Category: Philippines

Business

FROM LOCAL TO NATIONWIDE: Filipino Entrepreneurs Are Taking Homegrown Products Online — But the Real Secret to Scaling May Be Where They Started

MANILA, Philippines — For many Filipino entrepreneurs, the path to bigger markets is no longer about abandoning their local roots. Instead, more homegrown businesses are discovering that their communities, traditions and locally made products can become their biggest competitive advantage in the digital economy. A new wave of Filipino entrepreneurs is using e-commerce to take products that once served mainly local customers to buyers across the Philippines—while keeping the stories and communit

September 2, 2026

Philippines

More Than 10,000 Army Personnel Deployed for Historic BARMM Elections as Security Risks Come Into Focus

MANILA, Philippines — More than 10,000 Philippine Army personnel have been deployed across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as authorities mount one of the most closely watched election-security operations in the region’s recent history ahead of the September 14, 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections. The Army said 10,031 soldiers and CAFGU Active Auxiliary members from the 1st, 6th and 11th Infantry Divisions have been mobilized to support security operations surrounding t

September 2, 2026

Business

Cavite Takes Over Imus Retarding Basin as DPWH Says Major Flooding Has Sharply Eased

IMUS CITY, Cavite — One of Cavite’s biggest flood-control facilities is officially moving into its next phase, with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Japan International Cooperation Agency turning over the Imus Retarding Basin to local authorities—putting the long-term success of the massive project increasingly in the hands of local government. The 35-hectare floodwater catchment facility in Barangay Anabu 1-G can store about 1.12 million cubic meters of water, roughly equiva

September 2, 2026

Philippines

GSIS RETURNS ₱19 BILLION TO 700,000+ MEMBERS — BUT THOUSANDS MAY STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE

MANILA, Philippines — More than 700,000 government workers and other qualified GSIS members have already received a combined ₱19 billion in loan-payment refunds under the Government Service Insurance System’s Balik Ginhawa programs, giving families additional financial breathing room amid rising everyday expenses. As of August 31, 2026, GSIS said the refunds covered nearly 1.3 million loan contracts, bringing the pension fund closer to its ₱20-billion target before the enhanced Balik Ginhawa 2

September 2, 2026

Business

AFAB Locks In ₱1.36-Billion Water Deal for 25 Years—But One Number Shows How Big the Problem Really Is

BATAAN, Philippines — The Freeport Area of Bataan is preparing for one of its biggest utility upgrades in years, with a ₱1.358-billion public-private partnership aimed at rebuilding and expanding the economic zone’s aging water and sanitation network. The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) has entered into a 25-year Joint Venture Agreement with a consortium composed of Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. and FB Infrastructure Corporation, handing the private partners a long-term mandate to

September 2, 2026

Business

ROQUE’S MANILA GOLF ACCESS EXPLAINED: NDC Says It’s for Official Meetings — But Questions Over the Government-Owned Membership Remain

MANILA, Philippines — The National Development Company (NDC) has defended its decision to designate Trade Secretary Cristina Roque as its corporate nominee for access to the exclusive Manila Golf and Country Club, saying the arrangement is intended to support the performance of official duties and business engagements. In a statement to InsiderPH on Wednesday, Sept. 2, NDC said the designation could provide Roque with a venue to meet business leaders, investors and other stakeholders whose enga

September 2, 2026

Philippines

AFP Wants More Doctors and Nurses as Reservists—But the Recruitment Push Comes With a Bigger Challenge

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines is looking beyond traditional soldiers as it strengthens its reserve force, putting a growing premium on doctors, nurses and other licensed professionals whose civilian expertise could become critical when disasters, national emergencies or security crises strike. The AFP Reserve Command, or AFPRESCOM, is stepping up efforts to bring more medical and other professionals into the military reserve system, according to a September 2 report

September 2, 2026

Business

Filipino MSMEs Want To Hire More Workers—But Nearly Half Can’t Find The Right Talent

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino micro, small and medium enterprises are ready to expand their teams, but a stubborn talent mismatch is threatening to turn their growth ambitions into a hiring bottleneck. JobStreet by SEEK is stepping up its push among Philippine MSMEs through free job advertisements, artificial intelligence-assisted recruitment tools, business workshops and partnerships with local governments—part of a wider effort to make professional hiring more accessible to businesses that m

September 2, 2026

Philippines

JV Ejercito May Reassign Legarda’s 2027 Budget Hearings — But Her Absence Is Creating a Bigger Senate Problem

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Loren Legarda’s prolonged absence from the Senate could soon force a reshuffling of key assignments in the deliberations over the proposed ₱7.2-trillion 2027 national budget, as lawmakers race to keep one of Congress’ most important annual responsibilities on schedule. Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said the agencies assigned to Legarda for budget scrutiny may have to be distributed among other finance committee vice chairp

September 2, 2026

Philippines

Cebu City Suspends Face-to-Face Classes as Haze Pushes AQI Past 200 — But the Smoke May Not Be Gone Yet

CEBU CITY — Cebu City has suspended face-to-face classes as worsening haze from forest fires in Indonesia pushed air pollution across Metro Cebu into levels considered dangerous to public health, turning what initially appeared to be a hazy morning into a wider health and education concern. The suspension covers in-person classes at all levels in public and private schools in Cebu City as authorities move to reduce students’ exposure to elevated concentrations of fine particulate matter. The d

September 2, 2026