Knowledge is critical in addressing the complex challenges of development and poverty reduction faced by the Philippines. This compendium discusses the progress and achievements of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in line with The Philippines Country Knowledge Strategy and Plan, 2012–2017 and presents various knowledge products and services focusing on the country. As a development and knowledge-based institution, ADB’s strategic directions to support the knowledge needs of the Philippines focuses on (i) sustainable and climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure; (ii) local economic development, governance, and regional cooperation; (iii) social innovations; and (v) gender equality.

Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis and rising food, fuel, and commodity prices, addressing poverty and inequality in the Philippines remains a challenge. The proportion of households living below the official poverty line has declined slowly and unevenly in the past four decades, and poverty reduction has been much slower than in neighboring countries such as the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Economic growth has gone through boom and bust cycles, and recent episodes of moderate economic expansion have had limited impact on the poor. Great inequality across income brackets, regions, and sectors, as well as unmanaged population growth, are considered some of the key factors constraining poverty reduction efforts. This publication analyzes the causes of poverty and recommends ways to accelerate poverty reduction and achieve more inclusive growth. it also provides an overview of current government responses, strategies, and achievements in the fight against poverty and identifies and prioritizes future needs and interventions. The analysis is based on current literature and the latest available data, including the 2006 Family Income and Expenditure Survey.

This Guide for Trainers, based on workshops in nine countries, provides a complete set of materials for use in training sessions on mainstreaming gender in adaptation planning in the agriculture sectors. It is designed for a trainer or team responsible for delivering a training workshop for stakeholders who are involved in adaptation planning and related budgeting processes in agriculture. The guide presents a mix of interactive activities and presentations, to be used in whole or in part, to improve the individual-level skills and behaviours needed to foster gender-responsive agriculture adaptation plans within a broader capacity development process. The emphasis is on adaptation in agriculture, however the materials can be applied to planning for climate change adaptation in other sectors. In addition to this Guide for trainers, there are companion PowerPoint templates that workshop organizers can tailor to their specific context.

This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that following the adverse impact from the global economic and financial crisis, there are signs of a nascent recovery of the Philippine economy. Growth is expected at 3⁄4 percent in 2009 and to recover to about 31⁄4 percent in 2010. The recovery will likely be led by private consumption as confidence strengthens and remittances pick up further. Investments and exports are also expected to benefit from the global recovery. Risks to the near-term outlook are broadly balanced and sensitive to the global growth outturn.

Faced with significant security challenges, in recent years Japan and South Korea have both sought to raise their international profile through peacebuilding, development, humanitarian assistance, and human security. This book assesses the past, present, and future potential of these niche diplomacy initiatives undertaken by Japan and South Korea, largely in Southeast Asia. The book concludes that not only do such nontraditional security channels have the potential to achieve meaningful change for partners and beneficiaries, but they could also form the basis of future confidence-building and security cooperation between Japan and South Korea, which have to date achieved little in the field of traditional security cooperation, despite facing many shared challenges. Working across disciplines and national boundaries, the contributors to this volume argue that policy prioritization in the fields of peacebuilding, development, and human security by Tokyo and Seoul could have the potential to accrue wider benefits not only to the Northeast Asian actors and the Southeast Asian partners, but also to wider regional and even global security communities. At a time when the role of so-called middle powers is receiving increasing levels of attention both domestically and internationally, this book will be of considerable interest to scholars of Japan and the ROK, as well as development, security, and foreign policy researchers more broadly.

Middle-Power Responses to China’s BRI and America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy brings together an international, multidisciplinary group of leading experts to contribute a well-rounded, multifaceted view of the transformation that is currently taking place in the geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific.

Supporting its developing member countries (DMCs) affected by fragility and conflict is a high priority for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This is demonstrated by ADB's adoption of its 2007 approach, which responds to the special challenges faced by DMCs experiencing conditions that are now generally described as fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCAS), and by ADB's endorsement of the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States in 2011. ADB's Strategy 2020 reinforces its commitment to FCAS. This publication provides details on actions that ADB will take to improve the development impact of its support to DMCs that are experiencing fragility and the effects of conflict on either a national or subnational level.