Farmers belonging to the LIBADATATAMA Irrigators Association in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, now have easier access to modern farming knowledge and digital solutions through the FarmTech package recently turned over by the Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Training Institute Region 10. The initiative falls under the wider Digital Farmers Program, a partnership between DA-ATI, PLDT, and Smart Communications designed to bring digital inclusion to farming communities across the country.

Five young Filipino agribusiness startups brought their products and business ideas to the Asia-Pacific Agrifood Innovation Summit 2026 in Singapore, seeking to connect with investors, industry players, and potential partners as they explore opportunities beyond the domestic market. Supported by the Department of Agriculture’s Young Farmers Challenge (YFC), the enterprises showcased value-added agricultural products and solutions at the October 27–29 summit at the Suntec Convention Centre. The Philippine participation was led by the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, in collaboration with the Philippine Agriculture Office in Bangkok, Thailand. The five startups represented different ways of turning local agricultural resources into higher-value products. L’Reinvente transforms agricultural by-products into skincare products while providing livelihood opportunities for farmers and marginalized communities. CHER Cacao Products Manufacturing, a youth-led bean-to-bar chocolate enterprise based in Negros Oriental, promotes locally sourced cacao through processing and product development. Bluecrust Food Manufacturing develops value-added products from crustaceans, while Aelius makes wellness products from different parts of the coconut, linking product innovation with farmer support and environmental sustainability. Y’Nut Food Products, meanwhile, turns locally grown peanuts into nutritious, market-ready food products. Beyond promoting their brands, the startups had opportunities to network with entrepreneurs, industry representatives and potential business partners from across the Asia-Pacific region. They also attended sessions on food systems, biomanufacturing, regenerative agriculture and food traceability, areas that are increasingly influencing how food is produced, processed and brought to market. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. joined the summit as a featured speaker, outlining the Philippines’ efforts to modernize agricultural value chains through resilience, investment, data-driven governance, inclusive development and collaboration across government and industry. “We also brought young Filipino agripreneurs to the Singapore event to introduce them to a wider market, and expose them to innovations and fresh ideas they can bring home, adapt and develop into viable businesses that create jobs and attract more investment in agriculture,” said Tiu Laurel. The DA also organized the “Innovating Agriculture: Young Farmers Challenge Pitching Showcase,” where participating enterprises presented their business models and products at the summit’s Innovation Stage. Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said young agripreneurs were finding ways to add value to local resources, develop sustainable solutions and connect Philippine agriculture to regional and global markets. The showcase reflects a broader policy challenge for Philippine agriculture. Raising production remains important, but improving processing, product development and market access is just as critical to increasing the value farmers and agribusinesses earn from local resources. Through the YFC, the DA seeks to help young Filipinos establish and expand market-oriented ventures in agriculture and fisheries. Bringing these enterprises to an international platform also exposes them to commercial networks and ideas that could help turn promising startups into competitive businesses.

The National Food Authority (NFA) has substantially reduced palay handling time and costs in a pilot test of one-ton bags, replacing conventional 50-kilogram sacks in a system that could speed up grain procurement, maximize warehouse capacity, and free up funds for buying more palay.

Nearly 1 million Filipinos benefited from the Marcos administration’s Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program in September, the highest monthly turnout since the affordable rice initiative was launched in May last year, as the government seeks to ease food costs for households struggling to make ends meet.

Profriends, one of the country’s fastest-growing property developers, has renewed its partnership with Dugenia, Marayan, and Associates Company (DM&A Co.), keeping the firm as its official public relations agency.

One Meralco Foundation (OMF) and B&M Global Services Manila (GSM) have installed a solar power system at Libis Elementary School, bringing reliable clean energy to more than 200 students and teachers, many from the Dumagat Remontado indigenous community.

Manila Electric Co., the listed power company led by Manuel V. Pangilinan and more popularly-known as Meralco, has launched its own media and information literacy initiative, urging employees and stakeholders to apply greater scrutiny to the information they consume and share as misinformation becomes harder to separate from legitimate news.

Union Bank of the Philippines president and chief executive Ana Maria Aboitiz Delgado has earned a place on Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen 2026 list, putting a Philippine banking executive among 20 women leaders shaping businesses across the region.

Farmers belonging to the LIBADATATAMA Irrigators Association in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, now have easier access to modern farming knowledge and digital solutions through the FarmTech package recently turned over by the Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Training Institute Region 10. The initiative falls under the wider Digital Farmers Program, a partnership between DA-ATI, PLDT, and Smart Communications designed to bring digital inclusion to farming communities across the country.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Employees Association, Inc. (BSPEAI) brought its community outreach initiative Project Shoebox Plus to Bata Elementary School 1 here on October 24, distributing school bags and learning materials to 100 students.

P&G Philippines and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) are preparing 90,000 health and hygiene relief kits for disaster-prone communities, extending a partnership aimed at keeping essential supplies accessible when emergencies disrupt daily life.

Vivant Foundation Inc. (VFI), together with Vivant Energy Corporation and its subsidiary 1590 Energy Corporation, has upgraded electrical systems in three public elementary schools and provided library packages to 14 schools in Bauang South District, La Union, as part of efforts to improve learning environments and support literacy.

Small businesses are turning to creator-led product demonstrations to reach shoppers and drive sales, using affiliate marketing to stretch limited advertising budgets and compete for attention in an increasingly crowded online marketplace.

Philippine stocks could face more turbulence toward year-end as a weaker peso, surging oil prices and the prospect of further interest rate hikes raise questions about corporate earnings and investment spending in 2027.

For Philippine manufacturers, the next factory may require more than retained earnings and a friendly bank. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is urging them to look beyond traditional financing and prepare to tap the capital markets as they scale up.

Global rating agency Moody’s Investors Service has raised the country’s credit rating, delivering a major vote of confidence in the nation’s financial stability and economic momentum. The rating upgrade reflects the country’s solid economic growth, disciplined fiscal management, and structural reforms that continue to shield the economy from external market turbulence.

For FAST Logistics Group, the next leg of growth is not necessarily about moving more boxes faster. It is about making the entire journey work better.

Building a business that lasts takes more than expanding into new markets. It requires sound decisions, careful management of risks, and the financial strength to withstand difficult periods.

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 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.