Palay prices in the Philippines inched up to P15.89 per kilo in October from P15.60 in September, following the government’s rice import ban aimed at boosting farm gate prices, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The Philippines’ total rice inventory at the start of August was estimated at 2.32 million metric tons, up 25 percent compared to the 1.86 million metric tons recorded in the same period last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
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.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., after consulting select members of his Cabinet, decided to suspend for 60 days the importation of rice to protect local farmers from the influx of cheap rice, said Press Secretary Dave Gomez said Wednesday.
The Philippines is strengthening its emergency response system with artificial intelligence-powered upgrades to Unified 911, a move aimed at easing one of the biggest concerns among foreign tourists and expatriates—getting help quickly during emergencies despite language barriers.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) slowed down during the first four months of the year, as international companies pulled back on lending and retained earnings, overriding a noticeable bump in fresh equity investments. According to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), this dip reflects a shift in how multinational companies are funding their local operations rather than a total loss of interest in the country's economy.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is accelerating its digital transformation drive after winning an international award for innovation, signaling its commitment to making tax compliance easier while improving the efficiency of revenue collection.