Top News

Foreign reserves stay strong at $104.3 billion despite April payments gap

The country’s foreign currency reserves remained strong at the end of April 2026, even as the country recorded a wider gap between money flowing in and out of the economy.

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Visayas roots, Singapore routes: Top Line redraws its map

Singapore is no longer just a distant dot on Top Line Business Development Corp.’s growth chart. It has become a very literal marker of how far the company has travelled in 12 years, from a Visayas-based real estate developer to an emerging energy player now thinking in global supply routes.

Agriculture

FPA sanctions fertilizer firms for rule breaches

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has suspended five fertilizer companies for violating fertilizer laws and policies, including selling counterfeit or substandard products, mislabeling goods, blocking official inspections, and moving items under regulatory hold. Some of these firms previously took part in government procurement and subsidy programs.

Corporate

Alliance Global posts higher profit amid uncertainty

Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI) reported a 6 percent increase in first-quarter net income, supported by stronger residential sales, rising leasing revenues, improving hotel operations, and an early recovery in liquor demand despite uncertain economic conditions.

Banking & Insurance

BSP pushes PERA adoption, cites tax benefits and economic gains

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is urging businesses to offer the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) program to employees, highlighting major tax incentives and wider economic benefits.
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Markets

Peso near lows as markets turn defensive

The Philippine peso is again nearing record lows as persistent inflation, geopolitical tensions, and strong US dollar demand continue to pressure local markets. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the peso could retest historic weakness after falling 1.8% this week and approaching the April 30 intraday low of P61.75 against the dollar.

Travel

TPB secures ₱339.76 million in tourism leads from India roadshow

The Philippines generated ₱339.76 million in sales leads after a three-city tourism sales mission in India following its participation in the Outbound Travel Market (OTM) 2026 in Mumbai.
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Energy

AdventEnergy expands in Mindanao with new power deal for cold storage

AdventEnergy, the retail arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation, has secured an 896-kilowatt power supply contract with Viking Cold Storage Inc., strengthening its presence in Mindanao’s fast-growing cold chain industry.

Transport & Communications

Filipinos open to brand switch, EV boom

Filipino car buyers are showing increasing openness to switching brands and exploring alternative vehicle technologies, signaling a potential transformation in the country’s automotive market, according to Deloitte’s 2026 Global Automotive Consumer Study.
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Property

Filinvest Land sees strong residential sales momentum

Filinvest Land Inc., the property development arm of the Gotianun Group, reported a 62 percent surge in March sales reservations to P2.7 billion, compared to the same month last year. 

Environment

DENR: Tree cutting in Manila is legal, with environmental offsets

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) confirmed on Wednesday that tree cutting along Quirino Avenue in Manila is authorized. The work is part of the Southern Access Link Expressway Project, developed by San Miguel Corp., and covered by Permit No. 2026-02-24-TCEBP-1609.
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Technology

PLDT secures indigenous approval for Palawan undersea cable project

Telecom giant PLDT Inc. has officially secured the backing of the Tagbanua Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) for its new undersea fiber-optic project, clearing a major path to boost internet reliability across Palawan.

Health & Science

FEU allots P734M for growth, expansion projects

Far Eastern University (FEU) said that its board of trustees has approved setting aside P733.7 million from retained earnings to fund capital expenditures and expansion initiatives.
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Opinion

Senate power shift risks Estrada-style backlash

The sudden leadership shake-up in the Senate ahead of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Dutertel may yet prove a poisoned chalice—a glittering prize that offers control today but threatens political liability tomorrow.

A house divided: Lopez family rift tests corporate governance

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every house divided against itself will not stand.” In the Lopez corporate universe, the verse now reads less like scripture and more like a live governance case file—complete with injunctions, contested boardrooms, and competing versions of who nearly switched off the lights.

The Days Ahead

Several things have changed over the past month. The global economy is now poised to face another severe slowdown and rising inflation as a result of the Middle East conflict. While the impact on countries may differ in magnitude, the oil supply shock will squeeze economic activity and raise prices significantly.

Fuel crisis or policy gap?

Airline executives were caught off guard when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that Philippine carriers may be forced to cut flights—or even ground planes—due to a possible jet fuel shortage tied to the escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.