EU deploys mission for next GSP report on PH
The European Union (EU) has deployed a mission to monitor the Philippines’ implementation of its treaty commitments that allow it to be part of the bloc’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).

PHL, UK start joint trade committee talks
The Philippines and the UK on Monday embarked on their first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting in London, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

DTI says investment pipeline now at $76B
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Friday that it has an investment pipeline worth at least $76 billion (around P4 trillion), signaling a strong outlook for future investments and economic expansion in the country.

Peza issues guidelines on pharmazones to lower drug prices
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has issued guidelines for the establishment and registration of pharmaceutical economic zones (pharmazones) to streamline regulatory processes, reduce drug prices, and attract global pharmaceutical investors to the country.

PH tipped to be world’s 15th fastest-growing trader by 2029
The Philippines is expected to be among global leaders in terms of trade growth over the next five years, both in terms of speed and volume, according to a report from logistics firm DHL Express.

Retail group backs new VAT refund rules
The Philippine Retailers Association has welcomed the release of the draft implementing rules and regulations (IRR) that will operationalize the value-added tax (VAT) refund measure.

Below-target growth likely in 1st half of 2025
Philippine economic growth is likely to fall short of the government’s target in the first two quarters, GlobalSource Partners said.

External debt up 10% as of end-2024
The Philippines’ outstanding external debt rose by nearly 10% year on year as of end-2024, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said. Preliminary data showed the country’s external debt increased by 9.8% to $137.63 billion as of end-December 2024 from $125.39 billion in the same period in 2023.

Inflation could overshoot 2-4% range in second half — BSP
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said inflation could overshoot the 2-4% target range in the second half of this year amid base effects.

Telcos to see modest growth, sustain strong credit profile, says CreditSights
Philippine telecommunications (telco) companies are expected to see modest growth this year while maintaining a strong credit profile, driven by continued data and broadband expansion, according to financial research firm CreditSights.

MRT operations extended
The night service operations of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will be extended by at least an hour, the Transportation department said.

P4.23 trillion released from 2025 budget
Nearly 70 percent or P4.23 trillion of the record P6.326-trillion budget for 2025 has been released as the government ramps up the implementation of various programs, according to the Department of Budget and Management.

NG debt service bill surges to P2.02-T in 2024
The national government (NG) debt service payments surged to P2.02 trillion in 2024 as both interest and amortization payments increased, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.

Jan. 2025 remittance growth slowed to 2.9%
Remittances posted a slower growth in January, as the typical surge in cash transfers during the holiday season waned.

PHL services trade slumps in 2024 — BSP
The Philippines’ services trade slumped in 2024 as exports grew at a much slower pace than imports, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

BSP flags impact of looming Naia fee hikes on inflation
The upcoming fee increases at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) could stoke transport inflation by making air travel costlier in the near term, the central bank said, although the higher charges would unlikely upset the overall price growth outlook.

MCIA cited as Best Airport in Asia-Pacific
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has been recognized as the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific in the 2024 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards.

PSA to conduct survey on sugar consumption
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will conduct a survey that seeks to have a better picture of the country’s sugar demand landscape and help officials craft data-driven policies, including importation.

Universities need to embrace AI to keep skills gap from widening, professor says
Philippine universities must focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching to prevent the skills mismatch in the job market from worsening, according to an IE University in Madrid professor.

Cebu Pacific passenger volume up 26.3% in February 2025
Budget carrier Cebu Pacific announced Friday it flew 2.2 million passengers in February 2025, up 26.3% from 1.7 million passengers in the same month last year. In a news release, Cebu Pacific reported that its seat load factor (SLF) grew to 86.8% in February from 85.3% year-on-year.

Enhanced bank deposit protection takes effect
Starting March 15, more bank savings are going to be protected under the expanded insurance coverage for deposits. The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC)—which is mandated to safeguard money kept in bank accounts —finally implemented the new maximum deposit insurance coverage (MDIC) of P1 million per depositor per bank, which was double the previous coverage of P500,000.

NCR building materials retail price growth cools further in February
Price growth of retail construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) eased to eight-month low in February, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.

Davao Oriental gets first DTI shared service facility
The Department of Trade and Industry on Friday said it had established a new shared service facility in Davao Oriental, the first in the province.