Recent News

  • By Wilnard Bacelonia, December 11, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1265052 MANILA – Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday confirmed that the bicameral conference committee meeting for the proposed 2026 national budget has been reset to Dec. 13, to give technical staff from both chambers more time to align differing entries in the spending measure. The bicameral was originally scheduled for Friday but Sotto said the technical teams of the Senate and House of Representatives sought an additional day to complete the detailed budget matrix needed for final negotiations. “We are constrained to move the Bicam to Saturday because the technical staff of both the House and the Senate requested one more day to craft the details of the matrix and reconcile the conflicting provisions and amounts, given that budget documents this year are disaggregated and the technical descriptions are included per project,” Sotto said in a Viber message to reporters. He added the Senate is ensuring all details and annexes are “exhibited and exposed for transparency” so both chambers can thoroughly review each other’s versions of House Bill No. 4058, or the 2026 General Appropriations Act. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, echoed the need for additional time due to the complexity of this year’s budget files. “The technical staff of both the House and the Senate requested one more day to craft the details of the matrix and reconcile the conflicting provisions and amounts, given that budget documents this year are disaggregated and the technical descriptions are included per project,” he said. He earlier noted that the disaggregation of project-level entries and inclusion of technical descriptions have made this year’s budget reconciliation “more meticulous than usual.” The bicameral conference committee —tasked with harmonizing the Senate and House versions of the 2026 General Appropriations Act—will now convene on Saturday at the Philippine International Convention Center. (PNA)

  • By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, November 20, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1263687 MANILA – Japan, Canada, Australia, the United States, and the European Union (EU) have expressed support for the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen its artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity capabilities, their envoys said Thursday. Speaking at the Stratbase ADR Institute 2025 Pilipinas Conference, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya emphasized the rapid escalation of cyberattacks globally and the pressing need for international coordination. “Japan will continue to effectively cooperate in enhancing the Philippine cyber security capabilities, working closely with the government of this country and fully utilizing each country’s resources,” Endo said. He added that bolstering cyber capacity across the Indo-Pacific, particularly among ASEAN nations, including the Philippines, remains a top priority. US Embassy ICT unit chief Jennifer Schmidt said on the part of the US, Washington, DC continues to provide support in a range of areas from joint operations to policy, such as the development of the Philippines’ cybersecurity plan. “Cybercrime, it’s a massive priority both for the Trump and Marcos administrations. So, our Federal Bureau of Investigation, our law enforcement, they roll up their sleeves and work side by side with the Philippine government on cybercrime operations,” she said. She also noted US-led multilateral initiatives to safeguard critical information infrastructure, including exploring open radio access network (Open RAN) technologies to reduce supplier dependency. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro, meanwhile, said the EU is interested in helping the Philippines and the region maximize the use of artificial intelligence. The envoy said the EU would raise the possibility of cooperation in the area during the inaugural Philippine-EU Security and Defense Dialogue in Brussels this month. “It will not only be about artificial intelligence, it will be about the entire set of cooperation between the EU and the Philippines on cyber, maritime cooperation, and foreign information and manipulation interference,” he said. Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown, meanwhile, cited Australia’s ongoing cybersecurity work with key Filipino agencies, such as the Philippine Coast Guard. He also disclosed that Manila and Canberra would identify more areas of cooperation in their inaugural bilateral cyber dialogue in Australia next month. (PNA)

  • By Louella Desiderio, November 11, 2025; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/11/11/2486239/think-tanks-trim-philippine-growth-forecasts/amp/ Manila, Philippines — The Philippine economy is expected to post below five percent growth this year, following the sharp slowdown in third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth, research and analysis firm BMI and United Kingdom-based think tank Pantheon Macroeconomics said in separate reports released yesterday. “The underperformance in Q3 (third quarter) has led us to revise down our 2025 forecast to 4.9 percent,” BMI said. Previously, BMI was expecting the economy to post 5.4 percent growth this year. “We expect the recovery from storm season and strong remittances to drive faster growth in Q4 (fourth quarter), although tariff-related headwinds will drag on growth,” the Fitch Solutions unit said. Pantheon Macroeconomics chief emerging Asia economist Miguel Chanco and Asia economist Meekita Gupta said that they have also downgraded their GDP growth outlook to 4.9 percent for this year from the previous forecast of 5.3 percent, citing the abysmal third quarter growth performance. Economic growth in the third quarter collapsed to four percent, a four-year low, as government infrastructure spending contracted amid corruption issues that also dampened consumer and investor confidence. From January to September, average economic growth was at five percent, below the government’s 5.5 to 6.5 percent growth target for the year. Department of Economy, Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan earlier said that it had become challenging to meet even the low end of this year’s growth target as it would require the economy to post at least 6.9 percent growth in the fourth quarter. For next year, BMI said it is maintaining its GDP forecast at 5.2 percent. Meanwhile, Chanco and Gupta trimmed their 2026 growth outlook to five percent from 5.4 percent, previously. Both forecasts are lower than the government’s six to seven percent growth target for 2026. As Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has warned that government spending could slow until the first quarter next year and the graft probe has also weakened business sentiment, BMI expects subdued government spending and investment in the coming quarters. “The drag on government spending from the corruption probe could last beyond Q1 (first quarter) 2026, particularly if sectors other than flood control are implicated. Indeed, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure received reports of wrongdoing at some hospitals, suggesting the probe could eventually expand to the healthcare sector,” BMI said. While it expects household consumption and remittances to pick up in the fourth quarter this year due to a weaker peso and the frontloading of transfers ahead of the US’ one percent remittance tax in 2026, BMI said this is likely to be temporary with money sent from overseas anticipated to slow down next year. “Remittances, therefore, are likely to drag on consumption growth into 2026, diminishing the positive effects of easier monetary policy,” BMI said. Chanco and Gupta said “the ugly Q3 GDP print and the fact that all major aspects of domestic demand were poor bring into play the prospect of the Monetary Board opting for a front-loaded 50bp (basis points) reduction at its December meeting, assuming the November CPI (consumer price index) report doesn’t rock the boat.” At its Oct. 9 meeting, the Monetary Board cut the key policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent. Inflation held steady at 1.7 percent in October, amid slower food price upticks. This brought average inflation in the January to October period to 1.7 percent, below the government’s two to four percent target for the year.

  • By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, November 4, 2025; Business World https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2025/11/04/710089/review-process-for-local-ppp-projects-amended/ The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center has issued a resolution revising the approval process for PPP projects overseen by local governments, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) said. In a social media post on Tuesday, DEPDev said the PPP Governing Board released this resolution on Oct. 27, introducing amended procedures and timelines, as well as forms and templates, for local PPP projects, to take effect on Nov. 26. The new procedures bring the approval process in line with Republic Act No. 11966, or the PPP Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, DEPDev said. The government is currently overhauling the oversight process for infrastructure projects managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) following a corruption scandal originating in irregular flood control contracts. The resolutions cover PPP projects implemented by local government units and state universities and colleges. The new procedure requires Investment Coordination Committee clearance of proposed Government Undertakings and availability payments using government funds for local PPP projects. “Review and approval of proposed changes in the approved parameters, terms, and conditions for Local Solicited PPP projects (are required) prior to submission of bids,” it said. The resolution also requires the determination of a reasonable rate of return in case of single complying solicited bids. The PPP Center has reported that the PPP project pipeline now consists of 229 projects valued at P2.77 trillion, as of Sept. 3.

  • By Darryl John Esguerra; October 15, 2025, Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1261083 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the upcoming bicameral conference committee (bicam) deliberations on the 2026 national budget will be livestreamed — a first in Philippine legislative history — to prevent last-minute insertions and backroom “small committee” deals that have long stirred controversy. In a media briefing in Malacañang, Marcos stressed that all appropriations reflected in the current version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) passed by the House of Representatives are aligned with the executive’s National Expenditure Program. “As far as we’ve been able to examine, there are no projects or items outside the socio-economic development plan,” Marcos said. “Kung saan pupunta yung FMR [farm-to-market roads], kung saan pupunta yung school buildings (Whether its farm to market roads or school buildings) — all of these are part of the general plan,” he added. Marcos said the executive will closely monitor the remaining steps in the budget process — including Senate deliberations and the bicam, which reconciles differing versions from both chambers. Marcos said he already secured the agreement of Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Faustino Dy III to broadcast the full proceedings. “The bicam is supposed to be a public hearing… So, now it will be all out in the open,” he said. According to the Department of Budget and Management, this marks the first time in history that bicam budget deliberations will be opened to the public. “As far as we know, (this is) first time in history ito. Because usually, Bicam proceedings are held by Congress nang (in) closed-door. The executive is not part of it. So we fully support it that it will be livestreamed now,” Budget Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran told reporters. The transparency push comes amid heightened public scrutiny of government spending following recent revelations of alleged bloated and “ghost” flood control projects, which triggered lifestyle checks and a probe by the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). (PNA)

  • By Tina G. Santos, October 2, 2025; Inquirer.net https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2118634/aquino-pushes-for-blockchain-technology-to-modernize-budget-processes MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has sought to modernize budget transparency and accountability through the use of “blockchain technology” in a bid to make the national budget publicly available, ensure accessibility, easy to understand, and open for citizen engagement. During Thursday’s hearing of the Committee on Science and Technology, Aquino said the proposed Senate Bill No. 1330 or the Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act will strengthen collaboration across the executive and legislative branches of the government, civil society organizations and other stakeholders who play a vital role in sustaining and deepening democracy. “By no means this is the only solution, but many of us here believe that this can be one of the major solutions to our problems. Putting the budget on the blockchain is a way to ensure that every peso of the people’s money is monitored,” Aquino stressed. “The bill is a possible solution so that every Filipino knows how the country’s money is being spent. Blockchain was also made a priority because it is transparent, honest, and secure,” he added. According to Aquino’s proposed measure, blockchain technology provides a powerful tool for this transformation, and its design guarantees accountability. “Through blockchain, all budget transactions become transparent, immutable, auditable and accessible to citizens in real time,” said Aquino. While the national budget is one of the most important instruments of governance, Aquino said documents related to it have remained closed, highly technical and difficult to understand, making oversight almost impossible even for those who want to scrutinize them. “This ensures that every peso can be tracked by the public. No more ‘fly-by-night’ contractors. No more hidden projects unknown to local governments,” he said, adding that prices of materials can be easily compared across contracts. “To put our national budget on the blockchain answers many concerns and issues with our current system, where there are insertions and ghost projects. The public can see how people’s money is spent,” he said. /cb

  • By Wilnard Bacelonia, September 18, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259025 MANILA – The Senate Committee on Public Services on Thursday reopened discussions on the proposed Revised Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) law. Senator Raffy Tulfo, committee chairperson, moved to adopt the records and proceedings on the measure from the previous Congress. He said this would save time and resources since the bill had already been extensively deliberated and approved on third and final reading in the Senate during the 19th Congress, although its counterpart at the House of Representatives failed to hurdle the same stage. “In the interest of conserving valuable government time and resources, I move that all records and proceedings related to the measure on the Revised Philippine Coast Guard Law from the 19th Congress be adopted and made part of the official records of the Committee on Public Services for the 20th Congress, without prejudice to further inputs and refinement,” Tulfo said. With no objection from members, the motion was adopted and the panel proceeded to tackle Senate Bill Nos. 147, 359, 438, 910, and 1142, all seeking to strengthen the mandate and capacity of the PCG. The bills aim to align the PCG’s ranks, positions, and benefits with those of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, while increasing manpower to three personnel per kilometer of coastline from the current ratio of one. It also seeks to expand the Coast Guard’s authority in ensuring maritime safety, security, environmental protection, and territorial defense. Amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the PCG’s role includes safeguarding Filipino fisherfolk, deterring illegal fishing and smuggling, and responding to maritime emergencies. Lawmakers underscored the urgency of equipping the service to carry out its mandate more effectively. (PNA)

  • By Justine Xyrah Garcia, September 8, 2025, BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/09/08/csc-launches-%e2%82%b13-88-b-modernization-project-to-digitize-hr-payroll-systems/ The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has last week launched a P3.88-billion project to digitize human resource and payroll systems in government, a move expected to cut delays in public service delivery. The CSC said on Monday that the Philippine Civil Service Modernization Project (PCSMP) will run until 2029 and cover 40 pilot agencies. The project will be implemented with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and supported by a World Bank loan. Of the project’s total cost, P3.755 billion—or 97 percent—will come from loan proceeds, while P123.56 million will be funded by the national government. CSC Chairperson Marilyn B. Yap said the project aims to streamline recruitment, onboarding, payroll, and performance management through automated systems “The PCSMP is the offspring of our shared vision of a revitalized government in which policy infrastructures, systems, and processes in the delivery of services to the people are managed by highly competent and motivated civil servants enabled by technology,” Yap said. The commission added that the project will reduce delays in processing, improve payroll accuracy, and strengthen data for evidence-based planning. To oversee implementation, a Project Steering Committee has also been created to provide strategic direction and safeguard resources. Two technical working groups and an internal CSC group will support day-to-day operations. To recall, the CSC is also asking the 20th Congress to restore P300 million for its digital leadership training program, which was removed from next year’s proposed budget

  • By Jovee Marie N. de la Cruz, August 18, 2025; BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/08/18/house-opens-hearings-on-%e2%82%b16-8-t-budget-pf-26/   THE House of Representatives will begin on Monday its hearings on the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 with assurances that the public remains the top priority in an inclusive and transparent budget process. During the opening of the budget deliberations, the House Committee on Appropriations will receive a briefing from the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on the country’s economic outlook and the macroeconomic assumptions that guided the preparation of the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP). The DBCC briefing will be led by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan Jr., Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez reaffirmed the House’s commitment to an inclusive and transparent budget process, anchored on the reforms instituted in the passage and implementation of the national budget. “We want not only to inform but to involve the public, because the national budget is the people’s money. It should benefit them all,” Romualdez said. “If we are talking about the people’s money, then it is the people who should know about it and benefit from it. We will keep nothing from them,” Romualdez said. Among the key House-initiated reforms highlighted by the lower chamber are the active involvement of civil society, people’s organizations, and the private sector in budget hearings, with copies of the National Expenditure Program (NEP) already shared with grassroots groups. Romualdez also underscored the prioritization of investments that directly uplift lives, including food security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and disaster preparedness. In addition, the House has abolished the “small committee” system that previously consolidated amendments after budget approval and has opened House-Senate budget conferences to the public to promote greater transparency. To further strengthen accountability, congressional oversight in budget execution has also been enhanced through real-time reporting and tracking of major projects. “Every peso spent must translate into a service that the people can truly feel,” Romualdez said. The 2026 NEP—equivalent to 22 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP)—is 7.4 percent higher than this year’s P6.326-trillion budget. It sets bigger allocations for education, healthcare, social protection, and food security, consistent with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and the administration’s vision of Bagong Pilipinas. Revenue collections are projected to hit P4.983 trillion, up 10.2 percent from the P4.520 trillion target in 2025, driven by digitalization of tax systems, recent tax reforms—including VAT on non-resident digital service providers—along with collections from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC), dividends from government-owned corporations, and privatization proceeds. Government disbursements are programmed at P6.630 trillion in 2026, or 21.5 percent of GDP, with infrastructure spending maintained at 5–6 percent of GDP. The fiscal deficit is expected to narrow to 5.3 percent of GDP next year, from 5.5 percent in 2025, and further down to 4.3 percent by 2028. The top recipients of the proposed budget are • Education – P928.5 billion • Public Works – P881.3 billion • Health – P320.5 billion • Defense – P299.3 billion • Interior and Local Government – P287.5 billion • Agriculture – P239.2 billion • Social Welfare – P227.0 billion • Transportation – P197.3 billion • Judiciary – P67.9 billion • Labor and Employment – P55.2 billion In his fourth State of the Nation Address, the President said he would not sign any General Appropriations Act (GAA) that is not aligned with the administration’s priority programs and tolerates fund misuse. 95 percent complete Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is also set to begin deliberating on all bills filed in the 20th Congress, following the 95 percent completion of its organizational setup in the lower chamber. House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos said the swift reorganization underscores the chamber’s readiness to act decisively on the President’s ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ legislative priorities. “As of August 6, upon the guidance of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, we are proud to report that in record time, we have filled 76 out of 80 committee chairmanships—95 percent of the total. This shows how serious we are in getting to work right away,” Marcos said. He pointed out that previous Congresses typically took a month or more to organize, making this a significant milestone for the 20th Congress. “The sooner we organize, the sooner we legislate. Every day we save means more time to craft solutions, respond to challenges, and deliver results for our people,” Marcos added. Earlier, the chamber unanimously reelected Speaker Romualdez to a second term, along with Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez as Senior Deputy Speaker, several Deputy Speakers, and Marcos as Majority Leader and chair of the Committee on Rules. The House also retained Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco and Sergeant-at-Arms retired Police Maj. Gen. Napoleon “Nap” Taas, ensuring operational continuity. Key leadership posts were swiftly assigned, including chairmanships of the committees on Appropriations, Justice, Ways and Means, Agriculture, Higher and Technical Education, Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Basic Education, Energy, Transportation, Labor, and National Defense. The Quad Comm—composed of Human Rights, Public Order and Safety, Dangerous Drugs, and Public Accounts—was likewise constituted to strengthen oversight and investigations. In addition, the House finalized the election of 12 members to the Commission on Appointments (CA) and six members to the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET). With its organization complete, Marcos said the chamber is now preparing for marathon budget deliberations and the passage of priority measures aligned with national goals of inclusive growth, stronger institutions, and improved services for all Filipinos.  

  • By  Jose Cielito Reganit, August 14, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1256540 MANILA – Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has said the enactment of the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy law not only strengthens judicial independence but will improve the delivery of justice across the nation. Approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate in June before the adjournment of the 19th Congress, the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act was signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Thursday morning. “This is a proud day for our justice system. Sa pagbibigay ng tunay na fiscal autonomy sa ating judiciary, mas pinalalakas natin ang kanilang mandato sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon nang may sapat na resources para makapagsilbi nang maayos sa ating mga kababayan (In giving true fiscal autonomy to the judiciary, we further strengthened their mandate under the Constitution with ample resources to properly serve our countrymen),” Romualdez said in a statement. “It is a vital step to ensure that our courts are equipped, empowered, and shielded from undue influence, in full service of the rule of law,” he added. The new law clearly defines the scope and extent of the judiciary’s fiscal independence, guaranteeing that its appropriations will not be reduced below the previous year’s level and that funds will be automatically and regularly released after congressional approval. The Speaker said President Marcos’ signing of the measure reflects the administration’s commitment to a stronger and more independent judiciary. “Nagpapasalamat tayo kay Pangulong Marcos sa kanyang suporta at sa pagkilala sa kahalagahan ng judiciary sa pagpapanatili ng rule of law (We thank President Marcos for his support, and his recognition of the importance of the judiciary in preserving the rule of law),” Romualdez said. “Malaking hakbang ito para sa demokrasya. Kapag matatag ang judiciary, mas mabilis at mas patas ang paghatid ng hustisya sa bawat Pilipino (This is a big step for democracy. A strong judiciary means faster and fair delivery of justice for every Filipino),” he said. Under the law, the Supreme Court will submit its annual budget proposal directly to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), with the original proposal attached to the National Expenditure Program. The DBM may issue comments and recommendations, but approved appropriations must be released automatically without the need for additional requests or conditions. The measure grants the Chief Justice the authority to augment budget items from savings, reallocate allotments within projects, and modify fund distribution between operating units — powers that Speaker Romualdez said will enable the judiciary to respond swiftly to operational needs and improve efficiency in court services. Another key feature is the creation of the Judiciary Trust Fund, replacing the Judiciary Development Fund. This new trust fund will pool all legal fees, existing funds, and interest income for the judiciary’s exclusive use, giving it greater capacity to finance operations and improvements without relying solely on annual appropriations. The Supreme Court is likewise authorized to reorganize its administrative structure, create new offices, and decentralize operations to bring court management closer to litigants. It may also determine the number and positions of court personnel, set compensation levels within budget limits, and ensure competitive pay to attract and retain qualified staff. To support these reforms, all judiciary-related real and personal properties will be transferred to the Supreme Court within six months from the law’s effectivity, giving it direct control over assets essential to its functions. All expenditures and revenues of the judiciary and the Judiciary Trust Fund will remain subject to post-audit by the Commission on Audit, in line with transparency and accountability standards. 

  • By Katherine K. Chan, August 12, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/08/12/690870/fdi-jumps-21-in-may-down-in-first-5-months/ NET INFLOWS of foreign direct investments (FDI) into the Philippines rose by 21.3% year on year in May but declined by 26.9% in the first five months of the year, preliminary data from the central bank showed. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the net inflows of FDI jumped by 21.3% to $586 million in May from $483 million in the same month in 2024, with “inflows from the United States and into manufacturing taking the lead.” Month on month, net inflows of FDIs slipped by 3.9% from $610 million in April. “The (year-on-year) increase resulted from the significant expansion in nonresidents’ net investments in debt instruments, which rose by 88.3% year-on-year, from $227 million to $427 million,” the BSP said. Investments in equity and investment fund shares dropped by 38% to $159 million in May from $256 million in the same month in 2024. This was due to the 61.4% decline in nonresidents’ net investments in equity capital (excluding reinvestment of earnings) to $62 million in May from $161 million a year ago. Reinvestment of earnings also inched up by 1.4% year on year to $97 million in May. Nearly half (49%) of gross placements of equity capital went into manufacturing, followed by real estate activities (14%); and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply (13%). In May, the bulk of FDI inflows came from the US (36%) and Japan (33%), followed by Singapore (12%) and South Korea (12%). “The uptick in May’s FDI reflects improved investor sentiment due to the country’s solid macroeconomic fundamentals, relatively stable (decelerating) inflation, and infrastructure momentum,” John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, said in a Viber message. “Externally, moderating global interest rates and a recovery in regional trade also helped.” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the year-on-year improvement in May FDI inflow can be partly attributed to the release of the rules for the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act. However, this was “counteracted” by the uncertainty over the US tariffs and other protectionist policies, as well as China-Philippines tensions, Mr. Ricafort said. For the first five months of the year, net inflows of FDI declined by 26.9% to $2.96 billion, from the $4.04 billion recorded in the same period a year ago. Net investment in debt instruments plunged by 14.1% in the January-May period to $2.149 billion from $2.501 billion in the same period in 2024. Reinvestment of earnings rose by 6% to $445 million in the January-to-May period, from $420 million a year ago. Investments in equity capital other than the reinvestment of earnings also went down by 67.6% to $364 million in the five-month period from $1.123 billion a year ago. Equity placements plunged by 55% year on year to $616 million while withdrawals rose by 1.8% to $253 million. Equity investments during the period were mainly from Japan (39%), the US (21%), Singapore (14%), and South Korea (8%). At least 48% of equity placements flowed to manufacturing, while 20% went to real estate activities and 12% to the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply industries. Mr. Ricafort said FDI inflows in recent months may have been affected by proposed legislated wage increases that threaten to increase labor costs in the country. “Local political noises since the latter part of 2024 (Dutertes vs. the Marcoses) could have also partly weighed on the FDI data in recent months,” he said. Foreign investors could have also been waiting for further rate cuts by the US and Philippine central banks before making investment decisions, he said. “For the coming months, the release of the CREATE MORE IRR (implementing rules and regulations) could make some foreign investors/FDIs to become more decisive in locating in the country amid enhanced incentives for foreign investors,” Mr. Ricafort said. Meanwhile, Mr. Rivera noted that the year-to-date decline shows that FDI inflows are still sensitive to policy clarity, geopolitical risks, and tariff developments. “If growth holds near the 5.4% average in the first half, we can sustain modest FDI recovery in the latter part of the year. To gain stronger traction, the Philippines needs to accelerate reforms in EODB (ease of doing business), investment facilitation, and trade diversification to counter headwinds from global uncertainty,” Mr. Rivera said. The BSP expects FDI to end the year at a net inflow of $7.5 billion.

  • By Justine Xyrah Garcia, August 11, 2025; BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/08/11/over-2-m-new-voters-enlist-despite-possible-bske-reset/ MORE than 2.13 million Filipinos registered for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) during the 10-day sign-up period this month, despite Malacañang’s earlier announcement that the polls will likely be moved to next year. In a text message to reporters on Sunday, Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia called the turnout the “most successful” and “most historic” in recent years. “This only proves that we want every voice to be heard, regardless of our status in life,” Garcia said in Filipino. While the poll body has yet to release the full demographic breakdown, Garcia credited much of the surge to young registrants. “The Filipino youth truly stand firm in carrying the future of the nation. Responding to the call and challenge is an act of heroism. Long live all of you!” he said. Region IV-A posted the highest number of new voters at 265,957, followed by Region III with 220,650 and Region VI with 169,378. Meanwhile, the Cordillera Administrative Region logged the lowest with 39,484, followed by Caraga with 66,118 and Region IV-B with 67,350. The Comelec earlier said it had no objection to the measure extending the term of barangay and SK officials and resetting the elections to November 2026. Garcia said the postponement would also give the commission more time to prepare for the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in October. If the reset is signed into law, the Comelec plans to reopen voter registration from late October until July next year. “We can start from October until July next year. We will no longer extend the August 1 to 10 registration,” Garcia said, adding that the commission will also monitor if the law will be challenged before the Supreme Court on constitutional grounds.  

  • By Jose Cielito Reganit, August 7, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1256104 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday said his administration’s push to have the eGovPH Super App, which will facilitate the delivery of faster, simpler, and more convenient public services to Filipinos, is borne out of necessity to keep the Philippines abreast with the times. “Because that’s the only way to do it. You cannot operate in 2025 na kinakamay-kamay mo ang forms, pupunta-punta ka sa opisina (if you just manually accomplish the forms and go to the offices),” Marcos said in his podcast. Marcos acknowledged that it takes three days to get regular documents from government offices due to long queues. “Kasi akala mo tapos na ‘yung dokumento mo, sasabihin, ‘Ay, hindi, may kulang pa ito. Pumunta ka doon.’ Tapos lalapit na ‘yung fixer sa iyo (Because you thought that your document is already finished, then they say to you ‘No, this still needs something, go there.’ Then a fixer will approach you,” he said. “The whole experience, the whole bad experience. So, that cannot –that doesn’t work anymore.” Marcos said as a country, as an economy, the Philippines needs to be competitive. “Look at China, how digitalized China is. We have to be at that level. Look at Singapore, look at Korea. Ito ‘yung mga karatig-bansa natin eh (These are our neighboring countries). These are the people we do business with. So, to be able to do business with them properly, we need to digitalize,” he said. Marcos said he made sure the eGovPH Super App is simple so that ordinary Filipinos would be able to use it. “I made sure while it –noong sinusulat pa ‘yung code diyan, ang test ko lagi, ang sinasabi ko, kailangan isimple ninyo, isimple ninyo. Kailangan napakadali (when the code is still being written, I always say, you need to make it simple. It must be very easy to use),” he said. “So, tumingin kami (we looked), we did a little study. There are 89 million Filipino Facebook users. So, sabi ko dapat ‘yung app natin, ‘yung eGov app natin, kung kaya mo mag-Facebook, kaya mo mag-eGov app (I said our eGov app, if you know how to use Facebook, you also know how to use the eGov app,” the President said. What is needed now, he said, is to inform the people of the app. As for the farmers, seniors or those who have no access to the internet or smartphones, Marcos said the government will reach out to them and teach them. “Matututo sila because tuturuan sila (They will learn because we will teach them). We will have to educate our people,” Marcos said. “But again, 89 million, that’s a good majority already of Filipinos who can… Halimbawa, may magsasaka, hindi talaga –walang pagka-techie, ‘yung anak niya kaya niyang turuan –kaya siyang turuan (for example, a farmer who has no knowledge of technology, his children can teach him). But they have to know that it is available,” he said. Meanwhile, the President said digitalization is not only for business, but also for education. “It’s absolutely imperative now that children know how to use a computer, they know how to use the internet, and they know how to do work on the internet. Hindi na puwedeng hindi (Not knowing how to is unacceptable). It’s not an option anymore,” he said. 

  • By Darryl John Esguerra, August 5, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1255823 NEW DELHI – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure granting him authority to reorganize and streamline executive branch agencies, in a bid to create a more responsive and efficient bureaucracy. Republic Act (RA) 12231, or the Government Optimization Act, was signed and published into the Official Gazette Monday as Marcos flew to India for a five-day state visit here. The new law, a priority measure of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), authorizes the President to strengthen, merge, or abolish agencies and functions deemed redundant or misaligned, while protecting the welfare of civil servants. The law seeks to “promote efficiency, equity, and ethical accountability” in government operations and improve frontline services by eliminating duplication, simplifying procedures, and pushing digitalization and e-governance. Under the law, the President may scale down programs better carried out by local governments or the private sector and transfer functions across agencies as necessary. It also allows the creation or deactivation of agencies, upon recommendation by a newly created Committee on Optimizing the Executive Branch (COEB), chaired by the Executive Secretary. The COEB will conduct studies on the mandates, functions, programs, projects, operations, structures, and manpower complement of different government agencies; and develop and prepare the Optimized Organizational Structure and overall change management program of these agencies. The law covers all agencies of the executive branch, which includes departments, bureaus, offices, and other entities under a department’s supervision, and government owned or controlled corporations (GOCC) not covered by RA 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011. Teaching and teaching-related positions, as well as military and uniformed personnel, are excluded from the new law. The legislature, judiciary, constitutional commissions, Office of the Ombudsman, and local government units may optimize their respective offices on an optional basis.

  • By Anna Leah Gonzales, July 29, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1255351 MANILA – Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said Tuesday the Regional Development Council would begin crafting the protocol for the review of flood control projects. This is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent directive that the Regional Project Monitoring Committee should conduct a review of flood control projects and determine those that failed, unfinished or suspected to be ghost projects. Marcos earlier said that during his inspection in flood-affected areas last week, he personally saw some projects that were substandard, and even collapsed. The President also directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to submit a list of flood control projects that were constructed since the start of his administration in 2022. “Napakinggan namin yung direktiba ng Pangulo kahapon. Yung Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) is actually a committee under the Regional Development Council. So talaga pong itong grupo na ito consisting of mga regional line agencies, selected agencies, may kasama ring private sector, may mga private sector representative po sa RPMC (The Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) is actually a committee under the Regional Development Council. So this group is really composed of regional line agencies, selected agencies, and also includes the private sector—there are private sector representatives in the RPMC),” said Edillon during the post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) conference in San Juan City. The RDC is the highest policy-making body in the region and serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the subnational level. It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region. Edillon said while waiting for a list from the DPWH, the RDC would start crafting the protocol for the audit. The protocol will include the means of verification, parameters, and the possible consultation with engineers, she said, ensuring that the review will be objective. “Magiging maagap din kami sa pag-report nito sa RDC at sa Pangulo (We will promptly report this to the RDC and to the President),” she added.

  • By Anna Leah Gonzales, July 29, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1255341 MANILA – The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said Tuesday that food security, improving job quality, and effectively delivering key public services continue to be the government’s top priorities. In a statement, DEPDev said that while the Marcos administration already made significant progress on these areas, the government will make sure that growth is inclusive. DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said more work remains to be done to attain the targets outlined in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. “As the President rightly pointed out, improvements in our statistical measures mean little if they do not translate into better lives for the ordinary Filipino. We’ve made meaningful progress, but we cannot afford complacency,” Balisacan said. “The second half of the administration is crucial in addressing persistent challenges and accelerating public service delivery, especially in areas that matter most to our people: education, health and wellness, food security and agriculture, as well as basic services such as transportation, energy, water, and digital connectivity.” DEPDev said the country’s development outcomes have improved, while its macroeconomic fundamentals remain sound despite global and external headwinds. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged 5.7 percent in 2024 and 5.5 percent in 2023, while poverty incidence also fell from 18.1 percent in 2021 to 15.5 percent in 2023. DEPDev said inflation also slowed, adding that food inflation in particular, fell significantly from 11.2 percent in January 2023 to just 0.1 percent in June 2025. The country’s fiscal indicators also remain at manageable levels owing to the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts and improved tax administration. “As we continue to make progress and reach greater development milestones, we must focus on the most impactful interventions: modernizing agriculture, upskilling our workforce, improving productivity, and enabling innovation across sectors through forward-looking policy reforms, stronger collaboration, and strategic alignment at various levels of governance. These are the building blocks of a resilient and dynamic economy, where growth leads to tangible improvements in people’s lives,” Balisacan said. He also highlighted the importance of supporting workers and households, particularly those vulnerable to climate risks, global headwinds, and price volatility. This includes continuing targeted assistance to ease cost-of-living pressures and protect the most affected sectors. To strengthen food security, the government has implemented concrete measures to boost production, stabilize supply, and keep food prices affordable. Among these is the Benteng Bigas Meron Na program, launched this year, which offers affordable milled rice to vulnerable groups through Kadiwa centers. The program is currently active in select areas in Luzon and the Visayas, with expansion planned across more provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao. DEPDev said efforts to boost agricultural productivity in the medium term are also underway. Over 37,000 farm machines have been distributed to 7,338 farmer groups, while 12,445 units of machinery and equipment have been supplied to 6,869 cooperatives and associations, resulting in a PHP2 per kilo reduction in the cost of palay. As of May 2025, 109 out of 151 targeted rice processing system facilities have been established, with 101 already operational. “We are committed to building on our momentum and transforming the economy even as we navigate the various challenges that confront us. By doing so, and working alongside every Filipino under a Bagong Pilipinas, we stay on course toward a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay para sa lahat,” Balisacan said. To adapt to global trends and emerging challenges, the government is recalibrating its strategies. DEPDev is set to release the Midterm Update of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 by the end of the month. The updated Plan will outline strategies to overcome persistent implementation bottlenecks, respond to emerging global megatrends, and accelerate progress toward achieving the country’s development goals.

  • By Anna Leah Gonzales, July 16, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1254389 Manila – The Economy and Development (ED) Council, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) operations and maintenance project under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement during a meeting on Tuesday. In a statement Wednesday, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said the NSCR is one of the Marcos administration’s infrastructure flagship projects. It aims to modernize public transportation and improve regional connectivity across Luzon. The NSCR is a 147-km. elevated railway line that will ease travel across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon. It is expected to benefit 800,000 passengers daily in its opening year, eventually serving up to one million commuters. The railway will feature 35 stations, including 31 elevated, three at-grade, and one underground. Pre-operations for the project will begin in March 2026 until July 2027. The concession period for the partial operations of Phase 1, which stretches from Clark International Airport to Valenzuela (13 stations), will commence in December 2027 and continue until September 2028. The concession period for the partial operations of Phase 2, which extends the services to Nichols in Pasay City with additional segment from Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Calamba, Laguna will run from October 2028 until December 2031. Full operations are expected to begin in January 2032. The total estimated cost of the operations and maintenance contract is PHP229.32 billion. Depots will be located in Clark, Pampanga; Valenzuela City; and Calamba, Laguna to support maintenance and operations. The NSCR will offer two types of train services: commuter trains, with 51 trainsets each capable of carrying 2,242 passengers, and Limited Express trains, with seven trainsets accommodating 386 passengers each. These services are designed to significantly improve travel speeds, with trains operating at 120 km. to 130 km. per hour. DEPDev said the travel time from Clark to Calamba would be reduced to approximately three hours via commuter service from about four hours, while the limited express service would cut travel time from Clark to Alabang to about two hours. “The North-South Commuter Railway Project is a major step toward faster, greener, and more connected transportation for Filipinos, as the system will also be integrated with the Metro Manila Subway. At the same time, it will promote green and commercial development along its corridors,” DEPDev Secretary and ED Council Vice-Chair Arsenio Balisacan said. Aside from the NSCR operations and maintenance, the ED Council also tackled the midterm update of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 during its meeting. The midterm update of the PDP 2023-2028 refines and recalibrates the country’s key policies, strategies, programs, and legislative priorities to ensure alignment with evolving economic conditions and development goals. DEPDev spearheads the updating process of the Plan at the midpoint of each administration to assess progress and make the necessary adjustments to targets and interventions. “We have learned a lot of lessons from our past experiences and many of these have been reflected in our recent efforts, ” Balisacan said. “We will continue to stay on our course to sustain our momentum for the second half of this administration.” Following the discussions from the Council meeting, DEPDev will be receiving comments from various agencies to finalize the updated Plan, which will be released to the public by the end of this month.

  • By Derco Rosal, July 14, 2025; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2025/07/14/infra-fueled-trade-deficit-to-temporarily-hit-philippines-but-to-lift-economic-growth-peso-over-time While several big-ticket government projects in the pipeline threaten to widen the Philippines’ current account deficit and put pressure on the trade balance, Germany-based Deutsche Bank said this could ultimately benefit the country’s economic growth and strengthen the peso in the long run. “With [the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development’s (DEPDev)] list showing a pipeline of projects ahead, the period of elevated import demand is likely to sustain for several years ahead,” Deutsche Bank Research said in its Asia corporate newsletter for the third quarter of 2025, released on Monday, July 14. It noted that the Philippines’ current account deficit “has been widening” as infrastructure spending picks up, leading to a surge in imports of capital goods. Big-ticket projects including the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway, and New Manila Airport are already under construction. For Deutsche Bank Research, accelerating investments is a positive move which could benefit both the country’s economic growth and the local currency over time. “We are certainly strongly supportive of accelerating investments as it improves productivity and long-term prospects of both the country and the currency,” Deutsche Bank Research said. For this year, Deutsche Bank has projected the Philippine economy to expand by 5.7 percent, unchanged from the lower-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate last year. This would fall comfortably within the downscaled growth target of 5.5 to six percent for the year. Further, Deutsche Bank sees the local economy breaching the six-percent growth level by next year, at 6.1 percent. According to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country’s current account deficit doubled to $4.2 billion in the first three months of 2025 from $2.1 billion a year earlier. The BSP said this reflects the growing trade gap, with imports rising faster than exports. The current account, which tracks the country’s net dollar earnings, includes trade in goods and services, income from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and other external income sources. Last year, the deficit stood at $17.5 billion, or 3.8 percent of GDP—larger than the $12.4 billion, or 2.8 percent of GDP, in 2023. The BSP had earlier projected the current account deficit would further widen to $19.8 billion, or 3.9 percent of GDP, this year. In contrast, Deutsche Bank expects this gap to narrow to just three percent of the country’s GDP this year, and to further decline to 2.7 percent by 2026. “One key balance of payments (BOP) factor to consider, though, is the funding profile of the projects: which appears to be from overseas development financing and/or overseas FX [foreign exchange] bonds. Therefore, the basic BOP deficit should not widen as much as the current account deficit will,” Deutsche Bank Research said, referring to the loans from bilateral partners and multilateral lenders as well as offshore fund-raising by the government. It also expects the central bank to cut its key interest rate by another 25 basis points (bps) to five percent by the end of the year, from the current rate of 5.25 percent. Meanwhile, “near-term FX pressure is likely to show up, with the BSP already signaling another two rate cuts later in the year,” Deutsche Bank Research said. It noted that the peso has been performing better than what the country’s economic fundamentals would suggest, mainly because traders have been riding the currency’s recent upward momentum. “However, recent reversal in the currency’s momentum profile—and higher tariff rates proposed by the US at 20 percent in the July 9 letter than even the ‘Liberation Day’ rate of 17 percent—likely portends this period coming to an end,” it said.

  • By Mary Joy Salcedo, July 10, 2025; Inquirer.net https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2080692/lto-launches-digital-drivers-license-renewal-via-egovph-app?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=gallery MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) launched the online driver’s license renewal system (ODLRS) in the eGovPH mobile app on Thursday, allowing motorists to renew their driver’s licenses online. According to LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, the launching of the digital driver’s license renewal, aims to ensure “a fast and comfortable way of transaction even if the clients are in their homes or offices.” “This is a better alternative for going to LTO offices since you don’t need to shell out money for transportation to our offices and don’t even need to queue in any license renewal offices,” Mendoza said in a statement on Thursday. “All of these digitalization efforts are intended to make all transactions in the LTO fast and comfortable to all our clients as instructed by President [Ferdinand) Marcos [Jr.] through [Transportation] Secretary [Vince] Dizon. We continue to evolve to further improve our digital services and expand the reach to all Filipinos even abroad,” he added. According to the LTO, motorists can avail themselves of the digital transaction by downloading and installing the eGovPH app on their smartphones, which is available in the App Store and Google Play. After downloading the eGovPh app, the agency mentioned the following steps to avail the online driver’s license renewal: 1. Through the eGovPH app, find the icon ‘NGA,’ locate ‘LTO’ and then click it 2. Select ‘Online Driver’s Application’ 3. Click the ‘Renew Your Driver’s License’ 4. Upload or capture the front and back of physical driver’s license 5. Once uploaded, wait for the analysis of the uploaded card (it may take one minute to three minutes) 6. Once validation is complete, review and verify the details, then click the submit 7. Take a photo and abide by the required standard format, which can be viewed in the instructions before taking a photo. Mendoza said that in order to “ensure fast and hassle-free online application,” it is advisable for motorists to secure the following requirements first that will be uploaded during the online transaction process: Telemedicine Medical Examination Inside LTO ODLRS Portal, click Telemedicine Book appointment Attend and Finish the online medical examination Complete Online Driver’s Enhancement Program (ODEP) Inside LTO ODLRS Portal, click ODEP Finish the five-hour education Online Payment After finishing the prerequisites, motorists can already pay for the corresponding renewal fee for their driver’s license by choosing a payment gateway. According to Mendoza, a successful transaction signifies that the driver’s license is already renewed. He said that the electronic driver’s license is also automatically generated and can be viewed in the eGovPH app. The LTO chief also said that “the e-license is valid as the physical card.” He added that motorists could avail themselves of their renewed driver’s license by choosing a courier provider and booking for delivery, or pick-up by selecting a district office near them.

  • By Louise Maureen Simeon, July 9, 2025; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/07/09/2456517/unprogrammed-funds-slashed-p245-billion-under-nep MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has proposed a more than 30-percent reduction in unprogrammed appropriations to P245 billion under next year’s record budget as the government moves to address the deficit. Based on the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) obtained by The STAR, unprogrammed funds are proposed at P244.89 billion, 32.62 percent lower than the P363.42 billion under the 2025 General Appropriations Act. The amount is just 3.6 percent of the proposed total expenditures for 2025 at P6.793 trillion, lower than the 5.7 percent share in this year’s budget. Unprogrammed appropriations provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collection exceeds targets and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated. Releasing funds from this would need certification from the Bureau of the Treasury. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the executive department continues to place a limit of just five percent to unprogrammed appropriations from the previous highs of almost 10 percent. “We just place foreign assisted projects that are not yet approved by the NEDA Board (now Department of Economy, Planning and Development). If there are also social projects that have urgent needs, but it still depends on the fiscal space,” Pangandaman told The STAR. “We need to address the deficit. Even if there’s additional revenues, the overall financial and health of the budget will be affected,” she said. Pangandaman is banking on increased government dividends and higher proceeds from privatization next year to fund the unprogrammed appropriations. Based on the proposal, 40 percent or P97.31 billion of the unprogrammed appropriation will go to foreign-assisted projects. Another 32 percent or P78.36 billion is allotted for government infrastructure and social programs. Some P40 billion is proposed to fund the revised modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas equity infusion was allocated with P10 billion. The Marawi Siege Victims Compensation program and the Comprehensive and Adequate Insurance Protection of Strategically Important Government Assets and Interest are both eyed with P2 billion each. Other items include budgetary support to state-run firms (P6.9 billion), emergency benefits and allowances for health care workers (P6.77 billion), risk management program (P1 billion), fiscal support arrearages for the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program (P333.5 million), refund of the service development fee for the right to develop the Nampeidai property in Japan (P210.58 million) and prior years’ local government units’ shares (P14.62 million). Under this year’s controversial P6.326-trillion national budget, P363.24 billion has been earmarked for unprogrammed appropriations. However, only P158.7 billion was proposed by the executive department. Latest data showed that the DBM has recorded P72.13 billion in unprogrammed appropriations as of the first semester. The bulk of the amount worth P65.86 billion was allocated to support the foreign-assisted projects of the departments of Agrarian Reform, Finance, Health, Public Works and Highways, Transportation, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Philippine Competition Commission. The remaining P6.27 billion was earmarked to the National Food Authority as a form of budgetary support.

  • By Darryl John Esguerra, July 3, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1253474 MANILA – The Marcos administration remains optimistic that the Philippines will reach an upper-middle income status, Malacañang said on Thursday. This comes after the World Bank’s latest country classification retained the Philippines as a lower-middle income economy, despite government projections to transition to upper-middle income status this year. “Inaamin po natin na sa ngayon ay hindi pa natin natutulay ang upper-middle income status. Pero sa ngayon, maganda naman ang nagiging progreso ng ekonomiya dahil sa gumagandang gross national income per capita simula 2024 (We admit that as of now, we have not yet reached upper-middle income status. But there’s good economic progress due to improving gross national income per capita starting 2024),” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Malacañang press briefing. She said the administration would continue working toward the target despite global headwinds. Asked if the Palace remains confident, Castro responded, “Yes, lagi pong positibo ang Pangulo, ang economic team, at ang buong administrasyon. So, kakayanin natin ito. (Yes, the President, the economic team, and the entire administration remain positive. We can do it.)” The Philippine government had earlier set its sights on achieving upper-middle income classification within President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s term. The World Bank’s latest country classifications showed the Philippines posted a record gross national income (GNI) per capita of USD4,470 – higher than the USD4,230 GNI in the previous year. Despite the increase, the Philippines remains about USD26 shy of the World Bank’s USD4,496 to USD13,935 GNI per capita requirement to become an upper-middle income country.

  • By Wilnard Bacelonia, June 27, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1253057 MANILA – The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is accelerating its transformation into a fully digital, member-driven institution by launching new tools and policy reforms aimed at enhancing accessibility, reducing red tape, and easing member’s financial burdens. In a news release on Friday, GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso said the shift reflects the agency’s renewed focus on listening to members and reshaping services around their needs. “We listen to what our members need. Every reform we implement begins with their feedback,” Veloso said. A stakeholder dialogue was held Wednesday at the Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay where government agencies, state universities, and partner institutions discussed reforms, such as the rollout of digital platforms like the GSIS Touch mobile app, facial recognition for pensioners, and Digital Hubs in branch offices, which have enabled 99 percent of transactions to be processed online. The GSIS also simplified access to financial aid. The Ginhawa Max Loan Buyout program now only requires a letter of intent from an agency head, expediting the application process. As of the latest data, a combined PHP413.4 billion has been disbursed under the Ginhawa Flex and Ginhawa Lite loan programs, supporting 1.9 million applications. To help members with unpaid balances, GSIS adopted a penalty condonation policy using simple interest computation. “We’re not just cutting lines or paperwork. We’re making real changes that ease the financial burdens of our members,” Veloso said. In housing, GSIS’s Lease-With-Option-to-Buy program has enabled more than 4,000 families to acquire affordable homes, while nearly 2,000 borrowers have avoided foreclosure through the Housing Accounts Remedial and Condonation Program. Public asset protection was also expanded, with more than 130,000 public school buildings now insured through the National Indemnity Insurance Program, boosting government resilience against disaster risks.

  • By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, June 20, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252580 MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday all free training courses under the 2025 Newly Elected Officials Performing Leadership for Uplifting Service (NEO PLUS) Program will begin next month. In a statement, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the NEO PLUS Program is designed to support newly elected local leaders in carrying out their fresh mandate. The program kicks off with the holding of executive briefings by DILG field officers and local government unit (LGU) transition teams on July 1. He said these briefings would guide newly elected officials through the leadership transition process and set priorities for their first 100 days in office. The program also includes the Course on Strategic Leadership for Good Governance for first-time elected officials, while returning officials will undergo a refresher course on Transformative Leadership for Elevated Governance. The NEO PLUS is a three-year capacity development initiative led by the DILG’s Local Government Academy (LGA) aimed at equipping local officials with the tools and skills to lead effectively and responsibly, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen local governance and public service delivery. The LGA is currently completing training and orientation for capacity development managers across all 17 regions in preparation for the program rollout. Participants include elected local officials, such as governors, vice governors, mayors, vice mayors, council members, and designated local functionaries. The DILG continues to urge newly elected leaders to take part in the NEO PLUS Program to strengthen their leadership capacities, promote effective local governance, and ensure a responsive and citizen-centered public service. Barangay tanods strengthen school safety Meanwhile, the DILG lauded the barangay tanods (village police) for their vital role in ensuring a safe environment around schools as they manage traffic, watch entry points, and offer visible support to parents, teachers, and students. “Our barangay tanods are in schools to ensure the safety of students. They are in the streets to ensure the safety of the community. Their presence offers a sense of protection and comfort,” Remulla said in a separate statement. Remulla also encouraged local governments to continue investing in capacity building and recognition for tanods, equipping them with radios, vests, and standard training. He said this supports the Department of Education’s goal of ensuring safe learning environments through joint efforts between education and security agencies.

  • By Wilnard Bacelonia, June 10, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251869 MANILA – The Senate has approved a bill seeking to strengthen and professionalize the Legal Staff of the Department of Justice (DOJ) by renaming it the Office of the Chief State Counsel (OCSC) and expanding its powers, structure and benefits. Filed jointly by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights; Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; and Finance, the measure substitutes Senate Bills 2623 and 2732 authored by Senators Francis Tolentino and Aquilino Pimentel III. It seeks to institutionalize the OCSC as a key legal advisory and international cooperation arm of the DOJ. Under the proposed Office of the Chief State Counsel Act, the OCSC will be placed under the supervision of the Secretary of Justice and tasked with rendering legal opinions to government officials, reviewing immigration and deportation matters, and leading treaty negotiations on extradition and mutual legal assistance, among others. The measure also grants the OCSC adjudicatory powers over legal disputes among government offices, the authority to review tax ordinances, and responsibility for key applications such as refugee status recognition and land title validation. It will be reorganized into seven divisions, each led by a deputy chief state counsel, and will include at least 10 state counsels per division. The bill upgrades their salary grades, aligns retirement and survivorship benefits with those of judges and justices, and sets new qualification standards based on years of law practice. The measure also bars retired state counsels receiving pensions from appearing as counsel in cases involving the government or accepting fees from adversarial administrative proceedings. To fund its implementation, the bill charges the initial budget to the DOJ’s current appropriations, with subsequent funding to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Once enacted, the law will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a national newspaper. The Senate also approved House Bill 5598 which declares Maasin City and the towns of Malitbog and Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte as tourism zones.

  • By RG Cruz, June 2, 2025; ABS-CBN News https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/2/senate-oks-gov-t-optimization-bill-2056 MANILA — Twenty-two out of 23 senators have approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 890 or the proposed Government Optimization Act which would empower President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to to scale down agencies under the executive branch and efficiently deliver services. This was originally the Rightsizing the National Government Act of 2022. Senate President Francis Escudero, principal author of the measure, downplayed the possible loss of jobs, it can also lead to the possible creation of new positions, new offices, upgrading, upskilling, and upscaling personnel to help them fill up much-needed positions and put them on the path toward career advancement. Escudero explained it aims to deliver services to the people more efficiently and not merely to save money. Under the bill, the President will be authorized to optimize the operations of the different agencies in the Executive Branch under the Government Optimization Program (GOP). A Committee on Optimizing the Executive Branch (COEB) — composed of the Executive Secretary as chairperson; the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as co-chairperson; and the Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning, the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the Director-General of the Anti-Red Tape Authority as members — will be created to oversee the implementation of the GOP. The bill covers all agencies of the executive branch, including departments, bureaus, offices, commissions, boards, councils, and all other entities attached to or under their administrative supervision, and government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) not covered by Republic Act No. 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011. It does not cover the legislature, the judiciary, constitutional commissions, the Office of the Ombudsman, local government units (LGUs), and teaching-related positions of the education sector, the military and uniformed personnel in the Department of National Defense, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Justice. However, the legislature, judiciary, constitutional commissions, and the Office of the Ombudsman may, within their respective authorized appropriations, optimize their respective offices, consistent with the principles and guidelines contained in this Act, and within the parameters of the Unified Position Classification and Compensation System established under Republic Act No. 6758, as amended. The bill also empowers LGUs to optimize their respective offices, consistent with the governing principles and guidelines contained in this Act and the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, and subject to their financial capability. The authority given to the President shall end five years after the effectivity of the bill if it becomes law.

  • By Darryl John Esguerra, May 21, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1250505 MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has launched a digital monitoring platform for major government projects in a bid to boost transparency and accountability in public infrastructure spending. The initiative, dubbed Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), aims to provide real-time data on the status of big-ticket infrastructure programs, displaying key information such as completion rates, budget sources, implementing agencies, and contractors. The DBM signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of the Philippines Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP-NOAH) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday to enhance the system’s capability and ensure that the platform also integrates disaster resilience considerations into infrastructure planning. “With the advent of technology, the demand for progress from our citizens increases,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, as quoted in a DBM news release Wednesday. “In just one click, they can rightly demand for greater openness, transparency, and accountability, especially for projects and initiatives that have significant impact in their lives. And if our people demand for progress, then their government must be able to respond.” She said project delays translate into delays in improving the lives of Filipinos. “We cannot let that happen,” she said. The move is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2023 Executive Order No. 31, institutionalizing the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), which promotes transparency, civic participation, anti-corruption measures, and the use of technology in governance. UP Vice President for Digital Transformation Peter Sy said the partnership strengthens efforts toward “good governance, disaster resilience, and inclusive development.” “Today’s signing is a testament to our shared commitment… We are honored to join you in this journey,” Sy said. The DPWH, meanwhile, will contribute project data, help identify visible infrastructure developments on the ground, and assist in publishing spending metrics like obligation and disbursement rates. “By working together, we can ensure that the data for infrastructure projects will be consistent, comprehensive, and shared in a way that fosters better public understanding,” DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said. The MOU signing took place in Quezon City during the celebration of Open Government Week.

  • By Bless Aubrey Ogerio, May 21, 2025; BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/05/21/government-opens-pac-one-stop-digital-helpdesk/ THE government launched a new feature on its all-in-one mobile platform aimed at giving Filipinos faster, easier access to public services, benefits, and complaint channels with just a few taps on their phones. The Presidential Action Center is described as “a virtual one-stop shop” that brings together several national and local government programs, ranging from financial and medical aid to appointments for various services, into a single, streamlined system. “When you go to the Presidential Action Center, you’ll find all government services there. So, it’s like a physical one-stop shop,” Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) undersecretary David Almirol Jr. said in a media briefing on Monday. The super app, he explained, is for those who need to set up an appointment to enter the Presidential Action Center. Available for download on Android and iOS devices, it requires users to register through an identity verification process linked to the national ID system. “So, the moment you have registered, you will see the thousands of government services inside our eGov Super App,” he said. As of now, the platform integrates services from 75 national agencies and around 900 local government offices, he added. To allay concerns about data privacy, Almirol explained that no personal data is stored by the DICT. Instead, information remains with each agency. “Each government agency will still maintain its respective systems and databases,” he clarified. “For example, if you access the national ID, the data is with PSA [Philippine Statistics Authority]. If you go to Pag-IBIG [Home Development Mutual Fund] or GSIS [Government Service Insurance System], the data is with those agencies.” The app also includes an e-Report button, which allows users to lodge complaints or report incidents that are automatically routed to the appropriate government office. Each agency responds independently under a decentralized response system. Moreover, Almirol revealed that more features are already being rolled out. A job matching function is now live, enabling users to create digital resumes that can be viewed by employers and recruitment agencies. Integration is also underway with the Department of Tourism to bring travel services onto the app, while the Department of Foreign Affairs’ e-Visa system is already operational, allowing foreign nationals to apply for visas online without needing to visit a consular office. The DICT undersecretary added that work is ongoing to bring more systems from agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Social Security System into the eGov Super App.

  • By James A. Loyola, May 7, 2025; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/07/sec-launches-6-new-digital-platforms-for-ease-of-doing-business The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched six new digital platforms and a modern data center that will enhance the delivery of its services to the public, as part of its efforts to improve the ease of doing business in the country. The Commission unveiled the fourth wave of its digital initiatives, which includes the Hierarchical and Applicable Relations and Beneficial Ownership Registry (HARBOR) and the SEC Verification of Electronic Records and Information Trust and Authentication System (VERITAS). Also launched were the SEC Electronic Exceptional and Alternative Submission Environment (EASE), Electronic Workbench and Analytics Technical Computing HUB (eWATCH), Document Management System (DMS), and Workflow Management System (WMS). To support the expansion of its digital tools, the SEC officially inaugurated the SEC Data Center, an in-house facility that contains the records, applications and servers that will make services faster, more secure, and easier to access. “Over the past few years, the SEC has committed to pursue innovation, in line with the thrust of the Marcos administration to go digital for more efficient delivery of services to the public,” SEC Chairperson Emilio B. Aquino said. He added that, “Our push for digitalization—a core component of sustainability—allows us to fulfill our mandate under the Ease of Doing Business Act. By relying on technology, the SEC makes its services easier, faster, and more secure, thereby satisfying the demand for a more efficient system aligned with local and international regulatory standards.” The new digital tools aim to enhance the SEC’s services to the public and internal processes to enable more efficient operations, in line with the directive of the Marcos administration to digitalize government services for better public service delivery. To improve transparency in beneficial ownership disclosures, the SEC launched HARBOR which will allow authenticated authorized filers to securely submit and update beneficial ownership data. By removing the need for the manual management of beneficial ownership information, the system will reduce delays and errors, enabling the provision of faster and more reliable data to businesses, regulators and government agencies. HARBOR will also contribute to preventing the misuse of corporations for illegal activities, as part of the government’s mission to keep the Philippines out of the grey list of global watchdog Financial Action Task Force. Leveraging blockchain technology, VERITAS will improve document credentialing by allowing multiple authorized parties to approve and sign corporate documents, such as board resolutions and compliance reports, in real time. Meanwhile, EASE will serve as an alternative platform that will cater to the submission of reportorial requirements by corporations under dispute status and are temporarily barred from using their Electronic Filing and Submission Tool accounts to submit annual reports. To boost regulatory compliance, eWATCH will notify corporations of the deadline for filing of reportorial requirements, and flag them for late and non-submission. By providing access to corporations’ compliance status, the digital tool aims to improve the compliance rate on the submission of annual reports, helping them avoid penalties and fostering a culture of accountability. The fourth wave also includes two internal systems that will improve the efficiency of the Commission’s workflows. Addressing the demand to manage and retrieve large volumes of regulatory documents, the SEC rolled out the DMS to improve document traceability, accessibility, and organization. This will allow users to track document changes, providing a clear audit trail and ensuring accountability. DMS will also be deployed at the SEC extension offices to ensure data sovereignty, faster local access and business continuity amid connectivity interruptions. Meanwhile, WMS aims to improve operational efficiency, accountability and service delivery across all departments, by allowing all SEC units to design and configure their own process flows, including document approval, license applications, compliance verifications, or inter-agency coordination. By digitizing internal processes, the SEC equips its workforce with tools that support greater transparency, accountability, and performance monitoring that allows for continuous process improvement. To strengthen its operations, the Commission unveiled the SEC Data Center which will provide secure, scalable, and reliable infrastructure to support the SEC’s digital systems. The data center will enable the SEC to process information faster, reduce downtime, and ensure that its services are consistently available, boosting the Commission’s capacity to exercise regulatory oversight and improve investor protection. “We envision the Data Center to strengthen our response to disruptions by having the ability to handle everything from one place and through our own team of technical experts. In turn, this will pave the way for quicker transactions, better access to services, and stronger data security that will benefit our stakeholders,” Aquino said.

  • By Kris Crismundo, May 5, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1249377 MANILA – The Marcos administration has outlined a long-term plan to generate high-quality jobs, strengthen the country’s workforce, and future-proof the labor supply. The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), along with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), launched the 10-year Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TBP) Plan 2025-2034 in Pasay City on Monday. The country’s first long-term jobs plan satisfies the mandate of Republic Act 11962, or the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, to establish a comprehensive national employment masterplan. The 10-year employment blueprint targets to increase the country’s labor force participation rate to 68.2 percent by 2034. During the launch, DEPDev Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said the Philippines had the lowest percentage of working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking employment at 64.9 percent in 2023, which is below the level of other ASEAN countries. In 2023, Malaysia had the highest labor force participation rate of 70 percent, followed by Indonesia at 69.5 percent, Vietnam at 68.9 percent, and Singapore and Thailand both at 68.6 percent. The government also eyes a 3 percent unemployment rate and a single-digit underemployment rate of 7 to 9 percent by 2034. These targets are below the actual unemployment rate last year at 3.8 percent and underemployment of 13.3 percent. Edillon also shared the priority strategies to meet the targets under the 10-year TPB Plan. For the short and medium term, the government plans to attract more investors to generate quality jobs for Filipinos, improve ease of doing business, promote technology adoption, facilitate school to work transition, expand social protection program, and increase program take-up in skills training especially among the priority groups. “This transformation strengthens our mandate as we integrate various socioeconomic goals into a unified and forward-looking strategy that truly benefits all Filipinos,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. “These evolving trends underscore the urgent need for adaptive policies that foster economic growth and offer essential support to Filipino workers as they navigate these evolving challenges. With our collective effort, we will create an inclusive, efficient, and dynamic labor market environment where Filipinos can access meaningful, quality jobs, enabling them to have a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay.” Adopting AI Edillon also underscored that accelerating the technological adoption, especially artificial intelligence (AI), will improve the productivity of the domestic workforce. In the same event, World Bank lead economist and program leader Gonzalo Varela said around 35 to 37 percent of jobs in the Philippines will be affected by generative AI. “Half of those are likely to be enhanced by AI, but half of those is likely to be replaced by AI,” he said, highlighting the need to accelerate the adoption of AI and upskilling of the local workforce. (PNA)

  • By Bless Aubrey Ogerio, April 29, 2025; BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/04/29/phl-digital-economy-up-by-7-6-to-p2-25-trillion-in-2024/ FUELED by rising e-commerce and tech services, the Philippines’ digital economy expanded by 7.6 percent in 2024, reaching P2.25 trillion, latest government data showed. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) records indicate that the digital economy accounted for 8.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year. “The digital economy encompasses digital transactions under four key components: Digital-enabling infrastructure, Digital content and media, E-commerce, and Government digital services,” the PSA said. Employment in the sector also went up, engaging 11.30 million workers in 2024—a 4.8-percent jump from 10.78 million in 2023. Its share of the total national employment stood at 23.1 percent. E-commerce made up the bulk of employment at 77.9 percent, followed by digital-enabling infrastructure (21.4 percent), digital content and media (0.7 percent), and government digital services (0.1 percent). In terms of value, digital-enabling infrastructure contributed the biggest chunk at P1.88 trillion. Top industries under this segment included professional and business support services (32.7 percent), telecommunications services (24 percent), and ICT manufacturing industries (16.3 percent). Meanwhile, e-commerce contributed 13.5 percent to the digital economy, while digital content and media made up 2.4 percent, and government digital services at 0.3 percent.

  • By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, April 28, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2025/04/28/668987/govt-procurement-portal-handles-p80-million-in-q1-orders-dbm-says/ THE e-marketplace for government procurement booked P80 million worth of transactions in the first quarter, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. DBM Procurement Service Executive Director Genmarie S. Entredicho-Caong told reporters that the e-marketplace processed 86 orders, with 15 of these delivered. “These 15 (are worth) around P31 million. The 86 orders amount to around P80 million,” she said in a briefing on Monday. The e-marketplace started receiving orders in January and turned over its first deliveries in February. Savings from online procurement, which accounts for 70% of the government budget, were estimated at P10 million in the first quarter. She noted that prices of common-use supplies and equipment on the e-marketplace are 30-40% lower than market prices. The portal was established under Republic Act 12009 or the New Government Procurement Act, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in July. Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the earlier government agencies procure goods and services, the faster it helps the economy. “For example, around 30% is allocated to our capital outlay. So that’s infrastructure spending. With infrastructure spending, we know it has the greatest multiplier effect. In terms of jobs, one project can provide many jobs around the community,” she said. In the coming months, the DBM expects to add cloud computing services, airline tickets, software and licenses, ICT equipment, printing materials, and paper products to the e-marketplace. The e-marketplace is still being piloted and a report on its results is due soon with the Government Procurement Policy Board. The Philippines hosted the East Asia and the Pacific International Public Procurement Conference on Monday, co-hosted by the World Bank. The three-day conference brings together 150 procurement regulatory agencies, reformers, innovators, leaders, members of civil society, and development partners from the region.

  • By Julie M. Aurelio. April 27, 2025; Inquirer https://globalnation.inquirer.net/274690/marcos-approves-visas-for-digital-nomads MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has approved the issuance of digital nomad visas (DNVs) to nonimmigrant foreigners who want to temporarily live in the Philippines for remote work. “To further boost tourism and economy in the country, there is a need to establish a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads in the country, or foreign nationals who desire to temporarily stay in the Philippines while engaging in remote work activities for overseas employers or clients,” said Marcos in signing Executive Order No. 86 on Thursday. Issuing special nonimmigrant visas to digital nomads aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and government efforts to promote tourism, economic activity and digital innovation, he said. Who can apply The President also cited data from the World Economic Forum placing the country as the seventh fastest-growing remote work hub in the world in 2023. EO 86 directs the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to issue DNVs to nonimmigrant foreigners or digital nomads who want to temporarily reside and work remotely in the country for overseas employers or clients. A digital nomad refers to a person who travels, live and works remotely from several locations with the help of technology and the internet for connectivity. To be eligible for a DNV, a foreigner must be at least 18 years old and must present proof of remote work using digital technology. He or she must show proof of sufficient income generated outside the Philippines, should have no criminal record, or should be deemed as no security threat. Length of stay The applicant should also have health insurance coverage during the visa’s validity and must be a national of a country that offers DNVs to Filipinos and has a Philippine foreign service post. Foreigners who are issued DNVs are allowed to enter and stay in the country for a maximum period of one year. They may renew the DNVs for the same duration and may be granted multiple entry privileges. The DFA is also tasked to create a database of DNV holders for monitoring purposes and coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration in facilitating the security clearance of those applying for DNVs. Foreigners who come from countries that offer DNVs to Filipinos but do not have a Philippine foreign service post may apply in the nearest country where a Philippine foreign service post is found. Revoking a DNV Under the EO, a DNV may be revoked if the foreigner engages in local employment, commits fraud or misrepresentation in the application, or violates the Philippines’ immigration law. The DNV program will be launched within the next 60 days while the implementing rules and regulations will be issued in the next 30 days.

  • By Derco Rosal. April 15, 2025; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/15/govt-programs-face-stricter-scrutiny-with-updated-evaluation-framework The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have revamped the National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF), introducing stronger oversight and stricter standards for ethical and transparent evaluation of government programs. On Monday, April 14, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan and DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) to reinforce the government’s focus on evidence-based decision-making and strong governance in evaluating priority programs and projects. According to NEDA, the NEPF, created 10 years ago, “provides a systematic approach to evaluating government programs and projects.” Among the major revisions in the updated NEPF was restructuring the Evaluation Task Force into a NEPF Steering Committee for better coordination. It also institutionalizes the national and agency-based evaluation agendas to align with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP). Additionally, it emphasizes the use of high-quality, ethical, and transparent evaluation methods. Balisacan said in an April 15 statement that the revised NEPF is a major governance reform aimed at promoting “a whole-of-government approach to evaluation that supports better policy and budget decisions, drives continuous improvement, and fosters a culture of accountability and learning across agencies. “Today’s ceremonial signing marks a significant milestone in advancing evidence-informed policymaking. It forms part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability, enhance transparency, and improve the government’s capacity to generate actionable insights that elevate public service delivery,” Balisacan urged. As NEDA transitions into the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), it said that the updated policy framework enhances monitoring and evaluation functions, providing government institutions with stronger tools for evidence-based improvements. “Particularly, this framework provides the essential guidance for formulating a national evaluation agenda, overseeing rigorous studies, and, most critically, ensuring that evaluation findings are actively used to refine policies and programs, ultimately helping to maximize their impact and effectiveness,” NEDA said. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have revamped the National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF), introducing stronger oversight and stricter standards for ethical and transparent evaluation of government programs. On Monday, April 14, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan and DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) to reinforce the government’s focus on evidence-based decision-making and strong governance in evaluating priority programs and projects. According to NEDA, the NEPF, created 10 years ago, “provides a systematic approach to evaluating government programs and projects.” Among the major revisions in the updated NEPF was restructuring the Evaluation Task Force into a NEPF Steering Committee for better coordination. It also institutionalizes the national and agency-based evaluation agendas to align with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP). Additionally, it emphasizes the use of high-quality, ethical, and transparent evaluation methods. Balisacan said in an April 15 statement that the revised NEPF is a major governance reform aimed at promoting “a whole-of-government approach to evaluation that supports better policy and budget decisions, drives continuous improvement, and fosters a culture of accountability and learning across agencies. “Today’s ceremonial signing marks a significant milestone in advancing evidence-informed policymaking. It forms part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability, enhance transparency, and improve the government’s capacity to generate actionable insights that elevate public service delivery,” Balisacan urged. As NEDA transitions into the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), it said that the updated policy framework enhances monitoring and evaluation functions, providing government institutions with stronger tools for evidence-based improvements. “Particularly, this framework provides the essential guidance for formulating a national evaluation agenda, overseeing rigorous studies, and, most critically, ensuring that evaluation findings are actively used to refine policies and programs, ultimately helping to maximize their impact and effectiveness,” NEDA said.

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos. April 11, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1247979 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure reorganizing the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) into the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev). Under Republic Act (RA) 12145 inked by Marcos on April 10, the DEPDev will serve as the government’s primary economic and planning agency and the primary policy, planning, coordinating, and monitoring arm of the executive branch on the national economy. “It shall formulate the country’s continuing, integrated, and coordinated policies, plans, and programs for national development for approval by the Economy and Development (ED) Council; ensure the vertical and horizontal alignment and coherence of national and subnational policies, plans, and programs towards optimal use of financial and economic resources; and oversee the country’s public investment program,” the law read. “The DEPDev shall generate and provide impartial, objective, and evidence-based analyses and recommendations for the socio-economic betterment of the nation, particularly the Philippine government, and Filipinos in general,” it added. The new department is directed to undertake consultations with appropriate government agencies, civil society organizations, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, the academe, private sector, and local government units (LGUs) to incorporate their priority needs in the formulation of policies, plans, programs, and projects. Composition The DEPDev will be composed of the Office of the Secretary, the Offices of the Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries, technical and sectoral staff, operations support staff, and Regional Offices. “The DEPDev shall formulate a long-term vision, hereinafter referred to as the Vision, which embodies the long-term aspirations of all Filipinos. It shall be data-driven and evidence-based, encompassing all dimensions of economic, social, and environmental development,” according to RA 12145. “The DEPDev shall formulate the country’s long-term development framework, hereinafter referred to as the Framework. The Framework is a high-level and broad strategy spanning 25 years that shall guide the country toward sustainable growth and development and the attainment of the Vision,” it added. The DEPDev Secretary, as the country’s chief economist, is directed to advise the President and the Cabinet on matters of national and subnational economic and social development. The Secretary is also mandated to provide regular reports on the state of the economy and future challenges; lead public discourse on the latest trends, strategic issues, future thinkings, and key developments; and provide executive direction and supervision over and establish policies and standards for the department’s efficient and effective operations. The department head is also tasked to exercise disciplinary powers over officers and employees of the DEPDev and promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of the DEPDev’s mandate, objectives, and policies. Attached agencies The agencies currently attached to the NEDA will be attached to the DEPDev and will continue to operate and function, in accordance with their respective charters, laws, rules, and regulations, or orders on their creation, except as otherwise provided in RA 12145, the Administrative Code of 1987, and subsequent laws. The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency and the Tariff Commission will be attached to the DEPDev for purposes of administrative supervision. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the Commission on Population and Development, the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines will serve as attached agencies of the DEPDev for purposes of policy and program coordination. The DEPDev will establish, operate, and maintain an office in each region of the country, except in Metro Manila and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. “Each regional office shall be headed by a Regional Director, who shall be assisted by an Assistant Regional Director. The DEPDev Regional Offices shall discharge the functions of the DEPDev, as applicable, at the regional level,” according to the law. Planning call Another key reform under RA 12145 is the institutionalization of the Planning Call, which seeks to further strengthen the linkages between planning, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation by establishing clear standards, guidelines, and accountability mechanisms. The initiative streamlines the integration of development priorities into the budgeting process, reducing inefficiencies and delays, promoting transparency and accountability in government decision-making, and ensuring that public resources are channeled to programs and projects most responsive or proven impactful to the country’s development needs. The Planning Call mandates all government agencies to prioritize and facilitate the submission of inputs and carry out actions pertinent to plan formulation, including the organization of the plan steering committee and other planning committees. It also provides the standards, guidelines, and accountability mechanisms to ensure linkage of planning with budgeting, and the harmonization of national, subnational, sectoral, and spatial plans and programs. NEDA Board reorganization Based on RA 12145, the NEDA Board will also be reconstituted as the Economy and Development (ED) Council, which will be headed by the President of the Philippines. The ED will serve as the executive collegial body responsible for directing and providing overall policy direction on economic matters to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development. RA 12145 takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. (PNA)

  • By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, April 4, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/04/04/664003/march-inflation-slows-to-near-5-year-low/ Inflation eased to its lowest annual rate in nearly five years in March, as food and transport costs rose at a slower pace. Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the consumer price index rose to 1.8% in March, easing from the 2.1% in February and 3.7% a year ago. It was within the 1.7%-2.5% forecast from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), but slightly below the 2% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll of 18 analysts last week. The March print was the lowest in 58 months or since the 1.6% logged in May 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first quarter, inflation averaged 2.2%, well within the central bank’s 2-4% target. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the continued decline in inflation shows the effectiveness of government efforts to stabilize prices. “While the inflation rate continues to ease and remain within the target range, we commit to monitoring risks and shocks, particularly on anticipated electricity rate hikes and higher prices of fish and meat, and addressing them through timely and targeted interventions,” he said. Core inflation, which excludes volatile prices of food and fuel, eased to 2.2% in March from 2.4% in the previous month and 3.4% a year prior. “The main reason for the lower inflation rate in March 2025 compared to February 2025 is the slower increase in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose by 2.2%,” National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said in mixed English and Filipino on Friday. The food and non-alcoholic beverages index rose to 2.2% in March, slowing from 2.6% in February and 5.6% in the same month in 2024. Food inflation further eased to 2.3% in March from 2.6% a month ago and 5.7% the year prior. This was mainly due to cereals and cereal products, which declined to 5.2% in March from the 3% drop in February and a reversal of the 17.3% increase in the same month last year. Rice inflation further contracted to 7.7% in March from the 4.9% decline in February. This was the lowest rice inflation since the 8.4% contraction in March 2020, Mr. Mapa said. “Rice prices have significantly decreased, as you may remember that when the tariff reduction started, the drop in rice prices was quite slow. But this March, there has been a substantial decrease — overall rice reduction is -7.7%,” Mr. Mapa said. Executive Order 62, which took effect in July 2024, slashed tariffs on rice imports to 15% from 35% until 2028 to curb inflation. The Department of Agriculture (DA) in February declared a food security emergency on rice, which authorized the National Food Authority to release buffer stocks at subsidized prices. The DA also further lowered the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of 5% broken imported rice to P49 per kilo from P52 per kilo, starting March 1. According to Mr. Mapa, the average price of regular milled rice nationwide fell by 9.8% to P46.09 in March compared to P51.11 in the same month last year. The average price of well-milled rice slipped by 7.4% to P52.25 from P56.44 in March 2024. Meanwhile, the price of special rice fell to P60.15 per kilo from P64.75 in the same month a year earlier. Mr. Mapa noted the annual price growth of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, particularly pork meat. It eased to 8.2% in March from 8.8% in the previous month. At the same time, transport inflation was also a source of slower inflation in March, as it contracted to 1.1% from the 0.2% drop in February. Gasoline prices declined at a faster pace to 7.5% in March from the 4.7% drop in the month prior. Diesel costs also dropped at a quicker pace to 5% in March, from the 3.4% dip in February. In March, pump price adjustments stood at a net decrease of P1.50 a liter for gasoline, P1.10 a liter for diesel and P2.40 a liter for kerosene. “Also contributing to the decrease in transport inflation is the slower increase in the prices of other passenger transport by road, which had an inflation rate of 0.2%. This specifically includes tricycle fares,” Mr. Mapa said. Mr. Mapa also noted the slower annual growth in the restaurants and accommodation services index to 2.3% in March from 2.8% a month ago. Meanwhile, the PSA cited meat of pigs with 2.8% inflation rate as main contributor to the March inflation. This was followed by restaurants, cafe and the like, meat of poultry (10.8%), rentals (1.6%) and other pelagic fish (2.4%). “In our food basket, meat prices are high, followed by fish. Vegetables have slightly decreased but remain relatively high. The high meat prices are primarily due to pork, which has been triggered by supply issues related to ASF (African Swine Fever),” Mr. Mapa said. Meanwhile, inflation for the bottom 30% of income households further decelerated to 1.1% in March from 1.5% in February and 4.6% a year ago. Consumer prices in the National Capital Region (NCR) eased to 2.1% in March from 2.3% in February. Outside NCR, inflation slowed to 1.8% from 2%. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort attributed the slower inflation in March to better weather conditions that slowed down the increase in food and vegetable prices, particularly rice. He noted world rice prices are at the lowest in over three years or since November 2021. Mr. Ricafort also cited the stronger peso versus the US dollar that reduced import prices and overall inflation, as well as lower global crude oil prices. Analysts said the March inflation print gives the central bank room to cut interest rates at next week’s meeting. “More benign inflation at 1.8% in March 2025 or already slightly below the lower end of the 2%-4% BSP inflation target would support monetary easing particularly possible -0.25 BSP rate cut as early as the April 10 BSP Read More…

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, March 28, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1247041 MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will launch digital tools to monitor the government’s financial transactions and the status of infrastructure projects, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Friday. During the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines’ (FINEX) third general membership meeting at the Makati Shangri-la, Pangandaman said the real-time application for the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and the Budget Treasury Management System (BTMS) would be accessible to the public soon. She said the DBM is already in the transition phase, adding that it is working with few government departments to ensure the success of the launching of the application. “It’s a real-time application that you will see on our website soon,” Pangandaman said, when asked about the government’s efforts to ensure the efficient utilization and monitoring of the national budget. “It’s a real-time application wherein everyone, including the public, can see all the government transactions, all the money that we sent to different agencies, the money that is given to our suppliers and contractors, and at the same time, whether the money is being spent on time,” she added. Pangandaman acknowledged that the public is not aware of the government’s “real” financial health because currently, agencies have to manually submit their quarterly reports on their transactions. She said the manual submission of government transactions makes it difficult for the agencies to submit their reports on time. “And even if we remind the agencies to submit a quarterly report, we don’t get on time because it’s manual,” Pangandaman said, noting that the DBM is getting the reports a month after the deadline. The IFMIS aims to create a primary tool and a “single source of truth” for all fiscal-related transactions, facilitating the faster release of data and preventing red tape and other corruption-related activities. It will also pave the way for the implementation of paperless transactions and the reduction of government expenses on manual transactions. A crucial part of IFMIS is the BTMS, a centralized database that covers all government financial operations, from purchase to payment, and real-time transaction monitoring. On top of the real-time application for government’s financial transactions, the DBM would soon launch the Project DIME (Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation), a real-time web-based tool that will allow the public to monitor the implementation of infrastructure projects, Pangandaman said. “And at the same time, the public can actually comment whether those projects that we show in our website are true,” she said. “From our end, we try to be more transparent and accountable. Whatever I see in the budget document, we would like to ensure that this is being reported to the public [in] advance, even prior to audit reporting because audit reporting comes after.” The Project DIME uses technologies such as satellites, drones, and geotagging to monitor the status of major projects, with a goal to enhance government transparency and accountability, encourage citizen participation, and ensure that the public funds are well-spent. (PNA)

  • By Derco Rosal, March 27, 2025; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/27/anti-corruption-push-trade-overhauls-to-fuel-philippine-growth-beyond-8-by-2029 Improving cross-border trade and combating government corruption could transform the Philippine economy into a more sophisticated and investor-attractive one, propelling growth by an additional three percent over four years. “Combining deliberate, ambitious structural overhauls can help the region’s largest economies achieve higher potential economic growth and sustainably attain high income levels,” Anne-Charlotte Paret Onorato, economist at International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Asia-Pacific department, said in a blog published March 25. Onorato said the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are the “five largest emerging markets out of 10 economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).” On average, these major ASEAN economies could increase long-term real economic output by up to two percent after two years and up to three percent after four years should they implement comprehensive and simultaneous economy-wide reforms. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5.6 percent last year, falling largely short of the government’s revised target of six to 6.5 percent. For 2025, the Marcos administration is confident of hitting six-percent growth or higher. If the government achieves even the lower end of its 2025 target, the domestic economy could accelerate by about nine percent, with the simultaneous reforms already factored in. Specifically, Onorato said the broad areas when policymakers should focus on are “trade, economic openness, economic sophistication, investment and governance conditions, and human development.“ According to Onorato, while the major ASEAN economies are generally “more open than the average emerging market,” they remain to have “more barriers to trade—and are relatively harder to trade with” compared to advanced economies. What would help the five largest emerging ASEAN countries accelerate their growth would be “improving logistics and trade facilitation to make cross-border transactions faster, cheaper, and less uncertain,” Onorato said. Aside from improving the trade system, countries should also focus on leveling up the quality of education and employment programs. “Spending more and better on high-quality education, improving the quality of learning, and better matching skills with jobs would help these countries improve productivity and move up the sophistication ladder for the economy at large (rather than just in specific sectors),” Onorato said. Anti-corruption measures Pushing for economic reforms might suffer political setbacks, Onorato noted. Thus, a coordinated approach to implementing reforms is suggested. There were no specific courses of action to take but the economist said governance and efforts combating corruption should be strengthened. “The quality of the infrastructure would also support accountability and business certainty and likely improve investment,” Onorato further said. All of these taken, Onorato reiterated that major simultaneous reforms could significantly raise the country’s economic output levels. This would contrast to a “more modest” economict benefits from a major reform enacted alone. “Wide-ranging reforms can build resilience to shocks in the face of uncertainties and help the private sector drive growth,” she added.

  • March 25, 2025 11:30 am

    PHL, Japan ink P65-B loan deals

    By A.R.A. Inosante, March 25, 2025; Business World https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/03/25/661416/phl-japan-ink-p65-b-loan-deals/ The Philippines has secured P65.43 billion worth of loans from Japan to fund big-ticket infrastructure projects such as a four-lane bypass road in Davao City and two major flood control projects in Metro Manila. The five financing agreements were signed by Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Country Chief Representative Baba Takashi during a high-level meeting on Monday, the Department of Finance (DoF) said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to the government of Japan for its confidence in our ability to turn these projects into realities. On the part of the Philippine government, we will honor this trust by ensuring that every peso, every yen, and every commitment made today translates into real improvements to the people we serve,” Mr. Recto was quoted as saying. “Indeed, Japan is not just a friend in words but in action. And today is just one of the many proofs that our friendship is growing stronger each day through concrete efforts.” The Davao City Bypass Construction Project (III) will receive financing worth ¥46.34 billion (around P17.67 billion). The project involves the construction of a 45.5-kilometer, four-lane bypass road that aims to improve mobility and facilitate trade in Davao City. The Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project Phase IV (II) will get funding worth ¥45.76 billion (around P17.45 billion). The project will involve measures to control flooding in Metro Manila, such as the construction of dikes, revetments, flood gates, as well as channel dredging. Japan will also provide ¥14.48 billion (P5.52 billion) in financing for the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project (II). The project also seeks to reduce flood risks in the lower San Juan River Basin and Maalimango Creek Drainage Area.  The DoF and JICA also signed agreements to provide budget support financing for climate change and health initiatives. The Climate Change Action Program (Subprogram 2) will receive ¥35 billion (around P13.35 billion) “to boost climate adaptation, mitigation, and disaster preparedness initiatives.” On the other hand, the Build Universal Health Care program (Subprogram 2) will receive ¥30 billion (P11.44 billion) to boost access to healthcare as well as address “gender-specific needs and climate-related health concerns.” Mr. Recto and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan led the Philippine delegation to the 15th Philippines-Japan High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation. The meeting was aimed at accelerating the rollout of Japan-supported projects in the Philippines. The Japanese delegation was led by Mori Masafumi, special adviser to the Japanese prime minister. According to the DoF statement, Japan is in discussions with the Philippines to support more infrastructure projects. These include the Central Mindanao High Standard Highway, the second San Juanico Bridge Construction Project, the Flood Control and Drainage Project in Davao City, the Paranaque Spillway Project, the National Public Broadcasting Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Network Development Project, and the Magat Dam Reconstruction Project. “The Philippine government likewise presented prospects for future infrastructure development with a specific focus on public-private partnership (PPP) integration and official development assistance (ODA) financing as the country makes its ascent to upper middle-income status,” the DoF said. Under the World Bank’s classification, the Philippines is still a lower middle-income country but is on track to move to middle-income status by 2026. Once the Philippines reaches upper middle-income status, the country will lose access to ODA loans that are typically long-term and have low interest rates. According to the latest ODA portfolio review, Japan was the biggest source of loans and grants with $12.07 billion or 32.36% of the $37.29-billion total value in 2023. At the same time, the DoF said the Japanese government reaffirmed its commitment to support the administration’s “Build Better More” program during the meeting, as well as ways to fast-track the rollout of major projects funded by Japan. These include the Metro Manila Subway Project (Phase I), the North-South Commuter Railway Project, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Rehabilitation Project, the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project, and the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project. Meanwhile, the World Bank has sought input from the NEDA as it prepares for the formulation of their Poverty and Equity Assessment (PEA) report. Mr. Balisacan met with World Bank Country Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei Zafer Mustafaoğlu on March 20. The World Bank conducted a poverty assessment for the country in 2001 and 2018. “They now seek to create an updated version in light of the country’s recent economic and poverty developments. The World Bank’s consultation with NEDA is among one of the many efforts to ensure that our inputs will be used as reference in the contents of the PEA,” the NEDA said in a Viber message.

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, March 20, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1246487 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed former UnionDigital Bank president and chief executive officer Henry Rhoel Aguda as the new secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Aguda’s latest appointment was announced by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Thursday. “Aguda’s experience spans the banking, technology and telecommunications sectors,” the PCO said in a statement. “His specialty is in digital transformation, digital banking and financial crimes,” it added. Aguda replaced Ivan John Uy who resigned earlier this month. Prior to his new appointment, Aguda served as the Digital Infrastructure Lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), a council tasked to assist the Marcos administration in fostering innovative synergies between the private and public sectors. Before joining UnionDigital Bank, he was the board chairperson of both City Savings Bank and UBX Philippines. Aguda also worked as director of Insular Health Care, BancNet, Metaverse Ventures and Platforms and Philippine Clearing House Corp.; senior executive vice president, among other positions, at Union Bank of the Philippines; and chief technology officer at Amihan Global Strategies, Globe Telecom, Government Service Insurance System, and Digitel. He was also in charge of software development services at WeServ Systems International, led Nextel’s information operations, was assistant vice president at Bayantel Communication Holdings, and managed the corporate data network for the Manila Electric Company. Aguda completed his Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree at the University of the Philippines, graduating cum laude in both instances. He also took graduate studies in Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and joined the Strategic Alliance Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Aguda is currently taking his master’s degree in Applied Business Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific. (PNA)

  • By Justine Irish D. Tabile, March 19, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/03/19/660259/philippines-now-moderately-free-in-economic-aspects-global-index/ THE Philippines went up six notches to 82nd out of 176 countries and is now considered “moderately free,” according to a global index on economic freedom by The Heritage Foundation. In the 2025 Index of Economic Freedom, the US-based conservative think tank said the Philippines’ score increased by 1.6 points to 60.6 from 59 in 2024. The Philippines ranked 88th in last year’s index. The country’s latest ranking is now equivalent to an economic freedom status of “moderately free,” after being “mostly unfree” in 2024. Singapore (84.1) topped this year’s index as the freest economy, followed by Switzerland (83.7), Ireland (83.1), Taiwan (79.7), and Luxembourg (79.5). The bottom five countries include North Korea (176th), Cuba (175th), Venezuela (174th), Zimbabwe (173rd), and Sudan (172nd). Among 39 Asia-Pacific countries, the Philippines ranked 16th, surpassing the 58.3 regional average and some of its Association of Southeast Asian Nations peers — Thailand (84th), Cambodia (98th), and Laos (140th). However, the country lagged behind Malaysia (44th), Brunei Darussalam (46th), Indonesia (60th), and Vietnam (61st). The index measures 12 aspects of economic freedom, which are grouped into four broad pillars — rule of law, government size, regulatory efficiency, and market openness. Under the pillar of rule of law, the country scored 47.4 in property rights, 42.5 in judicial effectiveness, and 35.3 in government integrity. “The overall rule of law is weak in the Philippines. The country’s property rights score is below the world average; its judicial effectiveness score is below the world average; and its government integrity score is below the world average,” said the Heritage Foundation. Under the government size pillar, the country scored 79.1 in tax burden, 79.9 in government spending, and 47.7 in fiscal health. According to the think tank, the country’s regulatory environment is “well institutionalized but lacks efficiency.” This is reflected in its business freedom score of 69.1, labor freedom score of 57.7, and monetary freedom score of 69.8. In terms of being an open market, the country scored 79.2 in trade freedom and 60 in investment and financial freedom. “Foreign investment is generally welcome, and the investment code treats foreign investors the same as it treats domestic investors. The financial sector is dominated by banking and is relatively stable, but capital markets are underdeveloped,” the think tank said. According to the think tank, the Philippine economy has been on a steady path of expansion despite the challenging global economic environment. “The government has pursued legislative reforms to enhance the entrepreneurial environment and develop a stronger private sector to generate broader-based job growth,” the think tank said. “Regulatory efficiency has been notably enhanced. The economy has expanded at an average annual rate of more than 6% over the past three years,” it added. However, The Heritage Foundation said that institutional challenges continue to persist with corruption continuing to undermine long-term economic development in the Philippines. Leonardo A. Lanzona, an economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said the Philippines’ score reflects its “import dependent character which resulted in lower tariffs.” “While this may be good news to consumers, it may not bode well to producers. While lower tariffs are not necessarily bad, it is still crucial to develop our production,” Mr. Lanzona said in a Facebook message. “Monetary policies are also generally sensitive to market needs, but the country needs to focus on the real sector to enjoy these gains in economic freedom,” he added. John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, said that the report showed the Philippines’ progress in the areas of fiscal health, monetary stability, and trade freedom. “The government’s efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability despite global headwinds, improve tax collection efficiency, and advance infrastructure and digitalization have likely contributed to better scores,” Mr. Rivera said in a Viber message. However, he said that the country remains challenged in the areas of regulatory efficiency, judicial effectiveness, and corruption control. “To further improve, the country can focus on streamlining business regulations to reduce red tape and lower the cost of compliance for micro, small and medium enterprises,” he said. He added that the country should strengthen the rule of law and contract enforcement which will help boost investor confidence. Ateneo School of Government Dean and Economics Professor Philip Arnold P. Tuaño said that among the highlights of the report are the significant increases in the country’s scores in fiscal health, monetary freedom, and trade freedom. “The Philippines stayed the same in terms of its public debt to gross domestic product ratio and was able to service its significant government debt; there is some movement in terms of the implementation of tax reform in the country,” said Mr. Tuaño in an e-mail. Meanwhile, he attributed the slight increase in the country’s score on “property rights” to the increased digitalization efforts on land registration. “There is also a slight increase in government integrity as a result of the legislation of the new procurement law, which will allow greater transparency and accountability, even if there is still weak enforcement,” Mr. Tuaño added. For Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III, coordinator of Action for Economic Reforms, some indicators in the index do not necessarily lead to good outcomes. “The proper use of tools is very contextual. It doesn’t mean, for example, that an open or liberal capital account is always good. It can likewise be problematic. A very open capital account can hurt the real economy,” said Mr. Sta. Ana in a Viber message. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said that the country’s better ranking can be attributed to the passage of measures that eased foreign ownership restrictions, as well as economic reforms. “All of these helped in the country’s economic freedom, especially from the point of view of international investors,” he added. “Higher governance standards are also required to further improve economic freedom rankings… as corruption impedes further economic growth and development of the country.”

  • March 13, 2025 11:42 am

    BSP could cut by 50 bps this year

    By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, May 13, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/03/13/659037/bsp-could-cut-by-50-bps-this-year/ THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has “greater motivation” to reduce borrowing costs further, analysts said, with expectations of up to 50 basis points (bps) worth of rate cuts this year. “As we look at our gross domestic product (GDP) figures and inflation rates, we can see that there’s more of a greater motivation for the central bank to actually cut rates now,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Equity Analyst Alexandra G. Yatco said on Money Talks with Cathy Yang on One News. In a report, Bank of America (BofA) Global Research said it expects a total of 50 bps worth of easing this year. “We currently see one 25-bp cut in the second quarter and then one more in the fourth quarter, bringing the overnight borrowing rate to 5.25% by end-2025,” it said. “Central banks across ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) have adopted a wait-and-watch approach, looking for periodic opportunities to ease monetary conditions to mitigate growing uncertainty, emanating from US trade policy, a steady yet slow China, and falling inflation.” Despite keeping the benchmark rate steady at 5.75% last month amid “global trade uncertainties,” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said they are still on an easing mode. He signaled that a rate cut is still on the table at the Monetary Board’s next rate-setting meeting on April 10. “With capital outflows dominating capital markets, central banks have stepped up to inject liquidity both to domestic money markets and foreign exchange markets, while tactically cutting policy rates as and when they can,” BofA said. “We expect this behavior to continue for some time, especially since real rates remain high, growth is uninspiring, and currencies are under pressure.” BofA said central banks in the region will look to cut rates given the opportunity, as long as this does not disrupt domestic and external stability parameters “Despite the meandering path central banks have chosen to take, the macro backdrop and our baseline forecasts still point towards broadly stable growth rates, low inflation, and stable fiscal positions,” it added. BofA expects Philippine inflation to remain within the central bank’s 2-4% target band. So far, headline inflation has averaged 2.5% in the first two months. “Most importantly, real rates remain high across all economies, giving space to cut rates and ease monetary conditions if needed,” it added. Meanwhile, BofA said ASEAN banks are expected to “slowly diverge from the Fed.” “As such, with significant uncertainty, we expect ASEAN central banks to keep balancing between global factors such as US policy rates and the (US dollar index), and domestic growth and inflation backdrop.” This could make the path of monetary policy “more erratic and uncertain, resulting in increased policy divergence between the Fed and the ASEAN economies, contrary to previous business cycles.” TARIFF CONCERNS Meanwhile, BofA also flagged the potential impacts from retaliatory tariffs on the Philippines. “The concerns around tariffs seem to be affecting the growth side more than the inflation front. As the export demand falls or global trade slows, ASEAN economies could be at a greater risk of a growth slowdown than the risk of an immediate inflationary spiral.” “Thus, economies such as Philippines and Thailand where domestic demand has remained sub-par could face further headwinds on the external front requiring a more initiative-taking policy,” it added. Reuters reported President Donald J. Trump’s increased tariffs on all US steel and aluminum imports took effect on Wednesday, stepping up a campaign to reorder global trade in favor of the US and drawing swift retaliation from Europe. (Related story “Global trade war looms as Trump’s metal tariffs kick in”). “For the Philippines, the benefit of being a domestic-oriented economy and having a less binding relationship with the US provides it some respite, but tariffs on Philippine exports to the US, especially if aimed at electronics, could diminish its surplus with the US and worsen its overall trade deficit.” The Philippines’ trade-in-goods deficit widened to $5.09 billion in January, the widest deficit in three months.

  • By Louise Maureen Simeon, March 11, 2025; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/03/11/2427384/government-releases-record-p49-trillion-cash-allocations Manila, Philippines — The government released a record P4.9 trillion in cash allocations last year largely to finance infrastructure projects, as well as the education sector, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. Latest data from the DBM showed that the release of notice of cash allocations (NCAs) for 2024 rose by 10 percent to P4.9 trillion from P4.45 trillion in 2023. Even with the increase, government agencies recorded a higher utilization rate of 99 percent from 98 percent the year prior. This means that of the total releases, only some P72.6 billion was left unused as of end-2024. NCAs are disbursement orders by the DBM to government banks servicing the release of funds to agencies. State agencies are expected to use the NCAs to pay for the cash requirements of their programs and projects. A higher utilization ratio indicates greater capacity of agencies to implement their programs and projects. About 76 percent of NCA releases were secured by line departments at P3.72 trillion. The remaining 24 percent or P1.18 trillion was directed to other agencies, especially state-run firms and local governments. By sector, other agencies managed to use up the entire allocation for them to cover the internal revenue allotment, special shares and other transfers for LGUs. Line departments, on the other hand, registered a better utilization rate of 98 percent or P3.65 trillion for the NCAs they received in 2024. In 2023, the spending rate was at 97 percent. By departments, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) still obtained the highest NCAs worth P968.86 billion and P730.68 billion, respectively. Data showed that DPWH managed to utilize its entire allocation while DepEd used up 98 percent. Aside from the DPWH, the Departments of Interior and Local Government, Labor and Employment and Social Welfare and Development; the Judiciary, Commission on Elections, Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Human Rights also recorded a 100 percent utilization rate. Other agencies that posted above 95 percent usage rate include the Departments of Agrarian Reform, Foreign Affairs, Health, National Defense, Tourism and Transportation; the National Economic and Development Authority, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit as well as state colleges and universities. The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development registered the worst utilization rate last year at only 67 percent of its NCAs totaling P2.25 billion out of the P3.37 billion allocation. The DBM came in second with a utilization rate of 72 percent at P2.2 billion out of P3.6 billion, while the Department of Migrant Workers is in third with a spending rate of 82 percent.

  • By Pia Lee-Brago, March 10, 2025; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/03/10/2427227/philippine-underscores-commitment-human-rightsat-un-panel MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has underscored its commitment to advancing human rights through inclusive governance and country-led partnerships. At a panel discussion on “The Fourth Philippine Human Rights Plan (PHRP4): A Call to Action, A Blueprint for Country-Led Partnerships,” held on the sidelines of the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles Jose stated that the plan is a roadmap for mainstreaming human rights in the Philippines’ national  development agenda with special focus on providing the necessary protection and  opportunities for advancement to individuals and groups in situations of vulnerability. “The PHRP4 reinforces the Philippines’ role as a staunch partner in the Human Rights Council, ensuring that human rights remain at the center of national policies and programs,” Jose said. Undersecretary Severo Catura of the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat (PHRCS) emphasized that the PHRP4 was crafted through an inclusive and participatory process involving 485 civil society organizations and over 500 individual grassroots stakeholders from across the Philippines and the Commission on Human Rights. The Plan consists of eight chapters covering civil and political rights, economic and social rights, gender equality, child rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, elimination of racial discrimination, migrant workers’ rights, and the prohibition of torture and other inhumane treatment. These align with the core human rights treaties ratified by the Philippines. The PHRP4 fulfills one of the three pledges made by the Philippine government during the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva in December 2023. “It is a call for action for governance that is firmly rooted on human rights and a nation that embraces and empowers all, especially the vulnerable and marginalized,” Catura added. Permanent Representative Carlos Sorreta, who served as moderator, said “The Philippines is investing in human rights and taking full ownership of continuing its efforts to further strengthen national human rights and accountability mechanisms. In implementing the Plan, the government will continue to engage external partners through concrete and cost-effective cooperative initiatives.” Abner Manlapaz, co-founder of Life Haven Center for Independent Living and senior associate at the Center for Inclusive Policy, represented civil society and shared his experience and insights from his direct involvement in the crafting of the Plan. “Moving forward, we call upon governments to deepen their collaboration with civil society, create enabling spaces for dialogue, and ensure that human rights remain a shared responsibility,” Manlapaz stated. The side event, organized by the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and the PHRCS, was attended by representatives of states, international organizations and civil society. It is in line with the country’s longstanding policy of active engagement in the Human Rights Council, whose 58th session runs from Feb. 24 to April 4.

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, March 6, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/1245563 MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) signed on Thursday a joint memorandum circular strengthening the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) approach, as part of the efforts to promote the efficient and effective allocation and management of fiscal resources. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Socio-Economic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director General Arsenio Balisacan signed the joint memorandum circular in a ceremony at the DBM’s central office in San Miguel, Manila. “Consistent with the commitment of institutionalizing the PCB strategy in the budget process, this Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) is being issued to further strengthen the planning-programming-budgeting continuum; institutionalize the PCB’s role in government planning; strengthen compliance across departments or agencies; and ensure consistency in implementation of existing and prospective PCB programs,” the document read. Under the JMC, lead and participating departments and agencies are directed to establish and develop mechanisms toward a more effective and efficient implementation of existing and prospective PCB programs. The JMC also creates the PCB Steering Committee (PCB-SC), an oversight body that will ensure the harmonized, coordinated, complementary, and synergized implementation of the PCB approach across all departments and agencies. According to the JMC, the PCB-SC will be chaired by the NEDA Secretary and co-chaired by the DBM Secretary. Authorized representatives, preferably with the rank of undersecretary, or their equivalent, will be designated as principal alternates to the PCB-SC Chairperson and Co-chairperson. The PCB-SC is tasked to identify and approve the PCB programs based on the national government’s overall plan and priorities towards a more strategic and top-down approach; establish the rules for the enrollment and delisting of PCB programs and their participating agencies; and determine the rules for the conduct of PCB meetings and in the deliberation of budget proposals under the respective PCB programs. It is also mandated to establish guidelines for resolving issues on programs, activities, and projects with multiple attributions; direct the establishment of a digital system for the management, use, and sharing of data and information on PCB programs; and oversee and monitor the implementation of the PCB programs. Pangandaman said the issuance of the JMC aims to strengthen the linkage between planning and budgeting to reduce the incidence of overlapping programs. “Despite the noble aspirations and goals that the PCB approach may have, we have encountered some issues and challenges throughout its implementation, which we deem necessary to be addressed if we really want for the PCB to be a major tool of the administration and the government. The first issue is most of the PCB programs are being implemented through an ad hoc approach or as needed, especially during the budget preparation process,” she said. “In this regard, collaboration is enhanced among departments that are working towards the same sectoral goals,” Pangandaman added. Balisacan stressed the need to tighten the links between planning, programming, and budgeting. He said the PCB strategy plays a critical role in ensuring that scarce public resources are effectively allocated toward programs, activities, and projects that align with the Marcos administration’s socioeconomic agenda and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. “Sufficient resources must be prudently managed and directed toward their implementation for plans to be considered effective,” he said.

  • By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, March 6, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/03/06/657543/inflation-eases-sharply-in-february/ HEADLINE INFLATION sharply decelerated in February to its slowest print in five months, preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed. The consumer price index (CPI) eased to 2.1% in February from 2.9% in January and 3.4% a year ago. It was below the 2.2%-3% forecast from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This was the slowest inflation print in five months or since the 1.9% clip in September 2024. The February print was also well below the 2.6% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll of 18 analysts conducted last week. Inflation averaged 2.5% in the first two months, well within the central bank’s 2-4% target. Core inflation eased to 2.4% in February from 2.6% in the previous month and 3.6% a year prior. Core inflation discounts volatile prices of food and fuel. PSA Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia L. Del Prado said the main source of deceleration during the month was the heavily weighted food and nonalcoholic beverage index, accounting for a 58.8% share to the downtrend in inflation. The index slowed to 2.6% in February from 3.8% in January and 4.6% in the same month in 2024. Food inflation eased to 2.6% in February from 4% a month ago and 4.8% the year prior. Cereals and cereal products, which include rice, fell to 3% in February from the 1.1% drop in January. Rice inflation decreased to 4.9% in February from the 2.3% drop in January. This was the lowest rice inflation print since the 5.7% contraction in April 2020. In February, the average price of regular milled rice fell to P47.23 per kilo from P50.44 a year earlier. Well-milled rice prices slipped to P53.46 a kilo from P55.93 a year ago, while special rice dropped to P62.65 a kilo from P64.42 a year ago. “We are seeing the effect of the food security emergency, because we were able to release buffer stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA),” Ms. Del Prado said. The Agriculture department last month declared a food security emergency on rice, which authorized the NFA to release buffer stocks at subsidized prices. Local government units can buy NFA rice at P33 per kilo and sell it to the public at P35 per kilo. In mid-February, the department also lowered the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of 5% broken imported rice to P52 per kilo from P55 previously. This was further slashed to P49 per kilo, starting March 1. Ms. Del Prado said rice inflation could remain in the negative for the rest of the year amid continued interventions by the government. Meanwhile, the inflation of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses decelerated to 7.1% in February from 21.1% a month prior. Though still elevated, several vegetables posted a slower annual increase in prices. In particular, cabbage slowed to 33.4% in February from 39% in January; okra to 5.5% from 15.3%; and squash to 8.6% from 16.4%. On the other hand, meat of pigs was the top contributor to February inflation, accounting for 16.2% or 0.3 percentage point to inflation. The inflation of pig meats rose to 12.1% in February from 8.4% in January. This could be attributed to the rise in African Swine Fever cases, PSA’s Ms. Del Prado said. For example, the average retail price of fresh pork kasim rose to P352.89 per kilo in February from P337.38 per kilo in the prior month. The government’s plan to impose an MSRP on pork would help slow down inflation. “Once there is a maximum suggested retail price for pork, it might lead to a deceleration or even a negative inflation for pork,” Ms. Del Prado said. PSA data showed the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels index slowed to 1.6% in February from 2.2% in January. Electricity inflation dropped to 1% from the 0.2% acceleration a month ago. This even as Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) raised the overall rate by P0.2834 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P12.0262 per kWh in February from P11.7428 per kWh in January. Inflation of rentals also eased to 1.6% from 2% while liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices slowed to 3.7% from 4.7%. Transport inflation was also a source of slower inflation in February, as it edged lower to 0.2% from the 1.1% rise in January. In February, pump price adjustments stood at a net decrease of P0.05 a liter for diesel and P0.90 a liter for kerosene. However, gasoline had a net increase of P2.1 a liter. Meanwhile, inflation for the bottom 30% of income households decelerated to 1.5% in February from 2.4% in January and 4.2% a year ago. Consumer prices in the National Capital Region (NCR) eased to 2.3% in February from 2.8% in January. Outside NCR, inflation slowed to 2% from 2.9%. EFFORTS TO TAME PRICES “This sustained downward trend confirms that our proactive measures to curb inflation are delivering results, especially on helping alleviate the burden on vulnerable sectors,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said. National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan likewise said the downtrend in inflation shows the government’s efforts are working to tame prices. “However, we will not be complacent in addressing causes of commodity price increases, particularly for food, to help uplift the lives of poor and vulnerable Filipino families, especially,” he added. Mr. Balisacan said the government will continue to sustain its efforts to keep inflation manageable. However, he warned the country may be hit by six to 13 typhoons from March to August. “The Department of Agriculture (DA) will implement the La Niña action plan to restore agricultural productive capacity in areas likely to be affected by continuous rainfall, flooding, and landslides. The action plan includes water management, financial assistance and credit support, and a massive information campaign on La Niña,” Mr. Balisacan said. Analysts said inflation is expected to remain within the 2-4% target band for the coming months. “Barring any unexpected shocks, we project that inflation will remain within the BSP’s 2-4% target, Read More…

  • By J.V.D. Ordoñez, February 12, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2025/02/12/652702/philippines-ranking-inches-up-in-global-corruption-perceptions-index/ THE PHILIPPINES saw a slight improvement in its ranking in a global corruption perceptions index by Transparency International, although its score remained well below the global average. In the watchdog’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the Philippines ranked 114th out of 180 countries with a score of 33 out of 100, up a spot from 115th last year. This was the Philippines’ best ranking since 2018 when it ranked 99th. However, Manila’s score of 33 is below the global average of 43, and the Asia-Pacific region’s average of 44. A score of 0-9 means “highly corrupt,” while a score of 90-100 means “very clean.” The Philippines lagged most Asia-Pacific countries in the index, which ranked countries and territories according to the levels of public-sector corruption perceived by experts and businesspeople. Singapore ranked third in the global index and first in the Asia-Pacific region with a score of 84. Other Asia-Pacific economies that scored higher than the Philippines in the index include Japan (71), Taiwan (67), South Korea (64), Malaysia (50), Timor-Leste (44), China (43), Vietnam (40), Indonesia (37), Nepal (34) and Thailand (34). Manila got the same score as Laos and Mongolia, and was higher than Cambodia (21), Myanmar (16) and North Korea (15). In a statement, Transparency International regional advisers for Asia-Pacific Ilham Mohamed, Yuambari Haihuie and Urantsetseg Ulziikhuu said the index showed governments in the region are “still failing to deliver on anti-corruption pledges” amid a climate crisis. “After years of stagnation, the 2024 average score for the region has dropped by one point to 44. This is especially devastating considering corruption’s detrimental impact on climate change — the biggest challenge humanity faces,” they said. “Corruption obstructs environmental policy, hijacks climate financing and hinders the enforcement of regulations and policies, leaving the most vulnerable with little recourse.” Countries in the Asia-Pacific region were prone to the misuse and theft of funds meant for climate financing programs, Transparency International said in the report. “The Philippines can improve its standing in the CPI if both the executive and legislative branches of government become transparent in the allocational and use of public funds,” I-Lead Executive Director Zyza Nadine M. Suzara said in a Viber message. She said the Executive needs to provide more spaces for public participation in procurement, budgeting and auditing and for Congress to make bicameral conference committee meetings open and transparent to curb misuse of state funds. “We must strengthen political and government institutions. This may also mean modernizing the processes and mechanisms of our institutions through lessening institutional delays and digitalizing processes,” Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said in a Viber message that a better ranking in the corruption perceptions index “signals stronger governance.” “(This) could attract more foreign direct investments, particularly in infrastructure, technology and climate-related projects. Companies assess corruption risks when entering markets,” he said. He cited the need for the government to boost efforts to cut bureaucratic red tape and to enforce tougher anti-bribery laws to boost investor confidence. Leonardo A. Lanzona, who teaches economics at the Ateneo, said the Philippines moving up a notch in the corruption index is unlikely to influence investor confidence. “In fact, the lack of a more notable improvement can worsen the situation,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “For economic conditions to improve, the country should exhibit sustained political will, strong leadership and active participation and influence from all sectors of society.” Transparency International said two-thirds of the countries on the index had a score of below 50. “The international community and every nation must make tackling corruption a top and long-term priority. This is crucial to pushing back against authoritarianism and securing a peaceful, free and sustainable world. The dangerous trends revealed in this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index highlight the need to follow through with concrete action now to address global corruption,” Francois Valerian, chair of Transparency International, said. Denmark had the highest score (90) among 180 countries in the corruption index for the seventh straight year, followed by Finland (88), Singapore (84) and New Zealand (83). Countries experiencing conflict and weak democratic institutions had the lowest scores. South Sudan (8) ranked last, followed by Somalia (9) and Venezuela (10).

  • By Darryl John Esguerra, February 5, 2025; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1243358 MANILA – The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 12009, or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), have officially been approved, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced Wednesday. The IRR, which will guide the implementation of the landmark procurement law, was finalized and approved during a meeting led by the Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO) on Tuesday, according to the DBM. Budget Secretary and GPPB chair Amenah Pangandaman expressed gratitude to the Board members for their role in the IRR drafting process. “With your strong drive toward building and enacting effective procurement reforms, you have all made this possible…Together, we are shaping a system that meets the highest standards of public service and accountability,” Pangandaman said, as quoted in a DBM release. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law RA 12009 on July 20, 2024 and took effect on Aug. 13, 2024, enhancing the existing procurement systems under the 21-year-old RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) by standardizing procurement forms and institutionalizing electronic procurement. Section 112 of the NGPA mandates the GPPB to finalize and approve the IRR of the new law within 180 days from the promulgation of the Act. The new law introduces new modalities to achieve value for money, procurement efficiency, and quality public services. It aims to modernize procurement processes with the use of emerging technologies and innovative solutions, as well as integrated systems among relevant government agencies. The GPPB-TSO meeting was attended by key officials, including DBM Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Group Janet Abuel, Procurement Service-DBM Executive Director Genmaries Entredicho-Caong, and representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of National Defense, and Department of Education. (PNA)

  • By BusinessWorld Staff, January 23, 2025; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/infographics/2025/01/23/648307/philippines-improves-in-digital-quality-of-life-index/ The Philippines rose three spots to 57th out of 121 countries in the latest edition of the Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index by virtual private network service provider Surfshark. The index assesses and compares the relative performance of a country’s digital well-being based on equally weighted five pillars: internet quality, internet affordability, e-infrastructure, e-government, and e-security. In 2024, the Philippines garnered an overall score of 0.4787, below the global average of 0.4837, but above the Asian average of 0.4628.

  • By Hannah L. Torregoza, January 22, 2025; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/22/e-governance-bill-hurdles-second-reading-in-the-senate The push to transform government services through digitalization is now just one step away from Senate approval. This after the Senate passed Senate Bill No. 2781, also known as the proposed “E-Governance Act,” on second reading on Tuesday, January 21. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, sponsor of the bill said, the measure may not be “the solution to all” of governance problems but it is a tool that, “if used effectively and assigned properly to various agencies, can address many of our challenges today.” The proposed E-Governance Act aims to streamline government processes and make them more transparent by institutionalizing a national framework for a unified digital government system. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will spearhead the institutionalization of the framework which will guide agencies on the technical and informational standards they need to adopt for seamless digital integration. The said framework shall be based on a comprehensive master plan which will be updated every three (3) years to keep up with rapid technological advancements. Furthermore, the measure seeks the establishment of a secure network called the “Integrated Government Network” (IGN), that will connect all government websites and applications and allow different agencies to share data more efficiently. Cayetano said he is certain that ordinary Filipinos will look forward to a digitalized government transactions as it would lead to a more smoother, more efficient access to government services. “This bill is actually a product of the experience of the DICT in the last few years. This is to emphasize and articulate what they need,” said Cayetano, who chairs the Committee on Science and Technology. “The times have changed. Talagang very critical na po itong DICT,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also said of the measure.

  • By Andrea E. San Juan, January 15, 2025; BusinessMirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/01/15/eodb-corruption-top-maps-2025-concerns/ THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has identified its top 7 concerns for 2025, including Corruption, Education, and Ease of Doing Business, among others. At the 77th MAP Inaugural Meeting and Induction on Wednesday, 2025 MAP President Alfredo S. Panlilio said the business group will “certainly address the top 7 concerns of MAP members for 2025” which were generated through a survey in the 4th quarter of 2024. The seven concerns of the business group’s members for this year are: corruption, education, economy, ease of doing business, climate change, cybersecurity, and dealing with LGUs. To address corruption and ease of doing business, Panlilio said “we will continue to participate actively in the programs of the Anti-Red Tape Authority.” The MAP President said these concerns will be “directly” addressed by the business group’s four thrusts. “To continue and sustain the noteworthy projects that were initiated or implemented by last year’s Board, MAP will continue to pursue the following four thrusts: Member Engagement, Country Competitiveness, ESG and Shared Prosperity, and Investing in the Youth,” Panlilio said. On member engagement, Panlilio said MAP will continue to ensure the “relevance” of the topics and issues covered in the MAP general membership meetings or GMMs in order to engage the membership in a more meaningful way. “We will cover relevant topics and developments so as to benefit the members, their companies and the economy. We will hold 1 to 2 GMMs outside Metro Manila, so we can engage our members in the Visayas and Mindanao,” the MAP president noted. On country competitiveness, Panlilio said MAP will continue to push for “vital policy reforms” through executive or legislative action that will eliminate corruption, improve ease of doing business, ensure food security through agricultural productivity, and sustain an enabling business environment for local and foreign investors. “The aspiration is to attract greater and more diverse job-creating investments for more Filipinos to be gainfully employed,” the MAP head noted. On ESG and Shared Prosperity, Panlilio assured the public that MAP will continue advancing environmental, social and governance principles and “fostering Shared Prosperity” as a key strategic thrust for the year. “By integrating sustainable practices, promoting ethical leadership, and driving inclusive growth, we aim to create long-term value for MAP members and all other stakeholders. We will continue pushing for the discourse and activities to champion responsible business, uplift communities, and contribute to a resilient and equitable future for the Philippines,” Panlilio added. As MAP also aims to invest in the youth, Panlilio said the business group will continue the campaign against malnutrition and child stunting. “We will continue advocating for government and the private sector to pursue relevant education, health and wellness programs, particularly for the youth,” he said. “The objective is for the youth to become productive members of society, with competitive skills and capacity that will ensure a progressive economy of the future,” added Panlilio.

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