Wednesday, 17 December 2025, 12:35 pm

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    Lower rice imports eyed in 2026 amid stronger harvests

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday project rice imports next year falling below 4 million metric tons (MT) as local production makes up for and hits a new record.

    News Dispatch

    Agriculture

    DA plans mung bean shift as irrigation damage threatens rice harvest

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to convert up to 37,000 hectares of rice fields in Nueva Ecija to mung bean production after major irrigation damage threatened rice output in the country’s top rice-producing province.

    Lower rice imports eyed in 2026 amid stronger harvests

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday project rice imports next year falling below 4 million metric tons (MT) as local production makes up for and hits a new record.

    Belgian pork offers stability amid ASF pressures

    As the Philippines intensifies efforts to contain African Swine Fever (ASF), global pork supply chains are adjusting, and Belgian exporters are positioning themselves as a dependable alternative source for the local market.

    Palay prices rebound in November as import freeze bites

    Farm gate prices of palay posted a modest recovery in November, offering some relief to rice farmers after months of sharp declines. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the national average palay price rose to P16.92 per kilo, up 6.5 percent from P15.89 in October.

    Corporate

    Federal Land sells stake in Crown Central

    Federal Land Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GT Capital Holdings, and its subsidiary Horizon Land Property Development Corp. have sold their entire 52 percent stake in Crown Central Properties Corp. to Crown Equities, Inc. for P73.475 million.

    Megawide, Pag-IBIG team up to deliver 7,000 homes

    Megawide Construction Corp. and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) have inked a landmark partnership to fast-track the government’s expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.

    Villar Group sells Prime Water to Lucio Co Group

    Prime Water Infrastructure Corp., controlled by the Villar group, announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to sell the company to the Lucio Co group.

    GMA Network goes global with cloud upgrade

    GMA Network is revolutionizing its broadcast operations with next-generation IP and cloud delivery, setting a new benchmark for modern broadcasting while cutting costs and streamlining workflows.

    Banking & Insurance

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    Corporate Bulletins

    BDO Pay offers simpler, cash-free shopping for the holiday season

    As holiday shopping peaks, BDO is promoting BDO Pay as a convenient way for shoppers to manage payments during the busy Christmas season.

    Tuguegarao hospital transitions to geothermal power

    Divine Mercy Wellness and Medical Center (DMWMC) in Tuguegarao City has partnered with First Gen Corp. to shift its electricity supply to renewable energy.

    Manila Water switches on 3.8 MW of solar power across 10 facilities

    Manila Water, in partnership with MSpectrum, has completed the installation of 3.8 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar capacity across ten of its facilities.

    Meralco, OMF electricity to Manila families for Christmas

    Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and its corporate social responsibility arm, One Meralco Foundation (OMF), have provided safe and reliable electricity to 179 low-income households in Manila just in time for Christmas.

    Social Responsibility & Sustainability

    SM launches free sustainability course for MSMEs

    SM Investments Corp., in partnership with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), has launched a free online course to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) learn about sustainability reporting. The program was announced during a recent training workshop for publicly listed companies at SMX Aura in Taguig.

    Honda shines with solar, cuts factory power cost

    Honda Parts Manufacturing Corp. (HPMC) has switched on the...

    L’Oreal, DTI development of beauty skills spark career, commerce

    L’Oréal Philippines is widening its push to develop the next generation of beauty and social commerce entrepreneurs, expanding its Beauty for a Better Life (BFBL) E-Beauty Advisor (e-BA) Program across Luzon in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), local governments, and academic institutions.

    McDonald’s opens Green & Good store in Cebu

    World famous fast food chain, McDonald’s, marked its 44th year in the Philippines with the opening of a new Green and Good store at Il Corso Cebu recently, reinforcing the food company’s twin push for sustainability and inclusive employment.

    Markets

    US job growth stalls as labor market cools

    US hiring barely moved in November, signaling a labor...

    Cashless shift forces small businesses to move fast

    Cash is no longer king—and today’s new generation of entrepreneurs is feeling the pressure to adapt.

    Trump teases weed reclassification, stocks quickly sober up

    President Donald Trump on Monday floated — but stopped short of promising — a rethink of marijuana’s federal status, sending cannabis stocks from high hopes to a harsh comedown.

    Treasury bill yields ease on BSP rate cut

    Average Treasury bill rates slipped at Monday’s auction, coming in below secondary-market levels after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) moved to further ease monetary policy.

    Travel

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    Energy

    New facility to cut risks for geothermal projects 

    The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Land Bank of the Philippines have signed a memorandum of agreement to operationalize the Philippine Geothermal Resource De-Risking Facility (PGRDF), a $170-million program aimed at reducing the financial risks of early-stage geothermal exploration.

    EDC eyes P19B capital spending in 2026

    Energy Development Corp. (EDC) plans to allocate about P19 billion as capital expenditures in 2026, lower than present spending levels, as it scales down drilling activities.

    Fuel prices mixed this week

    The various fuel retailers will raise gasoline prices by P0.20 per liter starting Tuesday morning, while prices of diesel and kerosene will be cut by P0.20 per liter.

    Meralco opens bidding for green power drive

    The Manila Electric Co., the country largest power distributor better known as Meralco, has launched a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) to secure 200 megaWatts of baseload renewable energy capacity, strengthening compliance with its Renewable Portfolio Standards obligations and signaling fresh momentum for green power procurement.

    Transport & Communications

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    Property

    Federal Land sells stake in Crown Central

    Federal Land Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GT Capital Holdings, and its subsidiary Horizon Land Property Development Corp. have sold their entire 52 percent stake in Crown Central Properties Corp. to Crown Equities, Inc. for P73.475 million.

    Megawide, Pag-IBIG team up to deliver 7,000 homes

    Megawide Construction Corp. and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) have inked a landmark partnership to fast-track the government’s expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.

    Ayala Land sells stake in Alabang Town Center to Madrigal family

    Ayala Land Inc. has sold its 50 percent stake in Alabang Town Center to its joint venture partner, the Madrigal family, for ₱13.5 billion.

    Developers get housing compliance deadline extension 

    Private developers were granted additional time to comply with the government’s Balanced Housing Development Program, easing pressure on the property sector amid lingering economic and climate-related disruptions.

    Environment

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    Technology

    Globe, GCash test password-free login for safer transactions

    Globe Telecom and GCash have completed the first phase of testing for silent network authentication (SNA), a new technology designed to make digital transactions safer and easier for users.

    Germany orders 20 more Airbus H145M military helicopters

    Germany has ordered 20 additional H145M light combat helicopters from Airbus, raising its total order to 82 aircraft. The decision follows a contract signed in December 2023 that included an option for more helicopters.

    Tech firm warns no-code AI tools can be exploited for fraud

    Cybersecurity firm Tenable has released new research showing that no-code AI tools can be manipulated to commit financial fraud and leak sensitive data, raising serious concerns for businesses rapidly adopting these technologies. The research focuses on Microsoft Copilot Studio and highlights how the growing democratisation of AI, while designed to improve efficiency, can introduce major security risks if not properly governed.

    AI data center spending fears hurts Oracle

    Oracle Corp. shares tumbled 11 percent on Thursday after the company reported earnings that intensified investor worries about the rising debt behind the industry’s race to build AI data centers. 

    Health & Science

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    Opinion

    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.

    Thousands lose jobs in brutal anti-graft war

    President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s anti-corruption blitz in flood-control and public-works agencies was meant to clean house. Instead, it is triggering political, economic, and social tremors that now overshadow its stated purpose. The irony is hard to ignore: a campaign launched to restore trust is increasingly viewed as deepening uncertainty.

    Airbus A320 recall shakes global travel

    The sudden global recall of nearly 6,000 Airbus A320-family aircraft has sent shockwaves through aviation, tourism, and trade.

    Valuation shock shatters an industry titan

    November 13, 2025 will not fade easily from the memory of Manuel Villar. For the Filipino property magnate—ranked the country’s third wealthiest by Forbes—that date marked a reckoning. His flagship investment holding firm, Villar Land Holdings Corp., formerly Golden M.V. Holdings, finally submitted its long-delayed 2024 audited annual report to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). The filing arrived seven months past deadline—and detonated like a financial depth charge.

    Sports & Entertainment

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    Exclusive

    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...

    Converge’s Dennis Anthony Uy Plans $1 Billion “Silicon Valley” Project In Pampanga

    Dennis Anthony Uy, co-founder of publicly listed Converge ICT,...