The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is rolling out a ₱2 billion financing program aimed at accelerating the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) among the country’s small-scale transport players. In a statement on Friday, April 17, the DTI said the initiative, managed by its financing arm,...
The Philippines has launched a safeguard investigation into rice imports, as authorities move to assess whether a surge in inbound shipments is harming domestic farmers of the country’s primary food staple. In an April 15 notification to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO), the...
Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay has moved to align key attached agencies under a unified strategy, emphasizing tourism’s role as a driver of inclusive economic growth and signaling a push for stronger coordination early in her term. Angara-Mathay convened the heads of the...
AI-powered mobility data revealing that private vehicles occupy a disproportionate share of road space is driving a push toward more people-centered transport planning in Philippine cities. Recent data from SEERMO, an AI-powered mobility program, showed that only 23 percent of road space is...
The United States (US) and the Philippines are planning to establish a 4,000-acre, or a nearly 1,619-hectare (ha), industrial hub in Luzon aimed at strengthening supply chains for critical inputs, according to the US Department of State. In an April 16 fact sheet, the US State Department said the...
The Philippines is preparing to increase its foreign rice purchases this year as the government moves to stabilize domestic supply and temper price volatility for Filipinos ' main food staple. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the country is ready to scale up shipments from its...
The Philippine government has pushed back against a United States (US) probe, asserting that its labor and trade policies neither enable forced labor nor disadvantage American businesses. In an April 14 position paper seen by Manila Bulletin, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary...
The Department of Finance (DOF)-led People’s Survival Fund (PSF) has expanded its commitment to local climate action, approving a combined ₱127.3 million in grants for four major adaptation projects across the Philippines. These initiatives, approved during the recent PSF board meeting,...
Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go has called for stronger ties between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) to expand financing access for small businesses across the region. “Given the EU’s expertise in digital and sustainable finance, Go called for...
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic team said Filipino consumers are unlikely to see meaningful relief from the suspension of excise taxes on gasoline and diesel, as any reduction in pump prices would be minimal and likely offset by prevailing market forces. This was the Cabinet-level...
Infrastructure and engineering firm Megawide Construction Corp. is keen on participating in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to bid out the construction of 16,459 classrooms worth ₱105.7 billion. As Manila Bulletin earlier reported, the DepEd said in an invitation to bid issued last...
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 27-2026, publishing the updated list of medicines exempt from 12-percent value-added tax (VAT), as endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Released on April 8, 2026, the circular covers 2,263...
