Residential real estate prices of various types of new housing units in the Philippines continued to increase in 4Q 2023, rising by 6.5 percent year-on-year, albeit lower than the 12.9 percent growth in 3Q 2023. Quarter-on-quarter, the index contracted by 3.6 percent, which is a reversal of the 3.4 percent growth registered in 3Q 2023.
Below-capacity water levels at hydroelectric facilities in the Luzon grid has increased the likelihood of so-called yellow alerts being issued in the hot months ahead, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.
The Philippines will need more investment to develop its young talent pool, critical infrastructure and renewable energy to sustain its robust economic growth and become a formidable player in the world economy, said Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum.
Finance Secretary and Social Security Commission Chairman Frederick D. Go praised the Social Security System (SSS) for launching its Emergency Loan Program (ELP), saying it will help members get faster and easier access to financial support during disasters.
Ischaemic heart diseases, cancer, and strokes are still the deadliest threats in the Philippines. From January to June 2025, 53,985 deaths—nearly one in five—were due to heart disease alone, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The Philippine baby boom has hit the snooze button. Parenthood, once almost automatic, is now treated like a major purchase—priced, budgeted, and often postponed. Diapers and infant formula increasingly feel less like essentials and more like luxury items with designer tags. Timing, finances, and ambition are all carefully calculated before committing to the ultimate life investment.
The Philippines’ tourism rebound is still stuck in economy class, slowed by the weak return of China and South Korea—once the twin engines of foreign arrivals. Latest Department of Tourism (DOT) data show 5.606 million international visitors as of December 20, with arrivals from January to November slipping 2.16 percent year on year to 5.35 million.