• Contributed content
The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands. Internal connectivity is a major challenge, with domestic maritime trade costs high. In the early 2000s, moving a twenty-foot container equivalent (TEU) from Davao City in the south to Manila costs $1.50 per nautical mile compared to 50 cents when shipped from Hong Kong, China, or […]
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When a Philippine Army soldier brought food packs to Rowena P. dela Cruz’s doorstep one Saturday afternoon in April, tears streamed down her face. “Finally, we have food for our children”, said the 29-year-old housewife. Her family of six lives in a 20-square-meter dwelling in Navotas City, northwest of the capital Manila. “We were so […]
• Contributed content • Editorial
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition throughout the region mean urgent planning and action is needed to avoid higher food prices, decreased nutrition, and reduced food security. COVID-19 has captured the full attention of governments across the world. Their immediate focus has been on strategies to manage both the pandemic from […]
• Contributed content • Editorial
Indonesia is at a critical juncture on how it protects and responds to the needs of its millions of urban poor. It is clear that urban poor populations could disproportionately suffer from—and contribute to—the spread of COVID-19 due to their lack of adequate housing and basic services. With large-scale social restrictions in place, those who […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a $5 million project to help the Philippine government deliver food supplies to up to 55,000 vulnerable households in Metro Manila and neighbouring areas, which are under enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Rapid Emergency Supplies Provision Project (RESPP) will be implemented under the […]
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After struggling to find full-time employment for more than a year after graduating with a Bachelor of Technical Teachers’ Education degree, Jundelyn Baylosis Sato’s’ life changed in August 2017 when she walked in to her local government unit’s (LGU) Public Employment Service Office (PESO). From a bullied child with low self-esteem most of her teenage […]
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A $49 million financing package from the the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help the Cambodia Government in achieving its 2025 goal of providing universal access to improved water supply and sanitation services in the country’s rural areas. The Third Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Services Sector Development Program (RWSSS-SDP) will benefit more than 400,000 […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million loan to upgrade four higher education institutions in Indonesia and improve the technical and vocational training programmes that will help youth obtain the job skills needed in the evolving global economy. The Advanced Knowledge and Skills for Sustainable Growth (AKSSG) Project will improve the quality […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $300 million loan on August 20 to support the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen private sector participation in the government’s “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) infrastructure development programme. Government reforms supported by the ADB under the Expanding Private Participation in Infrastructure Program (EPPIP) subprogram 2 seek to create the enabling […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Laos signed grant agreements on October 16 worth $125.5 million in total for three projects in the tourism and urban sectors. “Vibrant, liveable cities and towns play an important role in the development of industry and services, particularly manufacturing, agro-business, and tourism”, said Yasushi Negishi, ADB […]
A new study contends that technology can greatly improve the effectiveness of governance, and a new assessment of Asean governments has been made with tech factored in. The World Governance Indicators, compiled by The World Bank, ranked governments on a scale of 0 to 100 in terms of government effectiveness. Singapore scored a 100, while […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved additional financing of US$30.5 million, in the form of a grant, to help the Lao PDR government improve water supply and sanitation. The financing, which is in addition to a $35 million loan the ADB approved in 2013, will make it possible for the Lao PDR government to […]