Philippines’ Pivot to the Knowledge Economy: Measuring Intangibles for Policy Impact

9 March 2026, 04:02

On Monday, March 2, 2026, at 13:00 CET, the Global INTAN-Invest project convened a high-level webinar to present updated economic estimates for the Philippines. Chaired by Cecilia Jona Lasinio (Luiss Business School) and Sasha Wunsch-Vincent (Department for Economics and Data Analytics, DEDA, Intellectual Property and Innovations Ecosystems Sector, IES, World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO), the session highlighted a defining structural shift: while tangible investments as a share of GDP are declining, intangible investments are showing remarkable growth and resilience during economic shocks.

Addressing the Measurement Gap

Despite the Philippines’ long-standing investment in the knowledge economy, experts warned of a significant "measurement gap." John Lourenze Poquiz (Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, ESCoE, The Productivity Institute, TPI) presented the core estimates, while Mark Pascasio (Philippine Statistics Authority, PSA) and Jose Ramon G. Albert (Philippine Institute for Development Studies, PIDS) provided essential insights about the national context. A primary concern raised was the reliance on 2006 baseline data, which fails to account for the radical 2015 shifts in labour classifications that fundamentally altered how value is captured.

Currently, the National Accounts framework struggles to properly measure the digital economy. As firms reorganize around knowledge-based assets, the lack of granular data makes it difficult for policymakers to track how these intangible drivers operate on the ground.

A New Strategic Agenda

The discussion, enriched by insights from Bart Van Ark (The Productivity Institute, TPI, Alliance Manchester Business School, AMBS), Jonathan Haskel (Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London), and Filippo Bontadini (Luiss University), outlined a clear path forward for the WIPO-Luiss agenda:

  • Data Harmonization: Moving beyond aggregated national accounts toward more disaggregated, bilateral data.
  • Institutional Synergy: Strengthening ties between statistical offices and research institutes to harmonize data quality.
  • Alternative Sources: Utilizing the Global INTAN-Invest framework to identify high-quality revisions and alternative data streams.

The session concluded with a call for faster, more direct connectivity between international researchers and national experts. The ultimate goal remains clear: transforming abstract data into precise tools for evidence-based policy-making, ensuring the Philippines' intellectual capital is both recognized and harnessed for future growth.