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Foreign debt rises to $155 billion as officials reassure economic stability 

The Philippines reported total external debt climbing to $154.93 billion as of end-June 2026, marking a notable jump from the $147.35 billion recorded just three months earlier. The increase brings the country's foreign obligations to 31.6 percent of its gross domestic product, up from 30.0 percent in the previous quarter, as borrowing outpaced overall economic growth during the period.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

Benguet potato farmers test new varieties, boost incomes in long-running sustainable program

Potato farmers across Benguet’s vegetable-growing highlands have begun harvesting crops planted just months ago, with this year’s harvest bringing new promise alongside familiar yields.

USDA raises 2026 Philippine pork output, import forecasts 

The Philippine hog sector is recovering faster than expected from African swine fever, but rising pork demand will keep the country heavily dependent on imports, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Tiu Laurel urges ASEAN-India cooperation on food security risks

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. called for stronger ASEAN-India collaboration Wednesday at the Ninth ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry, warning that geopolitical tensions, climate shocks, and volatile farm input costs threaten regional food supplies.

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.

Corporate

MVP brings aid to Apalit

Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan returned to his hometown of Apalit, Pampanga to personally distribute relief packs to families displaced by severe flooding caused by days of heavy Habagat rains.

Pepsi-Cola Philippines expands soda lineup

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) is growing its beverage range with the expanded Lipton Soda line—a sparkling tea that blends the well-known taste of Lipton iced tea with the light fizz of soda for a fun, refreshing experience.

Globe steps up 917 GDay 2026 rewards with G Raffle Rush comeback

Globe amplifies customer appreciation this 917 GDay 2026 through the return of G Raffle Rush, offering prizes ranging from daily essentials and treats to travel packages, a brand-new BYD Atto 2 DM-i Premium car, and Avida residential properties including a house and lot and a one-bedroom condo unit.

Foundever bags Silver at 2026 HR Excellence Awards for expanding Filipino career paths

Foundever®, a global customer experience (CX) leader, earned Silver in Excellence in Addressing Urban Workforce Challenges at the 2026 HR Excellence Awards. The honor recognizes its University and Community Partnership (UCP) Program, which links schools, local communities, and aspiring professionals to nationwide jobs and career pathways.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

Pepsi-Cola Philippines expands soda lineup

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) is growing its beverage range with the expanded Lipton Soda line—a sparkling tea that blends the well-known taste of Lipton iced tea with the light fizz of soda for a fun, refreshing experience.

Globe steps up 917 GDay 2026 rewards with G Raffle Rush comeback

Globe amplifies customer appreciation this 917 GDay 2026 through the return of G Raffle Rush, offering prizes ranging from daily essentials and treats to travel packages, a brand-new BYD Atto 2 DM-i Premium car, and Avida residential properties including a house and lot and a one-bedroom condo unit.

CCPV’s Bay Newtown project breaks ground in Laguna

Cadence-CARD Property Ventures (CCPV) has officially begun development of Bay NewTown in Bay, Laguna, marking a key milestone as the joint venture’s first residential community.

Unicapital Group marks 50 years as key financial partner

Unicapital Group, a leading Philippine financial services firm, celebrates its 50th anniversary on September 8, 2026.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

MVP brings aid to Apalit

Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan returned to his hometown of Apalit, Pampanga to personally distribute relief packs to families displaced by severe flooding caused by days of heavy Habagat rains.

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.

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.

Travel

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Energy

Court clears way for SOCOTECO II plebiscite on IGNITE deal

The Regional Trial Court in Polomolok, South Cotabato, has lifted a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the plebiscite on the proposed joint venture between South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (SOCOTECO II) and IGNITE Power and Energy Holdings Inc., clearing the way for member-consumer-owners (MCOs) to vote on the deal.

Shell, Yanson renew fuel deal for bus operations

Shell Pilipinas Corp. and the Yanson Group of Bus Companies have renewed their fuel supply agreement for the second half of 2026, securing continued fuel and fleet support for bus operations across major routes in the Philippines.

Meralco cuts rates for second consecutive month

Customers of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) are set to benefit from back-to-back rate reductions as the utility announced another decrease of P0.0409 per kWh in the electricity rate this September.

Meralco cuts September power rates as costs shift

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said electricity rates will decline for the second straight month, giving households some relief even as higher fuel costs and a weaker peso push up generation expenses.

Transport & Communications

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Property

Avida builds climate resilience into housing projects

Avida Land is building climate resilience into its residential projects, using flood assessments, stormwater controls, and water- and energy-efficient features to reduce property risks as extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe.

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.

Environment

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Technology

PLDT Home brings fiber connectivity to Camotes Island

PLDT Home has expanded its fiber network to Camotes Island, delivering reliable broadband to communities across San Francisco, Poro and Tudela. Known as the “Lost Horizon of the South,” the island is a popular tourist spot famed for its beaches and natural scenery.

Smart unveils GSMA-certified identity tools for stronger digital fraud defense

Smart Communications, the country’s first telco with GSMA Open Gateway-certified Number Verification API, has secured GSMA certification for its SIM swap and device swap APIs.

Globe staff’s AI solutions deliver tangible business value

Globe employees are turning AI from concept into practical tools that boost operations and customer service, highlighted at the recent Globe AI Showcase.

USTDA backs Subic ship repair, nationwide AI Wi-Fi projects

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is two Philippine infrastructure projects that could expand ship repair capacity in Subic Bay and bring AI-enhanced public Wi-Fi to thousands of sites nationwide.

Health & Science

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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.

Sports & Entertainment

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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.