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:
Economy
Good news for M&S fans — Marks & Spencer has confirmed it is NOT leaving the Philippines. Despite SSI Group announcing that it will close all 13 M&S stores by May 2, 2026, the British retailer says it has already found a new franchise partner to keep
Economy
Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, is warning Filipinos to brace for a potentially massive spike in fuel prices following the US-Israel military strikes on Iran. With Iran being one of the world's top oil producers and the Strait of Hormuz — through
Nation
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have canceled or diverted multiple flights to and from the Middle East after the US-Israel strikes on Iran shut down airspace across the region. Two PAL planes that had already departed Manila — PR654 bound for Riyadh and PR658 bound for Dubai — were ordered to turn
Economy
The Philippines kicked off 2026 with a wider trade deficit as imports continued to outpace exports. The balance of trade in goods hit a $4.048-billion deficit in January, wider than December's $3.993 billion gap — though still narrower than the $4.926-billion deficit recorded in January 2025.
Economy
The Philippine Ports Authority has shattered its own financial records, posting ₱30.09 billion in revenue for 2025 — the highest in the agency's history and an 8.86 percent increase from its 2024 earnings, based on its unaudited financial report. The stellar performance allowed the PPA's
Economy
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto made a bold claim to an audience of international business leaders on Thursday: the Philippines is just $26 away from being classified as an upper middle-income country. The nation recorded a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $4,470 in 2024 — just shy of the
Economy
Taiwanese tourist arrivals to the Philippines grew 6.32% in 2025, reaching 213,928 visitors compared to 201,203 in 2024. The Bureau of Immigration data confirms that the Philippines' tourism recovery from Taiwan continues to build momentum, with the country ranking ninth among Taiwan's outbound destinations.
Economy
The Philippines kicked off 2026 with a wider trade deficit, as the gap between what the country buys and sells to the world grew to $4.048 billion in January. That's up from December's $3.993 billion deficit, though still narrower than the $4.926 billion