A SURGE in equity and investment funds as well as equity placements boosted the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows in February 2024, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

WITH consumption hurting the country’s recent economic performance, analysts said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to start cutting rates as early as the third quarter.  

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror

COMPARED to a year ago, the national government extended lesser subsidies of P19.587 billion to corporations it owns and runs in the first quarter of 2024.

THE country’s agriculture output in the second quarter may stay the same if El Niño continues to damage local plantations, according to economists.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has created a new “super body” to enhance the country’s human rights protection, including situations in cases involving drug control and counter-terrorism. 

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has acknowledged the importance of diesel power plants for preventing a massive power outage, as these can best provide immediate response to restore power when major plants conk out, as what happened last month in Luzon and Visayas.

AS the Marcos administration steps up the revitalization of the mining sector to take advantage of the increasing global demand for energy transition metals, the government is looking at having mining drive green technology and high-quality job growth.

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared the way for the possible ratification of the Agreement for Cooperation between the Philippines and United States Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy also known as 123 Agreement.

MOVING to ensure adequate assessors for senior high school graduates, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian pressed ahead for the rollout of the free assessment and certification for senior high school graduates in the technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track, as he urged the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to ensure that there will be enough assessors for the program.

SEN. Christopher Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, was invited to the inauguration of the 165th Malasakit Center located at the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center in Rosales, Pangasinan, on Friday, May 10.

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has ordered an investigation into the reported failure of the tailings storage facility (TSF) of Greenstone Resources mining operations in Barangay Siana, Tubod, Surigao del Norte.

Electricity spot market prices in all grids shot up to nearly P7 per kilowatt hour (kWh) last month after the Luzon grid was placed on 21 red alerts and 23 for the Visayas grid.

FILIPINO exporters, particularly those of smartphones, jewelry and motor vehicles, can export more to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) given its rising population and income levels, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport) said.

A LAWMAKER has urged the energy sector to guarantee a steady supply of power to safeguard senior citizens from heat-related illnesses in light of the growing threats to the country’s energy security.

THE Philippines needs to urgently step up its awareness campaign against internet-based rackets as it topped the online shopping scam list in the 2023 Asia Scam Report, a survey conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance in partnership with the Taiwan-based tech security company Gogolook.

THE flagship organization of the Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Management (BPM) industry is hoping that the amended version of Republic Act (RA) 11534 will lessen the tax imposed on registered business enterprises (RBEs) particularly slapped by local government units (LGUs), among others. 

IN a relatively short time, fintechs have become an established part of the financial services environment. The fast pace of innovation within the sector, allied with fintechs’ ability to understand customers’ wants and needs through data analytics, has resonated with consumers and businesses eager for customer-friendly products that speed up transactions and widen choice.

VIETNAMESE financial technology startup Digital Payment Solutions Joint Stock Co. (doing business as MFast) has officially launched its operations in the Philippines, less than a year after it raised $6 million to fund its expansion in the region.  

DOLLAR-denominated assets will continue to offer favorable yields as the US Federal Reserve keep monetary policy tight and US interest rates expected to peak this year, according to Asia United Bank (AUB) Senior Vice President and Head of Trust Andrew Chua.