Dr. Pernia’s research interests are in Development Economics, Demographic Economics, and Human Resource Economics and he has extensive publications on these topics. In 2003, he published Poverty, Growth, and Institutions in Developing Asia, (with A. B. Deolalikar, eds.), (London and Tokyo: Palgrave Macmillan.).

He is presently Professorial Lecturer of the University of the Philippines School of Economics, Diliman, Quezon City since June 2010. His engagement with UP started in 1982 as Professor of Economics and he served as Chairman of Department of Economics from 1982 to 1983.

Dr. Pernia was Lead Economist, Economics and Research Department (ERD) of Asian Development Bank (ADB), 1999-2003; was Head of ERD’s Knowledge Dissemination Unit; and was Managing Editor, Asian Development Review. He was Principal Economist, ADB, 1993-1999; Senior Economist, ADB, 1990-1993; and Economist, ADB, 1986-1990. He was Regional Adviser on Population and Employment Policy and Research for Asia and the Pacific, International Labour Office (Bangkok), l984-86. He was Research Fellow, East-West Center Resource Systems Institute, Honolulu, 1983-1984.

He has a Ph.D.from the University of California, Berkeley, 1976; an M.A. (Economics) from the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1969; and an A.B. (Economics) from the University of San Carlos, 1967. He attended Seminary and earned an S.T.B. from UST Central Seminary in 1965 and an A.B. (Philosophy) from San Carlos Major Seminary (Cebu), 1963.