The Marcos administration’s decision to limit consumer subsidies shields the government budget from global price shocks but threatens to choke off private consumption and derail domestic demand, according to global debt watcher Moody’s Ratings. In its latest Asia-Pacific (APAC) report published...
Persistent price pressures are expected to keep the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on alert, but foreign observers are now urging a more dovish stance, including a potential year-long pause, following the central bank 's “restrained” rate hike to 4.75 percent. British banking giant...
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte was conferred the Good Stories Award by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the city’s environmental governance initiatives. The award was presented during the DENR Good Stories Awarding ceremony, which recognized Quezon City’s...
In times of crisis, such as the one we face this year in 2026 as a result of the Unied States–Iran war and the looming El Niño phenomenon during the second half of the year, we should consider the advice given in the Comprehensive Food Security Framework (CFSF). Described in the book edited by...
Stubborn inflation is forcing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to seriously consider higher borrowing costs, a move that threatens to worsen the sharp economic slowdown already hitting the country. Since the BSP delivered a quarter-point hike to 4.5 percent in April, calls for further...
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has flagged corruption as a major risk to Philippine infrastructure delivery, warning that the multibillion-peso flood-control corruption scandal show that current accountability safeguards remain insufficient to prevent the misuse of...
The Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it stands ready to deploy support to the Philippines should it request assistance during the ongoing Middle East war, assuring close engagement with local authorities through surveillance and policy advice. This remained the IMF’s...
I just received from a nephew of mine a communication he received from a mutual friend, Rafael “Raffy” Moreno Alunan III, about the state of the Philippine economy and, especially, about the horrible actions of some of our politicians. I would like to comment extensively on this missive to the...
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic team is adopting a sober yet aggressive posture on the Philippines ' macroeconomic outlook, mobilizing a state-led fiscal catch-up program to counter stalling growth and stubborn inflation. Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon told reporters on the...
A stronger and more resilient middle class is critical to sustainably reducing poverty and achieving inclusive economic growth in the Philippines, according to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev). Speaking at the launch of the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Assessment...
Citing the rising risk of inflation expectations becoming de-anchored, the Paris-headquartered intergovernmental Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) holds one of the most hawkish positions on policy tightening, penciling in a maximum of 125 basis points (bps) in interest...
Worsening political fragmentation in the Senate is emerging as the premier threat to the country’s macroeconomic stability, risking a prolonged period of stagflation as legislative gridlock deepens, according to GlobalSource Partners Inc. In a June 2 commentary, GlobalSource economist Diwa...
