Duterte’s tax reform program: Economic injustice

December 19, 2018

Poor Filipino families worst hit by rising July 2018 inflation

August 8, 2018

Research group IBON said that faster inflation largely due to rising food prices hits poor households the worst. The group also said that the Duterte administration’s proposal to increase food imports is short-sighted, and that the best defense against rising food prices and high inflation is to increase domestic food supply through long-term solutions that […]

Group refutes government’s defense of TRAIN

July 23, 2018

In a consumer forum held in anticipation of the third State of the Nation Address, research group IBON debunked the Duterte administration’s avid defense of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. The group said that contrary to government’s pronouncements, the tax program is not beneficial to the poor majority of Filipinos and […]

TRAIN-driven rising cost of living makes wage hike urgent

July 9, 2018

Research group IBON said that tax-driven inflation is making the meager wages of poor Filipinos fall even further behind the rising cost of living. The group said this makes it even more urgent for the government to immediately raise wages even as it revisits the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law behind the […]

No thanks: US behind Duterte’s anti-poor tax reform

November 13, 2017

At the onset of the much-anticipated first-ever bilateral talks between United States president Donald Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte on Philippine soil, it should be reiterated that the US has a hand in what would be the most anti-poor tax program in the country’s history. The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) exemplifies how […]

Majority not in favor of tax reform proposals – IBON Survey

September 13, 2017

The latest survey of research group IBON showed that majority of Filipinos do not approve of almost all proposals under the first package of the Duterte administration’s proposed tax reform program. Survey respondents were informed that the government has a proposed tax reform package. They were presented with a list of some of the tax […]

Buwis(et)! DOF’s Top 5 Tax Reform Lies

June 20, 2017

By Sonny Africa IBON FEATURES — The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN), the first part of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), has hurdled the House of Representatives (HOR) and is up for deliberations at the Senate. The Department of Finance (DOF) targets approval of TRAIN, or House Bill No. […]

Fuel excise tax more burden than boon for poor — IBON

January 9, 2017

  Research group IBON said that the fuel excise tax being pushed by President Duterte’s economic managers will increase taxes on already burdened poor and low income wage earners. The group said that the Duterte administration should redesign the tax system to tax the richest who have the huge ability to pay more and relieve […]

Tax the richest to provide much-needed social services, Duterte gov’t urged

September 27, 2016

Research group IBON remarked that the Department of Finance’s (DOF) proposed tax plan essentially remains elitist and is inconsistent with President Duterte’s pro-poor stance. Following the president’s lead, government should be brave enough to tax the richest businesses and families instead of burdening the poor with new taxes. The DOF on Monday submitted to Congress […]