Cebu reaffirmed its position as a model of foresight and inclusive progress during the 3rd Cebu Province Economic Forum, where leaders called for a decisive shift from resilience to readiness amid global and national uncertainties. Held on October 10, at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Social Hall, the forum gathered government officials, business executives, and policy […]

The diamond business is cracking—not just metaphorically, but economically. A gemstone once sold as a timeless store of value is now being remade in laboratories. The result isn’t imitation; it’s disruption. Lab-grown diamonds—chemically identical to mined stones—are upsetting decades of scarcity-based marketing and reshaping how consumers, especially younger ones, define luxury. Globally, the shift is […]

Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce is mobilizing the country’s fast-growing influencer industry — now home to more than 3 million content creators — to help local brands reach international markets through a strategic partnership with the Thai Influencer Association (TIA). Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD), said the initiative aims to strengthen […]

The Philippine economy is expected to remain among Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing over the next two years, supported by resilient domestic demand, easing inflation, and sustained government investment, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in its latest report. Gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand 5.6% in 2025 and 5.7% in 2026, broadly unchanged from […]

Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates received two major honors at the DOT Property Philippines Awards 2025, winning Best Industrial Developer and Best Industrial Development for TARI Estate for the second year in a row. The recognition highlights the company’s role in building sustainable, future-ready estates that create jobs, attract foreign investment, and support inclusive growth nationwide. […]

SM Prime Holdings Inc., through SM Supermalls, partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies to launch the first Sustainability Expo (SUSTEX 2025) at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig City. The two-day expo, held on August 29 and 30 with the theme […]

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association Inc. (SHDA) will convene the 33rd National Developers Convention on October 9 and 10 at the Rizal Ballroom, Makati Shangri-La. The annual gathering, which coincides with National Shelter Month, will bring together about 200 developers, policymakers, investors, and industry […]

Thailand and the Philippines—both maritime nations deeply intertwined with ocean resources—are embarking on contrasting journeys toward blue economic development. While both face mounting pressures from climate change, coastal erosion, and overexploitation of marine assets, Thailand is actively deploying innovative financing and governance tools, whereas the Philippines is still laying the legislative and institutional backbone needed […]

For a brief moment this year, the Philippines had something rare in the cutthroat world of trade policy: an edge over its Southeast Asian neighbors. When U.S. President Donald Trump rolled out his first volley of tariffs in April, Manila’s exporters got off relatively lightly with a 17% levy—less than half of what Cambodia and […]

When news broke that Philippine exports would face a 19% tariff entering the United States—while American goods would enter the Philippines tariff-free—it was met with understandable frustration. Social media buzzed with disbelief: “Bakit ganun? Lugi tayo ah.” For many Filipinos, the optics were clear—unequal and unfair. From business groups to small exporters and everyday workers, […]