Philippines FDI drops 20% in November despite strong year
Foreign direct investment into the Philippines fell to $901 million in November 2024, the central bank said on Monday, February 10.

Food security gets boost from P20 billion animal competitiveness fund
The creation of an earmarked fund for the development of livestock and poultry sectors using collected tariffs is critical in boosting domestic meat production and achieving food security amid threats of animal diseases, experts said.

Incoming PH elections to generate jobs for Filipinos—Labor chief 
The incoming national and local elections are seen to create job opportunities for Filipinos, according to Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma

Import clearance fee on sugar alternatives to push through
The imposition of a clearance fee on imported alternative sugars will soon push through after the government resolved the concerns of industry stakeholders regarding the measure, particularly on possible red tape.

Legislator sees mining fiscal regime approval in June after election break
A senior legislator said he expects Congress to harmonize the House and Senate versions of the proposed mining fiscal regime.

Renewables dominate list of ‘significant’ energy projects
Renewable energy projects topped the list of projects classified by the Department of Energy (DoE) as energy projects of national significance (EPNS), granting them expedited permit processing privileges.

ADB eyes approval of loans for transport, infrastructure
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is eyeing to approve loans related to the Philippine government’s transport, infrastructure and social sector projects as part of its lending program this year.

More than 200,000 new businesses registered with DTI in Jan
Business name registrations and renewals filed at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hit 236,059 in January, with over 200,000 new ones signing up as retail and trade enterprises continue to make up the largest portion of filers.

EV industry lobbies for more policy support
Domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles (EV) and the electrification of the public transport fleet will require stronger policy support to sustain growth, after EV registrations hit 22,637 units last year, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) said.

2024 factory output growth eases
The country’s industrial production growth eased annually in 2024 amid geopolitical tensions that dragged demand, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.

PHL may hit low end of growth target this year
The Philippine economy will likely hit the low end of the government’s 6-8% growth target this year, Capital Economics said.

Fisheries output decline seen heralding food security crisis
An ocean conservation group said the 5% decline in fisheries output could lead to a food security crisis.

‘Clark airport needs second runway’
The private operator of Clark International Airport hopes the government can pursue its plan of building a second runway to convince more airlines and couriers to locate in the gateway.

Philippine motor vehicle production drops 7% in November
Motor vehicle production in the Philippines declined in November, reflecting the wider downtrend in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, according to the ASEAN Automotive Federation (AAF) report.

Maharlika, CP Group to set up $1-billion agri investment fund
The Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) and Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group Co., Ltd. (CP Group) have agreed to set up a private equity fund to raise up to $1 billion for investment in agriculture and food production, digital innovation, and sustainable energy.

BSP to cut rates by 25 bps — poll
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to cut rates for a fourth straight meeting on Thursday, analysts said, amid within-target inflation and weaker-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP).

Rice inventory up 6.4% in January
The national rice inventory rose to 2.16 million metric tons (MMT) in January, up 6.4% year on year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday.

DBM: Procurement reform plays role in cutting debt
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said that pending revenue measures and procurement reform promise to bring the National Government’s (NG) debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio to levels deemed suitable for developing countries.

Groups raise alarm over digital connectivity bill
A proposed bill designed to boost digital connectivity in the Philippines is raising alarms among geopolitical experts and consumer groups, saying that its oversight loopholes could invite foreign espionage, cyberattacks and widespread scam syndicates.

DOE reviews target, funding of its total electrification program 
The government is reviewing the viability of achieving its total electrification program within the Marcos administration.

Sideways trading seen as investors eye BSP meeting
Expect sideways trading to persist in the local market this week as investors keep an eye on the upcoming policy rate decision and outlook of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Meralco sees higher generation charge for Feb.
Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) expects a higher generation charge for February as the peso’s depreciation raises costs for dollar-denominated power contracts.

Agri chief defends importation of onions 
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Monday that farmers need not worry about the importation of 4,000 metric tons of onions, as the volume is less than the actual onion deficit in the country.

DA: High pork prices may be due to profiteering
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking at imposing a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork as prices remain elevated amid reports of profiteering.

Peso weakens on renewed tariff jitters
The Peso weakened against the dollar on Monday after US President Donald J. Trump said he will introduce new tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.

PSEi drops further on fresh Trump tariff threats
Philippine shares retreated for the third straight day on Monday following new tariff threats from US President Donald J. Trump.

PHL dollar reserves slip to $103 billion at end-January
The Philippines’ dollar reserves dipped in January, according to preliminary data by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).