The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Social Security System (SSS) have partnered to boost skills training and social security access for Filipino freelancers and online professionals.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a public warning against four online lending platforms operating without the required license: Cashai, Cashay Plus: Fast Cash Loan (Early Access), Cash-X: Easy Online Loan App, and Cash A: Easy Online Loan App.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is ramping up its cybersecurity framework and advancing responsible digital banking at a time when digital services have become central to daily financial life.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has completed three community water supply systems in Barangay Datal Anggas, providing over 1,000 households across three sitios with direct access to clean, potable water.

The major mining associations have raised concerns over newly issued joint rules from the Department of Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, warning key provisions could create investment uncertainty and undermine existing legal rights. In a joint statement on Thursday, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and Philippine Nickel Industry Association said they back the government's goal of responsible resource development, but said Joint Administrative Order 2026-01 carries provisions that may conflict with existing laws, create uneven competition, and raise long-term investment risks. Their concerns include requirements that could force existing operators to surrender privately owned assets when contracts end, bidding rules that weigh closure costs against current operators unequally, and evaluation criteria that appear to downplay established operational experience and environmental performance. The groups emphasized policy consistency and respect for existing agreements remain essential to keeping the mining sector an economic driver and meeting the country's ease-of-doing-business goals, caution that unclear rules could also hurt ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment in critical minerals such as silica. Semirara Mining and Power Corporation has also raised separate concerns, noting the draft bidding framework would require it to hand over heavy equipment and facilities as a condition to bid on its own operating area, while new entrants face no such requirement and selection appears based primarily on bid price. The Department of Energy has acknowledged concerns, temporarily pausing bidding for several coal blocks in Antique, Cagayan and Isabela to revise evaluation standards, though it expects the process to resume by November or December this year. The department has yet to release final revised rules, with Semirara Mining's current contract set to expire in July 2027.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) suffered a setback in its privatization drive after the bidding for its prime 39,698-square-meter Diliman property in Quezon City failed when none of the three interested firms submitted bids or paid participation fees. Holding a minimum price tag of P11.09 billion, the prime real estate asset represents a major financial opportunity for the state-run entity as it works to liquidate government power assets. PSALM now plans a second attempt next year, requiring a revised marketing strategy and new auction guidelines.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center (MTCMC) has signed a renewable energy supply agreement with First Gen, becoming the first hospital in Pampanga to switch to clean power under the government’s Retail Aggregation Program.

The Philippines will promote low-carbon cement production, alternative fuels and energy-efficient technologies across Southeast Asia as it assumes the presidency of the ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM) for 2026–2028, balancing environmental goals with the industry’s competitiveness.

DoubleDragon Corp.’s Hotel101 Global Holdings Corp. is taking its Filipino hotel brand to Africa, signing a countrywide development agreement in Egypt anchored by a planned 750-room property in Cairo worth an estimated USD102.1 million.

Government agencies are emerging as a significant driver of demand for quality office space in Metro Manila’s Bay Area, capitalizing on competitive rental rates and available properties as the district adjusts to the exit of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

Pavia, long known as a simple, quiet town in Iloilo, has steadily evolved into a dynamic agro-industrial center, bringing noticeable changes to its community atmosphere that carry meaningful benefits for local property owners and business operators alike. Where once the area was defined by its slow-paced provincial charm, it now balances that familiar calm with growing vibrancy, serving as home to a rising number of manufacturing firms, commercial hubs, and carefully planned residential communities.

The Philippine housing sector could record its highest number of residential units issued licenses to sell (LTS) in five years in 2026, as stronger developer activity and expanded government housing initiatives support prospective supply , growth, according to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

The European Union and the Philippines are setting up a joint artificial intelligence (AI) industry laboratory to help businesses adopt emerging technologies, improve productivity and attract investment, with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) among the intended beneficiaries.

Converge ICT CEO Dennis Anthony Uy is calling for stronger transparency and accountability, saying good governance is essential to turn the Philippines’ digital ambitions into real economic progress.

Newly installed Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Robert Joseph M. de Claro is pushing for an organizational restructuring to boost the department’s performance and deliver more effective digital public services to Filipinos.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is exploring new energy and telecommunications infrastructure to strengthen New Clark City’s appeal to investors, with proposed projects targeting reliable electricity and improved digital connectivity.

Congress has been reminded that the national budget is not a wish list, a political buffet, or an ATM where lawmakers can increase the withdrawal limit simply because the money looks lonely.

There was a time when watching a basketball game largely meant arguing about the referee, questioning the coach’s substitutions, and insisting that the player who missed three free throws should have been benched in the second quarter. These remain perfectly respectable ways to ruin a Sunday afternoon. Of late, however, there is increasingly another reason to get worked up over a game: money.

Quite a lot of us have had the experience. We open our banking app to send P500 to a godson for his birthday, and the screen politely informs us that this act of generosity will cost us P25. Nakagulat. Five percent of our kindness, gone—not to our godson, not to charity, but to a fee whose only visible purpose is to exist. Haay naku.

Apparently, the moment Alex Eala cracked the WTA top 20, she also signed an imaginary contract to win every match.