Business World
Peso hits new low P60.69 vs dollar
THE PESO slid to an all-time low against the US dollar on Monday as soaring oil prices raise concerns over inflation and an economic slowdown. The local unit declined by 14 centavos to close at P60.69 against the greenback from its previous record-low...
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Philippines’ Academic Freedom Index score drops to over 40-year low
The Philippines’ score dropped to an over four-decade low of 0.589 (out of 1, where 1 is best) in the 2026 update of the Academic Freedom Index. The report, released by the researchers from Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg...
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BSP holds rates in off-cycle meeting
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) kept its policy rate unchanged at 4.25% during a surprise off-cycle meeting on Thursday, as it sought to calm markets amid growing concerns over the impact of the Middle East war on the economy. In a statement,...
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Marcos: PHL oil secure past 45 days
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the Philippines has secured enough fuel supply to last beyond 45 days despite disruptions caused by war in the Middle East, as the government scrambles to line up alternative sources and ensure existing contracts...
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Philippines improves in women’s health ranking but still lags among its peers in the region
The Philippines improved two places to 107th out of 144 countries and territories in the latest edition of The Hologic Global Women’s Health Index by global medical technology company Hologic, Inc. Out of a possible 100, where higher scores are better,...
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Filipino young adults face mental health crisis more than older adults
The Philippines’ average Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) for young adults aged 18-34 rose to 59 while adults (ages 55 and above) have an average MHQ of 110 in the latest edition of the Global Mind Health Report, formerly the Mental State of the World...
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Philippines ranks 3rd most impacted by terrorism in Asia-Pacific
The Philippines improved* by two places to 23rd out of 163 countries in the latest edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) by the Institute for Economics and Peace. Despite its rank improvement,* the country scored 4.719, above the Asia-Pacific’s...
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Peso hits new low of P60.1 per dollar
THE PHILIPPINE PESO sank to a fresh record low on Thursday, breaching the P60-per-dollar mark and heightening inflation risks from more expensive imports. The local currency closed at a new record low of P60.10 a dollar — 58 centavos weaker than its...
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BSP tracks Mideast war impact on PHL
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is closely monitoring the impact of the escalating Middle East war on inflation and the broader economy as it prepares for its April 23 policy meeting. “Ahead of the monetary-policy meeting on April 23,...
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Misery index worsens to 20.3% in January, highest in nearly 2 years
The Philippines’ adjusted misery index soared to an 18-month high of 20.3% in January from 13.8% in December 2025. The latest figure marked the fastest reading in almost two years or since the 20.7% in July 2024. Philippine inflation accelerating to an...
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Philippines rises in Index of Economic Freedom
The Philippines improved to 77th out of 176 countries in the 2026 edition of the Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation. The index scores and ranks a country based on its freedoms in various internal and external aspects. This year, the...
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BDO retains lead; U/KBs’ assets grow 8.54% in Q4
In the latest BusinessWorld’s quarterly banking report, the combined assets of 44 universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) in the country grew by 8.54% year on year to P28.92 trillion in the October to December period. BDO Unibank, Inc., retained its...
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Oil shock may prompt BSP rate hike
OIL PRICE SHOCKS may prompt the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to hike its policy rate as early as its next meeting in April amid the risk of inflation breaching the central bank’s target band in March, an economist said. Security Bank Chief...
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FDI net inflows fall to 5-year low in 2025
Annual foreign direct investments net inflow (FDI, in $ million)
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Oil shock to bring inflation above 4%
THE IRAN war could trim 0.2-0.3% from the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year, as the oil shock could drive inflation to above 4% this year, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan...
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Peso, stocks sink as oil prices surge
THE PHILIPPINE PESO plunged to a new record low against the dollar on Monday while the main stock benchmark recorded its steepest single-day drop since 2020 as global oil prices spiked, threatening to drive up inflation as the war in the Middle East...
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Inflation quickens to 13-month high
PHILIPPINE INFLATION accelerated to a 13-month high in February as rising costs for rice, fuel, electricity and other utilities added pressure on household budgets, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday. The consumer price index (CPI)...
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How does the Philippines compare with its neighbors in mining attractiveness?
The Philippines’ mining investment attractiveness ranking fell last year as it plunged 49 places to 65th out of 68 jurisdictions in the 2025 Annual Survey of Mining Companies by Fraser Institute. This put the Philippines as the fourth worst mining...
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Budget gap exceeds ceiling in 2025
THE NATIONAL Government’s (NG) budget deficit breached its 2025 ceiling after the main tax agencies missed their collection targets and state spending slowed amid a corruption scandal, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said. Data from the Treasury...
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Factory activity surges in February
PHILIPPINE FACTORY activity in February expanded at its fastest pace in eight years amid an increase in production and new orders as well as a “surge in business confidence,” S&P Global said on Monday. However, the US-Iran conflict may cause a spike...
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Poll: Inflation likely picked up in Feb.
PHILIPPINE INFLATION may have hit its fastest pace in over a year as price pressures from higher costs of electricity, oil and rice pushed up the headline print in February, analysts said. The consumer price index (CPI) likely settled at 2.4% in...
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PHL economy still strong, says S&P
S&P GLOBAL RATINGS continues to see strong credit rating prospects for the Philippines as it remains optimistic on the country’s growth fundamentals despite drags from the recent flood control corruption scandal. Speaking at a webinar on Thursday, Yee...
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PHL faces climate-related credit risk
THE PHILIPPINES is among the countries most vulnerable to climaterelated credit risks as extreme weather imperils the country’s economic and fiscal stability, Fitch Ratings said. “We expect physical climate risks to have an adverse (effect) on the...
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Philippines steadies in Military Strength Index
The Philippines remained in 41st place out of 145 countries in the 2026 edition of the Military Strength Ranking by Global Firepower with a PowerIndex score of 0.6993. The ranking utilizes over 60 individual factors to determine a nation’s PowerIndex...
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Further easing seen amid growth woes
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) may extend its easing cycle this year to provide the Philippine economy with more support as lingering uncertainty continues to test consumer and business confidence, analysts said. “Against this backdrop of...
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DoF to review OECD call to phase out VAT exemptions for senior citizens, private schools
THE DEPARTMENT of Finance (DoF) is reviewing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) suggestion for the Philippines to remove the value-added tax (VAT) exemptions for senior citizens, private education and healthcare...
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Philippines leads ASEAN in women’s representation in government
The Philippines ranked 70th* among 193 United Nations member states in the latest edition of the Women’s Power Index by think tank Council on Foreign Relations. On a scale of 0-100, where 100 represents women having at least 50% representation in all...
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Financial system resources hit P36.9T
THE TOTAL RESOURCES of the Philippine financial system climbed by 8.08% year on year to nearly P37 trillion at the end of 2025, preliminary central bank data showed. Resources held by banks and nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs) rose to P36.932...
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OFW remittances hit record $35.6B
MONEY SENT HOME by Filipinos abroad jumped to a record high of $35.634 billion in 2025, with the weak peso boosting gains from dollar conversion, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Monday. BSP data showed total cash remittances rose by...
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Philippines 6 th most breached country among neighbors in Q4 2025
The Philippines placed 28th out of 250 countries and territories with a total of 250,437 breached accounts in the fourth quarter, latest data from Surfshark’s Global Data Breach Statistics showed. This was lower by 47.6% from the previous quarter....
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Philippines falls in labor resilience index
The Philippines dropped one spot to 63rd out of 120 countries in the 2026 edition of The Global Labour Resilience Index (GLRI) by public advisory firm Whiteshield. Out of a possible 100, the country scored 46.71, below the East Asia and Pacific...
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Labor productivity in the Philippines eases to 3.7% in Q4
The country’s labor productivity slowed down to 3.7% year on year to P130,353 in the final three months of 2025. This was slower than the 5.3% expansion in the same period a year earlier and the 4.6% in the third quarter of 2025. Labor productivity is...
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Dollar reserves hit 16-month high
THE PESO could gain some support even amid some volatility in the foreign exchange market as the Philippines’ dollar reserves hit its highest level in over a year, analysts said. “The relatively higher GIR (is seen) to provide a greater buffer for the...
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Inflation accelerates to 2% in Jan.
PHILIPPINE INFLATION accelerated to its fastest pace in nearly a year in January amid a faster rise in rents and electricity rates, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported. Headline inflation picked up to 2% from 1.8% in December but slowed...
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S&P: PHL on track for rating upgrade
THE PHILIPPINES remains on track for a possible credit rating upgrade as improving fiscal and external balances outweigh risks from the government’s flood control controversy, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings said. “We also see the Philippine...
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PHL, Japan finalize amended double taxation deal
THE PHILIPPINES and Japan have finalized an amended double taxation convention (DTC) aimed at keeping bilateral economic ties aligned with the evolving global business climate, the Department of Finance (DoF) said. The DTC was finalized after one...
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Jan. factory PMI at nine-month high
PHILIPPINE FACTORY activity in January expanded at its fastest pace in nine months amid an increase in production and new orders, S&P Global said on Monday. However, the latest improvement could be short-lived as business confidence remained weak due...
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January inflation seen holding at 1.8%
PHILIPPINE INFLATION likely held steady in January as lower electricity charges and easing vegetable prices helped offset pressures from higher food and fuel costs and a weaker peso, economists said ahead of official data. A BusinessWorld survey of 18...
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BSP may tighten oversight on cryptocurrency
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) is working on regulations to tighten oversight on cryptocurrencies as part of efforts to deter crimes involving dirty money. BSP General Counsel Roberto L. Figueroa said they plan to issue regulations that would...
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Farm output jumps 2.6% in 2025
THE PHILIPPINES’ agricultural production grew by 2.6% in 2025, the fastest pace in eight years, as gains in crop output and strong poultry performance offset the decline in livestock and fisheries, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. Data...
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Trade gap falls to 4-year low in 2025
THE Philippines’ trade-in-goods deficit narrowed to a four-year low in 2025, as exports rose by doubledigits and import growth remained muted, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday. Analysts said that the narrower trade deficit...
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ADB sees PHL returning to 6% growth by 2027
THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY could return to around 6% growth by 2027 if public and private investments rebound, according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries. “I think (the drivers are a) kind of a little of...
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Poll: GDP growth likely slowed in Q4
THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY likely expanded at a slower pace in the fourth quarter of 2025, bringing full-year growth below the government’s target amid a corruption scandal, analysts said. Gross domestic product (GDP) may have grown by an annual 4.2% from...
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LoA issuance to resume within Q1
THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) may resume the issuance of letters of authority (LoA) within the first quarter, as the agency seeks to boost revenue collection. Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said tax audits should be resumed as the BIR seeks...
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Gov’t raises $2.75B from dollar bonds
THE PHILIPPINE government has raised $2.75 billion (about P163 billion) worth of dollar bonds, as it returned to the international capital markets for the first time in a year. The triple-tranche dollar bond issuance was the Philippine government’s...
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Philippine agriculture output likely increased in 2025
THE PHILIPPINES’ agricultural production is estimated to have grown modestly in 2025 as gains in poultry and crop output likely offset the decline in livestock and fisheries, analysts said. Former Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar told...
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PHL discovers new natural gas source
THE PHILIPPINES has made its first major natural gas discovery in more than a decade, a development that could strengthen domestic energy supply and support rising power demand, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Monday. The reservoir, called...
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Philippines slips in Conflict Index, now classified as ‘turbulent’
The Philippines fell two places to 31st out of 244* countries in the 2025 release of the Conflict Index by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED). The country was reclassified as “turbulent,” down from “high” in the previous edition. The...
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How powerful is the Philippine passport?
The Philippine passport ranked 73rd out of 199 passports in the January 2026 update of the Henley Passport Index (HPI). Filipino citizens enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 64 out of 227 destinations worldwide. The country’s passport...
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PSE chief eyes four IPOs this year
THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is setting a modest target of about four initial public offerings (IPOs) this year, underscoring the cautious pipeline for equity fundraising after listings fell short of expectations last year. “We only targeted...
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November misery index drops to 3-month low
The Philippines’ adjusted misery index slid to 15.8% in November, the lowest in three months when it logged 15.7% in August. This reflected easing inflation and underemployment rates during the period. The index, which now incorporates adjusted...
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Inflation eases to 1.7% in 2025, slowest in 9 years
HIGHER FOOD PRICES during the holiday season lifted inflation to 1.8% in December, although the full-year average eased to 1.7% — the slowest in nearly a decade, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday. PSA data showed that last...
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PHL trims 2026, 2027 growth goals
THE PHILIPPINE government lowered its economic growth targets for this year and 2027, with the impact of the corruption scandal still expected to be felt in the first half, according to Economy Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. At a briefing on Monday,...
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Poll: Inflation further eased in Dec.
HEADLINE INFLATION may have eased to a five-month low in December amid the continued drop in rice prices and cheaper electricity costs, which likely brought full-year inflation well below the target, analysts said. A BusinessWorld poll of 14 analysts...
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Philippines to be 24 th largest economy by 2040
The Philippines is expected to become the 24th largest economy globally by 2040, according to the latest edition of the World Economic League Table. Published by London-based think tank Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), the country’s...
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Philippines’ fight against illegal fishing improves
The Philippines improved one spot to 54th out of 152 coastal countries (from worst to best) in the 2025 edition of the biennial Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Index by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. This...
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Philippines lands 72nd in globalization ranking, seventh-most globalized among its peers in the region
The Philippines placed 72nd out of 195 countries in the 2025 edition of the KOF Globalisation Index published by KOF Swiss Economic Institute. On a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 indicates a country is most globalized, the country scored 65.22, better...
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Philippines ranks 57th in digital quality of life list
The Philippines placed 57th out of 121 countries in the 2025 edition of the Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index, published by VPN provider Surfshark. With an overall score of 0.4888, the country was better than the global average score of 0.4804. The...
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Philippines climbs in AI readiness, outpaces global and regional averages
The Philippines rose seven places to 49th out of 195 countries in the latest edition of the Government AI Readiness Index by Oxford Insights. Out of a possible 100, the country scored 57.76, significantly higher than the global average of 41.40 and...
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Go: Economy back on track by Q1
FINANCE Secretary Frederick D. Go is confident the economy will be back on track by the first quarter, once individuals linked to the flood control scandal are swiftly prosecuted. In a Dec. 18 briefing with reporters, Mr. Go said government revenues...
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Philippines lands 74th in sustainability list, but still lags behind its regional peers
The Philippines ranked 74th out of 192 countries in the 2025 edition of the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index (GSCI) by Swiss–Korean think tank and management consultancy SolAbility. This put the country as the sixth least sustainable country...
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Philippines climbs in Human Freedom Index
The Philippines improved four places to 96th out of 165 countries and territories in the 2025 edition of the Human Freedom Index (HFI), copublished by the Fraser Institute and the Cato Institute. On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 means more freedom, the...
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Philippines edges up to 54th in public integrity index
The Philippines climbed nine places to 54th out of 119 countries with a score of 6.48 out of 10 in the 2025 edition of the Index of Public Integrity (IPI) by the European Center for Anti-Corruption and State-Building. This put the Philippines as the...
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Philippines improves in the anti-money laundering index
The Philippines improved 25 places to 74th out of 177 jurisdictions in the 2025 edition of the Basel Anti-Money Laundering Index by nonprofit organization Basel Institute on Governance. This was its best performance since the index was first published...
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Inflation risks may limit BSP easing
EMERGING RISKS to inflation may limit the Philippine central bank’s ability to ease further in 2026 despite an expected economic slowdown, analysts said. John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development...
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Misery index worsens in October
The Philippines’ adjusted misery index hit a three-month high of 18% in October from 16.2% in September. This was the highest recorded since the 20.2% in July. Despite steady inflation in October, the jobless rate and underemployment rate climbed to a...
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Unemployment rate rises to 5%, highest in 3 months
THE NUMBER of jobless Filipinos rose by about 570,000 to 2.54 million in October from a year earlier, even as overall employment increased by 460,000, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday, underscoring persistent...
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How does the Philippines’ sectoral debt as a share of GDP compare with other emerging markets in East and Southeast Asia in Q3 2025?
The Philippines’ total debt went up by 3% to $486.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025 from $472.5 billion in the same period last year, the latest figures from the Global Debt Monitor of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) showed. The...
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Manila slips in Global Green Finance Index
Manila fell four places to 91st out of 94 financial centers in the 16th edition of The Global Green Finance Index (GGFI) released by commercial think-tank Z/Yen Group as part of its Long Finance initiative. With an overall rating of 486, the Philippine...
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How minimum wages compared across regions in November
In November, inflation-adjusted wages were 19.7% to 26.1% lower than the current daily minimum wages across the regions in the country. Meanwhile, in peso terms, real wages were lower by around P81.14 to P148.29 from the current daily minimum wages set...
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Manila ranks ninth in Prime Global Cities Index in Q3
The Philippine capital’s prime residential prices rose 5.4% year on year in the third quarter of 2025 based on the latest edition of the Prime Global Cities Index by real estate consultancy firm Knight Frank. Manila placed ninth among 46 residential...
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BSP: Slow growth raises rate cut odds
THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY will likely undershoot the target this year amid spending cuts and weak investor sentiment due to the graft scandal, increasing the possibility of further easing this month, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M....
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Philippines holds its ground in Asia Power Index
The Philippines held its rank steady at 15th spot out of 27 countries in the 2025 edition of the Asia Power Index by Lowy Institute. With an overall score of 15.2 out of 100, the country is classified as a “middle power” in the region. The index...
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Prices of Noche Buena items climb in 2025
The general increase of the Noche Buena items, as measured by the basket's price index, rose by 1.8% annually this year, a turnaround from the 0.2% decline last year. This brought the average price hike of the basket to 2.3% from 2012 to the present....
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Poll: Inflation likely eased in Nov.
HEADLINE INFLATION likely eased in November as lower prices of food, particularly rice, may have tempered higher utility costs during the month, analysts said. A BusinessWorld poll of 15 analysts yielded a median estimate of 1.6% for November...
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