Equitable access to broadband services is imperative to narrow the digital divide and for more people to benefit from digitalization. Compared to other ASEAN countries, the Philippines' internet connectivity lags in affordability, speed, and access, creating an uneven landscape for digital...

During the period June 2019 to October 2020 the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) teams updated the findings of the FinancialSector Assessment Program (FSAP) conducted in 2010. While the WB and IMF teams were able to visit the Philippines in 2019 in person, the 2020 missions...

Since 2003, the Philippines have been striving to implement reforms aimed at improving audit quality. Oversight of the audit profession is a key control over the financial reporting architecture of a country's private sector. A Quality Assurance Review system over audit practitioners is a subset...

For the economy to attain its full potential, the Philippines requires an efficient water transport system. However, this is presently not the case. The domestic shipping industry is characterized by high costs, low quality of service, and a poor safety record. Logistics cost accounts for 24-53...

The purpose of this policy note is to present reform options on cabotage liberalization. The goal of cabotage liberalization is to help i) foster more competition in the domestic shipping industry, ii) reduce shipping cost, and iii) improve efficiency, maritime services, and safety standards....

This Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) performance assessment report evaluates the seven core pillars of the public financial management (PFM) system of the Government of the Philippines (Government) as set out in the summary assessment below. It evaluates how effectively...

Over the last decade, the Government of the Philippines has embarked on an ambitious education reform program to ensure that all Filipinos have the opportunity to obtain the skills that they need to play a full and productive role in society. The government has backed up these reforms,...

Over the last decade, research from many different countries has demonstrated the important role played by teachers in increasing students' learning and improving their academic performance. Studies from countries as different as the US and Indonesia have shown the enormous benefits that follow...

This note attempts to identify the factors associated with differences in overall school performance and efficiency. It draws on data from the Philippines Public Education Expenditure Tracking and Quantitative Service Delivery Study (PETS-QSDS), which tracked public education spending and...