Beyond livability: What makes a city ‘lovable’

Inquirer.net - Oct 9, 2026

What drives people’s pride, passion and joy—in other words, love for a city? The qualities that inspire love may be viewed as intangible and unquantifiable. But there are identifiable attributes that make a city lovable, and city planners and local governments can shape those attributes to help cities and their citizens form an emotional bond.

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Paco shares life lessons from cool venture

Oct 11, 2026

Paco shares life lessons from cool venture

MANILA, Philippines — Addressing the 2026 graduating class of the University of Batangas (UB), Francisco “Paco” Magsaysay had one lesson to share with the young people who would be leaving the comfort and relative predictability of the academe for the uncertainty of the real and wider world. Resilience, said Magsaysay, the third in his family to

At 40, Hanabishi keeps up with the times

Oct 11, 2026

At 40, Hanabishi keeps up with the times

MANILA, Philippines — Forty years after finding its way into Filipino homes, Hanabishi is looking for a place in those of a new generation. What Jose and Conchita Ong began as a simple family business selling flat irons has grown into one of the Philippines’ more diverse and accessible appliance brands, becoming a staple in

As clock ticks on China’s commercial land leases, renewal plans allay investors’ concerns

Oct 11, 2026

As clock ticks on China’s commercial land leases, renewal plans allay investors’ concerns

Groundbreaking land-renewal policies recently announced in Guangzhou and Shanghai represent a step forward in stabilising China’s commercial property market and shoring up investors’ confidence amid Beijing’s efforts to revive the real estate industry, according to officials and industry analysts. The new rules governing the leasing of land for commercial and industrial use will also facilitate the issuance of exchange-traded real estate investment trusts (Reits), a financing tool that...

ERC approves Meralco’s rate hike after a decade

Oct 10, 2026

ERC approves Meralco’s rate hike after a decade

MANILA, Philippines — Consumers may have to brace for even higher power rates, as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) rate reset after more than a decade. In its decision, the ERC set a total revenue requirement of about P342 billion over the four years, a significant 36-percent cut from

Recto urges faster government spending ahead of El Niño

Oct 10, 2026

Recto urges faster government spending ahead of El Niño

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has urged government agencies to accelerate spending in the remaining months of 2026, particularly on programs to prepare for El Niño, his office said Saturday.

DBM orders project review ahead of 2028 budget cycle

Oct 10, 2026

DBM orders project review ahead of 2028 budget cycle

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) directed regional development councils (RDCs) to start reviewing and prioritizing projects as they prepare for the 2028 national budget. Consequently, they must submit endorsed proposals to national agencies by mid-December. The DBM and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) have issued joint guidelines

NRDC eyes P30B private investments to rehabilitate degraded forestlands

Oct 10, 2026

NRDC eyes P30B private investments to rehabilitate degraded forestlands

The Natural Resources Development Corporation (NRDC), the corporate arm of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is launching an initiative to rehabilitate degraded forestlands and turn them into productive agricultural and forestry estates through private sector investments.

ERC approves Meralco rate reset after 15 years

Oct 10, 2026

ERC approves Meralco rate reset after 15 years

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Saturday announced that it had approved Manila Electric Company"s (Meralco) regulatory rate reset for the first time in more than a decade.

DOLE: CALABARZON minimum wage up by P45 on Oct. 26, 2026

Oct 10, 2026

DOLE: CALABARZON minimum wage up by P45 on Oct. 26, 2026

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Saturday that a daily minimum wage increase of up to P45 has been approved for workers in the CALABARZON region.

Better protection needed as violent cryptocurrency robberies surge

Oct 10, 2026

Better protection needed as violent cryptocurrency robberies surge

Cryptocurrency’s promise of financial freedom carries a cost the industry must confront: growing wealth can make its owners more attractive targets for violent criminals. Protecting digital assets while treating the physical safety of their holders as a personal matter is an inadequate approach to financial security. The industry must take responsibility for designing products and services which account for the reality that people can be threatened into surrendering their assets. The rise in...

Gen Z overtakes older collectors as art market spending rebounds globally: report

Oct 10, 2026

Gen Z overtakes older collectors as art market spending rebounds globally: report

Gen Z high-net-worth collectors have overtaken older generations as the art market’s biggest spenders, with average fine art expenditure more than twice that of older collectors, helping drive a global sales rebound to nearly US$60 billion, according to the latest Art Basel and UBS market insights. The surge came as mainland China and Hong Kong continued to play pivotal roles in the global art market’s growth, according to the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026, released earlier...

Mixed pump price adjustments seen Oct. 13

Oct 10, 2026

Mixed pump price adjustments seen Oct. 13

MANILA, Philippines — Diesel products are on track for three consecutive weeks of rollbacks, while gasoline prices are expected to increase anew on Oct. 13. In an advisory on Friday, Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said diesel prices may decrease by P1.80 to P2 per liter, while gasoline may rise by P2 to P2.20 per

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