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Agriculture
PH launches $1B farm modernization program
The Philippines, with support from the World Bank and the United Kingdom, has launched a $1-billion agriculture transformation program aimed at modernizing farming, improving food security, and helping farmers adapt to climate change.
SRA distributes P14.5-M farm equipment to sugar farmers
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has distributed 229 units of 4-in-1 knapsack power sprayers worth over P14.5 million to support sugarcane farmers in the Visayas.
DA: Food imports only a last resort
The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured lawmakers that food importation will only be used during serious supply shortages and is not the government’s main strategy for managing food supply.
Gov’t sets ₱50/kg cap on imported rice amid rising inflation
The government is ready to immediately enforce a ₱50-per-kilo price cap on imported rice to help ease the burden of rising food prices on Filipino consumers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
Corporate
SMC 1Q revenue jumps 19% on strong business growth
San Miguel Corporation reported a strong first quarter for 2026, with revenues rising 19 percent to P428.3 billion, driven by solid performance across its food, power, fuel, infrastructure, and cement businesses.
PLDT Enterprise, Araneta City strengthen digital infrastructure partnership
PLDT Enterprise and Araneta City Inc. (ACI) have expanded their long-running partnership to upgrade the digital infrastructure of Araneta City, supporting the district’s growing technology and connectivity needs.
GMA profit drops 87% as election ads fade
Broadcast giant GMA Network reported an 87 percent drop in first-quarter 2026 profit after missing the boost from election-related advertising seen last year.
BPI pushes women’s financial literacy in Caloocan
The Bank of the Philippine Islands strengthened its financial inclusion efforts through “Basta Babae, Wais!,” a one-day financial literacy program attended by more than 300 women in Barangay 176F, Caloocan City on March 25.
Corporate Bulletins
PLDT Enterprise, Araneta City strengthen digital infrastructure partnership
PLDT Enterprise and Araneta City Inc. (ACI) have expanded their long-running partnership to upgrade the digital infrastructure of Araneta City, supporting the district’s growing technology and connectivity needs.
BPI pushes women’s financial literacy in Caloocan
The Bank of the Philippine Islands strengthened its financial inclusion efforts through “Basta Babae, Wais!,” a one-day financial literacy program attended by more than 300 women in Barangay 176F, Caloocan City on March 25.
CLI 1Q profit drops 22%
Cebu Landmasters Inc. reported a 22 percent drop in net income in the first quarter, falling to P1.02 billion from P1.32 billion a year earlier.
BMW deploys 125-vehicle for ASEAN 2026 Summit
BMW Philippines completed its role as the official premium mobility partner for the ASEAN 2026 Summit by deploying a 125-vehicle fleet to transport heads of state, diplomats and senior officials during the regional event hosted by the Philippines.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Baguio boosts smart city push with AI partnership
Baguio City is stepping up its digital transformation efforts after partnering with PLDT and Smart to launch “AI-in-a-Box,” a program designed to help local governments use artificial intelligence to improve public services.
SBMA launched expanded relief package for stakeholders
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is rolling out a new set of relief measures aimed at easing economic pressures on stakeholders in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ). The announcement follows a public consultation held on May 11, 2026, at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).
GT Capital donates prime real estate to boost Cavite education
In Philippine real estate, 15 hectares is usually enough space for condominiums, commercial strips, and the occasional traffic headache. GT Capital Holdings, Inc., however, has decided the land is better used for classrooms, libraries, and future blue eagles.
McDonald’s Opens 56th Bahay Bulilit Center Manila
McDonald’s Philippines, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philippines, has expanded its community impact in Manila with the opening of the 56th Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit Learning Center.
Markets
Blue chips signal medium-term PSEi opportunity
The Philippine stock market remains cautiously constructive as investors weigh short-term macro headwinds against improving medium-term earnings visibility.
PSEi faces volatility amid foreign selling pressure
The Philippine stock market is navigating a mixed outlook as the PSEi contends with renewed foreign selling, offset partially by improving domestic investor sentiment and anticipated foreign inflows into the local bond market.
PSEi range-bound amid global risks, weak peso
The Philippine stock market is expected to stay under pressure in the near term, as global uncertainties and a weak peso continue to dampen investor sentiment, according to 2TradeAsia.com.
Peso slides, stocks stall as caution builds
Philippine financial markets are in a consolidation phase, with the peso and equities under pressure as tighter monetary conditions and inflation concerns weigh on sentiment.
Energy
PH eyes nuclear power amid rising energy crisis
The Philippines is once again facing growing energy security concerns as global oil market disruptions, driven by tensions between the United States and Iran, push fuel prices and inflation higher. The situation mirrors the 1973 and 1979 oil crises, which exposed the country’s heavy dependence on imported fuel and caused widespread economic hardship.
Alsons Power earnings up amid expanding renewable asset
Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc., the listed energy arm of the Alcantara Group, posted stronger first-quarter earnings as rising electricity demand in Mindanao and improved power trading offset mounting global economic uncertainty.
Luzon, Visayas grids stay under red and yellow alerts for second day
The Luzon and Visayas power grids remained under red and yellow alerts on Thursday as electricity demand continued to exceed available supply due to power plant outages and extreme heat-driven consumption.
Vivant Q1 profit holds firm amid expansion push
Vivant Corp. kept first-quarter core earnings largely steady as resilient on-grid power assets and a growing water business helped offset weaker performance from its off-grid operations.
Property
Profriends, ABC push ahead Westwind expansion
Property Company of Friends, Inc. (Profriends) has renewed its partnership with Archipelago Builders Corporation(ABC) to continue the development of Westwind, a residential project inside Lancaster New City. The agreement covers the construction of Westwind’s second building.
MREIT sale fuels Megaworld township expansion
MREIT Inc., a real estate investment trust, is channeling P1.26 billion into township expansion projects across Cebu, Palawan, Bacolod, and Pasig City, as sponsor Megaworld Corp. moves to recycle capital from a recent share sale into fresh property developments and debt reduction.
MREIT targets million-square-meter portfolio ahead of schedule
Megaworld-backed MREIT is accelerating its expansion plans, with the company aiming to grow its gross leasable area (GLA) portfolio to at least one million square meters by 2027 — three years ahead of its original target.
DHSUD deploys officials to clear housing backlogs
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has launched a nationwide intervention to address mounting delays in housing-related transactions, deploying top officials and undersecretaries to all 17 regional offices following an internal audit that traced processing bottlenecks to the field level rather than the agency’s Central Office.
Technology
TP bets on AI, regions for growth
TP in the Philippines is accelerating investments in artificial intelligence-driven capabilities, regional expansion, and workforce transformation as it positions itself for the next phase of growth amid rising demand for higher-value and technology-enabled services in the country’s IT-BPM sector.
Concentrix sets up AI hub in Quezon City
Concentrix has strengthened its footprint in the Philippines with the launch of a new operations site and its iX360 immersive experience center in GBF Tower 2, Bridgetowne, Quezon City. The expansion is part of the company’s reported P2-billion investment aimed at scaling its AI-driven and digital customer experience services.
Globe to launch Starlink satellite-to-phone service in June
Globe Telecom is set to launch a new satellite-to-mobile service with Starlink as early as June, pending government approval. The service will first be available to Android users and will allow mobile phones to connect directly to satellites in areas with no regular cell signal.
DICT pushes GOCC plan for eGovPH app
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is proposing the creation of a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) to manage the eGovPH app, aiming to make the platform financially sustainable and improve its operations.
Opinion
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.
A house divided: Lopez family rift tests corporate governance
“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every house divided against itself will not stand.” In the Lopez corporate universe, the verse now reads less like scripture and more like a live governance case file—complete with injunctions, contested boardrooms, and competing versions of who nearly switched off the lights.
The Days Ahead
Several things have changed over the past month. The global economy is now poised to face another severe slowdown and rising inflation as a result of the Middle East conflict. While the impact on countries may differ in magnitude, the oil supply shock will squeeze economic activity and raise prices significantly.
Fuel crisis or policy gap?
Airline executives were caught off guard when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that Philippine carriers may be forced to cut flights—or even ground planes—due to a possible jet fuel shortage tied to the escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
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.
