Transport group Manibela said on Thursday, April 23, that its transport strike remains in effect despite the removal of its protest centers, as members continue complying with government requirements. Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena clarified that the absence of picket lines does not signal the end...
Stalling public investments, compounded by vulnerability to the escalating impacts of the ongoing global energy shock, prompted global debt watcher Fitch Ratings to downgrade its outlook on the Philippines’ investment-grade status from ‘stable’ to ‘negative.’ This shift in outlook places...
The fiscal outcomes under the BBM administration reflected the government’s consolidation-with-growth stance, with revenues strengthening faster than expenditures and the deficit gradually narrowing. Owing to data availability, we can only analyze the fiscal results for fiscal years 2023 and...
Fiscal indicators under the Duterte administration generally trended upward, though the pattern was heavily shaped by the pandemic shock mid-term. In the early pre-pandemic years, revenues grew steadily, bolstered by improved tax administration and the initial impact of the TRAIN reforms. The...
The Philippines’ plan to temper spending on public goods and services in a bid to narrow its budget deficit to pre-pandemic levels may slow economic growth, according to the think tank Capital Economics. “Monetary easing across the region should support consumption and investment, but tighter...
While the share of the Philippine government's budget deficit and debt to the economy are going down and "stabilizing," respectively, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) is urging fiscal authorities across the region to remain prudent in spending on public goods and services as a...
US President Donald J. Trump's protectionist policies remain the top risk to Philippine economic prospects this year, according to the think tank Capital Economics. "A key uncertainty over the coming year is whether and to what extent Donald Trump follows through with his threats to impose tariffs...
Soaring interest payments, especially for debts that piled up to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, may slow down fiscal consolidation or budget-deficit reduction in the Philippines, according to the think tank Oxford Economics. "Because government deficits have ballooned quickly in the last few years, a...
The Marcos administration's efforts toward fiscal consolidation may proceed at a slower pace, as economic managers are considering revising down their growth forecasts for the medium term, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the...
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Speaker’s office) President Marcos has proven himself to be a "very sensitive" and "attentive" leader, and one who listens. House Speaker Martin Romualdez gave this...
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), a traditional jeepney (Speaker’s office, MANILA BULLETIN) House Speaker Martin Romualdez candidly shared his fond memories of the traditonal jeepneys growing up during an impromptu dialogue with drivers on...
What will happen on February 1, when public utility vehicles (PUVs) that did not consolidate will no longer be allowed to operate? Transportation officials said there will be random checks to ensure that jeepneys plying the roads are consolidated while sanctions will be imposed to those that would...
