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In Search of a Strategy for Making Growth More Pro-Poor in the Philippines

Author

Listed:
  • Nobuhiko Fuwa

    (Waseda University Nishi-Waseda)

  • Arsenio M. Balisacan

    (The University of the Philippines and National Economic and Development Authority Guerrero)

  • Fabrizio Bresciani

    (Asia and the Pacific Division International Fund for Agricultural Development)

Abstract

Despite the large and expanding literature on pro-poor growth, quantitative studies identifying potential determinants of pro-poor growth remain scarce. This paper addresses this lacuna in the literature for the case of the Philippines. The main driver of rural poverty reduction has shifted from agricultural to non-agricultural growth in the Philippines, but agricultural investments can be still effective in areas with underdeveloped infrastructure. Non-agricultural income growth, on the other hand, can be made more pro-poor by reducing child mortality, facilitating international labor migration, investing in roads, and reducing income inequality. © 2015 The Earth Institute at Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Suggested Citation

  • Nobuhiko Fuwa & Arsenio M. Balisacan & Fabrizio Bresciani, 2015. "In Search of a Strategy for Making Growth More Pro-Poor in the Philippines," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 14(1), pages 202-226, Winter/Sp.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:asiaec:v:14:y:2015:i:1:p:202-226
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    Cited by:

    1. Arsenio M. Balisacan, 2019. "Toward a fairer society: inequality and competition policy in developing Asia," Philippine Review of Economics, University of the Philippines School of Economics and Philippine Economic Society, vol. 56(1 and 2), pages 127-146, June and .
    2. Williamson, Jeffrey G., 2017. "Philippine Inequality across the Twentieth Century: Slim Evidence but Fat Questions," CEPR Discussion Papers 12481, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Cuong V. Nguyen & Nguyet M. Pham, 2018. "Economic growth, inequality, and poverty in Vietnam," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 32(1), pages 45-58, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    pro-poor growth; Philippines; rural poverty; non-agricultural growth; agriculture; child mortality; income inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • F00 - International Economics - - General - - - General
    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General

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