Monday, 09 February 2026, 2:12 am

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    Top News

    Cooler weather, softer demand weigh on Meralco sales; signals slower economic activity

    Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) reported a slight drop in power sales in 2025 as cooler weather and weaker demand from households and businesses reduced electricity use.

    News Dispatch

    Agriculture

    Stronger farms, lower costs: DA launches village feed system

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) is introducing a village-based feed ecosystem to help farmers increase corn and livestock production, lower feed costs, and strengthen rural incomes through cooperative-led agribusiness.

    Meat importers sound alarm on forex losses, port congestion

    Meat importers say foreign exchange losses and ongoing port congestion are major challenges this year, prompting calls for government action to prevent supply disruptions and price pressures.

    DA looks to replicate banana export gains across more high-value crops

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) is stepping up efforts to boost exports of other high-value food crops by replicating the strategies that helped revive the country’s banana industry, which posted strong export growth last year.

    Philippine farm trade gap shrinks in December

    The Philippines’ agricultural trade deficit narrowed sharply in December, buoyed by a strong rebound in farm exports and a pullback in imports, offering a late-year boost to the country’s external trade position.

    Corporate

    DMCI Mining sets record nickel output in 2025

    DMCI Mining Corp. reported a record nickel ore production of 2 million wet metric tons (WMT) in 2025, up 33 percent from 1.5 million WMT in 2024.

    Ayala Corp. warns vs investment scam using fake Spinneys Philippines accounts

    Ayala Corporation on Saturday issued a warning to the public regarding a fraudulent investment scheme circulating online that falsely uses the Ayala name and branding.

    Aboitiz opens Tokyo office, courts Japanese manufacturers

    Aboitiz Economic Estates (AEE) has planted its flag in central Tokyo, opening a dedicated Japan Office to tighten ties with Japanese manufacturers and smooth the path for those expanding or scaling operations in the Philippines. 

    Jaime Bautista takes flight at San Miguel Food 

    San Miguel Food and Beverage Corp. has elected former Transportation Secretary and aviation veteran Jaime J. Bautista as its newest independent director, effective February 6. Bautista, 68, will serve the unexpired term of Ferdinand K. Constantino, who resigned as director and treasurer at the end of January.

    Banking & Insurance

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    Corporate Bulletins

    Jaime Bautista takes flight at San Miguel Food 

    San Miguel Food and Beverage Corp. has elected former Transportation Secretary and aviation veteran Jaime J. Bautista as its newest independent director, effective February 6. Bautista, 68, will serve the unexpired term of Ferdinand K. Constantino, who resigned as director and treasurer at the end of January.

    Families get budget-friendly appliance deals under new SM-Home Credit promo

    Home Credit Philippines has partnered with SM Appliance Center to roll out Grand Pay Hulugan, a limited-time promo aimed at helping more Filipino families buy essential home appliances through lower prices and easier payment options.

    LBC Express secures 9th straight customs award

    LBC Express has further cemented its standing as a leader in Philippine logistics after being named a Top Deconsolidator by the Bureau of Customs–Manila International Container Port for 2025, marking its ninth consecutive year receiving the distinction.

    RCBC advances digital finance via inclusion focus

    Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., the country’s 6th largest lender by assets, strengthened its presence in the regional fintech spotlight as it joined high-level conversations at the Money20/20 Asia PH Summit, one of the Asia-Pacific region’s most influential gatherings for financial innovation. 

    Social Responsibility & Sustainability

    Filinvest charts clear path toward net-zero

    Filinvest Development Corp. is formalizing its transition to low-carbon operations, setting a 2040 net-zero emissions target and placing renewable energy at the center of the strategy. 

    Disaster relief tops San Miguel Foundation work in 2025

    Disaster response made up the largest part of San Miguel Foundation’s activities in 2025 as the country faced a series of major calamities, the foundation said.

    SM Group trains first  on GeoRiskPH

    SM Investments Corporation has become the first Philippine conglomerate to complete enterprise-wide training on GeoRiskPH, a suite of science-based digital tools designed to pinpoint location-specific vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience against disasters and climate change.

    Converge conducts tree-planting, health outreach in Pampanga Aeta community

    Converge ICT Solutions Inc. carried out an environmental and health outreach activity for an Aeta community in Angeles City, Pampanga, combining watershed reforestation with medical services.

    Markets

    Qualcomm shares drop as memory shortfall clouds outlook

    Qualcomm shares fell Thursday as investors reacted to warnings that industry-wide memory supply constraints are hurting the company’s near-term handset outlook, overshadowing record quarterly revenue and a confident long-term strategy.

    FirstMetroSec rolls out Active Trader to support faster, more dynamic market trading

    First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation (FirstMetroSec) has launched Active Trader, a new trading interface under its FirstMetroSec PRO platform, as part of its ongoing push to strengthen its digital trading ecosystem amid increasingly active market conditions.

    Asian Terminals plans PSE exit in April

    Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) has filed a petition with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to voluntarily delist its shares, setting April 3 as the target exit date, following a strategic investment by the country’s sovereign wealth fund.

    Oracle financing plan stokes AI investment concerns

    Shares of Oracle Corp. ended lower Monday after the company unveiled plans to raise up to USD50 billion in debt and equity to expand its cloud infrastructure, reviving market concerns that returns from its artificial intelligence investments may take years to materialize.

    Travel

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    Energy

    Wilmar Philippines switches to geothermal power in major decarbonization move

    Wilmar Edible Oils Philippines Inc. has taken a major step toward cutting its carbon emissions by shifting to geothermal energy for its operations, marking a key milestone in its decarbonization efforts.

    Fifth fuel price hike in series expected this week

    Fuel prices are set to rise for a fifth straight week, adding more pressure on businesses and households already dealing with higher costs.

    Filinvest charts clear path toward net-zero

    Filinvest Development Corp. is formalizing its transition to low-carbon operations, setting a 2040 net-zero emissions target and placing renewable energy at the center of the strategy. 

    Manila Water shifts to full renewable power for key operations

    The Manila Water Co. has switched its main operations to 100 percent renewable electricity, becoming the first water utility in the country to do so.

    Transport & Communications

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    Property

    BCDA weighs new Market!Market! lease amid transit-oriented development 

    The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is evaluating the possible renewal of Ayala Land’s lease over Market!Market! ahead of its 2027 expiration, as plans for a large-scale, transit-oriented development (TOD) in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) gain momentum alongside the Metro Manila Subway Project.

    Greenfield builds cities where wellness feels natural

    Wellness has long been marketed as an escape: drive out of town, book a retreat, breathe deeply, then return to traffic on Monday. Greenfield Development Corp. wants to retire that idea. Its message is refreshingly grounded—well-being shouldn’t live on the fringes of city life. It should be woven into it.

    DHSUD January gains signal housing reform momentum

    The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development opened 2026 with a brisk run of January accomplishments, signaling that recent institutional reforms are translating into concrete gains for Filipino families, officials said.

    Highlands Prime puts French flair in Tagaytay living

    The Highlands Prime, Inc., the leisure residential arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., has completed Provence, a new residential enclave tucked within Tagaytay Midlands along Lakeside Fairways Drive in Talisay, Batangas.

    Environment

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    Technology

    Greenfield builds cities where wellness feels natural

    Wellness has long been marketed as an escape: drive out of town, book a retreat, breathe deeply, then return to traffic on Monday. Greenfield Development Corp. wants to retire that idea. Its message is refreshingly grounded—well-being shouldn’t live on the fringes of city life. It should be woven into it.

    When cell towers fall, satellites answer Filipinos’ call

    For a country where typhoons feel like subscription services and earthquakes show up uninvited, connectivity is not a luxury. It is survival. This year, help is not coming by truck or chopper. It is coming straight from the sky.

    AI takes centre stage at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games

    Artificial intelligence and cloud technology will play a bigger role than ever at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, as Alibaba Cloud partners again with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS).

    iSON Tower brings next-generation connection to ecozones

    iSON Tower Ltd. Inc. is moving to modernize telecommunications infrastructure across four major Philippine economic zones, following a new partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to strengthen digital connectivity in key industrial hubs.

    Health & Science

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    Opinion

    Philippine paradox: Doing right, paying wrong

    Even when the government acts with moral clarity, ordinary Filipinos often end up holding the short end of the stick. 

    Airport knife shooting thrusts security governance into spotlight

    A knife-related shooting at Iloilo International Airport has forced an uncomfortable reckoning inside aviation security circles: what happens when systems meant to stop danger at the door allow it to fester into a crowded terminal.

    Regulatory stress test for PH aviation: The PR113 lavatory fiasco

    The reported handling of a lavatory system failure on Philippine Airlines Flight PR113 should not be treated as a one-off operational lapse.

    Demeter meets CRISPR: Self-replicating rice takes on the seed economy

    For decades, hybrid rice has been the most frustrating agricultural miracle: spectacular yields, structurally expensive. Farmers get abundance—then a bill. Because hybrids don’t reliably reproduce, the system forces growers onto an annual seed treadmill. Productivity, yes. Ownership, no.

    Sports & Entertainment

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    Exclusive

    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.

    Aboitiz focus on industry, townships follow jobs

    For three decades, the Aboitiz Group has been quietly building a real estate portfolio that spans homes, offices, and commercial spaces. But in recent years, it has made a deliberate pivot away from crowded residential battlegrounds toward a less glamorous, far more strategic corner of the market: industrial development. The bet is simple but bold—build where factories, logistics, and infrastructure go first, and let communities grow organically around them.

    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.