The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is poised to implement new guidelines aimed at bolstering the capital markets while enhancing investor protection.
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto on Monday hailed the P6.326 trillion budget for 2025 as the government's most potent tool to drive economic growth and deliver substantial benefits to Filipinos. Signed into law only today, the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) marks a 9.7 percent increase from the previous year, representing 22 percent of the country's projected GDP.
Outstanding loans granted by the foreign currency deposit units (FCDUs) of Philippine banks reached USD15.75 billion, marking a 0.7 percent rise from the previous quarter and a 1.6 percent year-on-year increase.
The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) closed out 2024 on a high note, marking the first year-on-year gain since before the pandemic, as investors gained confidence despite external and internal challenges. The benchmark index, the PSEi, finished at 6,528.79 points, up 78.75 points or 1 percent from its 2023 close of 6,450.04 points, signaling a promising return to growth.
Foreign investments registered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) saw a significant rebound in November 2024, with net inflows of USD96.59 million, reversing the previous month's USD529.68 million net outflows.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) provisional authority to collect a higher Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) rate starting this month. The rate will rise to P0.3359 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from the existing P0.2011 per kWh, marking an increase of P0.1348 per kWh. This adjustment covers the approved working capital allowance (WCA) rate update.
Listed Manila Electric Co., the country’s largest power distributor and better known as Meralco, on Sunday said it will immediately comply with the Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) directive to refund about P9.5 billion to customers, backing the government's push to deliver quicker and more transparent electricity bill relief.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said the government's plan to scrap systems loss charges and the value-added tax (VAT) on electricity bills should serve as a springboard for broader reforms aimed at lowering power costs and improving the country's investment competitiveness.
Motorists may finally see relief at the pump as local fuel prices are projected to decrease this week, marking the first rollback following five straight weeks of price hikes.