China unveils playbook for a greener world

As the global community searches for ways to accelerate climate action while balancing economic demands, China is offering its own blueprint: a detailed, case-driven report that blends policy insight, on-the-ground practices, and a vision for inclusive international cooperation. In a rare collaboration between academia and state-affiliated media, the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development […]


Spot market defaults driving up electricity costs, PCCI warns

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 […]


Phl credit card debt soars to 4 times monthly income, reaching critical levels

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 […]


Filipino prop-tech firm Hotel101 makes historic Nasdaq debut

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 […]


Phl joins global crypto crackdown with 2028 tax reporting pledge

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 links fighter jet sale to Philippine jobs, defense boost

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, […]


DICT chief confirms presence of ‘hackers’ within cyber agency

The Philippines’ top cybersecurity official has confirmed that alleged hackers have infiltrated the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), raising concerns over internal sabotage and data breaches within the agency tasked with defending the nation’s digital infrastructure. DICT Secretary Henry Aguda made the admission during an interview on DZRH’s Dos por Dos radio program […]


Gov’t broadens VAT exemption on medicines for chronic diseases

The Philippine government has expanded the list of value-added tax (VAT)-exempt medicines to cover more treatments for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and mental illnesses, in a move aimed at easing healthcare costs and improving access to essential drugs. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to fast-track implementation of the […]


Seafarers Happiness Index rises—Filipinos still holding the line

As the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) marks its 10th year, the latest report shows a modest rise in global morale. But behind the numbers, Filipino seafarers—who comprise a third of the world’s maritime workforce—continue to shoulder the burdens of a strained industry aboard aging vessels. The Q1 2025 index, released by The Mission to Seafarers, […]


Jobs, not aid: The Philippines’ new path out of poverty

As economic pressures mount across the developing world, the Philippines should shift its focus—placing jobs, not aid, at the heart of its fight against poverty. That opportunity lies in harnessing the country’s most abundant asset: its people. With nearly 1.2 billion young people in emerging economies reaching working age over the next decade—and only an […]