March 25, 2022
War escalation to cause PH inflation uptick – economist
The Manila Times, March 25, 2022
Anna Leah E. Gonzales
PHILIPPINE headline inflation could hit as high as almost 5 percent this year if the Russia and Ukraine war escalates, an economist said on Thursday...
Local stocks rise on recovery plan, BSP decision
Business World, March 24, 2022
L.M.J.C. Jocson
SHARES rose on Thursday following the approval of an executive order outlining a 10-point agenda for the economy’s recovery and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) decision to keep benchmark interest rates steady...
82% of Philippine companies consider privacy as business need – survey
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Richmond Mercurio
Philippine organizations are putting a premium on data privacy, with 82 percent of respondents in the country considering privacy a business imperative, a new Cisco study showed...
Philippine external position to support credit rating — S&P
Business World, March 25, 2022
Luz Wendy T. Noble
A STRONG external position would anchor the Philippines’ “BBB+” investment grade credit rating amid the threat of rising prices and slower growth due to Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine, S&P Global Ratings said on Thursday...
Govt imposes price cap on more medicines
The Manila Times, March 25, 2022
Red Mendoza
The government has put a ceiling on the price of 204 more medicines following the issuance of Executive Order (EO) 155 that expands the number of drugs under the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) system, the Department of Health said...
SSS to suspend pension disbursements of members still using non-PESONet accounts
Business Mirror, March 25, 2022
Daniel Lawler and Isabelle Tourne, Agence France Presse
STATE-run Social Security System (SSS) said they will finally be suspending on April 1 the pensions of their members who have not changed their disbursement accounts to Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet) participating banks or other checkless disbursement channels...
Lawmaker calls for ‘more rational’ alert system as cases drop
Business World, March 24, 2022
Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
A MEMBER of the House of Representatives on Thursday called on the administration to reassess the pandemic alert level system still in place as the number of coronavirus critical patients continues to drop...
SEC revokes license of Cashtrees after violations
Business World, March 25, 2022
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revoked the license of Cashtrees Lending Corp. for launching and operating unregistered online lending platforms amid a moratorium imposed by the commission...
TUCP seeks ₱418 wage hike in Davao Region
CNN Philippines, March 25, 2022
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25) — The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) filed a petition on Thursday seeking to increase daily minimum wage of Davao Region workers from ₱396 to ₱814...
Customs automates 82% of procedures
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Elijah Felice Rosales
The Bureau of Customs has automated roughly 82 percent of its procedures under the Duterte administration through its modernization program, an accomplishment that the BOC says allowed it to exceed its collection targets even during the pandemic...
US announces new sanctions after North Korea ICBM test
Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 25, 2022
Agence France-Presse
WASHINGTON – The United States announced new sanctions Thursday on entities and people in Russia and North Korea after Pyongyang’s new ICBM missile test...
North Korea says Kim ordered test of 'new type' of missile
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Agence France-Presse
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the test-firing of the country's "new type" of intercontinental ballistic missile to boost its nuclear deterrent against the US "imperialists", state media reported Friday...
UN General Assembly demands Russia end Ukraine war
Manila Bulletin, March 25, 2022
Agence-France-Presse
UNITED NATIONS, United States — The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday adopted by an overwhelming majority a non-binding resolution that demands an immediate halt to Russia’s war in Ukraine...
Russian space chief says cooperation with Europe now impossible
Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 25, 2022
Russia’s space director said on Thursday that Europe had wrecked cooperation by imposing sanctions against his agency, and rockets that were meant to launch European satellites would now be used for Russian companies or countries friendly to Moscow.
US to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing war amid broader aid effort
Rappler, March 25, 2022
Reuters
The United States plans to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion and is pledging $1 billion in new humanitarian aid, the Biden administration said on Thursday, March 24. after a month of bombardments touched off Europe’s fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of World War Two...
Russia to encounter drop in real incomes, higher inflation – VEB
Rappler, March 25, 2022
Reuters
Real disposable incomes in Russia will shrink by up to 12% this year, inflation will soar towards 20%, while unemployment will climb higher, economists at state development bank VEB said on Thursday, March 24...
Diesel shortage in Europe threatens to slow economic growth
Rappler, March 25, 2022
Reuters
European economies face the risk of a shortage of diesel, the preferred fuel for heavy industry, as sanctions on Russian energy threaten to disrupt imports while supply from elsewhere remains limited...
EU negotiators agree landmark law to curb Big Tech
ABS-CBN News, March 25, 2022
Alex Pigman, Agence France-Presse
Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states agreed on a landmark law to curb the market dominance of US big tech giants such as Google, Meta, Amazon and Apple...
US making plans in case Russia uses chemical, nuclear weapons
ABS-CBN News, March 25, 2022
Steve Holland, Reuters
The White House has set up a team of experts to plan how the United States could respond should Russia use weapons of mass destruction – chemical, biological or nuclear – during its invasion of Ukraine, senior administration officials said on Thursday...
US unveils charges against 4 Russian officials over 2012-18 hacking campaigns
GMA News, March 25, 2022
Sarah N. Lynch, Raphael Satter, Reuters
The US unveiled criminal charges against four Russian government officials on Thursday, saying they engaged in two major hacking campaigns between 2012 and 2018 that targeted the global energy sector and impacted thousands of computers across 135 countries...
Consuming artificial sweeteners linked to cancer risk — study
GMA News, March 25, 2022
Daniel Lawler and Isabelle Tourne, Agence France Presse
Consuming artificial sweetener could increase the risk of developing cancer, a large-scale study suggested Thursday, but experts not involved in the research said it was not enough proof to consider changing current health advice...
Russian tourists told to bring greenbacks, China-backed cards
Business Mirror, March 24, 2022
Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo
RUSSIANS can use other foreign currencies or a China-specific card when paying for their vacation bookings and other purchases in the Philippines...
Philippines still a top supplier of seafarers
Business Mirror, March 25, 2022
Dennis Gorecho
The sea-based sector’s remittances comprise at least 22 percent of the total dollar remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which was recently greatly affected by the pandemic...
Singapore to lift virus travel curbs
Daily Tribune, March 25, 2022
Agence France-Presse
Singapore will lift restrictions for all vaccinated travelers from next week, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday hailing it as a “major milestone” in the aviation hub’s efforts to live with Covid-19...
Provincial buses back on EDSA
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Ralph Edwin Villanueva
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started last night a two-week dry run allowing provincial buses to pass through EDSA from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m...
DFA hits recruitment firms over false info
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Pia Lee-Brago
The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday called out recruitment agencies for disseminating false information after the agencies told jobseekers to camp outside the DFA’s consular headquarters in Aseana Business Park, Parañaque City...
DFA reopens embassy in Morocco
The Manila Times, March 25, 2022
Bernadette E. Tamayo
THE Philippines reopened its embassy in Morocco after being closed for nearly 30 years as the Philippines and Morocco finalized agreements on air services and political consultations...
Low booster uptake, expiring vaccines 'not encouraging'
The Manila Times, March 25, 2022
Catherine S. Valente
PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd on Thursday expressed alarm over the slow booster uptake in the Philippines and the approaching expiry of Covid-19 vaccines in the country's inventory.
Gov’t urged to reconsider Pasig expressway due to environmental concerns
Business World, March 24, 2022
Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
A TRANSPORT advocacy has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to reassess the proposed Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), citing its environmental impact...
Comelec: Marcos cases to be resolved by April
Business World, March 24, 2022
John Victor D. Ordonez
THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) will decide on the pending disqualification cases against the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos by April, a commissioner of the poll body said on Thursday...
DENR lauds SMC for surpassing targets in Tullahan River cleanup
CNN Philippines, March 24, 2022
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) commends San Miguel Corporation (SMC) for exceeding its targets in the dredging and cleanup efforts at the Tullahan-Tinejeros river system...
Phl receives 936,000 doses of reformulated Pfizer
Daily Tribune, March 25, 2022
TDT
At least 936,000 doses of reformulated Pfizer for kids aged five to 11 arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Thursday night...
Alternative markets sought for OFWs in Russia
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will look for alternative job markets for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the economic sanctions against Russia...
BSP key rate kept at record low 2% despite high prices
Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 25, 2022
Ronnel W. Domingo
The Monetary Board (MB) kept the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) key policy rate—its overnight borrowing interest rate—at a record low of 2 percent, saying that inflation expectations were not deviating from the government’s target range despite rising price pressures.
Shares advance for 3rd straight day
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Iris Gonzales
Local stocks advanced for a third straight day even as emerging markets in Asia came under pressure due to uncertainties over the potential impact from ever-tightening sanctions on Russia and consequent rise in commodity prices, further exacerbating inflationary pressures in the region...
Lower tariff on e-vehicles pushed
The Manila Times, March 25, 2022
Kristina Maralit
UNITEAM Senate candidate Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro said that reducing the tariff rates of electric vehicles can help promote the use of e-vehicles in the country...
DA chief presses agri safety nets under RCEP
Manila Bulletin, March 24, 2022
Lee C. Chipongian
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar on Thursday, March 24, again stressed the implementation of safety nets and allotment of a bigger budget for the agriculture and agri-business related sectors amid delays in the Philippine participation in mega trade deal Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)...
Gov’t asked to prepare for accession to RCEP
Manila Standard, March 25, 2022
Othel V. Campos
The Philippines should have a clear picture of what it wants to achieve once it is given the green light to accede to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership...
Meat trader files P4.5 billion share sale
Philippine Star, March 25, 2022
Iris Gonzales
North Star Meat Merchants Inc., one of the largest pork and beef vendors in the country, has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a registration statement for an initial public offering of up to P4.5 billion...