Philippine agriculture started the economy on a stronger footing in the first quarter, growing 1.9 percent, with better weather conditions and intensified government interventions helping the sector recover from a full-year contraction in 2024.
Palay production in the first quarter of 2025 is expected to reach 4.72 million metric tons, with higher yields offsetting a decrease in rice planting area, according to the latest estimate of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it may refund up to P9 billion more to customers, depending on the final decision of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Despite a sharp rise in April inflation and mounting external risks, the Philippines remains “on the right track,” according to Asian Development Bank chief economist Albert Park, who spoke to CNBC during the lender’s annual meeting in Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
DigiPlus Interactive Corp., operator of BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, posted a net income of P2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, down 33 percent year-on-year as regulatory changes and softer consumer spending weighed on platform activity.