PLDT Pursues Buyout of Broadband Unit
Philippine telco PLDT Inc. has signed a share purchase agreement to buy the remaining 65.1% stake in Radius Telecoms Inc. for roughly $53 million, completing its acquisition of the broadband unit. The deal, valued at P2.94 billion, will give PLDT 100% ownership of Radius’s fiber backbone after regulatory approval. PLDT paid 60% of the price at closing and will settle the balance within ten months. The move bolsters PLDT’s fiber footprint as it competes with Converge ICT Solutions and Globe Telecom for broadband subscribers.
GoTyme, Wise Launch Money Transfer Service
GoTyme Bank, backed by the Gokongwei group, has launched an in‑app international money‑transfer feature called Send Money Abroad, powered by Wise. The service lets customers move funds to over 170 countries in eight major currencies and shows fees, exchange rates...
Meta Lashes Australia's Bid to Make Tech Giants Pay for News
Australia is drafting a law that would impose a 2.25% levy on Meta, Google and TikTok’s Australian revenue if they do not reach voluntary news‑content deals with local publishers. Meta denounces the measure as a discriminatory tax and threatens to...
Security Bank, AC Health Team up for Health Care Financing
Security Bank Corp. has partnered with AC Health subsidiaries I.E. Medica and MedEthix to launch a Dealer Financing Program for health‑care dealers and distributors across the Philippines. The program provides short‑term revolving credit lines and inventory financing to improve liquidity and...
PhilGuarantee, Producers Bank Ink P1 Billion Housing Deal
PhilGuarantee, the state‑run guarantee agency, has signed a P1 billion (≈ $18 million) housing retail guarantee facility with Producers Savings Bank. The arrangement will back loans for up to 1,000 homes, each valued around P1 million (≈ $18,000), helping address the Philippines’ 6.4 million‑unit housing backlog....
Metro Retail Opens 83rd Store, Deepens Eastern Visayas Presence
Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. opened its 83rd store, Metro Naval, in Biliran province, marking its 12th outlet in Eastern Visayas. The new location combines a supermarket, department store and home‑lifestyle offerings, extending modern retail to a previously underserved area....
Visayas Grid Issues May Last 1 to 2 Years, Says DOE
The Philippine Department of Energy warned that the Visayas power grid will likely face supply shortfalls for the next one to two years as new generation and transmission projects lag behind rising demand. Peak demand can exceed 2,700 MW while current...
US Eyes New Tariffs on Phlilippines 59 Countries
The U.S. Trade Representative announced a proposal to impose additional duties of 10 to 12.5 percent on goods from the Philippines and 59 other economies that have not effectively blocked imports made with forced labor. The Philippines, already subject to a 10 percent baseline...
We Want Leaders Who Doubt – MVP
Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the MVP Group, told First Pacific’s 45th‑anniversary gathering that effective leaders must actively welcome doubt. He linked uncertainty to the need for forecasting, risk‑taking, and continuous innovation, citing his own experience growing First Pacific from...
Philippines Aviation Bucks Slowdown in ASEAN
The Philippines stood out in May 2026 as the only Southeast Asian economy to grow seat capacity, reaching 5.7 million seats—a 6 percent increase year‑over‑year. Low‑cost carrier Cebu Pacific drove the surge, boosting its own capacity by 16 percent to 2.64 million seats and...
Bamboo Goes Mainstream: BASE Highlights Sustainable Innovations at Worldbex 2026
Base Bahay Foundation (BASE) used the Worldbex 2026 expo in Manila to debut a full‑scale Worldbex Lab built entirely from its proprietary Cement‑Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT) panels. The installation attracted thousands of visitors among the 188,689 attendees, underscoring growing confidence...
CBS China Bank Savings Sustains Growth Momentum in Q1 2026
China Bank Savings (CBS) posted a net income of ₱631.2 million (≈$11.3 million) in Q1 2026, up 11.5% YoY, driven by a 20.4% rise in net interest income to ₱2.8 billion (≈$50 million). Total assets reached ₱217.3 billion (≈$3.9 billion) as loans grew 11.5% to ₱155.5 billion (≈$2.8 billion)...
Zeal Residences and the Rise of First-Home Communities in General Trias
SM Development Corporation (SMDC) launched Zeal Residences, a 6.5‑hectare first‑home community in General Trias, Cavite, offering over 2,000 low‑rise units aimed at young professionals and growing families. The project coincides with major infrastructure upgrades, including the CALAX Subsection 3 link, the LRT‑1...
ACEN Clinches Long-Term Revenue Deal in Australia
ACEN Corp secured a long‑term Capacity Investment Scheme Agreement (CISA) from the Australian government for its Birriwa Solar project in New South Wales. The development pairs a 600‑megawatt solar farm with a 2,400‑megawatt‑hour battery storage system, creating a sizable renewable...
ASEAN Milestone
The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) is poised to create a single digital market for 670 million people, covering data flows, payments, cybersecurity, e‑commerce and digital identity, with a target signing in November 2026. The framework could lift ASEAN’s digital...
Japan Backs Philippine’s Strategic Oil Reserve Plan
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has signed a cooperation agreement with the Philippines’ Department of Energy to develop a strategic petroleum reserve program. The partnership will include feasibility studies, technical assistance, and potential financing for new storage facilities...
Citystate Savings Bank Hikes Share Sale to P153 Million
Citystate Savings Bank (CSBank), a thrift bank under Union Bank and the Aboitiz Group, announced a private placement raising P152.9 million (about $2.8 million). The board increased the offering from P101.93 million to issue nine million common shares at P16.9888 each, representing roughly...
MREIT Gears up for Largest Asset Acquisition
MREIT Inc., the REIT arm of Megaworld Corp., signed an MOU to acquire 12 commercial assets covering roughly 303,500 square meters of gross leasable area. The deal, part of the company’s Wave 5 expansion, adds five lifestyle malls, six Grade A office...
First Gen Hydropower Investments to Yield P16 Billion Annually by 2031
First Gen Corp., part of the Lopez Group, announced a $1.13 bn (P62 bn) investment in Prime Infrastructure’s pumped‑storage hydro portfolio, acquiring a 33% stake in the 1,400‑MW Pakil and 600‑MW Wawa projects. The facilities, backed by a 20‑year government offtake contract,...
Filinvest Land, FILRT Included in ATRAM SDG Fund
Filinvest Land Inc. and its REIT, FILRT, have been added to the ATRAM Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund, the Philippines' first equity fund anchored on the UN SDGs. The fund selects about 20 PSE‑listed firms that embed ESG into operations...
Strategy for Growth: Premiumization
Robinsons Commercial Real Estate (RCR) is shifting its portfolio toward premiumized malls, now comprising 53% of its 1.15 million sqm gross leasable area, while offices account for 47%. The REIT’s market cap reached roughly $2.5 billion as of March 31, 2026, and it plans...
GoTyme Expands Employee Share Ownership Program
Digital lender GoTyme Bank announced it will extend its employee share‑ownership program to cover more than 90 percent of its staff. The expansion, pending regulatory approval, aims to give workers a direct equity stake, fostering accountability and a customer‑centric mindset. Such...
One Hope, One Team: We Hope Medical Group Unites for Compassionate Care
We Hope Medical Group convened its nationwide network of physicians, specialists, and health leaders for the "One Hope, One Team" assembly in Manila, reinforcing its mission to deliver dignified, patient‑centered care across the Philippines. Chairman and CEO Dr. John Paul...
Debt Servicing Climbs to $2.1 Billion in 2 Months
The Philippines’ external debt‑service bill jumped to $2.13 billion in January‑February 2026, a 32% year‑on‑year increase. Principal repayments more than doubled to $884 million, while interest outlays were essentially flat at $1.24 billion. The debt‑service‑to‑export‑shipments ratio rose to 17.5%, reflecting a higher burden...
Alsons Power Transitions Diesel Plant Into Solar Facility
Alsons Power, the Alcantara Group’s power arm, is converting its 55‑MW diesel plant in Alabel, Sarangani into a 98.7‑MWac solar facility. Phase 1, a 45‑MWac segment, has been awarded to Sinohydro and PowerChina Philippines under an EPC contract, and the project...
PNB Taps IBM versus Production Slowdowns
Philippine National Bank completed a two‑year core‑banking modernization with IBM, migrating its legacy mainframe from IBM z/VSE on z14 to the z/OS platform on IBM z16. The upgrade eliminated production slowdowns, cutting batch‑processing time by 75 percent—from 13 hours to...
Healthcare Outsourcing Philippines: How AI Is Redefining Patient Care Delivery
In 2026 the Philippines has evolved from a low‑cost health‑BPO destination to a hub for AI‑augmented clinical operations, a shift dubbed “Intelligence‑Augmented Care.” Vendors are moving from headcount‑based pricing to outcome‑aligned models, delivering up to 45 % lower claim denial rates...
RCR Readies More Mall Asset Infusions This Year
RL Commercial REIT Inc. (RCR) plans to boost its portfolio this year with additional mall asset infusions from sponsor Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), targeting two batches of properties. By the end of 2025, RCR’s holdings grew to 38 assets, delivering...
Now the Pain Begins
The protracted US‑Iran war is pushing global oil prices higher, straining the Philippines’ import‑heavy economy. Inflation surged from 4.1% to 7.2% year‑on‑year in April, prompting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to lift its policy rate to 4.5% and signal further...
‘P430 Billion Needed to Electrify Every Filipino Home’
The Philippines faces a $7 billion (≈P430 billion) gap to electrify roughly 2.7 million households, according to microgrid developer WEnergy Global. The company is already investing about $38 million (≈P2.1 billion) in 24 microgrid projects that will serve over 11,000 homes in Palawan, Cebu and...
Ayala Malls Expands Trinoma
Ayala Malls is adding a 40,000‑square‑meter retail and office wing, called The Exchange at Trinoma, to its Trinoma complex in Quezon City. The expansion creates an intermodal hub with direct links to the Unified Grand Central Station, connecting MRT‑3, MRT‑7...
SteelAsia Secures P1.25 Billion Loan for Green Initiatives
SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. secured a roughly $22.5 million green loan from Taiwan’s Cathay United Bank to fund its electric‑arc‑furnace (EAF) expansion and other low‑carbon initiatives. The loan, the first under SteelAsia’s Sustainable Finance Framework, supports working capital for green steel production...
Robinsons Logistix to Build FedEx Facility in Clark
Robinsons Logistix, through its joint venture RL Clark Logistix Inc., broke ground on a 78,000‑square‑meter, built‑to‑suit FedEx logistics hub at Clark International Airport. The 15‑hectare development, slated for completion in the first quarter of 2028, is 85% owned by Robinsons...
SM Offices Putting up P700 Million Clark Tower
SM Offices is investing roughly P700 million (about $12.5 million) to build Tech Hub Tower 11, a nine‑story, 20,000‑square‑metre office expansion in the Clark Special Economic Zone. The tower will sit above the SM Clark Skylink terminal and feature a 12,000‑square‑metre sky garden aimed at...
Lufthansa Expands Land Lease in Clark
Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) signed a lease for additional land at Clark International Airport, expanding its MRO footprint as it phases out line‑maintenance services in Manila. The move follows Philippine Airlines’ shift to in‑house maintenance and will trim LTP’s workforce...
COA Denies P1.5 Billion Money Claim by Insurance Firms vs Pag-IBIG
The Philippine Commission on Audit (COA) rejected a ₱1.503 billion (≈ $27 million) claim by a coalition of 43 private insurers seeking payment from the Pag‑IBIG Fund for alleged unremitted fire‑insurance premiums. COA ruled the petition defective for missing a forum‑shopping certification, lacking...
Tether Invests in LemFi to Promote Stablecoin-Powered Remittances Across Emerging Markets
Tether announced a strategic investment in LemFi, a cross‑border financial platform serving millions in Africa and Asia. The partnership will embed USDT as a settlement layer, aiming to replace multi‑day SWIFT transfers with near‑instant, low‑cost transactions. By combining Tether’s deep...
Over 20 Firms Interested in AI Hub Under Pax Silica
More than 20 companies have expressed interest in the 4,000‑acre artificial‑intelligence industrial hub slated for New Clark City, Philippines, under the US‑led Pax Silica initiative. The Philippine government confirmed the hub will operate under domestic law, rejecting a proposal for US...
Rooftop Solar
The Philippines is seeing a surge in rooftop solar as power costs soar and brownouts become routine. Bank financing has accelerated, with BPI’s solar‑loan portfolio jumping 89% to roughly $1.8 million in 2025 and installations now costing about $9,000 – cheaper...
US to Fund Sangley Airport’s Feasibility Study
The United States Trade and Development Agency has awarded funding to Cavitex Holdings for a feasibility study of the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Manila. California‑based The S‑A‑P Group will conduct the study, delivering air‑traffic forecasts, financial analysis, and...
Turning Trauma Into Hope
Project Petal, a youth‑led initiative in Mindanao, will run from Aug. 10‑21, bringing up to 50 volunteers from across Southeast Asia to deliver mental‑health awareness and peace‑building workshops. The program, organized by Sarangani youth leader Brelyn Mae “Azzy” Belmores, partners with RP Kapayapaan and the...
Piki Welcomes Olive Branch Extended by Lopez Majority
Tycoon Federico “Piki” Lopez welcomed a conciliatory gesture after the Lopez family majority withdrew a board resolution that would have removed him as president and CEO of Lopez Inc. The withdrawal opens a window for family talks, but legal battles...
BDO Sees Strong Loan Growth Despite Higher Rates
BDO Unibank reported a 16% increase in gross loans to PHP 3.8 trillion (about $63 billion) in Q1 2026, outpacing the industry’s 9.5% rise. The expansion was led by private‑capex financing and a growing consumer‑loan segment, which now represents 25.5% of the portfolio....
The Boss Needs to Know
A major cola CEO returned from an overseas expansion to report a failed market entry, blaming a cultural misstep that reversed the intended advertising narrative. The article uses this story to illustrate a broader leadership lesson: expertise in a product...
Bamboo Goes Mainstream: BASE Highlights Sustainable Innovations at Worldbex 2026
Base Bahay Foundation (BASE) showcased its Cement‑Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT) at Worldbex 2026, turning bamboo construction into a mainstream topic. The interactive Worldbex Lab, built entirely from CBFT panels, attracted thousands of visitors among the expo’s 188,689 attendees. BASE highlighted the...
Shell Allots up to P3 Billion for 2026 Capex
Shell Philippines is maintaining its 2026 capital expenditure between $36 million and $54 million, focusing on upgrading its import terminal and related infrastructure. The bulk of the budget will support terminal efficiency, while the remainder funds the expansion of the company’s mobility...
Globe Deploys New Solutions to Cut Service Interruptions
Globe Telecom is rolling out two network solutions—Automated Outage Response and Intelligent Traffic Management—to detect and mitigate service disruptions across the Philippines. The outage tool can preserve up to half of data connectivity during incidents, while the traffic system dynamically...
Landbank Loans to Agriculture, Rural Development Reach P909 Billion
The Land Bank of the Philippines reported that its loans to agriculture, fisheries and rural development reached P908.77 billion (about $16.5 billion) as of March, representing 58.4% of its total loan portfolio. The state‑run lender is expanding value‑chain‑based programs that cover post‑harvest...
Luzon Economic Corridor Draws in 7 New Countries
The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) has added seven new partners—Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom—to the original Philippines‑U.S.-Japan coalition. Launched in April 2024 under the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, the corridor targets...
Stamp Duty and Debt: Key Considerations
The Philippine Tax Code imposes a documentary stamp tax (DST) of 0.75% on the issuance of debt instruments, with a progressive rate of ₱40 (≈$0.73) for the first ₱5,000 and ₱20 (≈$0.36) for each additional ₱5,000. Revenue Regulation 19‑2025 clarifies...