This study identifies and examines "choke points" in the supply chain of two selected commodity groups that are of interest to the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations: crude coconut oil (which belongs to the HS15 group), and fish and crustacean, mollusks, and other aquatic...

As 2015 draws near, assessing ASEAN`s progress toward the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) as defined by the AEC Blueprint is necessary and instructive. This paper constitutes the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the AEC Blueprint for the Philippines. The Philippines Country Report presents the results of...

This paper reports on the results of the review of the two major scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), namely: (a) the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP); and (b) the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA). The two...

This paper introduces rice to the reader and analyzes the changes it has gone through the past 100 years in the hands of varietal improvement science. The richness of the crop as a genetic material and resource is revealed here. Over time, its many types include choices ranging from the...

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...

This study reviews and evaluates the major contributory and noncontributory social protection programs that are currently in place as part of the government`s portfolio of social protection interventions, including social insurance (SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth); social welfare programs (e.g., Pantawid...

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Philippines marks its fifth year of implementation in 2013 since its inception in 2008. The first batch of 4Ps beneficiaries will graduate from the program in several months while the government continues to expand its implementation, devising...

Promotion of hybrid rice has been the central goal of the government's rice production program since 2001. Yet, farmers' adoption rate has remained low despite concerted efforts and massive subsidies. The highly subsidized approach of the program has been not just ineffective but costly in terms...

In a modern economy, the payment system is a major component of the country`s infrastructure system. Indeed, no country nowadays can afford to take its payment system for granted. Advances in information technology and changes in laws, institutions and regulations in some countries have...

A subset of the informal financial institutions that has been recently used as lending conduits of special credit programs is the credit union system. However, they often face some resource constraints which prevent them from satisfying the credit demands of their members on time. Access to...