Headline inflation accelerated in August, climbing to 1.5 percent from 0.9 percent in July, as food prices—particularly for fish and vegetables—rose amid supply bottlenecks caused by a series of storms and widespread flooding, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.
The average price of regular milled rice fell 20 percent year-on-year to P40.66 per kilo in the first half of August, potentially easing overall inflation if the downtrend holds through month-end.
The farm gate price of palay continued its downward spiral in July, dragged down by weakening global prices of the grain that have spurred a surge in rice imports.
The Philippine economy expanded by 5.5 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported, reflecting sustained domestic activity across sectors.
The Philippines will adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology as part of a push to modernize the country’s digital payments system, starting with faster government aid disbursements through Land Bank of the Philippines and potentially extending to cross-border payments.
EastWest wrapped up a successful run as the official credit card partner for the 2026 Philippine Travel Mart (PTM), delivering exclusive deals and flexible payment solutions to attendees throughout the three-day event. Held from September 4 to 6 at SMX Convention Center Manila, the country’s longest-running travel trade exhibition drew over 20,000 visitors and nearly 300 exhibitors featuring destinations, accommodations, tours, and travel experiences from across the Philippines.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has issued a public advisory warning against fraudulent schemes where individuals falsely present themselves as BSP officials or employees to deceive people.
Smart Communications has introduced the Smart Home WiFi SIM 99, a dedicated card designed to work with open-line home WiFi routers, as well as compatible Smart and PLDT Home WiFi devices with expired or inactive SIMs. Priced at just P99, the package includes 2GB of non-expiring data, creating an accessible option for households seeking reliable internet access.