- Philippines
Abstract At global fora which discuss the regulation of international migration the Philippine government is typically hailed a “good practice example” for its institutional as well as legal framework and proactive interest in the welfare... more
Abstract At global fora which discuss the regulation of international migration the Philippine government is typically hailed a “good practice example” for its institutional as well as legal framework and proactive interest in the welfare of its citizens. The Philippine history of migration policy making is indeed shaped by a shift from “exporting workers” to an increasingly comprehensive rights-sensitive approach that addresses most aspects of migration: the regulation of recruitment agencies, pre-migration training, insurance systems, overseas voting rights, consular services, social rights of the left behind, and re-integration of returned migrants. This state of affairs, however, has not always been like that and is largely the result of activism by the vibrant migrant rights movement in the Philippines which reaches across the world. The case of the Philippine also shows mixed approaches to government-social movement relations, characterized by both pressure politics and critical engagement. Considerable gaps and loopholes remain in this web of rights-based policy aspects. Structural weaknesses are major problems that need to be addressed if labor migration is to evolve into a truly choice-driven economic decision. Still, comparatively and historically speaking, the Philippines have come a long way. The combined effects of leadership from below and leadership from above had led to some concrete results – even if far from perfect – in the betterment of many migrants’ lives.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Economics, Tobacco, International Cooperation, Public Health, Health Policy, and 14 moreMedicine, Multidisciplinary, Investments, Commerce, Tobacco control policy, Humans, Smoking Cessation, Smoking, Tobacco Control, ASEAN Studies, Tobacco industry, Liberalization, Economics of Tobacco Control, and Tobacco Products
Much of the conventional wisdom about the political economy of foreign direct investment suggests that many developing country governments lower regulatory and/or legislative standards in order to woo potential investors. Using the case... more
Much of the conventional wisdom about the political economy of foreign direct investment suggests that many developing country governments lower regulatory and/or legislative standards in order to woo potential investors. Using the case of the tobacco industry's efforts to influence excise tax policy reforms in the Philippines, we find a much more complex reality. Over a period of more than 15 years of concerted efforts and significant financial investment, a large multinational tobacco firm was consistently unable to realize its tax policy goals with serious, negative implications for the firm. In the most recent major policy confrontation over excise tax reform that led to one of the largest tax increases on tobacco products ever in a developing country, a number of major variables mitigated the powerful firm's influence. These variables included strong support for tax reform from a number of influential political actors and a well-organized civil society movement, which l...
Research Interests: Business, Economics, Political Economy, International Business, Economic Growth, and 14 morePolitical Science, Politics, Institutional Theory, International Political Economy, Public Health Policy, Foreign Direct Investment, Philippines, Tobacco control policy, Developing Country, Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI ), Incentive, Foreign Investment, Private Sector, and Tax Revenue
Research Interests:
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claim that the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) signal a new approach to tackling the challenges of poverty alleviation and economic development among their low-income... more
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claim that the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) signal a new approach to tackling the challenges of poverty alleviation and economic development among their low-income clients. Launched in September ...
East Asia’s development has been described to follow the ‘flying geese ’ model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output is exported... more
East Asia’s development has been described to follow the ‘flying geese ’ model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output is exported back to the lead economy, and the followers gain industrial and economic strength that eventually graduates them to the status of secondary geese. This relationship is maintained by the export-related FDI flows from the leading or secondary geese to the followers which are used to develop the next generation of productive capacity. However, this process is only possible with dynamic trade flows in both directions: followers import capital goods and more sophisticated products from the leading geese, while the leading geese receive exports (usually intermediate goods or low value-added manufactures) from the followers.1 The development path taken by East Asia explains the high degree of vertical specialization in the region. Vertical specialization is t...
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also... more
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also associated with greater movements of professional and skilled workers within the ASEAN region, but it is the movement of low-and unskilled workers that needs greater attention. Trade and investment liberalization in the region prompts restructuring across industries and employment sectors, giving rise to race-to-thebottom issues. Such restructuring highlights further the importance of treating migration as integral rather than separate from labor and general social protection issues. The establishment of regional agreements on social protection and integration, with particular focus on migration and labor standards, will not only help increase the profile of ASEAN among ordinary citizens and facilitate its socialization but will recognize the economic ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Philippines, Tobacco, Health Policy, Policy making, Intersectoral Collaboration, and 9 moreHumans, Chronic Disease, Tobacco Control, Health in All Policies, Health Policy and Planning, Public Administration and Policy, Public health systems and services research, Non Communicable Diseases, and Whole of government Approach
Research Interests:
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also... more
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also associated with greater movements of professional and skilled workers within the ASEAN region, but it is the movement of low- and unskilled workers that needs greater attention. Trade and investment liberalization in the region prompts restructuring across industries and employment sectors, giving rise to race-to-thebottom issues. Such restructuring highlights further the importance of treating migration as integral rather than separate from labor and general social protection issues. The establishment of regional agreements on social protection and integration, with particular focus on migration and labor standards, will not only help increase the profile of ASEAN among ordinary citizens and facilitate its socialization but will recognize the economic...
Research Interests:
En Asie, les luttes des mouvements sociaux se sont intensifiees suite a l'acceleration du neoliberalisme, la soumission des Etats aux imperatifs du marche et la complicite des elites economiques dans…
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Tobacco supply remains a pressing challenge to tobacco control. Tobacco remains a dominant cash crop in many low- and middle-income countries, despite the evidence suggesting that it is not as profitable as industry claims and is harmful... more
Tobacco supply remains a pressing challenge to tobacco control. Tobacco remains a dominant cash crop in many low- and middle-income countries, despite the evidence suggesting that it is not as profitable as industry claims and is harmful to health and the environment. In order to implement successful and sustainable alternative livelihood interventions, it is important to understand why farmers continue to grow tobacco. This study explores this question from the perspective of farmers in Indonesia and Philippines. This study was informed by interpretive description methodology. Data was collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) (n = 7) with farmers (n = ~60). The FGDs were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then translated into English. An inductive thematic analysis of the data was conducted to identify and categorize the reason provided by participants. We identified two overarching themes: (1) perceived viability (profitability, ready market, and environmental facto...
Research Interests:
East Asia's development has been described to follow the 'flying geese' model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output... more
East Asia's development has been described to follow the 'flying geese' model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output is exported back to the lead economy, and the followers ...
Research Interests:
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also... more
The number of migrant labor in the ASEAN, predominant in low-skilled work and many of whom are undocumented, reaches two-three million workers in the big receiving countries of Thailand and Malaysia alone. Increased FDI flows are also associated with greater movements of professional and skilled workers within the ASEAN region, but it is the movement of low- and unskilled workers
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Public Health Policy, Health Policy, Intersectoral Collaboration, Chronic Disease, Tobacco Control, and 7 moreHealth in All Policies, Health Policy and Planning, Public Administration and Policy, Public health systems and services research, Non Communicable Diseases, Whole of government Approach, and Public Policy
To address the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), governments are now being urged to ‘put forward a multisectoral approach for health at all government levels, to address NCD risk factors and underlying determinants of health... more
To address the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), governments are now
being urged to ‘put forward a multisectoral approach for health at all
government levels, to address NCD risk factors and underlying determinants
of health comprehensively and decisively’ [UN, 2011. Political Declaration of the
High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-
Communicable Diseases (No. A/66/L.1). New York, NY: United Nations]. There is a
global consensus that whole-of-government approaches (WG) can be particularly
effective in regulating products such as tobacco, pre-packaged foods and
alcohol, which are or can be major risk factors for NCDs. Despite the
overwhelming push towards interagency arrangements for health policymaking
and implementation, including in contemporary efforts to prevent and control
NCDs, there has been minimal investigation into how countries have pursued
WG and which types of institutional designs and arrangements offer particular
utility to achieve health objectives. This article examines these issues through a
case study concerning the interagency mechanism that the Philippine government
currently utilizes to govern tobacco control, the Interagency Committee—
Tobacco (IAC-T). We conducted key informant interviews (n¼33) with
government officials, and representatives from civil society organizations,
health professional associations and intergovernmental organizations. We
targeted informants who have been involved in the work of the IAC-T and/or
tobacco control policy more broadly. We also analysed public documents to
contribute to our analysis of the structure, functioning and legal status of the
IAC-T. Our findings highlight two salient challenges that arose in the Philippines
case: (1) the inclusion of industry representation on the IAC-T and (2) the
attempt to consolidate the responsibilities of the different departments through
a policy of ‘balance’ between health and commercial interests. We analyse how
health proponents navigated this challenging institutional arrangement and the
various barriers they faced in achieving the intended health objectives. We draw
from this case to discuss the lessons that can inform broad calls for WG to
NCDs.
being urged to ‘put forward a multisectoral approach for health at all
government levels, to address NCD risk factors and underlying determinants
of health comprehensively and decisively’ [UN, 2011. Political Declaration of the
High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-
Communicable Diseases (No. A/66/L.1). New York, NY: United Nations]. There is a
global consensus that whole-of-government approaches (WG) can be particularly
effective in regulating products such as tobacco, pre-packaged foods and
alcohol, which are or can be major risk factors for NCDs. Despite the
overwhelming push towards interagency arrangements for health policymaking
and implementation, including in contemporary efforts to prevent and control
NCDs, there has been minimal investigation into how countries have pursued
WG and which types of institutional designs and arrangements offer particular
utility to achieve health objectives. This article examines these issues through a
case study concerning the interagency mechanism that the Philippine government
currently utilizes to govern tobacco control, the Interagency Committee—
Tobacco (IAC-T). We conducted key informant interviews (n¼33) with
government officials, and representatives from civil society organizations,
health professional associations and intergovernmental organizations. We
targeted informants who have been involved in the work of the IAC-T and/or
tobacco control policy more broadly. We also analysed public documents to
contribute to our analysis of the structure, functioning and legal status of the
IAC-T. Our findings highlight two salient challenges that arose in the Philippines
case: (1) the inclusion of industry representation on the IAC-T and (2) the
attempt to consolidate the responsibilities of the different departments through
a policy of ‘balance’ between health and commercial interests. We analyse how
health proponents navigated this challenging institutional arrangement and the
various barriers they faced in achieving the intended health objectives. We draw
from this case to discuss the lessons that can inform broad calls for WG to
NCDs.
Research Interests:
Much of the conventional wisdom about the political economy of foreign direct investment suggests that many developing country governments lower regulatory and/or legislative standards in order to woo potential investors. Using the case... more
Much of the conventional wisdom about the political economy of foreign direct investment suggests that many developing country
governments lower regulatory and/or legislative standards in order to woo potential investors. Using the case of the tobacco industry’s
efforts to influence excise tax policy reforms in the Philippines, we find a much more complex reality. Over a period of more than 15
years of concerted efforts and significant financial investment, a large multinational tobacco firm was consistently unable to realize its
tax policy goals with serious, negative implications for the firm. In the most recent major policy confrontation over excise tax reform
that led to one of the largest tax increases on tobacco products ever in a developing country, a number of major variables mitigated the
powerful firm’s influence. These variables included strong support for tax reform from a number of influential political actors and a
well-organized civil society movement, which led to broader public support for both public health and fiscal reasons. Global
governance around economic policy and the effects of domestic institutional structures also had marked effects on the outcomes.
governments lower regulatory and/or legislative standards in order to woo potential investors. Using the case of the tobacco industry’s
efforts to influence excise tax policy reforms in the Philippines, we find a much more complex reality. Over a period of more than 15
years of concerted efforts and significant financial investment, a large multinational tobacco firm was consistently unable to realize its
tax policy goals with serious, negative implications for the firm. In the most recent major policy confrontation over excise tax reform
that led to one of the largest tax increases on tobacco products ever in a developing country, a number of major variables mitigated the
powerful firm’s influence. These variables included strong support for tax reform from a number of influential political actors and a
well-organized civil society movement, which led to broader public support for both public health and fiscal reasons. Global
governance around economic policy and the effects of domestic institutional structures also had marked effects on the outcomes.
Research Interests:
Various processes have swept over Southeast Asia in the last four decades, producing pressures not only in the economic but also in the political and social milieus. When these processes congealed, transnational social movements (TSMs),... more
Various processes have swept over Southeast Asia in the last four decades, producing pressures not only in the economic but also in the political and social milieus. When these processes congealed, transnational social movements (TSMs), which earlier had not
paid much attention to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), began to give it more serious attention. This paper examines two TSMs, Migrant Forum in Asia, which already engages in international processes while also focusing on ASEAN, and the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers, which was formed to respond specifically to newly opened regional spaces. The paper looks at how the TSMs respond to the emerging
political opportunity structure and explores the dynamics of “going regional” from different approaches and its potential and actual impacts on shaping policy in ASEAN.
paid much attention to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), began to give it more serious attention. This paper examines two TSMs, Migrant Forum in Asia, which already engages in international processes while also focusing on ASEAN, and the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers, which was formed to respond specifically to newly opened regional spaces. The paper looks at how the TSMs respond to the emerging
political opportunity structure and explores the dynamics of “going regional” from different approaches and its potential and actual impacts on shaping policy in ASEAN.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
East Asia's development has been described to follow the 'flying geese' model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output... more
East Asia's development has been described to follow the 'flying geese' model, which envisages the relocation of production from a lead economy to other countries in search of lower costs. In this model much of the output is exported back to the lead economy, and the followers ...