Inflation quickens in December but full-year rate stays within target
Philippine inflation quickened in December to 2.9 percent as power rates and housing costs climbed, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. This was faster than the 2.5 percent inflation seen in November and pushed the average inflation for 2024 to 3.2 percent.

P639B worth of projects up for green lane approval
Around P639 billion worth of projects are seeking expedited processing through the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSACSI), BOI Investment Assistance Service and OSACSI Director Ernesto C. Delos Reyes, Jr. said.

Asia-Pacific exports to rise up to 3.5% — ESCAP
Merchandise exports in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to grow by up to 3.5% in 2025 despite a slower recovery in major economies and potential trade tensions, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) reported.

DBS raises PH GDP growth forecast to 5.8%
Singapore’s DBS Bank has raised its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 5.8 percent, from 5.4 percent previously, on expectations that disinflation and monetary policy easing this year were “setting the stage for a constructive macroeconomic environment.”

Universal Healthcare milestones face delays after reduction in budget allocations — BMI
Limited growth in public health pending in the 2025 national budget could delay progress towards Universal Health Care (UHC), Fitch Solutions unit BMI said. The UHC Act or Republic Act 11223 aims to ensure quality and affordable access to healthcare, minimizing financial hardship.

‘No new taxes’ stance likely to hamper fiscal consolidation progress
The Philippine government must consider passing “politically acceptable” tax measures, such as those related to wealth, luxury goods, and carbon emissions, if it wants to achieve its fiscal consolidation goals. “The Marcos administration’s pledge to introduce ‘no new taxes’ has made things much worse from the standpoint of fiscal consolidation, especially with economic growth coming in much weaker than expected in the recent period,” Pantheon Macroeconomics Chief Emerging Asia Economist Miguel Chanco said in an e-mail.

Imported rice retail price ceiling out before end-Jan
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will implement before the end of this month a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for imported rice. Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said they are now preparing for such a move, and although the DA has yet to set the final ceiling price for the grain, he noted that imported rice sold in the market today must not breach P60 per kilogram.

Tourism receipts exceed P760B in 2024
Tourism receipts topped P760 billion in 2024, rising 9.04% and setting a new record, the Department of Tourism (DoT) said. In a statement on Monday, the DoT said tourism receipts in 2024 totaled P760.5 billion. The 2024 total exceeded the 2019 level of P600.01 billion.

More EPIRA reforms needed to cut electricity costs — advocacy
The House of Representatives must pursue more “comprehensive” reforms to the law that liberalized the energy industry, according to an advocacy group, citing the need to reduce power costs. Legislators need to amend the 2001 Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that “uphold the rights of energy consumers to fair rates, reliable services, and transparent decision-making processes” to make electricity cheaper,” according to Nic Satur, Jr., chief advocate officer of Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE).

Carriers worry over airport fees, cost hikes
Airlines are riding high from the liftoff of travel growth in 2024, but are worried that their wings would be clipped by cost spikes this year, such as fee hikes at the country’s main gateway. Domestic carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines expressed concerns that their momentum would be thrown off by price hikes.

Economist urges review of excise tax rates on cigarettes in PH
Bienvenido S. Oplas Jr., president of Minimal Government Thinkers and an international fellow of Tholos Foundation said while the shift from a multi-tier tax system to a single-tier or flat rate tobacco tax is good, “it is time to reevaluate, even reverse the tax rate back to a level that produced the highest tobacco tax revenues.”

PPA sets 2025 passenger target at over 85 million
THE Philippine Ports Authority set its 2025 passenger target at 85.41 million, exceeding by 9.5% the target set in 2024. PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said more sea travel is expected in the new year as the government continues to promote domestic travel and improves passenger facilities at regional ports.

Seat belt law to be strictly enforced amid road crashes
The Land Transportation Office will strictly implement Republic Act 8750 or the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 as part of enforcing road safety measures, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said. Mendoza said he has instructed all regional directors and district office heads to maximize the use of social media and other mass communication platforms to encourage motorists to observe mandatory use of seatbelt.

PH firms must brace for AI-powered attacks
Philippine enterprises need to keep their guards up against the further proliferation of digital attacks backed by artificial intelligence (AI), according to cybersecurity firm Check Point, reminding them.