Economy

CALABARZON emerged as the country’s unemployment hotspot in 2025, underscoring a mismatch between labor participation and job creation in one of the Philippines’ most industrialized corridors, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The peso is likely to stay under pressure after breaking the 60:$1 mark, with volatility risks skewed to the upside, according to analyst Michael Ricafort. The currency closed at a record P60.10 on March 19 as renewed Middle East tensions drove oil prices higher—fueling inflation concerns and widening the country’s trade gap.

The Bureau of Customs’ 2025 lists of top importers at the Port of Batangas and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) reveal more than a split in economic roles—they show how location dictates the direction, speed, and cost of trade.

The House of Representatives has endorsed a resolution pushing for the proclamation of the proposed Bicol Ecozone in Pantao, Libon, Albay as the fifth public economic zone under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), signaling a major step toward boosting trade along the country’s eastern seaboard.

The Philippines’ creative economy isn’t just alive—it’s composing, coding, and cashing in.