After a disappointing 5.7-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate last year, the Philippines is expected to post an even slower growth rate of 5.6 percent for 2025, which would once again fail to reach the government’s growth target of six to eight percent. Growth would only accelerate...
The Philippines and Canada have officially assumed co-chairmanship of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Southeast Asia Regional Program (SEARP), succeeding Vietnam and Australia during the OECD ministerial council meeting held in Paris, France. In a statement on...
The aid agency Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is ramping up its support for Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) through a new technical assistance project aimed at improving the energy efficiency of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1). Formalized on April 24, 2025, through an exchange of...
South Korea has launched an ambitious $20-million green project to help the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries mitigate methane, which is actually more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). Seoul 's envoy to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Lee Jang-keun, flew to...
The Philippines remains firm in promoting a rules-based multilateral trading system amid recent upheavals in global trade, such as the United States’ (US) new tariff policy, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque. Roque served as the country’s delegate at...
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking to partner with American technology giant Google to pursue investments aimed at enhancing the country’s digital infrastructure and capabilities. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque met with top officials of Google last week on the sidelines of the...
Trade chiefs of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) issued a joint statement calling for strategic reforms in international trade as the region grapples with uncertainties driven by two of its members: China and the United States (US). In a statement issued after...
Economic growth across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region is expected to decelerate sharply in 2025, falling to 2.6 percent from 3.6 percent last year. Intensifying trade tensions and growing policy uncertainty are eroding business confidence and stifling investment in the region,...
The member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), including the Philippines, have expressed support for a global measure that provides benchmarks to boost the investment and business climate of its members. In a statement, APEC is calling for the integration of the investment...
The European Union is looking to bolster maritime cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) by fostering opportunities for a deeper and more strategic partnership. This, as EU head of delegation to the Philippines Mariomassimo Santoro and EU First Secretary and Political Officer Frederic...
The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), a new logistics deal that the Philippines and Japan are currently negotiating, will pave the way for an increased security and defense cooperation between the two countries, Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kitamura Toshihiro said on...
President Marcos revealed that the Philippines and Japan have agreed to begin the negotiation on the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), an agreement on the provision of supplies and services between the two countries' defense force. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and...