The Philippines will repay until 2053 two of the four loans greenlit by the Washington-based World Bank last month, worth a total of $950.54 million or about ₱54.6 billion, that will finance health services and transport connectivity in Mindanao and other poor provinces in the country. World...
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto The Philippines has officially launched a value-added tax (VAT) refund system for foreign tourists, aiming to significantly boost tourism revenue by encouraging increased spending on local goods. According to the Department of Finance (DOF), the refund scheme...
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has obtained a total of ₱65.43 billion in loans from Japan to fast-track the roll-out of infrastructure projects and provide budget support for climate change and health programs. The loan agreements for five projects and programs to be funded by Japan’s...
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto President Marcos’ chief economic manager and representative in the Monetary Board (MB) has projected a 75-basis point (bp) reduction in the central bank’s interest rates this year, anticipating this would catalyze economic growth to seven percent or...
President Marcos’ chief economic manager believes a credit rating upgrade is now within reach after the Philippines’ removal from the global money laundering "grey list." Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto stated that exiting the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list is a "significant...
The Philippines is sending a clear message to the world that it is open for business with the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act. Following...
The Bureau of Customs (BOC), the government's second largest tax agency, has failed to achieve its 2024 revenue target of ₱939.6 billion, only collecting ₱931.05 billion last year. While its 2024 revenues exceeded the ₱883.21 billion in 2023, the country's second-biggest tax-collection agency...
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto believes e-wallet giant GCash could stage a record initial public offering (IPO) even without regulatory relief from the mandated 20-percent public float. Recto, the government’s chief economic manager who also oversees the Securities and Exchange Commission...
President Marcos' chief economic manager is optimistic that joblessness this year will be even lower than the administration's 2025 goal, following last year's two-decade low unemployment rate. Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph G. Recto confirmed to Manila Bulletin on Friday, Feb. 7, that...
President Marcos’ chief economic manager stated that low and steady inflation in January gives the central bank room to cut key borrowing costs further to spur economic growth. “This is a strong indicator of the government’s commitment to keeping prices stable and signals that the BSP...
International investors on artificial intelligence (AI) have flocked over the Philippines following President Marcos’ chief economic manager’s statement on the country’s strategic advantages, which make it an ideal partner in the future economy. During the four-day World Economic Forum...
FOR MONDAY To combat rampant smuggling, the government will soon implement a new digital trade protection system designed to significantly reduce illicit trade. Department of Finance-led (DOF) committee on pre-border technical verification and cross-border electronic invoicing (CPTVCEI)...