Creative Responses in Countryside Development Dr. Roberto de Vera of the School of Economics of the University of Asia and the Pacific is one of the few experts in regional and urban economics in the Philippines and possibly in Southeast Asia. He recently gave an economic briefing to CEOs and other senior executives of Philippine and multinational enterprises which he entitled "Creative Responses in Countryside Development." I am summarizing here his main points that can be very useful to both government and business leaders who are trying to address more effectively the problem of both rural and urban poverty in the Philippines that is still struggling to attain what is known as inclusive growth, i.e., economic growth that also benefits the "bottom of the pyramid." He started by citing hard facts derived from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing and the 2009 Family Income and Expenditure Survey.