Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Business

LaunchStrong Has Helped 150+ Filipinos Build E-Commerce Brands — But Launching Is No Longer the Hard Part

MANILA, Philippines — Starting an online store in the Philippines has arguably never been easier. Turning one into a profitable business that survives rising competition, platform costs, logistics headaches and relentless customer-acquisition expenses is another matter entirely. That widening gap between launching a product and building a sustainable company is what Philippine-founded e-commerce mentorship program LaunchStrong is attempting to address as it marks its first year. Founded in 202

September 4, 2026

Business

Singapore HDB Million-Dollar Sales Hit Record 201 in August — Even as Overall Resale Market Cools

SINGAPORE — Singapore's million-dollar HDB market has crossed a new psychological milestone, with 201 resale flats changing hands for at least S$1 million in August — the first time monthly transactions have surpassed 200. The record came despite a broader cooling in resale activity. A total of 2,524 HDB resale flats were transacted in August, down 5.1% from 2,660 in July, according to data from 99.co and SRX. Yet the number of seven-figure transactions moved in the opposite direction, rising

September 4, 2026

Uncategorized

Bacolod BFP Gets 4 New Rescue Boats as City Boosts Flood Response

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Four brand-new rescue boats have been turned over to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod City, strengthening the city's ability to respond to flooding and other water-related emergencies as the rainy season continues. The six- to eight-passenger boats were procured by the Bacolod City Government using its 20-percent share from Fire Code fees, according to a report released by the Philippine News Agency on September 4, 2026. Bacolod City Fire Marshal Supt. Je

September 4, 2026

Business

Bedok Condo Site Sells for Record S$1.42 Billion — New Homes Could Launch Near S$3,000 PSF

SINGAPORE — A prime residential site in Bedok has set a new record for Singapore's suburban property market after developers committed more than S$1.4 billion for the land, raising the prospect that future condominium units could launch at prices approaching S$3,000 per square foot. The New Upper Changi Road Government Land Sale (GLS) site attracted four bids when its tender closed on September 1, with a consortium comprising UOL Group, CapitaLand Development and Singapore Land emerging as the

September 4, 2026

Uncategorized

Negros Pollution Watch Gets a Major Push as First Regional PCO Summit Set — Here’s What’s at Stake

BACOLOD CITY — Pollution control officers (PCOs) from across Negros and Siquijor are set to converge in Bacolod City next month for what organizers describe as the first PCO summit in the Negros Island Region (NIR), putting environmental compliance, emerging technologies and pollution-control solutions under the spotlight. The two-day summit will be held on October 15 and 16, 2026, in Bacolod City, bringing together pollution control officers, environmental practitioners, industry representativ

September 4, 2026

Business

PNB Holdings Turns ₱80.9-B Legacy Property Portfolio Green — Just Weeks Before Its PSE Debut

MANILA, Philippines — PNB Holdings Corp. is trying to prove that some of Metro Manila’s aging corporate landmarks do not need to be torn down to stay valuable. Instead, the Lucio Tan-linked property company is betting on renewable electricity, lower energy consumption, water recycling, technology-driven waste management and adaptive reuse to extend the commercial life of a property portfolio recently valued at around ₱80.9 billion. And the timing is significant. The sustainability drive is ac

September 4, 2026

Uncategorized

Habagat May Stay Until End of September, PAGASA Warns—But Rainfall Could Ease

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should not expect the southwest monsoon or “Habagat” to disappear anytime soon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Friday that Habagat is likely to continue affecting the country until the end of September, although rainfall is expected to be generally less intense than what the country experienced in recent weeks. PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando said the relatively lower rainfall outlook is par

September 4, 2026

Business

Taiwan Could Switch On Stablecoin Rules in Q1 2027 — But the Bigger Question Is Who Will Control Its Digital Money

TAIPEI — Taiwan is moving closer to one of the biggest overhauls of its cryptocurrency market yet, with regulators preparing rules that could bring stablecoins, crypto exchanges, custody providers and other virtual-asset businesses under a far more comprehensive licensing system as early as the first quarter of 2027. Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Peng Jin-lung said the regulator is actively preparing nine sets of supplementary regulations under Taiwan’s newly enacted Virtual Asset S

September 4, 2026

Business

Cebu’s Daily Brownouts Are Hammering Business — But the Bigger Threat May Be What Investors Do Next

CEBU CITY — Cebu’s worsening power shortage is rapidly turning from an electricity problem into an economic threat, with business leaders warning that recurring rotational brownouts could raise operating costs, disrupt factories and supply chains, discourage new investment and ultimately put jobs and growth at risk. The pressure intensified again on Friday, September 4, as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Visayas grid under red alert from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., with only

September 4, 2026

Uncategorized

ASEAN Targets $6.8 Trillion Wellness Economy as Philippines Pushes for Unified Regional Strategy

MANILA, Philippines — Southeast Asia is being urged to stop treating wellness and health tourism as separate national industries and instead build a unified regional identity capable of competing for a share of the world's rapidly expanding $6.8 trillion wellness economy. The call came Friday as the Philippines hosted the ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit in Pasay City, where business and government leaders argued that closer regional cooperation could unlock a much larger economic

September 4, 2026