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 government is rolling out P3 billion in fuel subsidies this month for about 300,000 farmers, fisherfolk and agricultural truckers as elevated oil prices and El Niño squeeze production and distribution costs.
More than 90 employees from the Jollibee Group and its brands—Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Chowking, and Greenwich—joined the global International Coastal Cleanup here on September 19, 2026, collecting over 400 kilograms of waste from shorelines.
Setting the initial public offering price of Mynt Inc., the operator of GCash, at P6.60 per share—near the lower end of its indicative range—does not signal trouble, according to market watchers. The figure lands close to the mid-point of the original P10-per-share indicative price band.