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External debt edges down, remains manageable and resilient

The country’s outstanding external debt eased slightly to US$147.35 billion as of end-March 2026, from US$147.65 billion in the previous quarter, keeping the overall debt burden well within manageable levels.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

DA backs extending P50/Kilo price cap on imported rice

The Department of Agriculture (DA) pushing the extension of the government’s P50-per-kilo maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for 5 percent broken imported rice beyond its June 30 expiry, a move meant to keep the country’s staple food affordable amid lingering food inflation concern.

DA eyes destruction of 650 MT spoiled Chinese onions over health risks

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to recommend destroying around 650 metric tons of abandoned red onions from China, pending final laboratory results confirming they are unsafe for public consumption.

DA lifts Argentina poultry ban after bird fly clearance

The Department of Agriculture has reopened poultry trade with Argentina, ending a temporary ban imposed earlier this year due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

DA pushes unified govt action to protect Laguna Lake

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is calling for coordinated efforts across agencies to safeguard Laguna Lake, ensuring it supports livelihoods, food supply, water security, and flood control.

Corporate

PCC approves BlackRock unit’s P13.7-billion stake purchase in Aboitiz InfraCapital

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has given the green light for the sale of a 40 percent stake in Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. (AIC) to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), an investment firm under BlackRock.

Home Credit steps up role in promoting safe, responsible credit in PH

Home Credit Philippines is strengthening its commitment to consumer protection, responsible lending, and fraud prevention through a larger leadership role in the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP).

Jollibee Group expands inclusive hiring with Taguig City

The Jollibee Group has broadened its employment program for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through a new agreement with the Taguig City Government. Sixteen company-owned outlets—covering Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King—will join, with each store set to hire two seniors and one PWD.

SM Retail earns top daya privacy honors from NPC

SM Retail, the retail arm of the SM Group, has received the NPC Seal of Registration Compliance Excellence Award from the National Privacy Commission (NPC) at the recent National Data Privacy Conference in Parañaque City. The award recognizes organizations that consistently display their NPC registration seal across all operations and digital platforms to demonstrate transparency and accountability.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

Home Credit steps up role in promoting safe, responsible credit in PH

Home Credit Philippines is strengthening its commitment to consumer protection, responsible lending, and fraud prevention through a larger leadership role in the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP).

SM Retail earns top daya privacy honors from NPC

SM Retail, the retail arm of the SM Group, has received the NPC Seal of Registration Compliance Excellence Award from the National Privacy Commission (NPC) at the recent National Data Privacy Conference in Parañaque City. The award recognizes organizations that consistently display their NPC registration seal across all operations and digital platforms to demonstrate transparency and accountability.

MUFG, Security Bank hold forum on sustainable growth, mark 10‑year partnership

MUFG Bank and Security Bank hosted the third annual MUFG NOW Manila 2026, bringing together government, finance, and industry leaders to discuss sustainable development, energy security, and investment.

Meralco sends aid, power support to quake-hit Southern Mindanao

Manila Electric Company (Meralco), through its One Meralco Foundation (OMF), has launched relief operations after a strong earthquake hit Southern Mindanao.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

Jollibee Group expands inclusive hiring with Taguig City

The Jollibee Group has broadened its employment program for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through a new agreement with the Taguig City Government. Sixteen company-owned outlets—covering Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King—will join, with each store set to hire two seniors and one PWD.

Razon group extends aid to quake-hit areas in Mindanao

Companies under the Razon Group have mobilized relief efforts in Mindanao following the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Monday, bringing much-needed assistance to communities heavily affected by the disaster.

St. Peter offers free funeral aid after Mindanao quake

St. Peter Life Plan and Chapels announced immediate help for families hit by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southern Mindanao on June 8, 2026.

Foundation draws work-ready scholars from Bacolod university

In Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Tubig Pilipinas Foundation Inc. (TPFI) has officially partnered with National University (NU) Bacolod through Project KINABUKASAN, an initiative created to help qualified students from host communities earn college degrees and build careers within their home region. Under this agreement, two scholars from Barangays Abo-Abo and Caliban in Murcia, Negros Occidental will receive full tuition coverage, education allowances, and academic support for courses linked to community and national development, such as Civil Engineering, Architecture, Accountancy, and Computer Science.

Markets

Easing inflation gives markets room to breath

After months of relentless pressure, Philippine financial markets may finally be getting some breathing space.

SEC centralizes SBL admin functions with PSE to speed up processing, cut costs

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has streamlined the country’s securities borrowing and lending framework by assigning all administrative functions to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), aiming to create a more efficient and integrated short selling market.

Rookie PH opens new stores, unveils school deals

Rookie PH is accelerating its expansion in Metro Manila, opening two new stores and rolling out back-to-school promotions as it seeks to bring global kids’ fashion brands closer to Filipino families ahead of the new school year.

SEC director arrested in NBI extortion sting

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Wednesday that one of its directors has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation over the alleged extortion of a private corporation.

Travel

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Energy

ACEN invests P1.15B in subsidiary for renewable energy projects

ACEN Corp., the energy arm of the Ayala Group, has signed a subscription agreement worth P1.15 billion with fully owned subsidiary Giga Ace 8 Inc. The investment covers common and preferred shares issued from Giga Ace 8’s unissued capital stock.

PCC flags power retail competition roadblock

Competition watchdogs are stepping up scrutiny of the Philippines’ retail electricity market after a new study found that market concentration, customer inertia, and structural barriers continue to limit competition despite ongoing power sector reforms.

Raslag secures ERC compliance for Pampanga solar plant

Local renewable energy firm Raslag Corp. has obtained a Certificate of Compliance from the Energy Regulatory Commission for its 36.646-megawatt solar facility in Magalang, Pampanga. Though it began operating in October 2024, the COC formally registers the plant and confirms it meets all regulatory requirements, granting it associated rights and privileges.

German firm secures P12.6B funding for Surigao solar-battery project

German renewable energy developer ib vogt has secured up...

Transport & Communications

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Property

Madrid operations spur Hotel101’s global ambitions

Hotel101-Madrid has hit full occupancy again, underscoring the growing appeal of DoubleDragon Corp.’s ambitious bid to export a homegrown Filipino hotel brand to the world.

Ayala Malls brings first IKEA store to Visayas

Ayala Malls is deepening its presence in the Visayas with the launch of Ayala Malls Gatewalk in Mandaue City, a major retail and lifestyle development that will host the first IKEA store in Cebu and the wider Visayas region.

Batangas investment pays off as IDC expands

Italpinas Development Corp. (IDC) is accelerating its Luzon expansion after its flagship Batangas project, Miramonti Green Residences, neared a sellout just weeks after its formal launch, validating the developer’s strategy of investing early in fast-rising provincial growth centers.

DHSUD grants housing loan reprieve, deploys shelter aid after Mindanao quake

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has ordered a moratorium on housing loan payments and mobilized emergency shelter assistance in areas devastated by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao, as the government intensifies relief efforts for affected families.

Environment

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Technology

DICT probes Senate website defacement: No data breach found so far

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced Thursday it is investigating an early morning defacement of the official Senate website. Right after the incident was reported, the National Computer Emergency Response Team coordinated with the Senate’s IT team to contain the issue and begin recovery. The site is now under temporary maintenance while security checks are done.

AI gives sari-sari stores a sales edge

Artificial intelligence is making inroads into the Philippines’ vast network of sari-sari stores, helping neighborhood retailers boost sales, sharpen inventory decisions, and compete more effectively in an increasingly data-driven marketplace.

Clark renews digital backbone deal with PLDT unit

The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) has renewed its partnership with PLDT Clarktel Inc., reinforcing the digital infrastructure that supports one of the country's fastest-growing investment hubs as competition among economic zones increasingly hinges on technology and connectivity.

Globe deploys Starlink satellite service after Mindanao quake

Globe Telecom, with Elon Musk’s Starlink, has launched satellite-to-mobile service in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. Approved quickly by the NTC, it is Globe’s first use of this tech for emergency response in the country.

Health & Science

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Opinion

Ghosts of 1949 haunt today’s Senate

The Philippine Senate has a remarkable talent for proving that history never really leaves the chamber. It merely changes surnames.

Silent senators forfeit democracy’s mantle

The Senate has been regarded as the last bastion of democratic dissent—a chamber where statesmen stood their ground, challenged power, and refused to let their voices be drowned out by political pressure or executive overreach. It was where difficult questions were asked, unpopular truths were spoken, and silence was treated not as a virtue but as a surrender.

Senate descends to institutional absurdity

If anyone still believed the Philippine Senate had reached rock bottom, the May 25 session suggested there was, in fact, a trapdoor beneath the floor.

Senate power shift risks Estrada-style backlash

The sudden leadership shake-up in the Senate ahead of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Dutertel may yet prove a poisoned chalice—a glittering prize that offers control today but threatens political liability tomorrow.

Sports & Entertainment

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Exclusive

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.

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.