An archipelago of 7107 islands, the Republic of the Philippines lies south of Taiwan and east of Vietnam, and is bounded in the west by the South China Sea and in the south by the Sulu and Celebes Seas. With a complex history marked by successive waves of migration and periods of colonisation and occupation, the Philippines is home to a host of...
Foreign firms have objected to trade union proposals to raise the minimum wage, fearing this will cost the Philippines its competitive edge in a tough global investment climate. But unions say the changes are crucial as workers shoulder increasing utility costs. Citing inflation-based rises in the cost of essentials like electricity, water,...
Unlike many of its South-east Asian neighbours, the Philippine economy is less export dependent and more consumption oriented. More importantly, the country has two critical sources of revenue that are largely insignificant in other members of the ASEAN community: business process outsourcing (BPO) and foreign remittances. These two elements have...
Brunei Darussalam is a tolerant and accepting country, and Bruneians are well accustomed to interacting with foreigners in both business and informal settings. However, certain rules of cultural etiquette should be observed. The Sultanate is an Islamic state, so public displays of affection between sexes should be avoided and the consumption and...
Blessed with great hydrocarbons wealth and a population of 425,000 set in 5770 sq km, Brunei Darussalam has never had to exploit its natural biodiversity to sustain growth in its contemporary history. Logging and oil palm plantation, two of the greatest causes of deforestation in the region, have no real place in its economy, leaving an...
The Sultanate has created an extensive public sector that dominates Brunei Darussalam’s economy and, in many ways, forms an extension of the generous welfare system – providing jobs and security to the local population. According to figures provided by the Department of Economic Planning and Development at the Prime Minister’s Office (JPKE), the...
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