Past studies have shown that Philippine productivity growth has been low compared to other ASEAN members. This is specifically attributed to the inward-looking industrial policies pursued by the government. The country has embarked on major trade reforms since 1980s through its commitment to...

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...

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...

It has been argued that high protection rate retards productivity and efficiency. In view of the widespread belief, the government has instituted trade policy reforms aimed to increase efficiency and competitiveness of industries through elimination of distortions in resource allocation. While...

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 examines the competitiveness of the Philippine information technology (IT) industry vis-à-vis its emerging competitors and neighboring countries in the region. While the industry boasts of being the largest foreign exchange earner for the country, it suffers from structural...

The change in the country’s investment policies has been a crucial factor in building up confidence in the country’s economic prospects. Despite the reforms undertaken, the country’s performance in attracting foreign direct investment is still lower than its neighboring countries. This...

The paper examines the policies pursued by the Philippines in response to the increasing economic integration and interdependence of nations and regions around the world, focusing in particular on the country’s multitrack approach to trade and investment liberalization. The country’s...

The fast economic integration of the world in the 1990s has brought new players, new products and new technology into the market, paving the way for intense market competition. In response to this development, the Philippines embarked on a clear-cut change in trade policy in the 1990s, via...