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Agriculture
Gov’t pushes for cheaper feedstock to boost PH bioethanol competitiveness
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Energy (DOE) are exploring cheaper, more varied feedstock options to make local bioethanol price-competitive with imported fuel—while safeguarding farmers and existing crop industries—as the government eyes a higher fuel-ethanol blend and reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels.
DA proposed P198.45-billion 2027 budget: leaner allocation, same critical food security allocation goals
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking a P198.45-billion budget for 2027—P17.25 billion or 8 percent less than the P215.69 billion approved for 2026—even as it faces persistent pressures to secure food supply, boost farm incomes, and strengthen national food security.
Agriculture damage from bad weather rises to P2.84 billion, more losses expected
Damage to the agriculture sector from the enhanced southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng has climbed to P2.84 billion, up from P2.32 billion just five days prior, the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed in its latest morning advisory on September 1
Geofencing farmland: balancing renewable energy and food security
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Energy (DOE) are crafting new safeguards to protect critical farmland from being overtaken by solar energy projects, aiming to advance renewable energy goals without compromising food security.
Corporate
Chinabank bags double Quill Award win, leads SM Group’s 15-award haul
Chinabank secured two honors at the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards, anchoring the SM Group’s total of 15 recognitions alongside BDO Unibank, BDO Life, SM Foundation and SM Supermalls. Its “CBC Investor Relations: Focused on Value” won in Financial Communication and Investor Relations, while “My CBC: An App Fit for Beauty Queens” took home the Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication award.
Philippines hosts 13th ASEANTOM meeting to advance regional nuclear safety
The Philippines hosted the 13th ASEANTOM Annual Meeting Aug. 11–13, 2026 in Manila, leading ASEAN cooperation on nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
CDO at 50 keeps pace with Filipino families
CDO Foodsphere Inc. is marking its 50th year by continuing to develop products and enter new food categories shaped by the changing tastes, needs, and lifestyles of Filipino families.
Metro Pacific Water to pour P23 billion into PH, Vietnam projects over 5 years
Metro Pacific Water (MPW) plans to invest up to P23 billion over the next five years to upgrade and expand water services across the Philippines and Vietnam, the firm announced Tuesday.
Corporate Bulletins
Chinabank bags double Quill Award win, leads SM Group’s 15-award haul
Chinabank secured two honors at the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards, anchoring the SM Group’s total of 15 recognitions alongside BDO Unibank, BDO Life, SM Foundation and SM Supermalls. Its “CBC Investor Relations: Focused on Value” won in Financial Communication and Investor Relations, while “My CBC: An App Fit for Beauty Queens” took home the Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication award.
Philippines hosts 13th ASEANTOM meeting to advance regional nuclear safety
The Philippines hosted the 13th ASEANTOM Annual Meeting Aug. 11–13, 2026 in Manila, leading ASEAN cooperation on nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
ACMobility wins international honors for people management
ACMobility, the Ayala Group’s end-to-end mobility provider, has picked up multiple international awards for people management, extending a strong run of workplace recognition for its employee programs and leadership.
Airbus to launch A220 training hub in Singapore, Q4 2027
Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC), a joint venture of Airbus and Singapore Airlines, will install an A220 full-flight simulator (FFS) at its Singapore campus, serving the entire Asia Pacific region. Operations start Q4 2027.
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Jollibee Group Foundation, UPLB partner to boost smallholder farmers’ productivity, sustainability
The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) have formalized a partnership to combine research, innovation and agricultural expertise in support of smallholder farmers. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, the two institutions will collaborate on farmer training, knowledge sharing, technology transfer and capacity building to lift productivity, strengthen farm enterprises and advance sustainable practices nationwide.
Aboitiz Foundation deepens ties with LMP and TESDA to scale community development and employment pathways
Aboitiz Foundation is deepening partnerships with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to expand education, livelihood, and sustainability programs nationwide.
Ayala Land takes big leap in sustainability ranking
Ayala Land Inc. is moving up the global sustainability scoreboard, and it is not a small step.
Security Bank turns employee entrepreneurship into scholarship support for 75th anniversary
Security Bank marked its 75th anniversary by channeling employee business spirit into community good, with proceeds from the annual People's Fair Marketplace going directly to the Security Bank Foundation's Regalo Mo, Kinabukasan Ko Scholarship Program.
Markets
Inflation, oil risks keep markets cautious September
Philippine markets enter September with little room for complacency, as investors weigh the appeal of battered stock valuations against inflation, oil and currency risks that could keep sentiment fragile.
Global snacking shift meets the mindful, community-centric Filipino palate
Snacking is no longer just a quick fix between meals; it has transformed into an essential part of modern daily life.
PSEi rangebound as peso awaits BSP rate decision
Philippine financial markets are likely to remain cautious on Monday, with the PSEi expected to trade sideways as investors await the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Aug. 27 policy decision and assess persistent inflation, currency, and growth risks.
Harbor Star leads PSE weekly gainers, Swift Foods slides
Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc. led the Philippine Stock Exchange’s (PSE) weekly price gainers, while Swift Foods Inc. posted the steepest decline, according to the latest PSE market data.
Energy
Surigao Doctors’ Hospital switches to First Gen renewable power, a first in Caraga
Surigao Doctors’ Hospital, Inc. has become the first medical facility in Surigao del Norte and northeastern Mindanao to run entirely on renewable energy, through a supply partnership with the country’s largest renewable energy producer, First Gen Group.
Meralco advances nuclear push with SMR feasibility study, partnering global and local experts
The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and its power generation arm Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) are moving forward in their pursuit of nuclear energy, launching a comprehensive feasibility study for small modular reactors (SMRs) that could reshape the country’s power supply for both the industry and consumers.
Meralco secures lowest bids for 600MW supply; three power firms win capacity shares
The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has locked in the most competitive bids for its 600-megawatt power supply requirement under the government-mandated Competitive Selection Process (CSP), marking a key milestone in securing long-term, cost-effective electricity for its customers.
MGEN puts corporate culture into daily practice
Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) is taking its corporate values off the wall and into the workplace, embedding them in everything from office layouts and employee benefits to leadership engagement and wellness programs.
Property
PHirst gives away two homes, honors top sellers
PHirst Park Homes Inc. awarded two buyers their reserved house-and-lot units for free in the first draw of its nationwide #OwnTheDream raffle promotion, while also recognizing its top-performing sales teams during its Mid-Year Sales Awards.
SM keeps 100-mall goal as visits lengthen
SM Supermalls remains committed to its five-year expansion plan and goal of operating 100 malls by 2030, even as construction delays, higher operating costs, and cautious consumer spending test the retail-property sector.
SM reshapes malls as shoppers seek value, experiences
SM Supermalls is reworking its mall strategy as inflation and economic uncertainty make Filipino consumers more deliberate about where they spend both their money and their time.
Dominguez joins Megaworld board as lead independent
Former Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” G. Dominguez has joined the board of property giant Megaworld Corp. as lead independent director, bringing more than four decades of experience spanning government, finance, and corporate leadership.
Technology
22nd Philippine Quill Awards and 12th Philippine Student Quill Awards Honor Excellence in Communication
The 22nd Philippine Quill Awards and the 12th Philippine Student Quill Awards recognized outstanding communication work, organizations, and emerging communicators, highlighting the breadth of communication excellence across the professional and academic communities.
Child Rights Network rejects blanket under-16 social media ban
The Child Rights Network (CRN), the Philippines’ broadest coalition of child-focused organizations, has opposed a proposed blanket ban on social media use by children under 16, arguing that the answer to online harm is safer digital spaces, not simply excluding children from them.
Telecom investments surge past $2B, set to boost national connectivity and digital access
The country’s telecommunications sector is on track to pour at least $2.21 billion in capital investments this year alone, already surpassing the $2-billion milestone even before accounting for additional spending from major players, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confirmed Tuesday.
Globe ramps up 5G rollout, 1H capital spending up 39% to P26.3B
Globe Telecom Inc. is accelerating its nationwide 5G expansion, boosting infrastructure spending this year to keep up with growing demand for fast, reliable digital connectivity.
Opinion
No story is worth a reporter’s life
It was drilled into generations of journalists that no story is worth your life. Tell the story. Do not become the story.
Senate finally remembers it is an impeachment court
Eight weeks into the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Senate impeachment court has rediscovered a useful legal principle. People involved in a trial should probably stop trying the case everywhere except the courtroom.
Philippine poverty is falling, no time for victory laps
Poverty is not just an empty wallet. It can be a family scrambling to keep a child in school, relatives walking farther to fetch clean water, or a household wrestling with a stubborn internet signal while the rest of the world moves on.
Violent games are no simple school-shooting trigger
Every generation gets its villain. In 1979, it was Voltes V and other Japanese robot cartoons. Today, as the Philippines confronts fresh school shootings, the finger is pointing at Roblox.
Exclusive
Vivant Water sees 2026 as launchpad for bigger growth
Vivant Water is treating 2026 as a pivotal year as it moves from building its presence across the water industry to scaling operations, investments, and its project pipeline.
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.
