What is the impact of the removal of barriers to trade on the firms` innovative activities? Does the increase in competition arising from trade reforms lead to increases in innovation? This paper attempts to examine the link between trade liberalization and innovation using firm panel data on...

The paper examines the state of investment liberalization and facilitation in the Philippines and suggests policy measures to enable the country to comply with its ASEAN Economic Community commitments. Based on interviews and surveys, the results indicated that investment incentives, low tax...

In the light of reforms on trade policy and the move towards the 5 percent uniform tariff rate by 2004, local car assemblers have expressed their apprehension over the government's liberalization plans. Hence, they have persuaded the government to impose higher tariff protection in lieu of the...

This paper examines the country's investment incentive program for foreign investors and its success in attracting substantial FDI inflows. The analysis compares the FDI incentive system and FDI performance of the Philippines with other Asian countries. Since it is difficult to untangle the...

Recognizing the importance of an outward-oriented policy approach, countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have liberalized their regulation on foreign direst investment by introducing various guarantees and incentives. The Philippines, however, lagged behind its...

The Philippines has been one among the few that still adheres to the home consumption valuation (HCV), a system that, according to many importers, results to overvaluation. This article assesses the validity of the claim through analysis of HCV’s impact on the level of protection structure. It...

This paper looks at the regulatory reforms in the electricity and downstream oil industries, two important inputs to the production process that were heavily regulated by the government. While electricity has strong externalities as well as economies of scale and scope, the oil industry does not...

One of the recent European developments is the plan of creating a single market implying the removal of obstacles to trade in goods, services, capital and labor. Hence, it is worthwhile to examine the impact of such move to a small country like the Philippines, the growth of which depends...

This paper looks at the regulatory reforms in the electricity and downstream oil industries, two important inputs to the production process that were heavily regulated by the government. While electricity has strong externalities as well as economies of scale and scope, the oil industry does not...

The industry’s lack of competitiveness, absence of economies of scale and a weak supply base are the fundamental issues that must be addressed in order to strengthen the industry and integrate it with regional production networks of foreign automakers. The entry of cheap, smuggled second-hand...