World Bank tax help unwelcome
September 20, 2016
Research group IBON said that the World Bank’s recent offer to assist the Department of Finance (DOF) with its tax reform plan, although not surprising, is unwelcome news. The World Bank with twin global financial pillar International Monetary Fund (IMF) has long been at the forefront of designing the Philippines’ regressive tax system, including providing […]
