The Philippines' IT-BPO sector has grown steadily since its initial boom at the beginning of the 21st century. Sector revenue reached USD 22 billion in 2015 and is expected to overtake OFW remittances in 2017. In 2015, IT-BPO accounted for 7.3 percent of Philippine GDP and employed 1.2 million...

Decentralization had been a common public finance reform among developing countries in the past few decades. Some advocates pushed for decentralization reform as an answer to the growing problem of income inequality. The primary argument for decentralization was that sub-national governments had...

The Philippine government's Comprehensive Tax Reform Program Package 1 (CTRP-1) has sparked considerable discussion on its effects on households at different income levels. This paper focuses on the impact on income inequality of the CTRP-1, discerning gaps that continue to exist in the...

This paper is the 19th Jaime V. Ongpin Memorial Lecture delivered by the author last 21 October 2020. The first section discusses inequality and its double-edged nature with respect to inclusive growth and development. The paper then elaborates on the related features of oligarchy and...