IBON Foundation
Four indicators that Duterte’s tax program is anti-poor
Disyembre 1, 2017
Lawmakers should rethink Duterte tax program The Senate version of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bill remains anti-poor despite amendments. Research group IBON said this following senators’ recent approval of their version of the Duterte tax bill on third and final reading. According to the group, the Senate’s efforts to reduce the […]
Drop plan on Chinese telco, IBON urges Duterte
Nobyembre 30, 2017
Unreliable services including slow internet connection amid high costs will not necessarily be solved by allowing a foreign player in the country’s telecommunication (telecom) industry. Research group IBON made the statement following Malacañang’s announcement last week that the President has invited China to field in its own telecommunication company (telco) to supposedly challenge the duopoly […]
Gov’t assures private profits over MRT commuter welfare
Nobyembre 29, 2017
The government’s assurance of private profits from day one has led to the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 woes that has put commuter welfare on the line, said research group IBON. The latest series of train breakdowns and mishaps is but the tip of the iceberg and will persist under a privatized light rail system. […]
Peace talks a casualty of the Trump-Duterte meeting?
Nobyembre 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 […]
A million jobs lost in agri despite Q3 growth – IBON
Nobyembre 24, 2017
Research group IBON said that the economy may have had fast growth in third quarter 2017, but this was exclusionary considering that there were significant job losses during the same period. The group said that as long as economic growth remains dependent on external and unsustainable factors, this would not translate into the stable, decent […]
Protect PH economy, thwart RCEP
Nobyembre 20, 2017
Research group IBON said that the Philippine government should promote and protect Filipino industry instead of pursuing one-sided free trade agreements (FTAs). This is after Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) participating countries recently said that the regional trade deal would continue their strong economic performance. According to IBON, the government should only enter economic […]
ASEAN way: Big China-funded water, energy infra to displace more communities
Nobyembre 20, 2017
Can be more catastrophic than MRT Business projects oblivious to human communities are a trademark of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other globalization platforms, advocacy groups said Monday. Shortly after the conclusion of the 31st ASEAN Summit, indigenous peoples, and water and energy rights advocates slammed China-funded water and energy projects […]
Will amid woes: Dismantling large landholdings, staving off hunger
Nobyembre 16, 2017
Despite decades of land reform programs, millions of peasants remain landless. Land monopoly persists and continues to expand under various agribusiness venture agreements (AVAs) and other market-oriented land reform schemes such as the stock distribution option (SDO). Farmers and farmworkers who stand their ground demanding land distribution are meanwhile met with violence or intimidation by […]
Large landholdings amid peasant landlessness
Nobyembre 15, 2017
After a series of failed land reform programs, the large landholdings of the country’s big family names remain. These include plantations of coconut, sugar, banana, pineapple, palm oil, and mango orchards. Their monopoly control extends over the country’s natural resources through mining tenements, forest leases and management agreements, foreshore leases, special economic zones, and tourism […]
