Browsing by Author "Solon, Orville"

Now showing 1 - 13 of 13
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    A study of the behavior of Philippine treasury bil rates
    (1980-03-17) Solon, Orville; Tan, Edita A.
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    An analysis of factors affecting food consumed outside home expenditures of Filipino households
    (2008-10) De Asis, Diane Kate Gomez; Solon, Orville
    Family Income and Expenditure Surveys (FIES) from 1988-2003 have shown that Filipino families' spending on food consumed outside the home is increasing. Using data from the 2003 FIES, this study examines the factors affecting expenditures for food consumption away from home of Filipino households. In particular, the study focuses on economic and demographic characteristics that affect outside the home food expenditure. Due to significant numbers of zero reported expenditure, Heckman's two-step model was used to estimate food away from home expenditure equation. Household size, total income, and urban region of residence are found to be highly significant factors affecting the decision to spend and how much to spend on food consumed outside home. Furthermore, higher level of education of household head decreases the spending on food consumed outside the home possibly implying of an increased in health concerns of ~he household head. Increasing food prices, energy prices, and urbanization are also shown to decrease the household's spending on food away from home. These results could have a negative impact for the Philippine food service industry.
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    An essay in the theory of urban squatting and land development
    (1987-03) Solon, Orville; Medalla, Felipe M.
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    Beer taxes in the Philippines: is it still feasible to increase taxes on beer?
    (2010-04) Gomez, Mark Guian D.C.; Toribio, Justin Romeo N.; Solon, Orville
    This study aims to analyze the consumption patterns of beer in the Philippines and determining if it is still feasible to increase taxes on it in order to generate more revenue for the government. Data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIBS) that contains information on the expenditure of family households was used. The two-stage Heckman selection model was used in order to remove the bias generated by the zeroes in the dataset (which may mean either they haven't consumed beer or they have consumed beer but have not paid for it). The results show that the choice of beer consumption is determined by many factors (e.g. living in the urban areas, regional effects, number of family members, and occupation of the household heads) and is not solely income. Beer consumption mainly depends on how much income a person has and is also affected by how many members there are and the purchase of other alcoholic beverages. Predictions were also done and the results showed that increasing taxes would affect the rich more than the poor and would have greater effects regions that consume more beer than those who consume less. This results points out that an increase in beer tax is a good government action and would generate more revenue for the government while curbing the consumption of beer to lessen the health problems associated with excessive drinking.
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    Determinants of household spending on education in the Philippines
    (2008-10-23) Del Mundo, Ana Marice B.; Delos Reyes, Joy Maria B.; Solon, Orville
    Education financing in the Philippines seems to have a downward movement: national budget share for education is shrinking because of the budgetary fiscal contraction, while the total family expenditure for education is decreasing due to soaring price levels of basic commodities. In response to these recent developments, this paper analyzes the factors affecting the household decision on how much to spend on education and to ascertain which regions are at the margin and are in need of government subsidies for education using FIES 2003 and supplemental macro-level data. Although the decline in public and private spending is the case in point, the enduring question is not so much of how much money there is to spend but how it should be spent. As is evident in the existing literature, the disparity in government spending on education has been dramatic across regions. From here, we find the binding need to address the problem of inequitable allocation of government funds for education in the Philippines. The estimation results are generally in accord with expectations. We found incremental increases in the total family expenditure escalating the levels of household education expenditure by 5.6%, which is indicative of how wealth characteristics of the household press influence on its spending on education. Moreover, the economic status of the household is found to matter when it concerns the poorest 30%. Contrary to previous studies, we found that the poor significantly spend more on education. We also found a dominant scale effect of the number of household dependents working on the household's spending on education. Education expenditures are found to be modest when the household draws income primarily from wages but significantly higher when the household is agricultural or when the spouse of the head of household is employed. Moreover, we find no isolated regional effects that are significant on the household's expenditure on education. Regional disparities are found to be dramatic when regional effects are combined with that of total family expenditure. In particular, households in Central Luzon, CARAGA and MIMAROPA spend unreasonably more than NCR does, where the largest share of education expenditure in the national funds for education is concentrated.
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    Determinants of the distribution of physicians across provinces in the Philippines
    (1994-11) Cabuang, Anne Rose D.; Solon, Orville
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    How do certain socioeconomic factors determine the level of criminality?
    (2001-03) Calabon, Maria Amihan; Manaig, Ronador; Solon, Orville
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    I decide: evidence of autonomy and childbearing in the Philippines
    (2001-03) Consebido, Aileen B.; Rudio, Christopher C.; Solon, Orville
    When is the wife effective in bargaining with her husband on childbearing decisions? Drawing on household bargaining theory, we treat the childbearing decision as a negotiated outcome, with spouses' relative bargaining power a function of power variables such as age, education and employments status. Inclusion of household income and stratum enables further analysis of community level effects on the relative influence that the wife possesses on childbearing decisions. Working on the hypothesis that the empowerment of women leads them to want and have fewer children, this study examines women's autonomy in other spheres (economic and freedom of movement) with the expectation that these empowerment measures will carry over on childbearing. The results show that wives who are educated and working for household income have greater say on the childbearing decision and that wives with older husbands have less power to decide. Analysis of the community level variables revealed that household income increases the power possessed by the wife but at a diminishing rate. Unexpected results were obtained from the urban versus rural contexts and Muslim versus non-Muslim contexts. Also, the wife's role in the decision of the method used in family planning signals the wife's intent to have fewer children and can thus be considered as the dominant figure in childbearing decisions. In performing this study, we aim to identify the relevant variables that should be targeted by government policies in order for it to be effective. This study reasserts the importance of effecting policies that provides employment opportunities and greater education access for women.
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    Spending for special family occasions as an investment in informal social networks
    (2010-03) Miranda, Lee Marie G.; Nunan, Cyril Jae S.; Solon, Orville
    The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of spending for special occasions as an investment in informal social networks. The objective is to determine whether there is a system of reciprocity that works among households, as there may be returns to such investment in the form of gifts a household receives. The hypothesis was tested using data from the 2006 Family Income and Expenditures Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office. We used the Heckman procedure to predict the amount that a household spends for special occasions. The rate of return was estimated using the ratio of total gifts received by the household over the predicted spending. Our results suggest that, on average, a household only gets back 73.7% of the amount invested. Spending for special occasions may not be profitable as an investment however, it is still beneficial because they can expect at least some financial and/or in kind returns should they need help in the future.
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    Spending for vehicle congestion in Metro Manila
    (2009-10) Estopin, Danica Loy; Umlas, Anna Jennifer L.; Solon, Orville
    Vehicular congestion is a serious problem faced by urban cities because it increases transportation expenditures. In this study, we try to estimate the vehicular congestion cost per household in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIBS) in 2003 is used. However, the FIBS does not have a direct measure of vehicular congestion. As an alternative we use NCR relative to other regions as a proxy variable for congestion. Because the sample contains households with zero private transportation expenditures, the Heckman Selection model is used to regress the household private transportation expenditure with respect to its socio- demographic characteristics. The vehicular congestion cost is computed by getting the partial derivative with respect to NCR. The results show that congestion costs are highest among postgraduates.
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    The deposit slip: a battle of the sexes a comparative analysis of the savings rates of male- and female-headed households
    (2008-10) Borja, Rosa Beatrix G.; Solon, Orville
    This study aims to find out whether there are differences between the saving rates of male and female household heads and what factors possibly affect these differences. Data and variables from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) 2003 were used in this paper. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions for cross-sectional data, results show that female heads in non-agricultural areas have the highest average saving rates. In general, non-agricultural households have higher saving rates, relative to agricultural households. An unexpected finding shows that saving rates are negatively related to the household head's educational attainment. Household size is also a significant determinant of the savings level. The higher savings rates of female household heads, however, may only mean that they feel their incomes are more uncertain because of lack of access to credit, incomplete information and liquidity constraints.
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    The gains and losses of the exporter from the dollar earnings retention scheme
    (1992-10-12) Aragon, Monette Andes; Esguerra, Lowell-lee Tamayo; De Dios, Emmanuel; Solon, Orville
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    The value of practicum for business and economic graduates
    (2001-03) Gener, Ryan Francis; Leonardo, Christian Ryan; Solon, Orville
    How is practicum for Business and Economics majors valued in the labor market? How is it related to productivity, salary and the brevity of waiting time for employment? These questions are examined by using a sample of U.P. B.S.B.A., B.S.B.E. and B.S.E graduates. The results show three phenomenon. The first is that practicumers receive relatively larger initial salaries. The second, practicumers are employed earlier on. The third is that the salaries of practicumers converge as the influence of practicum on productivity and hence, salary declines over time. However, the decline in the significance of practicum as a determinant of salary exhibits the least rate as compared to academic aptitude and organizational experience. This suggests that the productivity head-starts of practicumers are not that easy to overcome. Practicum should be highly recommended. Also the results indicate that after ample work experience and exposure, leadership capabilities, as derived from one's history of holding key positions in college organizations, become a very active influence on one's performance at work and hence, productivity and salary.