THE PHILIPPINES and other countries that have moved from agriculture to services must reassess the importance of manufacturing in their economies and are urged to look at developing higher-productivity and complementary services, a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said.
In its Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2013 report, the ADB noted, “economies that have failed to industrialize in employment (e.g. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines) and are undergoing a transition from agriculture into low-productivity services need to reassess the importance of industrialization.”
“An advanced and sophisticated manufacturing sector is key for developing advanced complementary services sectors (e.g., logistics, transport, and finance). Such countries may wish to consider continuing to develop these more productive segments of the service sector, while not neglecting manufacturing,” the report said.
“In this sense, the Philippines needs to complete and implement successfully its manufacturing road map,” it added.
Services currently make up the largest sector in the economy and employment, according to data gathered by the ADB.
The Trade department is in the process of creating industry road maps to develop various sectors. The manufacturing road map was released Aug. 13.
Industry groups and government agencies are now meeting to determine the best way to implement the master plans.
The ADB said that the Philippines failed to capitalize on manufacturing due to incoherent policies, especially as it remains constrained by “narrow export specializations.”
“The reasons include macroeconomic policies, flawed incentive structures, and lack of nationalism among the ‘captains’ of industry. In addition was the discord in trade, investments, domestic regulation, human resources, and science and technology policies that were supposed to complement the industrial programs during the 1960s-1980s,” the report said.
It added that the overall lack of policy coherence during the 1980s “as well as poor implementation left the Philippines with a much weaker economic structure than that in some of its neighbors.” — Emilia Narni J. David, Businessworld
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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