Personal remittances from overseas Filipinos (OFs), which help drive consumption activities across the country, posted a new record high of USD3.6 billion in December 2023, up by 3.9 percent from the USD3.5 billion reported in December 2022.
The policy-making monetary board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday decided to keep its borrowing rate unchanged at 6.50 percent, confirming market forecasts. As at result, the interest rates on overnight deposits and lending facilities were kept at 6 percent and 7 percent, respectively.
Some of the more gullible among Filipinos easily fall for the latest pseudo-investment schemes to hit the sham market, called the task-and-recharge scheme by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has since warned the public to stay away from on pain of losing the money in their pockets.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Tuesday renewed the call for the distribution utilities (DUs) to be diligent in validating costs imposed by the generation companies (GenCos) before passing them on to consumers.
Foreign direct investment (FDI), the kind welcomed by regulators because they stay invested for the long haul, flowed inward on net basis and rose 27.8 percent in November last year to USD1.0 billion. The inflows persisted from year-ago inflows of only USD820 million, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Monday.
The Philippines has taken a major step toward attracting long-term foreign investment with the official signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations for Republic Act No. 12252, the Investors’ Lease Act.
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.