a) Why is the RP economically poor
AND
b) what can be done to cure the issues.
From afar, it seems to me that the ban on aliens owning land is one fact which restrains economic growth by limiting the increase in new wealth. Alien purchases are akin to OFW remittances and bring new wealth into the RP which is always a source of new economic activity some of which always trickles down to the poor.
I don't think it's a silver bullet - there is none - but it seems to be one point which could only help.
What do you think?