Ma. Kristina P Ortiz | University of the Philippines (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Ma. Kristina P Ortiz

The study identifies outstanding issues and bottlenecks and provides recommendations to facilitat... more The study identifies outstanding issues and bottlenecks and provides recommendations to facilitate the Philippines' full compliance to its commitments to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Various in-depth interviews and surveys were conducted with concerned stakeholders from government agencies and the private sector to bring to fore the issues and bottlenecks for policymakers' action. Although its focus is mainly on services and investment liberalization, this study also tracks policy changes in trade facilitation, nontariff measures, standards and conformance, and mutual recognition arrangements after the release of the 2010/2011 AEC Scorecard Reports.

The ASEAN+6 countries are currently engaged in negotiation for a Regional Comprehensive Economic ... more The ASEAN+6 countries are currently engaged in negotiation for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). If successfully negotiated, RCEP will result into the world`s biggest trading bloc, 40 percent of world trade, that offers significant benefits to participating countries. The first round of negotiations was held in Brunei in May 2013. The second round was recently held in Brisbane, Australia in September 2013. Negotiations are expected to conclude in 2015. The focus of the RCEP negotiations will be on the following eight key areas: trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, and other issues. The paper discusses some of the challenges facing the Philippines during the difficult period of negotiation and the necessary structural and institutional reforms that it has to take to ensure that it will benefit from RCEP. The paper calls the attention of policymakers to address cri...

Digital technology applied to banking and financial transactions or e-finance, in general, has ma... more Digital technology applied to banking and financial transactions or e-finance, in general, has made financial services more widely available and affordable to consumers. With appropriate and affordable technologies and applications, the financially excluded and the unserved can participate in mainstream banking and finance that will open many opportunities for consumption smoothing and investment and earning possibilities. This paper attempts to study the contribution of technology towards financial inclusion in the Philippines and analyze whether e-finance has enabled the last mile consumers to avail of financial products and services affordably and conveniently. It uses data from financial inclusion databases, and results from a national financial inclusion survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussions with users of a mobile banking application. Electronic money transfers are found to be increasing in the country, but the digital adoption rate, particularly for mobi...

This study investigates the potential economic effects of this recent directive, which is intende... more This study investigates the potential economic effects of this recent directive, which is intended to last for six months from May to October 2018. Using secondary data, the study employs an Input-Output and computable general equilibrium model analyses. Three scenarios, which are based on different percentage reductions in the Philippine tourism receipts, are examined to look at the projected losses in total output and compensation, as well as its effects on specific economic sectors. Results show that the aggregate economic loss in total output would range from PHP 20.8 billion to PHP 83.15 billion, while in terms of income, the loss in compensation would range from PHP 7 billion to PHP 27.9 billion. Tourism sectors would be most affected, as well as agriculture and services, albeit slightly. Overall, while the results may not be very significant at the national level, it will still have its direct and indirect effects to people living in the island and in the entire municipality ...

The Philippine fishing industry is considered as one of the major industries in the agriculture a... more The Philippine fishing industry is considered as one of the major industries in the agriculture and fisheries sector. The marine resources available to the country indicate its vast potential in employment creation and output growth. It is in this light that the research team conducted this study with special focus on the tuna industry. The study objectives are to (a) provide regulatory mapping imposed on the local tuna industry; (b) identify those regulations considered as unnecessary or too burdensome to the industry; and (c) provide some recommendations on removing unnecessary regulations. An important inclusion in this project is the Informed Regulatory Conversation which allows the regulators and the private sector to discuss the identified issues and come up with unified recommendations to ease the regulatory burden on different tuna industry stakeholders. The result of the regulatory mapping shows the extent and number of regulations affecting the industry. Overall, the regul...

The quality of the Philippine telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) re... more The quality of the Philippine telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) regulatory environment is significantly below what is considered international best practice. Using a scoring system developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where 100 points represent the best possible scenario, the Philippines is only midway toward the ideal with a score of 52.50––second lowest in a group of seven ASEAN members. A package of structural reforms is needed to improve regulatory quality and support the efficient functioning of ICT markets. While the regulatory regime (or specific rules) and the competition framework are essential elements, they will only work if an effective regulatory authority with the right mandate is in place. Therefore, this should be prioritized in the reform agenda. Last but not least, universal access/service is an important goal that needs to be pursued. We should learn from our own and other countries' experience in craftin...

The Philippines` recent economic performance has been remarkable amid the lingering slowdown in t... more The Philippines` recent economic performance has been remarkable amid the lingering slowdown in the global economy and the devastation brought about by recent natural disasters. The economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2013, substantially higher than its 6.8 percent growth in 2012. With GDP growth averaging at 5.9 percent in the last three years, the Philippines is one of the better performers among the developing economies. However, the economy faces problems of high poverty incidence and income inequality. The main challenge is how to sustain rapid and inclusive growth.It is important for the government`s inclusive growth strategy and development agenda to be supported by responsive development finance. This Development Finance and Aid Assessment prepared for the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) takes stock of current development finance in the Philippines. It provides a comprehensive survey of development finance and aid scenario in the Philippines in the next 5 to 10...

The enactment of Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, added two years... more The enactment of Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, added two years to basic education. One of the rationales offered by proponents of the law is that Senior High School (SHS) graduates can work or engage in entrepreneurial activities if they choose to do so. This study assesses the likelihood of achieving the employment and entrepreneurship objectives of the program by examining the experience of grade 12 graduating students and the views of firms about the labor market prospects of the SHS graduates. It does this by (a) looking into the SHS curriculum and the competencies developed, (b) identifying the types of jobs that fit the Grade 12 graduates, (c) gathering the private sector perspective on the jobs available and appropriate for the Grade 12 graduates, and (d) providing policy recommendations for the improvement of the implementation of the SHS program. The study reveals that despite identifying employment and entrepreneurship as a rationale for ...

Philippine industrial policies such as those bearing on the manufacturing sector are a critical e... more Philippine industrial policies such as those bearing on the manufacturing sector are a critical element of the country's development strategy. Manufacturing creates opportunities for higher value addition and extensive employment owing to forward and backward linkages with other sectors of the economy, and linkage to regional production networks, which has become a key factor in the growth of major ASEAN countries. This paper discusses Philippine industrial policy reforms and implementation over the period 1973-2014 through the lens of the automotive manufacturing industry. It discusses the factors that will facilitate or hinder the process of reforms and implementation under the new approach to the development of the automotive manufacturing industry. Information externalities and coordination failure seem to constitute the major challenges to the sector. Under the Philippine New Industrial Policy, a more nuanced set of targeted interventions is employed to achieve envisaged po...

The study looks at the rarely studied customs brokerage activity in the Philippines and its role ... more The study looks at the rarely studied customs brokerage activity in the Philippines and its role in facilitating trade given the ongoing push to modernize customs administration. It analyzes how the customs brokerage profession is being regulated and synthesizes insights on opposing views on the importance of customs brokers in trade facilitation. The results of the study clearly point toward a declining relevance of the customs brokers` services in an environment where customs administration is modernizing, computerization is replacing the traditional, direct interaction of brokers with the Bureau of Customs, and a more transparent customs administration is emerging to efficiently process a significantly growing volume of trade transactions. Understandably, a threatened profession such as brokering mounts resistance in the face of changes. Customs brokers take the Customs Brokers Act of 2004 as their shield against any attempt to dilute or minimize their role in the customs adminis...

This study articulates the results of the research team`s conversations with regulators and desk ... more This study articulates the results of the research team`s conversations with regulators and desk review of policies in the sectors affecting logistics and trade facilitation in the Philippines. The study covers air transport, land transport, maritime transport, logistics services, and customs services. Successes in regulatory reforms as well as the remaining restrictions to better logistics and trade facilitation surfaced from the conversations with regulators and the analysis of existing rules and regulations. Many of the remaining restrictions need to be addressed through amendments to existing laws and even enactment of new laws. This is the case in the following restrictions: limit on foreign equity participation, moving international government cargoes only through flag carriers, cabotage restriction, and the port regulator acting as an operator. Other remaining restrictions can be addressed through investments, which is the case in capacity-constrained airports and congested M...

… FINANCING: THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP …

... finances, operates and/or maintains a new facility under a long-term lease at the ... feature... more ... finances, operates and/or maintains a new facility under a long-term lease at the ... features of PPPs that could be exploited to expand infrastructure investments in Nigeria in a more efficient manner that guarantees “value-for-money”, expands the range of financing options for ...

The study identifies outstanding issues and bottlenecks and provides recommendations to facilitat... more The study identifies outstanding issues and bottlenecks and provides recommendations to facilitate the Philippines' full compliance to its commitments to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Various in-depth interviews and surveys were conducted with concerned stakeholders from government agencies and the private sector to bring to fore the issues and bottlenecks for policymakers' action. Although its focus is mainly on services and investment liberalization, this study also tracks policy changes in trade facilitation, nontariff measures, standards and conformance, and mutual recognition arrangements after the release of the 2010/2011 AEC Scorecard Reports.

The ASEAN+6 countries are currently engaged in negotiation for a Regional Comprehensive Economic ... more The ASEAN+6 countries are currently engaged in negotiation for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). If successfully negotiated, RCEP will result into the world`s biggest trading bloc, 40 percent of world trade, that offers significant benefits to participating countries. The first round of negotiations was held in Brunei in May 2013. The second round was recently held in Brisbane, Australia in September 2013. Negotiations are expected to conclude in 2015. The focus of the RCEP negotiations will be on the following eight key areas: trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, and other issues. The paper discusses some of the challenges facing the Philippines during the difficult period of negotiation and the necessary structural and institutional reforms that it has to take to ensure that it will benefit from RCEP. The paper calls the attention of policymakers to address cri...

Digital technology applied to banking and financial transactions or e-finance, in general, has ma... more Digital technology applied to banking and financial transactions or e-finance, in general, has made financial services more widely available and affordable to consumers. With appropriate and affordable technologies and applications, the financially excluded and the unserved can participate in mainstream banking and finance that will open many opportunities for consumption smoothing and investment and earning possibilities. This paper attempts to study the contribution of technology towards financial inclusion in the Philippines and analyze whether e-finance has enabled the last mile consumers to avail of financial products and services affordably and conveniently. It uses data from financial inclusion databases, and results from a national financial inclusion survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussions with users of a mobile banking application. Electronic money transfers are found to be increasing in the country, but the digital adoption rate, particularly for mobi...

This study investigates the potential economic effects of this recent directive, which is intende... more This study investigates the potential economic effects of this recent directive, which is intended to last for six months from May to October 2018. Using secondary data, the study employs an Input-Output and computable general equilibrium model analyses. Three scenarios, which are based on different percentage reductions in the Philippine tourism receipts, are examined to look at the projected losses in total output and compensation, as well as its effects on specific economic sectors. Results show that the aggregate economic loss in total output would range from PHP 20.8 billion to PHP 83.15 billion, while in terms of income, the loss in compensation would range from PHP 7 billion to PHP 27.9 billion. Tourism sectors would be most affected, as well as agriculture and services, albeit slightly. Overall, while the results may not be very significant at the national level, it will still have its direct and indirect effects to people living in the island and in the entire municipality ...

The Philippine fishing industry is considered as one of the major industries in the agriculture a... more The Philippine fishing industry is considered as one of the major industries in the agriculture and fisheries sector. The marine resources available to the country indicate its vast potential in employment creation and output growth. It is in this light that the research team conducted this study with special focus on the tuna industry. The study objectives are to (a) provide regulatory mapping imposed on the local tuna industry; (b) identify those regulations considered as unnecessary or too burdensome to the industry; and (c) provide some recommendations on removing unnecessary regulations. An important inclusion in this project is the Informed Regulatory Conversation which allows the regulators and the private sector to discuss the identified issues and come up with unified recommendations to ease the regulatory burden on different tuna industry stakeholders. The result of the regulatory mapping shows the extent and number of regulations affecting the industry. Overall, the regul...

The quality of the Philippine telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) re... more The quality of the Philippine telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) regulatory environment is significantly below what is considered international best practice. Using a scoring system developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where 100 points represent the best possible scenario, the Philippines is only midway toward the ideal with a score of 52.50––second lowest in a group of seven ASEAN members. A package of structural reforms is needed to improve regulatory quality and support the efficient functioning of ICT markets. While the regulatory regime (or specific rules) and the competition framework are essential elements, they will only work if an effective regulatory authority with the right mandate is in place. Therefore, this should be prioritized in the reform agenda. Last but not least, universal access/service is an important goal that needs to be pursued. We should learn from our own and other countries' experience in craftin...

The Philippines` recent economic performance has been remarkable amid the lingering slowdown in t... more The Philippines` recent economic performance has been remarkable amid the lingering slowdown in the global economy and the devastation brought about by recent natural disasters. The economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2013, substantially higher than its 6.8 percent growth in 2012. With GDP growth averaging at 5.9 percent in the last three years, the Philippines is one of the better performers among the developing economies. However, the economy faces problems of high poverty incidence and income inequality. The main challenge is how to sustain rapid and inclusive growth.It is important for the government`s inclusive growth strategy and development agenda to be supported by responsive development finance. This Development Finance and Aid Assessment prepared for the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) takes stock of current development finance in the Philippines. It provides a comprehensive survey of development finance and aid scenario in the Philippines in the next 5 to 10...

The enactment of Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, added two years... more The enactment of Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, added two years to basic education. One of the rationales offered by proponents of the law is that Senior High School (SHS) graduates can work or engage in entrepreneurial activities if they choose to do so. This study assesses the likelihood of achieving the employment and entrepreneurship objectives of the program by examining the experience of grade 12 graduating students and the views of firms about the labor market prospects of the SHS graduates. It does this by (a) looking into the SHS curriculum and the competencies developed, (b) identifying the types of jobs that fit the Grade 12 graduates, (c) gathering the private sector perspective on the jobs available and appropriate for the Grade 12 graduates, and (d) providing policy recommendations for the improvement of the implementation of the SHS program. The study reveals that despite identifying employment and entrepreneurship as a rationale for ...

Philippine industrial policies such as those bearing on the manufacturing sector are a critical e... more Philippine industrial policies such as those bearing on the manufacturing sector are a critical element of the country's development strategy. Manufacturing creates opportunities for higher value addition and extensive employment owing to forward and backward linkages with other sectors of the economy, and linkage to regional production networks, which has become a key factor in the growth of major ASEAN countries. This paper discusses Philippine industrial policy reforms and implementation over the period 1973-2014 through the lens of the automotive manufacturing industry. It discusses the factors that will facilitate or hinder the process of reforms and implementation under the new approach to the development of the automotive manufacturing industry. Information externalities and coordination failure seem to constitute the major challenges to the sector. Under the Philippine New Industrial Policy, a more nuanced set of targeted interventions is employed to achieve envisaged po...

The study looks at the rarely studied customs brokerage activity in the Philippines and its role ... more The study looks at the rarely studied customs brokerage activity in the Philippines and its role in facilitating trade given the ongoing push to modernize customs administration. It analyzes how the customs brokerage profession is being regulated and synthesizes insights on opposing views on the importance of customs brokers in trade facilitation. The results of the study clearly point toward a declining relevance of the customs brokers` services in an environment where customs administration is modernizing, computerization is replacing the traditional, direct interaction of brokers with the Bureau of Customs, and a more transparent customs administration is emerging to efficiently process a significantly growing volume of trade transactions. Understandably, a threatened profession such as brokering mounts resistance in the face of changes. Customs brokers take the Customs Brokers Act of 2004 as their shield against any attempt to dilute or minimize their role in the customs adminis...

This study articulates the results of the research team`s conversations with regulators and desk ... more This study articulates the results of the research team`s conversations with regulators and desk review of policies in the sectors affecting logistics and trade facilitation in the Philippines. The study covers air transport, land transport, maritime transport, logistics services, and customs services. Successes in regulatory reforms as well as the remaining restrictions to better logistics and trade facilitation surfaced from the conversations with regulators and the analysis of existing rules and regulations. Many of the remaining restrictions need to be addressed through amendments to existing laws and even enactment of new laws. This is the case in the following restrictions: limit on foreign equity participation, moving international government cargoes only through flag carriers, cabotage restriction, and the port regulator acting as an operator. Other remaining restrictions can be addressed through investments, which is the case in capacity-constrained airports and congested M...

… FINANCING: THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP …

... finances, operates and/or maintains a new facility under a long-term lease at the ... feature... more ... finances, operates and/or maintains a new facility under a long-term lease at the ... features of PPPs that could be exploited to expand infrastructure investments in Nigeria in a more efficient manner that guarantees “value-for-money”, expands the range of financing options for ...