Dr. Ferdinand C. Maquito and Sergio P. Andal, Jr.
Abstract
The Middle Income Trap: The Other Side of the Philippine Centavo
This presentation will clarify the debate on the Middle Income Trap as it relates to Philippine manufacturing. There are those who say that the Philippines is doing well and that it is certainly in no middle income trap. On the other hand, there are those who argue that the Philippines has been mired in a middle income trap, and the prospect of extricating herself from the trap anytime soon is dim. How prevalent each thinking is among Philippine policymakers would naturally be crucial in defining development strategy and policy for the country. A sanguine view would lead to the thinking that all is well and there is no need to change course. On the other hand, a melancholic view is a call to arms for major changes in strategies and policies.
This presentation takes the view that the Middle Income Trap and Shared Growth are two sides of one coin. The Middle Income Trap focuses on the factors that contribute to the absence of shared growth. On the other hand, Shared Growth naturally focuses on the factors that contribute to the presence of shared growth. As will be shown, the main problem, however, is that the coin referred to here is a Philippine centavo.
This presentation builds on ideas to be presented in Volume 1 of an anthology “Shared Growth Lessons from Japan to the Philippines”
Profile
Dr. Ferdinand C. Maquito (nickname: Max)
Philippine Chief Representative, Sekiguchi Global Research Association (SGRA)
Through SGRA, he pursues his research and advocacy for sustainable shared growth in the Philippines through manufacturing and the empowerment of poor rural communities
Education
Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Tokyo (1996)
M.S. in Industrial Economics, Center for Research and Communication (1986)
B.S. Mechanical Engineering from the University of the Philippines (1982)
On-going Research Projects
1. Urban and Rural Poor Communities with Prof. Toru Nakanishi, University of Tokyo
2. IT Industry and Development with Prof. Hitoshi Hirakawa, Kokushikan University (Prof. Emeritus, Nagoya University)
3. International Labor Migration with Prof. Tran Van Tho, Waseda University
Some recent publications/presentations
1. “Towards a Strategy for Manufactured Exports to Japan” Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement: Strengthening the Foundation for Regional Cooperation and Economic Integration Vol. 2 Philippine Institute of Development Studies 2013 (forthcoming)
2. “The Dynamics of Social Networks in Philippine Poor Communities—From Giant Leaps to Small Steps” Philippine Journal of Labor and Industrial Relations 2012 (forthcoming) – paper submitted to the SGRA First Asia Future Conference in March 2013, where it was selected as one of the Best Papers
3. “A Comparative Economic Analysis of Japanese-Style Labor Contracts from a Shared Growth Perspective” Philippine Journal of Labor and Industrial Relations Vol. 31, Nos. 1&2, 2011(2nd author: Hitoshi Hirakawa), reprinted in The Second Book on Sustainable Employment Relations” J.V. Sibal, R. A. Asuncion, et.al. (eds.), Manila: Philippine Industrial Relations Society, Inc. 2012
4. “Mega Toushi Manira ni Okeru Kankyouteki ni Jisoku Kanou na Koutsu he no Chouzen: EDSA wo Chuushin ni” (Challenging Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Mega City Manila: Focus on EDSA” , Proceedings of the 38th SGRA Forum in Tateshina, Japan (held July 3, 2010) SGRA Report No. 55, December 15, 2010
5. “KyouyuuGata Seichou Toshiteno Higashi Ajia Tougou” (An East Asian Integration as Shared Growth), Chapter 21 (co-authored with Hitoshi Hirakawa) in “Higashi Ajia no Shin Sangyou Shuseki: Chiiki Hatten to Kyouryoku/Kyousei” (New Industrial Agglomeration of East Asia: Regional Development in Copperation and Symbiosis), Hitoshi Hirakawa, Makoto Tawada, Ryuhei Okumura, Nobuyoshi Yamori, Jong-He Seo (eds.), Tokyo: Gakujutsu Shuppankai, November 2010
6. “East Asian Integration and Shared Growth: Some Preliminary Results of a Center for Buoyancy Approach” (co-authored with Hitoshi Hirakawa) in Proceedings of “International Conference: Industrial Agglomeration, Regional Integration and Durable Growth in East Asia” sponsored by the Faculty of Banking and Finance, and the Faculty of International Economics of the Foreign Trade University (Hanoi, Vietnam) and the Graduate School of Economics and the Economic Research Center of Nagoya University, October 28 – 29, 2010, Hanoi, Vietnam, pp. 250-267
7. “Rediscovering Japan’s Leadership in “Shared Growth” Management”, Rikkyo Business Review Number 3, July 2010, pp. 20-38 (co-authored with Henrietta Carbonel)
8. “A Roadmap for Shared Growth through the Philippine Auto Industry”, August 1, 2008, mimeo, 132 pages (submitted to a major Japanese automotive firm and the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry)
Sergio M. Andal, Jr.
M&E Specialist/Investment Strategist, INVEST Project; Part-time Faculty, Ateneo Political Science Department, FEU-Makati Business Department
Mr. Andal is former Executive Director,
Federation Institute for Business and Economic Research (FIBER)
Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry
FIBER is the policy and issues research arm of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry
He is former Secretary General of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and also served as Assistant. Secretary and Deputy Head for Technical Affairs of the Presidential Management Staff. He also worked as Head of Corporate Planning at Maybank Philippines and held the post of economist at Center for Research and Communication, now the University of Asia and the Pacific (UAP).
He has also been Contributing Editor at Marketing Horizons and was an Instructor at Ateneo de Manila University and part-time Lecturer at the Institute of Political Economy of UAP
Presentation
Thank you for helping us by citing the seminar when using these documents (17th Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar of the Sekiguchi Global Research Association, February 11, 2014, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines)