Philippines Business News

Cautious trade likely before BSP policy meeting

PHILIPPINE SHARES may move cautiously this week as the market awaits the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) review for clues on its policy direction as the conflict in the Middle East continues to weigh on domestic inflation expectations. On Thursday, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 1.3% or 80.12 points to close at […]

Analysts warn vs changing 16-vote rule in Duterte impeachment trial

CHANGING the 16-vote threshold for conviction in the impeachment trial could create a dangerous precedent and raise questions about how the constitutional requirement should apply when some senator-judges cannot participate, political analysts said.

Court should lift wage hike injunction in the absence of bond, labor groups say

THE WRIT blocking Metro Manila’s P60 wage increase should be lifted after the employers who obtained the injunction admitted they could not post the P10-billion bond required by the court, labor leaders said, arguing that the regional trial court (RTC) has no choice but to set aside the writ unless the condition for its issuance is met.

Analysts question need for economic recovery-focused Senate body

ANALYSTS questioned the need for the Senate’s proposed Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) ad hoc committee, saying its mandate overlaps with existing bodies that already handle economic policy, investment, taxation, trade, infrastructure and public finance.

Saudel may enter PAR as super typhoon

TYPHOON SAUDEL may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) as a super typhoon on Monday, while a separate tropical depression near the country’s eastern boundary could also enter the country’s monitoring area, the state weather bureau said. Depending on the movement and intensity of the system, it may enter PAR by Monday morning or […]

Poverty decline questioned

A LAWMAKER on Sunday slammed the Marcos administration over its presentation of the latest poverty data, questioning the government’s claim of a historic decline in poverty even as more Filipino families reported experiencing hunger and poverty. In a statement, Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio said that the government should not use the Philippine Statistics Authority’s […]

UNICEF flags lack of child-focused measures in PHL’s crisis response

THE PHILIPPINES has responded to the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict through cash assistance, but the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that existing measures across the region have yet to specifically address the risks facing children. In its 2026 Asia-Pacific Social Sector Budget and Expenditure Outlook, UNICEF identified the Philippines and Fiji […]

17 Filipinos confirmed safe after Black Sea attacks

THE DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Sunday confirmed the safety of 17 Filipino crew members of a motor vessel in the Black Sea affected by the drone attacks near Novorossiysk, Russia. The DMW announced that the manning agency of M/V Anna S gave the confirmation on Saturday evening, adding that the seafarers received $300 […]

DepEd told to hasten recruitment

SENATE PRESIDENT Sherwin T. Gatchalian on Sunday called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to expedite its hiring of personnel to fill the newly approved 133 plantilla positions in the agency, including teachers and therapists for learners with disabilities. In a press statement, Mr. Gatchalian said the hiring of staff for the positions senior education […]

Recto tells public to improve waste disposal practices

THE GOVERNMENT has called on the public to improve waste disposal practices amid efforts to address flooding and solid waste management. “The first line of defense” against flooding and garbage begins in communities, Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said in a statement on Sunday, urging local government units (LGUs) to work with the national government. […]

Police officer, 2 dealers dead in botched gun deal sting

COTABATO CITY — A police officer and two known illegal gun dealers were killed in an entrapment operation in Pagadian City that went awry before dawn on Sunday. Officials of the Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) and local executives in Pagadian City separately told reporters at noon on Sunday that Major Aiman Khuzaimah P. Pantaran, […]

NIA eyes five small reservoir projects in Ilocos Norte

LAOAG CITY — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is assessing sites for five proposed small reservoir irrigation projects (SRIPs) in Ilocos Norte as it seeks to expand water access for farmers and boost agricultural production in the northern province. NIA Senior Deputy Administrator Robert C. Suguitan led officials and technical personnel in inspecting the proposed […]

GOCC subsidy disbursements fall short of H1 target

SUBSIDY DISBURSEMENTS to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) failed to hit the targeted total for the first half, leaving nearly two-thirds of the full-year target still undisbursed. The Development Budget Coordination Committee’s quarterly fiscal program indicated that subsidy releases budgeted at P180.41 billion in the first half, comprising P26.84 billion in actual first-quarter disbursements and […]

Mandate to expand benefits seen weighing on PhilHealth profitability

THE PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said it is unlikely to break even this year as it has been tasked with expanding benefits.

40 diesel plants face suspension after failing to heed DoE warnings

THE Department of Energy (DoE) is preparing to recommend the suspension of around 40 diesel power plants for failing to act on show-cause orders. “We’ve given them a warning. And we are now in the process of recommending suspension to the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission),” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said on the sidelines of […]

Hog, chicken, dairy output rise in second quarter

HOG, CHICKEN, and dairy output rose in the second quarter, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA said hog production in the three months to June rose 5.6% to 412.28 thousand metric tons (MT) on a liveweight basis. The swine inventory as of June 30 declined 1% to 8.93 million head, with 79.3% […]

Camp John Hay, Fort Bonifacio master plans targeted for completion by fourth quarter

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it expects to complete the master plans for Camp John Hay (CJH) and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) this year. “The publication of the master plan (for CJH) will be around October,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang told reporters last week. The master plan […]

Tacloban, Busuanga airport projects attract 6, 7 bidders

SIX AND SEVEN COMPANIES submitted bids to develop and rehabilitate Tacloban and Busuanga airports, respectively, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr), citing the outcome of a pre-bid conference. Earlier this month, the DoTr opened the bidding for the P1.24-billion worth of contracts for the development and rehabilitation of Tacloban and Busuanga airports. For the […]

Migration infrastructure: The next competitive advantage

As demographic pressures and artificial intelligence (AI) investment-driven disruption reshape labor markets, attracting and retaining global talent is becoming a critical competitive advantage.

Gilas faces explosive Harris-led Jordan in Window 4 of WCQ

JORDAN is bringing in the top gun of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers (WCQ) — Jalen Harris — as it rekindles its old rivalry with Gilas Pilipinas on Friday. Mr. Harris, a former NBA player with the Toronto Raptors, led all scorers in the first round with 27 points per game on a 45.3% […]

Fed’s Kashkari says rising Treasury yields not a concern

Visayas under yellow alert from 6 to 9 p.m. on August 23 — NGCP

The Visayas power grid was placed under yellow alert on Sunday, August 23, following forced generator outages and derated plant capacities that took more than 900 megawatts (MW) offline.

NAIA Terminal 1 to experience power interruptions from August 24 to 26

Travelers passing through Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 are advised to expect brief power disruptions starting Monday night, August 24, due to scheduled preventive work on the terminal’s electrical infrastructure.

How bitcoin and gold went from a slump to an MVP week in just a few days

Bitcoin and gold shot higher this week, with both getting a boost from some frantic action surrounding the bond market, and the cryptocurrency also benefiting from activity in Washington. Bitcoin had dropped from a January high of around $95,000 to below $60,000 at the end of June. Investors shied away from speculative assets earlier in the year and crypto supporters were concerned about the lack of movement on proposed regulation of the industry. On Friday, bitcoin rose above $77,000. Gold hit