It is possible that the May 2022 Philippine national elections will need to be conducted under pandemic conditions, so the country must prepare at the earliest possible time. International experience suggests it is possible to hold successful elections even with the risks posed by COVID-19, and...

Despite studies finding a link between political dynasty prevalence and poverty, empirical evidence in the Philippines shows that the relationship between dynastic concentration and underdevelopment is not the same across regions. We argue that an independent economic elite and high levels of...

Political dynasties are ubiquitous in the Philippine local government landscape, yet none more so than in the Dinagat Islands, a province where members of one family — the Ecleos — have dominated local government politics since the province was carved out of Surigao del Norte in 2006. The...

This study contributes to the literature on political dynasties and their links to economic development by focusing on the case of India, in particular the members of the parliament (MPs) of sixteenth Lok Sabha (i.e., the lower house of the Indian parliament). It is notable for it marked a...

Countries that have most successfully used trade as part of a high growth strategy tend to exhibit a distinct trading pattern that maximises learning. The evidence points to three main strategies: first, trading itself matters, as firms learn from a larger market; second, with whom you trade...

Is a dramatic slowdown in global economic growth going to erase much of the progress in the last decade in terms of human development in the developing world‘ How might the crisis affect progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals‘ To address these questions, this paper...

As a contribution to the nascent literature, this study examines patterns of vote buying among poor voters in 17 cities in Metro Manila, using a dataset closely following the 2016 national and local elections. Specifically, it will examine the possible factors linked to vote buying, hopefully...

To achieve a better future by 2040, most Filipinos express the need for simple and efficient government transactions, affordable government services, and the elimination of corruption. This paper expounds on that vision by explaining how effective public goods and services are hinged on a...