Following weaker-than-expected Philippine economic expansion in the first quarter of 2026, Singapore-based United Overseas Bank Ltd. (UOB) slashed its full-year growth forecast to 3.2 percent from a more optimistic five percent previously. Excluding the contraction during the peak of Covid-19...
It has been nearly 10 weeks since the eruption of the Middle East conflict, which has negatively impacted the world economy, completely disrupted what was otherwise smooth-sailing business outlook at the onset of the year, and drastically altered our daily lives. The conflict is wreaking commercial...
The country’s economic growth slowed to its weakest pace since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of the year, prompting the government’s top planner to dismiss concerns that the nation is entering a period of stagflation or reverting to its historical status as the...
Vice President Sara Duterte claimed that the Philippines no longer has sufficient funds, citing a supposed directive from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) requiring government offices to account for their savings, prompting a sharp response from Malacañang. During an interview in The...
British banking giant HSBC is now leaning toward back-to-back jumbo interest rate hikes that could lift policy rates to six percent, as signs of de-escalation in Middle East tensions remain muted—potentially forcing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to add another layer to its...
Understanding the preferences of people their own age group, Camarines Sur Reps. Migz Villafuerte (5th district) and Luigi Villafuerte (2nd district) are pushing for the swift approval of a package of work protection mechanisms and incentives for the so-called freelance or gig economy. This, as...
Vice President Sara Duterte questioned why President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. won the 2022 elections, accusing him of “lying” to Filipinos about his capabilities and plans for the country amid what she described as worsening economic conditions under the current administration. Speaking before...
The Economy and Development (ED) Council has approved refinements to the implementation of San Miguel Corp. (SMC)-led Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) and adjustments to a maritime security project involving fast patrol crafts, as the government moves to accelerate infrastructure delivery and...
Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged the Philippines to resume public infrastructure spending under stricter governance standards to revive investor confidence, warning that the absence of accountable fiscal activity is stifling private investment and domestic growth. In a...
The government has added five more projects to its 2026 National Priority Plan (NPP), bringing the total to 14 initiatives that private-sector donors can fund to enjoy tax perks, as agencies are being directed to prioritize spending amid a national energy emergency. In an addendum posted on its...
United Kingdom (UK)-based think tank Pantheon Macroeconomics said the Philippine economy remains too fragile to quickly pass through surging energy prices into demand-side pressures, suggesting that the latest interest rate hike is likely a one-off move. As such, the benchmark rate at 4.5 percent...
The Philippines faces mounting economic and financial risks from climate change, with projected losses reaching as much as 13 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2040 unless the country urgently scales up climate financing and aligns adaptation and mitigation efforts, according to state-run...
