MONDAY / 11 DECEMBER 2017

DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH NEWS

• DRN 2017 Vol. XXXV No. 3: PIDS Calls for 'Intelligent' Discourse on Federalism
  by Research Information Staff
  
  This issue of the Development Research News deepens the discussion on federalism, a hot topic in the Philippines today. During the 15th Development Policy Research Month, the country's leading public policy experts shared their views on the pros and cons of federalism and its implications for the Philippines. The banner article features the highlights of the said discussion and presents key questions on the adoption of federalism in the Philippine setting. This issue also covers the 50th year of the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Philippines' chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit. In line with these events, it features a study on the appreciation of the Philippine business sector of the country's ASEAN membership and the economic benefits that the regional bloc has brought to its member-states. It also includes an article urging the ASEAN to target the perennial problems of poverty and inequality, poor disaster management, inadequate protection of the environment, and the rising extremism, as part of its community-building efforts. Completing this issue is an article discussing the advantages and disadvantages of adopting the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill, particularly its implications for the poor. Click here to download the newsletter.

December 13, 2017, 10–12NN
Inauguration of PIDS Corner in Sorsogon
Venue: Sorsogon State College, Sorsogon City

The Philippine Journal of Development is a professional journal published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. It accepts papers that examine key issues in development and have strong relevance to policy development. As a multidisciplinary social science journal, it accepts papers in the fields of economics, political science, public administration, sociology, and other related disciplines. It considers papers that have strong policy implications on national or international concerns, particularly development issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

CLICK HERE for the guidelines in the preparation of articles. Submissions and inquiries may be sent to PJD@mail.pids.gov.ph

• PN 2017-23: Access to Medicines in the Philippines: Overcoming the Barriers
  by Ramon L. Clarete and Gilberto M. Llanto
  
  Despite the enactment of the Cheaper Medicines Act in 2008, access to quality health care without incurring financial hardship continues to be an aspiration for many Filipinos. This Policy Note explores the barriers in access to medicines of Filipinos. It also presents key recommendations and strategies policymakers should consider in advancing universal health care in the country. Among others, the study finds an uneven access to medicines in the country due to the limited income of the poor and the lack of doctors in certain communities, even in Metro Manila. It recommends the deepening of the local medicine market to make the competition more effective in lowering prices. It also urges the provision of incentives to local government units to invest more in primary health care with medicines an integral part of their program. Click here for the full article.
  
  
  
• PN 2017-22: Filipino Women in Leadership: Government and Industry
  by Clarissa C. David, Jose Ramon G. Albert, and Jana Flor V. Vizmanos
  
  Achieving gender equality is part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations member-states, like the Philippines, have committed to ensure through the said SDG that the rights and privileges afforded to all citizens are the same regardless of sex. This Policy Note presents current statistics on female representation in key leadership positions in the Philippine government and industry. It reveals that Filipino women remain sorely underrepresented in highest positions in both the government and industry. Given the low level of female participation in governance, interventions in both the public and private sectors are needed to improve their representation. Know about these recommended interventions toward a more inclusive and gender-balanced political participation and leadership through this Policy Note. Click here for the full article.
  
  

• PN 2017-21: Intersecting Weather Variability and Chronic Food Poverty
  by Connie B. Dacuycuy and Lora Kryz C. Baje
  
  Despite the government's various poverty reduction and social protection programs, poverty remains a social problem the country needs to hurdle. This Policy Note aims to contribute to poverty studies in the Philippines by analyzing chronic food poverty and how it is affected by weather variability. Among others, it finds that chronic food poverty is higher for households that experience rainfall deviation than for similar households that do not. Find out how the government can contribute in strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations to shocks in this article. Click here for the full article.
  
  

• PN 2017-20: Strengthening Capacity Building for RTA/FTA Negotiations in APEC
  by Erlinda M. Medalla and Francis Mark A. Quimba
  
  Capacity building is crucial and necessary in cooperation and integration efforts between two or among several country partners. This Policy Note discusses capacity-building efforts related to regional trade agreements (RTAs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) among Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. Among others, it identifies consensus building, lack of domestic, institutional, and structural reform, and outreach of FTA and RTA benefits as key areas for capacity building when it comes to implementation. As such, the study urges APEC to extend the coverage of its capacity-building efforts to the strengthening of the foundation in negotiating FTAs and RTAs. It also recommends the inclusion of issues-based approach such as liberalizing traditionally closed sectors or formulating appropriate human resource development policies that would lead to enhanced benefits in general. Click here for the full article.
  
  

• DP 2017-31: Characterization of Agricultural Workers in the Philippines
  by Roehlano M. Briones
  
  Inclusive growth requires boosting incomes of workers currently in agriculture, either by shifting them to better-paying jobs outside agriculture or raising wages within agriculture. A comprehensive socioeconomic profile of agricultural workers will facilitate identification and prioritization of their problems, opportunities, and constraints. This study undertakes a review of secondary data toward such a profile. The review identified some gaps, such as degree of deficit in work hours and breakdown of activities for which wages are paid. Find out more about the identified gaps in sustaining and accelerating growth of remunerative employment of agricultural workers in the Philippines through this paper. Click here for the full paper.
  
  

• DP 2017-30: Outlook for the Philippine Economy and Agro-Industry to 2030: The Role of Productivity Growth
  by Roehlano M. Briones
  
  The main driver of long-run economic growth is total factor productivity. Among the basic sectors, namely, agriculture, industry, and services, inclusiveness of economic growth depends most importantly on agriculture. This study provides growth projections for the Philippine agriculture based on growth in productivity differentiated by basic sector, using a computable general equilibrium model.
  
  Scenario analysis finds that the current policy thrust for agriculture of subsidizing capital cost slightly accelerates growth of agriculture, but slows down overall growth by reducing capital formation. Read more about the suggested policies to accelerate long-term productivity growth across all sectors—especially in agriculture—through this paper. Click here for the full paper.