Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman of Ayala Corp., struck a cautiously optimistic tone on the Philippines’ economic outlook, projecting a rebound as near-term risks begin to ease and structural strengths remain intact.
The Philippines faces a markedly weaker growth trajectory after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its 2026 expansion forecast to 4.1 percent, citing intensifying global shocks and a softer domestic backdrop.
Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the looming effects of El Niño are emerging as twin headwinds to Philippine growth, with remittances and inflation pressures forming a potentially volatile mix.
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan cautioned lawmakers that a prolonged Middle East conflict could trigger a severe economic shock in the Philippines, with surging oil prices threatening to reverse gains in poverty reduction.
Treasury bill yields continued to ease at Monday’s auction as investors positioned for a possible shift toward monetary easing by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) amid weakening economic momentum.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has earned fresh praise from sovereign credit giant Moody’s Ratings, which expects local inflation to steadily settle back within the government's two to four percent target range between 2027 and 2028.
A Quezon City Regional Trial Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte over three counts of grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Lisa Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the Department of Justice said Friday. The DOJ said the warrant means the court found probable cause against Duterte. Bail was set at P120,000 for each count. Duterte earlier asked the court to defer or recall the warrant. The case stemmed from public threats the VP issued against the 3. The grave threat is also among the charges in the impeachment complaint versus the Vpz
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given the green light to Mynt Inc., operator of leading digital payments platform GCash, for its initial public offering (IPO) valued at up to P92.32 billion.
The slight cooling of headline inflation to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July provides a welcome breathing room, but it remains far from a signal for the central bank to ease its stance. Lower meat and vegetable prices helped pull down overall food inflation, though the decline was largely muted by accelerating rice costs and expensive transport amid persistent global oil strength. According to Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lead economist Emilio S. Neri, Jr., this temporary easing is unlikely to alter the trajectory of monetary policy. He says that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will likely stay on a tightening path, potentially raising the policy rate by 25 basis points in each of its final two meetings this year to hit 5.50 percent.