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More than 1,000 students took part in an onboarding event for the Youth Financial Inclusion Initiative held on 20 August 2026 at Southern Leyte State University in Sogod, Southern Leyte, where 528 transaction accounts were successfully opened. Led by Visayas-based Youth Financial Inclusion Ambassadors in collaboration with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, this marked the second account-opening drive in the region under the Youth Financial Inclusion Ambassadors Program, building on the inaugural August 2025 activity that registered 551 new accounts at the same institution.

Megaworld is accelerating its hospitality expansion, targeting nearly 12,000 hotel rooms by 2032 as it moves deeper into some of the Philippines’ fastest-growing tourism destinations, including Palawan and Ilocos Norte.

MPower, the retail electricity supplier of Meralco led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, has officially partnered with Big Ben Group to provide stable, cost‑effective power to the company’s manufacturing facilities in Pulilan, Bulacan.

PLDT Enterprise, together with PLDT and Smart, has deployed Starlink satellite connectivity to restore critical communications after the powerful earthquake in parts of Mindanao. Teams were immediately sent to General Santos City and South Cotabato to assess networks and support restoration in coordination with the DICT and local governments. Most facilities remained stable, with disruptions driven mainly by power outages; Starlink was rolled out at key sites including Malungon and Alabel Sarangani Provincial Hospitals, and response command centers. PLDT COO Menardo “Butch” G. Jimenez Jr. noted connectivity lets people reach loved ones and supports rebuilding, while PLDT Enterprise SVP Blums Pineda said the group aims to be first responders for responders to speed recovery. The companies stand ready to support communities through rebuilding.

Stakeholders including the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) and the Department of Finance (DOF) have voiced strong optimism over the transformative economic promise of Executive Order (EO) 122, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish a national framework for critical minerals.