Unlock opportunities in EU, exporters urged
The country’s exporters, particularly those of agri-food products, are encouraged to tap opportunities in the European Union, given the increased purchasing power of EU consumers and recent regulatory and policy developments, according to a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.

DoF still pushing for key tax reform measures
The Department of Finance is hoping several tax reform measures will be approved by Congress this year despite the upcoming midterm elections. The 19th Congress resumes session on Jan. 14, but will adjourn on Feb. 8 as lawmakers prepare for the start of campaign period.

DOE exec laments financing gap in renewable energy development
Lowering capital costs for renewable energy development is critical in achieving a just energy transition for the Philippines, a senior energy official said, urging global support to close the financing gap.

PHL growth seen above 6% until 2026
The Philippines’ GDP is expected to accelerate this year and in 2026 amid strong domestic demand, the UN said. In its latest World Economic Situation and Prospects report, the UN said it expects the Philippine economy to expand by 6.1% in 2025 and 6.2% in 2026.

‘More PHL firms will tap AI for operations’
Cisco Philippines believes that the trend of leveraging AI will continue to “take center stage” in 2025, even predicting that it will “well surpass cloud and even the internet in its significance as a technology disruptor.”

DoLE says measures in place to address upskilling worries
The DoLE said it is confident the government’s efforts to address the jobs-skills mismatch will bear fruit, after the World Economic Forum urged the Philippines to address critical shortcomings in education and job preparation to unlock the potential of its working-age population.

GDP growth to push 2025 power demand 5% higher 
An expanding economy will likely push the demand for power by 5 percent this year, considering that the total value of goods and services produced by the county is forecasted to grow by 6 percent to 6.5 percent.

DOE: Over 6,800 MW projects to boost power supply this year
Conventional and renewable energy (RE) projects with a combined capacity of 6,841 MW are set to come online within the year, according to latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE).

AI data centers to drive semiconductor market in 2025, analysts say
The global semiconductor market will rely on artificial intelligence in 2025 as data center demand skyrockets, according to analysts surveyed by Nikkei, as EV and smartphone-related demand remains mired in stagnation.

New mining reporting rules in effect
New mineral reporting rules take effect today, Jan. 13, requiring mining companies to submit exploration results both quarterly and annually, according to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

Debt service up 65% on interest, weak peso
The national government’s debt service bill swelled by 65.33 percent to P93.704 billion in November 2024, as interest rates remained high amid weak peso performance.

Tax breaks pitched to lure critical minerals investors
Fiscal incentives such as tax breaks can be a good tool to encourage greater investment in the mining and processing of critical minerals, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Undesa).

Record P34 billion rice tariff collected in 2024
The government collected a record P34 billion in rice tariff last year, driven by bigger import volume coupled with higher shipment valuation and a weaker peso.

LRTA gets P2 billion for early works of LRT-2 extension
The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has secured P2 billion to deliver the preliminary works for a project that would extend the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) to the western segment of Manila.

Over P12 billion allotted for airport modernization
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will spend P12.4 billion this year for the upgrade of regional airports to support inter-island connectivity.