This book is about the Republic of the Philippines. It is the truth about the country, as seen through the eyes of a foreigner who lives there, and has been associated with the country since 1981. It tells of the culture, the people, the economy, the poverty, the disasters, the politics and of the need for change. The Philippines can find the road to prosperity. This book explains what needs to happen for that to take place. For anyone with any interest in the Philippines, or any connection with the country, this book cannot be overlooked. The author will donate 25% of author royalties from this book to charity to assist poverty-stricken Filipino families.

The Government has been Widely Commended for its Efforts to improve business conditions and Reduce Corruption, The while a Relatively conservative fiscal policy has Helped boost the economy's Credibility and steer investment into the : private sector. With the economy concentrated in the Metro Manila region, major Challenges lie ahead in overcoming long-standing infrastructure bottlenecks and developing stronger energy and manufacturing sectors. Yet the government is increasing its efforts to spread manufacturing and business process outsourcing growth across the country, and clear obstacles to developing other sectors where outlying regions have strong potential. 2015 is set to mark the inaugural year of the ASEAN Economic Community, with the Philippines playing an integral role in the foundation of this ambitious regional venture.

There is serious concern about the impact of the changing climate. The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has taken the initiative in addressing health issues related to climate change but further action is needed to support efforts to confront climate change in Member States and in various sectors. Health must be mainstreamed into efforts to address climate change and action must be coordinated and integrated across national boundaries and in all sectors. This report synthesizes information and approaches on climate change and health pertinent to Member States in the Western Pacific Region. It also examines efforts and initiatives by various experts and stakeholders with an in-depth look at experiences in seven Member States that reflect the diversity of the Region. Finally it offers recommendations for policy-makers.

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.

In this volume, a leading group of scholars pose the question, has the Philippine economy rejoined the dynamic East Asian mainstream and, if so, what set of policies and priorities are required to maintain the strong economic momentum of recent years? Successive chapters address issues related to growth and poverty, infrastructure and urbanization, education, health, the environment, energy, development finance, and governance and institutions. The book has been written with a broad audience in mind. First and foremost it is for readers in, and interested in, this fascinating and important country with a population that now exceeds a hundred million. Second, it will appeal to those in the broader development community with an interest in the analytical and policy challenges that democratic, middle-income countries face as they struggle to lift their citizens out of poverty and to achieve broad-based and environmentally sustainable growth.