Long celebrated for its more than 7,100 islands, the Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia that shares only with Madagascar the distinction of having been designated as both a Megadiverse Nation and a Global Biodiversity Conservation Hotspot. The terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the northeastern Philippines, specifically Luzon Island, has been the subject of intense interest since the first historical explorations. Historically, numerous works considered the biodiversity of Luzon as ?depauperate? in the sense that they was presumed to contain a reduced number of species shared with a continental mainland source. This view has persisted until recently, when a renewed interest in faunistic studies of the northern Philippines has produced a series of notable discoveries, drawing attention to high levels of species diversity and endemism in the northern reaches of the archipelago. We provide the first report on the herpetological biodiversity (amphibians and reptiles) of the northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range, northeast Luzon Island, Philippines. We combine new and historical data, and the results of recent fieldwork, to highlight at least 101 species present in this unique region of the archipelago. Not only is this fauna largely endemic (approximately 70%), but also our results add to a nascent body of literature suggesting that the northern portions of the archipelago may be substantially more diverse than currently appreciated.

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.

Major climate-induced changes -- Consequences of climate change -- Measures for adaptation to climate change -- Conclusions -- References.

The Philippines emergence as a growth leader has been building gradually since the 1990s, following a long period of low growth and political upheaval. As of the 2010s improved governance under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has helped to accelerate foreign direct investment (FDI) in business process outsourcing while reviving FDI into the manufacturing sector. This, and a demographic bulge in the young adult bracket, helped bring the average pace of growth in the first half of the 2010s to 6.3%, beating all the country’s main South-east Asian peers.