The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, among others, added two years in secondary education thereby delaying entry into higher education by two years. This was expected to displace teaching and non-teaching personnel in higher education. To mitigate the impact, the law mandated the Commission...

It is commonly believed that mandating higher legal minimum wages (LMWs) is needed to help the poor earn a level of income that would allow them healthy and dignified lives. It is also seen as a tool to protect the weak against exploitation. This popular belief motivates and justifies the...

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has been much maligned and dismissed as a "dole-out" program. Critics have focused on the fact that it provides cash grants directly to poor families, believing it would promote the culture of mendicancy and dependence. Others believe that the grants would...

The Sustainable Livelihood Program - Employment Facilitation Track (SLP-EF Track) is a scheme that facilitates the employment of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries. The SLP-EF track has much potential to bring the 4Ps beneficiaries closer to reaching the poverty threshold...

It is a common belief that government should set legal minimum wages (LMW) to a level that would enable workers and their families to live decent lives. Evidence, however, has shown that a higher and more rapid pace of LMW growth leads to lower demand for labor overall. Specifically, it leads to...

When the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program was designed, the government publicly promised to limit to five years the giving of the education and health grants. This five-year limit is almost over for the first set of beneficiaries by 2013. The natural policy question then is: Would it be wise...

The Philippines is at a crossroad. It can choose to continue to follow current unrealistic policies that despite good intentions have been shown to be actually detrimental to the poor. Or, it can elect to try another development path to get a better chance at reducing poverty. This study...

The purpose of the paper was to summarize studies identifying the causes and effects of Philippine International labour migration and remittances and to highlight research gaps. Literature and reliability of findings that explore the many facets and implications of the social and economic...

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), implemented the project "Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment" or Project ConVERGE with the goal of empowering Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries...