The bus transport sector evolved from a highly regulated and concentrated market with a handful of players in the 1970s to a more liberalized albeit still regulated market with hundreds of small operators. Major reforms in bus transport regulation were carried out in the early 1990s and 2000s...

The rice sector is regulated by the National Food Authority, with imports under a statutory monopoly. Consistent with previous studies done on the rice supply chain, a rapid appraisal finds that the domestic paddy and rice supply chain is highly competitive. Entry into import business is however...

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...

The Philippine downstream petroleum industry underwent monumental change with the passage of RA 8180, the original Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act. This paper surveys the industry developments before and after deregulation and analyzes the consistency of the Supreme Court decision with...

Infrastructure is a critical policy area affecting investment, productivity and equity within the aggregate strategy for attaining sustainable growth and development. A study by World Bank indicates a need between $38 to 48 billion for the Philippines to meet the country’s investment...

Applying a conjectural variations (CV) model introduced by Haskel and Scaramozzino (H&S model 1997), the paper examines the impact of trade liberalization on the Philippine cement industry where alleged cartel activities have taken place after the entry of the world's Big Three cement firms:...

The Philippines is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that has experienced massive capital inflows. Being a latecomer in this arena, it can avoid the undesirable effects of these inflows by drawing lessons from the experiences of Latin American and other Asian countries. This paper provides...

The paper examines the policies pursued by the Philippines in response to the increasing economic integration and interdependence of nations and regions around the world, focusing in particular on the country’s multitrack approach to trade and investment liberalization. The country’s...

The country's archipelagic configuration requires an efficient maritime transport infrastructure composed of ports and shipping for growth and socioeconomic integration. This paper examines competition policy and the regulatory framework of the port and shipping sectors. It assesses the policies...