Foreign direct investments (FDI) that fell at an annual clip of 34 percent in May continued to fall in June but at a significantly moderate rate of only 3.9 percent in June, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Monday.
The Philippines’ balance of trade with the rest of the world still showed a wide deficit in July, with exports still lagging the value of products bought by the country to sustain the economy.
Trade in global goods showed signs of a turnaround in the second quarter of 2023, driven by strong automobile production and sales, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Philippine economy lost more than 4 million jobs between July and June this year, with data released Friday by the Philippine Statistics Authority showing the number of employed Filipinos plunging to 44.6 million in July from 48.8 million in June.
The Philippines believes it can address concerns raised by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) after Washington launched a new investigation into the country’s alleged shortcomings in enforcing restrictions on goods produced with forced labor.
The Philippines posted a US$5.7-billion balance of payments (BOP) deficit in 2025, equivalent to 1.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This marked a reversal from the US$609-million surplus recorded in 2024.
The government is moving to safeguard fuel and fertilizer supplies for the sugar industry as the sector enters the most resource-intensive phase of the harvest season.