Q4 boosts approved 2018 FDI pledges
THE GOVERNMENT approved more foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments in the country last year, fueled mostly by pledges in 2018’s last three months.
Honasan may not take on DICT post
FOLLOWING his nomination by Malacañang late last year to take the reins at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Senator Gregorio B. Honasan II seems uninterested in the post as his appointment lapsed due to his failure to submit required documents.
Rule of law in PHL one of Asia’s weakest
PHILIPPINE rule of law has remained one of the weakest in East Asia and the Pacific, according to an annual survey of more than a hundred economies that showed the country’s score steadying from last year even as it rose in rank amid a generally negative slide worldwide.
S&P cites stronger banking industry
S&P Global Ratings gave a higher score for the Philippine banking system, citing better growth prospects following enactment of a law strengthening the central bank.
Banks mark Q4 with bigger returns despite slower loan growth
FOURTH-QUARTER growth of assets and loans of the country’s biggest banks continued to post double-digit rates even as they recorded smaller increases than year-ago levels.
Supreme Court moves to speed up resolution of small money claims
THE SUPREME COURT has increased the ceiling for small money claims cases filed with metropolitan trial courts nationwide uniformly to P400,000 from P300,000, effective April 1, raising government hopes the move could help improve the Philippines’ performance in the World Bank’s annual ease of doing business reports.
Random fuel mark tests start June
THE FIRST ROUND of field tests for marked fuel is scheduled to start in June, with authorities expecting to cover at least 15 billion liters this year and crack down on other smuggled petroleum products.
Retail T-bond sale bares strong demand
THE GOVERNMENT saw strong demand during the sale of the retail Treasury bonds (RTB) to institutional investors on Tuesday in which the five-year debt papers fetched a higher coupon than in previous exercises.
Gov’t exploring ways to ease port congestion
THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) is looking to require international shipping lines to build warehouses outside Metro Manila to store empty containers, while fees charged to businesses that leave empty containers in ports beyond the allowable period could rise, as the government explores more ways to ease congestion at the Port of Manila.
Duterte wants reforms sustained under new BSP chief — spokesman
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has yet to consider candidates to succeed the late Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. who died of tongue cancer just last Saturday, his spokesman told reporters on Tuesday, but Malacañang expects to see some basic qualities as well as reforms sustained.
Fitch: Tax take key to hike in debt rating
A SUSTAINED rise in tax collections may trigger a debt rating upgrade for the Philippines, an analyst at Fitch Ratings said, noting that last year’s budget deficit will not affect the country’s credit outlook for now.
Measure lifting restrictions on foreigners in business could still make it out of 17th...
A MEASURE further relaxing restrictions in Republic Act No. 7042, or the Foreign Investments Act of 1991 (FIA), could be one of the bills that could secure approval in the remaining days of the 17th Congress, Senate leaders said in separate interviews late last week.