Rice Security Gets Boost with High-Tech Warehouses
The Philippines' National Food Authority (NFA) is modernizing a major rice warehouse in Camarines Sur with an automated ventilation system that uses LoRa‑enabled sensors to monitor temperature and humidity every five minutes. The upgrade adds a 16‑kilowatt solar power array and high‑capacity batteries, costing about $21,600 for ventilation, $25,000 for solar, and up to $66,000 for insulation, roughly $112,000 total. These investments aim to cut post‑harvest losses, preserve grain quality, and protect farmers’ incomes, supporting the Marcos administration’s broader agricultural reform agenda.
Pinoys Craving for Crispier, More Flavorful French Fries
Filipino demand for French fries is accelerating, driven by a growing appetite for crisp, high‑quality fries and adventurous flavors. Imports rose 3.6% last year to roughly $235 million, making the Philippines the world’s 13th largest fry importer. Lamb Weston is positioning...
Gokongwei’s RRHI to Exit PSE
Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI) will be voluntarily delisted from the Philippine Stock Exchange after JE Holdings, its largest shareholder, launched a tender offer worth P18.4 billion (approximately $330 million). The offer price of P48.30 per share represents a 23% premium over...
Emotional Intelligence at Work
The Philippine Star column highlights emotional intelligence (EI) as a critical workplace asset, outlining seven behaviors that emotionally intelligent professionals deliberately avoid. It stresses that restraint—pausing before reacting, sharing authentic feelings, and sidestepping gossip or grudges—builds trust and leadership credibility....
February Trade Deficit at 9-Month Low
The Philippines recorded a $3.68 billion trade deficit in February, the lowest level in nine months and down from the $4.27 billion shortfall in January. Export sales rose 8% year‑on‑year to $7.33 billion, driven by a 20.5% jump in electronic products, while imports...
Peso Hits All-Time Low of 60.55 vs $1
The Philippine peso closed at a historic low of 60.55 per U.S. dollar, extending a three‑day slide. The decline was driven by persistent global risks, especially elevated oil prices hovering around $95 per barrel, and a strengthening U.S. dollar backed...
Venture Capitalists Eye Philippines
Venture capital activity in the Philippines surged in 2025, with private‑capital funding rising about 34% year‑on‑year despite a regional downturn. Foxmont Capital Partners alone raised $1.5 billion, up from $960 million in 2023, and e‑commerce now accounts for 67% of the country’s...
FINEX Backs Energy Emergency, Calls for Full Transparency in Fuel Purchase
The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) welcomed the government’s declaration of a national energy emergency and urged full transparency in emergency fuel procurement, highlighting a recently announced P20 billion diesel purchase—roughly $363 million. FINEX emphasized that targeted, time‑bound measures are...
China Open to Reviving South China Sea Oil Talks, but Tells Philippines to 'Show Sincerity'
China signaled that its door remains open for joint oil and gas development in the South China Sea, but it told Manila it must first demonstrate sincerity before talks can resume. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. linked the renewed interest to...
Internet Connectivity Now a Basic Utility, Group Says
Internet services in the Philippines have become markedly cheaper, with mobile data dropping from over 2 % of gross national income per capita in the mid‑2010s to under 1 % today. Fixed broadband speeds have surged from single‑digit megabits in 2016 to...
D&L Sees Potential Supply Challenges as War Drags On
D&L Industries, the Philippines’ largest oleochemical and specialty plastics producer, warned that the ongoing Middle East war is creating supply‑access challenges as crude‑oil prices and raw‑material costs surge. CEO Alvin Lao said 2026 brings new uncertainties, with many suppliers invoking...
No Change in Borrowing Plan for Now – DOF Chief
The Philippines will keep its 2026 borrowing plan unchanged, targeting roughly $48 billion with 77% sourced domestically and 23% from abroad. The peso recently slid to a record low of 60.30 per dollar, heightening foreign‑exchange concerns amid the Middle East crisis....
‘Term Limit Dispute Coming at Wrong Time’
Philippine Stock Exchange chief Ramon Monzon said the SEC’s proposal to cap broker‑directors at a ten‑year cumulative term arrives at a precarious moment for the market, already grappling with economic headwinds and the Iran‑related oil price shock. The regulator is...
Strategic Stockpiles
The Philippines faces a looming crisis as the Strait of Hormuz disruption threatens oil‑derived fertilizer supplies, driving urea prices to roughly P1,500 (about $27) per bag. With no strategic fertilizer reserves and a rice supply gap of nearly four million...
Cash Donations: What Business and Donors Need to Know
The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 10‑2026, clarifying tax treatment for cash donations and mandating electronic filing of donor’s tax returns (BIR Form 1800). Donors must submit supporting documents within 30 days, and pure cash gifts are exempt...
Reasons Why Factories Actually Want You to Visit
Rey Elbo, who has toured over 250 factories across Japan, Spain and the Philippines, explains that manufacturers deliberately invite external visitors as a strategic marketing tool. By showcasing clean, disciplined operations they build credibility and attract potential clients, especially decision‑makers....
Moody’s Trims Philippine Growth Outlook to 4.9 Percent for 2026
Moody’s Analytics lowered its Philippine GDP outlook to 4.9% for 2026 and 5.2% for 2027, revising down from 5.1% and 5.4% respectively, while keeping the 2028 forecast at 5.3%. The new projections fall short of the government’s 5‑6% target for...
BSP Expands Online Access to PERA
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has broadened digital access to the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) through its Open Finance for PERA Pilot. Customers of GCash operator G‑Xchange, UnionBank, Philippine National Bank and RCBC can now open PERA...
When AI Stops Waiting to Be Asked
The article argues that artificial intelligence is moving from a reactive, prompt‑driven model to a proactive one that can anticipate needs and act autonomously. It highlights the current bottleneck of human bandwidth, where users must remember to ask AI for...
Open-Ended Debate
Generative AI is rapidly entering core business functions, promising massive economic gains. Analysts estimate it could add almost $7 trillion to global GDP and boost productivity by 1.5 percentage points over ten years. Adoption is soaring, with over one‑third of firms already...
How Tala’s Shivani Siroya Is Changing the Future of Credit
Shivani Siroya’s fintech firm Tala has grown from a 2014 startup to a global credit platform serving six emerging‑market economies. Leveraging alternative data and machine‑learning, Tala has extended roughly $7 billion in loans to more than 13 million underserved borrowers. The company’s...
Business Groups Back Term Limits for Broker-Directors
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines has drafted a memorandum circular that would cap broker‑directors' service on exchange boards at a cumulative ten years, with a mandatory two‑year cooling‑off after five years. Major business groups—including the Management...
Philippines Pitched as EV Manufacturing Hub for Chinese Firms
At the China International New Energy Vehicle exhibition, Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz invited Chinese EV firms to set up manufacturing in the Philippines. He highlighted a 67% surge in EV sales to 5,701 units in the January‑February period, a skilled...
GCash Enters International Money Transfer Market
Globe Telecom’s e‑wallet GCash introduced GCash International Transfers, enabling users to remit funds to bank and e‑wallet accounts in at least 16 countries. The service promises same‑day credit in most destinations and next‑day delivery to the United States, with a...
Economic Uncertainty and Digital Payment Infrastructure
The ongoing Middle East conflict has driven oil‑gas price spikes, heightening economic uncertainty across the region. In the Philippines, digital‑payment platforms have become a key buffer, with 72 % of consumer transactions conducted electronically in 2025 and a three‑fold rise in...
SMC Core Profit Soars to P79.6 Billion in 2025
San Miguel Corp (SMC) posted a 52% jump in core net income to P79.6 billion in 2025, driving total reported earnings to P94.7 billion. Revenue reached P1.5 trillion, buoyed by strong performance in food, spirits and infrastructure while power assets were de‑consolidated. San...
From Data to Decisions
RCBC, a leading Philippine bank, has partnered with Huawei, Keyrus and Microgenesis to launch Asia Pacific’s first hybrid‑cloud enterprise data platform for banking. The platform unifies transactional, behavioral and credit data, enabling real‑time fraud detection, predictive risk modeling and AI‑driven...
Keeping the Lights From Flickering
SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) operates four hydro plants totalling over 600 MW in Luzon, providing ancillary services that stabilize the Philippine grid. The company’s flexible, fast‑response hydropower supports frequency regulation, contingency reserves, and dispatchable power during peak demand. SNAP is expanding...
Wars Go High-Tech
The United States has begun field‑testing high‑energy laser weapons and leveraging space‑ and cyber‑based operations in its conflict with Iran, aiming to cut the astronomical costs of traditional missile interceptors. In the first week of hostilities, the Pentagon spent roughly...
Current Account Deficit Narrows to $16 Billion in 2025
The Philippines’ current‑account deficit shrank by 12.3% in 2025, falling to $16.3 billion or 3.3% of GDP, down from $18.6 billion in 2024. Strong export growth of 15.2%, led by electronics, machinery and minerals, offset a 5% rise in imports. Record remittances...
Maharlika Sticks to Investment Strategy Amid US-Iran Conflict
Maharlika Investment Corp (MIC) is keeping its investment strategy unchanged despite the escalating US‑Iran conflict, positioning the local mining sector as a hard‑currency buffer to protect the Philippine peso. The fund continues to pursue partnerships, including a renewable‑energy MoU with...
‘Natural Gas to Bring Down Power Costs’
The Petroleum Association of the Philippines urged greater use of indigenous natural gas to curb rising electricity costs amid a global oil crisis. PAP chair Donnabel Kuizon Cruz highlighted that power generated from the Malampaya gas field costs roughly P4.80...
DMCI Homes to Undertake Acacia Estates Upscaling
DMCI Homes announced a major upscaling of its Acacia Estates township in Taguig, targeting full implementation by 2028. The 130‑hectare development, with 66 hectares already built, currently hosts 14 residential projects, more than 10,000 units and roughly 25,000 residents. The plan...
The Quest for the Simple Life
Morgan Housel’s new book, *The Art of Spending Money*, shifts focus from wealth accumulation to the psychology behind how we spend. He illustrates that money often fails to deliver identity, contentment, or security, highlighting the role of expectations and social...
Wider Consultations Urged on Mobile Data Rollover Bills
CitizenWatch Philippines urges lawmakers to broaden consultations on pending mobile data rollover bills, supporting the consumer‑protection goal but warning that rules designed for fixed monthly plans may not fit the country’s promo‑driven prepaid market. They highlight risks such as loss...
Time to Take Stock and Prepare
The escalating Middle East conflict is pushing crude oil toward $200 a barrel, straining global markets. The Philippines’ strategic reserves only cover about 45 days, leaving the nation exposed to price shocks. A newly mandated four‑day work week will shift...
SEC Issues Guidelines for New Online Lending Platforms
The Philippine SEC released draft guidelines to end the 2021 moratorium on registering new online lending platforms (OLPs). The proposal outlines prudential, disclosure and market‑conduct standards, a single entity‑level certificate of authority, and a graduated asset‑based licensing fee effective 2027....
Record Q4 Performance Sets up Jollibee for Sustained Expansion
Jollibee Foods Corp. posted a record fourth‑quarter operating income, up 41.9% year‑on‑year, and full‑year revenue of P305.11 billion, a 13% increase. Net income rose 5.4% to P10.87 billion, while system‑wide sales grew 16.6% for 2025. The company opened a historic 1,126 new...
Crisis Leadership
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. warned that monetary policy has reached the limit of its effectiveness as the Philippine economy faces deep‑seated structural problems, not just liquidity shortages. Simultaneous shocks from oil prices above $100 per barrel...
Philippines to Import 250K MT Fish to Boost Stocks, Stabilize Prices
The Philippines Department of Agriculture approved a 250,000‑metric‑ton fish import program set to begin in August 2026, aiming to fill domestic supply gaps and keep prices stable. The plan reserves 10,000 MT for the government‑run Kadiwa program, allocates 80% to commercial...
A More Prudent Approach in Apportioning Input VAT Attributable to Zero-Rated Sales
The Philippine Supreme Court in G.R. 215159 clarified how input VAT attributable to zero‑rated sales must be apportioned. It ruled that the declared input VAT, not the substantiated amount, should serve as the allocation basis, limiting refunds to the lower of...
Global Disruptions Seen to Open Trade Opportunities for Asean – DTI
The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry says ongoing global disruptions – from the Middle East conflict to the US‑China trade war – are creating fresh trade openings for ASEAN. At the pre‑ASEAN Business Environment Forum (ABEF), DTI executive director...
Business Name Registrations Increase 6% in 2 Months
The Department of Trade and Industry reported a 6% year‑over‑year increase in business name registrations for January‑February 2026, reaching 367,757 filings versus 345,903 a year earlier. New filings comprised 299,921 of the total, with wholesale and retail trade representing 59%...
Megaworld Raises P945 Miilion From Sale of MREIT Shares
Megaworld Corp. raised P945 million by selling 70 million MREIT shares at P13.50 each, adding to prior REIT fundraises of P1.32 billion in December and P2.24 billion in September 2025. The proceeds support a P65 billion capital‑expenditure plan focused on provincial township expansion. MREIT posted...
Can You Apply Kaizen at Home?
The article argues that Kaizen, traditionally a workplace continuous‑improvement methodology, can be effectively applied to household routines. It offers concrete examples such as hanging towels horizontally to halve drying time and reorganizing a fridge to eliminate inventory waste. The author...
Philippine Factory Output Growth Slows in January
Philippine manufacturing output grew 1.2% in January, a slowdown from the 2% rise in December and the 3.2% gain a year earlier. The deceleration was driven by declines in food products, non‑metallic mineral products and transport equipment. Capacity utilization edged...
Gaisanos Taking over Keppel Philippines Properties
The Gaisano family, through Forward Synergy Group Inc., is acquiring an 86.83% stake in Keppel Philippines Properties for roughly P472.7 million. The deal includes a mandatory tender offer for the remaining 13.17% of shares at P1.8526 each, running from early March to March 31,...
Tanco Invests P1.04 Billion More in DigiPlus
Tycoon Eusebio Tanco invested an additional P1.04 billion in DigiPlus Interactive Corp., buying 63.12 million shares (1.4% of outstanding equity) at P16.40 per share. The purchase raises his direct holdings to 10.43 million shares and indirect holdings to 712.62 million shares, underscoring strong confidence...
BofA: Slowing Demand to Hit Philippines Growth
Bank of America projects Philippine GDP growth at 4.6% in 2026 and 5.0% in 2027, falling short of the economy’s 5.5‑6.5% sustainable range. The slowdown is driven by weak household consumption, softer private investment and a tapering of government disbursements...
BSP Flags Faster Inflation in February
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) projects February inflation to rise to between 2.3% and 3.1%, up from January’s 2% rate. Higher rice and fish prices, elevated petroleum costs and increased Meralco electricity charges are the main upward pressures, while...