Filipinos faced a stinging end to 2025 as oil companies raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by ₱0.60 per liter starting at 6 a.m. on December 30. This latest increase, which comes on the heels of recent price cuts just a week earlier, adds fresh fuel to ongoing inflationary pressures that have weighed heavily…
As 2025 draws to a close, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has placed flood control projects squarely at the center of his administration’s intensified anti-corruption drive. In a decisive policy shift, the President ordered stringent audits and performance reviews across infrastructure agencies, halting new allocations for flood control in 2026 until it is proven that…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has postponed the signing of the PHP 6.793 trillion 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) until the first week of January 2026, citing an urgent need for a meticulous review of recent legislative insertions. Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto confirmed that this move aims to scrutinize bicameral adjustments against the administration’s…
In a sweeping move against entrenched corruption in government infrastructure projects, contractor Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya was arrested on December 18, 2025, by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on charges tied to a staggering ₱7.1 billion tax evasion case and alleged involvement in a series of irregularities in flood control projects nationwide. The crackdown…
MANILA — Philippine authorities have launched an aggressive crackdown on wet market retailers in the capital, issuing “show-cause orders” to vendors accused of inflating food prices during the critical holiday season. The enforcement operation, led by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), targets a widening gap between government-mandated…
Philippine stocks posted a modest rebound after coordinated interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provided a shot of adrenaline to investors navigating an uncertain economic landscape. The synchronized move to ease borrowing costs signaled a potential shift in global monetary policy, offering temporary relief to a…
In the wake of years marked by financial scandals and international scrutiny, Malta is intensifying its drive to regain investor confidence. A sweeping agenda of business and financial reforms is now gathering pace, as the government, buoyed by fresh financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and strong public demand for transparency, doubles down on…
Investment activity in Malta has slowed dramatically, with new data showing a 48 percent drop in investments approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) over the first 11 months of 2025. The decline signals a shift in investor sentiment, particularly among local stakeholders, and raises concerns about the broader economic ramifications—ranging from slowed job growth…
Gasoline prices across the Philippines surged by P1.20 per liter on December 9, 2025, marking a sharp increase that is expected to deepen the financial burden on consumers and rekindle nationwide concern over inflation and energy policy. The hike, implemented by key oil firms including Petron, Seaoil, Jetti, and PTT Philippines, underscores the country’s vulnerability…
Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation has secured a Php 3.975 billion (approximately US$68 million) loan from the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to finance the construction of its newest solar energy facility in Pangasinan, the 113-megawatt Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2. The project is a key component of the country’s accelerating transition toward renewable power and…