Business
BPO office demand grows 160%, strong indicator of recovery
July 9, 2021, 8:05 pm
MANILA – The Philippine office market appears ready to take off and resume its pre-pandemic growth trajectory, according to a study by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC). Demand for office space nationwide grew by 38 percent from 122,000 square meters (sqm) in the first quarter of 2021 to… Read More
Stocks, peso end week down on Covid-19 cases concerns
July 9, 2021, 7:55 pm
MANILA – Increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases overseas continue to worry investors, resulting in the negative close of the local main equities index and further weakening of the peso on Friday. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost by 1.30 percent, or 90.07 points, to… Read More
BSP exec urges more people to use digital payments
July 9, 2021, 7:03 pm
MANILA – Digital payments surged during the pandemic due to movement restrictions but some people remain adamant to this shift thus, the need to reach out to this group, a ranking monetary official said. During the press conference for the virtual 2021 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Youth Summit… Read More
ARTA pushes for possible gov’t online data sharing
July 9, 2021, 5:47 pm
MANILA – The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is pushing for online sharing of data on birth, death, and marriage, among others, with government agencies. In a statement Friday, ARTA said the agency has written the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to make this initiative possible in the near… Read More
Trade chief sees exports to sustain upward trend
July 9, 2021, 5:43 pm
MANILA – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez has welcomed the robust exports performance for May 2021, saying the country’s outbound trade will continue its upward trend. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Friday that merchandise export revenues in May… Read More
PH can move to 'next normal' with 20% fully vax population
July 9, 2021, 4:39 pm
MANILA – Restrictions could be eased as long as at least 20 percent of the country’s population are fully vaccinated and the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta variant will be prevented, a member of the OCTA Research Group said. During the Let’s Go Bakuna Town Hall… Read More
Landbank onboards 3.8-M unbanked nat’l ID registrants
July 9, 2021, 3:58 pm
MANILA – The Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) has cleared the way for 3.79 million unbanked registrants to the national identification (ID) system to be part of the formal banking system as of May this year, in step with President Rodrigo Duterte's goal of financial inclusion for all… Read More
More gov’t offices onboarding electronic payment facility eyed
July 8, 2021, 7:42 pm
MANILA – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) target to onboard around 430 government offices under the EGov Pay this year is being boosted by the increased utilization of digital payment services. In a virtual press briefing on Thursday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said around 387… Read More
Stocks slip anew after hawkish Fed; peso nearly flat
July 8, 2021, 6:43 pm
MANILA – The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped anew on Thursday but the peso managed to end the day sideways against the US dollar amid the hawkish signal from the Federal Reserve. The main equities index shed by 0.26 percent, or 18.01 points, to 6,924.99 points. All Shares moved… Read More
Cebu vendor gets ‘microentrepreneur of the year’ plum
July 8, 2021, 5:53 pm
CEBU CITY – A thrift bank has hailed a dried fish vendor from sugarcane town of Medellin in northern Cebu as a microentrepreneur of the year national awardee. In a statement on Thursday, City Savings Bank said Luzviminda “Nanay Luz” Sunit, who started to venture into dried fish business… Read More
D&L, Quezon City join hands to fast-track vaccination drive
July 8, 2021, 5:38 pm
MANILA – D&L Industries’ medical team has helped administer coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines, as the company partnered with the Quezon City local government unit (LGU) to hasten the inoculation of more Filipinos at the earliest possible time. The partnership, which features the… Read More
Forex reserves still strong backing to peso: Diokno
July 8, 2021, 5:34 pm
MANILA – The country’s large gross international reserves (GIR) remains a strong support to the local currency amid the latter’s recent weakening to the 49-level against the US dollar. In a virtual briefing on Thursday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said the… Read More
DOLE extends capital to NegOr fishers for seaweed biz
July 8, 2021, 4:46 pm
CEBU CITY – A group of fishermen in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental will soon engage in a seaweed farming business after receiving almost PHP1 million in livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The beneficiaries are members of the Kapunongan sa… Read More
Over 31K borrowers benefit from gov’t’s interest-free loan
July 8, 2021, 3:54 pm
MANILA – Some 31,409 borrowers have benefitted from the zero-interest loan funded by the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, or the Bayanihan 2, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported. During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship Wednesday, DTI… Read More
Keeping economic fundamentals intact crucial to quick recovery
July 7, 2021, 7:48 pm
MANILA – Keeping the country’s economic fundamentals intact will pave the way for the quick recovery of the economy from the impact of the pandemic, a Department of Finance (DOF) executive said. In an economic bulletin issued on Wednesday, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran cited the USD614… Read More
Stocks index, peso slip anew on recovery concerns
July 7, 2021, 6:33 pm
MANILA – Negative sentiments reigned in the local bourse on Wednesday resulting in the negative close of the main index, which was mirrored by the local currency. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 0.71 percent, or 49.43 points, to 6,943.00 points. All Shares declined by 0.62… Read More
Closed biz amid Covid-19 down to 10% in June
July 7, 2021, 6:29 pm
MANILA – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez reported Wednesday that the number of enterprises that closed their operations amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic went down to 10 percent in June. During the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and… Read More
BSP’s TDF rates fall on strong demand
July 7, 2021, 5:46 pm
MANILA – The rate of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) term deposit facility (TDF) declined on Wednesday due to strong demand. The average rate of the seven-day facility slipped to 1.7176 percent and of the 14-day facility to 1.8014 percent. These were at 1.7261 percent and 1.8114… Read More
French firm eyes P1.5-B shipyard in PH
July 7, 2021, 5:41 pm
MANILA – OCEA, a shipbuilding firm in northwest France, has expressed its intent to build a PHP1.5-billion shipyard in the country. In a statement Wednesday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said OCEA is just one of the investment interests from France that the country has cornered… Read More
Creation of independent market operator in line with law: DOE
July 7, 2021, 3:53 pm
MANILA – An official of the Department of Energy (DOE) said the agency did not break any law in establishing the independent market operator, contrary to the claims of Senator Manny Pacquiao. During the Laging Handa public briefing Wednesday, DOE Assistant Secretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. said the… Read More
