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?
As far as the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry of the Philippines is concerned, there is still room for growth in the near future as the country could become the next hot spot for global capacity centers (GCCs), 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…
THE PHILIPPINE information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry is still bullish on growth, as it expects to generate $42 billion in export revenues and increase headcount to 1.97 million in 2026, an industry group said.
The Philippines is also aiming to become the next hub for global capability centers (GCC), as it has seen an uptick in interest from multinational companies, the group added.
IT & Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan R. Madrid said the industry has so far created 450,000 new jobs and $10.5 billion in revenue since the creation of the industry roadmap in 2022.
“Now, for 2025, that includes 80,000 new jobs and $2 billion in incremental revenue. That is a growth of 4% and 5.3%, respectively,” he said at the International IT-BPM Summit on Tuesday. “By 2026, we project to reach $42 billion in revenue and close to a total of two million jobs for Filipinos.”
The expected jobs and revenues for 2026 are aligned with the baseline projections indicated in the IT-BPM Roadmap 2028. Mr. Madrid said the industry’s growth will still be driven by core segments — banking, financial services, and healthcare.
While the Philippines remains strong in contact centers, he noted faster growth coming from GCCs. “(There’s) a slightly higher growth rate from GCCs. Coming from a lower base, you tend to see more growth from that sector,” he said.
GCCs are offshore units established by multinational corporations to provide specialized services such as finance, IT and customer support to their global operations.
Mr. Madrid said he sees increased interest in setting up GCCs in the Philippines from prospective clients in the US, Australia and Europe.
Globally, GCCs are reshaping the IT-BPM industry, with its market expected to grow to $155 billion by 2027.
To date, there are 170 GCCs in the Philippines, growing by around 10 each year, but India continues to dominate with its 2,000 GCCs.
“We know that India dominates as the world’s GCC hub, showing how GCCs have evolved. They are no longer cost centers but strategic engines of innovation and transformation,” Mr. Madrid said.
“I think the Philippines should aspire to do the same. We have the talent, we have the scale, the cost efficiency, and the ecosystem maturity to become the next global GCC hub,” he added.
LEGISLATION NEEDED –IBPAP Chief Operating Officer Celeste B. Ilagan said more needs to be done on the policy front to support the growth of GCCs in the Philippines.
“GCCs have different needs compared with the traditional BPM providers,” she said, adding that the group wants Congress to pass legislation to help attract more GCCs into the country.
In particular, she said that the industry needs a law that is similar to the Regional Operating Headquarters (ROHQ) law. However, this move was “abandoned” in favor of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, she added.
“We know that other countries have this international business services law that they are already implementing so that they can get more GCCs to their country. So, we are trying to work along those lines as well,” she added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to act fast to attract more GCCs in the near future?
During a high-level press conference in the White House, United States President Donald Trump revealed an ambitious new plan to achieve peace not only in the Gaza Strip but also in the Middle East, and already Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to it.
To get straight into what happened, watch the official video of the press conference from the White House below. Pay close attention to the details.
It should be noted that during the conference, Trump made it clear that if the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas (which has always been supported by terrorist state Iran and Qatar) rejects the plan, America will support Israel to eliminate the terrorists. Be aware that Hamas never cared for their fellow Palestinians in Gaza as they used them as human shields, and Hamas fed their greed and selfishness using humanitarian aid they snatched for a long time. Hamas, not Israel, is guilty of committing genocide and other crimes against humanity. There clearly is no justification for the Palestinian terrorists to exist the way they are. Hamas has a chance to stop their terrorism and we will find out soon if they will give in or not.
WHAT DID TRUMP SAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE? – Trump said that the US would be involved in Israel’s security after the ceasefire agreement.
The president said that if his deal were accepted by Hamas, all of the hostages, living and dead, would be released almost immediately.
Trump intends to end the war itself, and said that he was “hearing that Hamas wants to get this done.”
He also stated that during his meeting with Netanyahu, the Israeli PM clearly stated his opposition to a Palestinian state.
Trump slammed other countries that had “foolishly” recognized a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly last week.
He noted that if Hamas rejects the deal that Israel has agreed to, he would give Israel the backing to destroy Hamas.
“And if Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible, they’re the only one left. Everyone else has accepted it, but I have a feeling that we’re going to have a positive answer,” he said. “But if not, as you know, Bibi, you have our full backing to do what you would.“
In addition, he said Israel and others were “beyond very close” to reaching an agreement on ending the Israel-Hamas War in the Gaza Strip.
Trump, standing alongside Netanyahu, said the agreement would involve Arab countries and should help to achieve a broader peace in the Middle East.
“At least we’re at a minimum, very, very close. And I think we’re beyond very close,” Trump told reporters. “And I want to thank Bibi for really getting in there and doing a job.”
Trump affirmed that Israelis want a return to peace and want the hostages home. He also added that there were “many Palestinians who wish to live in peace,” adding that they had a “rough life under Hamas.
Trump stated that he believes Iran will one day become a member of the Abraham Accords.
He concluded his statement by again calling on Hamas to accept his plan, calling it an “extremely fair proposal.”
WHAT DID NETANYAHU SAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE? – Netanyahu stated that Trump was Israel’s greatest friend in Washington.
“You are the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” the prime minister said, adding that “it’s not even close.”
He also said that Trump’s plan achieves all of Israel’s war aims. Netanyahu outlined his cabinet’s “day after” plan for Gaza and the end of the war.
The objectives included: the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, the return of the hostages, Israel maintaining security parameters within the enclave, and the establishment of a peaceful civilian administration in the Gaza Strip.
The prime minister also said that there would be no role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza until it underwent major transformations.
Netanyahu said that Trump’s plan provides a “realistic path for Gaza.”
WHAT IS TRUMP’S PLAN? – Trump released his plan to end the Israel-Hamas War.
Notably, the statement said that within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
The released statement states that Gaza will be “a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors,” and that the enclave will be redeveloped for the citizens of Gaza, “who have suffered more than enough.”
If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
For additional insight about the press conference, watch the videos below.
Thank the Lord for this significant development on the part of Israel. President Trump and his team truly have a grand strategy to achieve peace in the Middle East and it involves Gaza (note: Trump previously revealed a Gaza plan) which has long been a hot bed of Islamic terrorists and literally the launch pad of terrorist attacks against Israel. Trump has been able to make peace agreements happen since he returned to the White House and in this year alone, many breakthroughs happened diplomatically, socially and economically.
That being said, it is a must for people to focus on what would happen next after the announcement of Trump’s bold peace plan for the Middle East. You can simply ignore the foolish acts of the corrupted United Nations (UN) and its many member nations who joined the wrong side of history by deciding to recognize a Palestinian state, getting close with terrorist state Iran and walking out of Netanyahu’s UN address. The Gaza and Middle East peace plan revealed by Trump and agreed to by Netanyahu is the one people of faith should focus on and pray to the Lord to make it happen.
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.
Small businesses all over the Philippines now have extra time to get themselves registered for the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) officially extended the deadline all the way to December 31, 2025, 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…
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has extended the Sept. 30 deadline for registration for the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark to Dec. 31 to allow more small businesses to get the badge.
“The Trustmark is not a regulation to burden businesses but to serve as a tool that shields legitimate enterprises from scammers who undermine consumer confidence. Our aim is to make it simpler for consumers to identify and trust legitimate sellers, so entrepreneurs can focus on what truly matters — growing their business,” DTI Secretary Cristina Roque said in a statement Friday.
In a briefing earlier in the day, Roque said major players such as TikTok, Lazada and Shopee, already have their badges and more are expected to secure theirs as the deadline nears.
“Kasi alam mo naman sometimes sa ganito (Because you know sometimes, in things like this), they’re really waiting for the last minute or they’re still hoping that we can actually pull back on this Trustmark. Kasi ginagawa nila na issue (Because they’re making an issue of it) or whatnot. But we stand firm that we really need to have the Trustmark in the products that are being sold,” she said.
As of Sept. 19, a total of 10,057 business have submitted their applications to secure the Trustmark, DTI E-Commerce Bureau Officer-in-Charge Eryl Royce Nagtalon said during the briefing.
Nagtalon estimated registered micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country at 1.2 million to 1.3 million, but less than half have listings on various online platforms.
He explained that while there are about 500,000 MSMEs that have shifted to e-commerce, the number might balloon to about 900,000 as some businesses offer their products not just on a single platform but on several online shopping sites.
Asked if they expect all registered MSMEs to register for the Trustmark, Nagtalon answered yes, saying it is “very good for the e-commerce system.”
“It’s good because it means the competition is very healthy, the e-commerce is very healthy,” he said.
Registration for the Trustmark is mandated under Republic Act 11967, otherwise known as the Internet Transactions Act of 2023, and the DTI’s Department Administrative Order 25-07. Applicants need to pay the PHP1,000 annual application fee, PHP100 web administration fee, and PHP30 documentary stamp tax.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Were you surprised to see the Philippines’ startups attracting much less equity funding from global investors? What do you think the government should do to convince global investors to invest more in startups here in the Philippines?
Startups here in the Philippines secured $86.4 million in equity funding during the first half of this year which translates to a very sharp drop of 55% when compared to a year earlier, 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 startups secured $86.4 million in equity funding in the first half of 2025, down 55% from a year earlier and lagging most of its Southeast Asian neighbors, according to a report by Kickstart Ventures, Inc., the corporate venture capital arm of Globe Telecom, Inc., and Singapore-based business news platform DealStreetAsia.
The Philippines raised about P4.91 billion from 15 disclosed deals in the six-month period, lower than the P10.86 billion ($191 million) recorded in the same period last year.
By deal value, the country trailed Singapore ($1.21 billion), Vietnam ($275 million), and Malaysia ($196 million). It only surpassed Indonesia ($78 million) and Thailand ($10 million), while Cambodia did not disclose figures.
Across Southeast Asia, startup equity investment fell by 20.7% year on year to $1.85 billion, the lowest in six years.
Joan Yao, general partner at Kickstart Ventures, said funding deals slowed after digital activity peaked in 2021 and 2022 at the height of coronavirus lockdowns.
“I think to some extent, as the effects of COVID died down… [digital] activity became more balanced between online and offline,” Ms. Yao said during a media briefing on Wednesday.
Philippine startups had raised $456 million and $481 million in the first halves of 2021 and 2022, respectively, before declining sharply as global investors scaled back.
Ms. Yao cited the tight monetary policy in the United States, when the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates from March 2022 through July 2023 to curb inflation.
“A lot of the global investors that were coming to invest in the Philippine market or Southeast Asia pulled back a little bit from their investment activities because of the higher cost of capital,” she said.
The report said investors have become more selective, favoring companies with stronger governance and clearer paths to profitability.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Were you surprised to see the Philippines’ startups attracting much less equity funding from global investors? What do you think the government should do to convince global investors to invest more in startups here in the Philippines?
With its recent economic study, Oxford Economics declared that the Philippines has the highest debt risk among its Asian neighbors and the biggest contributor to the risk is the nation’s limited internal policy space, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Constrained fiscal and monetary policy space, along with increasing reliance on foreign debt, has placed the Philippines at the highest sovereign risk, or the greatest risk of failing to meet its debt obligations, among its Asian peers.
According to a Sept. 10 report by the think tank Oxford Economics, the Philippines recorded the highest sovereign risk score among 12 Asian economies, at 4.5 out of 10. The biggest contributor to this risk is limited internal policy space, referring to the country’s relatively narrow fiscal and monetary flexibility compared with its peers.
The second-largest factors are external imbalances—measured by current account and trade deficits—along with the size of the economy, and institutional risks. Other contributors include political risks, the business environment, vulnerabilities in the banking sector, and corporate debt.
India ranked second in sovereign risk, followed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan were assessed to have the lowest risk levels.
Sovereign risk refers to the possibility that a government may default on its debt by failing to meet interest or principal payments.
“On the fiscal front, the stubborn bias towards fiscal conservatism is likely to persist, following the broad unwinding of pandemic-era discretionary support,” Oxford Economics lead economist Alexandra Hermann said.
However, given that “around half of the region’s economies are likely to fall short of their official growth estimates this year, and the remainder only just meeting stated targets, the political economy of growth underperformance could tilt authorities towards further incremental easing going into 2026.”
For the Philippines, the government is targeting a growth rate of 5.5 to 6.5 percent for 2025—a downscaled version of the more ambitious goal of six to eight percent previously.
While governments in Asia, including the Philippines, could implement measures to soften the impact of weaker exports, the think tank noted that economic growth would still be slower than normal. Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged 5.4 percent in the first half of the year.
“On the monetary side, most central banks have room to cut further as real rates are still elevated compared to pre-pandemic norms, despite pre-emptive cuts this year particularly in emerging Asia,” Hermann said.
To recall, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) aggressively hiked lending rates to as high as 6.5 percent in 2024 to tame raging increases in consumer prices brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hermann expects the Philippine central bank alongside other Southeast Asian central banks to further reduce key borrowing costs by as much as three quarters of a point by early next year, similar to what they did previously during economic slowdowns.
“We anticipate an additional 25-75 bps [basis points] of rate reductions across India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, completing an easing cycle by early 2026 that is broadly consistent in scale with prior non-recessionary slowdowns,” Hermann said.
Should the BSP reduce the key policy rate by up to 75 bps though the first half of 2026, the current five percent could be brought down to 4.25 percent. For this year alone, the BSP has so far lowered rates by a cumulative 75 bps, citing still subdued inflation and risks to slower growth.
In another Sept. 10 report of the think tank, the BSP and other central banks are seen to be “hawkish despite low inflation.” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. earlier signaled a still accommodative stance but now less dovish.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Do you think the Philippines will be able to reduce its sovereign risk? What do you think should be done about the debt risk the country has? Do you think the high debt risk could turn off foreign investors?
Let me start by declaring that my native Philippines committed a major error by favoring a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for the implementation of a two-state solution on Israel and the stateless Palestine. They even praised the nations who decided to recognize a so-called state of Palestine…and now they are all on the WRONG side of history. I personally strongly disagree with the move of the Filipino diplomats (under the Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA) and I want to make clear with all my friends from Israel that those diplomats do not represent the Filipinos’ love for Israel and the Lord. I should stress that any concept of multilateralism that involves supporting illegal immigrants and empowering terrorists is absolutely wrong! Regardless of what the DFA does and what they currently believe in, I urge my fellow Filipinos to keep standing united in support of Israel and never give any room to Islamic terrorists, the Islamo-Leftist mobs and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime. Let me remind you all the you cannot trust the wicked United Nations (UN) and make sure you watch the DFA’s moves much closely.
On with the news about Israel and the Philippines…
The ties between Israel and the Philippines remain strong and the new Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh is focused on strengthening the ties more. Recently, a major event happened that brought Israel’s Ministry of Tourism and Filipino partners together, according to a Manila Bulletin news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news article. Some parts in boldface…
In a vibrant prelude to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), in partnership with El Al Airlines Philippines, hosted a festive gathering for key figures in the Philippine travel industry and media. The event celebrated the deepening tourism ties between Israel and the Philippines, spotlighting Israel’s rich cultural appeal and the visa-free access now extended to Filipino travelers.
Her Excellency Dana Kursh, ambassador of Israel to the Philippines, opened the celebration with a heartfelt message: “As Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines, my vision is for Filipinos to experience the beauty of Israel — from the Galilee of my childhood to the wonder of Jerusalem — and for Israelis to discover the Philippines, its people, its hospitality, and its 7,000 islands of paradise. This vision inspires our Embassy’s efforts to make direct flights between our countries a reality.”
The event showcased Israel not only as a spiritual haven but also as a land of striking contrasts, where golden deserts meet snowy peaks, and ancient history blends seamlessly with modern vibrancy.
Anna Oraiza Aban, marketing manager of IMOT’s Philippine office, emphasized this unique appeal: “Israel is a land of contrasts, where you can marvel at golden deserts and snowy peaks in the same journey. With the gift of visa-free entry for Filipinos, we are excited to welcome you to discover Israel’s beauty, culture, and unforgettable experiences.”
Tisha Escalona, president of APG Philippines and general sales agent of El Al Airlines, reaffirmed her commitment to expanding travel opportunities: “As the General Sales Agent of El Al in the Philippines, APG is proud to collaborate with the Israel Ministry of Tourism to inspire more Filipinos to discover Israel.”
In keeping with Rosh Hashana traditions, Ambassador Kursh led a symbolic toast with a ruby-red drink inspired by the pomegranate, a symbol of abundance, renewal and sweetness. Guests also shared apples dipped in honey, reflecting hopes for a fruitful year ahead and the belief that even life’s challenges can bring sweetness.
This newest development shows the continuing growth of Israel-Philippines ties and I am confident that eventually new breakthroughs will be realized in the years to come. The new Ambassador Dana Kursh is dedicated to strengthening ties between the Jewish state and the Philippines. I urge you readers to pray to the Lord in support of Ambassador Kursh, the Israeli embassy, the Israeli businesses in our country so that progress benefitting both Israel and the Philippines will manifest regardless of external developments. Pray also that the DFA will be enlightened so that it will stop committing diplomatic blunders.
To my fellow Filipinos 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. Pray to Him so that Israel-Philippines ties and cooperation will keep growing stronger and more resilient no matter what happens around the world.
Japanese business entities confirmed they will be investing more than P50 billion in the Philippines following the recent meetings with and presentations by a Filipino delegation composed of government and economic officials, 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…
The Philippine delegation secured around PHP51 billion worth of investments during its trip to Osaka, Japan, last week, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque.
The bulk of the investments, amounting to PHP34 billion, is from the operator of the world’s largest karaoke chain, Koshidaka Holdings Co., Ltd., which intends to open 300 outlets over the next 10 years.
In a press release Monday, Roque said this particular investment is projected to generate over 1,500 direct jobs and support thousands through construction and supply-chain activities.
Another conglomerate, Marubeni Corporation, committed PHP15-billion investments for real estate, financial technology, healthcare, and afforestation.
Sojitz Corporation, a general trading corporation, will also invest PHP2 billion to PHP3 billion in a property developer to attract firms that are into artificial intelligence, semiconductor design, software, and healthcare, and expressed interest in aviation-related projects.
Roque said Mitsui & Co., a major Japanese trading company, will expand its existing investment in the Philippines after it reaffirmed its partnership with Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Steel Asia for a steel recycling entity targeted to support decarbonization bid.
“These commitments in green energy, smart housing, healthcare, and creative services highlight the strength of our partnership with Japan. DTI and the Economic Team will work together to ensure these projects generate quality jobs, strengthen supply chains, and advance the country’s shift to a green, digital, and broad-based economy,” she said.
“These investments are a testament to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision for an agile, innovation-driven economy that welcomes partnerships and delivers inclusive growth.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? Are you delighted that the Philippines secured P51 billion worth of investments from Japanese business entities? Do you think this will help the Philippines attract more foreign investments over the next six months?
Israel’s defense was recently enhanced with its new military laser – the Iron Beam – which became fully operational, according to a news article by The Jerusalem Post. Several Iron Beam units will soon be deployed across Israel.
For the newcomers reading this, the Iron Beam is a laser defense system capable of shooting down drones, missiles, rockets and mortars. Ultimately, better defense in Israel means more safety for its people, the infrastructure, the establishments, the Holy Land sites and foreigners who are already present. The Iron Beam also costs much less to operate when compared to the Iron Dome and Arrow interceptors.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from The Jerusalem Post news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that Israel’s “Iron Beam” is now operational and that a full series of batteries will be deployed across the country to provide cutting-edge new air defense capabilities within the coming months.
Already in June, the ministry and Rafael, the lead company of multiple defense tech companies involved, including also Elbit and others, had announced that Lite Beam, a smaller relative of Iron Beam, was operational.
At the time, the ministry also disclosed that Israeli laser defense systems had shot down around 40 Hezbollah drones in October 2024.
However, Wednesday’s news signals multiple additional jumps forward.
What’s new? – Second, Iron Beam can specifically shoot down not only drones, but also missiles, rockets, and mortars, making it far more formidable than if it were only capable of shooting down drones, a relatively slow-moving threat.
Third, the announcement means that Iron Beam batteries will be produced and dispersed around the country at scale, as opposed to serving in just one or two locations where its impact would take time to be judged.
The ministry and the IDF expect Iron Beam to immediately start reducing the cost of shooting down aerial threats, an issue that has been out of control for Israel during this war, in which tens of thousands of threats have been launched through the air at Israel on six fronts.
Firing Arrow interceptors can cost millions of shekels, Iron Dome interceptors can cost tens of thousands of shekels, but firing the Iron Beam is as cheap as turning a light on.
Defense Ministry Director-General Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram said that the current announcement regarding Iron Beam was only the foundation stone to start the process, which will change battle zones worldwide until they become filled invariably with cheaper laser platforms.
Security officials stated that Iron Beam also has the capacity to counter barrages of simultaneous aerial threats and is not limited to shooting down one or two at a time.
Head of the directorate’s R&D Division, Brig.-Gen. Yehuda Elmakayes, said that the Knesset already approved an extensive budget two years ago to cover as many Iron Beam batteries as would be needed at this stage of deployment.
In June, IDF M.-Sgt. “A” told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive interview that his time on the laser team protecting the country with this game-changing, cutting-edge system has been “incredible.”
A is a reservist who was stationed in the North to work on how to operate the laser in real combat situations, and who had spent time in the IDF’s air defense units, mostly over a decade ago, but returned to assist when the current war broke out.
He said that he and everyone else had to learn how to best operate the laser in real time in the field since it is essentially something that no one has ever done before.
“We received the system, we made adjustments while operating in the field, and we improved with the industry developers [Rafael] after we got a better understanding of what we needed to increase our shoot-down success,” said A.
Although Raytheon in the US, as well as England, Russia, China, Germany, and Japan, are all at various stages of developing laser defense systems, the ministry said on Wednesday that Iron Beam is the only one that has moved beyond test firings to actual use in the field.
Defense sources also revealed on Wednesday that the new family of lasers could eliminate the need for Israelis to run to bomb shelters versus most aerial threats.
They explained that a major advantage of lasers, such as Iron Beam, Iron Beam M, and Lite Beam, is that they can shoot down enemy rockets and drones much earlier in the threat process. This means that most of the time, no siren warnings or bomb shelters would be necessary.
How does this work?
Light energy of laser travels much faster than Israeli interceptors – The reason would be that the light energy of the laser travels much faster than any interceptor in Israel’s arsenal and would already potentially destroy the enemy aerial threat shortly after it launches, and invariably while still in enemy territory.
In fact, because the laser fires so much faster, the IDF will also likely have more chances to hit a target that it initially misses, since it will know it has missed earlier on in the process.
That means that Israelis would likely only hear a siren and need to run to bomb shelters in those rare cases where the laser system missed its target, and then likely missed it multiple more times.
Thank the Lord for this significant development on the part of Israel. Defense is essential and protecting the people in Israel requires the very best technology has to offer. I believe that the Iron Beam will improve Israel’s overall defense from enemy projectiles in the long run.
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.
Business in the Philippines with established presence online will be required to get registered for E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark (Trustmark) as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced that digital verification system for e-commerce will be mandatory, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The digital verification system in e-commerce to ensure reliability of online transactions will no longer be voluntary and instead now mandated for every merchant and platform, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The DTI launched the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark to serve as a digital badge issued to online businesses that comply with fair e-commerce practices.
In July, the department said the trustmark was only “voluntary,” with merchants only “encouraged to apply to build consumer trust.”
The trustmark is designed to help consumers identify legitimate online merchants, thereby safeguarding them from unfair trade practices and threats of scams and other fraudulent activities.
Under Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-12, the DTI said the trustmark will now be mandatory and also serve as the permit for e-commerce merchants and online platforms to use the internet for conducting their business.
“Issuance of the trustmark shall signify that the products, goods, or services sold online by the holder comply with applicable standards and good e-commerce practices,” the DTI said in the order.
The DTI, headed by Secretary Cristina Roque, said the mandatory registration is a direct response to the recent surge in consumer concerns. Between January and August, the agency reported over 13,000 complaints related to online transactions.
As indicated under DAO No. 25-12, all online merchants, e-retailers, e-marketplaces, or digital platforms availing of the Philippine market over the internet shall apply for and obtain the (Trustmark) by Sept. 30
The DTI said this is to ensure that the merchant or platform is permitted to “use the internet for conducting e-commerce.”
While the order did not explicitly detail potential violations for not having a trustmark, it noted that those who have submitted an application on or before Sept. 30 must clearly state on their page that their trustmark is still pending evaluation and approval.
To apply for the trustmark, interested applicants must submit an application form accompanied by a sworn undertaking to comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
E-commerce merchants must meet key regulatory standards, including full business disclosure, protection of consumer data, and an internal redress mechanism to address consumer complaints.
As embodied under the order, the DTI emphasized that Trustmark does not exempt the holder from compliance with other applicable laws or regulations.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the recent developments? If you are operating a local business with presence online, do you think the mandatory registration for the Trustmark is hassle?
Author Carlo Carrasco 