Philippine economy
Spending like normal during the very abnormal pandemic crisis
September 16, 2021
Inessential infra isn’t more important than health, ayuda
September 16, 2021
Why spend more on military and police than small businesses and farmers?
September 16, 2021
Govt’s 7-9% growth in 2022 is just a fantasy – IBON
August 26, 2021
The Development Budget Coordination Committee has had a poor record of projecting economic growth in the last five years with their estimates always off the mark. Worse, their narrow-minded fiscal conservatism is the biggest factor preventing more rapid recovery.
2022 budget stalls recovery, worsens inequality
August 23, 2021
Government’s proposed 2022 national budget is the second budget in a row that fails to respond to the pandemic. The Duterte administration is not spending enough on economic stimulus, health, ayuda, and small businesses which are the most important things to recover quickly and stop worsening deprivation. The economic managers’ misguided fiscal conservatism is counterproductive and needs urgent correction.
Ayuda urgently needed to mitigate worsening poverty
August 21, 2021
The government has just announced the transition from ECQ to modified ECQ so the economy can supposedly recover. But the Duterte administration’s over-reliance on destructive lockdowns without effective and substantial health and economic response, like much-needed ayuda, is what’s really worsening the crisis and pushing more Filipinos into poverty.
June labor force survey confirms economy not recovering despite reopening
August 3, 2021
The latest labor force survey (LFS) shows how far away the economy is from recovering without real fiscal stimulus. Job generation is hollow with a bloating informal sector and huge contraction in full-time work. These will worsen with the looming ECQ which will push millions of Filipinos into deeper economic distress.
Dutertegarchs in politics
July 27, 2021
[INFOGRAPHIC] Old and new oligarchs benefiting from the Duterte administration’s economic policies are not coincidentally very much involved in Philippine politics