Trending Now
Agriculture
DA weighs import pause, price cap to protect local rice farmers
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is exploring multiple measures to support local rice growers amid rising imports.
BFAR scales up climate-smart, energy-efficient projects to boost fisheries sustainability
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is prioritizing climate-resilient and energy-efficient initiatives this year to secure the long-term future of the country’s fisheries sector and support local fisherfolk.
DA, DILG launch tax break rules for eligible farm warehouses
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have issued joint guidelines granting real property tax exemptions to qualified farm storage facilities, to cut operational costs and draw more investments in post-harvest infrastructure.
Philippines expands fruit exports to Middle East with first MD2 pineapple shipment to UAE
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has broadened the country’s agricultural reach in the Gulf region, with 18 metric tons of premium MD2 pineapples arriving in Dubai on June 28. Sourced from farms in Tampakan, South Cotabato, the 1,500-box shipment entered through the Port of Khor Fakkan and is now being distributed across the UAE.
Corporate
BPI BanKo, Jollibee Foundation expand financing pact supporting onion farmers
BPI Direct BanKo, Inc. (BanKo), the microfinance arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, and the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) are boosting their partnership to improve livelihoods and build sustainable futures for local onion farmers under the foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP).
Unified 911 expands Mindanao emergency response network
The government's Unified 911 Emergency Response System is expanding into Mindanao with the opening of satellite command centers in Cagayan de Oro and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), strengthening efforts to build a faster and more localized nationwide emergency network.
LWUA emerges as water crisis first responder
The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is quietly becoming one of the government’s most important players in water security, stepping beyond its traditional role as a lender to local water districts and into a more visible role as crisis coordinator and sector stabilizer.
Study finds silent customer loss top threat to APAC brands, launches AI tools to measure “believability”
Ogilvy has released its first APAC 2026 Believability Index, a new study looking at how consumers across Asia-Pacific decide which brands and organizations they trust. The research, done with YouGov, surveyed 7,176 people in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, and Mainland China.
Corporate Bulletins
Study finds silent customer loss top threat to APAC brands, launches AI tools to measure “believability”
Ogilvy has released its first APAC 2026 Believability Index, a new study looking at how consumers across Asia-Pacific decide which brands and organizations they trust. The research, done with YouGov, surveyed 7,176 people in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, and Mainland China.
BSP-led committee opens nominations for Financial Health and Inclusion Excellence Awards
The Financial Inclusion Steering Committee (FISC), chaired by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), is now accepting entries for the inaugural Financial Health and Inclusion Excellence Awards (FHIEA).
Verena Siow appointed president of SAP Asia Pacific
Effective immediately, SAP has named Verena Siow as President for its Asia Pacific (APAC) region, based in Singapore. She will lead efforts to boost customer success, speed up business transformation, and help organisations get maximum value from SAP solutions.
SM Group wins 24 top regional awards for governance, sustainability and leadership
The SM Group has secured a total of 24 prestigious recognitions from Hong Kong-based Corporate Governance Asia, highlighting its strong performance across governance, sustainability, investor relations and corporate leadership amid challenging global conditions.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
BPI BanKo, Jollibee Foundation expand financing pact supporting onion farmers
BPI Direct BanKo, Inc. (BanKo), the microfinance arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, and the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) are boosting their partnership to improve livelihoods and build sustainable futures for local onion farmers under the foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP).
Unified 911 expands Mindanao emergency response network
The government's Unified 911 Emergency Response System is expanding into Mindanao with the opening of satellite command centers in Cagayan de Oro and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), strengthening efforts to build a faster and more localized nationwide emergency network.
LWUA emerges as water crisis first responder
The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is quietly becoming one of the government’s most important players in water security, stepping beyond its traditional role as a lender to local water districts and into a more visible role as crisis coordinator and sector stabilizer.
Park Inn trains PDLs for hospitality careers, fresh starts
SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) is expanding its social impact beyond hotel operations by equipping Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) with hospitality skills that could help them secure jobs and rebuild their lives after release.
Markets
Lazada deepens MSME drive via digital skills partnership
Lazada Philippines is stepping up its support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), expanding partnerships with government agencies and relaunching its LazGrow Together program to help more Filipino entrepreneurs compete in the country's fast-growing digital economy.
Calmer oil, cheaper fuel buoy local equities
Philippine shares could finally catch their breath this week.
Tanduay retains World’s Top Rum spot for 9th straight year
Tanduay, the Philippine rum brand owned by tycoon Lucio Tan, has kept its title as the world’s best-selling rum for nine consecutive years, according to Drinks International Magazine.
Hormuz risk keeps peso, PSEi on edge
Philippine financial markets are heading into the week on a cautious footing as renewed threats by Iran to potentially close the Strait of Hormuz inject fresh volatility into global oil supply expectations and inflation outlooks, according to Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort.
Energy
NPC, Tawi-Tawi LGU together bring solar power to border islands
The National Power Corp. (NPC) has signed an agreement with the Sitangkai local government in Tawi-Tawi to supply solar power to remote island communities near the Malaysian border.
Lucio Tan Group taps First Gen for over 32 MW of geothermal power on major shift to clean energy
Diversified conglomerate Lucio Tan Group (LTG) has partnered with leading renewable energy producer First Gen, marking its strategic move to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
AboitizPower breaks ground on 60-MW Naga project to boost Visayas grid reliability
Aboitiz Power Corporation has officially started construction of its Naga Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a major facility designed to strengthen power supply stability and meet rising energy demand across the Visayas region.
Court upholds SOCOTECO II rejection of Meralco proposal
A South Cotabato regional trial court has dismissed a petition seeking to overturn the South Cotabato Electric Cooperative II (SOCOTECO II) board's rejection of Manila Electric Co.'s proposed joint venture, ruling that the dispute falls under the jurisdiction of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
Property
Arthaland sells portion of premium Sondris project
Arthaland Corporation has sold roughly 14 percent of its premium Sondris residential development in Makati, just one month after its official launch.
Office demand up but property firms stay cautious—Colliers
Return-to-office momentum is building across Metro Manila, but companies are still keeping a tight grip on expansion plans, tempering what could have been a stronger office market recovery, according to Colliers Philippines.
Megaworld lease renewals jump as office demand holds
Property giant Megaworld Corp. booked a surge in office lease renewals in the first half of 2026, signaling that demand for well-located, integrated workspaces remains robust even as companies continue to recalibrate their workplace strategies.
Century Properties raises P3B to fund expansion plan
Century Properties Group Inc. (CPG) has tapped the domestic debt market to bolster its expansion plans, raising P3 billion through five-year fixed-rate corporate notes as it positions itself for long-term growth amid resilient demand for housing.
Technology
Converge teams up with IBPAP to upskill BPO workers for AI era
Leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has partnered with the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) to strengthen the country’s IT-BPM sector amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).
TELUS ramps up enterprise AI adoption strategy
TELUS Digital Philippines is accelerating the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) across its operations, betting that responsible AI adoption and workforce upskilling will become key competitive advantages as businesses increasingly embrace automation.
Globe backs DepEd’s new school gadget policy; pushes for balanced, safe digital learning
Globe Telecom has expressed full support for the Department of Education’s latest guidelines governing the use of gadgets in schools, emphasizing that technology should be both accessible and safe for Filipino learners.
PH breaks ground on $25.6M National Cybersecurity Center with Korean Grant
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), together with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has officially started construction of the Philippines’ National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), aimed at boosting the country’s defense against online threats.
Opinion
The great fork heist and other national priorities
At long last, the public can sleep soundly. The National Capital Region Police Office has announced the arrest of a 43-year-old man accused of attempting to make off with 26 forks and seven silver spoons from a Manila hotel—the estimated value of the alleged loot is P12,658.14.
Reframing the South China Sea conversation
For more than a decade, the South China Sea has been ASEAN's diplomatic traffic jam. Everyone knows there is a problem. Everyone agrees it matters. Yet the moment the conversation turns to China, the convoy grinds to a halt.
Ghosts of 1949 haunt today’s Senate
The Philippine Senate has a remarkable talent for proving that history never really leaves the chamber. It merely changes surnames.
Silent senators forfeit democracy’s mantle
The Senate has been regarded as the last bastion of democratic dissent—a chamber where statesmen stood their ground, challenged power, and refused to let their voices be drowned out by political pressure or executive overreach. It was where difficult questions were asked, unpopular truths were spoken, and silence was treated not as a virtue but as a surrender.
Exclusive
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.
Tariffs rattle, AI thrives: Gruppo EMS builds ahead
Amid escalating US-China trade tensions and renewed tariff uncertainty from Washington, EMS Group of Companies is expanding production, accelerating its push into artificial intelligence hardware, and positioning the Philippines as an increasingly strategic alternative manufacturing base for global electronics firms.
