Fires are the most costly preventable emergency in the Philippines but are relatively unstudied. A 2012 study done by the Department of Health - Health Emergency Management Staff (DOH-HEMS) revealed that fires constituted 39 percent of all events reported to the Health Emergency Alert Reporting...

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint states the plan of ASEAN countries to unify into a single market and production base. A priority focus for integration is enhancement of trade among ASEAN member countries and long-term competitiveness of food and agriculture products produced within...

This paper draws lessons from international practices to determine the feasibility of developing mortgage-backed securitization (MBS) to expand housing finance to the underserved market in the country. Despite the risks of securitization, as evidenced by the recent US subprime crisis, the huge...

The Philippines has made considerable progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, achieving all the targets remains a daunting challenge, with goals for poverty, education, and maternal mortality unlikely to be attained by 2015. Focus has now shifted to informing the...

The Philippines is one of the few countries where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS remains relatively small. However, recent data show that while other countries have shown a decrease in the incidence rate for this disease, the Philippines has experienced a 25 percent increase in incidence rate for...

This study examines the impact of a potential Philippines-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) on the agricultural sector. Static analysis indicates that potential gains to the agricultural sector of the Philippines are limited, primarily owing to the low size of initial agricultural...

This report is a continuation of the discussion paper of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies entitled "Inequalities in Noncommunicable Diseases in the Philippines". The first technical paper is an analysis of the current status and social determinants of noncommunicable diseases...

Over the last decade, there was a significant drop in mortality and morbidity cases attributed to tuberculosis (TB). The high TB Case Detection (CDR) and Treatment Success Rates (TSR) may have underpinned the decreasing prevalence. Despite these successes, TB still appears to be a major health...

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 commitments. Based on interviews and surveys, the results indicated that investment incentives, low tax...

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...