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Agriculture
Rice reserves swell, corn stocks slip
The country closed November with fuller rice granaries, even as corn inventories cooled heading into December—signaling mixed dynamics in staple food supply chains.
DA sees boost to agriculture with higher 2026 budget
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is optimistic that a higher budget allocation for the agriculture sector under the 2026 national budget will strengthen local food production, rural development, and long-term food security.
DA bets on more sili to cool price spikes
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. is zeroing in on one of the most volatile items in the Filipino kitchen: chilli pepper or sili. With prices swinging sharply during the rainy season, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing a plan to ramp up production, harden farms against extreme weather, and bring more predictability to supply and prices.
Fair palay price, road projects, P20 rice expansion seen as biggest test for 2026
Keeping palay prices fair, expanding P20-per-kilo rice and fast-tracking farm-to-market roads will be the toughest test of the Department of Agriculture heading into 2026, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
Corporate
Rockwell returns to market with P10B bond offer
Rockwell Land Corp. is making a high-profile return to the domestic debt market, with the highest credit rating from Philippine Rating Service of PRS Aaa rating with a Stable Outlook, for its planned bond issuance of up to P10 billion. The PRS rating underscores the solid balance sheet and conservative financial profile of the listed property development arm of the Lopez Group.
BCDA turns sports site into learning hub
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is repurposing a planned sports complex in Taguig City into school and community facilities, signaling a strategic pivot from infrastructure to human capital development.
Competition Commission clears Ayala Logistics power play
The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has given the green light to a strategic joint venture between listed conglomerate Ayala Corp. and EMIF II Holding III B.V., clearing the latter’s acquisition of a roughly 40 percent stake in AC Logistics Holdings Corp.
Jollibee holiday cheer meets privacy red flags
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has asked Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) and messaging platform Viber to explain whether personal data were processed during the fast-food giant’s recent Christmas campaign, following complaints that branded content appeared inside users’ private chats.
Corporate Bulletins
GSIS to launch STEM scholarship for 1,000 freshmen in 2026
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will launch a new scholarship program for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students, starting Academic Year 2026–2027.
EastWest, PayMongo partner to make online payments easier for business ed
EastWest has partnered with PayMongo to help businesses accept online payments more easily and at lower cost.
BDO named most valuable brand; ranks among top ASEAN banking brands
BDO has been named the Philippines’ most valuable brand and is the only Philippine bank included in the top 10 most valuable banking brands in ASEAN, according to Brand Finance, a global brand valuation consultancy.
Condiments maker levels up with SAP Cloud ERP
NutriAsia has begun the next stage of its digital transformation by rolling out SAP Cloud ERP Private across its operations, following the completion of its cloud migration under the RISE with SAP program. Working with delaware Philippines, a global SAP Platinum Partner, the company aims to standardize and improve its business processes to support long-term growth.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
BCDA turns sports site into learning hub
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is repurposing a planned sports complex in Taguig City into school and community facilities, signaling a strategic pivot from infrastructure to human capital development.
Aboitiz Foods ends year 2025 on a confident note
Aboitiz Foods didn’t close the year with grandstanding. Instead, the regional agribusiness player wrapped it up with steady, on-the-ground action—rolling out community initiatives across the Philippines and China that underscored a quieter point: sustainably feeding Asia’s growth also means investing in the people behind the food.
ICTSI’s Tecon Suape wins Ocean Friend seal
Tecon Suape S.A. (TSSA), the Pernambuco-based container terminal of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), has reinforced its green credentials after earning the 2025 Ocean Friend seal, one of Brazil’s key recognitions for environmental responsibility in port operations.
SEC adopts new sustainability reporting rules
The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (PFRS) on sustainability disclosures, aligning local reporting with international standards.
Markets
Rockwell returns to market with P10B bond offer
Rockwell Land Corp. is making a high-profile return to the domestic debt market, with the highest credit rating from Philippine Rating Service of PRS Aaa rating with a Stable Outlook, for its planned bond issuance of up to P10 billion. The PRS rating underscores the solid balance sheet and conservative financial profile of the listed property development arm of the Lopez Group.
Wall St extends rally after Maduro arrest
US equities advanced further on Tuesday, extending gains as investors weighed geopolitical fallout and rotated across sectors. Markets had surged on Monday after American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, resetting expectations around energy and regional risk.
Jollibee splits domestic, global arms, aims for US listing
Homegrown food giant, Jollibee Foods Corp., is shaking up its structure with a bold plan to separate its international business from its Philippine operations, aiming to unlock clearer growth pathways and attract distinct investor appetites.
DTI extends trustmark voluntary phase deadline
Online sellers received a boost after the Department of Trade and Industry announced it will defer mandatory registration under the Philippine Trustmark program, extending the voluntary phase until December 31, 2026, from the earlier 2025 deadline.
Energy
Power spot prices rise 10.1% in December
Electricity prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rose by 10.1 percent in December, driven mainly by higher power demand in the Visayas and Mindanao, data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) showed.
Meralco draws strong interest for 200-MW project
Fifteen power generation companies have shown interest in Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) bidding process to supply 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy as part of its Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) compliance.
ACEN to supply renewable power to five Schneider Electric plants in Cavite
ACEN Corp. retail unit ACEN RES will supply renewable electricity to five Schneider Electric manufacturing facilities located at the Cavite Economic Zone, the company said Tuesday.
PXP Energy gets DOE clearance to continue Galoc oil field operations
PXP Energy Corp. has secured government approval to continue operations in the Galoc oil field in Northwest Palawan after receiving the executed Petroleum Service Contract (SC) 88 from the Department of Energy (DOE).
Property
Rockwell returns to market with P10B bond offer
Rockwell Land Corp. is making a high-profile return to the domestic debt market, with the highest credit rating from Philippine Rating Service of PRS Aaa rating with a Stable Outlook, for its planned bond issuance of up to P10 billion. The PRS rating underscores the solid balance sheet and conservative financial profile of the listed property development arm of the Lopez Group.
Human Settlements fast-tracks approvals to jumpstart housing
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is starting 2026 with a clear message to developers: if your papers are complete, expect faster approvals.
Housing shortfall widens as supply lags
Data from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development show the national housing backlog reached 10.65 million units in 2024, highlighting decades of unmet demand that continue to weigh on affordability and urban planning.
Human Settlements expands rentals, targets 10 projects in 2026
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said at least 10 additional rental housing projects are set to be launched in the first quarter of 2026, reinforcing rental housing as a core modality under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, according to the agency’s yearend report.
Technology
ABB powers PH’s first AI-ready hyperscale data center
ABB is supplying a full electrification system for VITRO Santa Rosa, the Philippines’ first AI-ready hyperscale data center, located in Laguna. The 50-megawatt facility is designed for high reliability, energy efficiency, and future AI growth, as the country becomes one of the world’s fastest-growing data center markets.
Scroll, sell, succeed: MSMEs go live
Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) didn’t just survive in 2025—they went live and thrived.
Digital push takes center stage at PCCI
The newly installed head of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is placing digitalization at the core of his agenda, arguing that stronger connectivity and smarter systems could unlock growth for millions of small businesses—and improve the country’s overall investment appeal.
Opinion
Farmers’ Almanac meets print’s harsh math
The Farmers’ Almanac did not so much die as it was politely forced into early retirement. After 208 years of forecasting frost and fortune, this venerable annual faced the same forces now battering legacy media everywhere: rising costs, collapsing print economics, and a digital world that rewards clicks over contemplation.
Metals mania signals rate cut, USD doubts
Metals are having a moment. And it is loud, shiny, and unapologetically macro.
Slow trading is radical in fast-money times
The trading world has turned impatience into a business model. Scroll any social feed and you’ll see promises of instant wins, luxury lifestyles, and financial freedom on demand. Charts blink, testimonials shout, urgency sells—but thought rarely does. In this culture, patience is often seen as a liability rather than a virtue.
All revved up, nowhere to go
There is a familiar sound in Philippine policymaking: an engine idling in neutral. It is neither progress nor collapse, just the quiet waste of momentum.
This is where the government’s automotive incentive programs now stand. RACE and CARS were meant to strengthen local vehicle assembly, yet both remain stalled by delays, budget constraints, and unpaid commitments.
Exclusive
SteelAsia bets big on green steel
In an exclusive interview with Context.PH, SteelAsia chairman and chief executive officer Benjamin Yao laid out a vision that goes beyond growth targets and capacity figures. At stake, he said, is nothing less than the country’s industrial future.
Boeing deepens strategy cuts as operations take center-stage – sources
Boeing Co has embarked on deeper-than-expected cuts in its strategy ranks, halving the number of planners working within key divisions as it refocuses energies on tackling industrial pressures, people familiar with the matter said.
Maynilad may consider sourcing water from Manila Bay if desalination cost eases to affordable levels
Maynilad Water Services Inc., the water utility of Metro Pacific Investment Corp., may consider Manila Bay as source of potable water for its concession area in Metropolitan Manila and nearby towns if the cost of desalination comes down or large consumers such as factories start extracting water from the salt-water bay for their needs.
Converge mulls sale-leaseback deal for fiber network, plans dividend payout
With the aggressive fiber network rollout behind it, Converge...
