Regional economic integration in East Asia is characterized initially as a market-driven process of increased trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and eventually by formal arrangements to liberalize trade and integrate economic activities through free trade agreements (FTAs) among...

This paper argues that the development of the rural economy is a key factor for achieving inclusive growth, one that creates jobs, draws the majority into the economic and social mainstream, and continuously reduces mass poverty. Employment conditions in Philippine rural labor markets and...

The paper looks at the role of services in the economy and discusses why competitive services are necessary for achieving inclusive growth. An overview of Philippine services sectors is first presented highlighting their economic contribution as well as performance. This is followed by a...

The Philippines has made considerable progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, achieving all the targets remains a daunting challenge, with goals for poverty, education, and maternal mortality unlikely to be attained by 2015. Focus has now shifted to informing the...

The progress made by the national government in consolidating its fiscal position between 2002 and 2006 proved unsustainable as its revenue effort started to go down once again in 2007 after a brief improvement in 2005-2007. With the more expansionary stance taken by the government in 2009 as...

Regional economic integration in East Asia is characterized initially as a market-driven process of increased trade and foreign direct investment inflows, and eventually by formal arrangements to liberalize trade and integrate economic activities through free trade agreements among East and...

While economic growth is important for poverty reduction, the rather stellar performance of the Philippines in economic growth has still not translated into reduction of poverty. This is in large part due to issues pertaining to distribution. Inequalities in income, as well as inequities in...

The Philippines` recent economic performance has been remarkable amid the lingering slowdown in the global economy and the devastation brought about by recent natural disasters. The economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2013, substantially higher than its 6.8 percent growth in 2012. With GDP growth...

This study is one of the component papers in the priority area on inclusive growth of Project APEC 2015. This paper aims to establish the linkages of enhancing human capital and human resource development in an economy in attaining inclusive growth. Various studies have suggested that education,...