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Agriculture
Gov’t intensifies El Niño preparations as climate risks grow
The government is intensifying preparations for a potentially severe El Niño, putting agriculture, irrigation, and water management at the center of efforts to limit the impact of prolonged dry conditions.
DA returns to Asia Fruit Logistica after hiatus, pivots to boost exports and farmer incomes
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has renewed its drive to expand agricultural exports by returning to Asia Fruit Logistica after nearly ten years, reconnecting local fruit sellers with key buyers across the continent’s major fresh produce market.
PH seeks Japan banana crown as tariff talks advance
The Philippines is seeking to regain its position as Japan’s top banana supplier as Manila pushes for lower tariffs in the ongoing review of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Pork prices fall on ASF fears; vaccines, support seen stabilizing industry
Pork farmgate prices have dropped sharply as domestic hog raisers rush sales ahead of the rainy season to avoid African swine fever (ASF) losses, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Monday. Higher output from last year’s price surge, not imports, drives the shift—production rose 5.6npercent in Q2 while farmgate prices fell nearly 19 percent year-on-year.
Corporate
Cebu advances digital governance through PLDT Enterprise partnership
The Province of Cebu is accelerating its digital transformation via a formal collaboration with PLDT Enterprise to boost connectivity, workforce efficiency, and public service delivery.
SEC halts Takoyadon owner’s illegal investment scheme; warns of further legal action
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a cease and desist order against Nego Food Solution Corp.—operator of the Takoyadon Japanese restaurant chain—and several individuals for illegally soliciting investments from the public.
College students learn PH currency history, central bank role in BSP student tours
College students from key universities across Metro Manila gained valuable insights into the history of Philippine money and the work of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) through recent "Student Tours" held at the BSP Hub along Roxas Boulevard.
Robinsons Supermarket opens first branch in Panglao, Bohol, expanding Central Visayas footprint
Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. has strengthened its presence in Central Visayas with the launch of its first Robinsons Supermarket here, marking a major expansion into one of the country’s top tourism and leisure hubs.
Corporate Bulletins
Cebu advances digital governance through PLDT Enterprise partnership
The Province of Cebu is accelerating its digital transformation via a formal collaboration with PLDT Enterprise to boost connectivity, workforce efficiency, and public service delivery.
College students learn PH currency history, central bank role in BSP student tours
College students from key universities across Metro Manila gained valuable insights into the history of Philippine money and the work of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) through recent "Student Tours" held at the BSP Hub along Roxas Boulevard.
GCash launches free GSukli feature: digital change goes straight to your wallet
GCash has introduced a new service called GSukli, letting customers receive their change digitally in their GCash wallets at no extra cost.
Manulife Philippines names Ganesh Murugesan as CIO
Manulife Philippines has appointed Ganesh Murugesan as chief information officer, putting a technology executive with nearly 25 years of insurance experience at the helm of its information technology function.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Cagayan de Oro launches Project Swipe Safe for child online safety, backed by PLDT and Smart
Multi-sector partners are strengthening local defenses against online child risks, with PLDT and Smart donating mobile and connectivity gear to Xavier Science Foundation (XSF) for Project Swipe Safe—an initiative countering online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
Security Bank staff paint Iloilo school classrooms, advancing education goals
Fifty-one Security Bank employees from six local branches volunteered August 1, 2026, to paint new classrooms at Iloilo City National High School (ICNHS), supporting the Security Bank Foundation (SBFI)’s education and nation-building mission.
Malampaya Foundation rolls out community-led enterprises in Oriental Mindoro
The Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI), the social development arm of the Malampaya gas project joint venture, has launched two community-run enterprises in Oriental Mindoro—combining steady livelihoods for local residents with ongoing marine conservation work.
Malampaya Foundation backs Mindoro livelihoods, marine conservation
Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) has launched two community-run enterprises in Oriental Mindoro that will provide additional income for fisherfolk while channeling part of their earnings into marine conservation.
Markets
PSEi tests 6,100 as peso volatility clouds momentum
The PSEi is knocking on 6,100—but whether it can break higher may depend on how the peso holds up as geopolitical tensions, dollar demand and shifting rate expectations add to market uncertainty.
Global gold demand hits record US$193-B in 1Q 2026; EastWest delivers expert insight under new partnership
Global gold demand stayed resilient amid market volatility, reflecting strong long-term investor confidence in the metal as a reliable way to preserve wealth. In the first quarter of 2026, total global demand hit 1,231 tons - valued at a record US$193 billion. This strength held even though gold prices dropped 15.4 percent in the second quarter, driven by expectations of higher interest rates.
7-Eleven targets 5,000 stores, shrugs off discounters
Philippine Seven Corp., operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores, is pressing ahead with aggressive expansion despite the rapid growth of hard-discounters, confident that its convenience-store format remains sufficiently differentiated to withstand the new competition.
Local entrepreneurs expand Filipino traditions via e-commerce
Many aspiring business owners look far and wide for the next big concept, but some of the most promising opportunities lie right within familiar culture, traditions, and communities.
Energy
Wholesale power rates rise 11.8% in August; Visayas and Mindanao see sharp, costly spikes
Average electricity prices across the Philippines in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) climbed 11.8 percent in August, driven by steep cost surges in Visayas and Mindanao even as Luzon rates fell, data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) showed Wednesday.
Shell Energy PH secures additional 120 MWp solar power deal in Leyte
Shell Energy Philippines Inc. (SEPH) has entered a second 15-year power supply agreement with Greenlight Renewables Holdings Inc. via its unit San Isidro Solar Power Corp., securing an additional 120 megawatts peak (MWp) from the second phase of the San Isidro solar power project in Leyte. Announced Tuesday, the new deal follows an earlier 15-year agreement for the project’s first phase, bringing the total solar capacity SEPH will source from Greenlight Renewables to 240 MWp.
DOE, DOT team up to advance energy efficiency in tourism sector
The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) are expanding their joint effort to assess energy use and deliver support to hotels, resorts, and other tourism establishments.
ASEAN oil stockpiling plan gains support from five countries
The Philippines’ push for an ASEAN oil stockpiling mechanism is gaining momentum, with five countries signaling support for a regional system designed to cushion members from future supply disruptions, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said.
Property
Vertis North turns stormwater system into urban amenity
Ayala Land Inc. is turning stormwater infrastructure at Vertis North into a public amenity, combining flood-mitigation capacity with a two-hectare green space designed for recreation and community use in Quezon City.
Damosa Land lines up Mindanao office, industrial, hospitality expansion
Damosa Land Inc. is lining up fresh investments across office, industrial, residential, and hospitality developments in Mindanao, targeting sustained demand as the region attracts more business and tourism activity.
CLI expands Bohol footprint with third residential site
Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) is expanding its Bohol footprint with a 5.6-hectare residential project in Tagbilaran City, adding a third site as the Visayas-Mindanao developer taps rising housing demand in one of the region’s fastest-growing markets.
SMDC expands Pag-IBIG housing options for Filipino workers
SM Development Corp. (SMDC) is making more of its housing inventory available to Pag-IBIG Fund borrowers, widening homeownership options for Filipino workers, particularly middle-income earners, through government-backed financing.
Technology
ABS-CBN restructures capital, expands board
ABS-CBN Corp. is seeking shareholder approval for a P4.5-billion capital increase and a two-seat board expansion, reshaping its corporate structure as two new directors are nominated to join the company’s governing body.
Over 24M GCash users verified with National ID
More than 24 million Filipinos have used their National ID to verify their identities and open GCash accounts, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
IBPAP coalition targets global firms for $50B IT-BPM goal
The Philippines’ IT-BPM industry is mounting a fresh global investor push to help drive annual revenues past USD50 billion by 2028, with industry groups and corporate partners targeting new markets and higher-value operations.
Grandsun expansion to create 5,000 jobs
Grandsun Advanced Electronics (Philippines) Co. Inc. plans to hire about 5,000 workers as it expands production and begins making a new product at its LIMA Estate facility in Batangas, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said.
Opinion
The math behind Duterte’s impeachment vote
The math, more than politics, may hold the key to Vice President Sara Duterte’s political future. And the numbers could be settled within the next two weeks, when the Senate, sitting as an impeachment tribunal, decides which denominator should be used in determining the votes needed for conviction or acquittal.
Sid Consunji plots a scholarship fund with staying power
A scholarship can cover tuition. It cannot necessarily cover lunch, the commute to school, or the other daily expenses that can make staying in college a financial juggling act.
No story is worth a reporter’s life
It was drilled into generations of journalists that no story is worth your life. Tell the story. Do not become the story.
Senate finally remembers it is an impeachment court
Eight weeks into the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Senate impeachment court has rediscovered a useful legal principle. People involved in a trial should probably stop trying the case everywhere except the courtroom.
Exclusive
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.
Sunlight Air chooses precision over size aloft
In an aviation industry often driven by scale and speed, Sunlight Air is taking a more measured route. The boutique carrier is building its business around efficiency, discipline, and destination depth, convinced that smarter operations can deliver both commercial returns and environmental gains.
