Amidst significant gains in primary level participation rates, learning gaps remain among primary and secondary level students.Increased government spending in education, as well as the implementation of the K-12 program are important education sector reforms that sets the stage for improved access and better education outcomes for the Filipino youth.However, while these reforms are significant, much is still needed to be done in improving learning outcomes for primary and secondary learners in the Philippines.

On May 16th in Bogota, IPA and Asobancaria (with support from the Citi Foundation) co-hosted a workshop for 40 high- and mid-level policymakers and financial service providers interested in learning how rigorous evidence can help them better serve their customers.During the one-day event, attendees engaged in a series of discussions that encouraged them to think about how recent financial inclusion evidence applies to their institutions and how RCTs can be useful for decision-making.

On April 29th, IPA Philippines hosted a Brown Bag on the Graduation of the Ultra Poor Program for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).Director Gil Dennis Raposa of the DSWD Sustainable Livelihoods Program (SLP) was in attendance, along with other program staff.The SLP is one of the three core programs of the DSWD that provides micro-enterprise development and employment facilitation to the poor.During the brown bag, the participants noted the value of packaging and sequencing social protection interventions.Particular to their program, they are interested in integrating one-on-one life skills coaching and mandatory savings.