With the lifting of the quantitative restrictions on rice imports, the Philippines is expecting an inflow of rice to enter in the next few months. Although this is expected to lead to a decrease in rice prices, this could similarly put pressure on some farmers' incomes to the extent that they...

In his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 27, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to swiftly pass the bill reinstating the death penalty, specifically for heinous drug-related crimes specified under the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002. Pro-death penalty lawmakers and...

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...

Graduating from their checkered histories of financial instability and debt-related problems is a key policy objective in many emerging market economies. The global financial turmoil that erupted in 2008 underscores the importance of this issue once again. This article maps out some of the key...

This paper contributes to the international evidence on the possible factors linked to corruption using data on over 1,700 small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in 29 Philippine Cities covered by the 2009 Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Enterprise Survey. The results suggest that...

Most mining operations in developing countries are de facto public-private partnerships, as the state typically owns the resources and partners with a company or consortium in extraction. Revenue sharing is a critically important element of such partnerships, and it is the starting point for any...

The poverty penalty refers to the relatively higher cost shouldered by the poor, when compared to the non-poor, in their participation in certain markets. By trying to further develop this concept, this paper clarifies some of the subtle and more direct ways through which the poor could be...

The Philippines sits atop vast mineral deposits estimated to be worth around PhP 47 trillion. Yet mining in the Philippines has a mixed track record as far as its impact on human and economic development. This paper tries to draw lessons from the Marcopper Mine in Marinduque, Philippines, using...

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in extractive industries (mining and quarrying) is expected to increase dramatically in many developing countries, due to the rising global demand for commodities. One key question for policymakers is whether this form of FDI could help spur investments in other...

An estimated 10% of the Philippine population — about 10 million people — is overseas. While they contribute significantly to the Philippine economy by way of remittances and other connections, there may be a growing risk of brain and skills drain that could be detrimental to the country's...