Category: Business

Business

The Forbes Park Parties Are Only Part of the Story: Who Really Is AJ Violago — and How Did Wawa Put His Name on the Business Map?

Anthony “AJ” Violago has long been a familiar name in Manila’s high society, appearing in society pages, diplomatic gatherings, charity events and high-profile celebrations. But beneath the Forbes Park parties and lifestyle headlines is a far more consequential business connection: the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, one of the Philippines’ major private-sector water infrastructure ventures. Public records and corporate announcements identify Violago as president and CEO of San Lorenzo Ruiz Bu

August 18, 2026

Business

Massive Cigarette Haul Stopped at Changi: 81,750 Cartons Bound for Mexico Were Not What They Claimed to Be

SINGAPORE — Singapore Customs has seized a staggering 81,750 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes after officers intercepted a suspicious consignment at a warehouse in the Changi Free Trade Zone, authorities said on Tuesday (Aug 18). The cigarettes were discovered during an inspection on June 9, when Customs officers examined a consignment that had been declared as cigarettes under a transshipment permit. The shipment was destined for Mexico. But the contents raised immediate suspicion. The ciga

August 18, 2026

Business

Cebu Startup Gets P2.9-M DOST Boost to Connect Farmers With Hotels—But Its Bigger Goal Could Change Philippine Agriculture

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A Cebu-based agritech startup is using science and technology to tackle one of Philippine agriculture's most persistent problems: getting farm products from producers to reliable buyers. ARKA Inc., an agricultural technology company founded in Cebu, has received a P2.9-million research grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to develop a system designed to strengthen the connection between farmers and institutional markets, including hotels. The proj

August 18, 2026

Business

Singapore Halts Construction Waste Exports to Malaysia After Johor Dumping Probe — But Who Was Behind It?

JOHOR, Malaysia — A cross-border waste controversy between Singapore and Malaysia has escalated, with Singapore suspending construction and demolition waste exports to Malaysia after authorities in Johor investigated allegations that construction debris from Singapore was illegally dumped near villages in Pontian. The latest development came after Johor’s Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) identified nine Malaysia-registered companies allegedly linked to the moveme

August 18, 2026

Business

Singapore’s S$700 ‘Pocket Rooms’: How Tiny Can a Rental Get? — and Is It Legal?

As housing costs remain a concern, some renters are choosing to give up a significant amount of floor space in exchange for a lower monthly bill and a location closer to work, transport and amenities. The result is a niche but increasingly visible segment of Singapore’s rental market: ultra-small rooms sometimes marketed as “pocket rooms.” Some are former utility rooms, bomb shelters or spaces originally designed for domestic helpers. Others are simply extremely compact rooms inside private ap

August 18, 2026

Business

A 1972 Coffee Recipe Is Suddenly Back in the Spotlight—Here’s Why DTI Is Betting on It

A coffee recipe dating back to 1972 is getting a fresh shot at the national market as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) features local brand Cremetowne Coffee at its MSME Hub in Makati City. The featured product is the brand’s locally produced kapeng barako, a distinctly Filipino coffee known for its strong and robust character. According to DTI, Cremetowne traces its coffee recipe to 1972, giving the product a decades-old story that the company is now bringing into a more convenient,

August 18, 2026

Business

₱12.3-M Irrigation Damage Hits Cordillera—But the Bigger Threat May Still Be Ahead

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The agricultural lifeline of parts of the Cordillera has taken another major hit as the combined effects of recent tropical cyclones and the enhanced southwest monsoon, or Habagat, damaged irrigation facilities in the region, with the National Irrigation Administration-Cordillera (NIA-CAR) estimating repair costs at ₱12.3 million. NIA-CAR Regional Manager Engr. Ronilio Cervantes said the agency has so far recorded damage affecting 253 hectares of agricultural land and

August 18, 2026

Business

Trump’s Indonesia Golf Resort Is Back in Business After Environmental Halt — But What Happens Next Could Be Bigger Than Golf

LIDO, West Java — A Trump-branded luxury resort project in Indonesia is moving forward again after months of uncertainty, with construction resuming inside the sprawling Lido Special Economic Zone (SEZ) south of Jakarta. The development, tied to the Trump Organization and Indonesian conglomerate MNC Group, had faced a major setback in February 2025 when Indonesian authorities ordered development work to stop over environmental and water-management concerns. Now, more than a year later, the pro

August 18, 2026

Business

DOLE Issues August Holiday Pay Reminder: Workers May Get Up to 260% Pay—Here’s Who Qualifies

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino workers and private-sector employers are being reminded to get their payroll calculations right as two nationwide holidays arrive this August, with different pay rules applying to August 21 and August 31. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said employers must observe the proper wage rules for Ninoy Aquino Day on Friday, August 21, 2026, and National Heroes Day on Monday, August 31, 2026. The reminder is particularly important for employees who are sche

August 18, 2026

Business

DOLE Internship Opens Government Career Door for Surigaonon Jobseeker—But Her Story Reveals What Experience Can Really Do

MADRID, Surigao del Sur — For Hilyn A. Estrada, landing a permanent government position did not happen overnight. It began with a temporary opportunity that gave her something many jobseekers struggle to obtain: actual experience inside government service. Estrada, a resident of Barangay Linibonan in Madrid, Surigao del Sur, joined the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Government Internship Program (GIP) in June 2024. Her assignment brought her to the Barangay Local Government Unit o

August 18, 2026