HomePage - TimeLine Layout • The Market Monitor

18 March

‘Printing of 54million national ID cards done’—PSA

The government has so far completed the printing of over 60 percent of the physical copies of the national identification cards (IDs), according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Friday, Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Registry Office Deputy National Statistician Fred Sollesta said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has so far printed 54 …

18 March

FDA, ARTA commit to support the local pharmaceutical industry

The Philippine Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI), the major industry group of Filipino-owned pharmaceutical companies, on March 7, inducted its 2024 Board of Directors and Officers in its first General Assembly for 2024 that featured Director-General Dr. Samuel A. Zacate of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Director-General Ernesto Perez of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). During the …

18 March

P88-B budget surplus recorded in January

The national government posted a budget surplus of PHP88 billion in January this year, up by more than 90 percent from a year ago’s PHP45.7 billion. “The fiscal outturn was brought about by a faster 21.15% year-over-year increase in revenue collection outpacing the 10.39% expansion in government spending,” the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said in a report on Friday. …

18 March

Romualdez steps in on Chocolate Hills resort mess

By Rose de la Cruz It took House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to involve a full-blown House probe into the illegal operation of a resort inside the Chocolate Hills protected park that was supposed to host this year a swimming competition by the local government of Bohol, despite a closure order slapped by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. …

18 March

Sugar price surge expected soon

With 100,000 hectares of sugarcane fields in the country’s sugar capital – Bacolod, Negros Occidental – having been affected by the ongoing drought, supply will be further tight and would necessitate more imports. The United Sugar Producers Federations of the Philippines (UNIFED) said rising temperatures and lack of rain have devastated vast tracts of sugarcane fields in the Negros provinces, …

18 March

DA allots P24.9-B for procurement of machineries

The Department of Agriculture has alloted P24.9-billion for machineries procurement of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) even as PhilMech has distributed 26,412 farm equipment over the last four years funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. The farm machineries, distributed between mid-2020 and March 3, 2024 were delivered to 368 local government units (LGUs) and 6,385 …

18 March

LANDBANK agri-hubs aiding rice-producing provinces

State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) recently inaugurated agri-hubs in Oriental Mindoro and Misamis Occidental, in its continued bid to boost the rice production and economic activities in these provinces. LANDBANK has been establishing agri-hubs in the country’s top rice-producing provinces to bring various financial services under one roof. These include banking services such as account opening, withdrawals, and …

18 March

Personal remittances record 2.7-percent surge to US$3.15-B in January 2024

Personal remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) registered US$3.15 billion in January 2024, higher by 2.7 percent than the US$3.07 billion recorded in the same month last year. The increase in personal remittances in January 2024 was driven by increased remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more and 2) sea- and land-based workers with work contracts …

18 March

Security Bank partners with Helios for solar mortgage program

Security Bank Corporation (PSE:SECB) has teamed up with Helios, the country’s pioneering climate fintech firm behind the innovative solar mortgage program, to revolutionize the way Filipinos access clean and sustainable energy. This strategic partnership, cemented by the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on February 29, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the journey towards a greener and more …

18 March

Cebuana Lhuillier, top bank leaders join hands to accelerate financial inclusion agenda

In a monumental gathering, the giants of the banking world have come together in an intimate dinner setting recently to fortify their connections and collaborate on a mission of paramount importance: financial inclusion. This unprecedented event showcases the commitment of the banking leaders to bridge gaps and pave the way for a more inclusive financial landscape. Through shared insights, strategic …

TimeLine Layout

March, 2024