This paper attempts to analyze governance systems in Southeast Asia and proposes some policy suggestions that can improve governance practices in the region. To put the discussion on governance systems in a proper context, the paper discusses the governance and growth nexus in Southeast Asia;...

Governance is a complex concept. It includes the state’s institutions and structures, its decisionmaking process, its capacity to implement guidelines and the relationship between government officials and the public. Hence, this study attempts to develop a composite index of the quality of...

The promise and potential of the Philippine economy has remained unrealized notwithstanding the countrys talented labor force, skilled professionals and relatively abundant resources. What ails the Philippines? This paper argues that the incompetence and downright corruption of Philippine...

Studies find increasing frequency, intensity, and impacts of natural disasters, especially as they interplay with the negative effects of climate change, environmental degradation, and rapid urbanization. The financial implications could be massive, especially in terms of damages on private...

The bottom-up budgeting (BUB) process is one of the major reform initiatives of the Aquino administration and has been tagged as such from several perspectives. First, it is seen as a component of its budget reform thrusts that are aimed at making the national government budgeting process more...

The Port of Manila, the largest seaport in the country, has been recognized as the most widely used port in the Greater Capital Region with utilization rate of 71.6 percent compared to only 2.3 percent and 6.1 percent utilization of Batangas and Subic Ports, respectively (NEDA 2012). The ports...

The paper reviews national industrialization as a long-term strategy of mining development in the Philippines. The end purpose is to suggest immediate actions that can be undertaken for the promotion of national industrialization. The paper uses secondary data and information from institutional...

This paper compares the estimates of the 1999 and 2007 Philippine National Transfer Accounts (NTA) and examines the implications of using two alternative treatments or definitions of overseas Filipino workers` (OFW) remittances in the NTA. To reflect official definitions in the Philippine System...

Depicting the Philippines as a prescientific society, this paper discusses how the environment plays a significant role in shaping the culture of research and scientific productivity. Such conducive environment includes having an adequate think space, a supportive and engaging critical mass, and...

Based on available statistics, between 127 and 130 million people in Southeast Asia lack access to electricity. At least 228 million still rely on traditional biomass for cooking and lack access to clean and modern cooking facilities, with dire consequences for their quality of life and human...