Economy
The numbers don't lie, and they're ugly: business confidence in the Philippines nosedived from 29.7% in Q4 2025 to a barely-positive 0.9% in January 2026, according to the BSP's first-ever monthly Business Expectations Survey. While technically still positive — meaning more firms are
Economy
Filipino motorists, prepare your wallets: another round of fuel price increases is expected to hit pumps in the first week of March. The Department of Energy and industry sources are projecting gasoline could rise by ₱1.40 to ₱1.60 per liter, while diesel may increase by ₱0.80 to
Economy
Advent Upgrade Solar Inc. (AUSI), a joint venture between Aboitiz Power Distributed Renewables and Upgrade Energy Philippines, has officially launched commercial operations for two new solar projects that boost the country's clean energy capacity. The milestone was made possible with vital financing support from the Bank of the
Economy
The Department of Energy has issued a landmark directive requiring all large-scale renewable energy developers in the Philippines to integrate energy storage systems into their facilities. The new framework is designed to support higher renewable energy penetration while maintaining grid reliability — a critical step toward the country's goal
Economy
Prices at the factory gate accelerated in January, growing 1.5% compared to just 0.8% in December 2025 — a sign that higher costs are building in the manufacturing pipeline and could soon hit consumer wallets. The Producer Price Index data was released by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Food products
Economy
GCash users can now invest in global real estate without leaving the app. Starting February 20, Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. launched four income-paying unit investment trust funds on GFunds — including the first-ever Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) funds available on any Philippine e-wallet. The new offerings include the
Nation
Starting today, March 1, you won't find any fresh tawilis in the markets for two months. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is enforcing the annual closed fishing season for the beloved sardine in Taal Lake, running until April 30 — giving the fish time to breed and
Economy
China Banking Corporation has done it again — posting a record ₱28 billion in net income for 2025, marking an incredible 11th consecutive year of breaking its own profit record. The SM Group-owned bank has been on a winning streak since 2015, when profits were just ₱5.6 billion. The bank&
Politics
Senator Bong Go has filed Senate Bill No. 1849 seeking to abolish the travel tax imposed on Filipinos leaving the country and on ASEAN nationals traveling to other ASEAN destinations. The proposal comes as the House Committee on Tourism already approved similar measures, signaling bipartisan support for scrapping the unpopular
Economy
In what could be the most devastating economic fallout of the Iran crisis, oil tankers have largely stopped moving through the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway that carries 20% of the world's oil supply. Iran's Revolutionary Guards broadcast via VHF radio that 'no ship
Economy
After months of pessimism, Philippine businesses are shaking off the gloom and turning bullish again. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' latest business expectations survey shows the confidence index turned positive in January 2026 at nearly 1% — a welcome reversal from the negative sentiment that dominated the latter half of
Economy
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is projecting a faster inflation rate for February 2026, estimating it could land between 2.3% to 3.1% — a notable jump from the 2% recorded in January, which was already an 11-month high. The central bank identified several culprits behind the expected price acceleration: