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Agriculture
DA pushes palm oil expansion to cut imports, boost economy and support cleaner fuels
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is leading a major drive to expand the palm oil industry, aiming to cut the country’s heavy reliance on imports and build a local supply base that can also serve as feedstock for cleaner fuels.
NDA, Negros Occidental university team up for 50-ha dairy farm to boost regional industry
The National Dairy Authority (NDA) and Central Philippines State University (CPSU) have partnered to develop a 50-hectare dairy stock farm in Barangay Camingawan here, aiming to strengthen production, breeding, research and training across the Negros Island Region.
Gov’t intensifies El Niño preparations as climate risks grow
The government is intensifying preparations for a potentially severe El Niño, putting agriculture, irrigation, and water management at the center of efforts to limit the impact of prolonged dry conditions.
DA returns to Asia Fruit Logistica after hiatus, pivots to boost exports and farmer incomes
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has renewed its drive to expand agricultural exports by returning to Asia Fruit Logistica after nearly ten years, reconnecting local fruit sellers with key buyers across the continent’s major fresh produce market.
Corporate
BPI bags 8 FinanceAsia citations
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) cemented its standing as a regional leader with eight recognitions from FinanceAsia, topped by a Gold award as the Philippines’ Best Managed Financial Company in the 2026 Asia’s Best Companies Poll. This follows its record 2025 net income of ₱66.62 billion.
Vanity personal care execs arrested over illegal securities sales
The owner and finance manager of local wellness chain Dermacare have been arrested following coordinated law enforcement action, marking a clear demonstration of regulatory vigilance against unauthorized financial activities in the country.
Del Monte Pacific net income nearly tripples in Q1 on strong global sales growth
Del Monte Pacific Ltd., led by the Campos group, saw its net income nearly triple in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending July, reaching $16.11 million (roughly P1 billion) from just $5.5 million a year earlier.
Cebu advances digital governance through PLDT Enterprise partnership
The Province of Cebu is accelerating its digital transformation via a formal collaboration with PLDT Enterprise to boost connectivity, workforce efficiency, and public service delivery.
Corporate Bulletins
BPI bags 8 FinanceAsia citations
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) cemented its standing as a regional leader with eight recognitions from FinanceAsia, topped by a Gold award as the Philippines’ Best Managed Financial Company in the 2026 Asia’s Best Companies Poll. This follows its record 2025 net income of ₱66.62 billion.
Cebu advances digital governance through PLDT Enterprise partnership
The Province of Cebu is accelerating its digital transformation via a formal collaboration with PLDT Enterprise to boost connectivity, workforce efficiency, and public service delivery.
College students learn PH currency history, central bank role in BSP student tours
College students from key universities across Metro Manila gained valuable insights into the history of Philippine money and the work of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) through recent "Student Tours" held at the BSP Hub along Roxas Boulevard.
GCash launches free GSukli feature: digital change goes straight to your wallet
GCash has introduced a new service called GSukli, letting customers receive their change digitally in their GCash wallets at no extra cost.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Cagayan de Oro launches Project Swipe Safe for child online safety, backed by PLDT and Smart
Multi-sector partners are strengthening local defenses against online child risks, with PLDT and Smart donating mobile and connectivity gear to Xavier Science Foundation (XSF) for Project Swipe Safe—an initiative countering online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
Security Bank staff paint Iloilo school classrooms, advancing education goals
Fifty-one Security Bank employees from six local branches volunteered August 1, 2026, to paint new classrooms at Iloilo City National High School (ICNHS), supporting the Security Bank Foundation (SBFI)’s education and nation-building mission.
Malampaya Foundation rolls out community-led enterprises in Oriental Mindoro
The Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI), the social development arm of the Malampaya gas project joint venture, has launched two community-run enterprises in Oriental Mindoro—combining steady livelihoods for local residents with ongoing marine conservation work.
Malampaya Foundation backs Mindoro livelihoods, marine conservation
Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) has launched two community-run enterprises in Oriental Mindoro that will provide additional income for fisherfolk while channeling part of their earnings into marine conservation.
Markets
PSEi tests 6,100 as peso volatility clouds momentum
The PSEi is knocking on 6,100—but whether it can break higher may depend on how the peso holds up as geopolitical tensions, dollar demand and shifting rate expectations add to market uncertainty.
Global gold demand hits record US$193-B in 1Q 2026; EastWest delivers expert insight under new partnership
Global gold demand stayed resilient amid market volatility, reflecting strong long-term investor confidence in the metal as a reliable way to preserve wealth. In the first quarter of 2026, total global demand hit 1,231 tons - valued at a record US$193 billion. This strength held even though gold prices dropped 15.4 percent in the second quarter, driven by expectations of higher interest rates.
7-Eleven targets 5,000 stores, shrugs off discounters
Philippine Seven Corp., operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores, is pressing ahead with aggressive expansion despite the rapid growth of hard-discounters, confident that its convenience-store format remains sufficiently differentiated to withstand the new competition.
Local entrepreneurs expand Filipino traditions via e-commerce
Many aspiring business owners look far and wide for the next big concept, but some of the most promising opportunities lie right within familiar culture, traditions, and communities.
Energy
ERC updates grid compliance rules for power plants to boost clarity and reliability
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued revised, more practical Grid Compliance Test (GCT) requirements for older power plants, offering a clear path for these facilities to prove they can operate safely and reliably within the national power grid. The new policy, announced Thursday, applies to legacy plants—those that began commercial operations before the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 was enacted.
Philippine Aurion pours P3.34B into solar cells plant in Batangas industrial park
Philippine Aurion Solar Technologies Inc. is investing over P3.34 billion to build a solar cells manufacturing facility within the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
ACS Manufacturing shifts Laguna plants to renewable power
ACS Manufacturing Corp., maker of Pride Detergent, Shield Bath Soap, and Unique Toothpaste, is shifting its two key Laguna manufacturing facilities to 100 percent renewable electricity under a new supply agreement with ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions (ACEN RES).
Pagbilao power assets turnover sealed; Quezon City property up for bidding
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) and AboitizPower’s Therma Luzon Inc. formalized transfer of the 735-MW Pagbilao power plant and 1.06M sq.m. land in Quezon Province via Aug.25 signing. Land price: ₱2.95B. Ensures steady plant operation and supply amid rising demand, supporting energy security and privatization goals.
Property
Anflo pitches investment-ready Mindanao for global supply chains
The Anflo Group is pitching Mindanao as an investment-ready manufacturing base for global supply chains, pointing to the region’s resources, industrial infrastructure, and growing investor interest as it works to overcome lingering perceptions about the island.
Vertis North turns stormwater system into urban amenity
Ayala Land Inc. is turning stormwater infrastructure at Vertis North into a public amenity, combining flood-mitigation capacity with a two-hectare green space designed for recreation and community use in Quezon City.
Damosa Land lines up Mindanao office, industrial, hospitality expansion
Damosa Land Inc. is lining up fresh investments across office, industrial, residential, and hospitality developments in Mindanao, targeting sustained demand as the region attracts more business and tourism activity.
CLI expands Bohol footprint with third residential site
Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) is expanding its Bohol footprint with a 5.6-hectare residential project in Tagbilaran City, adding a third site as the Visayas-Mindanao developer taps rising housing demand in one of the region’s fastest-growing markets.
Technology
ABS-CBN restructures capital, expands board
ABS-CBN Corp. is seeking shareholder approval for a P4.5-billion capital increase and a two-seat board expansion, reshaping its corporate structure as two new directors are nominated to join the company’s governing body.
Over 24M GCash users verified with National ID
More than 24 million Filipinos have used their National ID to verify their identities and open GCash accounts, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
IBPAP coalition targets global firms for $50B IT-BPM goal
The Philippines’ IT-BPM industry is mounting a fresh global investor push to help drive annual revenues past USD50 billion by 2028, with industry groups and corporate partners targeting new markets and higher-value operations.
Grandsun expansion to create 5,000 jobs
Grandsun Advanced Electronics (Philippines) Co. Inc. plans to hire about 5,000 workers as it expands production and begins making a new product at its LIMA Estate facility in Batangas, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said.
Opinion
The math behind Duterte’s impeachment vote
The math, more than politics, may hold the key to Vice President Sara Duterte’s political future. And the numbers could be settled within the next two weeks, when the Senate, sitting as an impeachment tribunal, decides which denominator should be used in determining the votes needed for conviction or acquittal.
Sid Consunji plots a scholarship fund with staying power
A scholarship can cover tuition. It cannot necessarily cover lunch, the commute to school, or the other daily expenses that can make staying in college a financial juggling act.
No story is worth a reporter’s life
It was drilled into generations of journalists that no story is worth your life. Tell the story. Do not become the story.
Senate finally remembers it is an impeachment court
Eight weeks into the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Senate impeachment court has rediscovered a useful legal principle. People involved in a trial should probably stop trying the case everywhere except the courtroom.
Exclusive
iPeople targets 200,000 students with global expansion push
iPeople, the listed Yuchengco-Ayala education joint venture, is pursuing an expansion strategy built around international partnerships, new campuses and facilities, sustainability-focused programs, and deeper artificial intelligence integration as it aims to nearly triple its student population to 200,000.
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.
