The Philippines is set to sign its free trade agreement (FTA) with Chile in October, as it looks to upgrade bilateral ties while opening a promising new market for exporters. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque told reporters that the signing of the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA)...
Philippine merchandise exports rose 13 percent to a record high of over $46 billion in the first half of the year due to strong demand for key products and expanded market access. Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that goods exports reached $46.72 billion from...
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday, July 29, that it would intensify investigations and law enforcement operations against animal welfare violations following a new agreement with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to strengthen coordination and train police officers in handling...
Real estate developers are already lining up to register their properties as information technology (IT) ecozones after the lifting of the moratorium on new applications in Metro Manila, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Trade Secretary Cristina Roque told reporters on...
A business group expressed strong opposition to a new 12.5 percent United States (US) tariff on Philippine exports, warning that the policy puts over ₱825 billion in trade at risk and threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers. In a statement, the Federation of Filipino Chinese...
The World Bank has urged East Asia and Pacific (EAP) countries to strengthen the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of their maritime sectors, saying the Philippines and its regional peers need reforms to support economic growth, improve trade competitiveness, and create more jobs amid aging...
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector to generate more jobs and attract new investments after the lifting of the ban on IT economic zones in Metro Manila. In a statement on Tuesday, July 28, Trade Secretary...
The country’s meat imports grew 12 percent in the first half of 2026 to more than 870,000 metric tons (MT), as pork purchases from abroad climbed sharply to meet strong domestic demand. The latest Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) data showed that meat imports from January to June reached 872,274...
Philippine exports to the United States (US) continue to enjoy a competitive advantage over shipments from other countries despite the Trump administration 's recent imposition of a 12.5 percent tariff, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “We 're not in a bad...
The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) is urging the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to accelerate the implementation of the new national standard for steel bars to strengthen the country’s resilience against earthquakes and prevent further harm from building failures. PISI...
The Philippines will soon have its first free trade agreement (FTA) with a Latin American country after concluding negotiations for a historic deal with Chile, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). In a social media post on Friday, July 24, the DTI announced that the Philippines...
The government is now ready to begin laying the groundwork for a program aimed at strengthening the export potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) after securing more than $3 million, or roughly ₱185 million, in funding from international development banks. The Department of...
