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World Bank $1B financing targets Philippine farm transformation

At least five million Filipino farmers are poised to benefit from a USD1-billion World Bank financing package aimed at accelerating a nationwide shift toward higher productivity, diversification, and climate resilience—an overhaul long seen as critical to stabilizing food supply and rural incomes.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

Price Council backs DA-proposed temporary price cap on imported rice

The National Price Coordinating Council NPCC has endorsed the imposition of a P50 per kilo price ceiling on imported rice as surging global oil prices driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to push up food costs in the Philippines.

DA chief assures farmers, fishers can buy fuel in containers amid energy emergency 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said that the Department of Energy (DOE) has assured him that farmers and fisherfolk are allowed to buy petroleum products in portable containers, as long as they comply with rules designed to prevent hoarding and ensure equitable fuel distribution during the national energy emergency.

Imported rice prices may be capped soon, pending Malacanang order

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said a presidential executive order is required to implement a proposed price cap on imported rice.

Gov’t invests P168-M in Isabela farms to lower costs, lift incomes

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspected key farm facilities and a new road project in Isabela aimed at improving food supply and increasing farmers’ earnings.

Corporate

Women powering infrastructure, building futures together

Aboitiz InfraCapital is not just building airports, water systems, and digital backbones. It is building them better by putting women firmly in the driver’s seat.

Robinsons Retail exits bourse after years of undervaluation

A dozen years after its market debut, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) is heading for an exit from the Philippine Stock Exchange, as its board backs a voluntary tender offer by controlling shareholder JE Holdings, Inc.

Security Bank opens new branches in Zambales and Batangas

Security Bank Corporation has opened new branches in Iba and Tanauan to expand its services in growing provincial areas.

Rising oil, war fallout push PH packaging costs higher

The Philippine packaging industry is expected to face higher costs as the ongoing conflict involving Iran pushes up global oil prices and disrupts supply chains. These challenges could also lead to more expensive consumer goods.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

Women powering infrastructure, building futures together

Aboitiz InfraCapital is not just building airports, water systems, and digital backbones. It is building them better by putting women firmly in the driver’s seat.

Security Bank opens new branches in Zambales and Batangas

Security Bank Corporation has opened new branches in Iba and Tanauan to expand its services in growing provincial areas.

New Honda chief shifts gears toward value

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. is changing drivers—but not its destination—as it taps Hidekazu Arai as president starting April 1, steering the company toward a sharper focus on value-led growth.

Telco rolls out AI-powered ‘For you Po’ for personalized promos

TNT, the budget-friendly brand of Smart Communications, has introduced a new feature called “For You Po” to help users easily find mobile promos that fit their needs.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

SMC cleanup of Alabang River improves flood control in Muntinlupa

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has cleared a key section of the Alabang River, helping improve water flow and reduce flood risk in nearby communities, roads, and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

ILO trains youth for green construction jobs

An initiative backed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) is equipping young Filipinos with green and digital construction skills, as the industry undergoes rapid transformation driven by sustainability and technology.

Unilever, General Trias roll out livelihood push

Unilever Philippines has deepened its engagement with General Trias through “GentriAsenso,” a community-based livelihood and skills program aimed at widening income opportunities for residents.

Jollibee Group expands jobs for seniors, PWDs in Baguio

 The Jollibee Group has expanded its employment program for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through a new partnership with the Baguio City Government.

Markets

Robinsons Retail exits bourse after years of undervaluation

A dozen years after its market debut, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) is heading for an exit from the Philippine Stock Exchange, as its board backs a voluntary tender offer by controlling shareholder JE Holdings, Inc.

East Coast Vulcan plans restructuring, fundraising moves

East Coast Vulcan Mining Corporation said its board has approved a series of corporate actions aimed at cleaning up its balance sheet and positioning the company for potential capital raising.

RRHI exits No Brand outlets, refocuses portfolio strategy

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI) said it will shut down all standalone No Brand stores in the Philippines, marking a strategic shift as the retailer streamlines its portfolio toward higher-performing formats.

Filipinos browse fashion, buy essentials in online sale event

Online retailer Shopee reported a 19 percent increase in orders during its 3.3 sale, based on newly released consumer data showing how Filipinos shop online.

Travel

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Energy

Meralco steps up wire clearing in Antipolo ahead of Holy Week

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has intensified its wire-clearing operations near Antipolo Cathedral in preparation for Holy Week.

SP New Energy seeks rebrand, ticker change to MGENR

SP New Energy Corporation said it is moving forward with a corporate rebranding that will see it adopt the name “MGEN Renewables Inc.” and change its stock symbol to MGENR, replacing its current ticker SPNEC.

Alsons revenues climb as power demand strengthens

Alsons Consolidated Resources (ACR) posted strong revenue growth last year, buoyed by rising electricity demand, expanded retail supply operations, and the contribution of a new power plant, even as earnings were weighed down by asset impairments.

Vivant earnings grow on energy, water expansion

Vivant Corp. posted double-digit earnings growth last year on the back of strong power generation and early gains from its expanding water business, even as softer energy volumes and higher costs tempered momentum.

Transport & Communications

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Property

SMHCC bets big on Cebu MICE hub

SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC) is ramping up efforts to position the Philippines as a stronger player in the global meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) market, anchored on the upcoming launch of SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu.

CREIT posts steady earnings on long leases

Citicore Energy REIT Corp. (CREIT) delivered stable earnings in 2025, underscoring the resilience of its long-term lease model amid broader market volatility.

SM malls to shorten amid oil shock

SM Supermalls will open later on weekdays nationwide starting March 30, shifting mall hours to 11:00 a.m. from Monday to Friday as part of efforts to conserve electricity during the ongoing National Energy Emergency. On Saturdays and Sundays, the malls open 10 a.m. Closing hours on all days will be at 9 p.m.

Biz Hub at LIMA emerges as central business district

Aboitiz Economic Estates is positioning Biz Hub at LIMA Estate as the central business district (CBD) within a fully operational industrial ecosystem, as commercial activity accelerates alongside a growing base of locators.

Environment

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Technology

APECO, InfiniVAN pact targets data center hub

The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with InfiniVAN Inc. to accelerate digital infrastructure development, a move officials say could position the ecozone as a competitive destination for data center investments.

New open-source tool lets enterprises see inside AI decision making

Dataiku, the enterprise AI platform, has introduced Kiji Inspector™, an open-source tool designed to make AI agent decisions understandable and auditable. The release, through Dataiku’s 575 Lab, is aimed at organizations using AI in high-stakes or regulated environments where transparency is critical.

Airbus tests digital system to improve forest firefighting aircraft

Airbus has completed a first-of-its-kind trial using digital technology to improve how forest fires are fought.

Alliance Select reports cyber incident, contains risks

Alliance Select Foods International Inc. disclosed a cybersecurity incident affecting certain information technology systems at its General Santos facility, prompting containment measures and an ongoing investigation.

Health & Science

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Opinion

Fuel crisis or policy gap?

Airline executives were caught off guard when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that Philippine carriers may be forced to cut flights—or even ground planes—due to a possible jet fuel shortage tied to the escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Choked Hormuz puts global food supply at risk

Food, not fuel, may prove the first and most immediate casualty of the Middle East conflict as disruption grips the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea lane with an outsized role in feeding the world.

Eala storms toward WTA’s elite circle

The desert—both in Dubai and Indian Wells—has been kind to Alex Eala.

Luzviminda’s daughters: Steel, silk, sovereignty, spotlight

If you want to understand the Philippines, resist the temptation to start with its strongmen and their statues. Begin instead with its women, the quiet architects of its revolutions, the steady hands at the tiller when storms arrive.

Sports & Entertainment

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Exclusive

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.

Aboitiz focus on industry, townships follow jobs

For three decades, the Aboitiz Group has been quietly building a real estate portfolio that spans homes, offices, and commercial spaces. But in recent years, it has made a deliberate pivot away from crowded residential battlegrounds toward a less glamorous, far more strategic corner of the market: industrial development. The bet is simple but bold—build where factories, logistics, and infrastructure go first, and let communities grow organically around them.