Within the context of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Scorecard mechanism developed by the ASEAN Secretariat to monitor the implementation of the AEC Blueprint, the study focuses on the current state, performance and impact of investment liberalization and facilitation, trade facilitation,...

The paper aims to examine the characteristics and factors that constrain the growth of SMEs that are operating within and outside production networks. Based on a survey of 101 firms, the analysis shows that SMEs are not homogeneous. While they share certain characteristics such as age, Filipino...

The experience of the Philippines shows that 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 domestic firms have...

The growth rebalancing model, which places the nontradable services sector on center stage, is important to spur on faster growth in this sector and tap its potential to become another engine of growth for ASEAN economies. While ASEAN countries have allocated the bulk of their fiscal stimulus...

In this paper, results of the 2009 Survey of Innovation Activities are described and discussed. The term innovation, traditionally associated with research and development, has evolved to mean the implementation of new or significantly improved goods and services, production process, marketing,...

What is the impact of the removal of barriers to trade on the firms' innovative activities? Does the increase in competition arising from trade reforms lead to increases in innovation? This paper attempts to examine the link between trade liberalization and innovation using firm panel data on...

Based on a survey of 97 firms in the garments, textiles, automotive, electrical and electronics, and food manufacturing industries; the paper highlights the difficulties faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in accessing finance. For both firms with access to finance as well as those that...

Firm entry and exit play a crucial role in spurring a reallocation of resources across firms as tariffs are reduced. In the light of the substantial trade reforms implemented in the Philippines over the last two decades, the paper examines the impact of trade reforms on the exit of domestic...

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

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