Economy

The Secretariat of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has said that structural challenges continue to weigh on the country’s competitiveness, particularly high logistics expenses and regulatory bottlenecks. This, as the WTO recognized that the Philippines made progress in lowering trade barriers and attracting investments over the past several years, but sustaining those gains will require deeper reforms to reduce logistics …

Filipino consumers will have the freedom to choose their own electricity supplier as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has lowered the minimum required consumption to 100 kilowatts (kW) from 500 kW. In a statement, the commission said the lowering of the threshold under the retail competition and open access (RCOA) and the retail aggregation program (RAP) took effect on June …

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has announced that the government of The Netherlands is keen on investing in the Luzon Economic Corridor, the AI and microchips hub planned by the US State Department and the Philippines in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac. The Second Philippines-Netherlands Coordinating Authorities’ Meeting in The Hague, the DTI’s Bureau of International Trade Relations …

The BSP notes Fitch’s assessment and continues to closely monitor risks to credit quality, profitability, liquidity, and capital adequacy. Philippine banks remain well positioned to withstand potential shocks, supported by ample liquidity, adequate capital buffers, and manageable asset quality. While some pressure may emerge in specific borrower segments, risks remain contained, with no evidence of broad-based deterioration. The BSP expects …

The Philippines under the Marcos administration has maintained its secure status as among the lowest-ranked economies in the Asia-Pacific region. This was according to the IMD World Competitive Center (WCC) which also reported a miniscule four-spot improvement for the country in its yearly survey. In the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, the Philippines ranked 47th  out of 70 economies with …

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to give the Philippines  a $210-million loan to help the country improve energy efficiency in the education and health sectors. The package will support the Government Energy Management Programme (GEMP), which requires government agencies to reduce monthly electricity consumption in public buildings by at least 10%. “This requirement is being enforced under the Philippines …

In an attempt to stave off the runaway inflation, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has decided to increase the policy rate which guides lending costs of banks to 4.75 percent. This is the BSP’s second rate hike this year. Many economists have correctly  predicted the quarter-point hike. “Inflationary pressures remain strong. Global oil and fertilizer prices remain elevated and …

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported that food security food security in the Philippines can be undermined as food prices rise due to higher costs of fuel, freight, and fertilizer. The problem is blamed by the international agency to the effects of the war in West Asia, particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The country, and …

We are becoming a nation of borrowers. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced that new borrowings by the National Government and the private sector led to an increase in the country’s external debt in the first quarter of the year. The data says the country’s outstanding external debt increased by 0.42 percent to $147.35 billion as of the end …

The Philippines’ outstanding external debt declined to US$147.35 billion at end-March 2026 from US$147.65 billion a quarter earlier and remained manageable. Key debt indicators remained sound. External debt as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) improved slightly to 30.0 percent from 30.3 percent in the previous quarter, despite slower economic growth. Liquidity conditions also strengthened. Short-term external debt based …