PH climb to higher income status seen in 2026
The Philippines might finally transition to an upper-middle income country (MIC) in 2026 if it can sustain economic growth of at least 6 percent, the state’s top socioeconomic planner said.

DEPDev to craft 25-year infra plan to withstand gov’t transitions
The Department of Economic Planning and Development (DEPDev) is set to craft the country’s first 25-year infrastructure masterplan to ensure that critical projects continue despite changes in administration.

DOTr pushes for creation of transport safety body
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said he would urge the 20th Congress to initiate the creation of an agency with functions similar to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the US.

GDP likely grew by 6% in Q1 – Recto
The Philippine economy may have expanded by 6% in the first quarter, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said.

PHL agri-fisheries valued at ₱1.73 trillion in 2024
The value of production of Philippine agriculture and fisheries declined 2.1% to ₱1.73 trillion in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported.

Philippines urged to hasten processing of mine exploration permits
The government is urged to resolve delays in processing exploration permits to unlock the vast potential offered by the rich local mining sector.

Tougher enforcement threatened for substandard steel products
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it will more strictly enforce the penalties for producing and selling substandard steel.

PPP project pipeline at P2.64 trillion as of April
The government has added 14 projects to its public-private partnership pipeline, bringing the total to 187 PPP projects amounting to P2.64 trillion.

PHL debt-to-GDP ratio seen at 60.2% – AMRO
The Philippine debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio will likely settle at 60.2% this year, ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) said on Monday.

TESDA eyes more int'l partnerships
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) announced Monday that it seeks to establish more international partnerships.

Amid global recession risks, Philippines ‘a relatively safe haven’
The Philippine economy remains one of the most resilient in the region amid escalating global recessionary risks and heightened trade tensions, according to banks.

CAAP hikes terminal fees for air passengers
Air passengers will have to pay higher terminal fees starting April 21 as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) approved the collection of new passenger service charge (PSC) and other fees at its airports.

Tariff uncertainty clouds PHL growth outlook
The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) trimmed its first-quarter Philippine growth forecast amid worries over US President Donald J. Trump’s aggressive tariff policy.

PCA mulls retention policy, price ceiling on coconut oil
The government is considering a policy that will keep a portion of the country’s coconut oil for domestic use to ensure supply and prevent further price spikes while shipping out excess stocks to sustain the prized export market.

DICT comprehensive policy to counter online disinformation, threats’
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda on Monday endorsed a sweeping policy that targets online disinformation, cyber scams and other online threats.

Tariff pause seen as window to attract relocating manufacturers
The Philippines should take advantage of the 90-day pause before the higher US tariffs set in to attract manufacturers relocating from heavily tariffed China, an industrialist said.

PHL banks eager to back offshore wind projects
Despite the nascent stage of offshore wind projects in the Philippines, local banks are stepping up to finance these ventures that are aiming to deliver the first kilowatt-hour by 2028.

Kalibo airport upgrade removed from PPP pipeline
The government has removed the proposed privatization of the upgrade and operations of the Kalibo International Airport Project from its public-private partnership (PPP) pipeline but added 14 new projects.

PHL unlikely to benefit from shifting trade routes amid tariff war
Shifting trade routes amid tit-for-tat wars would likely occur within Southeast Asia, Oxford Economics said, though this may not necessarily benefit due to its poor logistics sector.

BSP launches mobile app to bring services closer to Filipinos
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has formally launched a mobile app aimed at making central banking services and information more accessible to the public.

DA unveils P1-B swine repopulation program
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to roll out a P1-billion swine repopulation program as part of a broader effort to bring back hog population to pre-African swine fever (ASF) levels.

J.P. Morgan to launch AI-powered service in Philippines
Global financial services giant J.P. Morgan is set to launch its cutting-edge AI-powered invoice reconciliation service in the Philippines this May, a move aimed at further accelerating the country’s digital payments transformation.

DHSUD to fast-track 4PH rollout in Metro Manila
The Marcos administration would speed up the rollout of the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program in Metro Manila as other regions advance with the turnover of completed housing units under the 4PH program, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development said yesterday.

PH auto parts makers eye 20% boost in US orders
Local manufacturers and exporters of automotive parts are projecting a 20-percent increase in orders from the United States, driven by the latest tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration.

Government urged to consider tax relief on insurance premiums
A tax relief measure on insurance premiums in the Philippines could boost overall coverage in a country that still has a very low level of social protection penetration.

External debt service burden slumps in Jan. 
The Philippines’ external debt service burden slumped by more than 50% in January amid a sharp decline in principal investments, the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

PH dollar position back to deficit in March
The Philippines experienced a dollar shortfall in March, consistent with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) expectation of a weaker external position this year as uncertainty in global trade policy drove outflows.

Closed banks’ borrowers get more loan relief
State-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) has enhanced its loan settlement program to offer bigger incentives and wider coverage for borrowers of closed banks, aiming to help more people settle their debts and avoid foreclosure.

BOP deteriorates to $3 billion gap in Q1
The Philippines swung to a balance of payments (BOP) deficit in March as the government tapped its dollar reserves to settle foreign debt, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said yesterday.

Filipina tech leaders represent pHL at 2025 mobile world congress
Two Filipina tech leaders from Mynt, the holding company of GCash, namely President & CEO Martha Sazon and Chief Technology Operations Officer Pebbles Sy represented the country’s transformative adoption of connectivity, mobile tech, and the digital economy during the prestigious Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.

Digital transactions among sari-sari stores surge in 2024, Packworks data shows
Packworks, a Filipino tech startup with an app ecosystem for sari-sari stores, has seen a significant increase in the number of stores transacting on its app from its network of over 300,000 sari-sari stores across various regions in the Philippines.

Sugar output seen flat at 1.85 MMT
Philippine sugar production will likely remain flat in 2026 at 1.85 million metric tons (MMT), according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Russia gains access to Philippine beef market
The Philippines granted access for Russian beef and offal to its market, authorizing two Russian companies for imports, Russia’s agriculture regulator said on Friday.

Meralco sees power sales heating up in 2nd quarter
Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) expects its energy sales to heat up in the second quarter, fueled by midterm election activity and a positive economic outlook.