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Oil, dollar surge as Middle East conflict sparks fears of energy shock

Global markets jolted into the new week after a dramatic escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran triggered fresh fears of an energy supply shock that could ripple through currencies, inflation and consumer prices worldwide.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

Ahunan, Prime Infra launch livelihood program for Pakil farmers

Ahunan Power Inc. and Prime Infra Foundation have launched a new livelihood program in Pakil, Laguna to help local farmers increase their income through mushroom growing and vermicomposting.

DA halts fertilizer delivery in Mindoro over registration violations

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has stopped the distribution and use of 11,353 bags of fertilizer in Oriental and Occidental Mindoro after regulators found violations of product registration rules.

Affordable rice at P20/kilo reaches more Baguio households 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has intensified the rollout of its P20 “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” Rice Project in Baguio City, bringing affordable rice directly to hundreds of families during the vibrant celebration of the Panagbenga Festival.

DA seeks bigger budget to expand palm oil in Mindanao

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing to expand oil palm production in Mindanao, saying it can cut imports, raise farmer incomes, and secure the country’s cooking oil supply.

Corporate

SM Investment Corp. weighs exit from mining, plans to sell Atlas stake

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) is considering selling its 30 percent stake in Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., marking a possible exit from the mining sector.

SEC files market manipulation case vs Villar Land; DOJ launches probe

Villar Land Holdings Corp. said Monday that it and several of its directors have been formally notified by the Department of Justice over a complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission alleging market manipulation.

Globe Telecom raises P25B in oversubscribed preferred share sale

Globe Telecom has raised P25 billion from an oversubscribed offering of non-voting perpetual preferred shares, strengthening its balance sheet and funding network expansion.

PXP Energy reports wider net loss as production and prices fall 

Philippine oil exploration firm PXP Energy Corp. saw its core net loss widen to P50.2 million in 2025, up 50.8 percentfrom P33.3 million in 2024, the company disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

Manila Water boosts fire safety with 3,300 hydrants in East Zone

Manila Water has strengthened its fire safety efforts by maintaining and checking more than 3,300 working fire hydrants across its East Zone service area as part of Fire Prevention Month this March.

Ayala Group opens applications for 2026 summer internship program 

The Ayala Group has opened applications for the 2026 Ayala Group Summer Internship Program (AGSIP), starting February 27.

Elaine Katindoy named education committee head of PLIA

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.

URC brands win big at Malaysia’s 2025 Putra Awards

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.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

CIAC seals deals protecting heritage, secure food supply

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 hands over solar system to Palawan school

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

AEV emerges as ESG leader in 2025 S&P Global rankings

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.

Globe, CANVAS champion safer internet for Filipino families

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.

Markets

Oil, dollar surge as Middle East conflict sparks fears of energy shock

Global markets jolted into the new week after a dramatic escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran triggered fresh fears of an energy supply shock that could ripple through currencies, inflation and consumer prices worldwide.

Metro Manila real estate posts strong 2025 growth; steady expansion seen in 2026

Metro Manila’s real estate market recorded solid growth across offices, retail, residential, hospitality, and logistics in 2025, signaling sustained business and consumer activity, according to year-end data from Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines (JLL).

New SEC guidelines set stage for stronger sukuk market

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released new guidelines governing the issuance of Sukuk, aiming to strengthen the country’s Islamic capital market and expand Shari’ah-compliant investment options for issuers and investors.

MREIT distributable income rises 18% in 2025

MREIT, Inc., the real estate investment trust of Megaworld Corp., saw distributable income climbing 18 percent to P3.7 billion last year from 2024, lifted by higher occupancy and sustained leasing momentum.

Travel

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Energy

Pump prices jump over P1 anew as Middle East tensions bite

Fuel prices jump by more than P1 per liter this week, marking the eighth straight week of increases for gasoline and the ninth for diesel and kerosene, as global tensions in the Middle East continue to push oil costs higher.

Gov’t rushes fuel subsidy program as oil nears $80 a barrel 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are speeding up the preparation of documents needed to release fuel subsidies to public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers as global oil prices near $80 per barrel.

Ahunan, Prime Infra launch livelihood program for Pakil farmers

Ahunan Power Inc. and Prime Infra Foundation have launched a new livelihood program in Pakil, Laguna to help local farmers increase their income through mushroom growing and vermicomposting.

PXP Energy reports wider net loss as production and prices fall 

Philippine oil exploration firm PXP Energy Corp. saw its core net loss widen to P50.2 million in 2025, up 50.8 percentfrom P33.3 million in 2024, the company disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday.

Transport & Communications

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Property

Metro Manila real estate posts strong 2025 growth; steady expansion seen in 2026

Metro Manila’s real estate market recorded solid growth across offices, retail, residential, hospitality, and logistics in 2025, signaling sustained business and consumer activity, according to year-end data from Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines (JLL).

FILRT lands major healthcare anchor

Filinvest REIT Corp. has strengthened its tenant portfolio with the addition of Maxicare Health Services Inc. at Filinvest Three, marking a significant expansion of healthcare services within its Northgate Cyberzone estate.

MREIT distributable income rises 18% in 2025

MREIT, Inc., the real estate investment trust of Megaworld Corp., saw distributable income climbing 18 percent to P3.7 billion last year from 2024, lifted by higher occupancy and sustained leasing momentum.

Movem, Rockwell power up Makati

Movem, the e-mobility arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), has teamed up with Rockwell Property Management Corp. to launch five electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Edades Tower and Edades Suites in Rockwell Center.

Environment

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Technology

Aurora hub powers ASEAN cable play

InfiniVAN Philippines is pumping USD31 million into its cable landing system (CLS) in Aurora, ramping up the country’s international bandwidth as hyperscalers, telcos and data center operators scramble for capacity.

Trilateral tech partnership for better customer experience

A cross-border tech alliance is betting that better algorithms will translate into better customer experiences for Philippine businesses.

PLDT Home ramps up fiber prepaid expansion as digital demand surges

PLDT Home is expanding its digital home services and speeding up the rollout of its fiber prepaid offers to reach more households, the company said Monday.

Globe Telecom ramps up roaming support for Filipinos in the Middle East

Globe Telecom has stepped up its support for Filipino customers in the Middle East, rolling out free roaming services and financial relief to ensure they remain connected during the region’s evolving situation.

Health & Science

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Opinion

NAIA Terminal shakeup tests airlines nerves

At Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the runway is not the only thing shifting. Airlines are now studying a government proposal to redraw the airport map itself, clustering carriers by business model in a sweeping terminal realignment. 

When safety grounds flights, bills soar

Gilbert had barely settled into his seat on a Friday evening flight bound for Manila, pleased to be heading home after several days of meetings in Mindanao. An hour later, the single-aisle jet remained parked on the tarmac at Francisco Bangoy International Airport, engines silent, cabin restless.

Smoke Without Fire, Markets Without Rules

When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discards its own scientific “endangerment finding,” it does more than revise a memo from 2009. It performs a kind of regulatory alchemy: turning greenhouse gases from legally recognized threats into political inconveniences.

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. 

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.