Weak and fragmented data systems are threatening to hold back the Philippines’ artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions, prompting the World Bank to call for greater investment in the infrastructure and governance needed to unlock the technology’s economic potential. In its policy note “From...
The Philippine economy could weaken further in 2026 as the prolonged war in the Middle East, governance concerns, and El Niño threaten growth while elevated inflation and borrowing costs cloud the outlook, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) warned. “The country’s...
The Philippines recorded its lowest poverty rate on record last year, achieving its single-digit target ahead of schedule as sustained economic growth and tamer inflation boosted household incomes. According to full-year data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country’s...
The Philippines ranked first globally in high-technology exports as a share of total trade, but weak research productivity and university-industry engagement continue to weigh on the country’s innovation performance, according to the National Innovation Council (NIC). In its 2025 progress report,...
The government’s practice of issuing blanket class suspensions during severe weather is threatening long-term economic growth by deepening the existing learning crisis, according to a former state planning chief. Karl Kendrick Chua, who served as socioeconomic planning secretary, cautioned that...
The Philippines must push through political and economic reforms in the final two years of the Marcos Jr. administration to rebuild confidence and strengthen the economy’s growth potential, according to the country’s chief economist. During the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)...
Fears that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to massive job losses in the Philippines’ information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry may be overstated as the sector continues to grow despite the rapid adoption of the technology, the country’s chief economist...
President Marcos’ economic managers will outline their roadmap for navigating global market volatility and domestic pressure at the annual Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) forum on Friday, Aug. 14. Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)...
The Philippine economy faces an uphill battle in the second half of 2026 after posting its weakest post-pandemic growth, with private sector economists warning that faster infrastructure spending, easing inflation, and stronger investor confidence will determine whether the country can meet the...
Nearly half of Philippine businesses remain dissatisfied with registration and closure procedures despite a law aimed at cutting red tape, as fragmented government systems, weak data sharing, and uneven digitalization continue to slow transactions, according to the Department of Economy, Planning,...
Amid both external and domestic challenges, the Philippines’ economic growth weakened further to a new post-pandemic low of 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday, Aug. 7. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed from 2.8 percent...
The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) has adopted a color-coded alert mechanism to identify implementation risks in ongoing big-ticket projects approved by the Cabinet-level, interagency Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) as well as the Economy and Development (ED)...
