Philippine Statistics Research Articles

Is the closed fishing season policy effective in curbing catch declines?

Executive Summary. The closed fishing season policy is annually imposed in Davao Gulf to allow the fish stocks to recover and address the declining fish catch. Whether the closed season is effective in reducing catch and effort however, is still not determined. An assessment on the closed fishing season included survey and focus groups in Governor Generoso, Lupon, Davao City, Sta. Maria, Don Marcelino and Malita, as well as catch assessments using data from Philippine Statistics Office (PhilStat), and GPS tracking of willing small-scale fishers. A survey and an in-depth interview was also conducted to determined impacts on the fisheries market chain. Results of the study show that multiple factors contributed to the successful implementation of the closed fishing season in the Davao Gulf. Catch data analyses show that small scale fish catches have increased (municipal fishers) compared to commercial fish catches. Together the results show that the closed fishing season was effective in curbing catch declines for the fisheries. Thus, continuing the implementation of the closed season will contribute to the sustainability of fish stocks in the Davao Gulf. However, providing support and temporary jobs to displaced commercial fishers are needed.

An Analytical Study On Forecasting Exchange Rate In The Philippines Using Multi-Layer Feed Forward Neural Network

Exchange Rate is one of the economic indicators in the Philippines. It is the value of the nation’s currency versus the currency of another country or economic zone. This study aims to forecast the monthly Exchange Rate (y) of the Philippines from November 2018 to December 2023 using Multiple Linear Regression and Multi-Layer Feed Forward Neural Network. The researchers investigate the behaviour of each independent variables – Inflation Rate (x1), Balance of Payments (x2), Interest Rate (x3), Producer’s Price Index (x4), Export (x5), Import (x6), Money Supply (x7), and Consumer’s Price Index (x8) from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) starts from January 2007 up to October 2018. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) was used to identify significant predictors among these independent variables. The Exchange Rate (y) had undergone first difference transformation. Upon running the regression analysis, it has concluded that only two independent variables are significant predictors, namely: Balance of Payments (x2) and Import (x6). Through these significant predictors, the MLR model was formulated. On the other hand, Multi-Layer Feed forward Neural Network (MFFNN) was also used to determine the forecasted values of Exchange Rate (y) for the next five years (2018-2023) given the said independent variables and obtained a model. The researchers compared the model of Multiple Linear Regression and Multi-Layer Feed Forward Neural Network by evaluating the forecasting accuracy of each method.It was concluded that Multi-Layer Feed forward Neural Network is the best fitting model for forecasting the
 Exchange rate (y) in the Philippines. This paper will serve as a tool of awareness for the government to forsee the trend of Exchange Rate in the Philippines on the next five years (2018-2023) for Monetary Policy making and to prevent the possible depreciation of peso vs. dollar.

Modeling the Labor Force Participation Rate of the Philippines through Multiple Linear Regression

The main purpose of this study is to formulate a mathematical regression model showing the significant effect of the independent variables to the dependent variable. The researchers obtained the quarterly data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) limited only from 2001 to 2016 with a total of 448 observations. The data include the following factors: Employment Rate (X1), Underemployment Rate (X2), Gross National Income (X3), Household Population 15 yrs+ (X4) and Gross Domestic Product (X5) as independent variables that can affect the Labor Force Participation Rate in the Philippines. The researchers use the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences as a statistical tool for recording and analyzing the quarterly data. The researchers employed two main statistical treatments which are subjected at 1% level of significance: Pearson R Correlation, to determine which of the independent variables have significant relationship with the dependent variable; and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, to formulate the fitted mathematical model for the dependent variable. According to the results gathered, three out of five independent variables become the predictors of Labor Force Participation Rate which are included in the fitted model. Moreover, the researchers also utilize the Paired-T test to find if the predicted values and the actual values of the dependent variable have significant difference with each other

Energy equity analysis in Metro Manila using household expenditure data

Energy poverty in the Philippines has been prevalent, but current energy equity metrics in the Philippines are done only on a national level. Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient are concepts traditionally applied in economics to measure wealth inequality. In this paper, the authors will adapt the methodology used by Jacobson to measure energy inequality in Metro Manila for 2015 using energy expenses of households retrieved from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey conducted and published by the Philippine Statistics Authority every three years containing energy expenses, income, and socio-economic identifiers of a household. The main energy resources listed in the survey are electricity, LPG, kerosene, fuelwood, charcoal, and biomass residue. To translate energy expenses to energy consumption, historical costs available from public records are used in conjunction with the fuels’ calorific values. From there, Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients are calculated for districts and cities in Metro Manila. Further comparison reveals the relationship of income and energy consumption Gini coefficients in the region. Based on the results, the authors include recommendations to improve the use of Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient as a metric in quantifying energy equity.

Analysis on acquisition of Philippine Civil Registry Documents and inclination towards paperless e-government

In the Philippines, the Civil Registry Documents (CRD) acquired from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) such as Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Certificate of No Marriage and Death Certificate are being used as one of the requirements in different transactions in academics, government, travel, employment, religious matters and other transactions (e.g. proof of identification, Title/Career advancement, etc.). The current acquisition ways of these Civil Registry Documents are through online, PSA Office, Travel Agency/Courier Company and Satellite/Mobile PSA Office. In this study, the different acquisition ways of Civil Registry Documents are analyzed through service blueprint. Furthermore, a survey was conducted to determine the satisfaction rate and preferences of the CRD acquirers and was analyzed through crosstabulations. With the help of the analyzed Service Blueprints, the possible problems that arises on each process of acquisition were identified. This paper proposed an instant, electronic (involves bar coding/QR code/Reference number), paperless and less time-consuming substitute to the existing ways of acquiring Civil Registry Documents.

Clustering Poverty Incidence Based on Social Indicators

Poverty has been known as one of the main problems in the Philippines for many decades. This study attempted to classify, cluster, and evaluate the common incidence of poverty among the municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte based on social indicators. It used a hierarchical approach to decompose complex problems by reducing them to a smaller set of interrelated problems. Data mining, including secondary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Health National Nutrition Council, the Provincial Police Office, and the Department of Education, has been conducted to review broad databases and generate new knowledge. The study found that the top poorest municipalities were located in the third district of the province with less access to drinking water, less access to sanitary toilets, high malnutrition, low literacy rates, less access to safe housing, and a lack of land ownership. Similarly, it was observed that the poverty incidence was closely related to the proportion of households without sanitary toilets. Poor health and sanitation of provincial residents could lead to a higher risk of exposure to many diseases. Given the high incidence of poverty in the province top poorest municipalities, it should be noted that provincial and local governments should make concerted efforts to openly improve the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program Basa Pilipinas Program Provision of Potable Water Program and the Garantisadong Pambata Program programs to address the increasing public concern about poverty. Also, the health and sanitation policy of the national and local governments must be improved and thoroughly monitored to resolve the chronic poverty problem at the municipal and national level in general.

Clustering Poverty Incidence Based on Social Indicators

Poverty has been known as one of the main problems in the Philippines for many decades. This study attempted to classify, cluster, and evaluate the common incidence of poverty among the municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte based on social indicators. It used a hierarchical approach to decompose complex problems by reducing them to a smaller set of interrelated problems. Data mining, including secondary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Health National Nutrition Council, the Provincial Police Office, and the Department of Education, has been conducted to review broad databases and generate new knowledge. The study found that the top poorest municipalities were located in the third district of the province with less access to drinking water, less access to sanitary toilets, high malnutrition, low literacy rates, less access to safe housing, and a lack of land ownership. Similarly, it was observed that the poverty incidence was closely related to the proportion of households without sanitary toilets. Poor health and sanitation of provincial residents could lead to a higher risk of exposure to many diseases. Given the high incidence of poverty in the province top poorest municipalities, it should be noted that provincial and local governments should make concerted efforts to openly improve the "Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program" "Basa Pilipinas Program" "Provision of Potable Water Program" and the "Garantisadong Pambata Program" programs to address the increasing public concern about poverty. Also, the health and sanitation policy of the national and local governments must be improved and thoroughly monitored to resolve the chronic poverty problem at the municipal and national level in general.

Is there a market power in the Philippine Rice Industry?

Rice, as a staple food for the Filipinos, is widely studied from production to consumption. However, observations of the National Food Authority domestic procurement and price stabilization policy, as well as results of the marketing and market-related studies, still reveal some gaps which call forth for an in-depth investigation and analysis. One ofthese is the possible presence ofmarket power, a market inefficiency in rice. Hence, this study aimed to ascertain the presence of market power in the Philippine rice industry. Secondary data published by the Philippine Statistics Authority from 1990 to 2015 were utilized. A structural econometric model using a time series approach was used in estimating the presence of market power. Results revealed the presence of market power in non-major rice-producing regions for well-milled and regular-milled rice in major rice-producing areas. The more the demand curve becomes inelastic the more the market power becomes apparent. The price elasticity of demand in the non-major rice-producing regions is -0.63 for both well-milled and regular-milled rice and -0.83 and -0.59, respectively, in the major rice producing areas. To minimize, if not solve market power, a substitute staple for rice may be introduced, programs/policies that will encourage more palay traders may be implemented, and farmers may be trained to operate like industry clusters.

Leverage of Mathematics and its Related Field in the Energy Technology Sector

This paper explicitly defines the need for mathematics graduates for the growth, expansion, and operation of technologies in the solar energy sector of the country. Using exploratory data analysis from the Philippine Statistics Association (PSA), this study explains the likeliness of regions in terms of qualified math graduates and HEIs competent programs amid the growing demand for solar energy. Resulting areas are pioneer, dynamic, and emerging adopters, which all direct to the creation of individuals saturated with math concepts and principles, which are critical skills for innovation in the energy sector. Furthermore, enhancement of curricula gearing towards technology-driven courses of all tertiary institutions may help in the creation of such graduates.

Abstract 1191: Divergent trends in lung cancer incidence by histologic subtype in Philippines, 2003-2012: A population-based study

Abstract Introduction. Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer incidence among men and third most frequent case in women in the Philippines. LC incidence rates, overall and by histologic subtype, vary substantially by sex and smoking prevalence. The study aimed to analyze time trends in LC incidence in the Philippines over the 10-year period. There is no published report regarding trends of LC incidence by histologic subtype in the Philippines. Herein, we provide model-based estimates of limited time LC cases by histologic subtype from year 2003-2012. Methodology. Data for calculating LC incidence rates in 2003-2012 were obtained from the nationwide population-based Department of Health- Rizal Cancer Registry. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze trends and estimate annual percentage change (APC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) on LC incidence by histologic subtype, time- period, sex, and geographical location, calculated incidence counts, rates per 100,000 person-years. 2000 - 2015 population used in calculating ASR of LC incidence where taken from Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), and each annual population from 2003 - 2012 where estimated using exponential function by extrapolation. Results. LC incidence shows increasing average annual rates in the past 10 years, observed rate overall (19.5), male (27.0) and female (12.1). Among LC specified histologic subtype, adenocarcinoma (ADC) contributes highest rate, in men (9.8) and women (5.5), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC), in men (3.6) and women (0.6). Incidence trend declines to both sexes in 2007, and increases thereafter, in men (APC: 13.7, 95% CI: -8.5; 41.3) and women (APC: 14.8, 95% CI: -10.0; 47.4). The highest increase in average annual percentage change (AAPC) among specified LC histologic subtype were observe to ADC, in men (APC: 6.5, 95% CI: -2.2; 16.1) and women (APC: 8.5, 95% CI: -1.4; 19.5). Along with SQCC to women's cohort were also remark high AAPC (APC: 6.7, 95% CI: -4.4; 19.0). From cohort 2003- 2007 carcinoma not otherwise specified which has the foremost number of cases among non-specified histologic subtype eventually decreased by half folds from cohort 2008-2012. In contrast, malignant neoplasm increase doubled in rate from each mentioned year-cohorts. Conclusion. The study revealed divergent LC trends by gender and histologic subtype, which were generally consistent from 2003-2012. Among LC histological subtypes, large increase in incidence was observed for ADC, which both genders showed an increasing trend for 10-year period. LC will always remain a serious public health issue in the Philippines such implementation of National Tobacco Control Policy should be prioritized in preventing smoking initiation and promoting smoking cessation, particularly among men. Citation Format: Jansen Marcos Cambia, Jin Kyoung Oh, Jayson Cagadas Pasaol. Divergent trends in lung cancer incidence by histologic subtype in Philippines, 2003-2012: A population-based study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1191.

Developing and implementing a protocol for bilateral trade agreements: the Philippines' shift to a risk assessment policy and meeting its challenges.

The livestock and poultry industries in the Philippines have been continuously growing for the past six years, as reflected in the Philippine Statistics Authority annual reports from 2013 to 2018. To augment supplies and ensure food sufficiency, as well as to fulfil trade agreements, the government has adopted a policy of importing some livestock commodities. Currently, the Philippines imports about 20% of its total meat requirements, and this figure is expected to increase over the next few years. Private traders and companies could import buffalo meat without restriction until 1996, when the Department of Agriculture (DA) intervened by sending inspection missions to exporting countries due to the concerns of the livestock industry about the foot and mouth disease challenges during that time. But, at that point, there were still no clear rules, regulations or standards governing the importation of meat and meat products into the Philippines. By 2003, as outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases were occurring in the region (avian influenza as well as foot and mouth disease), the government saw the need to protect its borders from the entry, establishment and spread of animal diseases. Measures were needed to prevent the introduction of disease-carrying, contaminated or adulterated meat and meat products that could endanger the lives and health of Filipino consumers and, consequently, have potentially serious economic impacts on the livestock industry and other allied industries. As more and more requests were received to import meat and meat products, and as various stakeholder groups began to question why increasing numbers of imports were being allowed into the country, the DA began to shift to a risk-based policy rather than a policy of 100% inspection. The Philippine Government ensured that there was a legal basis as well as a scientific basis for orders governing the importation of meat and live animals. As the country shifts to a risk-based policy, making the public understand why it is implementing this policy remains a major challenge. Other areas that need to be developed and strengthened include quarantine and border security procedures, certification programmes, identification and traceability, export procedures, periodic auditing schemes, animal health programmes, capacities for risk analysis, and provincial border controls, which can be set by local governments to allow provinces to protect their locality.

Closed season policy in Visayan Sea, Philippines: A second look

The state of marine resources is declining globally. In the Philippines, a closed season policy is one of the management strategies being implemented for the conservation and protection of marine resources. This paper presents the results of a study conducted to examine the closed season policy in the Visayan Sea and find out whether or not it has led to the attainment of the protection and conservation objectives stipulated in the policy.Stakeholders of sardine fishing through a purposive sampling technique were interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire. Results reveal that stakeholders of the sardine industry have different perceptions on whether or not the regulation led to an increase in fish production. Catch per unit of effort (CPUE) of the fisher-respondents substantially decreased. On the other hand, processors and traders perceived that the sardine production increased. Data from the Philippine Statistics Agency show that there is no significant increase in the country's total sardine production.The closed season policy has economic implications, which led to non-compliance. Thus, there is a need to provide livelihood programs to diversify the source of income of the stakeholders who are highly dependent on sardine fisheries. For closed season to be effective it has to be applied along with other management strategies such as mesh size regulation, establishment of Marine Protected Areas, and provision of alternative sources of livelihood.

Women in Politics by Bass Diffusion Model

Gender equality through women empowerment has been a global advocacy since the early 20th century. This paper attempts to forecast the participation of women in politics, especially in the Philippines. Data from 1998 to 2016 on the number of women joining the Philippine government (elected) were extracted from the Philippine Statistics Authority. The data were used to denote the cumulative adopters by tailoring it to the Bass diffusion model by means of the Bass Forecasting Spreadsheet. It was found out that the adoption rate in 2040 will be around 37% in the present population. This means that women role in politics is expected to reach its peak based on the first data in 42 years. The use of this model delivered an idea that the growing nature of women in the politics either from local and national positions can seemingly sustain overtime. Further, it denotes that even in the increasing involvement of women in politics, there will be a time that it reaches its saturation point. In the same vein, even with the saturation, the years mark and uncover the significant contributions of women in the politics. Hence, it is not the quantity of women in the Philippine politics that matters, but rather the kind of service they can provide to uplift the quality of Filipino lives.

URBAN EFFECTS ON LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES

Abstract. This study produced spatiotemporal hot and cold spot occurrence maps for Davao City for the period 1994-2019 using land surface temperature (LST) images. Urban heat is theorized to have been affected by some, if not all, of the following impact factors: air pollutant concentrations/particulate matter (PM10), vegetation “abundance” (using EVI), building “density” (NDBI), albedo, topography, and population density. A mobile traverse sampling was performed in the morning and afternoon of 15 April 2019 to measure PM10 in the city’s identified hot spots. The remaining factors were generated from imagery (i.e., Landsat 8, Synthetic Aperture Radar) and obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority. These factors were analyzed against the LST which was obtained through Project GUHeat’s methodology. The relationships between the factors and LST were studied through multiple and quantile regression models (MRM & QRM). Results showed that variable PM10 does not have any significance in the MRM. Meanwhile, QRM were fitted to different quantile values, namely: 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th. It is only at the 90th quantile where all the independent variables are good predictors for the LST. Albedo is the most important predictor for the LST at 10th quantile whereas Elev for the 25th quantile. However, when LST is at the 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles NDBI is the most significant variable at predicting LST. Reliable spatiotemporal assessment and modelling of surface temperature are essential for urban planning and management to formulate sustainable strategies for the welfare of people and environment.

A post-disaster gendered value chain analysis on seaweed farming after Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Purpose Although half a decade have already passed following the devastation of super typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, limited studies on the status of the seaweed aquaculture industry have been reportedly published, specifically on the gendered differences of the key players in the production activities. The purpose of this empirical research is to present the different characteristics of producers; technology used in farming; gendered differences in labor; sources of propagules; and yield, productivity and income of seaweed farmers in five rural-poor coastal communities in Eastern Samar, the Philippines. Design/methodology/approach The data were gathered through a combination of fieldworks and desk research and were analyzed using a value chain and gender needs assessment analyses. A four-part, self-made guide questionnaire was used as an instrument. The data were presented and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The results demonstrate that the modified monoline method is the technology used by the seaweed farmers. Propagules are usually supplied for free by the BFAR or bought from neighboring villages. A monthly income of PhP 19,500.00 (US$393.00) can be generated from seaweed farming. Division of labors in most of the seaweed production processes is equally distributed between men and women with help from their boys-and-girls children. Increasing further the number of lines per seaweed grower to at least 25 will enable them to go beyond the poverty threshold, based on 2015 figures of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Research limitations/implications This study provides additional empirical data to substantiate and prove that women’s active involvement in seaweed production provides them an important opportunity to earn some income for themselves and their families and contribute to livelihood and enterprise development in their communities. Practical implications This study is helpful in constructing an Industry Development Plan to serve as the Seaweed Industry Road Map for progress, thereby, helping men and women seaweed growers especially in rural-poor coastal areas. Social implications Aside from being conducted in a post-disaster context, the data and recommendations presented in this paper contribute to the body of knowledge that government and non-government institutions, private individuals and groups and the academia could use in understanding the economic, commercial and community development contributions, gaps and constraints in producing seaweed in rural-poor coastal communities. Originality/value This paper serves as an in-depth empirical study reflective of the post-disaster, current gendered labor practices, culture, knowledge and attitude of the seaweed producers in the Philippines. More importantly, this study was conducted by a local researcher, thereby reflecting empirical findings and recommendations that are strategic, gender and culture-sensitive and timely and relevant.

Forecasting Philippine Household Final Consumption Expenditure on Education Using Discrete Wavelet Transformation on Hybrid ARIMA-ANN Model

Objective: This study conveys a forecast of household final consumption expenditure in education of the Philippines from 1st quarter and 4th quarter of 2023. Methods/Analysis: The household final consumption expenditure in education data was obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority which was part of the National Report for the 1st quarter of 1998 up to the 4th quarter of 2018. The data were forecasted using ARIMA, ANN, Hybrid ARIMA - ANN, and the proposed Discrete Wavelet Transformation using Daubechies filter on the Hybrid ARIMA - ANN. Findings: The forecasting accuracy of the model for a 1 year and 5 year forecast was compared with ARIMA, ANN, and Hybrid ARIMA - ANN through the value of its individual Mean Squared Error, Root Mean Squared Error, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error. It was shown that the proposed DWT using Daubechies filter on Hybrid ARIMA-ANN has an MSE of 0.0009, RMSE of 0.0304, and MAPE of 0.1750 for 1 year forecast and an MSE of 0.0004, RMSE of 0.0194, and MAPE of 0.1167 for the 5 year forecast. It was revealed that the proposed model has the best forecasting performance comparing to ARIMA, ANN, and Hybrid ARIMA - ANN. Novelty/ Improvement: For the Department of Education of the Philippines, preparations and plans can be develop to cope up with the forecasted expenditure on education. For the citizen, the result of this research will give awareness on the movement of expenses in education and will let them prepare for it. Other forecasting models and filters on DWT can be utilized on future works which may improve the results of this study. Keywords: Daubechies Filter, Discrete Wavelet Transformation, Education, Household Expenditure, Hybrid ARIMA-ANN, Time Series Forecasting

A Time Series Forecasting of the Philippine Unemployment Rate Using Feed-Forward Artificial Neural Network

Unemployment is considered as one of the major sources of social problems and it remains to be a significant challenge to every country. Hence, forecasting the trend of unemployment rate contributes to alleviating a country’s unemployment problem. This study focuses on forecasting the trend of the Philippine unemployment rate using one of the types of architecture of neural network which is the Feed-forward Artificial Neural Network. Neural networks are modern statistical tools. Nowadays these are widely used in different researches because of its ability to process complex and nonlinear data sets. To generate the Philippine unemployment rate forecast, this study used twelve variables namely, Unemployment Rates, Population, Labor Force, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross National Income (GNI), Gross Domestic Investment (GDI), Inflation Rate, Elementary Level Cohort Survival Rate, High School Level Cohort Survival Rate, Higher Education Graduates, Index of value of production of key manufacturing enterprises by Industry and Foreign Trade covering the year 1991-2014 obtained from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region X. Results show that the model obtained in this study for forecasting the trend of  the unemployment rate in the Philippines is .875 or 87.5% accurate. A mathematical model for forecasting the unemployment rate was also formulated which can be used to generate future estimated values of unemployment rates. Keywords : Time series forecasting, unemployment rate, feed-forward artificial neural network

Linking marine biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation: A case study in selected rural communities of Sagay Marine Reserve, Negros Occidental

Marine biodiversity has long been known to provide benefits to the community. However, whether biodiversity conservation has contributed to poverty alleviation remained unclear. This paper investigated the relationship between conservation and poverty alleviation in Sagay Marine Reserve. It specifically looked at the perceived poverty alleviation of poor coastal communities in Brgy. Bulanon. The linear relationship between the community's perception and the different factors affecting it were regressed using an ordered logit analysis. Findings revealed that whenever there were presence of conservation training and projects, and additional number of boats, the fishers and non-fishers alike perceived that they were alleviated from poverty. The comparison between the specific household income of fisherfolks and food and poverty thresholds by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the latter variable fell short of the provided thresholds. Despite conservation measures, the fishermen remained food-poor and under poverty. Improvement in their economic condition was also hindered by household size, large number of economically inactive dependents, and the absence of a fishing organization. This paper showed that the establishment of marine reserve was successful in terms of biodiversity conservation but lacked the complementary policies to leverage the adjacent communities, thereby not being able to fully ground poverty alleviation along with conservation.

Interrelationship between Philippine Stock Exchange Services Sector Index and Selected Macroeconomic Indicators

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the relationship of the Philippine Stock Exchange Services Index price performance and selected macroeconomic indicators using its quarterly data, tracing the effect of independent to the dependent variable. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The researcher gathered the data from the Philippine Stock Exchange, Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas, Philippine Statistics Authority, and other reliable sources. These data are analyzed with the use of statistical correlation of the dependent and independent variables. The researcher also used linear regression to determine the most significant variables and remove the insignificant. Using the statistical tool paired T-test, the researcher was able to prove the predicted value of the Philippine Stock Exchange Services Index price performance. Findings: The quantitative analyzation showed that the foreign exchange rate (USDPHP), inflation rate, and real gross domestic product greatly affect the price performance of the sector index, while interest rate and unemployment rate were classified insignificant variables. Application/Improvements: This can offer a guide to investors to establish their ideal investment portfolio to maximize the possible growth of the index based on the factors correlated to the dependent variable. Keywords: Economic Indicators, Index, Investment Portfolio, Philippine Stock Exchange Services Index, Price Performance

An Exploratory Analysis of the Development of Philippine Regions

The Philippines is one of the fast-growing economies in the South-East Asian and the Pacific region. This study considered eight factors: HEI PRC rate, crime rate, education, employment, health, poverty, income, and basic family amenities of the 17 regions of the country, all taken from the year 2012 databases of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and Open Data Philippines. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) generated the indices of the six factors and Cluster Analysis (CA) to group regional similarities. Clustering revealed that ARMM and MIMAROPA Regions have clustered independently, in two individual clusters, while the rest of the 15 regions have clustered in two groups of five and 10. The study revealed that crime, poverty and health mortality rates have generally inverse relationships with HEI PRC percentage performance, employment, education, income and basic housing amenities.