IBON Foundation

24/08/2026

IBON Executive Director Sonny Africa on EO 122 on critical minerals

23/08/2026

Most of the country's gross borrowings go to debt servicing or paying the national government's debts.

23/08/2026

The average monthly increase of Php130.7 billion in national government outstanding debt borrowed under the Marcos Jr administration is the highest compared to that of previous administrations'.

23/08/2026

National government outstanding debt has reached Php19.1 trillion as of June 2026. Its domestic component or money borrowed from local lenders inside the country in Philippine Peso comprises 66.7% of total debt, while the rest or 33.3% is external or money owed to foreign lenders outside the country.

22/08/2026

[IN THE NEWS]

"OFFICIAL POVERTY STATS UNDERESTIMATE ACTUAL NUMBER OF POOR FILIPINOS"

Iyan ang naging tugon ni IBON Foundation Executive Director Sonny Africa sa inilabas na datos ng Department of Economy, Planning, and Development na bumaba sa pinakamababang percentage na 9.7% ang poverty incidence rate sa bansa noong 2025.

"Nagma-matter kung paano sinusukat ang 'kahirapan.' I-compare, halimbawa, ang '6.4% poor families in 2025' ng PSA sa '51% self-rated poor families' ng SWS. Kung ipagpalagay na scientifically sound ang SWS survey method, ang laki ng agwat sa tingin ng pamilya sa sitwasyon nila kumpara sa sinasabi ng PSA," dagdag ni Africa. | via Ted Cordero/GMA News Online

Bisitahin ang www.gmanetwork.com/news para sa iba pang updates.

22/08/2026

The administration has highlighted the sharp decline in poverty incidence from 17.5 million to just 11.1 million from 2023 to 2025 as a major achievement.

But the 2025 annual per-capita poverty threshold is only Php35,121, or Php96.22 per person per day. For a family of five, this amounts to just Php14,634 a month. This means a family earning even slightly more than this is officially considered non-poor, without considering the high costs of food, housing, electricity, transportation, education, healthcare and other basic expenses.

Read from the link in the comments below 👇🏼

22/08/2026

The Marcos government's Php7.2-trillion proposed 2027 national budget has Php112 billion in patronage- and corruption- prone unprogrammed appropriations.

The highest increase goes to the Department of Transportation, while PhilHealth gets the biggest cut. Overall, the proposed budget shows the administration's continued prioritization of infrastructure, defense, and debt servicing, while defunding social services such as education and health.

22/08/2026

Filipinos continue to struggle with the high cost of living because the prices of basic goods and services are rising faster than what their wages and incomes can keep up with.

Hi-res: https://www.ibon.org/tl/prices-wages-2607/

Related read: https://www.ibon.org/tl/pinoy-prices-wages-govt/

22/08/2026

There is not a single region where the nominal minimum wage meets the estimated regional family living wage. Philippine minimum wages are poverty wages.

22/08/2026

The Marcos government claims that poverty has been reduced significantly. Yet the average Philippine nominal minimum wage falls way short of the estimated average amount a family of five needs for food and non-food needs.