Senate passes mining tax regime measure
The Senate approved on third and final reading on Monday a bill setting up a five-tier margin-based royalty and windfall profit system for the mining industry, which is expected to raise the government’s share of mining profits.

Food security emergency declared
The Department of Agriculture (DA) declared on Monday a food security emergency on rice, the latest effort by the government to lower the cost of the staple grain.

Philippines auto parts makers seek local content mandate
Local automotive parts manufacturers are urging the government to adopt a local content requirement (LCR) policy, inspired by Indonesia’s successful model, as well as other forms of support to revive the country’s struggling automotive industry.

Infrastructure spending up nearly 55% in Nov.
Infrastructure spending in November rose 54.6% year on year after flagship projects were expedited, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

PHL unlikely to reach the upper end of 2025 target
The Philippines may have difficulty achieving the upper end of the government’s 6-8% gross domestic product (GDP) growth target amid heightened global uncertainties this year.

Anti-Red Tape body seekstop 20% spot for PH in WB’s Business Ready rank
The ARTA is readying its work program aimed at lifting the Philippines’ rank in the Business Ready survey released by the World Bank last October. The agency, in collaboration with other government entities, will establish the “Be Ready Task Force” with ARTA as the chair and the Department of Finance as vice-chair.

Manufacturing growth slows in Jan.
Philippine manufacturing activity continued to expand in January, albeit at the slowest pace in five months, S&P Global said on Monday.

World Bank urges PH to be more business-friendly
The World Bank urged the Philippines to do more to improve its business environment following the release of the Business Ready report of the global lending body. The Business Ready report, or B-Ready, covers dozens of countries and assesses various topics in the life cycle of a firm and its participation in the market while opening, expanding, reorganizing, and closing as a business.

PHL lawmakers seek fair, sustainable trade policies in Indo-Pacific region
The leadership of the House of Representatives on Monday called for stronger regional economic frameworks to promote fair and sustainable trade policies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Government completes 7 priority infrastructure in 2024
The government has completed seven priority infrastructure projects under the infrastructure flagship project (IFP) list as of last year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Philippine central bank says rate cut ‘on the table’ in February 
The Philippine central bank said on Friday a rate cut next month is “on the table” when it reviews monetary policy for the first time this year. The monetary board will review policy rates on Feb. 13.

BSP eyes 50-bp rate cuts this year
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) may cut interest rates by 50 basis points (bps) this year, its top official said.

BSP sees January inflation surging past 3%
There’s a possibility that inflation sped past 3 percent in January due to higher oil prices and lingering food supply problems triggered by the onslaught of typhoons that battered the country late last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

Poll: Inflation likely eased to 2.8% in January
Headline inflation may have eased in January amid lower electricity rates and food prices, analysts said.

Hot money yields $2.1-B net inflow in 2024 — BSP
More short-term foreign investments entered the Philippines in 2024, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

President Marcos highlights private sector role in job creation
President Marcos underscored the vital role of collaboration between the government and the private sector in generating employment as he commended the SM Group for its contributions to job creation and workforce development.

‘There might be a shortage of eggs by April,’ warns DA
The Department of Agriculture (DA) implied there may be an egg supply shortage two months from now as many local producers suffered losses due to oversupply and lower prices last year.

Cruise tourists seen exceeding 185,000
Philippine cruise tourism is projected to have its biggest year since the pandemic, as arrivals are expected to surpass 185,000 in 2025 due to the development of new ports and entry of more vessels.

Bargain hunting likely as PSEi enters bear market 
Philippine stocks may get a lift from bargain hunting this week after it fell into bear market territory on Friday, with the market also awaiting the release of January inflation data.

PSEi relief rally expected this week
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) may see a “relief rally” this week after entering bear territory last Friday, with market movements likely to be driven by upcoming economic data.

IPOs likely by second half — ICCP
Initial public offerings (IPOs) could come by the second half of 2025 amid uncertainties posed by the administration of United States President Donald J. Trump and the May 12 local midterm polls, according to the Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines (ICCP).

LPG prices increase in February 
February greeted consumers with higher prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In separate advisories, Petron and Solane-branded LPG products increased prices by 70 centavos and 73 centavos per kilogram, respectively, starting Saturday.

Car sales to reach 512,000 in 2025
Philippine automotive sales are expected to reach 512,000 units this year amid a more promising macroeconomic outlook, said Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP).

NTA backs moratorium on higher tobacco excise taxes
The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is supporting a moratorium on tobacco excise tax hikes to curb illicit tobacco trade in the country.

DBP bags citations for corporate governance 
State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) was honored by the chief regulator of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) for its consistent adherence to good corporate governance principles, top officials said.

New MCIA runway to boost tourism 
The Department of Tourism (DoT) is expecting the establishment of the first parallel runway at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to boost tourism in Central Visayas.

World Bank ties up with Northern Samar to boost renewable energy bids 
The provincial government of Northern Samar has strengthened its bid to accommodate at least five renewable energy projects to generate power, create jobs for locals, and revenue for the local government.

Government urged to promote competition in free TV
The government should consider facilitating the entry of new players, clarify the regulatory oversight on blocktiming, as well as support policies to expand consumer choice to promote a competitive television industry, according to a study published by the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).

Marcos says P200 across-the-board wage hike needs further study
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said a proposed P200 across-the-board daily wage hike for workers needs further study to see how it would affect small businesses and possibly drive prices higher.

President Marcos highlights private sector role in job creation
President Marcos underscored the vital role of collaboration between the government and the private sector in generating employment as he commended the SM Group for its contributions to job creation and workforce development.

BSP: Shift from ‘obsolete’ OTPs to more secure methods needed
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is seeking to veer away from the use of one-time passwords (OTPs) in favor of more secure and advanced authentication methods.

PCCI opposes P200 daily wage hike
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is opposing the proposed P200 across-the-board daily minimum wage hike for workers.

Senate OKs Meralco franchise bill on final reading
The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a proposed measure that will extend Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) franchise for another 25 years.

Trump’s proposed universal tariffs cast uncertainty on PH’s exports
The head of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday said that United States (US) President Trump’s recently proposed universal tariffs could have a potential impact on the country’s export sector, with its extent remaining largely uncertain as of the present.

Peso to weaken as Trump slaps tariffs on China, Mexico, Canada
The Peso could weaken against the dollar this week after US President Donald J. Trump slapped tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.