Business

HOUSE OF FINACIALFREEDOMBy Chinkee Tan The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has issued a new directive suspending in-app gaming access for all BSP-supervised institutions.  Platforms like GCash have begun removing gaming options from GLife last August 16, and the only way users can access them is through the gaming merchant’s website. Some may see this as an inconvenience. I see …

State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have amended their memorandum of agreement (MOA) to simplify pension processing for police retirees. Signed on Aug. 14 at the PNP Headquarters in Quezon City, the updated MOA allows active PNP personnel to retain their existing LandBank payroll accounts as their pension accounts upon retirement. This removes …

Japanese debt watcher Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) has affirmed the Philippines’ investment-grade credit rating of “A-” with a stable outlook, a move seen by the Department of Finance (DOF) as a strong vote of confidence from international investors. “Isa itong tagumpay na dapat ipagdiwang ng bawat Pilipino. Dahil ibig sabihin nito, nananatiling mataas ang tiwala ng mga credit …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to continue easing its monetary policy in the second half of 2025 as slowing inflation gives room for more rate cuts, Fitch Solutions unit BMI said in a report Thursday. BMI projected the BSP’s benchmark policy rate to fall to 4.75 percent by yearend, from the current level, as inflation cooled to …

Filipinos’ credit perception index (CPI) score remained broadly stable this year, supported by strong foundational knowledge of credit and modest gains in trust toward financial products, TransUnion Philippines said last week. In its latest annual study, the company reported that the general population’s CPI score stood at 73 out of 100 in 2025, almost unchanged from last year’s 74. The …

Contecon Manzanillo, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) operation in the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, is enhancing its logistics offering with the introduction of WAN HAI Lines’ Asia-South America West Coast 2 (WSA2) service. The service made its inaugural call at Contecon on August 11 with the arrival of the vessel WAN HAI A16. Also known as the Asia-South America (ASA) …

The Philippine government is pressing the Trump administration to spare its semiconductor industry from a planned 100% US tariff on imported chips, calling the move a potential blow to a sector that powers much of the country’s exports. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez described the White House plan as “very disturbing” during the US-ASEAN Business Council meeting in …

Gasoline prices are expected to increase this week while diesel prices may go down, driven by benchmark market movements, shifting demand, and external developments. Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said Friday that gasoline could go up by P0.40 to P0.60 per liter, while diesel may drop by P0.70 to P0.90 per liter. “MOPS prices have seesawed during the first four …

Vehicle sales in the Philippines grew by 1.4% year-on-year in July 2025, with industry leaders confident of meeting full-year growth targets despite weather-related disruptions. Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed 269,207 units sold from January to July, up from 265,610 in the same period last year. However, …

A P4-billion waste-to-energy facility will soon rise in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, under a deal between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Indian engineering firm Uttamenergy Limited. The 12-megawatt plant, set for completion within two years, will process 600 metric tons of waste daily—including bottom and fly ash—generating electricity for about 10,000 households. It is also expected …