A Brown Co. Inc. is expanding its water business after securing authority to subscribe to an additional 20 million common shares in its subsidiary, AB Bulk Water Company Inc., as the group prepares to consolidate its water assets and pursue new projects.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday unveiled the next phase of its reform agenda, introducing targeted measures to cut red tape, speed up business formation, lower costs, and strengthen liquidity and competitiveness across the Philippine capital market. The announcement comes as SEC chairman Francis E. Lim marks his first year in office.

Roxas and Co. Inc. has secured a P1.93-billion term loan from China Banking Corp., a key step to strengthen its finances and support long-term growth, the company disclosed Monday. Proceeds will refinance existing debt across the parent firm and its subsidiaries and fund general operations, giving the group more financial room to advance its turnaround plan.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recognized 10 outstanding institutional partners from South Luzon during the 2026 Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremony (OBSAC) held on August 24, 2026. The awardees were honored for their strong support of the BSP’s currency management programs, including the Cash Service Alliance, as well as their efforts in promoting digital payments and expanding financial literacy among businesses, students, and local communities.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Monday (24 August 2026) clarified that Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) was operating well within its allowable system losses cap after being wrongly identified as noncompliant with the cap for private distribution utilities (DUs).

The Department of Energy (DOE) has estimated that at least ₱7.5 billion in investments will be required to fully eliminate non-technical systems loss across the country’s power network, even as it launched the Brigada Kontra Jumper program on Monday to curb electricity theft and related abuses through the eGovPH digital platform. Systems loss refers to the gap between energy produced and energy delivered, split into technical losses—an unavoidable physical effect of power transmission—and non-technical losses, driven primarily by illegal connections, meter tampering, and power pilferage. These losses are currently passed on to all consumers as a uniform charge collected by distributors and electric cooperatives, making the issue a direct financial concern for every household and business.

Fuel prices will go up across all categories for the second consecutive week, further raising costs for households, transport operators, and businesses nationwide, the Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed on Monday. Starting 6 a.m. on August 25, per-liter prices will increase by P1.08 for gasoline, P2.31 for diesel, and P0.95 for kerosene. Seaoil has already confirmed it will implement these adjustments, with a slight difference for kerosene at a P0.91 per liter hike instead of the projected P0.95.

Meralco, led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, has upgraded its North Port Substation in Tondo to strengthen network safety and service reliability.

The Department of Finance (DOF) has assured property owners and housing developers that the deferred rollout of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act (RPVARA) will not automatically lead to higher property taxes, giving local governments more time to prepare for the overhaul.

The government is moving ahead with a pilot rental housing project at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), opening a new affordable housing option for low-income university employees, students, and nearby informal settler families.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is moving ahead with road and utility plans for the 160-hectare Bonifacio Capital District (BCD) in Taguig, seeking a consultant to prepare detailed engineering designs for the planned infrastructure.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is pushing ahead with updated masterplans for Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and Camp John Hay, with key decisions on both estates expected before the end of the year.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is ramping up action to stop the spread of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) and other dangerous online content, responding to growing risks that expose children and young Filipinos to graphic violence, exploitation, and materials that can encourage harmful behavior.

The rapid expansion of the Philippine digital economy is putting intellectual property protection higher on the business agenda as brands increasingly build sales, reputations, and customer relationships online.

Globe has upgraded its network in Pavia, launching more than 10 5G sites alongside over 15 existing cell sites to deliver faster, more reliable mobile services for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has strengthened its efforts to create a safer online environment, particularly for children, denying nearly 12 billion requests to dangerous or inappropriate websites in 2025 and blacklisting more than 72,000 associated domains.

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.

The livestreamed shooting at a school affiliated with Ateneo de Zamboanga University should end the country’s familiar cycle of outrage, condolences, and calls for tighter security. It should instead trigger a harder look at how firearms are acquired, stored, and kept out of the hands of those who should never have them.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon spent much of the past year cultivating the image of a no-nonsense reformer determined to clean up one of government’s most corruption-tainted agencies.

Impeachment may be political. It may be bruising, theatrical, and occasionally combustible. But it is still a legal proceeding, and lawyers do not get a temporary exemption from good manners simply because the stakes are high.