Monetary authorities in the Philippines and Vietnam are seen leading the hawkish camp in tightening policy as consumer prices in the Philippines risk absorbing sustained elevated costs arising from the Middle East conflict. “Should energy prices remain elevated, the Philippines and Vietnam are...
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it is receiving a steady stream of repatriation requests from Filipinos amid persistent tensions in the Middle East. As of Friday, April 10, data released by the DFA showed that it has received a total of 1,451 repatriation requests from overseas...
The jump in the March inflation rate has set the stage for a potential 50-basis-point (bp) rate hike by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) during the second quarter, according to global investment banking giant Goldman Sachs. In an April 7 report obtained by Manila Bulletin, Goldman Sachs...
As tensions continue in parts of the Middle East, the Department of Education (DepEd) reached out to thousands of Filipino teachers, students, and families abroad, offering not just policy guidance, but reassurance. In an “Online Kumustahan” held on Tuesday, April 7, DepEd checked on more than...
For a lot of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) teachers, returning home is not just about finding a job; it is about coming to terms with the sacrifices they made while working abroad. Teacher I Aylene Lara knows this all too well. "I didn’t want to work abroad for a very long time because it’s...
If the war in the Middle East prolongs and global oil prices continue to skyrocket, the Philippine peso could breach the ₱61:$1 level in the second quarter of 2026 and even hit as low as ₱62 to ₱64 against the United States (US) dollar. “Our base case forecasts for the US dollar-Philippine...
Renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are seen aggravating oil price- and supply-driven inflation pressures in the Philippines stemming from the ongoing war in the Middle East. “While the direct effect of renewed strikes on shipping in the Red Sea on aggregate world trade is likely to be limited,...
Singapore-based United Overseas Bank Ltd. (UOB) expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep key interest rates unchanged this year, despite rising risks to growth and inflation from the ongoing war in the Middle East. “Amid persistent uncertainty over the Middle East conflict, we expect...
State-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) has reassured its members in the Middle East that they can continue accessing benefits and services through its digital platforms, even amid escalating regional conflicts. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Joseph M. de Claro...
The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to provide overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families with free financial literacy education to protect their earnings and promote economic security. Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who chairs the Committee on Migrant Workers, thanked...
The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill seeking to protect overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) remittances by requiring transparency in fees and foreign exchange rates. Sen. Joel Villanueva, sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1917, otherwise known as the Overseas Filipino Workers’...
Senator Raffy Tulfo welcomed the Senate 's approval on second reading of the “Free OFW Financial Literacy Education Act” or Senate Bill (SB) No. 1910 on Wednesday, March 11. Tulfo, principal sponsor and one of the authors of SB No. 1910, said the timely bill provides for free financial...
