April is National Filipino Food Month, or “Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino,” dedicated to preserving and promoting the Philippines’ culinary heritage. Established in 2018 through Presidential Proclamation No. 469, the month-long observance honors the farmers, fishers, and cooks who sustain these traditions. Filipino cuisine blends indigenous flavors with foreign influences. Spanish traders in the 16th century […]

The Philippines has once again cemented its presence on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List, with 15 Filipino tycoons making the prestigious ranking in its 2025 edition. Led by property magnate Manuel Villar, whose net worth surged to $17.2 billion, the list reflects the economic powerhouses shaping industries from real estate to retail. Villar, 75, maintains his […]

Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) is redefining savings with the launch of OptiSaver Plus, an enhanced version of its high-interest OptiSaver account. Designed to help Filipinos grow their wealth, this upgraded account offers tiered interest rates and free insurance coverage for added financial security. The OptiSaver Plus account includes life insurance that scales with […]

Filipino Muslims are officially observing Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast) today, March 31, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. This announcement was made on Sunday by Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani, who confirmed that moon-sighting teams from the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta had observed the Shawwal crescent moon across various […]

The Hong Kong Lasallian Family is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Lasallian Mission in Hong Kong throughout 2025, honoring its legacy of education and service. Under the theme “150 Years of Touching Hearts, Teaching Minds, and Transforming Lives,” the yearlong commemoration bridges the past and present, reaffirming the mission’s dedication to educating young people, […]

Alexandra “Alex” Eala stunned the tennis world with a historic run that defied expectations and cemented her place among the sport’s rising stars. The 19-year-old Filipino sensation, ranked outside the world’s top 100, pulled off a string of electrifying upsets—including a victory over five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek—to become the first Filipino to reach […]

GCash, the Philippines’ top mobile wallet, is expanding its digital financial offerings by integrating Circle’s USDC, a fully reserved digital dollar. The move provides millions of GCash users with seamless access to a stable digital asset for transactions, savings, and remittances through the app’s GCrypto feature. USDC is backed 1:1 by cash and cash-equivalent assets […]

The Philippine insurance industry reported robust performance in 2024, with double-digit growth across key metrics, according to year-end data from the Department of Finance (DOF). Benefit payouts rose 18.97% to P160.33 billion ($2.86 billion), driven by an increase in claims. Net income climbed 15.88% to P56.29 billion (US$1 billion), marking the third consecutive year of […]

The Philippine construction industry presented contrasting trends at the start of the year, with a significant drop in building permits but strong growth in construction value and floor area, according to preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Approved building permits fell sharply by 14.6% year-on-year to just 12,526 in January 2025, continuing […]

Toxics watchdog BAN Toxics is warning parents and children against buying a Roblox-inspired toy found to contain dangerous levels of lead and other hazardous chemicals. In a recent market monitoring activity, the group purchased a mini-action figure from a Quezon City street vendor and tested it using an XRF analyzer. Results showed lead levels up […]