Finance Secretary Ralph Recto on Tuesday brushed aside fears of fiscal mismanagement over the deployment of agency funds into areas these supposedly were not originally intended for, saying the needs of some 115 million Filipinos take precedence over the ruckus that the deployment has generated.
The Philippines generated far more foreign currency earnings in July than it spent during the month, allowing the country to post a surplus in the balance of payments (BOP) totaling USD62 million.
Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc., a unit of conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is ramping up its vegetable and dairy operations by going into the chicken egg and carabao milk business.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas cut its target reverse repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 percent, underscoring the monetary authority’s confidence that headline inflation is on a downward trajectory despite the spike in July.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Thursday announced authorizing the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to collect on behalf of power generation companies or gencos so-called pass-on costs that have been denied the industry for some time, compelling some of the more heavily affected companies to seek prompt redress of their grievances.
HTI expands land bank with Antipolo acquisition
Corporate
Listed firm Haus Talk Inc. (HTI) has finalized the acquisition of the former National Steel property in Antipolo, Rizal, marking a major strategic expansion of its land portfolio. The deal reinforced its presence in the affordable housing segment and advanced its vision as a leading provider of “value for money” residential developments in the country.
The newly acquired site will serve as the location of HTI’s next flagship residential and commercial project, slated to begin in the fourth quarter this year. The development is projected to deliver around 1,500 housing units and generate estimated revenues of ₱4.9 billion, making it one of the company's most significant investments to date.
Benchmarking the design against its successful The Granary community in Biñan, Laguna, HTI plans to integrate residential units with commercial spaces, aligning with its mixed-use development strategy.
“This acquisition underscores Haus Talk Inc.'s aggressive strategy to bolster our land bank and solidify our position as a dominant force in the affordable housing sector,” said Ma. Rachel D. Madlambayan, HTI president & CEO.
Located in Antipolo, the project capitalizes on the area’s blend of urban accessibility and provincial charm—features increasingly in demand among homebuyers.
The transaction is seen as a milestone in HTI’s growth strategy, further consolidating its market position amid rising demand for affordable housing and enhancing shareholder value through long-term revenue generation.
HTI’s move also reaffirms its commitment to addressing the Philippines’ housing backlog through scalable, high-impact developments in prime areas.
Emperador Inc., a major player in the global whisky market and controlled by tycoon Andrew Tan, is investing P4 billion this year, with the lion’s share earmarked for bolstering its whisky portfolio — a strategic move aligned with rising demand worldwide for premium spirits.
The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) saw a 50 percent surge in investor accounts in 2024, climbing to 2.86 million from 1.91 million in 2023, marking the highest annual increase since tracking began in 2008. PSE president and CEO Ramon S. Monzon attributed the record growth to the increasing accessibility of digital trading platforms.