Thursday, 12 February 2026, 4:45 am

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    Top News

    Meralco rates tick up as grid costs bite

    After two months of lower power bills, Meralco customers are seeing a reversal in February as electricity rates climb on higher grid-related charges.

    News Dispatch

    Agriculture

    DA sees path to over 3% farm growth this year

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is cautiously optimistic that the farm sector will grow by more than 3 percent in 2026, pointing to improving fundamentals rather than a one-off rebound. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said history shows the target is achievable, with the sector posting above-3 percent growth in eight of the past 20 years, even as risks from weather, pests, and global markets remain.

    DA forms group to guide rice imports, steady supply, protect farmers

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) has created a technical working group (TWG) to manage rice imports using data, with the goal of keeping prices stable, ensuring enough supply, and protecting local farmers.

    Stronger farms, lower costs: DA launches village feed system

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) is introducing a village-based feed ecosystem to help farmers increase corn and livestock production, lower feed costs, and strengthen rural incomes through cooperative-led agribusiness.

    Meat importers sound alarm on forex losses, port congestion

    Meat importers say foreign exchange losses and ongoing port congestion are major challenges this year, prompting calls for government action to prevent supply disruptions and price pressures.

    Corporate

    PSALM cuts debt to P260.6B, boosts support for energy sector

    State-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. reduced its financial obligations to P260.6 billion as of end-December 2025, down 4.9 percent or P13.4 billion from P274 billion in 2024.

    Jollibee Group shift Philippine facilities to 99% renewable

    The Jollibee Group has transitioned its commissaries and logistics facilities in the Philippines to 99 percent renewable energy, marking a major step in its sustainability efforts.

    Bengzon appointed chairman and CEO of ICCP

    Investment and Capital Corp. of the Philippines (ICCP) has named Augusto D. Bengzon, a former top executive at Ayala Land Inc., as its new chairman and chief executive officer.

    Skills take center stage in bank foundation’s classroom turnover 

    Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) has turned over a new two-storey, six-classroom Technical-Livelihood Education (TLE) building to Zamboanga City High School Main (ZCHSM), marking its 900th classroom built nationwide.

    Banking & Insurance

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    Corporate Bulletins

    EEI builds future workforce with training academy

    Construction giant EEI Corp. has raised the bar for...

    Century Pacific lands anew in Forbes’ Best Employers list

    Century Pacific Food Inc. has once again earned a spot on Forbes’ World’s Best Employers list, marking its second straight year of global recognition and reinforcing the company’s view that culture is not a soft metric, but a serious business asset.

    Lazada Refreshes Platinum Perks, Raises Loyalty Stakes

    Lazada is giving its top shoppers another reason to stay loyal—and logged in. The eCommerce platform has elevated its Platinum Membership in the Philippines with a monthly refresh of premium brand partners, kicking off February with a lineup of more than 60 big-name collaborators.

    AboitizPower expands MobileAP App with new flexible bill payment option

    AboitizPower has added a new payment feature to its MobileAP app, allowing customers to pay their electricity bills using Billease through QR Ph. The update gives users more flexible and convenient ways to manage their power payments, including pay-later and installment options.

    Social Responsibility & Sustainability

    Jollibee Group shift Philippine facilities to 99% renewable

    The Jollibee Group has transitioned its commissaries and logistics facilities in the Philippines to 99 percent renewable energy, marking a major step in its sustainability efforts.

    Skills take center stage in bank foundation’s classroom turnover 

    Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) has turned over a new two-storey, six-classroom Technical-Livelihood Education (TLE) building to Zamboanga City High School Main (ZCHSM), marking its 900th classroom built nationwide.

    Zinc-enriched rice targets child stunting in 7 areas

    Around 1,500 day care and elementary school children at risk of malnutrition in seven provinces will receive high-zinc rice under a 90-day feeding program.

    LG Ambassador Challenge 2026 focuses on medical aid for underserved areas

    LG Electronics Philippines has opened the call for entries for the 2026 LG Ambassador Challenge, inviting changemakers, community leaders, and organizations nationwide to submit project proposals that will benefit a new underserved community, with a strong focus on medical aid and community healthcare.

    Markets

    Markets cool off as peso flexes quiet strength 

    Global markets are taking a step back—not because of panic, but caution. Investors are reducing risk as they navigate uncertainty around inflation, interest rates, and global tensions. 

    Qualcomm shares drop as memory shortfall clouds outlook

    Qualcomm shares fell Thursday as investors reacted to warnings that industry-wide memory supply constraints are hurting the company’s near-term handset outlook, overshadowing record quarterly revenue and a confident long-term strategy.

    FirstMetroSec rolls out Active Trader to support faster, more dynamic market trading

    First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation (FirstMetroSec) has launched Active Trader, a new trading interface under its FirstMetroSec PRO platform, as part of its ongoing push to strengthen its digital trading ecosystem amid increasingly active market conditions.

    Asian Terminals plans PSE exit in April

    Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) has filed a petition with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to voluntarily delist its shares, setting April 3 as the target exit date, following a strategic investment by the country’s sovereign wealth fund.

    Travel

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    Energy

    Jollibee Group shift Philippine facilities to 99% renewable

    The Jollibee Group has transitioned its commissaries and logistics facilities in the Philippines to 99 percent renewable energy, marking a major step in its sustainability efforts.

    Meralco partners with Aclara to expand smart meter rollout for consumers

    Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has partnered with Aclara Meters Philippines, a subsidiary of Hubbell Inc., to deploy over 72,000 smart electricity meters across its service area starting this year. The move is part of Meralco’s broader effort to modernize operations and improve service reliability.

    Clark solar park signals manufacturing shift

    A global renewable energy player is eyeing Clark as its next growth base, with plans for a 40-hectare solar renewable industrial park that could boost the Philippines’ ambition to become a hub for advanced clean energy manufacturing.

    Yusen powers logistics hub with clean energy

    Yusen Logistics Philippines, Inc. has taken a decisive step toward decarbonizing its operations, signing a supply agreement with ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions to power its Parañaque City head office entirely with renewable energy.

    Transport & Communications

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    Property

    Aboitiz, House of Investments gets clearance for Tarlac Estate expansion

    LIMA Land Inc., the Aboitiz Group’s economic estates arm, and House of Investments (HI) of the Yuchengco Group have secured clearance from the Philippine Competition Commission, paving the way for the formalization of their joint venture at TARI Estate in Tarlac.

    Subsidence persists beneath Manila Bay reclamation, UP study shows

    Land reclaimed from Manila Bay remains broadly stable at the surface, but beneath that stability, ground subsidence is continuing and is likely to persist, according to a satellite-based study by researchers from the Department of Geodetic Engineering at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

    Office glut glut to push prices down through 2027, hitting developers and reshaping choices for Filipinos

    Office occupancy in Metro Manila is expected to keep falling until 2027 as new buildings open faster than companies can fill them, according to real estate consultancy Prime Philippines. The oversupply is putting continued downward pressure on office rents and property values.

    Megaworld accelerates wellness-driven living in Palawan

    Megaworld Corp., the listed property development arm of tycoon Andrew Tan, is accelerating its expansion in Palawan as it introduces a new wellness-focused residential concept within its 462-hectare ecotourism township, Paragua Coastown, in San Vicente.

    Environment

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    Technology

    Globe shifts focus to network quality, tops Ookla consistency rankings

    Globe Telecom Inc. said it has shifted its strategy from simply expanding coverage to delivering total network reliability, as it was named the Most Consistent Mobile and Fixed Network and the leader in 5G Coverage in the Philippines by Ookla for the second half of 2025.

    UK tech courts Manila AI alliances

    UK technology leaders are stepping up their Southeast Asia push, with artificial intelligence and cybersecurity partnerships firmly in the spotlight at UK–Southeast Asia Tech Week 2026 in Manila.

    AboitizPower expands MobileAP App with new flexible bill payment option

    AboitizPower has added a new payment feature to its MobileAP app, allowing customers to pay their electricity bills using Billease through QR Ph. The update gives users more flexible and convenient ways to manage their power payments, including pay-later and installment options.

    GenAI exposure puts Philippine jobs at risk

    More than one in four Philippine jobs are now exposed to generative artificial intelligence, putting the country at the top of ASEAN economies with comparable data—and placing women squarely in the line of disruption.

    Health & Science

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    Opinion

    Philippine bond market: Confidence, stability, lower borrowing costs

    The Philippine government bond market may sound like a tangle of numbers and acronyms, but it matters to everyone. 

    Philippine paradox: Doing right, paying wrong

    Even when the government acts with moral clarity, ordinary Filipinos often end up holding the short end of the stick. 

    Airport knife shooting thrusts security governance into spotlight

    A knife-related shooting at Iloilo International Airport has forced an uncomfortable reckoning inside aviation security circles: what happens when systems meant to stop danger at the door allow it to fester into a crowded terminal.

    Regulatory stress test for PH aviation: The PR113 lavatory fiasco

    The reported handling of a lavatory system failure on Philippine Airlines Flight PR113 should not be treated as a one-off operational lapse.

    Sports & Entertainment

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    Exclusive

    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.

    Aboitiz focus on industry, townships follow jobs

    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.