Business

The National Development Company (NDC) has officially concluded a long-standing land transaction with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), receiving the final tranche of payment for a 1.3-hectare portion of its Pandacan property that was utilized for the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (MMSS3) project. In a statement released last week, NDC said the second and final payment was completed on …

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last week highlighted the Philippine economy’s “robust resilience” in the first quarter of 2025, attributing the positive performance to strong consumer activity and vibrant contributions from key industries. Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque issued the statement following the release of gross domestic product (GDP) data showing a 5.4 percent growth for the January …

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has given the green light to a joint venture between Singapore-based Canopy Investments Pte. Ltd. and several Philippine firms involved in cold storage, logistics, and real estate, determining that the partnership does not pose risks to market competition. The deal involves Canopy partnering with local companies Mets Logistics Inc., Mets En Co Inc., Einstee Realty …

The government is ramping up its offensive against the illicit vape trade, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) affirming its resolve to file criminal charges against unregistered businesses and individuals involved in the non-compliant distribution and sale of vape products. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. underscored the agency’s unrelenting stance during a recent television interview, as detailed in a …

The Philippine gaming sector continued its upward trajectory in the first quarter of 2025, with gross gaming revenues (GGR) climbing over 27 percent year-on-year, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reported last week. PAGCOR said GGR for the January-to-March period reached P104.12 billion, marking a 27.44 percent increase from the same period last year. “The e-games and e-bingo segment …

Bank lending in the Philippines maintained its double-digit growth in March 2025, while domestic liquidity also posted a solid increase, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday. Preliminary data showed that the outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) rose by 11.8 percent year-on-year to P13.18 trillion. This was slightly slower than the 12.2 percent expansion recorded …

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Wednesday assured that the national government’s outstanding debt remains within manageable levels, with the total reaching P16.68 trillion as of end-March 2025. Of the total debt stock, domestic borrowings made up P11.38 trillion or 68.2 percent, while P5.30 trillion or 31.8 percent came from external sources. The current mix, the BTr said, helps …

The Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) declined to $104.6 billion at the end of April 2025, according to preliminary figures released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) last week. This marked a drop from the end-March level of $106.7 billion. GIR, which consists of foreign currency assets such as securities, monetary gold, and foreign exchange, serves as the country’s …

San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc. (SMFB) began 2025 with strong momentum, posting robust first quarter results driven by sustained demand, improved efficiencies, and disciplined cost management. For the period ending March 31, 2025, consolidated revenues rose 4 percent  year-on-year to 98.9 billion. Gross profit grew 11 percent to 28.6 billion, while income from operations rose 16 percent to 15.2 …

Baltic Container Terminal (BCT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) operation in the Port of Gdynia, Poland, has been integrated into the rotation of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) Britannia Ocean Service. MSC’s new service made its inaugural call in BCT on April 9, marked by the arrival of the MSC Rose. It offers a direct deep-sea connection between Asia and …