More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
2025 is almost over and the DOH has still not completely paid the COVID-19 health allowances. But they are almost fully paid.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/04/covid-19-allowances-close-to-being-completely-paid-doh-tells-house |
The Department of Health (DOH) is close to completing the payment of all health emergency allowance (HEA) claims from health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the remaining balance of which is P6.7 billion.
This was reported by DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa Thursday, Sept. 4 during the agency's 2026 budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations.
In his interpellation of Herbosa, Bulacan 6th district Rep. Salvador Pleyto asked the DOH when the HEA claims of the country’s "unsung heroes" during the pandemic would be paid.
According to Herbosa, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently released a Special Allotment Release Order or SARO for the final tranche of the HEA payments.
He said the P6.7 billion will be sourced from the unprogrammed funds of the current P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
"We will give all of these to all the regional offices so they may pay those who appealed from the remaining claims)," the DOH chief told Pleyto.
The DOH is now just wanting for the cash allocation to pay the remaining HEA claims, which is 6 percent of the total claims.
The government, through the department, had already paid P104 billion worth of fhe Covid-19 era allowance for health workers, Herbosa said.
No word on when these allowances will be fully paid but House Speaker Martin Romualdez says they better hurry up.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/05/dont-delay-payment-of-remaining-covid-19-allowance-claims-romualdez-tells-authorities |
Authorities must not delay the distribution of health emergency allowance (HEA) to health workers who served during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thus, said House Speaker Martin Romualdez as he welcomed on Friday, Sept. 5 the announcement of the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the release of ₱6.767 billion for the remaining unpaid HEA claims.
“Our personnel in the health sector have long waited to be paid. The concerned authorities should not hesitate and must distribute this to our healthcare workers. They must also ensure that no one is left behind or excluded from receiving the HEA, because that would be a failure to recognize their service during the pandemic."
He underscored that the payment of the HEA is in line with President Marcos' clear directive to promote the welfare of healthcare workers who served on the frontlines during the pandemic.
(We are grateful for the support of our President for our healthcare workers. He did not abandon our doctors, nurses, and other medical frontliners who faithfully served the nation and sacrificed to save our fellow citizens, even when they were tired, hungry, and far from their loved ones.)
Under Republic Act (RA) No. 11712, or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act of 2022, healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers are entitled to HEAs, Covid-19 compensation benefits, and health insurance coverage in case of hospital confinement.
Those deployed to low-risk areas are entitled to a P3,000 HEA per month, while those in medium-risk areas are entitled to P6,000 per month. Those deployed to high-risk areas will receive P9,000 monthly.
In 2024, the DBM released P121.325 billion to cover the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances of eligible healthcare and non-healthcare workers. This included HEAs worth P27.383 billion and a COVID-19 compensation package worth P70.7 billion.
In February 2025, the DOH presented an updated request for an additional P6.7 billion to cover the final balance of unpaid HEAs.
Don't delay? Too late! Surely the health workers owed money are tired of all the empty promises.
Here's another story of a Filipina who cashed in during the pandemic. It seems it was all by happenstance though.
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| https://theglobalfilipinomagazine.com/she-started-as-a-cleaner-now-she-runs-her-own-nursery-in-dubai/ |
There was a time when her job meant being a teacher, cleaner, and assistant all at once — for just AED 1,650 a month. Nine years later, Genevie Concepcion owns a thriving nursery in Dubai with 25 children under her care and three full-time babysitters. Her journey from struggle to stability is one many OFWs can relate to — and learn from.
Genevie, now 41, is the proud owner of Princess Ameerah Nursery, a dream she planted in 2017 while working as a nursery assistant in Sharjah. “It’s so hard. The local teachers, they don’t move. You’re all — teacher, assistant, cleaner,” she recalled. “I told myself, it’s just a contract. When I get the nursery to work, I’ll build my own.”
In 2019, during a one-month local leave, Genevie made a bold decision to move from Sharjah to Dubai and search for better opportunities. That leap changed everything. In just a month, she secured not one but two jobs — as an assistant to a marketing manager in the tourism sector and as a sales agent for a British company selling educational books.
With flexible hours and her background in childcare and parenting, Genevie quickly rose to the top of both careers. "I became a top sales agent. I had a lot of leads — in tourism and in books," she shared. But when the pandemic hit, both industries collapsed overnight. "Everything is closed. There are no tourists. Books are not your priority when you don't know when the pandemic will end."
Instead of giving up, Genevie pivoted. A nurse-parent of one of her former students asked if she could take care of her child for extended hours. “I’m a teacher, so I said, ‘Okay, I’ll tutor you,’” she said. That single child turned into 15 — all under her solo care. “Until I hired a babysitter. Alhamdulillah, my parents recommended it, they’re now 25. I have three stay-in babysitters.”
Genevie’s decision to go abroad was not for herself. As the eldest child and a single mother of three, she was the breadwinner for her entire family. “My children are now in college. I also left my nieces and nephews and my neighbor’s children behind. I’ve been really close to my children ever since.”
This deep care for children, both in the Philippines and in the UAE, became the heart of her work. Parents who entrusted her with their babies at two months old now have three-year-olds still attending her nursery. “They have high respect for me because they see how intelligent and kind their children are who have grown up under my care,” she said.
But her impact doesn’t stop with the kids. “My babysitters are also single moms in the Philippines. Because of my business, I help them — even their children get an education. I help not only my own family, but also the families of my colleagues.”
Despite her success, Genevie’s journey was never smooth. She overstayed in the UAE from 2019 to 2024, racking up large fines while running her growing childcare business underground. “Alhamdulillah, thanks to the amnesty in 2024, I fixed my paper and my nursery license,” she said, grateful for a second chance.
She plans to stay in Dubai for good, visiting the Philippines only for vacation. “My two children are in college, my youngest is in senior high. I’ll just wait for them to graduate. I want them to work here so they don’t experience the bedspace life. They say on Eat Bulaga, ‘If there’s a kid, there’s Eat Bulaga.’ I say, ‘If there’s a kid here on Al Rigga, there’s Teacher Ghen.’”
Genevie has seen the worst of OFW life. She once got locked inside her own partition because she was two weeks late in paying rent. “The countryman locked the door while I was inside. I just wanted to go to CR but there was a chain outside. I was pushed out. I didn’t call the police — I didn’t want to hurt my neighbor. I spent time in Muraqqabat until morning. I called, got the key, and moved out that same day.”
“Life is very difficult, especially here abroad,” she admitted. "All we need to do is focus on the job, not on the issues at work. Most of all, don't trust anyone — especially our compatriots. Focus on the goal."
This lady's dreams collapsed during the pandemic but because a former student asked her to take care of her child a business bloomed. She also operated illegally but fixed it when amnesty was offered. She also says you cannot even trust Filipinos abroad!
Here's more dire economic information. The Philippines faces a long road to rise above middle-income status due to "scarring from the coronavirus pandemic."
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| https://www.bworldonline.com/special-reports/2025/09/08/696457/philippines-faces-long-road-in-quest-to-break-free-of-middle-income-trap/ |
The Philippines’ ambition to graduate from being a middle-income economy will require many years of sustained growth, with scarring from the coronavirus pandemic and global uncertainties threatening to delay its progress.
Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the country’s transition to high-income status could take “decades of sustained high growth and capacity expansion.”
“Globally, the median period required for a country to progress from middle-income to high-income status is approximately 23 years. Since 1990, only 35 middle-income countries have transitioned to high-income status,” Mr. Balisacan said.
The Philippines is currently classified as a lower middle-income economy as its gross national income (GNI) per capita stood at $4,470 in 2024, up from $4,230 a year earlier, but still far from the World Bank’s high-income threshold of more than $13,935.
GNI per capita would need to grow more than three times for the Philippines to become a high-income country, Mr. Balisacan said.
The Philippines has been stuck in the World Bank’s lower middle-income bracket since 1987. The Marcos administration is targeting to reach upper middle-income status by next year.
In Southeast Asia, Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines in terms of GNI per capita, reaching $4,490. Other economies in the lower middle-income level are Cambodia ($2,520), Laos ($2,000), and Myanmar ($1,220).
Meanwhile, Malaysia ($11,670), Thailand ($7,120), and Indonesia ($4,910) are upper middle-income countries. Singapore ($74,750) and Brunei ($36,150) are high-income countries.
According to World Bank Division Director for the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei Zafer Mustafaoğlu, the Philippine economy must grow by 6% to 7% annually to reach high-income status.
“Regardless of these thresholds, it is important for the Philippines to continue on a path of fast, inclusive, and job-rich growth that translates into improved living standards for all Filipinos,” Mr. Mustafaoğlu said in an e-mail.
“AmBisyon Natin 2040” was conceptualized in 2015 as a 25-year plan that envisions a high-income economy, with the Philippines becoming a predominantly middle-class society while minimizing poverty and poor health.
The DEPDev has clarified that there is no specific target year for the Philippines to reach high-income status, but its long-term goals have been set back by the COVID-19 pandemic that cost three years of growth momentum, Mr. Balisacan earlier said.
Emerging domestic and global risks could also derail its progress, he said.
“Slower growth is projected across countries, including in advanced economies and emerging Asia, stemming from the escalation of trade tensions, elevated uncertainties, and intensified geopolitical conflicts,” Mr. Balisacan said.
“A further worsening of the global economic condition may also stall progress in rebuilding policy buffers and further deteriorate countries’ resilience against ongoing and future shocks.”
US President Donald J. Trump’s protectionist trade policy has caused heightened global uncertainty. Since his return to the White House in January, Mr. Trump has imposed higher duties on various goods and sectors as he looks to strengthen US manufacturing and boost investment.
The US began imposing higher “reciprocal” tariffs on most of its trading partners starting Aug. 7. A 19% tariff was slapped on goods from the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Mr. Balisacan added that delayed rate cuts in the US could also affect the Philippine economy as this could lead to a weaker peso and a potential disruption in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) own easing cycle.
The US Federal Reserve has kept its target rate at the 4.25%-4.5% range since December last year, with officials citing the need to assess the inflationary and economic impact of Mr. Trump’s tariffs. However, Fed policymakers said in their July meeting that they continue to see two rate cuts this year.
For its part, the BSP resumed its easing cycle in April after a surprise pause earlier this year amid the uncertainty brought by the US’ policies.
In August, the Monetary Board delivered its third straight 25-basis-point (bp) cut to bring the target reverse repurchase rate to 5%. It has now trimmed benchmark borrowing costs by a total of 150 bps since August 2024.
BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said the policy rate is now in a “sweet spot” in terms of both inflation and output, but he left the door open for one more reduction within the year to support the economy if needed, which would likely mark the end of its current rate-cut cycle.
Household spending and private investment also remain vulnerable to inflation-related risks, while extreme weather events and disasters pose threats to infrastructure and agricultural output, Mr. Balisacan added.
“Meanwhile, government spending could be hampered by the weak absorptive capacity of implementing agencies and local government units, as well as by the passage of tax/revenue-eroding measures.”
ESCAPING THE ‘MIDDLE-INCOME TRAP’The World Bank describes the “middle-income trap” as a situation where a country is able to achieve middle-income status but then reaches a plateau and sees a deceleration in growth as it is unable to ramp up the sophistication of its economic structure to further increase productivity.Mr. Balisacan said the government is exerting all efforts to avoid a boom-bust cycle, wherein an economy experiences rapid growth and then suddenly contracts.
The Philippines’ demographic dividend, which he said is expected to last until around 2060 to 2070, offers a window of opportunity.
“The country has a 20-year window to leverage its young population by investing in education and health and bridging the gap between human skills and labor market demand.”
He added that investment in critical infrastructure, reforming business regulation, and opening more sectors to competition could lead to higher and sustained economic growth.
The government is “strengthening efforts to manage public debt responsibly, keep the fiscal deficit within prudent limits, address inflationary pressures, and safeguard overall financial stability” in its quest for sustained and stable economic growth, Mr. Balisacan said.
ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office Country Economist Andrew Tsang said the Philippines has a “long way” to go before it reaches high-income status, with the fragile global environment expected to hit investment sentiment and trade.
This is why overcoming the scarring effects of the pandemic and boosting competitiveness are of paramount importance.
“This means attracting more investment and improving access to financing, especially for MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) whose balance sheets have been impaired, and upgrading productivity, job quality, and workforce skills,” Mr. Tsang said, adding that many MSMEs still rely on informal lenders like loan sharks due to banks’ reluctance to extend credit to the sector.
“At the same time, the government should prioritize improving labor productivity and job quality in the services sector, as well as in high-productivity sectors such as high-end manufacturing, digital services, and agribusiness,” he said.
Former Finance Secretary Margarito “Gary” B. Teves said reaching high-income status would also require the government to strategically allocate its funds to support productive economic activity.
“It is a tough task that requires sustained commitment and strong leadership on the part of the government to mobilize its limited resources productively into programs and projects that would provide opportunities to all Filipinos,” Mr. Teves said.
The country must diversify growth sources by investing further in agriculture, supply-chain improvements to manage food inflation, and addressing hunger and malnutrition, he said.
Boosting foreign direct investment inflows should also be a priority, he added. As a way to attract investments, the government must continue to improve the country’s physical and digital infrastructure.
“This would facilitate a smoother flow of goods and people across the archipelago, as well as unlock growth potential in the countryside. Enhancing internet access, especially in far-flung communities, is crucial in enabling information sharing such as in education, healthcare, and even skills development,” Mr. Teves said.
“Escaping the middle-income trap is not about doing more of the same but about moving up the value chain,” Mr. Mustafaoğlu added.
Citing the World Bank’s World Development Report 2024, he said middle-income economies like the Philippines should apply the sequenced strategy of investment, infusion, and innovation or “3i.”
“In short, to achieve more sophisticated economies, middle-income countries need two successive transitions. In the first, investment is complemented with infusion, so that countries focus on imitating and diffusing modern technologies. In the second, innovation is added to the investment and infusion mix, so that countries focus on building domestic capabilities to add value to global technologies, ultimately becoming innovators themselves.”
The Philippines needs to recalibrate the mix of the three drivers of economic growth —investment, infusion, and innovation — as it moves through middle-income status, he said.
“In secondary cities like Cebu or Davao, it’s also about helping firms better integrate into global supply chains. In more advanced areas, where sophisticated firms are emerging, building a strong innovation ecosystem becomes critical.”
Mr. Mustafaoğlu said there is no one-size-fits-all formula, but countries like South Korea, Poland, and Chile, which successfully escaped the middle-income trap, share key traits. These include sustained investment, strategic openness, and targeted support for firm capabilities and workforce skills that are adapted to their respective development stages and institutional context.
“Long-term success depends on investing in people… Boosting foundational learning, reducing stunting, and scaling up digital and technical skills — especially through flexible, lifelong learning — are essential to prepare workers for a rapidly changing global economy.”
In the face of rising global uncertainty, the Philippines must double down on reforms that strengthen competitiveness and resilience, such as eliminating barriers that keep firms small and unproductive, and tackling high costs related to doing business. Mr. Mustafaoğlu said. It must also put in place trade and investment policies to help firms meet international standards and connect to value chains.
“In short, global headwinds make reform more urgent — not less. By deepening competition, investing in capabilities, and helping firms connect to global markets, the Philippines can move up the ladder towards a sophisticated high-income economy.”
The Philippines is right now a lower-middle-income country? Tell that everyone in Tondo! There is still a lot of poverty here and the peso is very depressed in value.
Tourism is apparently struggling and has also recovered.
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| https://www.bworldonline.com/special-reports/2025/09/08/696904/facilitating-tourism-recovery-through-investments/ |
Tourism is making a strong rebound after years of setbacks caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with both local and international visitors fueling the recovery.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, tourism directly contributed 8.9% of the country’s gross domestic product in 2024. The Tourism Direct Gross Value Added, which measures the sector’s share in the economy, reached P2.35 trillion. This number was an 11.2% increase compared to 2023.
Filipino travelers also spent more when going abroad, with outbound tourism expenditure reaching P345.68 billion, higher by 37.5% than the previous year. Domestic and inbound spending combined amounted to P3.86 trillion, showing growth of 13.1%.
The Department of Tourism (DoT) reported that revenue from foreign travelers exceeded P760 billion in 2024. This figure was a 9% increase from 2023 and more than double the level recorded in 2019, before the pandemic disrupted travel.
Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said international visitors spent more than $2,000 per person on average, which placed the Philippines among the top in Southeast Asia.
“The international visitor receipts show that our recovery in tourism performance has already gone beyond our pre-pandemic numbers,” Ms. Frasco said in a televised briefing.
Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council shows that the Philippines ranks first in Southeast Asia in domestic tourism spending, with more than $66 billion generated by local travel.
Filipino travelers are also showing new habits that go beyond traditional three-day trips. The Philippine Travel Agencies Association report a growing demand for longer stays, where visitors spend extra days exploring at a slower pace.
Jaslyne Vanessa C. Estrada, co-founder of MaxJourney Travel Agency, said Filipino tourists are eager to try experiences outside the usual beach trips. In fact, many visitors now visit cultural towns and heritage villages.
“They want something different from what they usually see in the city. They shop, look for new crafts, and try local food,” Ms. Estrada told BusinessWorld. “Travelers are willing to pay for experiences that give them a sense of connection with local communities.”
Such changes are also helping smaller towns and inland provinces attract more visitors, which are now included in travel itineraries and giving businesses in less-publicized destinations new opportunities to grow.
But we have heard before that foreign arrivals are still down. This article appears to say they are up post-pandemic. Which one is it?
