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Philippines seals first Latin America free trade deal

The Philippines has concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Chile, securing its first free trade agreement with a Latin American country as Manila steps up efforts to diversify export markets and strengthen supply chains.

News Dispatch

Agriculture

PCA seeks P1.26 billion to fund 100-million coconut replanting program

The Philippine Coconut Authority is moving quickly to secure extra funds to keep its goal of planting 100 million coconuts by 2028 on track. This forms the core of the Accelerated Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, the government’s main strategy to rebuild one of the country’s most important agricultural sectors and boost earnings for millions of coconut farming households.

SRA reforms strengthen industry amid climate and market challenges

Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in June 2022, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has implemented wide-ranging reforms that have stabilized sugar supply, tempered price fluctuations, and strengthened support for thousands of sugarcane farmers even amid weather disruptions and shifting global market conditions. The agency’s approach combines stricter market oversight, carefully calibrated import volumes, and investments in farm modernization to ensure adequate supplies for consumers while shielding producers from steep drops in farmgate prices.

SIDC taps Nextbank to speed digital banking shift

The country's largest agricultural cooperative is accelerating its digital transformation, with Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) partnering with Nextbank to modernize its financial operations and expand digital banking services for more than 81,000 members nationwide.

Updated farmland conversion policy expected next month

The Department of Agriculture is set to release a refined set of rules governing farmland conversion within the coming weeks, a measure aimed at balancing national development with food security.

Corporate

SEC penalizes online lender P1 million for predatory rate and collection practices

The Securities and Exchange Commission has imposed a P1 million penalty on Inclusive Credit Lending Inc. for charging excessive interest rates and carrying out improper debt collection activities.

Globe launches new rewards program for multi-service customers

Globe has introduced a first-of-its-kind telecommunications rewards initiative called Globe Circle, made for customers who use the company for both mobile and home connectivity.

EastWest investment banking unit wins top industry awards

EastWest Bank’s investment banking team has earned two major recognitions for its work in the Philippine capital market.

BIR files P22.71-B tax evasion case against Sunwest Inc., top officers before DOJ

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed criminal complaints on July 24, 2026, before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Sunwest, Inc., its President Aderma Angelie Descarga Alcazar, and Treasurer Cesar Zacarias Buenaventura for tax evasion involving an estimated P22.71 billion deficiency income tax liability.

Banking & Insurance

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Corporate Bulletins

Globe launches new rewards program for multi-service customers

Globe has introduced a first-of-its-kind telecommunications rewards initiative called Globe Circle, made for customers who use the company for both mobile and home connectivity.

EastWest investment banking unit wins top industry awards

EastWest Bank’s investment banking team has earned two major recognitions for its work in the Philippine capital market.

Taal Vista Hotel taps veteran hotelier for growth

A heritage hotel is getting a new hand at the helm.

Meralco Networks Group retains ISO quality certification with zero non-confirmities

The Networks Group of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, has kept its ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification after passing its second surveillance audit with no issues found.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability

Food banking seen boosting Philippines’ disaster preparedness, resilience

As stronger typhoons and other climate-related disasters threaten food security, Rise Against Hunger Philippines (RAHP) is pushing for a stronger nationwide food banking system, saying it can help communities recover faster while reducing hunger and food waste.

Converge launches youth tech program to close digital skills gap

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has launched a new initiative to equip underserved Filipino youth with technology skills, as the country pushes forward with digital transformation.

Jollibee Danao plant earns landmark green building certification 

The Jollibee Group has set a new benchmark for sustainable manufacturing after its Danao Commissary in Cebu became the first manufacturing facility in the Philippines to receive LEED certification for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C), signaling that industrial plants can pursue ambitious environmental goals without sacrificing operational efficiency.

Palawan children to get better early learning support under new partnership program

More than 1,500 young children in El Nido will benefit from a new early education initiative called CENTEX Early Grades, launched through cooperation between the El Nido local government, DepEd Palawan, Palawan State University, and Ayala Foundation.

Markets

PSEi rally gains steam as stable peso lifts outlook

The stock market could be entering a stronger recovery phase after the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) broke through key resistance levels, with a stable peso adding to optimism that local equities can sustain their recent gains despite inflation concerns and geopolitical risks.

Netflix stocks slide after weak revenue outlook spooks

Netflix shares tumbled 7.3 percent on Friday after the streaming giant issued a third-quarter revenue forecast that fell short of Wall Street expectations, overshadowing another quarter of solid earnings and steady subscriber engagement.

Philippine IPO revival hinges on reforms, blockbuster listings

The Philippine initial public offering (IPO) market remained on the sidelines in the first half of 2026, but upcoming regulatory reforms and a pipeline of marquee listings could set the stage for a long-awaited rebound in the country's capital markets.

Earnings season tests market amid rate concerns

Philippine shares are expected to trade cautiously in the coming weeks as the second-quarter earnings season begins, shifting investors' focus from recent market gains to whether corporate profits can withstand persistent inflation, the prospect of further monetary tightening, and rising geopolitical risks.

Travel

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Energy

SM stays on track for 2040 emissions goal

SM Investments Corp. said it remains on course to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2040, betting that investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable finance will strengthen both its environmental performance and long-term business resilience.

Meralco explains power hike amid fuel price pressures

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said the recent increase in electricity bills was driven primarily by higher generation charges, pointing to soaring global fuel prices, a weaker peso, and the country's reliance on natural gas to maintain grid stability rather than any increase in its own distribution rates.

DOE welcomes start-up of Cotabato solar power plant

The Department of Energy has announced the first phase of the Tantangan solar project in South Cotabato is now energized.

Sectors push for policy reforms amid record-high power costs

Various groups and industry stakeholders are calling for policy changes that help bring down electricity rates at the hearing convened by the Senate Committee on Energy on Thursday. The Department of Energy confirmed earlier this week that power rates average P12.43 per kilowatt-hour in June, the highest across all 11 ASEAN member states, and slightly higher than Singapore’s for the same month.

Transport & Communications

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Property

Big developers prioritize malls as retail thrives

The Philippines’ biggest property developers are placing greater emphasis on malls as retail continues to outperform other real estate segments, supported by resilient consumer spending and the appeal of stable recurring rental income.

SM Prime lines up over 20 events at New SM Seaside Cebu Arena

SM Prime Holdings Inc. announced on Thursday that its newly opened SM Seaside Cebu Arena will host more than 20 shows this year, as the property developer seeks to tap into the growing demand for live events in the Visayas region.

Havitas moves into wellness real eatate

Boutique developer Havitas Properties Inc. has entered the fast-growing wellness real estate sector, and unveiled the second phase of its Aya Hills resort villa community in Talisay, Batangas, overlooking Taal Lake.

Manila emerges as world’s second prime housing market

Manila has emerged as the world’s second-fastest growing prime residential market, underscoring the Philippine property sector’s resilience despite geopolitical tensions, elevated inflation and a slowdown in new project launches.

Environment

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Technology

Marcos backs local data centers to boost PH data sovereignty and digital security

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited Converge ICT Solutions Inc.’s state-of-the-art Angeles Data Center in Pampanga on Friday, July 24, alongside Department of Information and Communications Technology officials led by Secretary Henry Aguda, to highlight the country’s push for greater control over its digital information.

PLDT ready to back gov’t data residency rules 

PLDT Inc. has confirmed it is fully prepared to support the government’s rising need for secure data storage and digital systems following the signing of Executive Order No. 119, which sets official rules for keeping government data within the country.

Fortinet upgrades FortiEndpoint platform to secure AI adoption and streamline endpoint security

Global cybersecurity leader Fortinet, listed on the NASDAQ as FTNT, has rolled out new features for its unified endpoint platform FortiEndpoint, designed to help organizations adopt artificial intelligence safely, protect sensitive information, and lower overall security risk.

LG unveils dual flagship TV lineup, ending long-time home theater tech compromise

For years, anyone setting up a premium home entertainment system had to choose between the deep contrast of OLED displays and the large size and vivid output of high-end LCD screens.

Health & Science

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Opinion

Elon Musk learns trillion-dollar fortunes can wobble

Elon Musk has just misplaced about USD260 billion. Before anyone starts a crowdfunding campaign, though, he's still worth an estimated USD745 billion—comfortably enough to remain the world's richest person.

Trust ratings aren’t get-out-of-jail cards

If trust ratings could acquit public officials, we might as well save everyone the trouble.

VP Duterte impeachment keeps Senate cards hidden

Monday's biggest vote in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte turned out to be the one the public never saw.

Philippine sports thrive when benefactors build champions

Every championship has its stars. Some also have a benefactor—the godfather who reaches for a checkbook instead of a spotlight.

Sports & Entertainment

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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.