SSS inks pact with DICT to expand social security coverage for freelancers

GMA Network - Oct 30, 2026

The Social Security System (SSS) on Friday announced it has signed an accord with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to expand social security protection for the country"s estimated 1.5 million freelancers and virtual assistants.

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Dali posts P1-billion capital deficit amid rapid expansion

Oct 30, 2026

Dali posts P1-billion capital deficit amid rapid expansion

Hard Discount Philippines Inc., the operator of discount grocery chain Dali Everyday Grocery, posted a capital deficit of P1.03 billion at the end of 2025, five years into its commercial operations in the country.

Connecting the gaps: Unilab Foundation strengthens mental health support for young Filipinos

Oct 30, 2026

Connecting the gaps: Unilab Foundation strengthens mental health support for young Filipinos

Today’s young Filipinos face challenges that go beyond the usual pressures of school, friendships, and family expectations. Generations Z and Alpha navigate a world shaped by social media, rapidly evolving technology, and economic uncertainty. While they are more digitally connected than previous generations, they also face emotional and psychological pressures that require greater understanding from

DA braces for costlier rice imports amid weak peso

Oct 30, 2026

DA braces for costlier rice imports amid weak peso

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is bracing for higher rice import costs as the peso continues to weaken against the US dollar, potentially adding pressure on local prices at a time when the country is preparing to import more rice to cushion the impact of El Niño on domestic production. Agriculture Assistant

‘Budget insertions’ alarm business groups anew

Oct 30, 2026

‘Budget insertions’ alarm business groups anew

MANILA, Philippines — Over 30 business and civil society groups demanded on Thursday that Congress ensure that no budget insertions lacking technical justification should be allowed to make it into the 2027 national budget, as they seek to avoid a repeat of the “ghost” and substandard flood control projects that had tainted previous appropriations. The

Evergrande liquidators sell controlling stake in property services unit for US$513 million

Oct 30, 2026

Evergrande liquidators sell controlling stake in property services unit for US$513 million

Liquidators of China Evergrande Group have agreed to sell a controlling stake in its property management arm to investment firm PAG for HK$4.03 billion (US$513.6 million), as they seek to recover assets for creditors owed US$46 billion. The sale of a 51.016 per cent stake in Evergrande Property Services could give the profitable business a new controlling shareholder after its parent used billions of yuan of its bank deposits as collateral for loans, leaving the company struggling to recover the...

SP Win Gatchalian renews call to suspend excise tax on gasoline, diesel

Oct 30, 2026

SP Win Gatchalian renews call to suspend excise tax on gasoline, diesel

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian renewed his call Friday for the suspension of the excise tax on gasoline and diesel to alleviate the plight of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers.

BSP sees October inflation to rise as fast as 8.1%

Oct 30, 2026

BSP sees October inflation to rise as fast as 8.1%

The country"s inflation rate could breach 8% in October, according to estimates by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Hong Kong banks face growing pile of repossessed homes as sales slow

Oct 30, 2026

Hong Kong banks face growing pile of repossessed homes as sales slow

Hong Kong banks are facing a growing backlog of repossessed homes as aggressive pricing by developers draws buyers towards new projects, leaving fewer buyers for second-hand properties being sold by mortgagees. The number of residential properties listed for sale by mortgagees rose 30 per cent in the third quarter to sit at 262 at the end of September, a four-quarter high, according to Centaline Property. The increase of 61 properties was the largest since records began in the fourth quarter of...

PH trade gap widens to $5.15B in September 2026

Oct 30, 2026

PH trade gap widens to $5.15B in September 2026

The Philippines' trade deficit continued to widen in September 2026 as growth of imports outpaced export growth, preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday showed.

Binance pledges to cover losses after US$6 billion crypto hack

Oct 30, 2026

Binance pledges to cover losses after US$6 billion crypto hack

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has pledged to cover all losses from a hack that it said drained around US$6.3 billion from its wallet. At that scale, it would be the biggest crypto theft on record, surpassing the US$1.5 billion stolen from Dubai-based exchange Bybit in February 2025, a theft the FBI attributed to North Korea. Binance said in a post on X on Friday that it had suspended all deposits and withdrawals while its team conducts security checks,...

CATL, BYD, Gotion to gain as fossil-fuel prices drive demand for battery energy storage

Oct 30, 2026

CATL, BYD, Gotion to gain as fossil-fuel prices drive demand for battery energy storage

China’s makers of energy storage systems, including Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Gotion High-Tech, stand to benefit as conflict in the Middle East keeps fossil fuel prices elevated, raising demand for their products in green energy projects, according to analysts. The tailwinds are expected to outweigh a slowdown in the local market, where weaker-than-expected demand has dragged stock prices in the lithium-ion battery supply chain down by more than 46 per cent over the past six...

Sy pitches P700-B plan to reduce PH power costs

Oct 30, 2026

Sy pitches P700-B plan to reduce PH power costs

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Henry Sy Jr. has pitched a P700-billion intervention to help ease the country’s high electricity cost over the long term: allow energy superhighway National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to invest in a nationwide chain of battery energy storage system (BESS) to stabilize supply. In a rare media chat, Sy, who chairs

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