infrastructure
PH starts 2024 on weak footing: Jobless growth and deindustrialization
January 12, 2024
FEATURE
The Marcos Jr administration knows that we all want good news because, well, who doesn’t. Unfortunately, it is taking advantage of this to manage citizens’ perception of the economy.
New taxes to pay for Duterte indulgences, not for COVID response—IBON
May 26, 2022
The DOF’s proposed new taxes for the incoming administration are for paying off the Duterte government’s relentless borrowing for its infrastructure and debt servicing fetish, not for much-needed COVID-19 response.
Record debt not due to COVID-19 response
March 5, 2022
The Duterte administration did not change its priorities despite urgent pandemic needs and, if anything, only used COVID-19 response to cover up massive borrowings for continued debt servicing and infrastructure.
Yearstarter: Seeking better normal in 2022
January 14, 2022
The administration that is exiting and the new one entering can take a more rational and humane approach to recovering and reforming the economy.
Big budget for infra agencies, low disbursement under Duterte
October 3, 2021
The Duterte administration budgets so much for infrastructure but isn’t even able to spend all of it. The proposed 2022 infrastructure budget is even bigger — shouldn’t more of the allocation be used for health, ayuda and small business support instead?
Inessential infra isn’t more important than health, ayuda
September 16, 2021
What Build Build Build has delivered
July 25, 2021
Nearing the end of the Duterte administration’s term, we don’t seem to be anywhere near the fulfilment of its big infrastructure dream. Build Build Build is supposed to be the centerpiece of what could be a Duterte legacy, but the program’s performance is far from defining a grand exit for the administration.
Record debt under Duterte administration
December 21, 2020
Each Filipino in effect owes Php92,190 and each Filipino family owes Php405,636. The average Filipino family owes as much as it earns in 18 months or over one-and-a-half years.
