In response to backlash from online merchants, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) officially deferred the mandatory Trademark, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Trustmark will be voluntary until December 31, 2025.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
After facing backlash from online merchants, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will no longer mandate the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark, instead making the requirement voluntary until the end of the year.
In a statement, the DTI said the move was announced by Trade Secretary Cristina Roque during a town hall meeting about the trustmark’s implementation on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Roque said that hearing directly from stakeholders made the agency want to improve the trustmark to make it more “useful, fair, and helpful for both businesses and consumers.”
“After all, our shared goal is to make e-commerce in the Philippines safer and more trustworthy for everyone,” she said.
The secretary—and the DTI as a whole—has been on the receiving end of outrage among online merchants, who have been labeling the trustmark as an additional burden.
The DTI even disabled the comment feature on its Facebook page after being bombarded with criticism on every post, even those unrelated to the trustmark.
The trustmark, aligned with the Internet Transactions Act, serves as a digital badge to ensure that online platforms and merchants are compliant with fair e-commerce practices. It is designed to help consumers identify legitimate businesses, protecting them against unfair trade practices, scams, and other fraudulent activities.
Under the new policy, the DTI said that the trustmark will be voluntary until Dec. 31. So far, the DTI is still finalizing supplemental guidelines for this policy, including fees that depend on the size or type of business, among other details.
By early 2026, the department is expected to evaluate whether the trustmark registration will remain voluntary.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What do you think the Trustmark of DTI is more of a hassle than a benefit for online sellers? Do you think the Trustmark should be scrapped entirely? What do you think should be done to help consumers find legitimate online merchants?
The annual inflation rate of the Philippines reached 1.7% this past September led by higher food prices, according to a BusinessWorld news report. Take note that August inflation was at 1.5% and business sentiment in the Philippines has weakened.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
Philippine annual inflation quickened for a second month, but it was still below the central bank’s 2% to 4% comfort range for the year, reinforcing expectations that a policy decision this week will be a close call between cutting rates and pausing.
The consumer price index rose 1.7% in September led by higher food prices, up from August’s 1.5%, the statistics agency said on Tuesday. It was below the 2.0% median forecast in a Reuters poll, and brought year-to-date average inflation to 1.7%.
The September rate, the fastest since March, comes just days before the central bank’s penultimate policy meeting of the year on Thursday.
“For the upcoming policy meeting, the Monetary Board will review newly available information and reassess the impact of prior monetary actions in light of evolving economic conditions and their implications for inflation and growth,” the Philippine central bank said in a statement.
At its August policy meeting, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) signalled another reduction was still possible this year before it concludes its easing cycle.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the inflation rate of the Philippines will reach as high as 3% by the end of 2025? Do you consider inflation as a major factor behind the modest economic growth of the country this year?
To get straight into what happened, watch the selected videos below. Pay close attention to the details.
To put things in perspective about the many surviving hostages who made it back home to Israel after spending over two years in captivity in Gaza, posted below is an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post news report. Some parts in boldface…
All 20 of the living Israeli hostages held by Hamas have returned to Israeli territory, the IDF announced. The remaining live hostages held by Hamas were all in IDF custody as of 11:42 a.m.
The first seven hostages to be released were named as: Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, Gali and Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. The second round of returned hostages, which are the other 13, included: Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, and David Cunio.
The released hostages have undergone a medical assessment and are en route to hospitals and will reunite with their families, the military added.
Despite earlier IDF estimates that the hostages would be returned in three rounds, in the end it took only two rounds, with Hamas seeming to want to have all hostages over to Israeli custody before US President Donald Trump was soon expected to speak to the Israeli Knesset.
The three expected locations for the transfers were Gaza City, central Gaza, and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
Earlier Monday at 9:10 a.m., the IDF had already received seven out of the 20 remaining live hostages back from Hamas via the International Red Cross (ICRC). By 8:10 a.m., the ICRC had already received those hostages from Hamas.
Late Sunday night, the IDF had said that if the live hostages were stable, they would move from Red Cross custody to IDF special forces custody, then to the Reim base, and then to the three hospitals: Shiba, Ichalov, and Beilinson.However, if a live hostage was in immediate medical danger, a helicopter would be sent to rush them to Soroka Medical Center or to Barzilai Medical Center.
All of the first round hostages were stable enough medically that they did not require an emergency evacuation.
The IDF expects that some deceased hostages will be returned on Monday, but has no set numbers about how many, and is prepared for that part of the process to be drawn out over multiple days or longer. The deceased hostages will be transferred to Israel in coordination with further Red Cross-supervised exchanges, under the same verification and transfer protocols. Part of the process will also involve identifying the remains with specific hostages.
According to the IDF, Hamas is bound to assist a joint mechanism associated with the Trump ceasefire to help locate other deceased hostages, where finding them may be less of an exact science.
The ICRC will also transfer around 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli prisons to the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and locations outside of Israel, such as Qatar and Turkey.
Praise and thank the Lord for the return of the 20 surviving hostages! Spending a little over two years as captives of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza surely has been painful and torturous for them. Their respective families had to deal with the long waits and uncertainties during the two years. The surviving hostages are now starting to get their lives back on track and figure out how they will fit back in with local society. The release of the hostages was made possible by the new peace deal for Gaza (and the Middle East) brokered by Trump. What has happened today is undeniably history unfolding and there is still a lot of developments yet to happen.
Of course, we should not forget about the other hostages who died in captivity in Gaza. For sure, the return of bodies of dead hostages will be sorrowful for the affected families and their local communities. That being said, I urge the faithful reading this to pray to the Lord to comfort and heal the families whose loved ones died in captivity in Gaza.
Moving on, Trump addressed the Knesset during his visit in Israel. He expressed how good it is to say that the hostages are back and that the painful nightmare left behind by the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks committed by Hamas (supported by terrorist state Iran) is over.
To put things in perspective and to find out what Trump exactly said, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
US President Donald Trump arrived at the Knesset on Monday morning, giving a speech at the plenum.
A trumpet fanfare sounded in the Knesset upon his entrance to the building and he entered the plenum to additional fanfare and wide applause.
“We’re in a nice place,” Trump’s speech began. We are “giving thanks to the Abrahamic God,” he added.
“The hostages are back! It feels so good to say it,” Trump said.
Netanyahu is “not easy to work with, but that’s what makes him great,” Trump affirmed.
“Like the USA right now, it will be the golden age for Israel,” the president commented.
Trump commented that “a lot of people said we were wasting our time” with regards to a ceasefire agreement, but thanks to several “great American patriots, we achieved this,” Trump commented, highlighting the work of US envoy Steve Witkoff for the part that he played.
Trump also thanked “someone who loves Israel so much, my daughter converted,” referring to his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and also thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, noting that the two were political rivals, particularly during the Republican party primaries before Trump’s 2016 election victory.
Trump said that countries working together toward peace under the Gaza agreement represents an “incredible triumph for Israel and the world.”
He said Israel “has won all that can be won by force of arms.”
He added that it was time to translate what he described as “victories against terrorists” into peace and prosperity for the Middle East.
Trump then said my “personality is all about stopping wars.”
“As you mentioned, Bibi before, peace through strength…We have a lot of weapons, and we’ve given a lot of them to Israel frankly…Bibi would call me sometimes, can you get me this weapon that weapon, some of them I had never even heard of,” Trump said.
“Never forget and never again,” Trump declared regarding Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, as the plenum stood for a standing ovation.
The “cruelty of October 7 struck the heart of humanity. The US mourned alongside Israel,” Trump affirmed.
“Because of us, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” he said.
Trump also praised Israel for its airstrikes against Iran in June’s Operation Rising Lion, and the part the US played in striking Iranian nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer.
“We stopped the number one state sponsor of terror in obtaining the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he said.
“Assuming we made the same deal we have today, there would be a dark could over the deal,” he added.
“We took a big cloud off the Middle East and off of Israel,” Trump said to a round of applause.
“They took a big hit,” Trump said about Iran. “You know it would be great if we could make a peace deal” with them, he said.
“The dagger of Hezbollah, long aimed at Israel’s throat, has been shattered,” Trump commented, adding that he is supporting the Lebanese president in disarming the terror organization.
“People are dancing in countries in the street that would never have danced in the street,” due to the deal, Trump said, adding that the entire region has endorsed the plan that Hamas will be demilitarized.
“Peace is not just a dream, it’s a reality that we can build upon piece by piece,” the president said.
Everybody that has tried antisemitic policies has become irrelevant, and those who have reached across to Israel have become important, Trump said referring to the Abraham Accords, signalling his intention for other countries to join the agreement. “Now you have peace…people who really like Israel,” he said.
“They did nothing with the document,” he said, referring to countries who have not yet join the normalization agreement with Israel.
“This little dot, look at what you’ve done it’s incredible,” he said, receiving another standing ovation.
“The world wanted peace and Israel wanted peace, everybody did, and what a victory it’s been. The timing of this is brilliant,” Trump said as he thanked Netanyahu for “having the courage to end the war” when he did.
“After tremendous pain and hardship, now is the time to build the country up, instead of tearing it downI intend to be a partner is this,” Trump said.
“It’s my firm hope and dream that the Abraham Accords will turn out to be everything that we thought they would. Trump said that even after the war, the countries within the accords have remained. I hope all the countries we’re seeking, join quickly, no games,” Trump commented.
When Iran signed the nuclear deal it was a disaster for everyone,” Trump spoke on the past.
“That was the beginning of a very bad time, and by the way, I terminated the Iran nuclear deal,” Trump added.
Iran “wants to make a deal,” Trump said. Neither US or Israel bear Iran any hostility, the president claimed.
“We are ready when you are, and it’s going to be the best decision that Iran ever made,” Trump said.
“The state of Israel is strong and it will live and thrive forever,” he said, praising Israel as a key US ally.
Trump also spoke on the things he has done for Israel, remarking on how he is the best ally Israel has ever had.
Still there in the Knesset, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the mourning families, the abducted and the wounded Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel. You can see it by clicking here.
Thank the Lord for US President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the armed forces of Israel and the entire Jewish State for the breakthroughs that happened this year. Israel defeated Iran during the 12-Day War which involved America’s massive bombing on the Iranian nuclear facilities. Hamas terrorists lost a lot of ground in Gaza and were down to their final stronghold being cornered by the IDF.
The Trump-brokered peace deal is working as I write this and having been to Israel myself (some of my Israel 2023 tour blog posts can be read by clicking here, here, here, here and here) I truly believe that the Middle East will change for the better with Israel as God’s chosen state. There will be challenges, the Trump-brokered peace deal has to keep developing, Middle East nations will have to adjust before joining the Abraham Accords and the terrorist leadership of Iran has yet to vanish. Whatever happens, hang on to your faith in the Lord and live on with His Word (the Holy Bible). Do not let the worldly pawns of Satan and chaos of the world dominate you. Simply stay strong with the Lord and keep on supporting Israel and Trump’s current term as US President.
To everyone reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Here we go again with the perceived challenges related to the tariffs of Trump-led America. This time around the secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) pointed to the Trump tariffs which she said raised the risk of products from Asian neighbors getting dumped into the Philippines and potentially harm local industries, according to news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
For the newcomers reading this, the Trump administration had set a series of tariff rates for different nations in Asia. American tariff on Philippines-made products was set at 19% after the big meeting between US President Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
It is a known fact that many nations in Asia export their products to the United States but with the new tariffs in effect and the fact that the Philippines has a population of more than one hundred million people, the latter is anticipated to become the dumping ground of Asian products. This development is happening just as the economy of the Philippines will grow by less than 6% this year (click here, here and here). Recently, the US State Department published a report about pervasive corruption being a barrier to investment in the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The recent increase in the United States’ tariff rates heightened the risk of Asian goods being dumped into the Philippine market, raising the need for more stringent measures to protect local industries, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque said Wednesday.
Roque, in an interview on the sidelines of the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc. Business Summit in Makati City, said they expect increased entry of steel, cement, and garments, among others.
She traced this to the attractiveness of the Philippines as a market, given the country’s large population of over 100 million. She said DTI will work closely with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to ensure that only registered and properly taxed goods enter the country.
The DTI will also coordinate with local industries to prevent the continued spread of unregistered products in the market.
On Tuesday, personnel from DTI’s Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau seized around PHP2 million worth of substandard construction materials from 24 retailers in Central Luzon as it strengthened its drive against uncertified and unsafe products in the market.
“We need to protect the manufacturing industry of the Philippines. So us, being in government, and us making sure we protect the jobs of the people,” she said.
Roque also noted that although investments continue to pour in, the volume is not what they had expected, thus, the need to boost local industries.
“So, we try to help them resolve whatever issues they have. And then we also at least help them strengthen or level up their businesses,” she explained.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think it is only a matter of time before a massive amount of Asian products (originally made for export to America) will arrive in the markets of the Philippines very soon? Did you notice any unregistered or sub-par quality products from overseas already being sold locally? What do you think can the DTI do to protect the local industries and livelihood of many Filipinos?
By citing factors like weaker-than-expected growth in the first half, the American tariffs on Philippine goods and geopolitical conflicts, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sees the economy Philippines growing only 5.4% this year and 5.7% next year, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC GROWTH is expected to moderate this year and in 2026 amid ongoing trade uncertainties and geopolitical tensions across the globe, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
The IMF trimmed its Philippine growth forecast to 5.4% for this year, slightly lower than its 5.5% projection in July.
If realized, gross domestic product (GDP) growth will be at the low end of the National Government’s 5.5-6.5% target band this year.
For 2026, the IMF also cut its growth forecast to 5.7% from 5.9% previously. However, this is below the government’s 6-7% target for next year.
The IMF said the economy is expected to remain resilient, but downside risks warrant “close attention.”
“Risks to the growth outlook are tilted to the downside. The main external risks stem from prolonged global trade policy uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and disruptive financial market corrections,” IMF Mission Head Elif Arbatli Saxegaard said at a briefing after the conclusion of the 2025 Article IV Consultation with the Philippines on Wednesday.
“On the domestic front, more frequent and intense climate shocks would cause notable macroeconomic losses. On the upside, accelerated implementation of structural and governance reforms would support investor confidence and the fiscal multiplier and raise potential growth. Risks around inflation are broadly balanced.”
Ms. Saxegaard said the growth outlook was revised to reflect the weaker-than-expected growth in the first half. For the first half, GDP growth averaged 5.4%, slower than the 6.2% a year ago.
Ms. Saxegaard said growth will be affected by the higher tariffs imposed by the US on Philippine goods. The US began imposing a 19% tariff on goods from the Philippines on Aug. 7
“It will weigh on exports and investment,” she said.
She also noted growth will be “supported by monetary easing and recent legislative measures to promote private investment.”
Meanwhile, the IMF sees inflation averaging 1.6% this year, before picking up to 2.6% next year.
“The pickup in inflation is expected to be driven by (the) food and transport crisis,” Ms. Saxegaard said. “And that reflects essentially the decline in negative base effects that have been dragging down inflation this year. So, as those base effects recede, we expect a pickup.”
She said core inflation is expected to “remain muted” at 2.5% in 2026.
“The BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) has room for a slightly more accommodative stance to help bring inflation back to the target faster and reduce economic slack amid elevated downside risks to growth,” Ms. Saxegaard said. “Policy will need to remain data dependent amidst prevailing uncertainties around the output gap and the neutral rate, and two-sided risks to inflation.”
On Aug. 28, the central bank slashed its key interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) for a third consecutive time to 5%. It has cut the benchmark by a total of 150 bps since August last year.
CORRUPTION – Asked about recent corruption scandals involving some government projects, Ms. Saxegaard said the IMF will continue to monitor the developments.
“It’s not yet clear whether and how these allegations will impact investor and private sector confidence, as well as their perceptions and behavior,” she said.
The IMF welcomed recent reforms to reduce infrastructure gaps and promote foreign direct investment, but effective implementation is key.
“Enhancing fiscal governance and the rule of law and reducing corruption vulnerabilities are critical for inclusive and sustainable growth,” Ms. Saxegaard said.
The IMF urged the Philippine government to continue implementing gradual fiscal consolidation “to replenish fiscal buffers and support external balance.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the IMF’s prediction of weaker economic growth will turn out true? Do you think the flood control projects scandal and government corruption investigation are turning away foreign investors?
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…
The United States Department of State has flagged “pervasive” corruption in the Philippines as among the major barriers to foreign investment in the country.
In its 2025 Investment Climate report, the US State Department said “corruption is a pervasive and long-standing problem in both the public and private sector” in the Philippines.
It also cited the country’s rank of 114th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index and “remaining around that level since 2019.”
The State Department added that the World Economic Forum also flagged corruption as among the top problematic factors for doing business in the Philippines.
“The Philippines’ complex, slow, redundant, and sometimes corrupt judicial system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial disputes,” it said.
“Foreign investors describe the inefficiency and uncertainty of the judicial system as a significant barrier to investment. Investors often decline to file cases in court because of slow and complex litigation processes and fears of corruption. Stakeholders report an inexperienced judiciary when confronted with cases involving complex issues such as technology or science,” it added.
The State Department also said its embassy in Manila has received multiple reports from US businesses of overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges, and solicitations of “facilitation fees” (such as bribes) from some customs officials.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the US State Department’s 2025 Investment Climate report about the Philippines is true and accurate? Are you concerned that the perceived corruption as well as the shocking revelations about the flood control projects scandals are already discouraging foreign investors from investing in the country? Do you think the Trump tariffs will eventually bring down Philippine exports to the United States in the next few months? What do you think the Philippine government should do to wipe out corruption and regain the trust of foreign investors?
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicted that the economy of the Philippines will achieve growth of less than 6% this year, according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has maintained its economic growth outlook for the Philippines this year on the back of sustained domestic demand despite global trade uncertainties.
In the September 2025 edition of its flagship Asian Development Outlook (ADO), the ADB said it forecasts the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow at 5.6% for 2025, maintained from the ADO July edition’s outlook.
The multilateral lender said that “robust domestic demand amid subdued inflation will support Philippine economic growth this year and the next.”
“The Philippines’ growth outlook remains resilient amid a global environment of shifting trade and investment policies and heightened geopolitical uncertainties,” said ADB country director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries.
“Though these uncertainties pose increased risk, we see strong domestic demand anchoring growth, with sustained investments and an accommodative monetary policy supporting the economy’s expansion,” said Jeffries.
For 2026, the ADB said it sees the Philippine economy to grow at 5.7% — the same level as the country’s actual growth rate in 2024.
Nonetheless, the bank said the country is expected to remain a bright spot in Southeast Asia, “with the second highest GDP expansion in the region.”
Moreover, the ADB said it forecasts inflation to ease at 1.8% this year, before rising to 3% in 2026 to return to the government’s target range of 2% to 4%. The latest 2025 inflation forecast is lower from July’s 2.2%.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the economy of the Philippine does not have any more momentum to grow at least 6% this year? Are you concerned that the flood control projects scandal and government corruption here in the Philippines will turn away foreign investors?
Recently the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) conduct its own survey which revealed that business sentiment in the Philippines became less optimistic during the 3rd quarter, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
Philippine businesses turned less optimistic about the economy in the third quarter amid bad weather and sluggish demand during “ghost month,” a survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.
Based on its latest Business Expectations Survey, the overall confidence index (CI) for businesses fell to 23.2% in the third quarter, down from the 28.8% in the second quarter and the 32.9% in the same quarter last year.
A positive CI indicates that more respondents are optimistic than pessimistic. However, this was the lowest CI seen since the 23.9% recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022. The business confidence index has been on a decline for three consecutive quarters.
“Philippine businesses were less optimistic about the economy in the third quarter of the year,” the BSP said in a statement. “Their dampened confidence was primarily attributed to the slack in demand during the ‘ghost month’ and the onset of the rainy and typhoon season.”
This year, “ghost month,” the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar, ran from Aug. 23 to Sept. 21. Some investors avoid making big investments or decisions during this period.
The country also experienced heavy rains and flooding brought by several tropical storms and the southwest monsoon from late July to early August.
“Global headwinds, such as higher US tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and weaker foreign demand, also weighed on business confidence,” the BSP said. The US began imposing a 19% tariff on goods from the Philippines on Aug. 7.
At the same time, business confidence for the fourth quarter improved to 49.5% from 39.3% previously, as a surge in consumer spending is usually seen ahead of the holidays. The overall business outlook for the next 12 months eased to 48.1% from 51% the previous quarter.
“Despite the lower year-ahead CI, it remained positive, reflecting businesses’ continued optimism about near-term economic prospects,” the BSP said.
Businesses surveyed also see the peso appreciating against the US dollar in the fourth quarter and over the next 12 months but expect inflation to accelerate further.
“Firms also expect inflation over the next 12 months to remain within the National Government’s target range, indicating firmly anchored business inflation expectations. Within-target inflation supports investments and job creation,” the BSP said.
Businesses expect inflation to have settled at 2.1% in the third quarter, and picking up to 2.3% next quarter, and 2.4% in the next 12 months.
The central bank surveyed 1,523 firms nationwide, 580 of which are in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 943 in areas outside NCR, from July 4 to Aug. 17.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will somehow slow down in the 4th quarter?
As different forms of economic uncertainty and controversies regarding flood control projects continue to dominate the news, the Philippines got a much-needed economic boost as Japanese firm Nambu Co. Ltd. confirmed it will be investing P4 billion to build several retirement facilities in different parts of the country, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
A Japanese wellness company will invest PHP4-billion to build 10 retirement facilities in various parts of the Philippines.
The initial facility to be established by Nambu Co. Ltd will be in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu province, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday.
The investment is supported by the CREATE MORE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises – Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy) Act and involves training Filipino caregivers to meet Japanese standards.
CREATE MORE broadens incentives to help boost economic recovery, support enterprises and attract foreign investment.
Details of the investment plan were discussed during a meeting between Philippine officials and members of the wellness company in Osaka, Japan on Thursday, the DTI said in a press release on Friday.
“This initiative aims to leverage the country’s skilled workforce to meet Japan’s labor needs while simultaneously boosting local employment,” it said.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the investment supports the government’s bid to increase high-value industries, drive job creation, and strengthen the country’s position as a premier retirement and wellness destination in the region.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Do you think Nambu’s multi-billion Peso investment will make a long-lasting positive impact in the Philippines?
2025 continues to look rough for the Philippines. A lot of people are angry over government corruption and the flood control projects scandal investigation is only adding fuel to the fire. When it comes to economic growth, S&P Global Ratings says the economy of the Philippines will grow by only 5.6% this year, according to a Philippine Star news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine Star news report. Some parts in boldface…
S&P Global Ratings has trimmed its growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.6 percent this year from its earlier 5.9 percent estimate, citing subdued private consumption and investment alongside persistent global uncertainties.
The downgrade reflects weaker-than-expected momentum in the first half, when Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.4 percent. This was faster than many economies in Asia, but still below trend and short of expectations.
“Private consumption growth, investment and household confidence are still relatively subdued,” S&P economist Vince Conti told The STAR.
“We expect that both global and domestic uncertainty would continue to weigh on investment growth in the near term,” Conti said.
S&P’s latest projections show the country’s GDP growth will hit the government’s 5.5 to 6.5 percent target for 2025.
The credit watcher also sees growth picking up to 5.8 percent in 2026, though this remains below the government’s more ambitious six to seven percent goal for next year.
Conti noted, however, that the country’s reliance on external demand comes more from services rather than goods trade, which provides a degree of resilience against heightened global trade frictions.
“This will partially mitigate the impact of the elevated trade tensions,” he said. “On the positive side, with inflation low and likely to remain under control in the next few years, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has room to continue its easing path to support growth.”
S&P expects Philippine inflation to average 1.8 percent in 2025, sharply down from 3.2 percent last year, before rising moderately to three percent in 2026 and 3.3 percent in 2027.
The credit watcher is penciling in around 100 basis points of further policy rate cuts by the BSP between now and end-2026, which could help shore up domestic activity.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines does not have enough momentum to achieve 6% growth this year? Do you think that any rise of inflation will hamper economic growth?
Author Carlo Carrasco 