Despite alarming spikes in teenage pregnancies, the Philippines’ population growth has plunged below 1 percent in 2024—probably its lowest rate since World War II—threatening to erode what has long been its most potent economic force: its people power.
A proposed 1 percent tax on overseas remittances currently being deliberated in the US Congress has sparked concern among Philippine policymakers, given its potential to reduce a key source of foreign exchange for the economy—even as only a minority of Filipinos directly receive such remittances.
Cash remittances rose 2.9 percent year-on-year to US$2.66 billion in May, driven by continued inflows from overseas Filipinos (OFs), according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported a 5.49 percent increase in transmission rates for the June 2025 supply month, driven by a 9.32 percent hike in ancillary services (AS) costs.
At least 53 Philippine medical and healthcare associations have formally urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign the Konektadong Pinoy bill, warning that the country’s poor digital infrastructure threatens to undo progress in universal healthcare delivery.