A Competition Policy and Efficient Regulatory Framework for the Port Sector: Getting It Unberthed

The Philippines, with its archipelagic physical character, requires an efficient maritime transport infrastructure to facilitate and foster growth and socioeconomic integration. Given the inefficiencies existing in its maritime transport system, though, it is deemed important to have in place a competition policy and an efficient regulatory framework for the port sector. This Policy Notes discusses more on this...competition policy, regulatory framework, maritime transport, ports and inter-island shipping, landlord port model

The Regulation of Deposit-Taking Cooperatives

Through RA 6839, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) has been created to promote, develop and regulate cooperatives. As mandated by the government, it discharges its developmental role and regulatory functions. However, it focuses more on the former causing the neglect of monitoring the financial health of thousands of cooperatives. This issue offers various ways with which CDA can deal with two different and inconsistent responsibilities. It also cites various measures to reinforce the market.regulation and control, deposit-taking cooperatives, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)

Risk-based Supervision of Banks Involved in Microfinance

Microfinance banks have, through the years, shown a remarkable ability to reach low-income borrowers, most of whom do not have bankable assets to serve as collateral. As such, they necessarily fill a gap unserved by formal credit institutions. In this light, there is a need to further expand their reach and to be able to do this, they should be able to show to the regulatory authority and the public that they are as trustworthy as the regulated nonmicrofinance bank. How to do this is the question. This Policy Notes therefore offers an answer through the adoption of a risk-based regulation and supervision approach that is appropriate to the nature and set-up of a microfinance bank.microfinance

Philippine Credit Policy and Microfinance Institutions: Some Lessons from the Latin American Experience

A liberalized and deregulated financial market environment as well as good governance are better ingredients than government-subsidized and directed credit programs in ensuring that low-income people gain access to basic financial services. This is one of the major lessons that the Philippines can learn from the credit policy experiences of Latin American countries.microfinance

Developing the Policy and Regulatory Architecture for Microfinance in the Philippines

What led to the dynamic growth of the microfinance market in the Philippines? According to Dr. Gilberto Llanto in this Policy Notes, the microfinance market in the country owes its rapid development to a large extent to the emerging policy environment and regulatory framework crafted by the government. Said progress in developing the policy and regulatory architecture for microfinance is discussed in this Notes in greater detail.microfinance, microfinance regulation, microfinance market

Rural Finance in the Philippines: A Continuing Saga in Policy Challenges

How to frame efficient rural finance policies that would become potent tools for development remains as a challenge to policymakers. Over the past two decades, the Philippines' rural financial market has gone through various experiences and stages of development. Unfortunately, the saga had largely been some kind of a "forward-backward" policy, thereupon leading to certain costs on the part of both the government and the small farmers/rural borrowers. This Policy Notes therefore recommends the need for a fresh approach as herein explained.transaction cost, rural finance, collateral substitutes, credit bureaus

Is the Promise Being Fulfilled?...Microfinance in the Philippines: Status, Issues and Challenges

Citing impressive gains in the last three years, the author points out the bright prospects for microfinance as a major source of financing for small farmers, fisherfolk and entrepreneurs in the coming years. Nonetheless, there are critical issues that need to be given immediate attention to, according to him, for such prospects and promise of microfinance to be fully fulfilled.microfinance, microfinance institutions, microfinance development

Addressing Constraints to Agricultural Finance to Boost Food Production

This Note discusses two major constraints to agricultural finance that hinder private investments in food production. The policy gaps that need government intervention are likewise discussed.Philippines, food security, agricultural finance, food production

Managing Government Guarantees and Contingent Liabilities

In order to encourage private sector participation in infrastructure development, the government provided guarantees to a number of infrastructure projects covering a wide variety of project-specific and general risks. In bearing such risks, however, the government invariably becomes exposed to contingent claims that can be triggered by certain events. Can something be done therefore to deal with this? This Policy Notes addresses this concern as it draws an outline of a risk management approach that deals with expected and unexpected losses from contingent liabilities.public debt, government guarantee