Lifestyle

Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI), the company that operates Marks & Spencer in the Philippines, announced on Wednesday that it will close all its stores in the country, with the last day of operations set for May 2.

The Filipino grocery run has evolved into something of a competitive sport. Shoppers move with tactical precision, plotting routes between wet markets, discounters, hypermarkets and online carts as if managing a diversified portfolio. In today’s fast-moving consumer goods arena, the real victory is stretching every peso without sacrificing convenience.

Rafael Fernandez de Mesa likes to open with a joke. In another life, he says, he might have been the first Rafa people talked about. Instead, that distinction belongs to Rafael Nadal. Fernandez de Mesa found his arena elsewhere, trading baseline rallies for balance sheets.

Foot traffic at Mitsukoshi BGC has doubled since its 2023 opening, underscoring the strength of a strategy built on cultural immersion and careful curation rather than scale.

Metro Manila’s commute has always been a masterclass in controlled chaos. The lines move—until they don’t. The cards beep—until they won’t. And nothing tests...