Economy

The Marcos administration will keep anti-inflation measures in place despite easing price pressures, signaling that it sees the battle against rising living costs as far from over amid persistent risks from volatile global oil markets.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has achieved nearly half of its P300-billion investment approval target for 2026 after first-half commitments almost doubled, signaling sustained investor confidence as global manufacturers continue shifting supply chains toward Southeast Asia.

The Philippine steel industry remains cautiously optimistic despite slowing construction activity, pinning its long-term growth hopes on the government's infrastructure pipeline and a long-awaited industry roadmap aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Finance (DOF) have approved the lifting of the moratorium under Administrative Order (AO) 18, clearing the way for more office developments to qualify as Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) economic zones and expanding location options for information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) investors.

The Philippines is accelerating talks on two major trade fronts, aiming to conclude an updated economic partnership agreement with Japan by November while edging closer to a free trade deal with Canada as the Marcos administration pushes to expand export markets and attract more investments.