Low-income households find it hard to cope with the risks brought about by an illness or injury, death of a family member, man-made calamities, and natural disasters. Demand for microinsurance products is growing and both formal and informal microinsurance schemes have started to emerge to...

In the emerging ASEAN Economic Community, regulatory quality and coherence will be critical in stimulating investments and improving the overall business and investment climate. The different countries in the region are concerned not only with aligning and harmonizing regulatory frameworks, but...

Establishing financially inclusive ecosystems for low-income clients, including small and medium enterprises, has become a rising global concern. The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor and the World Bank estimate that around 2.7 billion adults worldwide do not have access to credit,...

The Philippines is an archipelago of approximately 7,107 islands. It has a long coastline extending to 235,973 square kilometers which is longer than that of the United States (UNESCAP 2002b). The country's archipelagic configuration requires an efficient maritime transport infrastructure...

Following the global trend in using private sector participation in infrastructure financing and development, the Philippines has largely utilized privatization as a major approach to the development of infrastructure, particularly in power, water, transport, and telecommunications sectors. To...

This study articulates the results of the research team's conversations with regulators and desk review of policies in the sectors affecting logistics and trade facilitation in the Philippines. The study covers air transport, land transport, maritime transport, logistics services, and customs...

Illness or injury, death of a family member, man-made calamities and natural disasters have a devastating effect on those poor households' cash flow, liquidity and earning capacities and thus, on household welfare. Demand for micro-insurance products is growing in view of continuing risks to...