ECCP at Work

Marcos signs law creating PhilAtom, new nuclear regulatory agency

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a landmark law to ensure the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy as the country plans to shift toward clean and secure energy resources from being heavily dependent on coal for power generation.

Bad weather, weak demand weigh on Philippine business sentiment in Q3

Philippine businesses turned less optimistic about the economy in the third quarter amid bad weather and sluggish demand during “ghost month,” a survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

Infrastructure spending slumps in July amid flood control mess
State Infrastructure spending declined by 25% in July, amid sluggish disbursements by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Budget department said.

AMRO: PH economy steady but policy shifts needed to address headwinds
The Philippine economy continues to grow at a steady pace but policy shifts need to address structural headwinds, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) said.

Agri output of provinces reach P2.4T

The value of the farm output of provinces rose to P2.41 trillion in 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PSA data showed that the value at current prices was the highest since 2000 when the time series began and was also 4.3 percent higher than P2.31 trillion recorded in 2023.

Government advisory body proposes rice tariff restoration

The government’s advisory body on agriculture has recommended restoring the rice tariff to 35 percent while studying the possibility of raising it further to 55 percent to protect local farmers.

President Marcos Orders national agencies, LGUs to bolster readiness for Typhoon Opong, ensure safety of citizens

Upon the instruction of the President, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has placed local government units (LGUs) on heightened alert as Severe Tropical Storm Opong (Bualoi) intensifies and threatens multiple regions across the country.

‘PHL must embrace weaker peso to export services’

The Philippines needs to be more accepting of a weaker peso to be able to export its services, according to an HSBC economist. 

SEC backs lifting of bank secrecy law

The Securities and Exchange Commission has expressed support for proposals to amend the bank secrecy law to address corruption in government as well as enhance the SEC’s investigative power.

Rice import freeze could be extended; tariff hike studied
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to be ready to extend the 60-day freeze on rice imports, which started on Sept. 1, and consider a possible tariff increase on foreign rice.

Frasco: DoT dealing with budget-cut ‘challenges’
The Department of Tourism (DoT) said on Wednesday that budget cuts present “challenges” to achieving its mission of promoting the Philippines as a destination.

PHL wins seat on IAEA board as emerging user of nuclear power
The Philippines won a seat on the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), putting it in position to influence policy as it gears up to integrate nuclear power into its energy mix,  the Department of Energy (DoE) said.

PHL Financial System grows 6.4% in 7 months

The total resources of the Philippine Financial System posted a 6.42-percent growth in the period ending July 2025, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

S&P trims Philippines’ growth outlook on trade risks

S&P Global Ratings has trimmed its growth outlook for the Philippines through 2027, extending into the penultimate year of President Marcos’ term, though the pace will not stray far from the government’s official targets.

SEC extends shelf registration validity to 5 yrs

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has extended the validity of shelf registration for securities to five years from the current three, giving companies more time and flexibility to raise capital.

IT-BPM industry still bullish on growth

The Philippine information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry is still bullish on growth, as it expects to generate $42 billion in export revenues and increase headcount to 1.97 million in 2026, an industry group said.

PSEi, PHP down on investors’ worries
Both the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) and the Philippine peso ended Tuesday with losses as investors took note of developments in the country, such as the investigation into anomalous infrastructure projects.

Farmers see no improvement in farmgate price of palay after 3 weeks of rice import freeze
The farmgate price of palay (unmilled rice) has not improved despite a 60-day ban on rice imports which had been designed to provide relief for rice cultivators, a farm industry group said.