A reliable driving partner in the new normal

Now more than ever, young urban professionals are fully booked in their schedules. As they take extra effort in balancing work and life in this new normal, their day is often filled with work hours, whether at home or in the office. They also allot time, nonetheless, to pursue other passions, to do side gigs, to

Inflation likely hit 26-month high in Feb – poll

Food prices remained elevated in February. -- PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCASBy Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter HEADLINE INFLATION is likely to have breached the central bank's target for a second straight month in February, as food and fuel prices remain elevated, according to economists. A BusinessWorld poll of 16 analysts last week yielded a median estimate of 4.8%, near the upper end of the 4.3% to 5.1% estimate range given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) but beyond the 2-4% annual target. If realized, the median estimate will be even quicker than the 4.2% in January and the 2.6% a year earlier.

Philippines’ big banks lend less money in Q4

By Marissa Mae M. Ramos, Researcher THE COUNTRY'S biggest banks lent less to households and firms in the fourth quarter of 2020, as profits fell and soured loans increased amid the coronavirus pandemic. The latest edition of BusinessWorld's quarterly banking report showed the aggregate loans of 46 universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) contracted by 3.96% year on year

Coronavirus forces agencies to ease bureaucratic red tape

Many government agencies are still at the infancy stage of moving processes to the internet. -- PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCASBy Jenina P. Ibanez, Reporter WHEN a coronavirus lockdown barred Tina Cuyugan, 60, from making the trip to a small town in the Bicol Region to pay property taxes, she reached out to the municipal office in December to find out how she could pay. The communication consultant was told to pay via postal money order, an ancient system supplanted by online banking and newer remittance services. A postal worker at the Paranaque City central post office helped her fill out a form, while her

Gov’t borrowings rose to P2.74 trillion in 2020

A Philippine peso note is seen in this picture illustration, June 2, 2017. -- REUTERS/THOMAS WHITE/ILLUSTRATION GROSS BORROWINGS by the National Government (NG) more than doubled to P2.74 trillion last year on the huge loans obtained amid a coronavirus pandemic, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) reported. The latest cash operations report of the BTr showed NG's borrowings

Citicore Power earmarks P4-B for solar, hydro projects

By Angelica Y. Yang RENEWABLE energy firm Citicore Power, Inc. has allocated P4 billion in capital expenditures (capex) for solar and hydro projects, as the firm plans to list a power portfolio in the local bourse this year, the firm's top official said. "A total of 4 billion (pesos) for 2021. This is the capex plan...Around 2.5 (billion