Trade & Investments

The Philippines sent a record 300 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to ProPak Asia 2026 in Bangkok, underscoring a growing recognition that technology adoption is becoming critical to staying competitive in an increasingly demanding market.

The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has secured investment pledges worth P18 billion in less than three years, underscoring growing investor interest in the eastern seaboard ecozone as the government pushes to diversify growth centers and strengthen national economic resilience.

The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) recently brought together industry leaders and stakeholders worldwide for a Sector Salon focused on the Blue Economy — ocean-based industries that drive sustainable growth, especially in developing regions. This event follows earlier discussions at the WTCA Global Business Forum in Philadelphia, where the UNIDO-WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026 was launched.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is proposing a significant overhaul of the rules governing exemptions from compulsory merger notification for public-private partnership (PPP) projects, signaling a shift toward a more development-oriented approach to competition regulation.

The easing of tensions between the US and Iran could provide much-needed relief to Philippine manufacturers, but industry leaders say the opportunity will be meaningful only if it is matched by structural reforms at home.