The government pandemic task force has allowed the implementation of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation's (PhilHealth) new debit-credit payment for health care facilities in all places with high risk of coronavirus infection. The decision aimed at hastening payment of hospital claims was...
Despite EO 130 The mining sector will remain under scrutiny despite President Rodrigo Duterte's recent decision to lift the moratorium on new mining operations, a top government official said. As a start, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the government is considering imposing more...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar As Filipinos continue to struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, a different kind of outbreak has caused a shortfall in pork production and subsequently caused a sharp increase in food prices. While the African Swine Fever (ASF), which has...
GOVERNANCE MATTERS Former Vice President Jejomar Binay The economy, according to a statement from the Trade Secretary, lost an estimated P180 billion during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed by the government in Metro Manila and four other provinces. On the other hand, those...
SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, is subjecting its P80-billion capital expenditure budget for 2021 to a quarterly review. During the firm’s annual stockholders’ meeting, SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim said the regular review was...
SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) has joined a business group of dedicated global sustainability champions through the 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders campaign with a focus on responding to climate change. This makes SMIC the only Filipino company to join the campaign among countries like...
Meat prices continued to rise despite the recent 150 percent surge in pork import volume, casting doubt on the government’s recent move to bring down tariffs on imported pork. A customer pays for pork at a roadside market stall in Mandaluyong City, Manila, the Philippines. (Bloomberg file) “The...
Philippine industry leaders called on the private sector to take the lead in the country’s digital transformation to ensure safe and sustainable economic recovery. During a virtual roundtable discussion organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute on “The Private Sector as a reliable partner to the...
Negotiations between the Philippines government and Maynilad Water Services Inc. regarding the latter's new water concession agreement (CA) with Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) have already started. This is more than two weeks since the Philippines government released the new CA...
Local stocks dropped as investors preferred to hold on to cash during the weekend. The main index lost 45.15 points or 0.69 percent to close at 6,494.81 with the Property sector leading the retreat while the Mining and Oil counter advancing the most. Volume remained low with 6.77 billion shares...
75 YEARS OF PH-US RELATIONS The US government has committed to continue extending economic assistance to the its ally the Philippines in the form of grants for infrastructure projects, investment insurance coverage, technical and sustainability assistance as both countries marked their 75...
The Philippine government has already finalized the updated Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) with Australian-Canadian miner OceanaGold Corporation (OceanaGold) nearly two years since the major mining deal expired. MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano (Photo credit:...
