Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO) Publications
Budget Notes
Macroeconomic Assumptions of the Proposed 2020 Budget

August 2019 (1.6 MB)
The proposed national budget for 2020 amounts to PhP4.1 trillion. This is 12.0 percent higher than 2019’s budget of PhP3.6 trillion and will account for 19.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020.
Macroeconomic and Fiscal Assumptions of the Proposed 2017 National Budget

September 2016 (1 MB)
The successful implementation of the budget plan is hinged on a set of macroeconomic assumptions approved by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). These are indicators by which government determine the viability of the budget -- whether the proposed expenditure program is reasonable and sustainable and whether there are sufficient fiscal resources to fund it.
The President’s 2013 Budget: The Macroeconomic and Fiscal Perspectives

August 2012 (859KB)
A day after his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno S. Aquino III submitted to Congress his proposed PhP2.006-trillion national budget for the fiscal year 2013. Next year’s budget is touted as an “Empowerment Budget” with the overarching theme Paggugol na Matuwid: Atas ng Taumbayan.
Policy Matrix
Land Use: Policy, Planning, and Administration

October 2015 (753 KB)
Comparison matrix of land use policies/provisions from various existing national laws and issuances
Land is a fundamental material resource and the primary platform for economic and other social activities. The way land is used and how it is intended to be used are integral components of human development.
Policy Brief
Rice Tariffication: Why is it a necessary public policy?

December 2017 (1.1 MB)
With 8.23 million “food-poor” Filipinos that represent 8.1 percent of the population and who spend as much as 30.6 percent of their total food expenditure on rice, shouldn’t the Philippine lift the quantitative restriction that makes its staple food very expensive?
A public policy on rice tariffication may be necessary.
Examining the Philippines’ Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System

May 2017 (842 KB)
Disasters brought by natural hazards are an issue of great concern not only in the Philippines but in the whole world due its social, environmental and economic impacts. With global warming, environmental degradation, increasing population density and poverty conditions, the occurrence of disasters are expected to rise.
National Land Use Policy: Enhancing Urban Concentration

December 2015 (1.2 MB)
With the doubling of the population in about 40 years, the most important question to face our nation may well be:
How can we sustainably accommodate 200 million people nationwide, with about 40 million in the Greater Manila Area?
A national land use policy of enhancing urban concentration may be the answer.
National Land Use Policy: Protecting Prime Agricultural Lands

December 2014 (1 MB)
With only less than 10 million hectares of agricultural land
that is threatened by a rapidly urbanizing economy, how would
the Philippines be able to meet its growing demand for food, and
continue providing rural employment to further reduce poverty?
Breaking New Ground: Enacting a National Land Use Policy

January 2013 (815KB)
With only a total land area of 30 million hectares and a population of 92.3 million growing at an average rate of 2.12 percent, how should the Philippines allocate a very scarce and important resource—land—to meet the various needs of Filipinos? The Senate proposes a national land use policy to address this fundamental issue.
Economic Report
2015 Mid-Year Report
The Philippine Economy: Remaining Steadfast

March 2014 (948 KB)
The prospect of hitting the 2015 GDP growth target of 7.0-8.0 percent is quite dim.
Nonetheless, the Philippine economy remains resilient amidst uncertainties particularly in its external environment. With national elections fast approaching, one of the biggest challenges for decision makers is ensuring the continuity of reform efforts.
2014 Full-Year Report
Still Strong But Missing the Target

March 2015 (931 KB)
Despite setbacks in public spending and agricultural production, macroeconomic conditions have been broadly favorable and have helped sustain growth in 2014.
Efforts to introduce structural reforms, difficult as they may be, must be continued.
Increasing the tax base, ensuring fair competition and protecting property rights are imperatives if the country were to realize its full growth potential.
Policy Insights
At a Glance
Agricultural Exports 
December 2019 (861 KB)
Agricultural export promotion is one of the eight paradigms identified by newly confirmed Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar in the campaign to boost the agriculture sector.
Labor and Employment Statistics
July 2018 (952 KB)
Providing productive employment is widely recognized as an effective means of lifting people out of
poverty. In the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, one of the main goals is to facilitate the
creation of quality jobs in the various sectors of the economy to reduce the unemployment rate from 5.5
percent in 2016 to 3-5 percent by 2022.
Philippine Solid Wastes 
November 2017 (1 MB)
Solid waste management remains a major challenge in the
Philippines especially in urban areas like Metro Manila. Improper
wastes disposal, inefficient wastes collection and lack of disposal
facilities are among the dominant concerns in the country’s solid
waste management.
Philippine Forests 
June 2015 (584 KB)
Forests are among the most valuable natural resources in the Philippines. They provide a range of ecosystem services, ranging from the provision of food crops, livestock and fish to providing recreational experiences. In 2013, the forestry sector contributed PhP5.26 billion (0.12%) to the national gross domestic product (GDP) (2014 Philippine Statistical Yearbook).
Major Publications
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