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.
Philippine Seven Corp. (PSC), the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in the country, has reported a significant dip in sales, by as much as 20 percent, attributed to the incessant monsoon rains experienced over the past two weeks. Despite a strong performance up until July, bolstered by its annual "7-11 day" promotion, the company acknowledges the sensitivity of its sales to adverse weather conditions.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported a P1.42 billion damage to the agriculture sector due to the enhanced southwest monsoon (Habagat) and Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay, as of August 17. This figure rose from P1.03 billion earlier that day.
To boost business operations and lower digital transaction hurdles across the country, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has waived all PESONet transfer fees for payments processed through the Pay Non-BPI disbursement feature on its corporate platform, BPI BizLink.
Tech Data, a TD SYNNEX company and leading global IT solutions distributor, has announced the expansion of its IBM distribution network. The initiative covers 20 new markets across Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. In the Asia Pacific region, the expansion adds six new markets – Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia (operating under the Tech Data brand there), Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines. This builds on the company’s existing IBM operations in Australia, India, Singapore, and Vietnam, bringing the total number of APJ markets supported to ten.