A combination of lack of infrastructure, concerns about crime, plus escalating tensions with China are hindering the recovery of the Philippines' tourism sector, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The domestic tourism industry's uphill battle to regain its pre-pandemic strength...
The Philippines must pursue long-term reforms to thrive amid intensified uncertainty wrought by geopolitics and external developments, including Donald J. Trump's impending return to the White House seen solidifying the United States' trade protectionism, according to a World Bank economist. On the...
By DERCO ROSAL The offshore gaming ban, while controversial, has not led to the anticipated job losses. Despite concerns about the economic consequences, analysis shows that the industry's contribution to employment was relatively small. According to the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the...
By DERCO ROSAL The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) expects the economy to continue outperforming its peers from the Asia-Pacific region, driven by anticipated strong consumer consumption, increased food supply, and stable global commodity prices. “Inflation is expected to be more manageable...
Financial markets in the Philippines and the broader Asia-Pacific region stand to benefit from downward interest rates in the United States, although risks from a "benign" US economy may temper gains, according to a World Bank economist. "So far, the decline in interest rates in advanced...
The Philippine economy is poised to weather regional challenges, including inflation, geopolitical tensions, and debt concerns, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) said. “[The] Philippines [has] a very different economy from the other ASEAN in a sense that is a very service-driven...
Easy monetary policy supportive of economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region would follow the US Federal Reserve's cut in interest rates by an aggressive 50 basis points (bps), according to the top economist of the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB). "I think it's good for the region...
The Department of Finance (DOF) onboarded a new talent from the Sy-led China Banking Corp. to lead the unit responsible for analyzing emerging economic issues and developments. Domini S. Velasquez, the former chief economist of Chinabank, is set to join the DOF this week to head the Office of the...
The government should intervene to control rising rice prices and consider importing more of the staple food, an economist at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) suggested. Carlos Manapat, chairperson of the UST's economics department, proposed two effective strategies that the government can...
Economist-congressman Joey Salceda gave a rather bleak outlook for food inflation in the country for the rest of the year, but cited a potential silver lining when it comes to fuel prices. Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda "Food inflation continues to be on a rapid momentum, from 4.9 percent in...
To address the rising inflation and joblessness in the country, Albay 2nd district Joey Salceda is floating the idea of a “universal unemployment insurance” for Filipinos who recently lost their jobs. Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda (FILE PHOTO/MANILA BULLETIN) In a statement on Thursday,...
The World Bank said the Philippine government’s debt load remains manageable despite recent acceleration amid the prolonged pandemic. Even it has ballooned, Kevin Chua, World Bank senior economist noted that the government’s debts are mostly held by Filipino creditors, long-dated IOUs and...
