The country’s chief economist expressed a less optimistic outlook for third-quarter growth, noting that both domestic—including the flood control corruption scandal—and external economic conditions may have influenced the possibly dismal performance. “I am not as optimistic as I used to, or...
The Marcos administration is confronting corruption head-on, according to Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, the government’s chief economist. Balisacan told Manila Bulletin on Monday, Sept. 22, that the government is seeking public support to...
The government is considering seasonal tariffs on rice to shield local farmers during harvest, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said. Balisacan also emphasized on Tuesday, Sept. 2, that tariffs are used as a policy tool to address various...
The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) welcomed the enactment of the Konektadong Pinoy (KP) Act, which it said aims to bridge the digital divide and accelerate the country’s digital transformation, in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028. In a...
Malacañang remains hopeful that the Philippines would be able to attain the upper middle income threshold this year. The country is just $26 away from reaching the upper middle-income country (UMIC) status, according to Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio...
Despite global challenges, the Philippines is projected to sustain relatively strong economic growth and emerge as one of the region’s standout performers, according to the government’s chief economist. “The Philippines would remain among Asia’s fastest-growing economies, outpacing several...
Coupled with an increase in unpaid workers, the number of jobless Filipinos swelled by more than 300,000 to 1.95 million in June from 1.62 million a year ago, with the online gambling sector partly contributing to the pool of unemployed. Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority...
Rice prices dropped at their fastest pace since 1995, bringing consumer price increases to below one percent in July, partly supported by the current administration’s ₱20-per-kilo rice program. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa...
Six out of 45 projects flagged as problematic in 2023 by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) have been removed from the list of critical-stage projects, a top official said. This, as DEPDev’s 2024 Official Development Assistance (ODA) Portfolio Review Report released on...
Citing a lackluster performance that the Philippine economy has been showing since its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, climbing to the high-income-status target 15 years from now could be impossible, the country’s chief socioeconomic planner stated. Department of Economy, Planning, and...
The Economy and Development (ED) Council has approved the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) operations and maintenance project, valued at around ₱229.3 billion, during its second meeting on Tuesday, July 15. Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M....
Fifteen years from now, the Philippine economy could accelerate by 6.8 percent yearly if the country continues to improve regional connectivity, productivity, and resource allocation, the Washington-based World Bank stated. According to the multilateral lender’s latest report on Philippine growth...