Poverty inching up based on SWS data

After a 42% near-historical drop in the poverty rate as regularly measured by SWS, the self-rated poverty rate is now back to 50% of Filipino families. The last time this happened was in December 2015, and the second consecutive increase, following the 44% recorded during the last survey.

I said previously that the historical low reported in November which greeted the Duterte administration last year is probably mostly still a product of policies under the previous administration, which, toward its final two years, appeared to have managed to pull the rates down consistently.

What a difference a year makes, and after the euphoria over electing a populist president have subsided. At this rate, the previous administration's centerpiece anti-poverty program, the Pantawid, has not yet been completely phased out -- which is the same thing people like Duterte supporter Liza Maza of the NAPC are advocating.

When the Pantawid/CCT disappears, we can expect poverty to riot some more. Sure, you can argue all day that the Pantawid is a dole-out and does not solve poverty. But neither does killing the poor by the thousands, which is this government's own centerpiece program.

Socialist Circle to hold a "What is Socialism" meet-up

After the group's successful first meeting last year, the Socialist Circle presents a rare, non-dogmatic treatment of Socialism. For all the abuse the concept has suffered, Socialism very much remains relevant to our world today. Be there!