For once, the tax system favors the many over the few. The flat 20% levy on interest income, introduced under the Capital Market Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA), doesn’t punish savers—it puts an end to years of built-in advantages that let the wealthy lock away capital and enjoy lower tax rates. Contrary to the social media […]

For years, global trade was the default engine of growth. But as we pass the midpoint of 2025, it’s sputtering badly—and not because of any natural cooling. This slowdown is man-made, self-inflicted, and increasingly perilous. According to the World Bank, global trade growth is forecast to decelerate from 3.4% in 2024 to just 1.8% in […]

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, is calling for stricter enforcement of rules in the country’s electricity spot market and greater billing transparency by power retailers. The group warned that persistent payment defaults by some members of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) are distorting market operations and […]

A new report from Singapore-based fintech firm ROSHI has raised alarms about the growing credit card debt crisis in the Philippines, with consumer debt reaching levels described as “critical.” According to the findings, Filipino cardholders are carrying an average balance of S$2,092, while the typical monthly income is just S$492.26. This results in a staggering […]

Hotel101 Global Holdings Corporation became the first Filipino-owned company to be listed and traded on the Nasdaq, debuting with an Opening Bell ceremony in New York on Friday, June 27. Now trading under the ticker “HBNB,” the tech-driven hospitality platform is built for global scale, offering standardized hotel units through a proprietary, asset-light model. The […]

The Philippines has joined 67 jurisdictions—including 10 in Asia—in committing to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) by 2027 or 2028, marking a major step toward regulating digital assets and curbing tax evasion linked to cross-border crypto flows. The Department of Finance (DOF) made the commitment during the 8th […]

Lockheed Martin is tying its offer of F-16 Block 70 fighter jets to a bold plan to boost local jobs, train Filipino workers, and build up the Philippines’ defense industry — a move that could accelerate the country’s push for military self-reliance and high-tech growth. The U.S. defense contractor has proposed setting up in-country maintenance, […]

The number of dollar millionaires in the Philippines has surged by 32% over the past decade, outstripping growth in several advanced economies and regional peers, even as a quiet but notable outflow of wealth begins to take shape. According to Henley & Partners’ Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, the Philippines is now home to 12,800 […]

R+T Asia wrapped its 20th edition with record-breaking attendance and international reach, solidifying its position as Asia’s premier trade fair for the sun shading and door/gate industries. The event also commemorated the 60th anniversary of the global R+T brand, signaling its long-standing influence in the built environment sector. Held from May 26 to 28 at […]

The Philippines is making a coordinated push to attract Chinese manufacturers, positioning itself as a cost-effective, investor-ready hub in Southeast Asia—with government agencies and private developers like Aboitiz InfraCapital leading a rare unified campaign. In a high-level investment mission to Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the industrial estate operator joined forces with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority […]