The extent and seriousness of poverty vary markedly across Asian developing countries, and so does the rate at which poverty has changed over time. In addition, there are large intercountry differences in the extent to which social services, especially health and education, reach the poor. There...

"Indonesia has an impressive record of economic growth and poverty reduction over the past two decades. The growth-poverty nexus appears strong at the aggregate level. Newly constructed panel data on the country's 285 districts (kotamadyas/kabupatens), however, reveal huge differences in poverty...

Viet Nam's dramatic transition and growth in the 1990s have been attributed to a series of reforms, known as doi moi, which began in the late 1980s. Economic growth at nearly 8 percent yearly appeared broad-based, thus benefiting the poor and reducing poverty from 61 percent in 1993 to 37...

This paper examines how economic openness influences regional development in the Philippines. It first looks at the disparities in economic and social indicators across the country's 14 regions and over time. Metro Manila continues to tower over the national economic landscape, though economic...

This paper addresses the question whether and to what extent remittances contribute to poverty alleviation and regional development in the Philippines. It first revisits the causes and consequences of international migration, drawing on the more recent literature. It then zeroes in on...