Business

Finance Secretary Frederick Go met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva last week to discuss how the Philippines can advance its agenda of strengthening regional economic integration within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Go outlined government initiatives aimed at supporting private sector growth by …

Foreign direct investments (FDI) posted net inflows of USD560 million in December 2025, higher than the USD427 million recorded in the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP said Japan emerged as the largest source of investments during the month, with most inflows directed to financial and insurance activities. …

HSBC Philippines remains optimistic about expanding its retail banking operations in the country despite uncertainties arising from the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Speaking at a briefing in Makati City last week, Pramoth Rajendran, head of international wealth and premier banking at HSBC Philippines, said the bank aims to double its customer base within the next three to five …

Philippine National Bank (PSE: PNB) has passed its surveillance audit for the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 information security certification while expanding the scope of the standard across more of its operations, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to safeguarding customer and business data. The certification audit was conducted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and now includes additional business units, reflecting the bank’s continuing …

Metrobank is making investing more accessible by allowing clients to open and manage Unit Investment Trust Fund (UITF) accounts entirely online through its Metrobank Online platform. With the UITF Online feature, investors can subscribe, redeem, and monitor their funds anytime, anywhere, all managed by Metrobank’s multi-awarded team of fund managers. The platform caters to both new investors and those seeking …

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) was recently recognized as the “OFW Bank of the Year” at the Gintong Ani Awards in Dubai, reaffirming its position as the most trusted partner of Filipinos in the UAE. The award highlights BPI’s strong commitment to overseas Filipinos and their families, offering reliable and accessible banking solutions that support their financial needs. …

Inflation accelerated to 2.4% in February, the fastest in 13 months, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) this week. The latest figure is 0.4 percentage points higher than January’s 2.0% and slightly above the 2.1% recorded in February 2025. The PSA attributed the uptick mainly to faster price increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages, where inflation …

As the Iran war rages, authorities have projected that diesel oil is estimated to rise by P19.62 per liter, while gasoline may see an increase of P10.43 per liter, with the announcement of final price movements expected today, March 9. Based on the full five days of trading for the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), the industry’s regional gauge for …

President Bongbong Marcos may impose a four-day work week on government offices without much change in public service, but he cannot do so on factories without upending manufacturing operations, trade and export commitments. This was the position taken by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) when it urged the government to adopt a “balanced and evidence-based” approach to …

Enrique K. Razon Jr., International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Chairman and President, said: digit growth across volume, revenues, EBITDA, and net income. These results reflect the quality of our diversified global portfolio, resilience of demand across our markets, and the disciplined execution of our long-term strategy. The 11 percent increase in consolidated volume underscores the strength of our customer …