PN 2020-07: Bottlenecks to formalization
of small-scale mining in PH
by Sonny N. Domingo and Arvie Joy A. Manejar

This Policy Note assesses the efforts of the government to formalize small-scale mining economy. Using the insights from national government agencies, nongovernment organizations, and other stakeholders, it notes several issues hindering the formalization of this sector. Among these issues is the absence of monitoring and profiling mechanisms in the sector, resulting in the lack of basic information, such as the profile of workers. It also reveals that the current definition of small-scale mining is unfit with the current operations. There has also been some confusion as to the kind of clearances required by the government. To address these issues, this study recommends the holding of rigorous and comprehensive documentation of the small-scale mining subsector. It also urges the government to clarify the definition of the law, as well as mainstream the documentary requirements needed for government clearance, such as the free, prior, and informed consent and the environmental compliance certificate. Click here to download the policy note.


DISCUSSION PAPER

DP 2020-22: Poverty, the Middle Class, and Income Distribution amid COVID-19
by Jose Ramon G. Albert, Michael Ralph M. Abrigo, Francis Mark A. Quimba, and Jana Flor V. Vizmanos

This study provides an updated profile of the poor in the Philippines, as well as various segments of the income distribution based on the 2018 Family Income and Expenditure Survey. It also follows the typology of the low-, middle-, and high-income classes proposed in previous research reports and simulate the likely effects of contractions in per capita income on poverty and the entire income distribution amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the unavailability of required data to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on poverty and income distribution, simulation scenarios and assumptions were used. Among others, the study finds that in a medium case scenario of declines of incomes by 10 percent across the entire income distribution, the number of poor Filipinos can increase by 5.5 million, but with the emergency financial subsidies (i.e., the social amelioration program and the small business wage subsidy in place) that targeted 90 percent of households, the worsening of poverty conditions has been managed so that only 1.5 million would fall into poverty, i.e., 4 million less than expected number of Filipinos falling into poverty. Click here to download the discussion paper.

Agile and innovative governance, key to winning over COVID-19 pandemic and other risks

As the country continues to grapple with COVID-19, a new brand of governance is necessary so that the country can survive and thrive under the “new normal”.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and its partners echo this message in this year’s Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) celebration with the theme “Bouncing Back Together: Innovating Governance for the New Normal”, or in Filipino, “Makabagong Pamamahala para sa Sama-samang Pagbangon sa New Normal”.

The theme highlights the importance of innovating governance across all sectors of society to steer the country toward the path of renewed growth and dynamism. READ MORE



PIDS conducts online survey on Filipino rice consumers' attitudes
toward rice self-sufficiency policies

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is conducting an online survey on Filipino rice consumers’ attitudes toward rice self-sufficiency policies and their rice consumption patterns. The survey is part of an ongoing study of PIDS and FAO on various Filipino stakeholders’ attitudes toward rice self-sufficiency policies. Respondents include rice producers and rice consumers.

The survey aims to collect information from Filipino rice consumers to understand their demand for rice self-sufficiency policies and their rice consumption patterns. READ MORE

Watch the video for more details about the DPRM and this year's theme.

Visit the DPRM website and our Facebook and Twitter pages for information on the series of virtual public fora that will be held this September to celebrate the DPRM. #DPRM2020InnovateGovernance #DPRM2020BounceBackTogether

FACT FRIDAY

Every Friday, PIDS releases nuggets of research results culled from different PIDS studies. Here are the latest #PIDSFactFriday issues.

Like us on Facebook for more #PIDSFactFriday issues.

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