The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Friday reported net foreign investments of USD283.69 million exiting the Philippines In January 2025. This was a significant improvement compared to the previous month's outflows of USD487.37 million. The decrease, amounting to USD203.68 million or 41.8 percent, points to a recovery in market sentiment despite ongoing global economic pressures.
The Philippines’ posted a substantial trade deficit of USD5.09 billion in January, widening from the USD4.36 billion trade gap in the same month last year, as export growth failed to keep pace with the rise in imports. This wider trade deficit highlights the country’s persistent struggle to meet its domestic needs through local production and its inability to identify new export drivers to strengthen its economic position.
ABS-CBN Corp. has sold a significant portion of its Quezon City property to Ayala Land Inc., one of the country’s largest property developers, for P6.24 billion.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has deferred the approval of capital expenditure projects proposed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) totaling P20.32 billion.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday directed the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to conduct an urgent inspection of onion cold storage facilities across the country.
The Sandiganbayan, the Philippines’ anti-graft court, on Friday issued arrest warrants for Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Emmanuel Bonoan, and several DPWH engineers over alleged plunder and graft linked to illegal insertions in the 2025 infrastructure budget in exchange for kickbacks totaling P573 million. The orders followed charges filed by the Ombudsman. While graft cases are generally bailable, plunder usually is not unless evidence is weak. Estrada, who plans to post bail, is a sitting senator, who will serve as a judge in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The government’s Green Lane initiative is accelerating major renewable energy investments, with the Board of Investments stepping up efforts to fast-track four offshore and onshore wind projects worth a combined P360.67 billion.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. secured P56.3 billion in investment expansion commitments from four major Japanese firms during business meetings on the sidelines of his State Visit to Japan, promising roughly 10,300 direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos.
Megaworld Corp., along with Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. (TIHGI) and Southwoods Mall, Inc. (SMI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with listed real estate investment trust MREIT, Inc. to pursue a strategic property-for-share swap.