Economy

The Philippines’ agricultural trade deficit widened sharply in March as import growth continued to outpace exports, highlighting persistent supply constraints despite rising overall trade, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The Philippines’ manufacturing sector slipped into contraction in April, its first downturn since November, as weakening demand and rising costs weighed on output, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The Philippines is moving to deepen cooperation with Israel on critical minerals processing and artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to climb higher in the global technology value chain.

The Philippines’ digital economy expanded to PhP 2.74 trillion in 2025, accounting for 9.8 percent of the country’s GDP, according to preliminary data. The figure marks a 5.4 percent increase from the P2.59 trillion recorded in 2024, signaling continued—though moderating—growth in the sector.

The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is positioning itself as a future hub for defense, fisheries, clean energy, and logistics, as it seeks investors to help develop key infrastructure in northern Aurora.