The Department of Agriculture (DA) and state-owned Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) on Friday urged Filipinos not to abuse the government’s subsidized rice program, warning that unusually large crowds at distribution sites are creating the false impression of a supply shortage.
Crude oil prices are likely to remain above USD80 per barrel in the coming weeks, but the era of massive pump price surges may already be fading, according to economist and former Albay congressman Joey Salceda.
The Philippine government has carved out a crucial exemption for socialized housing projects, allowing them to proceed with land-use reclassification despite an existing moratorium designed to protect agricultural land.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has sounded the alarm over a surge of uncertified and substandard products being sold across major e-commerce platforms, warning that the trend threatens consumer safety and erodes confidence in the country’s rapidly expanding digital marketplace.
Nearly 1 million Filipinos benefited from the Marcos administration’s Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program in September, the highest monthly turnout since the affordable rice initiative was launched in May last year, as the government seeks to ease food costs for households struggling to make ends meet.
Business sentiment stayed pessimistic in September 2026, according to the latest Business Expectations Survey released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, although confidence readings for the near‑term and year‑ahead outlook remained positive. The current‑month confidence index improved slightly to ‑8.4 percent from ‑10.9 percent in August, still signaling more firms were downbeat about present conditions.
East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) turned in a ₱5.0‑billion net income for the first nine months of 2026, delivering solid profitability even as broader economic conditions grew more challenging, a performance that signals resilient core operations for investors and market watchers.
The Mary Mediatrix Medical Center (MMMC) has forged a partnership with Inspire Healthcare Singapore and the Singapore Nurses Association (SNA) to advance its Geriatric Unit, as the hospital moves to address the rising healthcare demand from older adults across Southern Luzon.