Philippines

In spite of its vast reserves of minerals, the mining sector is currently only a modest contributor to the economy due to a range of factors that have impeded development. All told, approximately 14.5bn tonnes of metallic minerals (including gold, copper, iron, chromite, nickel, cobalt and platinum) and 67.66bn tonnes of non-metallic minerals, such as sand and gravel, limestone, marble, clay, and...

Reforms to the local school system and increased funding are expected to support improved outcomes in what is a large and logistically challenging sector. The administration of Benigno Aquino III has significantly raised the budget and introduced sweeping reforms that are aimed at addressing access, quality and human resource shortcomings. Reforms have opened up new business opportunities for...

By including everyone under a health insurance coverage scheme and ensuring affordable drugs reach all socioeconomic groups, the Philippines is setting an example on how to tackle the problem of the high cost of medical care and social inclusion. The Philippine experiment of combining public spending on preventative health care and medical coverage with private delivery holds the promise of...

Belied by its relatively modest contribution to the overall economy, the Philippine agriculture sector remains a key component in the social and economic development of the country; more than 24.53m Filipinos work in the sector, making it economically and politically vital. Taken together, agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing expanded by 2.92% in 2012, up slightly from 2.59% in 2011. At...

The telecommunications sector continues to evolve with the emergence of new technologies, fierce competition between existing operators and the entry of new service providers. Mobile services dominate the telecoms sector. The mobile penetration rate stood at 107% at the end of 2012, though because many people use multiple SIM cards, the actual rate may be closer to 80%. 3G uptake by Filipinos is...

Exhibiting nominal growth rates of approximately 20% every year, business process outsourcing (BPO) is the Philippines’ most successful major sector. It tripled in size between 2004 and 2007 as a result of the global financial boom, growing from 100,000 to 300,000 employees and achieving revenues of $4.8bn. While accounting for only about 2% of national employment in 2012, the sector still makes...