UK–Philippines trade prospects remain upbeat as the Joint Economic and Trade Committee enters its second year as a formal government forum, signaling deeper economic alignment between the two countries, a British official said.

Business groups are calling for tougher governance, faster digital reforms, and sustained infrastructure spending as the Philippines looks to reboot growth in 2026 after the economy slowed to 3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The decibel level inside Rizal Memorial Center Court was unmistakably Filipino on Wednesday night—chants echoing, fan signs waving, and Alex Eala cutouts bobbing above a packed crowd willing every point her way. What the energy could not do, however, was bend experience.