ShopSM, Penshoppe, Bench among top Asian retailers

Philstar - Sep 30, 2026

Local retail powerhouses ShopSM, Penshoppe and Bench made it to the inaugural Brand Conviction Index: Asia’s Top 100 Retailers.

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China wants 5 innovative drugs with US$1 billion returns by 2030. Which might they be?

Oct 10, 2026

China wants 5 innovative drugs with US$1 billion returns by 2030. Which might they be?

The increasing global appeal of Chinese firms’ novel therapies has propelled the country’s rise as a biomedical powerhouse, but China has yet to produce a drug to rival all-time best-selling Western blockbusters in sales. Beijing has set ambitious new five-year targets to boost its global presence, including at least five products with annual global sales surpassing US$1 billion by 2030. The goal is achievable, according to some analysts. Jefferies’ head of Asia healthcare research Cui Cui noted...

A new view of city living along C5

Oct 9, 2026

A new view of city living along C5

Property investment typically comes down to two considerations: the advantages a location offers today and the value it can still create over time. Along Metro Manila’s C5 corridor, both are increasingly evident. Thriving growth corridor A few years ago, C5 Road was still regarded as an emerging proposition—one of the capital’s fringe addresses taking shape

The Filipino housing dream is changing, and that’s not a bad thing

Oct 9, 2026

The Filipino housing dream is changing, and that’s not a bad thing

(First of two parts) For generations of Filipinos, the formula was almost instinctive: Finish school. Get a job. Get married. Have children. Buy a house. For many families, the house was proof that years of hard work had finally produced something tangible. It was where children would grow up, where family reunions would happen, where

Boosting AI-driven search performance in Southeast Asia with a smart regional marketing strategy

Oct 9, 2026

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ASEAN consumers increasingly use AI tools like ChatGPT for product research, shifting visibility challenges from Google rankings. Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) now structures content for AI citation and recommendation, becoming essential for foreign businesses entering Southeast Asian markets competing for consumer decision-making visibility.

SEC proposes exchange-led oversight of green equity labels

Oct 9, 2026

SEC proposes exchange-led oversight of green equity labels

MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seeking comments on proposed revisions to Philippine Green Equity guidelines that would put exchanges in charge of granting and monitoring the label for qualifying listed companies. The draft would task exchanges with evaluating applications, accrediting external reviewers, and checking issuers’ continued compliance, subject to SEC oversight.

WTO sees rosier trade in ‘26 as AI shipments boom

Oct 9, 2026

WTO sees rosier trade in ‘26 as AI shipments boom

MANILA, Philippines — The World Trade Organization (WTO) has more than doubled its global merchandise trade growth forecast for 2026, as surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) equipment, particularly from Asian manufacturers, has outweighed disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East. In its latest Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report, the Geneva-based organization

DA urges youth to take up farming

Oct 9, 2026

DA urges youth to take up farming

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging the new generation of Filipinos to return to farming, stressing that distributing land, loans, or subsidies alone will not resolve the issue of an aging farm workforce. “For the Philippines, generational renewal in agriculture and fisheries is not simply about replacing an aging generation,” Agriculture Assistant

BIR abatement program draws 2,379 micro taxpayers in 3 months

Oct 9, 2026

BIR abatement program draws 2,379 micro taxpayers in 3 months

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 2,379 micro taxpayers have availed of the One-Time Abatement Program of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as of Oct. 3, with total tax liabilities and penalties abated reaching P149.35 million. These taxpayers filed 10,229 applications under the program, of which 8,464 have so far been approved. Of the

BIR warns taxpayers against fake ORUS website

Oct 9, 2026

BIR warns taxpayers against fake ORUS website

MANILA, Philippines —The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) warns taxpayers against accessing orus.ph, a website that appears to imitate its Online Registration and Update System (ORUS). The website may expose users to suspicious pop-ups, unfamiliar prompts, or other potentially unsafe content that could pose privacy and cybersecurity risks. Taxpayers are strongly advised not to access

Megawide shifts P1.23B in bond proceeds to 4PH housing

Oct 9, 2026

Megawide shifts P1.23B in bond proceeds to 4PH housing

MANILA, Philippines — Saavedra-led Megawide Construction Corp. is redirecting P1.23 billion in unused bond proceeds from transport-centric developments to housing projects under the government’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program. Its board approved the reallocation on Friday, Oct. 9, according to a stock exchange disclosure. READ: Megawide bags P13B in new gov’t housing contracts The

PSEi rebounds to 5,700 as bargain hunters return

Oct 9, 2026

PSEi rebounds to 5,700 as bargain hunters return

MANILA, Philippines — Local stocks rebounded Friday as investors bought beaten-down shares. Meanwhile, a pause in the peso’s slide offered some relief to market sentiment. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) climbed 1.61 percent, or 90.60 points, to close at 5,700.99, partially reversing Thursday’s 2.2-percent decline. READ: Peso sinks to fresh record low of

No sign of reenacted budget yet, says DBM

Oct 9, 2026

No sign of reenacted budget yet, says DBM

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has yet to see any sign of a reenacted budget for 2027, amid concerns that the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could delay legislative deliberations. “We’re working closely with Congress to ensure that the process keeps moving forward. We haven’t seen any signs

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