By CNN Philippines Staff, 7 Feb 2021 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 7) — House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco filed a third version of the Bayanihan bill, seeking to secure an additional stimulus package amounting to ₱420 billion that will help revive the pandemic-battered economy.

by Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), 6 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Job hunting will be harder for most Filipinos in the next two years as the economy recovers slowly and the influx of new graduates and returned overseas workers heighten competition for positions in a tough environment, the country’s economic planning agency said

by Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star), 6 Feb 2021 Jumps to 4.2% in January MANILA, Philippines — Prices of basic goods and services rose for the fourth straight month to reach a two-year high in January, driven by higher food and transportation costs, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said yesterday.

by Sheila Crisostomo, Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star), 6 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Government officials and staff on official business won’t be mandated to undergo strict 14-day quarantine and testing protocols for COVID-19 imposed by local governments, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) announced yesterday.

by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com), 5 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Local factories ended last year with a more tempered slump in output, as a seasonal uptick in demand during the holidays provided the impetus to manufacturers to pick up the slack in December.

by Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Manila Standard, 5 Feb 2021 The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allotted P19 billion in financial assistance to almost 2 million workers and about 500,000 overseas Filipino workers this year.

STARTING FEB. 8 By: Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 Feb 2021 LUCENA CITY—Two bus companies were allowed to resume their regular trips from this provincial capital of Quezon to Biñan City in Laguna province starting Feb. 8, nearly a year after their operations were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By: Ben O. de Vera, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 Feb 2021 COVID-19 has dialed back some inroads made toward attaining the Duterte administration’s original poverty-reduction and jobs targets, but its chief economist remained confident the ultimate goal to eliminate poverty by 2040 would be achieved despite these pandemic-induced hiccups.

by Richmond Mercurio, Romina Cabrera, Edu Punay, Eva Visperas (The Philippine Star), 5 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — After sparking public uproar and the prospect of a Senate investigation, motor vehicle inspection criticized as added burden to the public already reeling from the pandemic will remain a requirement for renewal of vehicle registration, Land Transportation…

by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com), 4 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 10:28 p.m., Feb. 4)— The Philippines is facing a long-lasting economic effect of the pandemic that would require the Duterte administration to devote its last years in office for repair

by Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star), 4 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 may soon be officially declared as an occupational and compensable illness.

by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com), 4 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is not alone in grappling with anemic consumer demand, with the rest of Asia Pacific region trying to perk up consumption appetite hammered down by the coronavirus pandemic.

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By Luz Wendy T. Noble, BusinessWorld, 4 Feb 2021 BANK LENDING contracted for the first time in over 14 years in December, as lenders tightened credit standards and demand for loans remained weak amid the recession.

by Ranier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star), 4 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will not adopt the pass or drop grading system even as Congress has shown its full support toward a push for academic ease and leniency amid the new normal where face-to-face classes are prohibited and distance learning…

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by Jemy Gatdula, Businessworld, 4 Feb 2021 Unfortunately, 2021 doesn’t seem to be making it any easier. And the President’s confirmation that the Philippines is losing P2 billion a day in lost income just drives the point home.

by Noreen Jazul, Manila Bulletin, 4 Feb 2021 Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco has assured the public that the ice plant owned by his mother’s family will be held accountable for the ammonia gas leak incident which happened Wednesday.

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By Ian Nicolas Cigaral(Philstar.com), 3 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — A priority bill that reduces taxes on local and foreign companies while slowly dismantling their tax perks to recoup revenues is now on its way to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

By: Consuelo Marquez, INQINQUIRER.net, 3 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Law enforcers have arrested an American and his three accomplices for allegedly operating a cybersex den in Angeles City, Pampanga, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported Wednesday.

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by Beatrice M. Laforga, BusinessWorld, 3 Feb 2021 DEPARTMENTS under the National Government may have to reduce their workforce when some projects will be devolved to local government units (LGUs) starting next year, the Budget chief said

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By: Cathrine Gonzales, INQINQUIRER.net, 3 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — The Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is seeking the declaration of Covid-19 as a work-related illness.

By CNN Philippines Staff, 2 Feb 2021 The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a measure that seeks to penalize discrimination based on one’s race, religion and ethnicity as well as provide reparation to victims. (FILE PHOTO) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 2) — The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a measure that seeks…

by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com), 2 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Soured consumer loans held by banks soared to their highest level in nearly a decade as of the third quarter last year, as several households struggled to pay debts after a pandemic-induced recession threw job markets into turmoil

by Bella Perez-Rubio (Philstar.com), 2 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros is calling for a Senate inquiry into the human trafficking of Filipino women amid the pandemic.

By Ian Nicolas Cigaral(Philstar.com), 2 Feb 2021 MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 7:56 a.m., Feb. 3) — Soured consumer loans held by banks soared to their highest level in nearly a decade as of the third quarter last year, as several households struggled to pay debts after a pandemic-induced recession threw job markets into turmoil.

by Charmaine A. Tadalan, BusinessWorld, 2 Feb 2021 THE GOVERNMENT will need to set aside about P9.6 trillion to meet its obligations to retired military and uniformed personnel (MUP) if it does not reform their pension arrangements, a key senator said.