The Philippines is expected to benefit from agricultural programs worth up to $35 million from the United States (US) after being identified as one of the priority countries for this year’s Food for Progress (FFPr) program, marking the first time in seven years. In an April 9 notice, the US...
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clarified on Friday, April 10, that the proposed establishment of fuel storage facilities in Mindanao will remain under Philippine ownership and control. AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the projects...
The ceasefire-driven rally of Asian currencies, including the Philippine peso, may be short-lived as global oil risks linger, according to Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd. (OCBC). In an April 9 report, OCBC Group Research foreign exchange (FX) strategists Sim Moh Siong and...
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...
A remote village in Davao del Norte will soon have an evacuation-ready multi-purpose building after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States military broke ground on the project on Monday, April 6, as part of the “Exercise Balikatan.” The facility, which will rise in Barangay...
Rising input costs driven by the conflict in the Middle East may impact the United States’ (US) dominance in shipments of major agricultural products to the Philippines, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA identified surging input costs, on the back of...
The Philippines is poised to increase its corn imports to nearly two million metric tons this marketing year as recovering livestock sector and expanding industrial demand outpace local harvests, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In a report published last week, the USDA...
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,...
The Philippines is projected to increase its consumption of wheat-based products in the current marketing year (MY) to nearly seven million metric tons (MT), although rising input costs may temper growth, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA...
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...
The United States (US) has once again flagged corruption as a major barrier to trade and investment with the Philippines, as recent efforts to clean up regulatory and judicial processes have failed to yield positive results. In this year’s National Trade Estimate (NTE) report, the Office of the...
