Business
Ilocos Norte trade fair attracts farmers, homegrown entreps
February 1, 2019, 5:33 pm
LAOAG CITY -- About 42 homegrown entrepreneurs and several farmers’ groups in the province gathered at the Dap-ayan Center Friday for an 11-day trade fair showcasing the best products in the province. Organized by the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, the "Tienda ni Gob" trade fair… Read More
NTC sets hearing on mandatory unlocking of mobile phones
February 1, 2019, 5:04 pm
MANILA -- The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will conduct on February 8 a public hearing concerning the mandatory unlocking of mobile phones and devices after the expiration of a subscriber’s lock-in period. The NTC released the guidelines in compliance with a directive of the… Read More
Landbank extends offer to by PDS stakes to March 15
January 31, 2019, 8:58 pm
MANILA -- State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) extended anew the deadline set on its offer to buy out several Philippine Dealing System Holding Corp. (PDS) shareholders to March 15, in its bid to gain controlling stake of the exchange. The original deadline was in April 2018 but… Read More
BSP forecasts steadier inflation in January 2019
January 31, 2019, 8:46 pm
MANILA -- Higher oil prices is seen to push January 2019 inflation between 4.3 to 5.1 percent. In a statement Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said higher domestic pump prices due to rising world crude prices and the implementation of the second increase in oil excise taxes “is… Read More
Gov’t keen on retaining one-stop-shop service for investors
January 31, 2019, 8:11 pm
MANILA -- The government wants to maintain the one-stop-shop service provided by Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and even adopt this in all of government's investment promotion agencies (IPAs). During the economic briefing of Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines on Thursday,… Read More
Local markets inspired by assurance of steady Fed rates
January 31, 2019, 8:10 pm
MANILA -- A promise from the US Federal Reserve that it would be more circumspect about future rate increases while keeping an eye on economic developments was the assurance that local markets needed to drive them forward on Thursday. The Philippine peso ended the day at 52.12, a big jump from the… Read More
PH Asia's next success story: Diokno
January 31, 2019, 7:51 pm
MANILA -- Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno told the foreign business community that they are in the right place at the right time because the country is poised to keep its position as one of the region's economic growth leaders. “In the medium term, the Philippines will remain to… Read More
PH life insurance industry seen to grow 16% in 2018
January 31, 2019, 7:23 pm
MANILA -- A Philippine life insurance industry executive is optimistic about a 16 percent growth in the gross written premiums of the sector in 2018, driven mainly by the rise in the number of the middle class. In an interview after the induction ceremony of new Philippine Life Insurance… Read More
9 PH airports receive 'star ratings' from UK firm
January 31, 2019, 6:57 pm
MANILA -- Nine Philippine airports received "star ratings" from the Official Aviation Guide (OAG), an air travel intelligence company based in the United Kingdom, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced Thursday. The results of the 2017-2018 OAG On-Time Performance (OTP)… Read More
Grab launches new app features
January 31, 2019, 4:51 pm
MANILA -- Grab Philippines has launched new features on its mobile app in apparent response to customer, as well as regulators' demands. The initiative is part of the company's Better Everyday campaign to ensure a safer and more convenient transportation, Grab's top management said during the… Read More
Masterplan for Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone eyed
January 31, 2019, 2:39 pm
MANILA -- The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s lead industry and investments promotion agency, announced in a statement on Thursday the development of the master plan for the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone (LEIZ) that is envisioned to attract more investors and businesses… Read More
Gov't seizes record high P24-B fake goods in 2018
January 31, 2019, 2:35 pm
MANILA -- The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) reported on Thursday that the government managed to seized a total of PHP23.6 billion worth of counterfeit goods in 2018. The value of confiscated goods last year was a record high, according to the agency. This represented a… Read More
PH is KIA's next market for Soluto
January 31, 2019, 12:15 pm
MANILA -- KIA Motors Corp. has chosen the Philippines as its next market for its sub-compact sedan, Soluto, showing its confidence in the country's automotive industry. KIA Philippines launched Wednesday evening the Soluto, aiming to compete in the small cars segment - which holds the largest… Read More
Lowering gov’t retirement age to deplete GSIS fund
January 30, 2019, 8:07 pm
MANILA -- Lowering the retirement age of government workers from 60 to 56 would deplete the state-owned pension fund 12 years earlier, top officials of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said Tuesday. “The effect on the GSIS fund would be that the actuarial or the fund life will be… Read More
Go vows to help expand lending programs for MSMEs
January 30, 2019, 7:32 pm
MANILA – Former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday vowed to help the government expand its lending program for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). “Isusulong ko ang pagpapalawig ng kasalukuyang Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso o P3… Read More
Gov’t to hold jobs fair for displaced Hanjin workers
January 30, 2019, 6:40 pm
MANILA -- The ‘Build, Build, Build’ team, composed of several government agencies involved in the infrastructure program, is set to hold a job fair on February 9 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone to provide employment to displaced workers of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines… Read More
30-40% tariff on sugar imports eyed
January 30, 2019, 6:06 pm
MANILA -- Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday a 30 percent to 40 percent tariff rate is being eyed on sugar importation, to serve as protection for local producers while still liberalizing the industry. At the sidelines of Breakfast with Ben, Diokno said local farmers can still… Read More
Temporary fishing ban in Taal Lake pushed
January 30, 2019, 6:02 pm
MANILA -- In order to allow the "tawilis" (Sardinella tawilis) to repoplulate, an international environmental group on Wednesday proposed a temporary fishing ban for this popular delicacy, whose numbers reportedly have significantly diminished. Tawilis is the only freshwater sardine in the world… Read More
Local markets go sideways, hounded by Brexit, security issues
January 30, 2019, 5:48 pm
MANILA -- Local markets closed sideways during midweek trading, the peso managing an upward bias while the local bourse showed a more downward bias. The peso ended the day at 52.34 to the dollar, little changed from Tuesday's closing of 52.43. The local currency opened Wednesday stronger at 52.43… Read More
Social services spending peaked during PRRD admin
January 30, 2019, 3:36 pm
MANILA -- Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the Duterte administration has put a premium on social services as government spending for this sector peaked under the current leadership. In a media briefing Wednesday, Diokno said the share of social services' spending in the national budget made… Read More
