Around 30% of the labour force work in agriculture and on many of the 7100 islands there is nothing but agriculture. It therefore needs to be handled gently and gradually to avoid even more social unrest. It only accounts for 10% of GDP but is an overwhelming drag on growth. 90% of the economy is growing at 7% or so, then this 10% at less than 1%. Unfortunately the last serious investment in agriculture was when they built the rice terraces over 2000 years ago.Original Post Deleted
If agriculture output could be doubled (easily achieved) poverty levels would collapse overnight.
You ask what the problems are that have held the Philippines back? Well I could write a book on that - but in a nutshell "The Families". The landowning feudal aristocracy from the Spanish era (and that includes the Catholic Church). They own the media (newspapers and TV), Congress, the land, much of business legal and illegal. They have private armies to enforce their empires. The Philippines never had the revolutions that happened in Europe so the aristocracy are still in charge.
The end result is corruption and complete blocks to competition including a Constitution that legally prevents it. Why would you want competition when the status quo is so profitable? A totally ineffective judicial system. A corrupt media.
Duterte is a junior baron in English historical terms but is trying to smash it up - hence the language as he has admitted himself. However the aristocrats are exceptionally well connected, for example the Clintons, hence the disconnect between the views of Filipinos and the outside world. If Duterte fails then I think there will be an uprising with the end result a Marcos back in power perhaps followed by the communists.