Thailand foils trade resolution with PH THAILAND has stonewalled attempts to resolve its dispute with the Philippines over a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on cigarette shipments, continuing the friction between the two countries. House leaders slam ‘anti-Filipino’ bill allowing foreign ownership of public utilities The bill that would legalize 100% foreign ownership of public utilities in the Philippines may have been passed by the House, but several ranking legislators strongly opposed what they described as an “anti-Filipino” measure. House pushes for lower required capital for foreign retailers The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on final reading a measure…

DA temporarily bans poultry from Ukraine The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and its products from Ukraine following an outbreak of an avian virus in the European country

PH faces possibility of higher export costs to US The Philippines may have to brace for higher export costs to the United States this year in case US President Donald Trump takes away the low tariffs currently being enjoyed under Washington’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), according to Maybank Kim Eng Research. PH still ‘very diplomatic’ on cigar tax case vs Thailand Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez has kept his cool as he sent a very diplomatic letter to his Thailand counterpart on hopes the fellow ASEAN will finally honor its obligation to comply with the ruling of…

Philippines, Japan to finalize two infrastructure loan agreementsManila and Tokyo are expected to finalize soon two loan agreements for the implementation of infrastructure projects in Metro Manila and Davao City, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.   Manila, Abu Dhabi eye investment protection deal The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are working on an agreement that will safeguard the investments of both economies, which the country’s trade chief expects will result in an influx of Emirati capital.

Philippine-US Free trade agreement It came as a surprise that during a visit to the Philippines in November 2017, President Trump announced that he and President Duterte have agreed to negotiate an FTA. Given the current global trade environment rising protectionism and the US-China trade war, it would seem that the Philippines would benefit from such an arrangement by giving it a competitive leg up on its competitors Japan pledges assistance for Subic Bay master plan Japan has pledged to extend technical assistance for the development of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and its surrounding areas, according to the Department…

Foreign Investments Act changes secure House 2nd reading-OK Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) said passage of a Duterte administration priority measure amending the Republic Act 7042 or the Foreign Investments Act (FIA) of 1991 to exclude the “practice of professions” from the Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL) can mean more jobs for Filipinos. DTI collabs with EMB to enhance bilateral trade The DTI-EMB continues its active engagement with the Philippines’s South Asian neighbors, particularly in India. The said country is among the fastest-growing major economies in the world and is expected to become the third-largest consumer economy by…