Industry leaders are pressing the government to roll out stronger fiscal incentives and establish dedicated industrial zones to accelerate the Philippines’ shift into value-added nickel processing and close the gap with regional competitors.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could shave up to 1.3 percentage points off economic growth in developing Asia and the Pacific over 2026–2027, while pushing inflation higher by as much as 3.2 percentage points if energy disruptions persist for more than a year.
SM Supermalls will open later on weekdays nationwide starting March 30, shifting mall hours to 11:00 a.m. from Monday to Friday as part of efforts to conserve electricity during the ongoing National Energy Emergency. On Saturdays and Sundays, the malls open 10 a.m. Closing hours on all days will be at 9 p.m.