Trending Now
Agriculture
NEA extends P237 million worth of loans to ECs for Jan-Feb 2026
The National Electrification Administration (NEA) said it already extended P237 million worth of loans to five electric cooperatives (ECs) as of February this year to finance electrification projects.
Suspected “ghost” farm road in Albay under investigation
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. inspected a questionable farm-to-market road (FMR) project in Barangay Lower Binogsacan, raising concerns that the project may not exist at its approved location.
FAO warns global food system at risk from Gulf conflict
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued a stark warning about the escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf, highlighting severe disruptions to global energy, fertilizer, and agrifood systems that could undermine food security worldwide.
DA begins fuel subsidy rollout for farmers; fisherfolk aid continues
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has secured P50 million to start distributing fuel subsidies to farmers affected by rising oil prices.
Corporate
Jollibee Group expands jobs for seniors, PWDs in Baguio
The Jollibee Group has expanded its employment program for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through a new partnership with the Baguio City Government.
LG Electronics brings cutting-edge digital art to smart TVs with Sedetion partnership
LG Electronics has teamed up with Sedition, the pioneering digital art platform, to transform living rooms into immersive contemporary art spaces. Through LG Gallery+, the company’s premium visual service for LG Smart TVs, users can now access more than 300 curated digital artworks, including video-based pieces, bringing museum-quality experiences directly into the home. This partnership underscores LG’s commitment to redefining home entertainment by merging technology, art, and personal expression.
SEC to tighten sustainability reporting rules for listed firms starting 2026
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it will begin stricter sustainability reporting rules for listed companies as part of its reform efforts.
MPIC sets over P200B spending plan, driven by solar project
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has earmarked more than P200 billion for capital spending this year, about 5 percent higher than last year’s P190 billion, mainly to fund a major solar energy project.
Corporate Bulletins
LG Electronics brings cutting-edge digital art to smart TVs with Sedetion partnership
LG Electronics has teamed up with Sedition, the pioneering digital art platform, to transform living rooms into immersive contemporary art spaces. Through LG Gallery+, the company’s premium visual service for LG Smart TVs, users can now access more than 300 curated digital artworks, including video-based pieces, bringing museum-quality experiences directly into the home. This partnership underscores LG’s commitment to redefining home entertainment by merging technology, art, and personal expression.
EastWest, UA&P launch weekly economic newsletter
East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) has partnered with University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) to introduce Economic Watch, a weekly email newsletter aimed at helping clients better understand economic trends and make informed financial decisions.
Carelon Philippines jumps to 3rd best workplace
Carelon Global Solutions Philippines surged to third place in the 2026 Best Workplaces in the Philippines list by Great Place To Work, a sharp rise from ninth last year, underscoring its accelerating push to elevate employee experience and business capability.
Manila Water boosts supply security with new water sources
Manila Water said it is strengthening water supply reliability for its East Zone customers by expanding alternative water sources, reducing its dependence on Angat Dam.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Jollibee Group expands jobs for seniors, PWDs in Baguio
The Jollibee Group has expanded its employment program for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through a new partnership with the Baguio City Government.
Nescafé Plan: Coffee farming that triples yield
Nestlé Philippines is betting on the ground game, and it’s paying off. Through its Nescafé Plan, the company is scaling regenerative farming, lifting farmer productivity while fortifying the country’s fragile coffee supply.
Frasco’s next tour: Resilience as policy
When Christina Garcia Frasco left the helm of the Department of Tourism, it wasn’t quite a farewell tour—more like a change in itinerary. Now appointed Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the former tourism chief is swapping travel brochures for the less glamorous but arguably more urgent business of resilience policy.
Singson urges corporations, groups to promote civic-minded leadership
Former Public Works Secretary and former Independent Committee on Infrastructure (ICI) commissioner Rogelio L. Singson said leading corporations and organizations in the country should promote civic-mindedness to help develop a new generation of leaders.
Markets
FINEX urges deeper markets to sustain growth
The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines is calling for faster development of the country’s capital markets, warning that sustaining economic growth will require broader, more reliable sources of long-term funding.
Broker board term limits gain strong backing
Leading Philippine business groups have thrown their weight behind the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposal to impose term limits on broker directors of securities exchanges, calling it a timely governance reform aimed at bolstering investor confidence and market integrity.
Meta stock rallies on layoff reports
Shares of Meta Platforms jumped about 3 percent Monday as investors bet that the reported potential job cuts could help offset the technology company's artificial intelligence spending. The stock of the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads closed 2.3 percent higher at USD627.45.
Energy
Fuel prices jump sharply; some oil firms drop staggered increases
Fuel prices are set to rise sharply this week, with Jetti Petroleum Corp. announcing a one-time increase starting Tuesday. Gasoline prices will go up by ₱8 per liter, while diesel will increase by ₱18 per liter. The company said it can no longer spread adjustments over several days and will implement the hike all at once.
PSALM plans sale of Ilocos Sur hydro plant by Q3
State-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) is preparing to privatize the 70-megawatt Bakun hydroelectric power plant in Ilocos Sur by the third quarter of 2026.
Alternergy switches on Nueva Ecija hydro plant
Renewable energy firm Alternergy Holdings Corporation has begun commercial operations of its 5-megawatt Dupinga run-of-river hydro power plant in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, marking its second facility to go online this year.
Diesel prices seen soaring again; temporary return of cheaper fuel approved
Fuel prices across the country are expected to rise sharply this week, with diesel likely to see another double-digit increase, according to a local fuel retailer.
Property
Taguig, DMCI team up for major flood fix
DMCI Homes has teamed up with the Taguig City Government to roll out a flood control project targeting six low-lying barangays around Acacia Estates, marking a push toward long-term, infrastructure-led solutions to urban flooding.
Haus Talk bonds debut, raise P1.8B strong
Listed affordable housing developer Haus Talk, Inc. (HTI) raised P1.8 billion from its maiden bond listing on Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) after strong demand prompted an upsizing from the initial P1 billion offer.
MREIT secures SEC nod for P16.2B expansion
MREIT, Inc., the real estate investment trust of Megaworld Corp., has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for its Wave 4 property-for-share swap, clearing the way for a major portfolio expansion in McKinley Hill.
DM Wenceslao raises dividend to record high
D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc. (DMW) has approved a regular cash dividend of P0.10 per share, marking its highest payout to date and delivering more than 5 percent growth year-on-year as the listed property developer underscores financial resilience and shareholder returns.
Technology
Converge completes nationwide digital network, boosting PH as global tech hub
Fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. announced it has completed its National Digital Infrastructure, a major network designed to support advanced technologies and boost the country’s role in the global digital economy.
PLDT vows uninterrupted connectivity as Middle East tensions rise
PLDT Inc. has assured customers that its services will remain stable and uninterrupted despite escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, emphasizing its readiness to respond to potential global disruptions.
TP Philippines powers greener shift in BPOs
TP Philippines is emerging as a leader in greening the country’s IT-BPM sector, showing how large-scale outsourcing can pair growth with environmental responsibility.
Tarlac sees stronger mobile network as growth accelerates
Rapid development in Tarlac is driving demand for faster and more reliable mobile internet, as more residents, businesses, and tourists depend on connectivity for daily activities.
Opinion
Choked Hormuz puts global food supply at risk
Food, not fuel, may prove the first and most immediate casualty of the Middle East conflict as disruption grips the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea lane with an outsized role in feeding the world.
Eala storms toward WTA’s elite circle
The desert—both in Dubai and Indian Wells—has been kind to Alex Eala.
Luzviminda’s daughters: Steel, silk, sovereignty, spotlight
If you want to understand the Philippines, resist the temptation to start with its strongmen and their statues. Begin instead with its women, the quiet architects of its revolutions, the steady hands at the tiller when storms arrive.
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.
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.
