Economy

By DAISY C. ILAGAN Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, who made a name in business selling T-shirts and other garment lines, created quite a ruckus recently when she claimed that for 500 pesos, a regular Filipino family can partake of decent food during the coming Noche Buena. Noche Buena, that long-running tradition of Filipino families sharing the Christmas eve meal together, …

Philippine trade deficit decreased in October as exports surged and imports contracted, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday. The $3.83-billion deficit was markedly lower than the year-earlier $5.81 billion, plunging by 34.2 percent, and also fell from $4.67 billion in September. China and Hong Kong, with a total of $1.832 billion goods bought, are the biggest …

The Philippine economy slowed in the third quarter of 2025, with GDP growth easing to 4 percent from 5.2 percent a year ago and 5.49 percent in the previous quarter, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.  The slowdown reflects the impact of recent weather disturbances and ongoing concerns over governance issues. BPI President Jose Teodoro Limcaoco described the …

The country’s inflation rate remained unchanged at 1.7 percent in October 2025, as slower increases in food and beverage prices offset higher costs in utilities and services, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Wednesday. The latest figure was lower than the 2.3 percent recorded in the same month last year and brought the 10-month average inflation to 1.7 percent — …

The Economy and Development (ED) Council has approved the recommendation of the Tariff and Related Matters Committee (TRMC) to maintain the current 15 percent Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate on rice imports until the end of 2025. The decision, which covers both in-quota and out-quota imports, was announced by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) after Tuesday’s …

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the amended rules on the implementation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) by distribution utilities (DUs), in a move seen to accelerate the digital transformation of the country’s power distribution sector. AMI integrates smart meters, communication platforms, and data management systems that allow both consumers and DUs to access real-time data on power consumption, …

The Philippine peso recovered slightly on Thursday, closing at ₱58.69 against the US dollar after touching a record low of ₱59.13 the other week. The local currency strengthened by 44 centavos from its previous level of ₱59.26 to $1. Analysts said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which earlier signaled tolerance for a weaker peso, may have intervened in the …

The Swedish government has extended a 12 million Swedish krona (about ₱74 million) grant to support the feasibility study for the Luzon Economic Corridor’s (LEC) flagship Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) railway project. The Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) said the grant agreement between Sweden, through Swedfund International, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) …

Communities hosting energy resources and power-generating facilities will receive a major funding boost starting January 2026, as the Department of Energy (DOE) triples the financial benefits under the Energy Regulation (ER) Program No. 1-94. Currently, host communities receive ₱0.50 per kilowatt hour (kWh) under the program, but this will increase to ₱2.50/kWh next year.  The financial benefit derived from electricity …

A top official of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said recently that the country’s young and dynamic workforce could help cushion the impact of the 19-percent tariff currently imposed by the United States on Philippine exports. PCCI Innovation Committee Chair and EMS Group of Companies CEO Perry Ferrer said the Philippines’ demographic advantage remains a strong asset …