The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) are moving to streamline government payment processes, aiming to ease long-standing cash flow problems that have delayed infrastructure projects and strained contractors doing business with the state.
The Philippines’ rise to 47th out of 70 economies in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook marks a notable step forward, but sustaining the momentum will depend on deeper structural reforms, stronger institutions, and accelerated digitalization of government services, according to the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has extended to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) the Silver Award representing the highest rating of 92.8 percent or “Very Satisfactory”, among 50 government agencies in the agency’s Report Card Survey (RCS) 2.0.
Importers and exporters have been urged to clear shipments early as the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) prepare for road restrictions that could disrupt cargo movements during the Philippines-hosted ASEAN activities.
More than half of foreign companies surveyed expect to increase investments in the Philippines once a trade agreement with the European Union takes effect, but the country’s bureaucratic maze could stand in the way of a much bigger economic payoff.
St. Luke’s Medical Center marked World Pneumonia Day with a two‑day hybrid respiratory‑care campaign, sounding the alarm on pneumonia: the Philippines’ leading communicable‑disease killer and one of the world’s top five causes of death.
Globe has partnered with the Lapu‑Lapu City government to train over 100 senior citizens on digital safety during a financial assistance payout event, helping older Filipinos navigate the digital world securely through the telco’s Senior Digizen Program. Senior participants learned how to spot online scams and gain more confidence using their mobile phones, a critical skill as government, financial, and everyday services continue to shift online.