Business

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and newly appointed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairperson Francis Lim have committed to fast-tracking key reform initiatives aimed at improving the ease of doing business and strengthening the country’s capital markets. The SEC, operating under the supervision of the Department of Finance (DOF), plays a crucial role in protecting investors, maintaining fair and efficient …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects inflation for June 2025 to fall within the 1.1 to 1.9 percent range, reflecting a mix of upward and downward price movements. “Upward price pressures for the month are likely to be driven by higher meat and vegetable prices, elevated oil prices and the depreciation of the peso,” the BSP said in a …

Eight rural banks will soon pioneer SynerFi, an open payments platform operated by tech firm higala.ph, with 12 more expected to join later this year—advancing the government’s goal of expanding digital financial services to underserved communities. The early adopters of SynerFi include Rural Bank of San Antonio, Inc. (Southern Luzon); Rural Bank of Lipa City (Batangas), Inc.; Progressive Rural Bank, …

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation has remitted a record-breaking P8.96 billion in dividends to the national government, the Department of Finance (DOF) announced. In a statement last week, the DOF said Finance Secretary Ralph Recto formally received the remittance during a ceremonial turnover held Monday at the DOF office in Manila. “We will make sure every …

Foreign-currency-denominated loans extended by banks dipped by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP reported last week that outstanding loans issued by banks’ Foreign Currency Deposit Units (FCDUs) stood at USD15.78 billion in Q1 2025, slightly down from USD15.82 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024. …

BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO) has teamed up with ACEN, the Ayala group’s listed energy platform, to finance what will become the largest onshore wind power project in the Philippines. The project is poised to supply clean and reliable energy to the Luzon grid, cut carbon emissions, and create jobs in host communities. It also marks a major step in ACEN’s …

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) marked five years of cleaning up major rivers and 10 key waterways in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces — removing a total of 8.5 million metric tons of silt and solid waste as of end of June 2025 Project Better Rivers PH was launched in 2020, with the goal of reducing river pollution and help minimize …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is addressing the risk of users of online gambling on digital platforms, in line with BSP’s financial consumer protection agenda and financial health goals. BSP has released a draft of a circular for review and feedback by different stakeholders. The circular proposed to require BSP-supervised institutions (BSIs) – primarily banks and electronic money issuers …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) launched last July 3, 2025 a book series, The Governors Speak, featuring select speeches of former governors of the Philippine central bank. The Governors Speak offers a unique perspective on the transformation of central banking in the Philippines through the words of former governors. The series provides insights into the Bank’s evolving role during …

Manila Water remains committed to supporting clean and healthy communities with the rollout of its July desludging program across the East Zone of Metro Manila and parts of Rizal Province.  The company urges residents to actively participate in the desludging program which is an essential service that will prevent environmental pollution and promote public health. To ensure residents are prepared, Manila Water is …