Government borrowing surged by £3.2 billion above expectations in December, with the shortfall reaching £17.8 billion as rising public sector pay, inflation-linked benefits, and a one-off property purchase pushed spending to its highest December level in four years. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the spike in borrowing, up from £11.8 […]
REUTERS THE MAIN INDEX inched up on Wednesday as the market continued to digest US President Donald J. Trump’s policy comments following his inauguration and amid the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office’s (AMRO) bullish view on the Philippine economy. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.12% or 8.13 points to close at 6,348.34 […]
IIIJAOYINGIII-PIXABAY THE PESO slipped against the dollar on Wednesday as markets continue to react to US President Donald J. Trump first wave of policy announcements. The local unit closed at P58.51 per dollar on Wednesday, down by two centavos from its P58.49 finish on Tuesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed. The peso opened […]
A SCREENSHOT of Chinese Coast Guard vessel 3103 (right) with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Suluan in the South China Sea on Jan. 21, 2025. — PCG THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday issued a radio challenge asking another Chinese vessel to leave its waters near the coast of Zambales province in the country’s […]
DON-DELFIN ALMONTE-UNSPLASH THE GOVERNMENT should raise taxes on tobacco and vape products to cut their use by Filipinos, according to the Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) Philippines. “The buying capacity of Filipinos has increased and it will be wise to increase taxes on tobacco products to keep up with the changing times,” ASH Philippines […]
PHILIPPINE STAR/BOY SANTOS THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has clarified the coverage of the second tranche of salary increases for government workers this month. National Budget Circular No. 597 lays down the implementation of the updated salary schedule for civilian workers based on Executive Order (EO) No. 64, which was signed in August […]
STOCK PHOTO | Image by Silas Camargo Silão from Pixabay A BILL granting amnesty to hospitals with denied reimbursement claims, embroiled in legal disputes with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), has been filed at the House of Representatives. The state health insurer has P59.6 billion in unpaid claims to hospitals, which it accumulated from […]
Students walk inside the campus of a high school in Quezon City, April 18, 2024. — REUTERS THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a bill that seeks to overhaul the Philippine education system by dividing the tertiary education pipeline and aligning it with industry standards. In a voice vote, congressmen approved […]
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are seen at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is reassessing its policies on deploying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait, aiming to bolster protections for Filipino workers, particularly domestic helpers, in the Gulf state. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo […]
PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it would resume printing ballots on Jan. 24, after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the inclusion of two more candidates in the midterm elections this May. This followed the issuance of temporary restraining orders (TROs) against the poll body on Tuesday after it disqualified social […]