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Growth slows to 2.3% in second quarter, marking weakest pace in 17 years

The economy recorded a 2.3 percent expansion in the second quarter this year, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The performance fell short of market expectations, slowing from the 2.8 percent growth recorded in the first quarter of the year. Excluding the severe disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this represents the softest quarterly growth since the fourth quarter of 2009.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

FPA files raps vs illegal fertilizer maker in North Cotabato

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has filed a criminal complaint against DQB Green Agricultural Products Trading owner Quiara Fabian Baterina for unauthorized fertilizer manufacturing in Makilala, North Cotabato.

Philippine farm output posts 2.9% growth in Q2

Philippine agriculture gathered momentum in the second quarter as all four major farm subsectors expanded, signaling a broader recovery that could bolster food supply and help temper inflation despite persistent climate and animal disease risks.

Private sector urged to boost meat industry resilience

CEBU CITY — Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. called on private businesses to take a bigger role in strengthening the country’s meat sector, saying government and industry must work together to secure food supplies, stabilize prices, and protect public health.

Davao durian shipped to Oman in new trial export

The Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that 56 boxes of Davao durian, weighing 1.08 metric tons and worth around P183,000 ($3,000), have been sent to Oman. The shipment from Engseng Food Products of Davao City is bound for Jeel Almaaly International in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.

Corporate

URC opens P2.75-billion Batangas Mega Plant

Universal Robina Corp. (URC) has inaugurated a P2.75-billion manufacturing complex in Malvar, Batangas, expanding its production capacity as the Filipino food company seeks to meet rising demand at home and strengthen its position in export markets.

Top Line H1 profit tops full-year 2025 as retail fuel booms

Listed fuel distributor and retailer Top Line Business Development Corp. raced past its entire 2025 earnings in just six months as an aggressive expansion of its retail fuel business added fresh horsepower to its core commercial fuel operations.

Century Pacific Food posts 15% revenue growth in first half 2026

Century Pacific Food, Inc. (PSE:CNPF), one of the Philippines’ leading food companies, has reported unaudited financial results for the first six months of 2026, sustaining growth despite challenging market conditions.

DMCI profit jumps as mining, power offset Maynilad drag

DMCI Holdings Inc. posted stronger second-quarter earnings as record contributions from its nickel mining business and resilient results from its power, real estate and construction units more than offset a weaker contribution from Maynilad Water Services following the utility's initial public offering.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

SM Prime racks up accessibility awards as inclusive design gains prominence

SM Prime Holdings Inc. strengthened its position as one of the country's leading advocates of accessible infrastructure after receiving 14 distinctions at the 31st Apolinario Mabini Awards, reflecting the growing importance of inclusive design in Philippine real estate.

Security Bank, Pays0 partner to streamline digital business payments

Security Bank has teamed up with licensed Electronic Money Issuer Pays0 Inc. to help businesses move funds quickly and reliably. The partnership was formalized in a July 28 agreement signed at Security Bank Centre in Makati City.

DICT, Globe mark major progess in Bayanihan SIM rollout

The Department of Information and Communications Technology and Globe continue to push forward with the Bayanihan SIM Project, hitting a key milestone in the government’s flagship drive to close the digital divide.

AIA Philippines, BPI AIA bag 4 Insurance Asia Awards 2026

AIA Philippines and its bancassurance arm BPI AIA won four honors at the 2026 Insurance Asia Awards in Singapore, recognizing work to expand insurance access, improve healthcare, and develop talent.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

BDO partners with foundations to bring solar energy to indigenous communities in Quezon

Living without electricity or paved roads has been a lifelong reality for Liezel Sarmiento, a barangay councilor and member of the Dumagat-Remontado tribe in Sitio Cablao, Quezon.

Aboitiz Foundation expands Cebu community forest restoration work

Aboitiz Foundation is growing its partnerships with local groups across Cebu to boost community-led forest restoration under its CarbonPH climate initiative. Working with officials in Danao City and Balamban, the foundation is providing training and resources to help residents restore forests while building sustainable livelihoods.

BDO Foundation, ADDU launch scholarship and career program for needy students

More deserving young Filipinos from low-income families will get better access to higher education and stable jobs under a new partnership between BDO Foundation and Ateneo de Davao University.

Jollibee Group Foundation’s farmer-led agri-tech initiative wins top CSR recognition

The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) has been conferred the Outstanding CSR Project in Enterprise Development award at the 2026 League of Corporate Foundations CSR Guild Awards for its Agri-Tech Facilitators (ATF) Program, an initiative centered on the principle that agricultural innovation delivers lasting impact when driven by farmers themselves.

Markets

AI transforms retail but fundamentals still drive growth

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Philippine retail, but technology alone will not determine which businesses succeed, according to venture capital firm Kickstart Ventures, which says disciplined execution and sound business fundamentals remain the strongest drivers of sustainable growth.

Retailers see modest growth amid rising costs, online rivals

Philippine retailers are bracing for another challenging year, with industry growth expected to remain in the single digits as higher operating costs, cautious consumers, and intensifying competition from online sellers continue to squeeze margins, according to the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA).

Retailers told to embrace AI without losing human touch

The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) on Thursday urged businesses to accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence while ensuring that technology complements, rather than replaces, the human connections that underpin customer loyalty.

DTI, DA tighten market checks to keep food prices fair

The Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Agriculture (DA) have intensified joint market inspections to keep rice and other essential goods fairly priced, signaling closer government oversight as authorities seek to contain food inflation and protect consumers' purchasing power.

Travel

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Energy

MAP calls for tougher power rules to cut costs

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is pressing the government for deeper power sector reforms, arguing that lowering electricity costs will require more than trimming system loss charges and should include tougher enforcement, performance-based regulation, and stronger energy efficiency measures.

Oriental Petroleum gets nickel exploration area in Dinagat Islands

Oriental Petroleum and Minerals Corp. has secured the designation...

CREC solar project aims to lower Pampanga power bills

Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) and Pampanga I Electric Cooperative (PELCO I) have begun construction of a 41-megawatt-peak embedded solar facility with battery storage, a project that could help reduce electricity costs and system losses while strengthening energy security in Pampanga.

DMCI profit jumps as mining, power offset Maynilad drag

DMCI Holdings Inc. posted stronger second-quarter earnings as record contributions from its nickel mining business and resilient results from its power, real estate and construction units more than offset a weaker contribution from Maynilad Water Services following the utility's initial public offering.

Transport & Communications

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Property

SMX visitor traffic jumps 18% as events recover

SMX Convention Centers is expanding its footprint as the Philippine business events industry gathers momentum, with visitor traffic rising 18 percent in the first half of 2026 and new venues in Cebu and Metro Manila set to add capacity.

Megaworld realigns key officers as longtime executive retires

Megaworld Corp., the listed property venture of billionaire Andrew Tan, has reshuffled the responsibilities of several senior executives, tightening the division of finance, audit and compliance functions as longtime executive Maria Victoria M. Acosta retires.

CREC solar project aims to lower Pampanga power bills

Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) and Pampanga I Electric Cooperative (PELCO I) have begun construction of a 41-megawatt-peak embedded solar facility with battery storage, a project that could help reduce electricity costs and system losses while strengthening energy security in Pampanga.

Marcos grants PEZA status to Aboitiz Batangas IT hub

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared the Aboitiz Group's Biz Hub at Lima Estate in Lipa City, Batangas as a special economic zone, paving the way for the mixed-use development to attract more information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) investments outside Metro Manila.

Environment

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Technology

Cybercrime surge puts millions of Filipinos at risk

Cybercrime in the Philippines is no longer just growing. It is exploding.

AI transforms retail but fundamentals still drive growth

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Philippine retail, but technology alone will not determine which businesses succeed, according to venture capital firm Kickstart Ventures, which says disciplined execution and sound business fundamentals remain the strongest drivers of sustainable growth.

Tech sector gears up as AI and cloud demand drives surge in data center infra

The local digital infrastructure is undergoing a major expansion to keep pace with high-density computing demands and strict data residency policies.

PSAC urges AI task force to prepare future workforce 

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) is urging the government to fast-track the country's artificial intelligence agenda, proposing a national task force and education reforms designed to equip Filipino workers for an economy increasingly shaped by AI and advanced technologies.

Health & Science

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Opinion

Alex Eala’s sweetest revenge spoke louder than cheers

Some victories earn ranking points. Others settle unfinished conversations. Alex Eala's...

Private prosecutor steals spotlight in VP impeachment trial

Courtroom dramas are supposed to be solemn affairs. Then Atty. Lorna Kapunan walked to the lectern and reminded everyone that wit can be just as effective as a legal citation.

Supreme Court ruling reels in Philippine seafood export risks

The Supreme Court's decision striking down Fisheries Administrative Order No. 266 has cast a wide net over the Philippines' fisheries sector, raising questions that reach well beyond the country's waters. 

MPBL game-fixing ban to reignite online betting debate

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League has done what every sports league eventually must when confronted with game-fixing allegations: make an example of someone.

Sports & Entertainment

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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.