The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared the onset of the 2025 rainy season on June 2 due to Southwest Monsoon or locally called as “habagat.” Businesses operating in the Philippines must anticipate extended periods of heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and storm activity over the next coming months. These environmental changes …

Southeast Asia is seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases, though Philippine health officials say local numbers remain stable. At home, the Department of Health (DOH) is addressing confirmed cases of rare diseases, Glanders and Melioidosis, in Siquijor, where containment measures are in place. Meanwhile, new mpox cases in parts of Visayas and Mindanao have led …

A surge in extreme heat across the Philippines has forced widespread school closures, strained local government resources, and triggered nationwide health warnings since the country entered the dry season in March. With temperatures in Metro Manila hitting “danger level” heat indices of up to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit), education officials have shifted millions …

The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued a memo directing the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to implement a ‘thorough screening’ of incoming travelers against the new COVID-19 variants. Analysts note that this ‘thorough screening’ has not translated to any changes to the travel requirements or additional steps for arriving passengers in the country so far.   …

The Department of Health (DOH) reported today an increase of COVID-19 cases while Singapore experiences a new wave of infections. According to the Philippine health department, the country saw 877 new cases from May 7 to 13, which amounts to an average of 125 cases per day. From the time period of April 30 to …

The largest labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) urged all employers to come up with a Comprehensive Heat Risk Action Plan to protect workers from heat-related illnesses amid rising temperatures brought by El Niño. In a statement released on April 7, TUCP has emphasized the need to prioritize the following measures as …

The Department of Health (DOH) recently alerted the public about a slight increase in COVID-19 cases in some parts of Metro Manila. From the week of December 12 to 18, the DOH recorded a total of 2,725 new cases, of which the daily average number of new cases is at 389 cases. The average number of …

Small but restive Taal Volcano in Batangas City, Batangas, emitted above-average sulfur dioxide and volcanic smog last week. At the same time, parts of Metro Manila experienced poor quality due to thermal inversion and heavy pollution, prompting authorities to suspend ...

On July 21, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. formally withdrew the state of Public Health Emergency. Following the issuance of Proclamation No. 297, “All prior Orders, Memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect.” Those withdrawn …

In a statement on May 05, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a public health emergency. The announcement came after an emergency committee meeting on May 04, wherein the WHO Director-General “concurs with the advice offered by the Committee,” determining that “[the] COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing …

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) are seeking a special audit of the loans extended to the Philippine government to procure COVID-19 vaccines, according to Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Gamaliel Cordoba last November 29. Cordoba committed to ...

PSA issues the following news and updates on COVID-19, Monkeypox, and Dengue cases in the Philippines.   COVID-19 Updates  COVID-19 cases across the Philippines are now decreasing, according to the national health department and an independent research group.   On August 26, Department of Health Office-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire reported in a news conference that the “daily decline …

The DOH announced on Monday evening that a 4th Monkeypox case had been detected. According to the Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, the detected patient has no travel history to any countries with confirmed cases of Monkeypox. The ...

Cases in Metro Manila may have peaked and appear to be plateauing nationwide. The two-week growth rate nationwide (26.25 percent) and in Metro Manila (20.36) is still positive. However, the one-week growth rate in Metro Manila is now negative at negative 0.71 percent. The highest cases in Metro Manila over the last several months were …

COVID-19 cases continue to go up nationwide. The DOH is reporting over 2,000 cases per day, with the two-week growth rate of over 100 percent. Metro Manila on its own is reporting about 800 cases per day. Many cases are not being detected through testing as anti-gen testing is now widespread and the two-week positivity …

Former Philippine Medical Association (PMA) President Benito Atienza warned the general public of rising dengue cases this year. Around 45,416 dengue cases have been recorded from January 1 to June 11 of this year, which is a 45 percent increase compared to the 31,320 cases reported from January 1 to June 11 of 2021. Atienza disclosed …

COVID-19 Cases in the Philippines are slowly rising nationwide, but overall cases remain low. The nationwide growth rate is at 9.68 percent as of May 29. The Metro Manila growth rate is at 10.18 percent, and 11 out of 17 regions have a positive growth rate ranging from 5 percent to 125 percent. However overall cases …

The Department of Labor and Employment-Central Visayas (DOLE-7) is looking into a complaint against a public official who allegedly committed irregularities in the implementation of the agency’s emergency cash-for-work program.

PSA sat down with Derek Gallimore’s Outsource Accelerator on February 14 to discuss COVID-19 and the future of the BPO Industry in the Philippines. 

PSA sat down with Derek Gallimore’s Outsource Accelerator on February 14 to discuss COVID-19 and the future of the BPO Industry in the Philippines. 

The Covid-19 outlook for the Philippines continues to look good, with no surge apparent yet over a week after the Philippines downgraded many provinces to Alert Level 1. As of March 07, Metro Manila reported a negative 45.31 percent two growth rate, while at the national level, the two-week growth rate is reported at negative …

Association for the Business Process Outsourcing industry IBPAP is asking for an extension to work from home arrangements in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) zones. Recent guidelines have allowed PEZA operators to have up to 90 percent of staff working from home until March 31. The Fiscal Incentives and Review Board (FIRB) denied the request from PEZA to extend work-from-home arrangements until September …