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Agriculture
Philippine ube finds sweeter market in Japan
Philippine ube is making a deeper mark in Japan, where its vivid purple color and distinctive flavor are turning the humble root crop into an increasingly versatile ingredient for chefs, cafés, and food makers.
U.S. dairy trade group targets PH market via high-value, affordable nutrition
Rising demand among Filipino consumers for affordable, high-nutrition food and beverages is opening major commercial opportunities for dairy ingredients, according to insights shared at an industry trade seminar hosted by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC).
Japan poultry imports resume as DA lifts disease ban
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the import ban on domestic and wild birds from Japan, including day-old chicks and hatching eggs, after confirming the country is free of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Agri damage from habagat, Luis, Maymay hits P689.66 million
Damage to the agriculture sector from the enhanced southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay has risen to P689.66 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported in its 1 p.m. advisory on Thursday. The figure is nearly double the P347.37 million recorded as of Wednesday.
Corporate
Meralco, PNP boost ties in combat vs power thieves, system loss
Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have renewed their shared commitment to stop electricity theft and the illegal taking of power distribution facilities and materials.
Ayala Corp 1H net income down 2% to P22.86B
Ayala Corp. said Thursday first-half net income fell 2 percent to P22.86 billion from P23.35 billion, hit by weaker property results and 2025 one-off gains including partial Mynt stake sale tied to Mitsubishi’s AM 50 Ventures entry.
Cebuana Lhuillier awards highlight marketing’s new role
Cebuana Lhuillier’s three wins at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards show how the financial services company is using marketing to do more than promote products. It is using the discipline to build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and make a growing financial ecosystem more relatable.
Puregold first-half net income up 11% to P5.87 billion
Lucio Co-led grocery retail leader Puregold Price Club Inc. on Thursday reported net income for the first half rising 11 percent to P5.87 billion, from P5.29 billion in the same period last year.
Corporate Bulletins
Meralco, PNP boost ties in combat vs power thieves, system loss
Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have renewed their shared commitment to stop electricity theft and the illegal taking of power distribution facilities and materials.
Cebuana Lhuillier awards highlight marketing’s new role
Cebuana Lhuillier’s three wins at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards show how the financial services company is using marketing to do more than promote products. It is using the discipline to build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and make a growing financial ecosystem more relatable.
Manila Water’s East Bay project to add 200 MLD water supply capacity
Manila Water is set to boost water security for customers in its East Zone, with the ₱7.84-billion East Bay Phase 2 Water Supply System Project scheduled for completion this September.
URC launches Malvar mega plant on its 70th year
Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has inaugurated its Malvar Mega Plant in Batangas, a major step in its growth strategy and a commitment to stronger Philippine manufacturing, as the company marks its 70th anniversary.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Nestlé takes on stunting with nutrition, schools
The Philippines has a growth problem, and it has little to do with the economy.
SM: Sustainability is sound business strategy, not just social responsibility
For years, many businesses have treated sustainability as separate from core operations. SM Investments takes a different view: sustainable practices are simply smart business decisions.
San Miguel’s Backyard Bukid expands to 9 sites, reaches Visayas
San Miguel Corp. has grown its Backyard Bukid initiative to nine sites nationwide, marking its first presence in the Visayas as the project shifts from urban farming to boost community food security and livelihoods.
Pax Silica hub targets USD 200B exports
The planned Pax Silica industrial hub in New Clark City is targeting its first 10 to 20 locators within five years of construction, with an ambitious goal of generating as much as USD200 billion in exports over a 30-year development period.
Markets
Peso, stocks brace for volatility as rate bets fade
Philippine markets may stay on edge as investors juggle Middle East risks, oil prices and the next move by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, but fading rate-hike bets are giving both the peso and stocks some breathing room.
AI transforms retail but fundamentals still drive growth
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Philippine retail, but technology alone will not determine which businesses succeed, according to venture capital firm Kickstart Ventures, which says disciplined execution and sound business fundamentals remain the strongest drivers of sustainable growth.
Retailers see modest growth amid rising costs, online rivals
Philippine retailers are bracing for another challenging year, with industry growth expected to remain in the single digits as higher operating costs, cautious consumers, and intensifying competition from online sellers continue to squeeze margins, according to the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA).
Retailers told to embrace AI without losing human touch
The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) on Thursday urged businesses to accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence while ensuring that technology complements, rather than replaces, the human connections that underpin customer loyalty.
Energy
DOE works with BARMM MENRE to boost regional energy sector
The Department of Energy (DOE) is partnering closely with the BARMM Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) to strengthen energy security, expand access, and develop local resources.
DOE ramps up waste-to-energy push, expands auction target to 400 MW
The Department of Energy (DOE) is accelerating its waste-to-energy (WTE) programs following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s renewed directive to turn leftover waste into useful resources, amid growing concerns that garbage building up in waterways is contributing to flooding.
Manila hosts 13th ASEANTOM meeting to boost regional nuclear safety
The Philippines is hosting the 13th ASEANTOM Annual Meeting from 11 to 13 August 2026 in Manila to strengthen ASEAN cooperation on nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
SMIC bets on renewables, 2GO to drive growth
SM Investments Corp. is looking to renewable energy and logistics to become bigger engines of portfolio growth as the conglomerate prepares for a possible decline in the segment’s contribution after Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. is transferred to another listed SM entity.
Property
BCDA, Double 11 put P200M into Clark mobility hub
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority and Double 11 Properties Corp. are investing P200 million to build a mixed-use commercial and mobility hub in New Clark City, adding another private-sector bet on the emerging Central Luzon growth center.
Highlands, Hamilo Coast hold up amid property slowdown
SM Leisure Resort Residences is leaning on the resilience of its established leisure estates, Tagaytay Highlands and Hamilo Coast, as buyers continue to take a long-term view of vacation and second-home properties despite softer conditions in the broader real estate market.
DMW profit holds firm as leasing cushions property
D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc. (DMW) posted net income of P865 million in the first half of 2026, with its leasing business providing a sturdy cushion as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty weighed on property demand.
Ayala homes eye special rates under Pag-IBIG tie-up
The residential businesses of Ayala Land Inc., Avida Land Corp. and Amaia Land Corp., are looking to make more homes accessible to Filipino workers through special financing rates under a new partnership with Pag-IBIG Fund.
Technology
ABS-CBN raises P6B to fund media reboot
ABS-CBN Corp. is raising P6 billion in fresh equity as the media giant looks to shore up its balance sheet and accelerate a business reset built around content, intellectual property, and entertainment.
iSON’s $300M Philippine investment broadens digital push
Global technology and infrastructure company iSON is moving ahead...
PLDT to provide digital infrastructure for historic BARMM parliamentary elections
The government has partnered with PLDT Inc. to deliver connectivity and digital infrastructure for the first regular Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parliamentary Elections, aiming to ensure a transparent and credible process.
Maya’s AI-first workforce approach wins global recognition
Maya, the country’s leading digital financial services platform, uses AI to improve recruitment, branding, onboarding, and employee engagement—not to replace human judgment, but to cut friction and build better experiences.
Opinion
Lawyers still owe decency in impeachment trial
Impeachment may be political. It may be bruising, theatrical, and occasionally combustible. But it is still a legal proceeding, and lawyers do not get a temporary exemption from good manners simply because the stakes are high.
Alex Eala’s sweetest revenge spoke louder than cheers
Some victories earn ranking points.
Others settle unfinished conversations.
Alex Eala's...
Private prosecutor steals spotlight in VP impeachment trial
Courtroom dramas are supposed to be solemn affairs. Then Atty. Lorna Kapunan walked to the lectern and reminded everyone that wit can be just as effective as a legal citation.
Exclusive
Vivant Water sees 2026 as launchpad for bigger growth
Vivant Water is treating 2026 as a pivotal year as it moves from building its presence across the water industry to scaling operations, investments, and its project pipeline.
Visayas roots, Singapore routes: Top Line redraws its map
Singapore is no longer just a distant dot on Top Line Business Development Corp.’s growth chart. It has become a very literal marker of how far the company has travelled in 12 years, from a Visayas-based real estate developer to an emerging energy player now thinking in global supply routes.
Sunlight Air chooses precision over size aloft
In an aviation industry often driven by scale and speed, Sunlight Air is taking a more measured route. The boutique carrier is building its business around efficiency, discipline, and destination depth, convinced that smarter operations can deliver both commercial returns and environmental gains.
PSAC urges stronger funding for Philippines startups
The Private Sector Advisory Council is raising a clear warning. In a recent meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry, PSAC said the Philippine startup scene is slipping behind Southeast Asian peers, not for lack of ideas but for lack of capital that actually moves.
