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 2018 Budget
August 2017 (1.53 MB)

Mirroring the “change is coming” promise of the Duterte administration, the proposed national expenditure program of the Executive for the 2018 is dubbed as “a budget that reforms and transforms”.

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.

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.

Addressing a National Health Threat: The Philippine HIV Epidemic
August 2018 (1.26 MB)

Almost four decades since modern medicine became aware of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)1 in the early 1980s, the world is still grappling with the dreaded disease to this day.

Delineating the Philippines’ Specific Forest Limits
June 2018 (1 MB)

Forests are among the valuable natural resources of the Philippines due to their environmental, social, cultural and economic significance.

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?

Realizing the Philippines’ Mining Potential
December 2013 (799KB)

Given the country’s mineral wealth, the mining industry can be a key driver of economic growth.

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.

2020 Midyear Economic Report

Transitioning to the New Normal
August 2020 (1 MB)

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly changed the economic landscape. The world economy is now expected to experience one of the worst recessions in history, and Asian countries, such as the Philippines, are proving to be no exception.

2017 Full-year Economic Report

Building on Resilience
January 2018 (1.5 MB)

Highlights of the Economic Performance. The Philippine economy was able to sustain its growth momentum in 2017. Though slightly slower than the pace seen in the previous year, the services sector continued to be the main growth driver.

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.

2014 Mid-Year Report

Economy slows down, growth target in limbo
December 2014 (685 KB)

The lingering impact of typhoon Yolanda on agricultural production coupled with weak public sector consumption has contributed much to the deceleration of economic growth for the first nine months of the year.

2013 Full-Year Report

Philippine Economy: Defying the Odds
March 2014 (967 KB)

Despite the external headwinds and domestic shocks that buffeted the country in 2013, the Philippines still posted a remarkable growth level.

2013 Mid-Year Report

Philippine Economy: Rising to New Heights, Better Opportunity for Reforms
December 2013 (812 KB)

All eyes are now on the Philippines. Having exceeded both government and market growth expectations for the last three quarters and now with Typhoon Yolanda’s wrath still lingering, the world is eager to witness how the Philippines would rise above it.

2012 Year-end report - On the cusp of economic resurgence
February 2013 (936 KB)

The domestic economy exceeded expectations by expanding 6.6 percent in 2012. Strong macroeconomic fundamentals and improved governance helped propel the economic growth. Some facets of the economy, however, have yet to improve.

Removing Regional Disparity in Infrastructure Development - A Probe into the Proposed 2008 Budget
November 2007 (713KB)

The proposed 2008 budget is marked by a significant increase in real infrastructure spending as a percentage of the national government budget, from 8.41 percent in 2007 to 9.45 percent in 2008. This demonstrates the government’s strong commitment to improve...

Electoral System, Parties and Bureaucracy:
The Missing Links in the Charter Change Debate
September 2006 (227KB)

Efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution have distinctively marked the national agenda since the early 90s. Years of political instability and economic downturns have prompted key sectors of society, and the constituency it has spawned...

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).

PAVING THE ROAD TO INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
A Proposed Legislative Agenda for the 15th Congress 
December 2010 (1.5MB)

While the 14th Congress has made significant strides in pursing reforms and enacting laws that will further boost economic growth and improve the quality of life of Filipinos, it cannot be denied that much more needs to be done.

Sustaining the momentum, Making Growth Work for the poor
December 2007 (2.2MB)

This report provides an update of the Five Pillars of Growth: An Economic and Social Development Framework, released by the Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO) in 2004. It presents a picture of the Philippine economy...

A Profile of Selected Philippine
Government Owned and Controlled Corporations
May 2007 (1.6MB)

The role and impact of the government corporate sector on the fiscal position of the government and the economy continue to be significant to this day. Despite reforms undertaken in the past, according to the Commission on Audit...

Five Pillars of Growth:
An Economic and Social Development Framework
(360KB)

The paper, prepared by the Senate Economic Planning Office as reference to the Senate Legislative Agenda, presents the major results of a short-term research project identifying areas of reforms for sustained economic growth and poverty alleviation...