The unemployment rate in the Philippines declined in April to 4 percent from 4.5 percent in the year-ago period, with the economy creating more jobs in industry and services to take up the slack in agriculture because of the adverse impact of El Nino on the farm sector.
Inflation nudged higher in May to 3.9 percent, lower than most analysts' forecasts averaging 4 percent, versus only 3.8 percent in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Wednesday.
The NEDA Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has approved the reduction of tariff on rice to 15 percent from 35 percent to substantially lower the cost of the staple and ease its impact on inflation, whose elevated level has kept the central bank from cutting interest rates to help spur greater economic activity.
The total outstanding debt of the national government in April reached P15.02 trillion, marking a rise of P91.50 billion or 0.61 percent from March 2024.
The various ports across the country posted revenue collection averaging 2.5 percent more in 2023 than in previous year, based on preliminary data generated by the Bureau of Customs in April this year.
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.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to reduce Passenger Service Charges (PSC) and airport navigation fees in airports operated by the agency.
Universal Robina Corp., the listed food unit of the Gokongwei Group, posted modest revenue growth last year but saw profits ease as unusually high coffee input costs squeezed margins, highlighting how volatile commodity prices continue to challenge food manufacturers.
Economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday called for urgent de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, warning that prolonged conflict could ripple across global energy markets and threaten Southeast Asia’s fragile economic recovery.