BSP extends salary loan repayment period to 7 years                                                                       MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has extended the repayment term limit for salary loans in a move amid at making consumer credit more manageable without encouraging excessive borrowing.

Under Circular No. 1239, which amends regulations on salary-based general-purpose consumption loans, the BSP said the maximum allowable repayment period for these loans was now seven years.

BSP extends salary loan repayment period to 7 years - BSP extends salary loan repayment period to 7 years https://share.google/uPhiIvhUiAXR4xaS7

PhilHealth: Turnaround time of claims payment down to 10-11 days                                    MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said it has fast-tracked its payments to service providers, reducing the previous 20 to 50 days to just 10 to 11 days as part of efforts to improve its service.

In a briefing on Thursday, PhilHealth CEO and President Dr. Edwin Mercado said the shorter turnaround time comes in spite of an increasing number of claims, which is expected to reach almost 22 million this year from around 11 million in 2023.

PhilHealth: Turnaround time of claims payment down to 10-11 days - PhilHealth: Turnaround time of claims payment down to 10-11 days https://share.google/8Kzwx33ZQJhQCyN2j

Rice imports rose 15% in  January to May   Philippines - The volume of rice imported to the Philippines swelled by around 15 percent as of late May as the sector builds up the buffer stock in anticipation of the severe impact of El Nino on local production.

The country imported 2.22 million metric tons (MT) of rice from January to May 28. This was higher than 1.93 million MT between January and May 2025, data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) showed.

Rice imports rose 15% in January to May - Rice imports rose 15% in January to May https://share.google/ttuVA3WjBOQYCu33I

Starbucks Korea halts prepaid card sales due to 'cashing scheme' exploit                         Starbucks Korea will temporarily suspend sales of prepaid cards amid concerns that customers could exploit the company's temporary full-refund policy for prepaid card balances through so-called card cashing scheme.

Starbucks Korea said it will temporarily halt sales of anonymous physical Starbucks cards from Thursday through June 14.

Starbucks Korea halts prepaid card sales due to 'cashing scheme' exploit - Starbucks Korea halts prepaid card sales due to 'cashing scheme' exploit https://share.google/gqZdxEFLhbuBTCnSh

Philippine foreign debt payments jump 31%                                                                                          MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' external debt service burden got heavier in the first two months of 2026, driven by a sharp growth in principal payments, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The government and private sector paid a combined $2.1 billion in external debt service from January to February, up more than 31 percent from a year earlier.

Philippine foreign debt payments jump 31% - Philippine foreign debt payments jump 31% https://share.google/WB6yVsx2Wk7vU1DQ3