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Agriculture
Researchers step up heat-resistant carabao breed amid El Niño threat
The Philippine Carabao Center-National Institute for Animal Sciences is moving forward with the second phase of its heat-tolerant carabao development project, funded by the Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program, as the country braces for a strong El Niño expected to worsen by late 2026. The initiative builds on the existing Genetic Improvement Program, now adding thermotolerance as a key trait in selecting breeding stock to identify males and females that can pass on heat-resilient characteristics to their offspring.
Marcos hikes corn import quota amid projected supply shortfall
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has more than doubled the Philippines’ minimum access volume (MAV) for corn to 500,000 metric tons (MT) in 2026, allowing additional imports in a bid to ease feed costs and limit potential increases in pork and poultry prices.
DA allocates P97.91M to boost Bukidnon indigenous coffee sector
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is rolling out P97.91 million in projects to support coffee growers in the Daraghuyan Ancestral Domain, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, under the World Bank-funded Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP).
DA turns over farming gear across Zamboanga Peninsula
The Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has distributed P34.66 million worth of specialized deep-sea seaweed farming equipment across the Zamboanga Peninsula, stepping up efforts to raise grower incomes and rebuild the country’s standing in the global seaweed industry.
Corporate
Meralco earns 4th consecutive Golden Arrow recognition for strong corporate governance
Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has once again secured the prestigious Four Golden Arrow award, marking another milestone in its commitment to upholding high standards of corporate governance.
Globe Traveler SIM boosts connectivity, unlocks savings for Philippine visitors
As more tourists venture beyond popular Philippine destinations, Globe Prepaid is expanding its Traveler SIM benefits to keep visitors connected while making nationwide travel more convenient and affordable.
Maynilad ramps up nearly P10B upgrades ahead of El Niño
Maynilad Water Services Inc. is stepping up water-loss reduction efforts and nearly P10 billion in treatment facility improvements as the west zone concessionaire prepares for potentially drier conditions associated with El Niño.
TP in the Philippines wins sustainability award amid green push
TP in the Philippines was named Sustainability Company of the Year at the 2026 Asia CEO Awards, earning recognition for its environmental initiatives, workforce development and community programs as it marks three decades of operations in the country.
Corporate Bulletins
Meralco earns 4th consecutive Golden Arrow recognition for strong corporate governance
Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has once again secured the prestigious Four Golden Arrow award, marking another milestone in its commitment to upholding high standards of corporate governance.
Globe Traveler SIM boosts connectivity, unlocks savings for Philippine visitors
As more tourists venture beyond popular Philippine destinations, Globe Prepaid is expanding its Traveler SIM benefits to keep visitors connected while making nationwide travel more convenient and affordable.
TP in the Philippines wins sustainability award amid green push
TP in the Philippines was named Sustainability Company of the Year at the 2026 Asia CEO Awards, earning recognition for its environmental initiatives, workforce development and community programs as it marks three decades of operations in the country.
McDonald’s Philippines expands education support beyond Teachers’ Month
McDonald’s Philippines marked National Teachers’ Month with classroom improvements, free coffee and educator recognition activities, underscoring how corporate community programs can extend beyond seasonal campaigns to support public education.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
P&G, Red Cross expand disaster relief kit program nationwide
P&G Philippines and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) are preparing 90,000 health and hygiene relief kits for disaster-prone communities, extending a partnership aimed at keeping essential supplies accessible when emergencies disrupt daily life.
Vivant Foundation upgrades La Union schools, expands library
Vivant Foundation Inc. (VFI), together with Vivant Energy Corporation and its subsidiary 1590 Energy Corporation, has upgraded electrical systems in three public elementary schools and provided library packages to 14 schools in Bauang South District, La Union, as part of efforts to improve learning environments and support literacy.
Coco Mama, partners pledge 2-M coconut seedlings for farmers
Coco Mama, under Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), is set to donate one million quality coconut seedlings over the next five years through its Save Our Coconuts program, joining forces with global brand Vita Coco for a combined total of two million seedlings nationwide.
Telco equips Tagbanua community in El Nido with disaster skills alongside Palawan cable project
More than 30 members of the Tagbanua Tandulanen Indigenous Cultural Community from 11 El Nido barangays recently took part in disaster preparedness training organized by PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications. Held alongside work on the Palawan Resiliency Submarine Cable Project, the effort underscores that stronger connectivity goes hand in hand with stronger communities.
Markets
Philippine stocks face fresh pressure as rate hike, inflation cloud outlook
Philippine stocks could extend losses this week as higher interest rates, persistent inflation, and peso weakness threaten corporate earnings, with analysts urging investors to favor defensive shares until clearer signs of a market recovery emerge.
Billease challenges marketplace fees with zero-commission shopping platform
Philippine consumer financing platform Billease has launched a zero-commission online marketplace aimed at helping retailers cut selling costs while giving shoppers access to installment credit, challenging the fee-based business models of established e-commerce players.
Landmark GCash debut ignites mass retail stock market participation
In a historic milestone for the Philippine financial sector, Mynt, the operating entity behind the country's leading fintech platform GCash, successfully staged the nation's largest initial public offering to date, raising 60.9 billion pesos. The maiden share sale marked a defining moment for domestic capital markets, demonstrating how digital ecosystems can democratize investing and activate a new generation of retail investors.
BSP rate call, GCash IPO set tone for volatile market
Philippine stocks enter Monday caught between the promise of...
Energy
LLDA backs Prime Infra’s 1,400-MW Pakil storage project
The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has expressed support for Prime Infra’s 1,400-megawatt Pakil Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Project in Laguna, as the developer advances a facility designed to strengthen grid reliability and support renewable energy integration.
Energy lifts BOI Jan-Sep investment approvals to P900B
The Philippines’ investment approvals surged to P900.06 billion in the first nine months of 2026, driven overwhelmingly by energy projects and bringing the Board of Investments (BOI) closer to its P1-trillion full-year target.
Alternergy completes PH’s first sea-crossing wind power link
Listed renewable energy developer Alternergy Holdings Corp. has completed the Philippines’ first overhead sea-crossing transmission link built specifically for a wind power project, a key milestone that connects clean energy generated on Alabat Island directly to the Luzon mainland grid.
Mining industry signals impending legal challenge vs joint gov’t order
Local mining leaders are preparing to take legal action against Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2026-01, recently issued by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Sector executives warn that the new framework directly conflicts with established Philippine laws, introducing severe regulatory uncertainty and heightened risks for investors across the country.
Property
Condo payment shock fuels cancellations as Metro Manila inventory stays high
Metro Manila’s condominium market continues to grapple with persistent oversupply as buyers withdraw from purchases when monthly payments jump sharply upon transitioning from developer financing to bank loans.
Top developers drive next wave of PEZA office supply—Colliers
Major property developers are poised to expand Metro Manila’s Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-accredited office supply, with about 280,000 square meters of potential additions projected for 2026–2027, according to property consultancy Colliers.
AFC SME offers P5M loans for home construction
AFC SME Finance Inc. is expanding access to home construction financing, offering loans of up to P5 million to landowners who have regular income but may struggle to meet traditional banks’ documentation requirements.
Gardencourt brings garden living to Taguig’s Arca South
Ayala Land Premier (ALP) has begun turning over units at Gardencourt Residences, bringing its garden-centered residential concept to life at Arca South, the 74-hectare mixed-use estate in Taguig.
Technology
EU–Philippines AI Lab targets research commercialization, investment
The Philippines and the European Union are advancing an artificial intelligence laboratory designed to bring research closer to market, attract investment and encourage responsible AI adoption across businesses and government.
PLDT Enterprise empowers Zamboanga Peninsula with advanced digital solutions
PLDT Enterprise has expanded its footprint in the Zamboanga Peninsula by bringing tailored connectivity and digital solutions directly to local businesses and government agencies.
DTI, Mastercard team up to boost MSME digitalization
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has partnered with Mastercard to help Filipino micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) strengthen their digital capabilities, as smaller businesses face growing pressure to adapt to online commerce and electronic payments.
Cirtek sells electronics unit for $20.2 million to India’s Sancode
Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. (CHPC) will sell its entire stake in Cirtek Electronics Corp. (CEC) to India-based Sancode Semi Private Ltd. for USD20.2 million, using part of the proceeds to cut debt and finance its remaining core operating business.
Opinion
Tourism crossroads
Christmas is coming, and with it, the annual homecoming of thousands of overseas Filipinos eager to reunite with their families, enjoy familiar food, visit favorite destinations, and celebrate the holidays in the Philippines.
The game is never just a game
There are few things more amusing than watching otherwise sensible adults become unreasonable over a basketball game played by people young enough to be their children. A missed free throw becomes a character flaw. A referee’s call becomes evidence of a conspiracy. A victory is proof that an entire institution is superior, while a defeat is something that requires immediate explanation. The players may be the ones on the court, but the people in the stands often behave as though their own futures are at stake.
Palengke prices: Ay naku, not again
Woke up this morning hoping for a reset, with my circadian rhythm hopefully back on track after weeks of near-sleeplessness, due in part to bodily changes occasioned by advancing age and to the ayuda economy, which has gone from bad to worse to overdrive. I cannot believe what has recently been printed in both legacy news outlets and portals like the one where I currently work, or the level of absurdity that has pervaded the country. When I ask any reasonable person what ails the Philippines, with its rich resources and poor economic performance, the retort and the discussion that follow quickly turn absurd. The survey firms Pulse Asia and OCTA have a four-word answer: the cost of living. Two-thirds of the country say the most urgent issue is inflation, and that “public sentiment . . . is being shaped primarily by economic strain and the rising cost of living.”
Getting the electric car right
A Toyota is not a car that makes you want to write poetry. It is a car you get into, press the start button, select Drive, and take wherever you need to go. No drama, no complicated rituals, no need to call the children over to explain how to operate the touchscreen.
Exclusive
The discipline behind SM’s 68 years in business
Building a business that lasts takes more than expanding into new markets. It requires sound decisions, careful management of risks, and the financial strength to withstand difficult periods.
iPeople targets 200,000 students with global expansion push
iPeople, the listed Yuchengco-Ayala education joint venture, is pursuing an expansion strategy built around international partnerships, new campuses and facilities, sustainability-focused programs, and deeper artificial intelligence integration as it aims to nearly triple its student population to 200,000.
Vivant Water sees 2026 as launchpad for bigger growth
Vivant Water is treating 2026 as a pivotal year as it moves from building its presence across the water industry to scaling operations, investments, and its project pipeline.
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.
