Louella Desiderio

MANILA, Philippines — Asialink Finance Corp. (AFC) has secured a $50-million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to be used to provide financing to more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

The country’s apparel exports are projected to reach the $1 billion mark in 2025, thanks to an expected boost from the free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea anticipated to take effect in the first quarter.

Over 50 percent of German firms in the Philippines are upbeat that business conditions will improve, as they anticipate increases both in investments to be made and the workforce count, according to a survey of the German–Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI).

President Marcos signed yesterday the CREATE MORE Act, which aims to make the country’s tax regime more globally competitive and investment-friendly.

MANILA, Philippines — Indonesia's state-owned oil and natural gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero) is looking to take part in the country's liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry supply chain through various projects.

The World Bank has approved a $750-million loan to support the Philippine government’s efforts to promote greater digital technology adoption to drive economic growth.

The government needs to increase funding support and implement a special tax program for local startups to propel the growth of the country’s startup ecosystem, according to venture capital fund Gobi-Core Philippine Fund.

The Philippines is expected to post a faster growth of 5.8 to six percent this year from a year ago, with the expansion to be supported by government spending as well as consumption, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.

Investment commitments from foreign firms approved by investment promotion agencies jumped by 434.4 percent in the third quarter from a year ago, with the bulk going into manufacturing activities.

Building a strong middle class is necessary to realize the country’s long-term vision of a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society by 2040 or AmBisyon Natin 2040, according to the National Economic and Development Authority.