excavator, construction, site

Infra projects to create 1.6M more new jobs this year–Villar

The big-ticket infrastructure projects currently rolled out by the government will create an additional 1.6 million jobs this year, President Duterte’s infrastructure managers said on Wednesday. Public Works Secretary Mark Villar told the Asia Infrastructure Forum 2021 the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program had so far created as public infrastructure spending was doubled to 5…

doughnuts, desserts, pastries

BPI, DTI offer collateral-free loans to virus-hit SMEs

Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has teamed up with the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) to offer collateral-free term loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in need of lifeline during this prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In a press statement, BPI business banking head Eric Luchangco said the collateral-free loan facility for SMEs signified…

hands, smartphone, barcodes

QR code payments gaining traction among Filipinos, says BSP

Filipinos are becoming increasingly comfortable with using so-called QR or “quick reaction” codes when paying for purchases or making money transfers from one person to another—a sign that the “cash heavy” local economy is well on its way to “cash light” one. In particular, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno pointed to the…