Universal Robina Corp., the listed food arm of the Gokongwei group, is giving up majority control of its cup noodles joint venture to Nissin Food Asia Co. Ltd. (NFA), the Thai subsidiary of Japan’s Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd., in a move that reshapes a decades-long partnership in the instant noodle market.
The Philippines believes it can address concerns raised by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) after Washington launched a new investigation into the country’s alleged shortcomings in enforcing restrictions on goods produced with forced labor.
The Philippines posted a US$5.7-billion balance of payments (BOP) deficit in 2025, equivalent to 1.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This marked a reversal from the US$609-million surplus recorded in 2024.
The government is moving to safeguard fuel and fertilizer supplies for the sugar industry as the sector enters the most resource-intensive phase of the harvest season.
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.