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 equities held their footing above the 6,000 level as caution continued to dominate trading, with analysts balancing global headwinds against pockets of domestic resilience.
The Philippines has emerged as ASEAN’s top tourism economy, leading the region in tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product and ranking among the strongest job creators, according to the 2025 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Report.
The Department of Agriculture has lifted a temporary ban on imports of foot and mouth disease-susceptible animals and their products from Hungary, following approval through Department Circular No. 34 signed on July 8.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it is working to better address public worries over electricity costs and concerns about inaccurate monthly bills, amid widespread complaints from consumers.
American marine biologist Kent Edward Carpenter was shot dead during a robbery at his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, police said. Three masked men allegedly broke into the 73-year-old's residence late Sunday, with one suspect fatally shooting Carpenter while the others assaulted his Filipina companion and stole valuables. No arrests have been made. Authorities have formed a special investigation task group and are pursuing robbery, professional and personal motives. Carpenter was a renowned marine biologist and an expert witness in the Philippines' South China Sea arbitration case. This is the 10th anniversary of the WPS ruling. (Marjohara Tucay)
The Philippines is quickly carving out a place as one of Southeast Asia's most enthusiastic adopters of artificial intelligence, with Filipinos increasingly using Google's Gemini for work, creativity and customer service rather than just casual online queries.