Megawide Commits to Put up PITX-Like Baguio Bus Terminal
Megawide Construction Corp. will invest roughly $21 million to build the Baguio City Integrated Terminal (BCIT), a five‑hectare, PITX‑style bus hub slated for completion in the second half of 2028. The project targets decongesting downtown traffic by relocating bus arrivals from Marcos Highway to a purpose‑built terminal. Design challenges arise from Baguio’s steep, winding roads, requiring innovative engineering solutions. Megawide also commits to relocating 27 families displaced by the site and offering them construction or post‑completion employment.
DMCI Bags P16 Billion Contract to Build NAIA Subway Line
Infrastructure giant D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) and Japan's Taisei Corp. secured a P16.06 billion (≈ $287 million) contract to build the NAIA spur line of the Metro Manila Subway, adding $20.2 million and ¥7.03 billion (≈ $45 million) in foreign‑denominated payments. The award follows a two‑year bidding...
Urban Redevelopment
Ayala Land Premier will begin demolition of the 33‑year‑old Somerset Olympia Building in Makati after the remaining tenants vacate in July 2026. The developer plans to replace it with a 51‑storey, 45‑unit Park Villas tower that spans 610 sqm and overlooks...
KKR Postpones Sale of Majority Interest in MPIC Hospital Group
KKR & Co. and Singapore sovereign‑wealth fund GIC have postponed the sale of their 80% stake in Metro Pacific Health, the Philippines’ largest private hospital group. The delay stems from an inability to achieve the valuation the investors seek, a...
Telco Chief Champions AI-Enabled Customer Innovation, Organizational Transformation
Globe, one of the Philippines' largest telcos, announced a sweeping AI‑driven transformation at Mobile World Congress 2026. It became the first Philippine operator to create a Chief AI Officer role and launched an AI Innovation Hub aligned with the GSMA...
When Global Uncertainty Meets the Shopping Cart
Global geopolitical tensions and volatile oil markets are tightening consumer budgets, prompting shoppers to scrutinize prices and prioritize stability. At the same time, sustainability is shedding its niche image and becoming a practical, cost‑saving consideration for everyday purchases. Large Philippine...
Consumers Save More than P4 Billion via Retail Power
Philippine consumers saved roughly $77 million in 2025 by buying electricity through the competitive retail market, where rates hovered between $0.096 and $0.104 per kilowatt‑hour, undercutting utility prices of $0.101‑$0.108. Industrial users accounted for about 62% of the savings, while commercial customers...
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Southeast Asia saw sharp fuel price hikes in early 2026, with the Philippines posting a 54.2% increase, second only to Myanmar’s 55.4% surge. Thailand kept pump prices low by draining its Oil Fuel Fund at roughly $70 million per day, while...
Best Western Plus Sets P600-M Subic Hotel Expansion
Best Western Plus Hotel Subic announced a P600‑million (≈$10.8 million USD) expansion to add a new building. The project will add 120 rooms, commercial spaces, a three‑floor parking garage, restaurants and parks, extending the existing five‑storey, 94‑room property. Construction is slated...
Rice Imports Seen to Rise 15.9%, as Output Grows 0.4% – USDA
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service projects Philippines rice production to rise modestly 0.4% to 19.68 million metric tons in marketing year 2026‑27. Despite this slight gain, imports are expected to jump 15.9% to 5.10 MMT as the country lifts a four‑month import...
Jollibee Group Earns Highest Workplace Honor From Gallup
Jollibee Group has been awarded the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Awards with Distinction, the highest honor Gallup bestows for employee engagement and culture. The company also secured its fifth consecutive Gallup Engagement Award, underscoring a sustained people‑first approach. It is the...
Positioning the Phl in Asia’s Growth Story
At the Boao Forum for Asia’s 25th conference, leaders reaffirmed Asia’s role as the world’s primary growth engine, with its share of global GDP projected to reach 49.7% in 2026. The Philippines, positioned at the heart of Southeast Asia, is...
BSP Widens BOP Deficit Outlook
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has lifted its 2026 balance of payments (BOP) deficit forecast to $7.8 billion, or 1.5% of GDP, up from the earlier $5.9 billion estimate. The current‑account gap also widened to $20.3 billion, representing about 4% of GDP,...
BankCom Profit Hits All-Time High in 2025
BankCom posted a record net profit of PHP3.54 billion (≈$64 million) in 2025, a 17% jump from the previous year and nearly double its IPO‑year earnings. Gross revenues climbed 17% to PHP12.61 billion (≈$227 million), while net interest income rose 18% to PHP10.78 billion (≈$194 million)....
PLDT Ready to Block Roblox if Ordered
Philippine telecom giant PLDT, together with its wireless unit Smart Communications, announced it will block access to the online game Roblox if ordered by regulators. The move follows a request from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, which flagged Roblox...
Large US Agricultural Delegation to Explore Philippines Prospects
The United States is sending a record agricultural delegation of 58 firms and industry groups to the Philippines from April 13‑16, aiming to convert the 2024 Trump‑era trade agreement into real export growth. The Philippines, the 10th‑largest market for U.S....
Philippines External Position Improves as Net Liability Narrows in 2025
The Philippines narrowed its net external liability to $50.8 billion, or 10.4% of GDP, by the end of 2025, improving from $52.1 billion three months earlier. External assets grew 1% quarter‑on‑quarter, outpacing a 0.4% rise in liabilities, driven by higher reserve assets...
We Never Learn
The article reflects on the Israel‑U.S.‑led war in the Middle East and its ripple effects on the global economy, especially energy markets. It argues that the conflict’s resource‑driven motives are exposing a worldwide vulnerability to oil price shocks. The author...
Robotics Out to Revolutionize Construction Industry in Philippines
Magis X is launching robotic construction systems in the Philippines, teaming up with Danish 3D‑printing leader COBOD and global partners such as PERI, Holcim and General Electric. The technology uses robotic concrete extrusion guided by digital models to build structural...
BSP to Expand Credit Exposure Reporting
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced plans to broaden its Comprehensive Credit and Equity Exposures Report (COCREE) to cover non‑bank financial institutions, including savings‑loan associations, credit‑card firms, and government‑linked lenders. Reporting for the newly covered entities will begin for...
MTerra Solar Delivers 250-MW Power to Luzon
MTerra Solar, owned by Manuel V. Pangilinan, began delivering 250 MW of solar power to Luzon's grid, easing the Philippines' current energy emergency. The project also activated its first battery energy storage system tranche, providing up to 450 MWh of clean night‑time...
Cebu Pacific Eyes P368 Million From Sale of 2 ATR Aircraft
Philippine low‑cost carrier Cebu Pacific plans to sell two ATR‑72‑500 turboprops for at least PHP368 million (about $6.7 million), classifying them as assets held for sale. The aircraft, deemed inefficient for major hubs like Manila’s NAIA, will be disposed of before the...
Robinsons Land Expands Renewable Energy Use Across Office Portfolio
Robinsons Land has transitioned 15 of its office buildings in Metro Manila to 100% renewable energy, covering roughly 650,000 square meters of gross leasable space. The shift, completed through a partnership with MPower, a Meralco retail electricity provider, began in...
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...
Geopolitical Tensions to Recalibrate Property Market Behavior
The ongoing Middle East conflict is adding inflationary pressure to the Philippines, a net oil‑importing economy, by raising transport, construction and utility costs. Analysts say the shock will make developers and occupiers more cost‑sensitive, especially in the mid‑end residential segment...
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...
DA Digital Lending Push Aims to Unlock Rural Credit
The Philippine Department of Agriculture is overhauling farm financing with a digital lending system led by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council. The new Credit Fund Line channels money faster to rural banks, cooperatives and NGOs, while the Agri‑Credit E‑Portal 2.0 digitizes...
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...