worker, grinder, factory

Manufacturing sustains growth in March

Manufacturing sustained year-on-year growth in March, before the most stringent lockdown measures were again imposed in Metro Manila and four neighboring provinces that host economic zones and factories to contain the surge in COVID-19 infections. London-based global information provider IHS Markit Ltd. on Monday said the Philippines’ purchasing managers’ index (PMI) slightly eased to 52.2…

Converge on hiring binge to resolve deluge in complaints, subscriptions

Fiber internet company Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions Inc. went on a hiring spree to address network complaints and delays in installations as customer applications surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Currently, we have almost tripled the number of our customer contact agents, bringing our answer call rate to 90 percent,” said Pampanga-based businessman and…

Pangasinan welcomes more tourists as restrictions eased

LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Tourists outside the Ilocos region are now allowed to visit Pangasinan after the provincial government eased travel restrictions this week. Gov. Amado Espino III issued an executive order removing the travel authority and medical certificates from the required documents when entering the province. But Espino asked tourists to check their destinations as some local…

Financing a ‘green’ economic reboot, recovery from pandemic

Washington-based International Finance Corp. (IFC) of the World Bank Group has introduced financing support for Philippine banks that will lend to climate adaptation and mitigation projects amid a push for “green” recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to generate trillions of dollars in fresh investments. “The program, ‘Scaling Up Climate Finance through the Financial Sector,’ is…