<p>This brief includes have two major features. One dissects the key economic issues that the new Philippine president faces as a new six-year term unfolds after the May presiden tial election. The other talks about two top Philippine export industries and their use of a "common" factor input— unskilled labor—as they work to occupy the top slot in the list of the country's exporters. While the focus of the two articles' exposition may, at first glance, differ from one another, a closer look reveals that one running theme pervades in the two articles— that of leadership and the difficult yet necessary decisions that need to be made to assert such leadership and give it real meaning.</p>
<p>Also included:</p>
<ul>
<li>export leadership: does success in one breed failure in another?</li>
<li>RP should push for opening of Japan's health care industry to Filipinos</li>
<li>open skies pact should be part of RP-Japan free trade deal</li>
</ul>