APEC sees new waves of infection threatening projected 2021 rebound
THE STRONG economic rebound expected by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) bloc this year is facing downward pressure due to the rising case counts in many countries, APEC said in a report.
Building materials April price index picks up in NCR
THE GROWTH in retail prices of construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) picked up in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Thursday.
LKI seeking ban on duty pass-on to consumers
A CONSUMER advocacy group is asking the government to prevent companies from passing on costs incurred from import duties on key goods to consumers.
Agencies sign information-sharing deal to curb fuel smuggling
THE Department of Energy (DoE), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) signed an agreement Thursday to put more teeth in the effort to curb fuel smuggling, centered on information-sharing in oil and petroleum trading.
Century Pacific sees consumers buying more food per shopping trip
Food consumption in the Philippines has been resilient during the pandemic, with consumers buying more per market trip to maximize the goods purchased during their shopping trips, a Century Pacific Food official said.
Foreign chambers back lower capital norm for retail entrants
FOREIGN BUSINESS groups declared their support for even lower minimum capitalization requirements for foreign retailers after the Senate approved a measure to ease barriers to their market entry.
DTI estimates 8% of firms remain closed during current quarantine phase
AN ESTIMATED 8% of businesses remain closed due to the current easier quarantine settings, which represents an improvement over the level of operations seen during the strict phase of the lockdown in the capital and nearby regions, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said.
Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand tapped for DBP hog initiative
THAI-OWNED CHAROEN Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp. (CPFPC) has tied up with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in a credit program that will support farmers seeking to rebuild their depleted hog herds.
IP applications rise 21% in four months to April
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) filings rose 21% in the first four months of the year to 15,028 as businesses started to recover from the effects of the pandemic, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said in a report Wednesday.
Korean aid agency to back river development program
THE NATIONAL Water Resources Board (NWRB) has entered into a partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency in a water project for the Pampanga River Basin.
PHL pandemic spending rated among world’s most transparent
THE PHILIPPINES was among four countries considered to have been the most transparent in pandemic spending last year, according to a survey conducted by the non-profit International Budget Partnership (IBP).
Delay seen in Public Service Act amendments
PROPOSALS to amend the Public Service Act (PSA) could be delayed, though other priority legislative items like amendments to the Foreign Investments Act of 1991 and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2020 could be approved sooner, a key legislator said.