Philippine inflation eased to a five-month low of 6.1 percent in August, offering some relief after prices accelerated sharply earlier this year, but the reading remained elevated enough to underscore the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ decision to raise interest rates last week.
Treasury bill yields rose across all tenors at Monday’s auction as investors priced in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ recent rate hike and the possibility of further monetary tightening.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Thursday delivered a preemptive 25-basis-point rate hike and left the door open to further tightening as stubborn inflationary pressures threaten to keep prices above the central bank’s target range.
Moody’s Ratings affirmed the Philippines’ Baa2 sovereign credit rating on Monday, citing expectations that the government’s fiscal position will stabilize over the next two years despite a sharp slowdown in economic growth.
Treasury bill yields were mostly higher at Monday’s auction as investors appeared to price in the possibility of tighter monetary policy ahead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ interest rate-setting meeting later this week.
The Philippines is already experiencing a strong El Niño, but its impact could worsen in early 2027 as rainfall declines across more provinces, prompting the government to accelerate preparations for possible drought, water shortages and agricultural losses.
A tabulation presented by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, showed covered and suspicious transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte’s accounts from 2007 to 2025. The records reflected total inflows of P1.41 billion, outflows of P1.06 billion, and P1.26 billion in transactions with undetermined inflow or outflow. The report also showed inflows from China and other countries amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos involving Cale88 Foods Corp., owned by Duterte’s husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, with whom she has an absolute community of property. The AMLC report forms part of the prosecution’s evidence on alleged ill-gotten wealth, as prosecutors contend their salaries and business income are insufficient to explain their accumulated wealth.
The Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association calls for stronger regional support for rooftop solar and energy storage as core to building more resilient, flexible power systems.