The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) and the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) have signed a partnership to strengthen tropical fruit production in the region. The agreement, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on February 12, aims to promote research, education, innovation, and capacity-building across Southeast Asia and other tropical fruit-producing areas.

The government has moved to shield rice farmers from falling prices during the peak harvest season, with the National Food Authority (NFA) announcing more flexible palay procurement rules aimed at putting more money directly into farmers’ hands.

In an industry where “fresh” is often a promise and rarely a proof point, Fishta Seafood is betting that receipts—digital ones—are the future of trust.

Fresh from winning silver at the 2025 World’s Best Rice Award in Cambodia, Mabango 3 is showing it offers more than great taste and aroma. The rice variety, officially known as NSIC Rc218, can also survive and grow even when newly planted fields are flooded.

Pru Life UK announced that Elaine Katindoy, vice president for PRUAcademy, has been appointed as the education committee head of the Philippine Life Insurance Association (PLIA). The role highlights her dedication to advancing financial literacy and professional development in the life insurance sector.

Universal Robina Corp. (URC) has earned national recognition in Malaysia after two of its leading brands won honors at the 2025 Putra Brand Awards, highlighting strong consumer trust and growing corporate momentum in the country’s competitive snack market.

Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee has climbed to fifth place in the 2026 ranking of the world’s strongest restaurant brands, up from ninth last year. The rise reflects stronger consumer recognition, preference, and loyalty across international markets, according to the company’s Brand Strength Index.

If marketing once played a supporting role in banking, 2026 suggests it is ready for top billing.

The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has signed two agreements aimed at protecting heritage, improving food security, and boosting economic growth in Central Luzon and beyond.

Vivant Corp., through its Vivant Foundation, has turned over an 18.7-kilowatt solar power system to Canipo Integrated School in Coron.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) ranked among the top three Philippine conglomerates in the 2025 ESG Ratings of S&P Global, highlighting the company’s strong governance practices and people-focused programs.

In line with Safer Internet Day 2026, Globe Telecom partnered with Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development (CANVAS) to hold an interactive learning session on artificial intelligence (AI) and online safety for families.

Ayala Land Inc., the flagship real estate developer of the Ayala Group, has successfully sold 88 million common shares of AREIT, Inc. at P42 per share, raising P3.7 billion before fees and taxes. 

NVIDIA, the world’s most valuable publicly-traded company and the dominant supplier of chips powering the artificial intelligence revolution, capped a landmark year with blockbuster fourth quarter results, a bullish revenue outlook, and fresh momentum in its stock. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission is redrawing the rulebook for companies eyeing a stock market debut, proposing a tiered minimum public ownership (MPO) framework that could make it easier—especially for large firms—to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Lazada Philippines is putting brand power and buyer confidence front and center as it rolls out its upcoming 3.3 Pasabog Sale, signaling a strategic pivot from flash-sale frenzy to credibility-driven commerce.

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.

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.

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.

For three decades, the Aboitiz Group has been quietly building a real estate portfolio that spans homes, offices, and commercial spaces. But in recent years, it has made a deliberate pivot away from crowded residential battlegrounds toward a less glamorous, far more strategic corner of the market: industrial development. The bet is simple but bold—build where factories, logistics, and infrastructure go first, and let communities grow organically around them.