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The health sector in the Philippines is undergoing a period of development and reform. The long-awaited move to universal health care (UHC) is now within sight, with the government focused on improving the delivery of public health care and encouraging investment in the sector. While the health system is currently tackling multiple burdens and is limited by human resource constraints, the enactment of the UHC Bill will bring increased funding to the sector and provide greater coverage to the Filipino people. Through increased engagement with the growing private sector, progress is being made towards a more integrated and robust health system that is ready to take on these challenges. This chapter also contains an interview with Francisco Duque III, Secretary, Department of Health.

While the country is well positioned to tap into new export markets, volatile weather conditions, land reform issues and a legacy of neglect continue to hinder agricultural output, preventing the Philippine agriculture sector from reaching its true potential. In addition to these constraints, the Philippines lags behind regional competitors in mechanisation adoption rates, crop research and access to finance. While the sector has suffered from low total factor productivity – a measure of land, labour, capital and material resources used in production, compared to total agricultural output – the country has natural attributes that make it well placed to achieve greater agricultural diversification and productivity. This chapter also contains an interview with Henry Lim Bon Liong, Chairman and CEO, SL Agritech.

The Philippines’ ICT industry is embarking on an exciting period as a number of reforms and initiatives take effect and Congress debates legislation for further market liberalisation. Weak competition and the archipelago’s sprawling geography have contributed to the ICT industry’s difficulties in keeping pace with other countries in the region in terms of the scale and quality of its services. At the forefront of developments in the industry is the entrance of a third telecoms provider. While this is threatening the existing duopoly, it is expected to increase innovation, speed and coverage. Telecoms infrastructure improvements, combined with a number of legal and regulatory changes designed to drive competition and improve the provision of ICT services, are also opening the door to lucrative opportunities for domestic and overseas players. This chapter also contains an interview with Andrés Ortola, Country General Manager, Microsoft Philippines.

Ranking consistently among the top global providers of business process outsourcing (BPO), the Philippines is working to widen and deepen its portfolio of third-party digital services. Foreign companies delegating operations to providers in the Philippines generate roughly one-10th of the country’s GDP, indicating the degree to which BPO is fundamental to the stability of the economy. The industry is the primary avenue of employment and training for the middle class; the second-largest source of foreign currency earnings after remittances; and the driving force behind a network of ancillary transport and retail businesses. Thus, the BPO industry often acts as a bellwether for the country’s overall economic health. This chapter also contains interviews with Lito Tayag, Country Managing Director, Accenture Philippines; and Chair of the Board of Trustees, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines; and Paolo Mercado, Founder and President, Creative Economy Council of the Philippines.

The Philippines’ construction industry is entering a period of strong growth, supported by government spending led by President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature Build, Build, Build (BBB) infrastructure programme. BBB is leading to ancillary construction and development around airports and seaports, especially residential and retail projects, providing the momentum stakeholders need to confidently plan for the future. The Philippines’ real estate sector has enjoyed robust growth in recent years, fuelled by remittances, rapid economic expansion and a comprehensive public infrastructure programme that has opened up new opportunities beyond Metro Manila and the affluent business districts of the capital. Actions set to further strengthen activity in the sector include reforms to the tax system and the establishment of a new regulator. This chapter also contains interviews with Jose Leviste Jr, Chairman, Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific; and Robbie Antonio, Founder, Revolution Precrafted Properties.

On the back of the government’s Build, Build, Build initiative, various infrastructure projects have been implemented across the country to ease the flow of goods and people, as well as make the country an attractive place to live and work. Dubbed “Dutertenomics”, President Rodrigo Duterte’s prioritisation of infrastructure is intended to usher in a golden age of development for the Philippines. Indeed, infrastructure was a cornerstone of the election campaign that brought him into office in 2016. The administration is holding true to its promise, and in a bid to foster economic growth and alleviate congestion, the state is making major strides towards an efficient transport ecosystem. This chapter also contains interviews with Arthur P Tugade, Secretary of the Department of Transportation; and Eddie Monreal, General Manager, Manila International Airport Authority.