The Philippine government is moving to translate the World Bank’s Public Finance Review into concrete fiscal reforms, with economic officials stressing that better tax collection and spending will matter only if recommendations result in measurable improvements for citizens.
The Philippine government said it will act on recommendations from the World Bank’s latest Public Finance Review, putting a sharper focus on broadening the tax base, improving revenue collection and ensuring that public spending translates into measurable gains for Filipinos.
Accelerating power sector reforms could slash electricity prices, create more than 161,000 jobs and lift about 730,000 Filipinos out of poverty by 2030, with the World Bank arguing that lower energy costs may be one of the country's biggest catalysts for faster and more inclusive economic growth.
The World Bank Group has approved a USD268.6-million, or about P15.6-billion, water and sanitation project for the Philippines that is expected to create up to 46,500 jobs over the next 25 years while improving climate resilience in three island provinces.
Foreign business groups welcomed the Philippines' elevation to upper middle-income economy status as a strong endorsement of the country's economic progress, while urging the government to accelerate reforms needed to convert the milestone into sustained investment and long-term growth.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Wednesday that the proposed plant would have an initial annual production capacity of 200,000 units, serving both domestic and export markets. Construction is targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with completion expected within 12 to 18 months.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has opened a P2.41 million coconut oil processing facility in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, in a bid to help local farmers capture more value from their harvests and expand the province’s coconut-based industries.
MediCard has launched MedGo, a digital healthcare platform designed to streamline member services, with automated processing reducing approval times for certain medical authorizations to less than three seconds.
Duty Free Philippines has opened a store at Bohol-Panglao International Airport, expanding retail options for eligible international travelers as the airport operator seeks to strengthen commercial services and support the province’s tourism industry.