Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Cold Mountain – Were you fortunate enough to watch Cold Mountain in 2003? It is an American Civil War movie that has a very notable cast that includes Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Donald Sutherland. Not too many people in online movie-focused communities or social media groups talk about the movie. Strangely, there are very few movie reaction videos of Cold Mountain on YouTube. This past March, Popcorn in Bed posted a reaction video about the film and how it impacts her emotionally make it a must-see.
#2 PatmanQC examines the history of Pitfall! – While I was fortunate enough to play lots of video games on the Atari 2600 decades ago, I never played Pitfall! That game produced by Activision was a massive hit on the said console and how the game and its company started is fascinating to discover. In case you did not notice, Pitfall! grew into a game franchise and it was one of the early video games to have merchandising. Discover more about it in PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.
#3 You, Me and the Movies react to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – The 1980s is the so-called golden age of slasher horror movies. One particular slasher horror flick of 1984 focused on the concepts of nightmares, the bogeyman and the fear of dying while sleeping. You can discover more by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below. Observe how it draws reactions from them.
#4 Slope’s Game Room examines Smash T.V. – Here is more nostalgic fun for those of you who love retro gaming. Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective video of the arcade classic Smash T.V. is a lot of fun to watch and the YouTuber really paid close attention to the details for viewers to learn. When was the last time you played Smash T.V.?
#5 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Alien Resurrection – Way back in late-1997, I saw Alien Resurrection inside the movie theater here in the Philippines carrying some excitement in me. After the movie ended, I left the cinema feeling numb. That being said, you have to see how Alien Resurrection drew reactions from Ashleigh Burton and perhaps you could relate with her perception of the movie.
#6 Scottie Pippen, the Chicago Bulls and Jerry Krause – Remember back in the 1990s when the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls won six NBA championships? Behind the scenes, Scottie Pippen’s years with the Bulls (led by Jerry Krause) were actually filled with frustrations and his salary was tiny when compared to other NBA superstars of the era. To find out what happened and what were the factors behind it all, watch the two videos of Secret Base below.
#7 Minty Comedic Arts presents Cool World trivia – Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted a new trivia video about the 1992 live-action/animated hybrid movie Cool World. Directed by Ralph Bakshi and starring Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger, Cool World had an original concept that was eventually altered into its final cinematic form. There are lots of intriguing details to discover and I urge you all to watch Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.
The newly proclaimed 2nd District Representative Brian Yamsuan expressed his assurance to the local constituents that elevating the standard of public service is his goal backed with fair treatment, according to a news report published by Journalnews.com.ph.
In the recent election, Yamsuan ran under the Team Pag-Asa banner and his teammates include Vice Mayor-elect Benjo Bernabe, and the re-elected City Councilors Tess de Asis, Binky Favis and Shannin Olivarez. Yamsuan won over 2nd District Representative Gus Tambunting with a lead of almost ten thousand votes. The 2nd District includes the very large Barangay BF Homes, BF Homes subdivision and Tahanan Village. The first time I saw Yamsuan was during the December 2024 Christmas part of Century Club of Tahanan (CCTI). To learn more about Yamsuan, check out his Facebook page by clicking https://www.facebook.com/congbrianyamsuan
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Journalnews.com.ph news report. Some parts in boldface…
NEWLY proclaimed Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan assured his new constituents that achieving his goal of elevating the standard of public service in the district would be characterized by fair and equal treatment for all.
Yamsuan made this assurance following his stunning win over the district’s long-time incumbent congressman, Gus Tambunting.
At the May 10 miting de avance of Yamsuan and his fellow candidates under Team Pagasa, he made this fearless forecast: “Ako si Brian Yamsuan, ang magiging susunod na congressman ng District 2 ng lungsod ng Parañaque!”, followed by thunderous cheers from thousands of supporters.
“On top of crafting laws that will benefit Parañaque and the rest of the country, we will make sure that as congressman, I can serve as an effective bridge between the national government and the people in bringing to them the social, educational, and economic support programs that they deserve,” Yamsuan said.
Yamsuan won amid complaints of vote buying involving Tambunting, who was slapped with a show-cause order by the Comelec Kontra Bigay committee and ordered to respond to the allegations.
“Bawat Parañaqueño na nangangailangan sa Distrito Dos ay sisikapin nating matulungan. Babaguhin natin ang dating sistema. Tulad ng lagi ko ng ginagawa noon sa aking masigasig na paglilingkod sa distrito bago pa man ako mahalal, wala tayong papaboran, walang palakasan,” Yamsuan said of his hard-won mandate in Parañaque’s 2nd District.
The Congressman-Elect said he will also reach out to Parañaqueños who might have been displaced from their jobs following the outcome of the recent elections to offer them livelihood opportunities available through government programs he had coordinated with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“We will begin carrying out our H.O.P.E. agenda for the district on Day One of our assumption to office,” Yamsuan said.
This reform agenda aims to ensure that Parañaque’s 2nd District residents are: 1) provided quality and affordable Health and medical care; 2) equipped with adequate job and livelihood Opportunities to elevate their living standards; 3) assured of Peace and safety in their communities; and 4) guaranteed access to quality Education.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, what is your current opinion about the incoming Congressman Yamsuan? If you are a voter based in the 2nd district of the city, did you vote for Yamsuan as your Representative?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
By emphasizing transparence, efficiency and public conveniences as key factors, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged local government units (LGUs) nationwide to adopt cashless payments for government transactions, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The DILG clarified, however, that the traditional modes of payments must still be accepted by LGUs.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on the local government units (LGUs) on Saturday, May 17, to promote electronic payment and collection systems as an alternative to the traditional mode of payment in government transactions.
The DILG memorandum circular encourages the LGUs to implement EPCS for collecting local taxes, fees, and other charges, in accordance with Executive Order No. 170, series of 2022 on the use of digital payments for government transactions.
Further, the DILG asserted that digital payments improve transparency, efficiency and public convenience with the LGUs being encouraged to offer secure, accessible digital options, ensure payment channels are user-friendly, and partner with authorized providers, including government servicing banks.
“All efforts must align with the National Retail Payment System Framework and the Data Privacy Act,’’ the DILG emphasized.
“LGUs are also expected to define clear procedures for issuing electronic invoices and billing notices, consistent with guidelines from the Commission on Audit and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,’’ it added.
While promoting digitalization, the DILG clarified that the LGUs must still accept cash and other traditional modes of payment to ensure accessibility for all.
To support its full implementation, the DILG prodded the LGUs to pass enabling ordinances and issue local policies.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? When it comes to doing transactions with your local government, do you prefer to pay in cash or use digital methods such as e-wallets? Is your local government already accepting payments in electronic form?
With the 2025 National and Local Elections over, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reminded all candidates that they are subject to tax regulations and must prepare themselves to meet with the requirements, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Failure to do so could mean tax evasion charges.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is reminding all candidates and political parties who ran in the 2025 elections that they are subject to tax regulations and must comply with key requirements as part of their duties as candidates for public office.
In a television interview, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. emphasized that all candidates and political organizations, including party-list groups must issue BIR-registered invoices for contributions they receive, whether in cash or in kind.
“At pag nagbabayad sila sa kanilang mga suppliers ay kinakailangan nilang mag-withhold ng 5 percent dun sa kanilang suppliers (They also need to withhold 5 percent when they pay to their suppliers),” he said, as quoted in a news release on Thursday.
He added that candidates must keep track of their expenses and submit detailed reports, or Statement of Contribution and Expenditure (SOCE), not just to the Commission on Elections but also to the BIR.
“Para makita natin na lahat kung compliant ang kanilang obligasyon dito (This is for us to determine if everybody is compliant with their obligations),” he said.
Lumagui further reminded that while candidates and parties are allowed to keep excess campaign contributions, they need to pay taxes on these.
“Pagka sobra naman ang natanggap nila na mga contributions sa mga ginastos nila, kinakailangan nilang bayaran ang income tax patungkol dito sa sobrang natanggap nila (If the contributions they received are more than what they spent, they need to pay income tax on the excess funds).”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think all the candidates will be able to comply with both the COMELEC and the BIR? Do you know any local candidate who received funds from your local community during the election campaign season?
By citing their intention to review how to re-circulate idle coins, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced that its coin deposit machines project will be temporarily suspended in certain shopping malls starting June 17, 2025, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will temporarily suspend the operation of coin deposit machines (CoDMs) to review how to re-circulate idle coins.
In an advisory Friday, the BSP said the CoDMs currently installed in select malls in Greater Manila area would be suspended starting June 17.
“The BSP is implementing the temporary suspension to conduct a thorough review of how to re-circulate idle coins and serve Filipinos’ coin exchange needs even better,” the BSP said.
Following the review, the BSP will relaunch the coin deposit machines as part of its commitment to enhancing its coin recirculation program.
Since June 2013, CoDMs processed almost PHP1.5 billion worth of coins. The BSP said the public may deposit fit coins in banks where they have an account.
Persons with no bank accounts may exchange fit, unfit, and mutilated coins in banks and other financial institutions that have agreed to serve as currency exchange centers under the BSP Piso Caravan program.
The BSP said unfit coins may be presented for exchange at any bank as part of their duties to promptly remove unfit currency from circulation.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you able to deposit your loose change at any BSP coin deposit machine over the past six months? Do you hope that the coin deposit machine project suspension will not last more than 30 days?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s but with focus on Star Wars games that were released during the era of George Lucas. This is the Star Wars Special of RGAB.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. 1983 Star Wars arcade game flyer
The front of the flyer.
The rear of the flyer.
Just weeks before the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi was released in cinemas in 1983, Atari released the Star Wars arcade game which became a tremendous hit around the world. Both Star Wars fans and gamers of the time loved the game as it provided a very immersive and fun-filled arcade experience. The print ad Atari released has a nice artwork on the front (showing a portion of the Death Star, two TIE Fighters, a Rebel X-Wing Fighter and Darth Vader’s image) and the text description plus the pictures of two arcade machines on the back. While no screenshots were shown, the print ad still had strong visual impact to catch the attention of players and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks great!
2. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle Atari 2600 print ad
Parker Brothers really stood out among publishers of games on the Atari 2600 and they even had the Star Wars license.
Considering the massive success that Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back had in cinemas, merchandising and other entertainment media, it was not surprising that games based on Return of the Jedi were produced. For the Atari 2600, Parker Brothers produced Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Death Star Battle which my friends and I played a lot in 1983. The print ad Parker Brothers came up with has a very eye-catching design showing a Rebel pilot flying a space ship (supposedly the Millennium Falcon which is the only playable ship in the game) towards the Death Star. The visual design is a stroke of genius because it appeals strongly to Star Wars fans while highlighting a major battle in the film which influenced the core concept of the game. This is a classic Star Wars game ad.
3. Star Wars Arcade Japanese market flyer
This arcade game was one of the first fully polygonal Star Wars games released.
In the 1990s, Sega acquired the license to produce Star Wars games for the arcades and they had the hardware for polygonal graphics. In 1993, the released Star Wars Arcade which is a space shooter that offered gamers the freedom to fly their Rebel space ship in 3D space with environments and huge space ships rendered in polygons. As you can see in the arcade flyer for the Japanese market, Sega went hard with their presentation showing 3 carefully selected screenshots (amazing for the time) and a picture of the arcade machine which had an elaborate control set-up, seats and decorations. As Star Wars Arcade was released more than a year before the polygonal game consoles Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation hit the market, this arcade flyer was mind-blowing to gamers who were on the verge of playing video games with polygonal visuals.
4. Super Star Wars print ad
Yes, JVC was involved with the Super Star Wars trilogy starting with this one.
In 1992, Star Wars fans who enjoyed playing 2D side-scrolling games saw their dream of the next great Star Wars console experience come true when Super Star Wars was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). With the SNES technology, more detailed visuals and improved audio brought the Star Wars universe to life and the addition of 3D-like playable sequences (made possible by Mode 7 effects) made Super Star Wars a very unique console experience. The print ad only showed three screenshots and three paragraphs of descriptive text but the use of images from the 1977 movie poster added a lot of punch to the visual presentation. This ad is both eye-catching to gamers and long-time Star Wars fans.
5. Star Wars: TIE Fighter print ad
This game offered gamers the opportunities to be with the dark side.
In 1994, LucasArts released Star Wars: TIE Fighter which offered gamers the opportunity to play an Imperial pilot serving Darth Vader on missions set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This print ad has a sharp visual design enhanced by Darth Vader’s iconic look in the background. The selected screenshots shown were good to look at but the artwork used to present the TIE Fighters really stood out. This solid looking print ad does come with a bit of disturbance as the Galactic Empire in Star Wars lore are evil.
6. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi print ads
Nothing like seeing Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as the Star Wars icons on a video game ad.
I never played the portable editions of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Have you?
As far as gaming on the SNES was concerned, the Super Star Wars trilogy of games really kept fans and casual gamers busy. By the time Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was released in 1994 on the SNES, there was already immense speculation about the Star Wars prequel trilogy and George Lucas himself started writing them that same year. The 2-page print ad of the game on SNES had a creepy photo of Emperor Palpatine on one side, the other characters on the other side, and six selected screenshots displayed on the lower part. The way the print ad was design reflects that the game is the end of the trilogy like the 1983 film itself. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was also released on Game Gear and Game Boy and the ad makers made the right decision to use the Death Star and space battle image as the background so that the portable games would stand out.
7. Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi print ad
I wonder if George Lucas ever regretted approving this Star Wars fighting game. It was so rough and unpolished with its quality.
If there is any sub-par Star Wars game released in the 1990s, it is none other than Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi on the PlayStation. The 1997 game was LucasArts’ attempt to cash in on the booming fighting games genre and they took a huge risk of making it entirely polygonal. Instead of using photographs or hand-drawn art, the ad makers used a fully rendered 3D polygonal models of Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett which was alienating to look at. In fact, those polygonal models looked very different from the in-game polygonal models of Skywalker and Boba Fett presented during gameplay. This print ad is a sad reminder about an ill-conceived concept for Star Wars that materialized into an actual product.
8. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire print ad
If you have read the novel, were you able to play this video game?
LucasArts and Nintendo teamed up with something ambitious – a video game adaptation of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire that was released exclusively to the Nintendo 64 (N64). Released in late 1996, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire was part of the multimedia entertainment project of the same name and it is the result of LucasArts’ decision to be an early adopter of the N64 for business-related reasons. The 2-page print ad shown here has a dark, star-filled background which captivating screenshots on the left and the N64 controller standing out. This print ad strongly expresses that gamers would need the N64 in order to play Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire in the comfort of home.
9. Star Wars Trilogy arcade flyer
The front.
The other side.
Before the Star Wars Prequel trilogy started with The Phantom Menace, Sega came out strongly by releasing Star Wars Trilogy Arcade in arcades around the world. Released in 1998, the game was arguably Sega’s most ambitious Star Wars-licensed game ever as it was made with the powerful Model 3 hardware, it came with unique controls and the game was designed as a polygonal rail shooter focused on key segments from the original trilogy of films. Sega wisely used dynamic artwork for the front of the flyer giving viewers the impression that the X-Wing fighter was approaching them closely. At the rear, three screenshots only showed space battles which was a wise decision by Sega to keep the surprise intact for gamers until they play the game. Having played this in the arcade myself, I can assure you that Star Wars Trilogy Arcade has more varied types of gameplay and challenges. It’s a lot more than flying and shooting in space, and it has a lot of stuff that Star Wars fans will love.
In relation to the recently concluded National and Local Elections, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) confirmed that there were more than three million cyber-attacks on their official website and precinct finder apps, according to a news report by The Manila Times.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Manila Times. Some parts in boldface…
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) website and precinct finder apps have been the subject of more than 3 million cyberattacks aimed at taking over the systems and to inject malicious information.
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said on Wednesday that the attacks were recorded from May 11 to May 14, covering the eve of the elections to the canvassing of votes.
Laudiangco said the Comelec precinct finder registered 76.81 million visits, with about 46.17 million legitimate searches. At least 1.45 million, however, were identified as hacking attacks.
“We’re considering it as DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks,” Laudiangco said.
A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of internet traffic.
On the other hand, Laudiangco said, the Comelec website registered 113.41 million visits with mitigated confirmed attacks of 1.75 million.
Laudiangco said none of the said attempts were successful because of the security measures and constant monitoring being done by the Comelec Cybersecurity Division and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the integrity of the 2025 National and Local Elections was compromised in relation to the revealed cyber-attacks? Who do you think could be responsible behind the many millions of cyber-attacks on the COMELEC website and precinct finder apps?
Recently in the City of Valenzuela, local police officers arrested a woman who was engaged in the selling of fake government identification cards (including driver’s licenses), according to a Manila Bulletin news report. In its official online update, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) confirmed that the authorities seized from the suspect a mobile phone, a UMID identification card, cash bills, boodle money, and fake ID cards as evidence. The LTO stated that the suspect was also involved in the manufacturing of fake IDs.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Valenzuela City Police, led by station chief Col. Nixon Cayaban, arrested a woman for selling fake government IDs on Wednesday, May 14.
The suspect, identified as “Tere”, 29, a resident of Barangay Gen. T. De Leon, was caught in an entrapment operation conducted by the Valenzuela City Police Station (VCPS) and the Northern Police District Anti-Cybercrime Team. Authorities said the suspect was selling fake driver’s licenses and PWD IDs in the city.
Col. Cayaban urged the public to remain cautious, especially when dealing with suspicious online offers, and to report illegal activities to the proper authorities.
Mayor Wes Gatchalian issued a warning to scammers.
“Bawal ang manloloko sa Valenzuela (Scammers are not welcome in Valenzuela).”
“Nawa’y magsilbing babala ito sa lahat ng nagbabalak na manloko sa kapwa ko Valenzuelano. Bawal ang manloloko sa Valenzuela City at sinuman ang magtatangkang gumawa ng krimen kagaya ng pagbebenta ng pekeng government ID ay titiyakin nating mananagot sa batas (May this serve as a warning to anyone planning to deceive my fellow Valenzuelanos. Scammers have no place in Valenzuela City, and anyone who attempts to commit crimes such as selling fake government IDs will be held accountable under the law),” Gatchalian added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you aware that the government lost more than P88 billion worth of taxes in 2023 because of fake Persons with Disabilities (PWD) ID cards? Do you think someone in your local community is engaging in the making or selling of fake ID cards? Are there any members of your local community searching for sellers of fake IDs?
Recently in Parañaque City, local police officers armed with a warrant of arrest apprehended a working student for the crime of child abuse, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. It turns out the suspect is a wanted person at the station level.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A working student, listed as the No. 7 most wanted person at the station level for the crime of child abuse, was arrested by members of the Parañaque City Police Warrant and Subpoena Section (WSS) on May 8.
The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspect as alias “Rowen,” 28. He was nabbed on De Lourdes St., Parañaque City.
Authorities said Rowen was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrested issued by Judge Mildred Jacinto-Marquez of the Las Piñas Family Court, Branch 10.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more child abusers living secretly in your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As far as the Nomura Global Markets Research is concerned, the economic growth of the Philippines will for 2025 and 2026 will end up weaker than previously expected, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
NOMURA GLOBAL Markets Research has trimmed its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecasts for the Philippines for this year and 2026 following the weak first-quarter expansion.
Nomura cut its Philippine economic growth forecast to 5.3% for this year from 5.9% previously, it said in a report dated May 9. It also slashed its 2026 projection to 5.6% from 6.1%.
Both projections are well below the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s 6-8% growth target for 2025 until 2028.
“Our 2025-26 GDP forecast revisions take into account the disappointing first-quarter outturn, which only rose slightly to 5.4% year on year from 5.3% in fourth quarter 2024, despite election-related spending,” Nomura analysts Euben Paracuelles and Nabila Amani said in the report.
“Escalating global trade and geopolitical tensions are the main downside risks to growth. A faster rollout of infrastructure projects and lower oil prices are upside risks.”
The Philippine economy expanded by 5.4% in the first quarter, the government reported last week. This was a tad faster than the revised 5.3% in the previous quarter but sharply slower from the 5.9% growth in the same period in 2024.
Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Group Rosemarie G. Edillon said that GDP would need to grow by 6.2% for the rest of the year to reach the lower end of the 6-8% goal.
Based on its forecasts, Nomura expects the Philippines to post below-6% GDP growth for the rest of the year. Broken down, it sees GDP growth of 5.3% in the second quarter, 5.4% in the third quarter, and just 5% in the fourth quarter.
In 2024, the economy expanded by 6.5% in the second quarter, 5.2% in the third quarter, and 5.3% in the fourth quarter.
“A key source of the downside surprise [in the first quarter] was investment spending growth, which we believe suggests businesses have already turned cautious amid surging global trade uncertainty, even in a less open economy,” Nomura said.
“We expect a moderate pickup in real GDP growth in 2026, led by the government’s strong push for more progress on infrastructure projects.”
It added that it expects the country to post a current account deficit of 4.1% of GDP this year and 4.4% of GDP next year, wider than the 3.8% ratio in 2024, driven by an increase in capital goods imports amid the government’s infrastructure push and weaker exports due to the US’ tariffs.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines can still grow stronger than what Nomura predicts in 2025 and 2026? Do you think the national government should make new economic moves to stimulate the national economy while also attracting new foreign investors?
Author Carlo Carrasco 