Hotel101 Pushes on with $300-M US Offering
Hotel101 Global, a DoubleDragon subsidiary, announced a $300 million perpetual preferred share offering in the United States, equivalent to roughly P18 billion. The capital will finance the brand’s aggressive global rollout and accelerate its asset‑light, prop‑tech hospitality platform. Management aims to operate one million rooms across 100 countries, with the Madrid property already delivering strong occupancy and serving as the official hotel partner for the 2026 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. The company also plans to add 2,229 rooms this year in the Philippines, Spain and Japan, pushing its equity base toward a P500 billion (~$9 billion) target.
Zobel Steps Down as Globe Chair; Consing Takes Over
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala resigned as chair of Globe Telecom after almost three decades, ending a tenure that began in 1996. The board elected Ayala group veteran Cezar Consing as his successor during the April 21 organizational meeting, held...
April Inflation to Breach 5%, Erode Recovery Gains, Says UA&P
University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) projects Philippine inflation to exceed 5% in April, driven by an oil‑price shock linked to the Middle East conflict, matching the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) outlook. The breach would push full‑year inflation...
PH Dollar Deficit Swells to over One-Year High on Middle East Crisis
In March 2026 the Philippines recorded a $2.6 billion balance‑of‑payments deficit, the widest since January 2025, as soaring energy prices tied to the Middle‑East crisis forced higher dollar outflows. The first‑quarter gap widened to $5.3 billion, 79% higher than a year earlier,...
Twin First Gen ‘Poison Pills’ Could Mean P24-B Loss, Says Lopez Majority
Lopez Inc.’s majority bloc warned that two “poison pill” clauses tied to First Gen Corp. could force Prime Infrastructure Capital to acquire the group’s gas and hydropower assets at a 25% discount, erasing roughly ₱24 billion ($432 million) in shareholder value. The provisions would...
Winter, Waves and the Return of the Unresolved
The Philippines is entering the "winter" phase of a multidecade Kondratieff cycle, marked by slowing growth and heightened risk aversion. The PSEi has been consolidating despite post‑pandemic earnings recovery, while corporate leverage relative to market value has risen to levels...
Big Businesses Step up CSR Programs Amid Mideast Crisis
Big Philippine corporations are reshaping their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in response to the Middle East war’s ripple effects on fuel prices. Metro Pacific Investments Foundation plans to deliver roughly 500,000 food packs to fisherfolk in Batangas and transport...
Oil Plunges, Stocks Jump as Iran Declares Hormuz Open
Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, ending a blockade that had disrupted one‑fifth of global oil flows. The news sent Brent and WTI crude prices below $90 a barrel, a 9 percent drop from their recent highs near...
Airlines Fear Jet-Fuel Rationing Due to Middle East War
IATA head Willie Walsh warned that the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz could force jet‑fuel rationing in Europe within weeks. An International Energy Agency study suggests fuel inventories may run dry in six weeks, potentially triggering flight cancellations by...
Regulatory Relief May Dent Philippine Bank Profits–S&P
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas announced temporary relief measures—including six‑month loan payment grace periods and up to a year’s deferment for agricultural loans—to cushion borrowers from the oil‑price shock caused by the Middle East war. The regulator also urged banks...
BDO Conditions P25-B Funding on Lopez Leadership Continuity
BDO Unibank issued standby letters of credit worth roughly $445 million to back First Gen Corp.'s purchase of a 33% stake in Prime Hydropower Energy. The credit support, split into about $178 million and $267 million tranches, will fund the development of the...
Cavite Hosts Uniqlo’s Largest Logistics Facility in Southeast Asia
Federal Land NRE Global and Fast Retailing Philippines opened Uniqlo's new logistics hub in Riverpark North, General Trias, Cavite. The 6.9‑hectare facility is the brand's largest logistics center in Southeast Asia, designed to raise logistics standards and support Uniqlo's regional...
PSEi Flat as Caution Persists Amid Middle East Risks
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) closed at 6,063.69 on April 16, up a marginal 0.01% (0.34 point), indicating a flat market. Total turnover was roughly $122 million, while foreign investors recorded net outflows of about $18 million. Industrials led gains with...
November Takeoff: PAL Adds Chicago to US Network
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch nonstop Manila‑Chicago service on Nov. 9, operating three times weekly with Airbus A350‑900 aircraft. The route marks PAL’s eighth US destination, expanding its trans‑Pacific footprint and adding direct access to the Midwest. Introductory economy fares start at...
Luzon, Visayas Electricity Grids Placed Under ‘Yellow’ Alert
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed both the Luzon and Visayas electricity grids under a yellow alert on Thursday, marking the second such alert this year. The Luzon grid reported an available capacity of 12,223 MW against a...