ECCP at Work

‘Market to sustain momentum this week’

The local stock market is seen sustaining its positive momentum this week, with investors keeping a close watch on June inflation. The Philippine Stock Exchange index went on a three-day rally last week, ending at 6,188.03 last Friday.

El Niño heats up Meralco power sales

Power giant Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) ended the second quarter with higher energy sales as summer heat, intensified by El Niño, spurred greater use of cooling appliances. Citing preliminary data, Meralco head of customer relations and services Charina Padua said energy sales rose by 0.6 percent year-on-year to 14,495 gigawatt-hours in the second quarter.

PH, Canada deepen ties as firms pledge $2.5B

The Philippines and Canada elevated their ties to a strategic partnership as Canadian firms pledged more than $2.5 billion in investments spanning mining, critical minerals, energy, and digital services during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit. Marcos returned to Manila on Sunday after what he described as a successful and productive trip that opened a new phase in relations between Manila and Ottawa.

BSP eyes new ‘shocks’: El Niño, ₱85 wage hike

As the energy shocks are showing signs of waning, the central bank is now redirecting its focus to the impending El Niño shock, the impact of the record-high pay hike in Metro Manila, alongside the “unusual” movements in inflation expectations, the central bank chief emphasized.

Economists: June inflation easing not sustained trend

Despite inflation likely easing further in June owing to the sharp fuel price rollbacks, bank economists warned this may not yet be the start of sustained easing, especially with upside risks seen ahead such as the potential impact of Super El Niño on agricultural output and food prices. 

PSE’s capital-raising target hiked to P204B

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) expects companies to raise about P204 billion through the capital market in 2026, based on applications received so far, exceeding its initial target of P170 billion.

National Government’s debt service bill rises in May

The National Government’s (NG) debt service bill jumped by over 21% in May amid higher interest and amortization payments, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said. The latest Treasury data showed payments made by the government for its obligations surged by 21.4% to P97.18 billion in May from P80.05 billion in the same month a year ago.

PH Navy launches 3rd landing dock in Indonesian shipyard 

The Philippine Navy (PN) on Monday said it has launched its third landing dock (LD) at the PT PAL Indonesia shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia, to boost the service's transport and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) capabilities.

Financing, not technology, is biggest hurdle to PH rooftop solar boom despite record demand: Ember 

Rooftop solar has never made more financial sense for Filipino households and businesses, but the industry's biggest hurdle is no longer technology or even consumer demand. It's financing. With some of Southeast Asia's highest electricity prices and Meralco rates climbing by around 10 percent since the Middle East conflict disrupted global energy markets earlier this year, more Filipinos are turning to rooftop solar to protect themselves from volatile power bills. 

NIA gives FGen go signal for N. Ecija hydro power plant

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has authorized First Gen (FGen) to develop the 120-megawatt Aya Pumped-Storage Project (Aya PSP) in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija in line with the government’s energy security bid

Peso falls as market awaits June CPI

The Peso weakened again versus the dollar on Monday as players took positions before the release of June Philippine inflation data. The local unit closed at P61.491 per dollar, dropping by 7.6 centavos from its P61.415 finish on Friday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data posted on its website showed.

Malacañang sees delayed impact from income status upgrade

Malacañang said Monday the Philippines’ upgrade to upper-middle-income country status is not expected to affect loan rates, grants, or budget preparations immediately, with any impact likely to be felt only after three years.

Aboitiz Group’s PETValue, RCBM venture into plastic recovery, recycling as alternative fuel

The Aboitiz Group-affiliated PETValue Philippines and the Republic Cement & Building Materials Inc. (RCBM) are now into plastic recovery and recycling as alternative fuel. PETValue and RCBM launched the “Zero Waste to Landfill” partnership on July 3, 2026, to advance circular economy goals, the two companies said in a joint statement on July 5.

Upper-middle income status to fuel foreign investment surge

The country’s recent transition to upper-middle income status is expected to drive more foreign investments to the country, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Department of Finance, meanwhile, said the reclassification is not expected to have an immediate impact on the interest rates of the loans it would tap from multilateral institutions.

PSEi sustains momentum, returns to 6,200 level

The local stock market sustained its upward trajectory, marking a successful return to the 6,200 level on hopes of inflation slowing further in June. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) advanced for a fourth straight session yesterday, adding 0.58 percent or 35.96 points to close at 6,223.99.

DA approves P2 billion farm-to-market roads

The Department of Agriculture has approved the implementation of P2.06 billion worth of farm-to-market roads, funded under the World Bank’s Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) Scale-Up. The project covers more than 66 kilometers of rural roads and 310 linear meters of bridges that could connect farming communities in the provinces of Zambales, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Samar, Bukidnon and North Cotabato.

DA to strengthen disease mitigation for bananas

The Department of Agriculture is looking to strengthen its efforts to curb diseases facing the local banana industry, as the agency seeks to plug the country’s P10-billion farm trade deficit. Agriculture Undersecretary Philip Young said the agency is looking at solutions to mitigate the impact of plant disease on the local banana industry, one of the country’s top export products.

PH unlikely to return to lower middle income for now — DEPDev 

The Philippines was recently reclassified as an upper middle income country when it recorded a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $4,850, which is just a little above the threshold of the upper middle income bracket. The data used by the World Bank was 2025 data, and it did not yet factor in the impact of the Middle East war, which resulted in GDP growth skidding to 2.8 percent in the first quarter.

PH, Denmark ink pact on financial, development corporation 

In a statement on Monday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the MOU signed on June 29 aims to establish a framework to deepen bilateral cooperation and mobilize financing for the Philippines' priority development programs. Finance Secretary Frederick Go and Danish Ambassador to the Philippines Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin led the ceremonial signing of the agreement. The agreement expands cooperation in key sectors, including infrastructure, renewable energy, climate action, maritime development and shipbuilding, transportation, agriculture, and other priority areas.

Mixed price adjustments for oil products this week

Motorists can expect mixed movements in pump prices this week, with gasoline likely to become cheaper while diesel and kerosene prices are set to rise, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

DOE to closely monitor Visayas power situation, vows measures

The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to keep a close watch on the power situation in the Visayas as the grid remains fragile despite recent positive developments. Following the reactivation of Unit 3 of the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC 3), the DOE said the Visayas grid had improved its reserve ratings, which had earlier raised the risk of rotating power interruptions.

US leads int’l concern after China test-fires missile into Pacific

The United States voiced alarm Monday over Beijing’s nuclear program after China test-fired a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean, the latest move in its rapid military modernization. Monday’s test came two years after China fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the waters near French Polynesia, in what had been the first launch of such a missile over international waters in more than 40 years.

World Bank cuts $85M for Cebu BRT, drops Packages 2 and 3

After more than a decade of delays, the World Bank has stripped $84.9 million from the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project and scrapped most of its remaining infrastructure, leaving only a 2.38-kilometer corridor to move forward before the loan expires in September.