In the country’s search for inclusive growth and shared prosperity, productivity-enhancing programs such as the Manufacturing Resurgence Program and other initiatives around micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are key. This is because increasing labor productivity growth in these areas generate decent work, which in turn, improves a country’s standard of living. Yet, policy and program implementation of these two programs proceeded in snail-paced fashion and were generally starved of financing. In the meantime, the conditional cash transfer program was lavished with policy and budgetary support. The research inquires into the policy behavior of government which has resulted in the stagnation of the productive sectors and the consequent perpetuation of poverty in the country. In particular, it delves into the policy regime or state tradition (orientation) that decisively informs the formulation of a country’s development strategy. The period of study is on the post-Marcos era with focus from 2010-2016.