Business

Bank lending continued to expand in August, with loans from universal and commercial banks rising 11 percent year-on-year as domestic liquidity also posted strong growth, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said last week. Outstanding loans to residents grew 11.3 percent during the month, reflecting continued expansion in bank credit despite tighter monetary conditions. Business loans increased 10.6 percent in …

EastWest Bank strengthened its standing in investment and wealth management after receiving four awards from International Finance Magazine (IFM) in 2026. The bank was named Most Innovative Securities Broker, Best Priority Banking Experience, Best Emerging Fund Manager and Best Specialized Private Wealth Advisor. The Best Priority Banking Experience award marked EastWest Priority’s fourth consecutive win in the category. The four …

Security Bank and six of its accredited security agency partners are joining forces to help address the classroom shortage in public schools nationwide through the Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI) Bayanihan Para sa Silid-Aralan campaign. The six agencies donated cash and in-kind support on July 10 to help fund the construction of classrooms for public schools across the country. The …

BDO Pay is helping Filipinos manage holiday expenses with fee-free money transfers, QR payments and bill settlements as the traditional “BER” months usher in the country’s busiest spending season. With families preparing for reunions, gift-giving and other holiday activities, the digital payment app allows users to handle various transactions without additional charges, helping them make the most of their budgets. …

As Bohol strengthens its position as one of the Philippines’ leading tourism destinations, a growing focus on community preparedness is adding another dimension to the province’s tourism story: keeping residents and visitors safe around the water. Bohol welcomed 1.43 million tourist arrivals in 2025, a 4.18% increase from the previous year, according to the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office. Panglao, one …

By JINKY JORGIO Southeast Asian countries pulled in a record USD 243.9 billion in foreign investment last year, as trade and investment ministers from ASEAN’s 11 member states wrapped up their annual investment meeting in Manila this week. This is the fifth year in a row the region has cleared USD 200 billion. This reflects investor confidence in Southeast Asia …

Underscoring the importance of trust, cooperation, and networking among regional partners, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. led the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security’s (EWG-MS) Joint Cooperative Activity (JCA) and Future Leaders’ Program (FLP) on September 21. Co-hosted by the Philippines and Japan as co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS, the JCA …

Eleven companies, one from each ASEAN member state were honored on Sept. 22  at the Ninth ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum in Pasay City for building business models that create real income for people usually left out of the formal economy: women, persons with disabilities, small farmers, and rural artisans. “After nearly nine years of this work, the focus now is …

S&P Global Ratings and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sharply downgraded their Philippine growth forecasts for this year, amid a very weak economy. Based on its latest Economic Outlook for Asia-Pacific published on Wednesday, S&P cut its Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection for this year to 2.9% from 4.1%.  “We have lowered our growth forecast for 2026, reflecting …

SAMAHANG Plaridel chairman Rolando Estabillo urged young journalists to uphold the high standards of journalism by following the lessons they learned from the classroom and the examples set by responsible journalists then and now. In a speech at the Usapang Plaridel: Campus Journalism Seminar Workshop 4 held at the Emilio Aguinaldo College-Manila, Estabillo underscored the role of campus journalists in …