Category: Business

Business

Cebu’s MSMEs Have the Products and the Buyers—But Business Leaders Say One Missing Link Is Holding Them Back

CEBU CITY — Filipino entrepreneurs may already have the products customers want. The bigger problem, Cebu business leaders say, is getting those products through the doors of supermarkets, major corporations, government procurement programs and eventually overseas markets. That challenge took center stage as business groups called for a shift from simply showcasing micro, small and medium enterprises at trade fairs to actively connecting them with buyers, corporate supply chains and export oppo

September 2, 2026

Business

DTI Chief Cristina Roque’s Manila Golf Move Raises Eyebrows—But the Real Question Is Who Owns the Share

MANILA, Philippines — Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque is reportedly seeking access to the exclusive Manila Golf and Country Club through a corporate share held by the government’s National Development Company (NDC), a move that is now drawing attention among club members. According to an InsiderPH report published September 2, 2026, an internal notice at Manila Golf identified Roque as the NDC nominee who would use the government corporation’s corporate access to the prestigi

September 2, 2026

Business

San Miguel, Aboitiz Lead Meralco’s 600-MW Power Race at ₱5.36/kWh — But the Deal Isn’t Won Yet

MANILA, Philippines — Two San Miguel Global Power companies and an AboitizPower-controlled generator have moved to the front of the race for one of Meralco’s biggest long-term electricity supply contracts, after submitting the three lowest offers for a combined 600 megawatts of baseload power. But despite the headline-grabbing prices, the contest is not officially over. Mariveles Power Generation Corp. (MPGC) submitted the lowest total levelized cost of electricity at ₱5.3573 per kilowatt-hour

September 2, 2026

Business

SM Malls Hit Record ₱41.8B Revenue as Filipinos Keep Coming Back — But One Number Tells a Different Story

MANILA, Philippines — At a time when inflation, cautious household spending and economic uncertainty are forcing consumers to think twice before opening their wallets, SM Supermalls has delivered a striking counterpoint: Filipinos are still going to the mall — and businesses are still competing for space inside them. SM Supermalls generated a record ₱41.8 billion in mall revenue during the first half of 2026, an 8% increase from ₱38.6 billion a year earlier, according to figures reported by Ins

September 2, 2026

Business

Razon Makes a Major Move at Prime Infra—Then Brings in a Former BP Chief

MANILA, Philippines — Billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. is strengthening the leadership of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) with the appointment of former BP chief executive Tony Hayward to its board of directors—a move that signals the Philippine conglomerate’s increasingly global ambitions in the energy sector. Hayward joined the Prime Infra board effective August 10, 2026, while continuing to serve as executive chairman of SierraCol Energy, the Colombian oil and gas company acquir

September 2, 2026

Business

Singapore Bets S$112 Million on Smarter, Greener Buildings — And a Major Rule Change Is Coming

SINGAPORE — Singapore is putting another S$112 million behind the future of its built environment, with the government targeting smarter construction, greener buildings and technology-driven site supervision as the city-state prepares for increasingly complex urban projects. The five-year investment, announced by National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat at International Built Environment Week 2026 on Sept. 2, will support research, development and the commercialisation of technologies that c

September 2, 2026

Business

Yishun 10 Will Close in March 2027 — But What Rises ere by 2031 Could Change Yishun Central Forever

SINGAPORE — A familiar landmark in Yishun is set for a major transformation. Yishun 10, Singapore’s first cinema multiplex, is expected to cease operations on March 2, 2027, as Frasers Property moves ahead with plans to redevelop the site into a new mixed-use development. The redevelopment will replace the existing cinema and retail complex with about 110 residential units, a street-level retail podium and a landscaped facilities deck on the second storey. The new project is targeted for comple

September 2, 2026

Business

Shein Founder Sky Xu Finally Steps Into The Spotlight—But His Silence at The Hong Kong Ipo Says a Lot

HONG KONG — Shein founder and CEO Xu Yangtian, better known as Sky Xu or Chris Xu, finally appeared at one of the biggest public milestones in his company’s history—but stayed remarkably far from the spotlight. As Shein began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 1, Xu attended the listing ceremony and later appeared for photographs with employees. But unlike many founders at a major IPO, he did not deliver a speech and did not take part in the traditional gong-striking ceremony

September 2, 2026

Business

Japan Wants Hypersonic Missiles Under the Sea — But One Decision Could Push Its Defense Strategy Into Uncharted Territory

TOKYO — Japan is preparing to take one of its biggest military technology leaps in decades: putting hypersonic strike weapons beneath the waves. But behind the futuristic missiles, submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles lies a much bigger question — one that reaches far beyond Japan’s rivalry with China. How close could these new capabilities eventually bring Japan to possessing the building blocks of a sea-based nuclear deterrent? For now, the answer requires an important distinction.

September 2, 2026

Business

OpenAI Says Its Next AI Model Is So Powerful It Needs New Guardrails — Here’s What Astra Can Do

SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI is preparing to release a new artificial intelligence model that the company says has become capable enough to require a higher level of security protection before wider deployment. The model, called Astra, has demonstrated cybersecurity capabilities that OpenAI classifies as “Critical” under its internal Preparedness Framework — a threshold that had previously remained theoretical. According to OpenAI and reporting by Reuters, internal testing found that Astra can ident

September 2, 2026