Trending business topics in the Philippines, aggregated from Google Trends and major PH news outlets.
MANILA, Philippines — Ferronoux Holdings Inc. is seeking shareholder approval to nearly double its authorized capital stock to P1 billion as it moves ahead with a property-for-share swap and a private placement aimed at supporting its planned expansion and meeting public ownership requirements. In a disclosure on Monday, shell company-led Ferronoux said its board approved increasing
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Stock Exchange said Benjamin Co Ca & Co. Inc. is under involuntary suspension effective July 31, on an order from Capital Markets Integrity Corporation. In a memorandum issued to the investing public and trading participants, the PSE said CMIC imposed the suspension pursuant to its rules. READ: CMIC suspends stock brokerage Mount
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — Thailand is looking to expand its trade, logistics, and manufacturing presence in the Philippines, with the Subic Bay Freeport emerging as a strategic gateway due to its proximity to Thailand. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said Monday that a delegation led by Thai Ambassador to the Philippines Makawadee Sumitmor met with
@loganzapanta MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision striking down a “key enforcement” rule that allows the government to monitor commercial fishing vessels operating in Philippine waters. Before its voiding, Fisheries Administrative Order No. 266 required Philippine-flagged commercial fishing vessels to install vessel monitoring systems and
MANILA, Philippines — Two farmers’ organizations have asked the Tariff Commission to impose an additional 30-percent safeguard duty on imported rice, arguing that the continued surge in imports is hurting local producers. In a joint petition, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) and the Magsasaka Party-list proposed imposing the safeguard duty on top of the current
MANILA, Philippines — Local stocks rebounded Monday as easing global oil prices and renewed hopes for US-Iran talks lifted sentiment, though trading stayed subdued with many investors on the sidelines. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) climbed 1.58 percent, or 98.28 points, to close at 6,334.72. READ: Trump says US, Israel to hold off
MANILA, Philippines — Motorists will get a slight relief as diesel and gasoline prices dip by less than P1 per liter beginning August 4. At a Monday briefing, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said gasoline and diesel prices will decrease by 73 centavos and 60 centavos per liter, respectively. READ: Trump says US, Israel to hold off
MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank lowered its growth forecasts for the Philippines this year and in 2027, saying prolonged policy uncertainty and a spike in global oil prices have weighed on consumer spending, investment and employment. In its latest Philippine Economic Update released Monday, the Washington-based lender projected gross domestic product to grow 3.7 percent
MANILA, Philippines — GCash will soon let users pay QR transactions using linked Visa cards, eliminating the need to top up wallets as the fintech giant deepens its partnership with global payments firm Visa. Under the new “link-and-pay” feature, users can connect eligible Visa credit or debit cards to their GCash accounts and use them directly
MANILA, Philippines — Tight power supply has forced the Visayas grid into a three-hour yellow alert on Monday as more large coal plants remain offline. In an advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said the yellow alert would be in effect from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. READ: DOE vows better Visayas power before
Motorists will see lower pump prices this week, while households using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will have to pay more for cooking fuel this month, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
Marikina City 1st District Representative Marcy Teodoro has filed a bill prohibiting the pass-through of system loss charges to consumers and exempting system loss from VAT coverage.
The National Food Authority (NFA) has placed again 741,570 bags of aging rice stocks up for auction on August 12 after failing to attract buyers in the initial auction last June.
MANILA, Philippines — Switzerland-based cement giant Holcim Group is exiting the Philippine market after agreeing to sell its local business to China’s Huaxin Building Materials in a deal valued at about $807 million, the company announced on Sunday. This transaction will be completed in stages, as Holcim will initially sell a 67.623-percent majority stake to
Several labor groups, unions, and political parties representing workers on Monday filed a motion urging a Pasig City court to lift its order stopping the P85 minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region (NCR).
MANILA, Philippines — Economic growth in the Philippines likely slowed to its weakest quarterly pace in nearly two decades outside the pandemic, as war-driven inflation squeezed consumers and businesses while government spending remained hobbled by a recent corruption crackdown. Gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all goods and services produced in the country, likely expanded
For decades, the success of a mall was measured by familiar metrics: foot traffic, occupancy and retail sales. Those indicators remain important, but they no longer tell the whole story. As consumer expectations evolve and digital commerce continues to reshape how people shop, the question facing developers is no longer simply how to build better
MANILA, Philippines — Billionaire Manuel V. Pangilinan has expressed interest in native hydrogen exploration for his group’s upstream oil and gas firm PXP Energy Corp., even as the firm scrambles to get fresh funds to pursue several service contracts. “Yes,” Pangilinan, who chairs PXP Energy, said when asked about also considering the native hydrogen arena. READ:
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs may have exceeded its July revenue target, Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said, as stricter assessments of inbound shipments boosted collections. Speaking to reporters last week, Nepomuceno said the agency likely surpassed its P82 billion goal for the month, with reforms aimed at curbing smuggling and improving the valuation of imports
MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is encouraging more micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to incorporate their businesses, saying the move would give them access to fundraising opportunities in the capital market and support their long-term expansion. The appeal came during the agency’s three-day “Juan with SEC Caravan: Oportunidad Para sa Pag-Asenso
MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against a Facebook page allegedly posing as a licensed online lender by using the corporate identity of a registered lending company without authorization, cautioning that such schemes could expose borrowers to fraud and identity theft. In a public advisory, the regulator identified
MANILA, Philippines — State-owned firm National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) is seeking regulatory approval to increase the Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All), a fee collected from on-grid electricity consumers and meant to entice further investments in the renewable energy market. FIT provides guaranteed payments at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) for renewable energy plants. All qualified
MANILA, Philippines — Global logistics giant United Parcel Service Co. (UPS) is doubling down on its bid to launch cargo flights to Clark, this time even signaling that it is willing to give up existing services to Poland and Vietnam just to secure a slot at the Central Luzon gateway. In a July 31 application filed
ILLUSTRATION BY RUTH MACAPAGAL Let me start with the uncomfortable part. Almost every CEO and family business owner I speak with has done the same thing with artificial intelligence (AI): They delegated it. They handed it to information technology. They gave it to a task force. They asked someone junior to “look into it and
When families talk about succession, the conversation usually begins with leadership: Who will run the company next? That question matters. But for family companies that hope to last beyond the next generation, a more fundamental question deserves equal attention: Who will own the enterprise in the future, and under what rules? Leadership succession can usually
Could one of the most riveting boardroom dramas seen in corporate Philippines finally be nearing its finale? Investors seemed to think so. Lopez Holdings Corp. surged nearly 39 percent last week, with First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH) and ABS-CBN also joining the rally after reports that a strategic investor is in advanced talks to buy
Japan is expected to announce on Monday that it took joint action with the US to halt the yen's slide to 40-year lows and express its commitment to rare bilateral coordination that it hopes could mark a turning point for the currency.
MANILA, Philippines — Switzerland-based cement giant Holcim Group is selling its Philippine business to China’s Huaxin Building Materials in a deal valued at about $807 million, the company announced on Sunday. Holcim will sell an initial 67.623-percent stake to the Wuhan-based company for $527 million, avoiding an upfront payment of the full purchase price. Then, the
MANILA, Philippines — Inflation likely held steady in July as higher fuel and electricity costs largely offset lower food prices, keeping price growth well above the central bank’s target and reinforcing expectations that policymakers will keep interest rates elevated. Consumer prices likely rose 6.4 percent year on year, according to the median estimate of 14
The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 11 (DA-RFO 11) has shipped 17.2 metric tons of fresh produce worth about P800,000 to Saudi Arabia, marking another boost for the Davao Region's agribusiness sector.
The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) was directed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to refund P9.5 billion to its customers.
The implementation of the ₱85 wage hike in Metro Manila, which was supposed to take effect on July 25, will not push through for now. Why was it suspended?
JINJIANG—Just a two-hour drive from the sprawling SM City Xiamen —Fujian’s largest shopping mall complex and the Sy family’s crown jewel in China—lies an industrial city that cradled some of Southeast Asia’s wealthiest tycoons. Among them was the late Henry Sy Sr., a native son of Hongxi Village in Jinjiang, who had left at the
MANILA, Philippines — Asia Society Philippines mourns the passing of Ambassador Nicholas Platt, whose visionary leadership and lifelong commitment to strengthening ties between the United States and Asia left an indelible mark on the organization and on generations of leaders across the region. A distinguished American diplomat and statesman, Ambassador Platt served as Asia Society’s fifth
MANILA, Philippines — Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC), a listed clean power producer, is making sure its old solar panels find a new purpose: providing the brightest tables in schools. The company rolled out its EcoLoop, an initiative meant to repurpose end-of-life materials into assets that support CREC’s host communities. READ: CREC secures P4-B loan for two
The price of liquefied petroleum gas of Petron Gasul went up by P3 per kilogram on Saturday, August 1. Meanwhile, a rollback in the prices of diesel and gasoline may be expected next week, an oil industry source said.
(Conclusion) AI is like a child genius—capable of solving complex problems and achieving extraordinary things, but it still requires wisdom, judgment, and guidance to ensure its immense capabilities are directed toward the right purposes. This is where natural intelligence—the uniquely human qualities we possess—must guide the AI revolution. There are qualities that AI cannot truly
Which city do you love the most? More importantly, what made you fall in love with it? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index ranks the world’s most livable cities. Western Europe and Australia consistently dominate the list, with Copenhagen, Vienna, Sydney, and Melbourne occupying the top positions. In Asia, Osaka and
Filipinos have shown resilience beyond measure, rising from one disaster after another. This same strength, however, could also help the Philippines stand out in a world now increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This was a point raised by architect Gil L. Coscolluela, a judge at the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards. In an
The Philippines enters the second half of 2026 with its real estate industry navigating unusual conditions. Lobien Realty Group breaks down the outlook into three economic scenarios that show how the Iran war could affect the sector for the rest of the year. These scenarios—which are now being tested by an actual cycle of escalation
A boutique luxury hotel is always at the top of my list when planning a trip. I have never been the typical hotel-chain type. It’s something I look forward to, especially since it is related to my work and can count as part of “research.” Boutique hotels have a charm that conventional hotels often lack.
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The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is said to meet with transport groups on Monday to discuss their petitions for a fare hike amid rising fuel costs.
The local government of Valenzuela City announced on Saturday that it will provide public utility vehicle drivers with a P 1,000 fuel subsidy amid the rising cost of pump prices.
MANILA, Philippines — Inflation likely remained stubbornly high in July, with elevated fuel and electricity costs and the effects of the peso’s depreciation keeping price pressures well above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) target. The central bank said consumer prices likely rose between 5.6 percent and 6.6 percent from a year earlier. READ: Inflation eases
MANILA, Philippines — The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) reported stronger first-half earnings as its assets surpassed P2 trillion, underscoring the continued growth of the state pension fund for government workers. In a statement on Friday, GSIS said it netted P94.75 billion, up 28 percent from a year earlier. The figure already accounts for 72
MANILA, Philippines — Business sentiment improved in June as easing oil prices offered firms some relief, though optimists and pessimists were evenly split. The business confidence index rose to zero from -25.2 percent in May, according to a survey of 515 firms conducted between June 5 and 30. READ: Business confidence sank further in April A
MANILA, Philippines — Bank lending slowed to its weakest pace in four months in June as businesses and households grew more cautious about taking on debt, reflecting mounting anxiety over an economy facing multiple headwinds. Loans from big banks rose 9.8 percent from a year earlier to P14.9 trillion, latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is now better positioned to compete for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing investments as it seeks to become a regional production hub, the country’s trade and finance chiefs said. This was after President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 121 on July 29, operationalizing the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (Evis), a P60-billion fiscal
MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) posted a slightly higher net income in the first half of 2026 as growth in its lending business and stable margins helped cushion the impact of volatile financial markets and higher provisions. On Friday, the Ty-led bank reported a net income of P24.9 billion for the January-to-June
MANILA, Philippines — DoubleDragon Corp. is setting up a $300-million hospitality real estate investment trust (REIT) in Singapore as the listed property developer seeks to unlock value from its growing Hotel101 portfolio and support the global expansion of its hospitality business. On Friday, the company founded by tycoons Tony Tan Caktiong and Edgar “Injap” Sia
Fuel prices have already reached record highs in the past few months since the United States and Israel"s attacks prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, but a new threat is emerging which may worsen the global oil crisis.
Oil prices rose on Friday after Iran said it had stopped two vessels seeking to exit the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring concerns over global energy supplies following a drone attack on ships in a Mediterranean Egyptian port this week.
While the figure may sound alarming, a growing national debt is not automatically a bad thing. What matters is why the government is borrowing, how the money is spent, and whether it can continue paying its obligations. What is government debt?
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Friday that employers must pay their employees according to the approved minimum wage hike that was earned before the Pasig Regional Trial Court"s issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO).