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The Philippines has locked in major agreements worth a combined $27 million—roughly ₱1.7 billion8—with Chinese firm Somago (Tianjin) Cross-border E-commerce Co. Ltd., opening significant new market opportunities for durian producers in Davao, the Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday. Signed during the China International Import Expo 2026, the deals cover both strategic cooperation and frozen durian procurement, strengthening commercial links between Philippine suppliers and Chinese consumers.

Philippine retailers risk losing legitimate purchases during the holiday shopping rush if fraud detection systems mistake promotional surges for suspicious transactions, Southeast Asian payment solutions provider Fiuu warned.

Inflation is becoming more broad-based in the Philippines, with three-fourths of the consumer price basket now recording price increases exceeding 4 percent, reinforcing expectations of further monetary tightening, according to Citi.

Smart Communications, the wireless arm of PLDT Inc., is the first Philippine mobile operator to integrate the PSA’s National ID Authentication Services into SIM registration, making the process faster and more secure for Smart Prepaid and TNT subscribers. Through the PSA’s eVerify platform, subscriber information is checked against the official National ID registry, improving record accuracy and supporting the SIM Registration Act in preventing scams and fraud.

Manila Electric Company (Meralco), led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, has put in place full preparations to guarantee reliable electricity service as the Philippines hosts the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits. The power distributor has placed crews and personnel on round-the-clock standby across its entire franchise area to address any service issues that may arise during the high-level gathering.