More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/592610/tourism-share-in-ph-gdp-shrank-to-8-1-in-2025/amp |
The Philippine tourism industry’s contribution to the economy shrank in 2025 as weaker foreign visitor spending weighed on a still-fragile postpandemic recovery.
Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that tourism direct gross value added—the measure of economic output directly generated by tourism-related industries—fell to 8.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 from the revised 8.7 percent in the previous year.
In value terms, the industry directly generated P2.27 trillion in 2025, down 1.4 percent from the P2.30 trillion recorded in 2024.
The latest figure marked the lowest tourism share to GDP in three years or since 2022 when the industry had just started recovering from the pandemic.
As it is, tourism’s contribution to the economy has yet to return to prepandemic double-digit growth levels.
The decline came largely from weaker inbound tourism expenditure, or spending by foreign visitors in the country, which dropped 6.4 percent to P698.46 billion from P745.99 billion a year earlier.
Separate data from the Bureau of Immigration, as cited by the Department of Tourism, showed that total foreign visitor arrivals—including returning overseas Filipinos—reached 6.48 million in 2025.
In an earlier discussion paper, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said the recovery in inbound tourism expenditures had been gradual.
“When measured in current prices, inbound tourism expenditures appear higher in 2023 to 2024 due to price adjustments, reaching levels close to or above prepandemic nominal values,” the state-run think tank said.
“However, this increase is largely attributed to inflationary effects rather than equivalent growth in real output or tourist arrivals,” it added.
The PIDS paper further explained that full recovery in the industry has yet to be realized as growth in visitor spending, value added and sectoral investments remained tempered.
Domestic tourism expenditure, however, continued to grow and partly cushioned the decline in foreign visitor spending. Spending by local travelers rose 3 percent to P3.26 trillion in 2025 from P3.16 trillion in the previous year.
Combining both inbound and domestic tourism expenditures, internal tourism expenditure grew at a much slower pace of 1.2 percent to P3.96 trillion from P3.91 trillion. In 2024, the growth rate stood at 13.7 percent.
In contrast, outbound tourism expenditure, or spending by Filipinos traveling abroad, increased by 3.5 percent to P357.93 billion.
Meanwhile, employment in tourism industries reached 7.7 million persons in 2025, up 2.5 percent from 7.5 million in the previous year. This brought the share of tourism-related employment to total employment in the country to 15.7 percent.
For John Paolo Rivera, senior research fellow at PIDS, the weaker tourism contribution likely reflected a combination of softer domestic spending, elevated travel costs and slower external demand recovery.
“Tourism remains vulnerable to external shocks, such as geopolitical tensions, fuel prices and global economic uncertainty,” Rivera told the Inquirer in a message.
“This highlights the need to strengthen tourism resilience through better connectivity, diversified tourism products, digitalization and higher-value tourism strategies rather than relying purely on volume growth,” he added.
The PIDS report, which Rivera co-authored, acknowledged that the Philippine tourism industry had made advancements over the years, but said these were still insufficient to erase the country’s standing as a regional laggard.
“Despite these advancements, the Philippines continues to face key constraints that hinder its ability to be at par with tourism powerhouses in the Asean region such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam,” the report said.
“Persistent issues, such as inadequate infrastructure, weak interconnectivity between tourism circuits, environmental sustainability concerns and policy fragmentation must be addressed to unlock tourism’s full potential,” it added.
Still, the think tank said the country’s tourism industry remained “well-positioned to move from recovery to reinvention” as more regions work toward reforms aligned with the National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028.
“By accelerating digital transformation, nurturing community-centered and sustainability-focused tourism and investing in the strengths of people and places across all island groups, the country can build a tourism future that is confident, competitive and opportunity-rich,” PIDS said.
The tourism industry is continuing to struggle to recover.
But that is not to say there has been no recovery.
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| https://tribune.net.ph/2026/05/28/dot-says-new-china-flights-fueling-tourism-recovery |
The Department of Tourism welcomed the resumption of the Hangzhou-Manila route by XiamenAir, saying the renewed direct connection would help the Philippines recover its share of the Chinese tourism market.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the continued expansion of direct international flights reflects the government’s broader strategy to strengthen tourism growth and improve accessibility.
“Visitor arrivals from China have already posted the strongest growth among our major source markets this year, supported by expanded direct services and measures that have made travel more accessible,” Angara-Mathay said.
Chinese tourist arrivals reached 150,708 from January to April 2026, significantly higher than the 93,186 recorded during the same period in 2025.
Despite the increase, the tourism chief noted that recovery remains below pre-pandemic levels, with current air seat capacity from China only about half of 2019 levels.
“This tells us that the challenge is no longer demand alone — it is our ability to convert that returning interest into actual travel through sufficient, reliable, and commercially sustainable access,” she added.
XiamenAir resumed its Hangzhou-Manila service on 20 May, with flights operating four times weekly every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday until 31 October 2026.
The inaugural flight from Hangzhou arrived in Manila carrying 76 passengers, while the outbound Manila-Hangzhou flight departed with 122 passengers onboard.
The DOT said the route not only supports tourism exchanges but could also strengthen business and investment ties between the Philippines and China.
The Hangzhou route forms part of a broader expansion of air connectivity from China.
Earlier this month, Qingdao Airlines launched the Changsha-Manila route, while XiamenAir also introduced direct Chongqing-Manila flights.
The DOT said the Chongqing service marked the 33rd direct international route launched to the Philippines since the start of 2025, highlighting continued growth in global connectivity.
From 1 January to 19 May, the Philippines recorded 7.78 million international air seats for direct inbound flights, an 8.31 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
A new flight route from China to Manila will help the Philippines "recover its share of the Chinese tourism market."
OFWs who were forced to return during the pandemic now have local jobs due to the construction of steel plants.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/592952/ofws-no-more-steelasia-enlists-construction-veterans |
There’s often little certainty for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) about where the next contract will come from.
Crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic—and more recently, the conflict in the Middle East—could trigger mass layoffs, thus forcing thousands of Filipinos to return home with few job prospects waiting for them.
For a growing number of repatriated OFWs, that uncertainty has led them to an unlikely second career: helping build what SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. hopes will become the country’s first integrated steel mill
SteelAsia currently employs 106 repatriated OFWs across its four plants in Calaca, Batangas; Meycauayan, Bulacan; Compostela, Cebu; and Davao City.
Many returned to the Philippines during the pandemic, when economic disruptions and lockdowns wiped out jobs across the globe.
“Some of the returning workers initially considered retirement after years overseas, especially older employees who were let go due to age,” the company says. “But many said the opportunity to work in a Philippine steel mill convinced them to return to the industry.”
This arrangement is particularly relevant today as the conflict in the Middle East continues to displace Filipino workers. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, more than 10,000 OFWs have already been repatriated from the region.
SteelAsia says the OFWs it has tapped for its Lemery plant in Batangas came mainly from Saudi Arabia, the top destination for Filipino workers abroad, which accounts for 74.5 percent of the country’s total overseas workforce. Many had also worked in Bahrain and other parts of the Middle East.
What SteelAsia is entrusting these former OFWs with is the operation of its steel sections mill in Lemery.A steel sections mill is an industrial rolling facility that transforms semifinished steel billets or blooms into finished structural steel products such as I-beams, H-sections, channel steel and angle bars—key materials used in buildings, heavy infrastructure and industrial projects.
Once operational later this year, the Lemery plant is expected to produce heavy steel sections that the Philippines currently imports entirely from abroad.
For the former OFWs, however, the opportunity is more than just another job.
“We’re like soldiers who used to fight for other countries and now are being asked to fight for our own nation,” says Romeo Serna, a stacker operator at SteelAsia.
For Cenen Reyes, another repatriated OFW, working at SteelAsia allows him to continue practicing a craft he spent years mastering overseas.
“My body is still craving for work that involves steel,” Reyes says.
SteelAsia expects its expansion plans to create at least 30,000 jobs in the coming years, either through direct employment or related industries.
This is part of the company’s broader expansion strategy, which includes four new manufacturing facilities by 2028 backed by a multiyear P75 billion investment. Once completed, these projects are expected to raise SteelAsia’s annual production capacity to 4.8 million tons from 2.5 million tons.
As SteelAsia pushes ahead with its expansion plans, the repatriated OFWs it has hired say they are also fulfilling a mission of their own.
“We feel like veteran soldiers being called to active duty for one last mission for SteelAsia,” says acting production head Antonio Rivera.
The more repatriated OFWs the better but of course there should be a salary match or its pointless.
Decathlon Philippines continues to expand its brand.
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| https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/05/30/sports/decathlon-philippines-continues-to-expand-in-2026/2354794 |
Decathlon, the French sports retail giant, continues its mission to move people through the wonders of sport with the grand opening of more outlets in the Philippines this year, including its latest "Connect" store at SM Grand Central.
This opening marks its second major milestone in an aggressive growth strategy that aims to bring sport and well being closer to Filipinos everywhere.
From 17 stores in 2025, Decathlon Philippines plans to expand to 27 stores in 2026, beginning with major expansions in Cebu, SM Grand Central and Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
With the addition of the SM Grand Central branch, the brand now operates 19 stores nationwide, moving closer to its long-term vision of 50 stores by 2030.
Hathaipat Theintangpiriya, CEO of Decathlon Philippines, highlights the vision behind this rapid growth.
"Our mission is simple: to make the lives of Filipinos healthier and happier by making sport and well-being accessible. This opening at SM Grand Central is part of our commitment to be closer to our customers nationwide. We look forward to our continued growth and hope that more people can discover their love for sport with Decathlon."
The "Connect" store format is designed for the urban pace, offering a curated selection of high-quality, affordable gear tailored to the local community.
Annarica Pineda, Store Manager of Decathlon SM Grand Central, shares the excitement of the local team.
"We are thrilled to bring the Decathlon experience to the heart of Caloocan. Whether you are a dedicated athlete or just starting your fitness journey, our team is ready to help you find the right gear. We want to be the go-to partner for every sport enthusiast in the city."
Decathlon views the Philippine sporting goods market as a prime sector, with a projected 7% compound annual growth rate through 2031.
This surge is fueled by a growing middle class and a post-pandemic shift toward health consciousness as urban youth and professionals continue to propel the demand for premium yet affordable apparel and equipment.
By integrating digital convenience with physical touch points, Decathlon Philippines is positioned to capture a significant market share while fulfilling its pledge to make more sports available to all.
The pandemic was a wake-up call for everyone to get healthy so they need these stores to sell them sports goods. A pair of running shoes and shorts is apparently not enough.
