The country's foreign currency denominated debt total USD125.4 billion as at end-December 2023, higher by USD6.6 billion or 5.5 percent more than three months earlier.
The Philippines secured about $5 billion worth of investment pledges from German and American firms this week in sectors such as healthcare and energy, potentially big wins for the country as it competes with others in the region for foreign capital.
The country's trade deficit in January narrowed to USD4.22 billion from USD5.56 billion in the year-earlier period, helped by the increase in exports and the decline in imports.
The Philippine air travel industry soared in 2023, with passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has declared the second attempt at bidding its 260-megawatt requirement for peaking purposes in the hot months ahead a failure.
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.