BDO Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.—the largest, second and fourth largest lenders by assets, according to a central bank report—also reported improvements in their nonperforming loan ratios on the growth of the loan portfolio and the steady or lower nonperforming loans.
The Philippines is strengthening its emergency response system with artificial intelligence-powered upgrades to Unified 911, a move aimed at easing one of the biggest concerns among foreign tourists and expatriates—getting help quickly during emergencies despite language barriers.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) slowed down during the first four months of the year, as international companies pulled back on lending and retained earnings, overriding a noticeable bump in fresh equity investments. According to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), this dip reflects a shift in how multinational companies are funding their local operations rather than a total loss of interest in the country's economy.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is accelerating its digital transformation drive after winning an international award for innovation, signaling its commitment to making tax compliance easier while improving the efficiency of revenue collection.