Supporting Reform in the Philippines

For the next four years Nathan Associates will be working with advocacy groups in the Philippines to bring grassroots and local perspectives into the economic development plans formulated at all levels of government.

USAID/Philippines has awarded the DAI/Nathan Group, a joint venture, the Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth (LINC-EG) task order. This $14 million task order under the GBTI II indefinite quantity contract will be building on the success of EMERGE, a project managed by Nathan Associates since 2004.

Chief of Party Ramon Clarete, Deputy COPs Alid Camara and Rafael Evangelista, and a team of local experts—including Dr. Nereus Acosta, and Gigo Alampay—will work with advocacy groups to develop policy reforms that improve private sector competitiveness, focusing on local government reform and reform in Mindanao in particular. They will tap into their understanding of the agents and institutions of the Philippines’ political economy to ensure that advocacy and reforms take root among those who stand to benefit from them: the citizens, businesses, policymakers, and civil organizations that enliven the Philippines’ provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangay.

Possible activities under LINC-EG include supporting reforms in areas that improve competitiveness—such as leaseholding, land titling, business permitting and licensing, tax efficiency, customs administration, and logistics chain performance. The project team is expected to begin work by October 1, 2008.