Diagnosing the Philippine Economy: Toward Inclusive Growth

The Philippines' pace of growth and poverty reduction has lagged behind that of many of its regional neighbors. While growth has picked up in recent years, domestic investment has remained weak and its share in gross domestic product continued to decline, raising the question of how the recent pace of growth can be sustained and whether it can be improved further. This book asks what the critical constraints to growth and poverty reduction are for the Philippines in the medium term, and discusses policy options to help address these constraints.

ADB's vision is an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries substantially reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people. Despite the region's many successes, it remains home to two thirds of the world's poor: 1.8 billion people who live on less than $2 a day, with 903 million struggling on less than $1.25 a day. ADB is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

Based in Manila, ADB is owned by 67 members, including 48 from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.

Based in Manila, Asian Development Bank is owned by 67 members, including 48 from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.

Dante Canlas is the Enrique Virata Professor of Economics at the University of the Philippines and Editor of ‘The Philippine Review of Economics’. He is also the Chief Executive Officer for the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Philippine Program.

Muhammad Ehsan Khan is a Senior Economist at ADB’s Economics and Research Department (ERD) and has served as a Project Economist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.

Juzhong Zhuang is an Assistant Chief Economist at ADB’s Economics and Research Department (ERD).