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May 2026

Mapping Provincial Heterogeneity in the Philippines: A Cluster Analysis of Climate and Macroeconomic Indicators

By Miral, Ramona Maria L. and Rivera, John Paolo R.

Provincial heterogeneity in the Philippines is examined by integrating climate, macroeconomic, and fiscal indicators within a unified framework. Moving beyond regression-based approaches, k-means clustering is applied to identify natural groupings of provinces based on combined climate-real-fiscal (CRF) characteristics. Utilizing satellite-derived climate data and administrative economic and fiscal datasets, the analysis reveals a clear core-periphery structure. Metropolitan Manila emerges as a highly urbanized, service-driven, and fiscally dominant outlier, while the rest of the country divides into (1) warmer, transitioning provinces with emerging diversification and (2) cooler, wetter, agriculture-dependent provinces with higher climate exposure and weaker fiscal capacity.