Pervasive corruption—both in government offices and private boardrooms—along with slow and opaque bureaucracy, high logistics costs, and congested infrastructure continue to undermine the Philippines’ ability to attract foreign investment and sustain economic growth, according to the latest assessment from the US State Department.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Tuesday reported a slight improvement in the country's labor market in August 2025, with the unemployment rate easing to 3.9 percent from 4 percent in the same month last year.
Headline inflation in the Philippines quickened to 1.7 percent in September, the fastest pace since March, as rising transport, food, and restaurant costs drove up consumer prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.
Inflation likely rose to 1.9 percent year-on-year in September from 1.5 percent in August, driven by higher food prices following recent tropical storms that damaged agricultural output.
The Philippines' total rice inventory rose to 2.07 million metric tons at the end of September—coinciding with the start of the wet season harvest and a two-month import ban aimed at supporting palay prices.