Philippines Business News

Small businesses brace for wage hike in NCR

FILIPINO entrepreneur Wilson Lee Flores has kept Kamuning Bakery Café’s pandesal affordable through inflation spikes, supply disruptions and surging electricity bills.

Philippine car sales slump as demand remains weak

PHILIPPINE VEHICLE SALES dropped by 8% in June, dragging first semester sales 11.4% lower as weak demand continued to weigh on the market, industry data showed.

Ocean economy’s share in GDP slips to 4-year low

OCEAN-BASED INDUSTRIES’ contribution to the Philippine economy dropped to a four-year low in 2025, weighed down by a decline in fishery production amid softer global trade, weather disruptions and higher operating costs, analysts said.

MariBank PH secures digital banking license

MARIBANK has secured a digital banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), becoming the seventh in the country to receive the authorization. Prior to obtaining the license, MariBank operated under a rural bank license while offering banking services almost entirely through digital channels. The BSP earlier raised the cap on digital banks to 10 from six, opening four additional licenses. The application process officially began in January last year. The six other digital banks cur

Car firms upbeat as sales rise

AUTOMOTIVE sales rose to a year high in June but remained lower compared to 2025 results, industry data showed on Wednesday. The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported combined sales of 37,231 units, up 11.0 percent from May. It was, however, 8.0 percent lower compared to the 40,483 posted a year earlier. “Combined with industry estimates, the total auto market moved around 42,000 new vehicles ... reflectin

China Coast Guard fires water cannon at Philippine vessel in Bajo de Masinloc

A CHINA Coast Guard vessel blasted a Philippine government ship with a water cannon for more than two minutes while it was conducting a fuel and food mission for Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc, Philippine authorities said on Thursday. Officials said the Chinese vessel maneuvered dangerously close to BRP Datu Dumangsil before directing a sustained water cannon attack against the vessel, which was carrying out what the Philippines described as a lawful mission to deliver assistance to lo

Govt to act versus goods made using forced labor

THE government has moved to avert higher US tariffs, formalizing an interagency order covering the investigation and prohibition of the importation of goods produced through forced labor. A joint administrative order signed on Thursday by the Trade, Labor and and Finance departments aims to strengthen inter-agency coordination in receiving and evaluating information, conducting investigations and recommending appropriate action in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. "This is about p

P22.79B in govt savings to fund crisis relief programs

THE government has generated P22.79 billion in savings, of which a huge chunk will be allocated for priority relief programs for sectors affected by the Middle East conflict and the effects of Super El Niño, Malacañang said. In a press briefing, Palace Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said P12.37 billion will be allocated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the Uplift (Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport) progra

‘The country is tired of politics’, says MAP

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Thursday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the economy over politics when he makes his annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. “We... hope that this year’s SONA marks a pivot from politics to economic execution,” MAP President Donald Lim said in a statement that also expressed support for identified priorities such as the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, Party-List System Reform Act, Citizen Access

​20,000 police deployed for security at SONA

MORE than 20,000 police officers have been deployed across Metro Manila as the government stepped up security ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27. Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities have finalized security measures and are prepared to respond to any contingency during the president’s address. “We have 20,000 police now deployed, and we are ready for any contingencies,” Remulla said i

DA fast-tracks Bulan Fish Port expansion

THE government is accelerating the expansion of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) Bulan Fish Port Complex in Sorsogon as part of a broader push to invest in fisheries infrastructure and strengthen the country’s marine food supply chain, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the project fast-tracked, with completion targeted by end-2027.Every year of delay means

Bill seeks removal of VAT on power

QUEZON City 4th District Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay has filed a measure that seeks to remove the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) on electricity consumption for all end-users, including residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial consumers. Under House Bill (HB) 10160, or the Electricity VAT Relief Act, electricity sales would be exempt from the VAT. HB 10160 also requires power distributors to clearly reflect the VAT savings in consumers’ monthly billing statements. &ld

Garcia files complaints against 3 prosecutors

CEBU CITY — Former Cebu Provincial Capitol consultant Byron Garcia filed criminal and administrative complaints against three Mandaue City prosecutors, alleging violations of due process in the handling of criminal cases filed against him. Garcia submitted his complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas on Wednesday, naming Associate Prosecutor Mariven Calamba, Deputy City Prosecutor Sarah Vanessa Lacno-Tudtud and City Prosecutor Mary Francis Daquipil as respondents. He accused t

New guidelines on farmland conversions out by August

NEW guidelines on farmland conversion may be released in August, following the lifting of a five-month moratorium on agricultural land reclassification earlier this month. The freeze sought to protect farmlands from unregulated conversion to urban and commercial uses, preserve food security and allow the Department of Agriculture (DA) to reassess its regulatory framework.Only certain projects — including green energy developments, socialized housing initiatives and applications for agro-in

Antique seafarer killed in Ukraine drone strike

ILOILO CITY — A seafarer from Antique was killed after the cargo vessel he was serving on was struck in a drone attack at the Port of Pivdennyi on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast, amid the Russia-Ukraine war. The victim was identified as Jude Prado Pagunsan, a resident of Sitio Wayang, Barangay Ubos, Valderrama, Antique. His family confirmed his death following the attack. Pagunsan was aboard the MV Venturo when it came under attack. He was among the two reported fatalities. A rep

Climate group: PH needs more RE plants

THE Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), a nonprofit policy group, said the recent spike in electricity rates underscores the need for more indigenous and renewable power plants in the country. ICSC energy transition advisor Alberto Dalusung III said the generation charge remains the largest component of consumers’ electricity bills, even as public attention has centered on other charges. This points to the need for a more diversified power mix built on indigenous renewable

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Marcos to inaugurate children’s medical center

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will lead the inauguration of the Department of Health’s Jose B. Lingad (DOH-JBL) Children’s Medical Center at Clark Freeport Zone on Friday. The seven-story and more than 100-bed capacity facility is one of the specialty hospitals within the 5.7-hectare Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center (CMSMC) Complex located along Prince Balagtas Avenue. CMSMC, a flagship project of the Marcos administration, offers its services not only for patients from Central

PNP chief ‘no harassment’ remark scored

THE National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) slammed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. for denying the “harassment” of photojournalists covering protests during the Asean Summit on Wednesday. The country’s oldest media organization said Nartatez’s statement was premature, biased and damaging to the credibility of the PNP’s own probe. The Manila Times chief of photographers Rene Dilan and veteran photojournalist Bullit Marquez

The role of capital markets in the economy

WHEN people hear the term “capital markets,” they often picture the stock exchange. However, it means more than just securities traders. Every new factory, school, hospital, renewable energy project, housing development, or tech startup starts with a key necessity: securing long-term capital. Capital markets play a vital role in the economy by converting savings into productive investments. They link individuals and institutions with the capital needed for business investments. When

Ayala: $6.9B in sustainable financing secured last year

AYALA Corp. on Thursday said that it secured approximately $6.9 billion in sustainable financing last year as it announced its continued inclusion in the global sustainability benchmark FTSE4Good Index Series for a 12th straight year. In a statement, the conglomerate said the continued inclusion reinforced the Ayala Group’s standing in a global benchmark followed by investors and other stakeholders. Core businesses ACEN Corp., Ayala Land Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands and Globe Telec

Defending the municipal fishing zone

IT is highly ironic that an archipelagic country like the Philippines is grappling with the intertwined problems of illegal fishing and a declining catch. Last year, Karagatan Patrol reported a spike in commercial fishing incursions in the 15-kilometer exclusive zone for municipal fishermen. The online platform, set up by the international ocean conservation advocate Oceana in partnership with the League of Municipalities in the Philippines to monitor illegal commercial fishing activity in munic

Go sends help to fire victims in Lanao del Sur

MALABANG, Lanao del Sur — Sen. Bong Go’s Malasakit Team extended assistance to 30 fire-stricken households here on Tuesday as the senator reiterated his commitment to strengthening government support for disaster victims and improving fire protection services nationwide. The relief initiative held at the Malabang Municipal Hall provided affected families with financial assistance, grocery packs, water containers, snacks, shirts, vitamins, basketballs, and volleyballs. “We will

MediCard bullish on growth amid increased demand for healthcare

MEDICARD Philippines, Inc. is bullish on growth amid rising demand for healthcare coverage, which it wants to serve through the continued product diversification and digitalization. “How many people in the Philippines have healthcare coverage today? How many people in the Philippines need healthcare coverage? If you take a cycle looking out three to five years, […]