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MALL FOOT TRAFFIC has drastically dropped amid a rise in the number of coronavirus infections in Metro Manila. — BW FILE PHOTO By Jenina P. Ibañez, Reporter A RETAILERS industry group now expects sales to remain flat this year, as the outlook for recovery dims with the renewed lockdown restrictions …

THE National Government’s outstanding debt reached P10.774 trillion as of end-March, after the sale of retail Treasury bonds (RTB), the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) reported on Monday. The BTr said the country’s debt stock went up 3.5% from the P10.405-trillion level recorded in February, and rose 27% from P8.477 …

Filipinos work at Kinpo Electronics factory in Malvar, Batangas, Aug. 10, 2018. — REUTERS/ERIK DE CASTRO By Beatrice M. Laforga, Reporter PHILIPPINE factory activity slumped anew in April, as renewed lockdown restrictions in Metro Manila and nearby provinces hampered manufacturers’ operations and dampened demand, a survey by IHS Markit showed. …

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 7,255 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to more than 1.06 million. The death toll rose by 94 to 17,525, while recoveries increased by 9,214 to 975,234, it said in a bulletin. There were 69,466 active cases, 1.1% of which were critical, 94.7% …

THE PHILIPPINES’ top envoy minced no words in telling the Chinese to get out of its waters in the South China Sea, cussing at its neighbor for failing to reciprocate its goodwill. “China, my friend, how politely can I put it?” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro M. Locsin, Jr. tweeted on …

WHOLESALE PRICE growth in general goods picked up on a year-on-year basis in February, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The general wholesale price index (GWPI) rose 2.4% from a year earlier in February, up from the growth rate of 2.1% in January. The corresponding growth rate in February 2020 …

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said Monday that it is set to investigate corruption allegations against SpeedCast International Ltd, a Hong Kong-based firm tapped to implement the government’s free internet connectivity project. The announcement, in a statement issued late Monday, comes after the President’s spokesman Herminio L. …

THE health maintenance organization (HMO) industry’s profits surged 465% to P7.12 billion in 2020, with patient deferment of medical procedures outweighing the added expense of treating coronavirus victims, the Insurance Commission said. Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said Monday that based on the industry’s unaudited financial statements, expenses of 25 …

THE PALACE on Monday asked the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to cancel its contract with a Hong Kong-based satellite company tapped to implement the P1.3-billion free WiFi project, alleging the slow progress made in the rollout. In 2017, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Republic Act No. 10929, …

LISTED PORT OPERATOR Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) and its unit ATI Batangas, Inc. (ATIBI) have filed applications with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to increase cargo handling tariffs at the Phase I and Phase II terminals of the Port of Batangas. “The PPA will conduct a virtual public hearing on …