Overview

Corruption and conflict continue to impede the Philippines' economic and social development. Forty-six percent of the country's population lives on $2/day or less. The Philippines continues to suffer some of the worst effects of underdevelopment: a 2.36 percent rate of population growth; destructive exploitation of natural resources, including the Philippines' unique marine and terrestrial biodiversity; and vulnerability to political instability, including nationwide armed conflict by the communist NPA (declared a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2002) and separatist violence in Muslim Mindanao. Nevertheless, the Philippines has maintained its democratic institutions and its market-based economic system, as well as its historic ties with the United States. The country made some important strides forward in 2002 and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo provided strong and consistent support for President Bush's efforts on the global war on terrorism.

USAID Resources

USAID Program Briefing
2003 Annual Report
2004 Congressional Budget Justification
Strategic Plan
Selected Reports on the Philippines from the USAID Document Database
Photo Gallery: Administrator Natsios visits Mindanao

Features
	Telecommunications in the Philippines: Better Laws and Better Service Like the rest of its neighbors, the Philippines was hit hard by the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. Recovery has been slow, due in part to corruption and weak legal infrastructure. One industry that remains a dynamic source of jobs and revenue is the telecommunications industry. (read more)
	Something to Lose in Mindanao Conflicts rage in many parts of Asia and the Near East, causing needless deaths and damage to communities and infrastructure. USAID is one of the Philippines' leading allies in sustaining the fragile peace in Mindanao. (read more)

Other Links

World Bank Country Office
World Bank Page
Dept. of State Background Note
Asian Development Bank Philippines Page
UNDP in the Philippines

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