Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) Publications
Budget Facts & Figures
The 2013 Empowerment Budget

January-March 2013 (1.5 MB)
After being threshed out for several months in the legislative mill and right in the thick of the Christmas season, President Benigno Aquino signed the P2.006 trillion national budget for fiscal year 2013 into law last December 19, 2012.
Senate Tax Study-Research Office (STSRO) Publications
Tax Bits
Gold Smuggling

March-April 2013 (2.06 MB)
Ordinarily, smuggling means the importation of goods into a country in violation of the laws of that country.
Gold is a regulated commodity and is governed by the laws of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
BOTCHA

January-February 2013 (1.85 MB)
Festivities in the Philippines are frequent. Some of them have religious
significance like Christmas and town fiestas, but most of the time they
are held in commemoration of life’s milestones like birthdays and
anniversaries. In our country, majority of the celebrations do not
happen without serving meat dishes.
Quo Vadis Anti-Smuggling Bill?

November-December 2012 (791 KB)
The first time the Senate evaluated bills on anti-smuggling was during the 13th Congress (2004-2007)1. In
the Senate, several bills were filed which were first referred to the Committee on Trade and Commerce. Later on,
they were transferred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO) Publications
Budget Notes
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 Brief
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.
Revisiting the Devolution of ENR Functions

June 2012 (213KB)
The Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of more than 7,000 islands, with an estimated land area of 300,000 square kilometers (km2) and a coastline of more than 17,000 kilometers. While the country is relatively small, it is rich in biological and genetic resources making it one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world (Ong, 2004). It is home to one of the world’s richest concentrations of marine life, with more than 500 of the 800 known coral reef species, more than 2,000 marine fish species, more than 40 mangrove species, and 16 seagrass species (ADB, 2008).
Strengthening Banking Regulation: Amending the BSP Charter

December 2011 (253KB)
As the central monetary authority of the country, the BSP is mandated to provide policy directions in areas concerning money, banking and credit.
With the increasing liberalization of the financial market, conglomeration of financial institutions, and advancements in technology, the BSP, as with most central banks in the world, faces increased level of risks.
Economic Report
Philippine Economy: Sluggish in 2011, bullish in 2012?

March 2012 (222KB)
The Philippine domestic economy shrunk to 3.7 percent in 2011, after a
stellar growth of 7.6 percent in 2010. Growth was mainly undermined by
the severe state underspending as well as the frail external
environment. Outlook for 2012 is relatively sanguine with the government
hinging its optimism on robust consumer demand and a more vigorous
public spending. However, downside risks to growth persist with the
global recovery poised to remain slow and uncertain.
Economic Report

October 2011 (245KB)
The Aquino government has set an aspirational gross domestic (GDP)
growth target of 7 percent to 8 percent for 2011 up to 2016. In
considering the national budget though, it assumed a more conservative
growth of 5 percent to 6 percent for 2011 and 5.5 to 6.5 percent for
2012.
Policy Insights
At a Glance
Natural Disasters
April 2013 (451KB)
Over the past decades, millions of Filipinos have been adversely affected by natural disasters1 such as typhoons,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and their resultant effects like floods, flash floods, landslides and tsunamis due to the
Philippines’ geographical location and physical environment.
GHG Emissions
March 2013 (563KB)
Greenhouse gases (GHGs1) are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, either natural or anthropogenic (as a result
of human activity), that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared
radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere itself, and by clouds.
Philippine Credit Rating
July 2012 (645KB)
Sovereign credit ratings are important for three reasons. First, they are the major determinants of a country’s borrowing costs in the international capital market. Issuers with lower credit ratings pay higher interest rates representing larger risk premiums. Second, they affect private costs as they generally set the ceiling for the ratings assigned to domestic banks and companies. Lastly, they determine the eligibility of financial instruments for the portfolios of certain low-risk institutional investors
Overseas Filipino Workers
May 2012 (549KB)
The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sector has been the primary source of the country’s resiliency. It has consistently showed strong performance, with OFW deployment increasing by an annual average of 9.6 percent from 2004 to 2011.
Major Publications
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