The Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has launched a large-scale program to expand the country’s ube (purple yam) industry, distributing over 60,000 planting materials worth nearly ₱2.6 million to 900 farmers in Bohol and Leyte. This is BPI’s first major ube planting material distribution under the High Value Crops Development Program, implemented in partnership with the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops).

Investment banker Francis Yuseco has submitted a proposal to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Center and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to combine high-speed passenger rail (capable of 300–400 km/h) with Philtrak’s patented road train technology for cargo transport.

Megaworld Hotels & Resorts is laying out more welcome mats across the country.