The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous effects not only on health but also on the economy and society as a whole. The pandemic has created an unprecedented situation in which the world is simultaneously experiencing a crisis and sharing policy experiments. This pandemic is a strong reminder of the importance of international cooperation, and raises several critical issues related to the conventional approach to international development cooperation. First, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution, and each country, society, and region must explore the optimal solution through trial and error. Second, a model based on the experiences of developed countries is not always superior. There is no need to assume that knowledge and technology should flow “from the North to the South.” Rather, it is important for diverse partners to “co-create” and learn from each other. Third, as we advance these efforts, it is necessary to maximize the benefits of digitalization while giving due consideration to our pledge to “Leave No One Behind.” This keynote speech aims to (i) review recent global development trends; (ii) reflect on what COVID-19 means for international development cooperation, particularly from a knowledge-centered development perspective; and (iii) draw implications for our approaches to development cooperation to “build forward better” in a post-COVID-19 world.

View full abstract

In this study, we investigate the impact of the inflation targeting (IT) regime on inflation volatility by applying treatment effects to a panel of 186 countries for the 1980–2018 period. We apply the differences-in-differences estimation to evaluate the pre-and post-adoption impact of the IT policy on reducing inflation volatility. Our estimation results demonstrate that IT countries have significantly reduced inflation volatility compared with non-IT countries. However, several countries suffer from historic hyperinflation, which significantly impacts IT after its adoption. Central banks adopt a similar price stability-centric approach in monetary policy execution. The crucial elements needed for effective IT policy implementation include financial market maturity, effective monetary policy transmission, and the overall macroeconomic stability of countries.

View full abstract

Eradicating poverty in the Philippines entails more than just policies and initiatives concentrated on urban areas as two thirds of the country’s poor reside in the rural areas. Specifically, the agriculture sector is regarded as a ‘poor man’s sector’ due to low wages and high levels and incidence of poverty. As a response, both the Philippine government and the private sector have undertaken several initiatives to address the aforementioned issues. However, poverty continues to exist and the need for novel approaches to reduce and eventually end poverty is highlighted. Thus, the emergence of social enterprises is viewed as a possible mechanism to reach certain sub-sector niches which the state, private sector, and non-government organizations (NGOs) are not able to penetrate. This paper attempts to examine the role played by the social enterprises such as Good Food Community in filling the gap left by the government and civil society organizations in poverty reduction initiatives and in extending support to the marginalized and disadvantaged groups in the society. It also outlines key development administration principles mainstreamed and practiced by the Good Food Community through its promotion of community-shared agriculture.

View full abstract

Films can play an important role in providing information about suicide. At the same time, films produced for entertainment purposes may provide incomplete or misleading information about how and why people die by suicide. This paper explores these issues by comparing the representation of suicide in selected Japanese and Filipino horror film series. Using the World Health Organization [WHO] Guidelines for Filmmakers as the basis for content analysis, the paper finds that the sensationalized way of presenting suicide in these series is misleading due to inaccuracy and an unrealistic representation of suicide. The data further suggest that, despite stylistic differences, both series have significantly low compliance rates with the WHO guidelines. Instead of presenting details that feature a character’s inner struggles, scenes representing suicide were over-dramatized. Narrowly framing suicide based on a single factor, such as dramatic appeal, overlooks interrelated causes of suicidal behavior. The paper concludes that both series could be improved by representing suicide as preventable rather than portraying it as a rational way to solve personal problems, or considering it as a rewarding act.

View full abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa faces difficulties in securing COVID-19 vaccines. Which sub-Saharan African countries procure more vaccines than others? Do relatively rich and populous countries gain more vaccines irrespective of their need? Alternatively, is the seriousness of the infection reflected in the number of distributed vaccines on the continent? This study concludes that the need for vaccines, proxied by the number of infection cases and deaths due to COVID-19, is a determinant of vaccine distribution, even after the income and size of recipient countries are controlled. The data used for this study were from UNICEF's COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard. Analyses by mode indicate that commercial transactions and COVAX distribution reflect the need while higher-income countries in the region tend to receive vaccines without disclosing their sources.

View full abstract