Philippines Business News

Trump says no regrets over Iran war, says it will end after midterm elections

Weak foundational skills may erode Philippine workforce’s edge

WEAK FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS among Filipino students could undermine the competitiveness of the future workforce and force businesses to spend more on training future employees, an industry group said.

Philippine GDP growth may lag Southeast Asian peers — BofA

THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY may be among the slowest growing in Southeast Asia this year, as weak domestic demand keeps growth below its potential, Bank of America (BofA) said. In a report dated Sept. 8, BofA Global Research kept its gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts for the Philippines at 2.5% in 2026 and 3.5% in 2027. […]

EU, Spain formally join Luzon Economic Corridor

THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) and Spain have formally joined the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) initiative, strengthening the Philippines’ efforts to attract high-value investments and position the country as a hub for maritime industries and advanced manufacturing.

DMPL opens creditor talks as restructuring advances

DEL MONTE Pacific Ltd. (DMPL) has started restructuring discussions with its principal creditors and other stakeholders as it seeks to address near-term liquidity and debt-maturity pressures. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, the food company said it is working with external financial advisers on a broader restructuring framework that may include debt restructuring, operational initiatives, […]

PNB Holdings sets P1.20 reference price for Sept. 25 listing

PNB HOLDINGS CORP. (PHC), the real estate arm of Philippine National Bank (PNB), has set an initial reference price of P1.20 per share for its planned Sept. 25 listing by way of introduction, giving the company an indicative market capitalization of about P56.3 billion. In a statement on Thursday, PHC said the reference price is […]

LRT-1 Las Piñas Station advances access to Villar Group properties

THE Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has signed an agreement covering seven Villar Group properties needed for the Las Piñas Station of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension, advancing government access to part of the project’s remaining right-of-way. In a statement on Thursday, the LRTA said six of the seven lots are […]

DigiPlus has room to take on more debt for growth — Moody’s

DIGIPLUS INTERACTIVE Corp. has room to take on additional debt to fund its expansion while maintaining relatively low leverage, Moody’s Ratings said as it assigned the gaming company a first-time B1 corporate family rating with a stable outlook. Moody’s said DigiPlus’ target of keeping net debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) […]

Jumbo bond issue still likely as gov’t plugs financing gaps

THE MARKET still expects the government to issue a jumbo bond within the year, even as the National Treasurer said they are reconsidering a planned offer this month amid volatile conditions, as it needs to plug its funding requirements. Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said the Bureau of the […]

A celebration of reading culture: Why the Manila International Book Fair matters

IT’S BEEN over 40 years since the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) first opened its doors to Filipino authors and bookworms. In the beginning, it was all about offering books for a fraction of the usual cost — today, it has become much, much more than that. “It’s not just selling. It’s more experiential now,” […]

Gokongwei: PhilWeb to prioritize capital discipline, governance

PHILWEB CORP. Chairman Lance Y. Gokongwei said the company will prioritize disciplined capital allocation and stronger governance as trading in its shares resumed following additional disclosures on its investment in JKS Tech Solutions, Inc. “Our focus remains on disciplined capital allocation, stronger governance, and building a larger and more profitable technology and digital infrastructure platform […]

BSP looks to ease rules on sukuk issuances to boost Islamic finance

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) is planning to streamline its regulations on sukuk transactions to help advance Islamic banking and finance in the country while also deepening the capital market. In a draft circular, the BSP is proposing a simplified licensing framework for banks by allowing them to issue sukuk bonds for operational or […]

Architecture festival centers on care, culture, collective futures

AT A TIME when systemic challenges like poor infrastructure planning and chronic urban flooding plague the Philippines, this year’s Anthology ASEAN Architecture Festival is turning the spotlight on care, culture, and collective futures. This October, in the walled city of Intramuros, Anthology aims to explore how architecture shapes places and communities in the Philippines. It […]

Atlas Mining names Jaime Bautista independent director

ATLAS Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. has elected former Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista as an independent director. Mr. Bautista was elected during a special meeting of the mining company’s board on Wednesday, Atlas Mining said in a disclosure on Thursday. He served as Transportation secretary from 2022 to 2025. Before joining the government, he […]

Security Bank looks to improve profitability

SECURITY Bank Corp. aims to improve its profitability metrics over the next three years, with return on equity (RoE) targeted to return to double-digit level amid an optimistic outlook despite elevated market volatility. “Personally, I think that for me, three years is enough time for me to turn this business around to a double-digit return. […]

RCBC doubles Billease credit facility to P1 billion

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has doubled its credit facility for consumer finance and buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider Billease to P1 billion to help expand its offered services. Their expanded partnership will now include corporate cash management, savings, and foreign exchange (FX) services from just term lending initially, Billease said in a statement […]

SEC says Dermacare owner, finance officer arrested over alleged investment scheme

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the owner and a key officer of Beyond Skin Care Ventures, Inc., which operates Dermacare Face Body and Laser Center/Dermacare-Beyond Skin Care Solutions, were arrested in connection with criminal cases involving alleged unauthorized investment solicitation, investment fraud, and syndicated estafa. In a statement on Thursday, the corporate regulator […]

Stuff to Do (09/11/26)

THE very first Philippine National Cinema Day this Sept. 12 invites moviegoers across the country to watch movies priced at P100 for regular 2D cinemas to P500 for IMAX.

Mayabang nga ba tayo?

There is an important economic point in Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona, Jr.’s recent explanation of the peso’s weakness that should not be dismissed.

ACEN unit to supply renewable power to ACS Manufacturing plants

AYALA-LED ACEN CORP. said its retail electricity unit has signed a power supply agreement with ACS Manufacturing Corp. to provide renewable energy to two of the consumer goods maker’s manufacturing facilities in Laguna. ACEN RES, the retail electricity arm of ACEN, will supply the facilities with 100% renewable energy, the company said. The arrangement is […]

Peso slips on inflation fears as oil prices soar

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Thursday on heightened inflation fears after global crude oil prices breached $100 per barrel. The currency declined by 2.2 centavos to close at P62.535 versus the greenback from P62.513 on Wednesday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines’ website showed. The local unit opened Thursday’s session slightly […]

Maya’s Visa wallet cards now on Google Pay

MAYA’S Visa wallet cards are now available for linking on Google Wallet and Google Pay, letting more of its users make cashless payments via near field communication-enabled Android devices. With the rollout, Google Pay is now available across all of Maya’s Visa cards, both physical and virtual. “This expands on Maya’s earlier Google Wallet and […]

MUFG Bank’s Manila branch gets universal bank license

MUFG Bank, Ltd. – Manila Branch is now a universal bank after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) upgraded its commercial banking license. In a circular letter dated Sept. 8, the BSP said its policy-making Monetary Board approved MUFG’s request to upgrade its license on May 21. “The Monetary Board, in its Resolution No. 438 […]

ACS Manufacturing goes green with ACEN

Soap and toothpaste maker ACS Manufacturing Corp., is powering its operations with clean energy through ACEN Corp.