Around two thousand tricycle drivers (the first batch) have received their cash relief assistance at the Aguilar Sports Complex recently, according to the social media announcement of the City Government of Las Piñas. Each tricycle driver received P5,000 as relief from the much higher prices of fuel caused by the ongoing war against the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran which itself attacked multiple nations in the Middle East with missiles and drones.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media announcement of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
The distribution of P5,000 cash payout of the AICS program for the first batch of tricycle drivers in Las Piñas City was held at Aguilar Sports Complex.
This is part of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s support to help drivers cope with the continuing rise of oil prices due to tensions in the Middle East.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and other offices of the city government are working together to ensure a smooth and peaceful distribution of aid to beneficiaries.
On the first day of payout, almost 2,000 drivers from TODA groups ACAPODA, APHDA, ATODA, BFLTSODA, BFRSSCV, BFRV-VG, CCTODA, CEBMTODA and BFATODA were given cash assistance. Payout will continue in the coming days to provide all registered members of TODA.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you often ride the tricycle when moving around?
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
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, video game enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late-1990s to examine another issue of the magazine-sized comic book series titled Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine.
By the time WildStorm Productions released the 3rd issue in 1998, many millions of gamers around the world played Resident Evil 2 on PlayStation. The Resident Evil fanbase expanded dramatically and many of them completed the game’s multiple scenarios. At the same time, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield became popular characters in gaming.
The 2nd issue I reviewed had a very bad adaptation of Resident Evil 2’s story. What prevented the comic book from ending up as a complete disaster were the two other short stories which were surprisingly entertaining to read. Still, I wonder if Shinji Mikami and the game developers ever saw the abysmal Resident Evil 2 adaptation in the 2nd issue.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #3, published by WildStorm/Image Comics in 1998 with short stories written by Ted Adams and Kris Oprisko, and drawn by Ryan Odagawa, Carlos D’Anda and Lee Bermejo.
The cover with art by Jim Lee.
Early stories
Wolf Hunt – At Raccoon City College, a few students talk about someone who got killed at school and her body was all torn up. They aware that the authorities are keeping the story out of the papers to avoid causing a panic. In the evening, of the students got harmed by a ferocious monster. The next day at S.T.A.R.S. headquarters, Albert Wesker, Jill Valentine and Barry Burton discuss the killings that happened at the city college. They were asked by the local police to investigate what happened. Jill takes the assignment of going undercover as a student.
Danger Island – A man and a woman arrive at Isla Bonale in Caribbean for a vacation. The island is so exclusive, they only let ten couples on it at a time. After having a romantic night of dinner and dancing, they decide to go snorkeling and rent a boat. Just as they start snorkeling, a plane crashes on the island.
Dead Air – Following the events of Resident Evil (1996) and Resident Evil 2, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Barry Burton start traveling to Europe with the goal of ending Umbrella’s current progress on a new variation of the T-virus even though they have to go undercover. They have the support of a top-secret international agency which already has someone in place to help them. Meanwhile, Umbrella has a spy watching on the three.
Quality
Imagine being surrounded by the deadly Lickers of Umbrella on an island wearing only swimwear and having no useful pieces of equipment to protect yourself with.
Similar to issue #2, this comic book has three short stories and some extras.
The short story Wolf Hunt, which took place before the events of the original Resident Evil game of 1996, has the odd concept of having werewolves existing within the RE universe. Werewolves are often super natural and such monsters don’t align with the sci-fi and biological aspects of the Resident Evil games. In fairness, the creative team had this interesting concept of having Jill Valentine going undercover as a student in the city college to find answers and solve the problem. I should state that the artwork by Ryan Odagawa is good overall although his take on Jill Valentine is cartoonish. This story is pretty short and lacked a solid conclusion. It’s really a glorified piece of fan fiction that should interest fans of the 1996 game.
Danger Island, the 2nd short story, is easily the gem of this comic book. This is a completely original tale that has brand-new lead characters – the couple Stan and Leslie – and an island as the setting. Without spoiling the plot, this is a suspense story with a moderate pace, some dynamic visuals and a good implementation of elements from the lore of Resident Evil. The creative team behind this tale emphasized that as long as Umbrella and is biological experiments exist, danger and death will creep up on people regardless of location. A notable monster species from Resident Evil 2 is included here and the effects the G-virus has on creatures on the island are cleverly presented complete with nice artwork by Lee Bermejo.
Through the couple, readers will feel the danger, desperation and anxiety as the story went on. How the story ended is a must-see and I am confident it will encourage you to revisit Resident Evil 2.
The final tale Dead Air is a daring attempt by WildStorm’s creators to make a sequel to the first two games. As mentioned above, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and Barry Burton are together on a high-risk mission to find and stop Umbrella in Europe. The main setting is inside a commercial flight where a zombie outbreak happens. Without their weapons, Chris, Jill and Barry are compelled to use alternative items and ways to overcome the zombies.
While this tale is packed with action and the violence is uncompromised, something is off with the way Jill Valentine is portrayed. She is more violent with action and even expressed sarcasm. This tale is pretty short as the comic book made it clear that the continuation will happen in the next issue. Considering what was told in Resident Evil: Code Veronica (released in 2000 with Chris and Claire Redfield included), Dead Air is clearly a non-canon Resident Evil tale and it is at best a polished piece of fan fiction by WildStorm.
When it comes to the extras, you will find the Readers Art gallery and The Resident Evil Files (featuring Chris Redfield and his sister Claire). The most notable extra stuff here, however, is another interview with Resident Evil creator/producer Shinji Mikami and you will even see a few pictures of not just him but also Hideki Kamiya (the game director of Resident Evil 2 who went on to produce lots of highly entertaining games through the decades) and members of the team behind the RE games of the time. Enjoy the pages of the interview below.
The members of the development team of Resident Evil games of the time.
Very notable details shared by Shinji Mikami.
Shinji Mikami with Hideki Kamiya. Mikami directed the original Resident Evil game of 1996 while Kamiya directed Resident Evil 2. The two are still prolific makers of video games today.
Shinji Mikami played Space Invaders when he was young.
Conclusion
Remember Jill Valentine’s extra costume in the original game of 1996?
Considering the qualities of the three short stories and the extra stuff, Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #3 (1998) is easily a huge improvement over issue #2. The quality and creativity of the short stories are better, the interview with Shinji Mikami was worth reading and the comic book itself is more entertaining. That said, I am convinced to move on to the next Resident Evil comic book.
Overall, Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #3 (1998) is recommended.
Recently inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño formally led the opening of a new two-storey Starbucks Coffee shop with drive-thru, according to the official announcement of the authority. The newest branch of the coffee giant was made with an investment of over P36 million.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from official announcement by the SBMA. Some parts in boldface…
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño led the opening of the first two-storey Starbucks Coffee Shop with drive-thru facility here on March 6, 2026.
According to Aliño, the opening of the two-storey Starbucks Coffee Shop indicates Subic Bay Freeport’s status as a popular tourist destination, anticipating a year-round influx of customers.
The Starbucks Coffee Shop invested ₱36.75 Million in a 1,700-square-meter area at the portion of Lot 75-A, Rizal Highway, Central Business District, Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
The inauguration was attended by Engr. and Mrs. Rhammeth Paras, Arch. and Mrs. Adonis Co, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Tang, and Engr. Aries Tanglao, owners of Pandabest Realty and Trading, Inc.
The two-storey Starbucks locations usually offer enhanced, often scenic, spaces with increased seating, frequently housed in restored, architecturally unique, or heritage buildings.
Notable examples include the heritage shophouse in Singapore’s Chinatown, the sprawling Reserve Hiraya in Tagaytay, and a colonial-style bungalow in Rochester.
“Now we have one here, with the building designed to be ‘work and study-friendly,’ providing more intimate, quiet spaces on the upper level compared to the busy ground floor,” Aliño said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Have you visited other Starbucks branches inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone during your recent visit there? Do you think there is still more room for further coffee shops or cafes inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone? How often do you order coffee by drive-thru?
In a serious attempt to protect its users and restore confidence, digital wallet GCash blocked more than three thousand and two hundred merchants that were linked to illegal online gambling and scamming, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Digital wallet giant GCash has blocked more than 3,200 merchants found to be linked to illicit activities, including illegal online gambling platforms, as part of its effort to bolster consumer protection.
In a statement, GCash said it has been coordinating with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) since last year to shut down these merchants’ access to the digital wallet.
By prohibiting their access to the digital wallet, this move prevents illegal operators from misusing the QRPh payment rail, which has been used to lure users to fake GCash payment pages.
Many of these illegal merchants employ deceptive tactics to mislead customers into sending payments to unauthorized accounts. Among the most common schemes is QR masking, where seemingly legitimate QR codes redirect payments to a different account.
Scammers also create fake payment pages that imitate legitimate businesses, as well as pages designed to mimic the official GCash interface to deceive customers and collect unauthorized payments.
GCash said it does not partner with these illegal merchants and operators, noting that they are typically independent entities attempting to route transactions through legitimate digital services.
To enhance consumer protection, GCash deploys proactive monitoring to identify and disable these schemes, which are then reported to authorities and the CICC to support government enforcement efforts.
“Entities attempting to misuse the GCash payment app and QRPh without authorization or are masking QRPh leading to unauthorized transactions are flagged, suspended, and reported to the relevant authorities,” it said.
Currently, GCash has measures in place to detect unauthorized merchant activity before users are scammed, helping maintain service integrity.
Furthermore, it immediately disables links to fraudulent operations and reports suspicious transactions to the CICC and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
“By proactively blocking unauthorized actors and reporting them to our regulators and authorities, we are helping protect Filipinos and maintain trust in the country’s digital financial ecosystem,” Miguel Geronilla, chief information and security officer of GCash.
As another layer of security, GCash said users should never share their mobile personal identification number (MPIN) or one-time password (OTP), as these details are not required.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think GCash has done a huge effort to protect its users and other customers? What do you think the scammers and purged merchants will do now that they have been blocked by GCash?
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, local police officers successfully arrested a 21-year-old man for committing the illegal sale of firearms, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Southern Police District (SPD) arrested a 21-year-old man for illegally selling firearms in Muntinlupa on March 15.
The suspect, identified by his aliases Roniel and Yanyan, was arrested along the PNR Site in Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa at about 1:30 a.m. during a gun buy-bust operation led by the SPD’s District Special Operations Unit (DSOU).
The operation was launched after authorities received information from an informant about the suspect’s alleged involvement in the illegal sale of firearms in Muntinlupa and nearby areas.
Based on the report, DSOU operatives conducted the coordinated sting operation together with personnel from the District Intelligence Division, Intelligence Section of the District Mobile Force Battalion, and Muntinlupa police.
Seized during the operation were two .38-caliber revolvers, two pieces of .38-caliber live ammunition, a marked P500 bill used in the transaction along with boodle money, and bags used by the suspect to carry the firearms.
The arrested individual, a resident of the barangay, failed to present any legal documents authorizing him to possess or sell firearms.
He was brought to the DSOU office for documentation and to the Pasay City General Hospital for physical and medical examination.
The police will request firearms records verification from the Firearms and Explosives Office to determine whether the suspect is a licensed firearm holder.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you thankful to the local police for the successful arrest of the suspect?
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
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 Leon Kennedy Is Gaming’s Significant Action Hero – Have you guys played Resident Evil: Requiem? I have not played it but the most notable buzz I heard about it was it emerged as a commercial success, and Leon Kennedy’s significance as a video game action hero is stronger than ever. Having played Resident Evil 2 of 1998 and 2019, plus Resident Evil 6, I can say that Leon Kennedy is a video game icon by today’s standards. In my view, the fictional hero is comparable with Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry. To learn more about the significance of Leon Kennedy and the quality of Resident Evil: Requiem, watch the video of Ranting for Vengeance below.
#2 Resident Evil of 1996 Revisited – Thirty years ago this month, Capcom released Resident Evil on PlayStation (followed by the Windows PC and Sega Saturn versions) and it became a big hit with gamers and critics. Since then, the Resident Evil games grew into a popular multimedia entertainment franchise and it is easily one of the most significant game franchises of all time. The 1996 original game was a successful experiment and it had a lot of content that added to its replay value. Times like these, it is important to revisit the first-ever Resident Evil game and I found a very comprehensive video about it which you can watch below.
#3 Fast Food In 1980s America – When I first visited the United States of America in 1989, me and my relatives had lots of fast food stops as we moved from one state to another by car. We had a nice variety of meals from food joints like Carl’s Jr., Burger King, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell to name some. I also had fast food stops when I revisited America in 1997, 2001, 2008 and 2011 but those experiences never matched the food stop experiences I had in 1989. To see what fast food in America was like in the 1980s, watch the video below.
#4 How Las Vegas Joints Scam Customers Without Breaking Laws – When I visited Las Vegas in 2011, I did not enjoy it that much because almost everything around me was too expensive. We stayed at a hotel along the famous Las Vegas strip which meant we were literally trapped by high rates here and there. As it turns out, the businesses there have been scamming customers and tourists without necessarily violating laws. How did they do it and what can you do to avoid such scams? Watch and learn from the video below.
#5 You, Me And The Movies React To The Godfather Trilogy – What is there to say about The Godfather movies of 1972, 1974 and 1990? Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, those movies were the most definitive cinematic portrayals of the mafia as well as the struggles of an Italian-American family. Al Pacino will forever be remembered as Michael Corleone while the late Robert Duvall was very memorable playing the great lawyer Tom Hagen. A few years ago, You, Me and the Movies took the effort to watch and react to The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III. I like how each movie – even with the third being the weakest and most disappointing one – drew their reactions. Watch and enjoy their reaction videos below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Annie – I never saw the 1982 musical film Annie in the cinema. As a young boy back then, I do remember the strong marketing and promotion of the movie prior to its release. A short time after its theatrical run, there were people in our local community singing “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love You, Tomorrow, You’re Always A Day Away” and citing lines from the movie. Historically, Annie was not exactly a gigantic hit and it was made with a very large budget of $35 million. If you want to discover what Annie is about, I encourage you all to watch Ashleigh Burton’s entertaining reaction video below.
#7 Affordable Japanese Cruises – Have you thought about visiting Japan and spending time in a cruise ship? Considering the economic developments and trends of recent years, it seems cruises there are becoming more affordable and the great deals are only increasing. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#8 The Ticking Structural Disaster Of San Francisco – Do you often spend time in San Francisco? Deep within the city is the high-end Millennium Tower and it is already a ticking disaster that could cause massive damage and deaths. This is because Millennium Tower has been leaning and sinking for many years now, and there is no solid way to solve its problem. If you intend to work and/or live in San Francisco, better stay away from Millennium Tower!
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines’ unemployment rate climbed to 5.8% in January 2026, marking its highest level in more than three years, as the labor market cooled after the holidays, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday.
Preliminary results from the January 2026 Labor Force Survey (LFS) showed the number of unemployed Filipinos rose to 2.96 million, from 2.17 million in the same month last year, and 2.26 million in December 2025.
PSA Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia L. Del Prado said that the January unemployment rate was the highest recorded since June 2022, when unemployment stood at 6.0%.
The January jobless rate was higher than the 4.3% in January 2025, and the 4.4% in December 2025.
“Usually in our time series, after the Christmas season, our employment rate really goes down… because there are no longer available jobs,” Ms. Del Prado told a livestreamed news briefing.
“Because in December, of course, there are lots of jobs available for our labor force. But month on month, the number of unemployed increased by 695,000. And most of the reasons for this are that people got tired — maybe they were exhausted from working in December, or believing that there are no jobs available,” she added.
The quality of employment also saw a shift, as the underemployment rate — the proportion of those with jobs but seeking more hours — stood at 13.2% in January 2026. This was a tad lower than the 13.3% underemployment rate in January 2025, but higher than the 8% in December 2025.
About 6.35 million Filipinos were considered underemployed persons in January, slightly decreased from the 6.47 million underemployed in January 2025, and 2.42 million seen in December 2025.
The country’s employment rate fell to 94.2% in January 2026, down from 95.7% in January 2025 and 95.6% in December 2025. This was also the lowest employment rate recorded since June 2022 when it stood at 94%.
The number of employed persons in January 2026 fell to 47.94 million, a decline from 48.49 million employed in the same month last year, and 49.43 million in December 2025.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you personally know anyone who has been unemployed for the past three months? Do you consider the higher unemployment rate a sign that the economy of the Philippines could fall into a recession this year?
The City Government of Las Piñas recently announced via social media that Malacañang formally declared March 27, 2026, a special non-working day in the city in celebration of the cityhood anniversary as well as the founding anniversary.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire announcement by the City Government. Some parts in boldface…
Malacañang declared Las Piñas Day on March 27, 2026 as a Special Non-Working Holiday. This is in conjunction with the celebration of the 119th Founding Anniversary, and 29th Cityhood Anniversary of Las Piñas. Let’s celebrate our beloved City together!
The City Government’s social media post includes an image of the official signed document from Malacañang.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? How do you plan to spend the special non-working day of March 27? Are many people in your local community aware of the history of the city’s founding and cityhood?
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
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the WildStorm universe through The Kindred mini-series.
The Kindred #1 was an entertaining piece of work by Jim Lee’s team. It was a build-up comic book that smoothly sets the stage for the inevitable reuniting of Grifter and Backlash – two former teammates of Team 7 who are also among the most defining heroes of the WildStorm universe – and the dangerous mission to find and rescue IO director John Lynch (who was also part of Team 7) and his assistant in South America. As the story of issue #1 went on, it was clear that elements from the past are creeping up on the characters and IO itself.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Kindred #2, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Jim Lee, Brandon Choi, Sean Ruffner and Brett Booth. Booth illustrated the comic book.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with a high-tech aircraft speeding off the coast of South America. Inside, the temporary leader Backlash (supported by deputy Colby) talks with members of the Black Razor team about what the mission is about and what their objectives are. Their goal is to find IO superior John Lynch and his assistant Alica Turner who have been held captive by a mysterious and dangerous bunch called the Kindred.
Upon arrival at their destination, Backlash, Colby and the Black Razors land to start their operation. Moments later, the stowaway Grifter emerges from inside the aircraft and gets spotted by a corporal. Grifter fires at an ugly, human-like monster of the Kindred saving the corporal’s life. Grifter then descends to follow Backlash and the Black Razors…
Quality
Backlash and Grifter (Marc Slayton and Cole Cash) together after so many years apart. They are former teammates of Team 7.
This early, I can say that the entertainment value of this comic book went up really high. It is clearly a nice pay-off to the build-up that happened in issue #1 and it has some notable moments as the storytelling went on.
Without spoiling the plot, the core concept of this series became clearer to me as the story progressed. Apart from the creative idea of having the former Team 7 teammates reunited, there are believable reasons as to why Backlash is leading a team of IO’s armed operative and why Grifter tagged along. Both of them are searching for answers while having different agendas or personal goals. There is also animosity between them which strongly implies something bad happened during their time together with Team 7. John Lynch, who often has been a background or supporting character in previous WildStorm tales (but eventually got a stronger role in Team 7 comics), finds himself cornered by the Kindred whose leader is very aware of what IO has been doing all along. At the same time, IO’s legacy of indiscriminate genetic testing on animal fetuses created a force of not only evil but vengeance. What the Kindred leader mentions effectively blurred the boundary that separates good and evil, and even that of abusers and victims.
By the time I reached the end of the comic book, the stakes and the suspense were raised. The same can be said about the overall fun factor.
Conclusion
The leader of the Kindred is not only evil. He is driven by vengeance and he knows a lot about IO.
Thanks to strong creative writing, The Kindred #2 (1994) is indeed a more engaging and more intriguing comic book. It consistently paid off the build-up that happened in the previous issue, and the creative team managed to keep on building up the suspense and tension as the story went on. Those who love spectacle will enjoy the high amount of action here and artist Brett Booth proved himself to be capable of showing dynamic visuals. Booth has an inspired take on showing Backlash and Grifter in action. I am looking forward to the next issue.
It can be said that 2025 is indeed a very disappointing year for the Philippines as it attracted only $7.79 billion in terms of net inflows of foreign direct investments (FDI), according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. The said figure is a drop of more than 17% compared with 2024 and it is recalled that the flood control corruption scandal of 2025 negatively affected the nation.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Net inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Philippines plunged to their lowest level in a decade—excluding the pandemic slump—as investors stepped on the brakes on injecting funds into the country.
The latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released on Tuesday night, March 10, showed net inflows of FDI stood at $7.79 billion for the full year of 2025, dropping 17.1 percent from the $9.4 billion recorded in 2024.
It bears noting that the 2025 performance marks a significant downturn, as full-year FDI was the lowest since the 2020 pandemic level of $6.82 billion.
Excluding the pandemic period, 2025 net FDI represents the lowest level in a decade since the $5.64 billion recorded in 2015. This contraction was a consistent trend throughout 2025, with cumulative annual growth remaining negative every month since January.
On a positive note, the final figure exceeded the country’s $7-billion full-year target.
According to the BSP, the overall decline in investments was largely driven by net debt instruments, or intercompany borrowings, which shrank by 27 percent to $5.27 billion from $7.22 billion in 2024.
Meanwhile, net equity capital, other than reinvestment of earnings, grew by 31.4 percent to $1.32 billion from $1.01 billion the previous year. Reinvestment of earnings also saw a modest expansion of 2.5 percent, reaching $1.2 billion.
For the full year, equity capital placements were primarily sourced from Japan, the United States (US), Singapore, and South Korea.
Investments were largely channeled into financial and insurance activities, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade.
In December 2025 alone, net inflows were recorded at $560 million, marking the lowest in three months since September 2025 at $316 million.
Robert Dan Roces, group economist at SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), said investors delayed their investments, particularly in December. He added that softer inflows likely reflect seasonality.
Looking ahead, Roces believes the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East could add a layer of uncertainty, triggering market volatility. Still, he sees a gradual rebound in 2026 on the back of improving global financial conditions.
“While the Iran conflict adds uncertainty through higher oil prices and market volatility, we still expect FDI to gradually recover in 2026, particularly in manufacturing, renewable energy (RE), and logistics, as global financial conditions ease and supply-chain diversification continues,” Roces said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to rebound strongly this year with foreign investors?
Author Carlo Carrasco 