April 25, 2022
PSA: PHL behind in 52% of UN’s SDG indicators
BusinessMirror, April 22, 2022
Cai Ordinario
The country’s progress in half of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators is behind schedule as of November 2020, according to the latest monitoring report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)...
Only 3 regions reaping economic dividends from population management
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Mayen Jaymalin
Only three out of the country’s 17 regions are ready to reap the benefits of “economic dividends,” according to the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom)...
Philippines wants climate change funds for developing countries
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Alexis Romero
The Philippines is calling for accessible climate financing for developing countries that are vulnerable to global warming, saying more should be done to those who are least responsible for but are most exposed to the problem...
BSP bullish on PHL’s ‘full recovery’
BusinessWorld, April 23, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
The central bank is confident that the Philippine economy is on track for a “full recovery,” although analysts warned of headwinds from the Russia-Ukraine war and a potential US economic slowdown...
Application process for ECCs classified as 20-day transaction
BusinessWorld, April 24, 2022
Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the online application process for an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) has been simplified with a goal of generating approvals or rejections after 20 working days...
Tighter credit standards for CRELs seen
The Manila Times, April 24, 2022
Mayvelin U. Caraballo
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said banks expect tighter credit standards for commercial real estate loans (CREL) this quarter but some easing for individual borrowers...
PHL’s labor productivity low
in copyright industries–UN
BusinessMirror, April 25, 2022
Andrea E. San Juan
Despite having the highest share of their labor force employed in the copyright industries pegged at 11 percent, the labor productivity of the Philippines and Mexico in the sector is low, according to a report published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad)...
PHL aims to export more farm goods to India
BusinessMirror, April 22, 2022
Jasper Y. Arcalas
Manila wants to strengthen its trade and agricultural cooperation with New Delhi as the Philippines is keen on exporting more products to India...
China COVID death toll rises as Beijing warns of 'grim' situation
Philippine Star, April 24, 2022
Agence France-Presse
Shanghai reported 39 COVID deaths Sunday, official data showed, its highest daily toll since a weeks-long lockdown started, while China's capital Beijing warned of a "grim" situation with rising infections...
UN chief discusses Jerusalem tensions with Israeli, Palestinian leaders
Philippine Star, April 24, 2022
Agence France-Presse
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres discussed the ongoing flare-up of tensions around Jerusalem's holy sites in separate calls Saturday with the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president...
Top US officials to visit Kyiv amid call for heavy arms, Ukraine says
Rappler, April 24, 2022
Reuters
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Kyiv on Sunday, April 24, to discuss Ukraine’s call for more powerful weapons, two months after Russia’s invasion began...
WTTC exec: ‘We have rediscovered travel’
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raffy Ayeng
With the innate hospitality of Filipinos, officials of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) gave the Manila organizing committee, particularly the Department of Tourism, a tap on the back for the holding of the recent 21st Global Tourism Summit which seeks to herald the strong rebound of the sector...
China's next space goal: Nudge dangerous asteroid off course
ABS-CBN News, April 25, 2022
Echo Xie, South China Morning Post
China plans to hit an asteroid and change its orbit in the next few years in another bold step for the nation's space programme, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA)...
DoF: Shipyard deal ’win-win’
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raadee Sausa
Government hailed yesterday the acquisition by United States equity fund Cerberus Frontier of the former Hanjin shipyard at the Subic Bay Freeport as a “win-win” development particularly for Filipinos...
Nearly half of HK residents suffer ‘moderate to severe’ signs of anxiety amid COVID 5th wave, survey shows
ABS-CBN News, April 25, 2022
Kathleen Magramo, South China Morning Post
Nearly half of Hong Kong residents surveyed amid the city’s worst wave of Covid-19 infections showed “moderate to severe” signs of anxiety, while the number of people seeking mental health counselling tripled in the first quarter compared with the same period last year...
Japan’s Shionogi says COVID-19 pill shows rapid clearance of virus
GMA News, April 25, 2022
An experimental treatment from Shionogi & Co Ltd. has shown rapid clearance of the virus that causes COVID-19, according to new data, the Japanese drug maker said on Sunday...
Oman secures release of Pinoy, 13 other foreigners held in Yemen —ministry
GMA News, April 24, 2022
Oman has facilitated the release of 14 foreigners who were held in Yemen and transferred them from the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital Sanaa to Muscat on Sunday, Oman's foreign ministry said...
Jupiter's moon Ganymede casts shadow on giant planet
GMA News, April 24, 2022
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Saturday shared a photo showing a huge shadow on the planet's surface. The dark spot was cast by Ganymede, one of Jupiter's many moons, during an eclipse...
Filipinos in Israel warned vs. going to West Bank, some areas in Jerusalem
CNN Philippines, April 24, 2022
The Philippine Embassy in Israel has advised overseas Filipinos to avoid going to the West Bank and some parts of Jerusalem until May 3 due to ongoing tensions in the areas...
Ensure access water– Duterte to Asia-Pacific countries
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Alexis Romero
President Duterte has urged Asia-Pacific countries to come up with a bolder vision and urgent action on water-related issues to ensure that everyone has access to the important resource...
Indonesia announces ban on palm oil exports
Manila Standard, April 24, 2022
AFP
Indonesia will ban exports of palm oil starting this week, its president said Friday, as the world’s biggest producer faces a shortage of cooking oil made from the product...
Submit list of fuel subsidy beneficiaries, LGUs told
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Romina Cabrera
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local government units (LGUs) to submit the list of tricycle drivers who are eligible for the next round of fuel subsidies...
Comelec digs deeper into failed debates
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Gab Humilde Villegas
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects to complete its investigation of Impact Hub Manila within the week after it failed to pay Sofitel Philippine Plaza, venue of the failed presidential and vice-presidential debates originally scheduled over the weekend...
DU30: Urgent action on AsPac water woes
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
TDT
President Rodrigo Duterte has urged Asia-Pacific leaders to pursue “bolder vision” and “urgent action” to solve water woes in the region, noting that developing countries like the Philippines remain struggling with looking for safe, affordable, and accessible water...
From townhall debates to interviews: Comelec changes format of 3rd presidential debate
ABS-CBN News, April 25, 2022
Benise Balaoing
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is changing the format of its third and last presidential and vice presidential debates, following their postponement amid the controversy over a contractor's failure to pay Sofitel for hosting the events...
Comelec: 104 municipalities, 14 cities under ‘red category’
CNN Philippines, April 24, 2022
The Commission on Elections is monitoring 104 municipalities and 14 cities placed under “red category” due to possible election-related violence...
Comelec: 104 municipalities, 14 cities under ‘red category’
CNN Philippines, April 24, 2022
The Commission on Elections is monitoring 104 municipalities and 14 cities placed under “red category” due to possible election-related violence...
No quake, but Taal continues to emit plumes
Philippine Star, April 24, 2022
Romina Cabrera
No volcanic quake was recorded in the Taal Volcano Network in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported yesterday...
‘Criminal’ to pay P15 million to debate organizer
Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 25, 2022
Dona Z. Pazzibugan
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is investigating the possible criminal liability of its executives involved in an allegedly “grossly disadvantageous” deal with Impact Hub Manila,...
FIES: informal sector’s share in income lower
BusinessMirror, April 22, 2022
Cai Ordinario
Though more Filipinos turned to the informal sector to cope during the pandemic, the share of entrepreneurial activities in overall family income saw a decline, the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) showed...
Dim outlook fuels PHL rice imports surge
BusinessMirror, April 22, 2022
Jasper Y. Arcalas
The country’s rice imports in the first quarter surged by almost 70 percent year-on-year to 985,139.995 metric tons (MT) as importers brought in more staple food in anticipation of tighter world supply coupled with lower domestic staple output...
Bank chiefs offer optimistic outlook despite uncertainty
BusinessWorld, April 25, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
Philippine banks are optimistic about the outlook for business recovery this year despite uncertainty arising from the Russia-Ukraine war and the upcoming election...
Loan demand to grow this quarter — BSP survey
BusinessWorld, April 25, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
Banks expect both business and consumer loans to expand in the April to June period backed by the economy’s gradual recovery as mobility restrictions are relaxed...
DOF: Cash aid better option to tame accelerating inflation
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Elijah Felice Rosales
The Department of Finance (DOF) said the government should continue its cash transfers instead of suspending petroleum taxes to tame inflation, which ballooned to a six-month high of four percent in March...
Stocks to trade in tight range this week
Philippine Star, April 25, 2022
Iris Gonzales
The stock market had a mixed performance last week, but overall, for the fourth week of April, the main index finished still slightly higher after declining for two straight weeks...
Growth must stay 6% to keep momentum
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raadee Sausa
By employing a whole of government approach, the economy has returned to the road of full recovery, the country’s top banker has said...
Lockdown bigger woe than prices
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raadee Sausa
Amid a warning on another surge in coronavirus disease infections next month as a result of the relaxing of health restrictions, a top insurance industry official indicated that inflation is not much of a problem compared to suffering another lockdown...
BSP chief sees red-hot prices
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raadee Sausa
Inflation will average 4.3 percent this year, exceeding the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent, while easing to 3.6 percent next year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said...
PEZA remits P898-M dividends last year
Daily Tribune, April 25, 2022
Raffy Ayeng
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has transferred P898 million in dividends to the government for last year, PEZA chief Charito “Ching” Plaza, said...
Family income hardly rose - survey
The Manila Times, April 25, 2022
Mayvelin U. Caraballo
The average income of Filipino families hardly increased in January to June 2021 from three years earlier, a survey released on Saturday by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed...