Economy

Battered every year by typhoons and prone to earthquakes, mudslides, floods and volcanic eruptions, the Philippines is more vulnerable to natural disasters than many other countries throughout the world. As such, it is crucial for the country’s economic development to learn to better manage its disaster risks and minimise casualties and...

Good governance and transparency are driving the change in the international perception of the Philippines and the resulting positive economic outlook. To strengthen this agenda we have been strong advocates of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, which will foster government transparency and accountability by allowing the disclosure of public...

With presidential, congressional and local elections all scheduled for next year, 2015 looks set to be a time of heated political debate in the Philippines. Issues such as constitutional reform, good governance and the perennial battle against corruption are likely to dominate discussion, alongside continued disagreements over how best to share the proceeds of economic...

A series of reforms initiated by President Benigno Aquino III in the last few years have pumped spending into infrastructure and opened key industries to outside investors. The reforms prompted a series of upgrades to the Philippines’ credit ratings and echo initiatives taken in the region as it prepares for the inauguration of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015...

Bounded in the west by the South China Sea (known locally as the West Philippine Sea) and in the south by the Sulu and Celebes Seas, the Republic of the Philippines borders Taiwan in the north and lies east of Vietnam. Of the 7107 islands making up the archipelago, only around 1000 are believed to be inhabited. A history marked by successive waves of human migration has...

In the Philippines – as is the case elsewhere around the world – climate change is driving risk and multiplying the impact of other drivers of risk such as poverty, population growth and poor urban planning.