This special volume of the Philippine Journal of Development (PJD) is devoted to discussions and analyses of issues on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015 implementation. Except for the services liberalization paper, all the papers were carried out under the AEC Scorecard Project of the...

This paper evaluates the implementation of the 2010–2015 ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Development and the 2004–2009 ASEAN Policy Blueprint for SME Development. The initial interviews and survey results yielded low average effectiveness scores...

The paper aims to identify the facilitating and deterring factors affecting the implementation of the ASEAN mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) in professional services encompassing engineering, nursing, architecture, surveying, medical, dental practice, and accountancy. Overall, the progress...

The experience of the Philippines shows that foreign direct investment (FDI) spillover effects are not automatically generated. Opening up the economy to FDI has contributed to the country`s exports of high-technology products and overall economic growth. However, the spillover effects of FDI to...

Applying a conjectural variations (CV) model introduced by Haskel and Scaramozzino (H&S model 1997), the paper examines the impact of trade liberalization on the Philippine cement industry where alleged cartel activities have taken place after the entry of the world's Big Three cement firms:...

The paper aims to assess and determine the capacity-building needs required to liberalize trade in services in the Philippines. Through the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services, the Philippines has committed to liberalize various sectors including air transport, maritime transport,...

The paper examines the state of investment liberalization and facilitation in the Philippines and suggests policy measures to enable the country to comply with its ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015 commitments. Based on interviews and surveys, the results indicated that investment incentives,...

The Philippines has been more cautious in its policy toward free trade agreements (FTAs) than other ASEAN member-states, having signed, so far, only one bilateral agreement with Japan in addition to the various ASEAN+1 agreements. While the government is expected to progressively reduce...

In the light of the weak performance of the Philippine manufacturing industry and the absence of structural transformation of the economy from agriculture to manufacturing in the last two decades, the paper calls for the implementation of a new industrial policy. This is crucial not only to...

The ASEAN SME Policy Index is an analytical tool to review, track, and identify gaps in small and medium enterprise (SME) policy development and implementation. The index covers the following eight policy areas: institutional framework; cheaper and faster start-up and better legislation and...