Philippine business sentiment collapsed into pessimistic territory in the first quarter as escalating Middle East tensions fueled fears of an energy price shock, according to the latest central bank data. According to the latest Business Expectations Survey (BES) released by the Bangko Sentral ng...
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) granted on Saturday, April 25, a three-month extension on key identification documents for Filipino seafarers stranded onboard ships due to the worsening security situation in the Middle East. Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan said the extension covers...
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines, Dana Kursh, renewed calls for peace and de-escalation in the Middle East, warning that escalating tensions involving Iran are already impacting global stability and economies, including the Philippines. During a media brunch she hosted on April 23, Kursh said...
The Governance Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG) has directed all state-run firms to implement necessary response measures to help mitigate the impact of the ongoing crisis. GCG “directs all concerned departments, agencies, offices and instrumentalities, including...
Sy-led top lender BDO Unibank Inc. said the escalating Middle East war is weighing on its outlook, though its chief maintained that the Philippine economy would remain relatively resilient compared with past global crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. BDO President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)...
Some Filipinos classified as “non-poor” may actually be living in poverty, as current measurement methods fail to capture how resources are shared within households, according to state-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). In a statement on Friday, April 24, PIDS...
The soon-to-rise United States (US) economic security zone in the Philippines could strengthen the country’s role in global supply chains for semiconductors and critical minerals, potentially moving the local industry beyond its current focus on low-value assembly and testing, according to the...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) signaled a shift toward a tightening cycle, with the central bank chief indicating that the recent quarter-point increase in the benchmark borrowing rate is likely the first of several gradual moves to tame resurgent price pressures. BSP Governor Eli M....
Despite an anticipated surge in soured loans caused by the Middle East war, Gotianun-led East West Banking Corp. (EastWest Bank) has shown a firm commitment to penetrating the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) segment beyond lending, as it also aims for “embedded banking” within...
Sari-sari stores recorded a 90-percent surge in sales in March as rising global oil prices triggered widespread stockpiling among micro-retailers and households, according to homegrown tech startup Packworks. In a statement on Thursday, April 23, Packworks said that based on over one million...
While Asian currencies have been on a modest decline since Middle East tensions flared up, Japanese financial giant MUFG Bank Ltd. said the Philippine peso was the biggest loser among regional currencies, given the domestic economy’s high exposure to imported oil. Separately, think tank Capital...
Philippine economic growth in 2026 would have hit the government’s downgraded target range had the war in the Middle East been short-lived, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). However, the Bangkok-headquartered UNESCAP said a...
