East Asia has been caught with regionalism in recent years. There has been a proliferation of bilateral and regional trading arrangement initiatives across the region. Long known for their support to the multilateral framework under the WTO, the leading economies in the region (Japan, South...

Even with lapses in its implementation during the 1980s, trade reform has been continuously brought to the fore of structural adjustment program. It has become increasingly crucial during the 1990s not only because of the backlash of import-substitution but also of the country’s heavy foreign...

The shipping transport industry plays a very important role in the country's development. An efficient shipping industry that facilitates the movement of commodities, products and people is therefore vital to the growth of the country. The country's domestic shipping industry, however, has been...

Opinions about the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) vary not only between importers and exporters but also within these groups depending on the costs and benefits accorded to each. This paper attempts to quantify the effects of MFA liberalization on developing countries with a focus on the...

Results of relative welfare analysis conducted in this paper indicate that a large proportion of welfare losses in the past have been shouldered by the consumers. In addition, this article shows that the hypothesis of cartel-like behavior is consistent with the adverse results obtained.

The world-trading environment has witnessed the proliferation of regional trading arrangements during the last decade. This development has been accompanied by the perceived threat this may bring to the rules-based multilateral trading system. The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), for...

The author, at the outset of her study on shipping transport, rightly states the importance of this industry in an archipelagic country. However, the industry remains inefficient, despite policy reforms enacted in the 1990s which aimed at liberalizing and deregulating the industry. Though these...

This paper identifies some of the key issues confronting the Asia-Pacific member-economies that arise from the discussions in the APEC forum. A brief review of existing labor flows within the APEC regions is presented. A discussion on how globalization and trade liberalization will impact on the...

Within the context of “NIC-hood,” this paper advances that the country and the government should understand and situate the parameters of Philippine development. It also asserts that rethinking agricultural development and strengthening of industries and tradable services should be made.

Until there is a substantial degree of consensus over the strategic issues and a greater body of work on the issues of liberalization, trade liberalization of APEC will yield slight results. This paper argues the need for intensive discussion and research about the modalities of successful trade...