Philippines Business News

BPI profit slips to P32.8 billion in H1

Bank of the Philippine Islands saw its net income slip in the first half as a sharp rise in credit-loss provisions and higher operating costs offset double-digit revenue and loan growth.

CREC gets P4 billion loan from Landbank

Saavedra-led Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. has secured P4.05 billion in financing from state-run Land Bank of the Philippines for its two integrated solar projects in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

DA: Better farm data collection leads to higher agriculture production

Fragmented data has long plagued the country’s agriculture sector, leaving farmers, policymakers and traders to navigate scattered figures that blur the true state of the country’s farm sector.

ERC rejects Meralco-SMC power supply deal

The Energy Regulatory Commission has thumbed down Manila Electric Co. planned procurement of a 200-megawatt baseload power supply from San Miguel Corp.

Forest Lake posts record P5.5 billion sales in 2025

Forest Lake Development Inc., the Philippines’ leading memorial park developer with Total Memorial Care, achieved another milestone year in 2025 after recording a historic P5.5 billion in sales production – the highest in the company’s nearly three-decade history and a 45-percent increase from the P3.8 billion recorded in 2024.

Ilocos Norte farmer reaps gains from high-zinc rice

A high-zinc rice cultivated in Ilocos Norte produced yield nearly twice the national average, as the Philippine Rice Research Institute helps the country look for alternatives that can complement efforts to address child stunting and micronutrient deficiency.

Keeping up with the times

To ensure that the Philippines stays out of the Financial Action Task Force so-called “gray list,” several changes to the current Anti-Money Laundering Act are needed.

Key 2028 development goals unlikely to be met – PSA

The Philippines is unlikely to meet the end-of-plan targets on economic growth, debt and salaried workers under the Philippine Development Plan by 2028, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Malampaya back online after maintenance shutdown

The Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project has resumed operations following a month-long scheduled maintenance shutdown.

Megaworld raises P147 million from sale of MREIT shares

Property giant Megaworld Corp. has raised P147.1 million from a fresh round of sale of shares in its real estate investment trust company, MREIT Inc.

NTA tightens tobacco production mandate

The National Tobacco Administration is tightening its production strategy to avoid the overproduction of tobacco leaves during the upcoming 2026-2027 planting season.

‘Philippines, US may ink Pax Silica AI hub framework by November’

The Philippines and the United States may sign the framework deal for the Pax Silica artificial intelligence hub by November, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Repo market hits P119 billion as BSP reforms gain ground

The country’s repurchase agreement market has expanded to P119 billion as of July, reflecting progress in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas efforts to deepen fixed-income trading and strengthen the transmission of monetary policy.

Selling ideas

Many of us know someone whose main claim to fame is saying, “I thought of that first.”

Sugar capital sounds alarm on worsening pest infestation

The Sugar Regulatory Administration has warned that the worsening infestation of red-striped soft scale insect in Negros Occidental could result in the loss of about 150,000 metric tons of raw sugar — equivalent to approximately eight percent of the country’s annual production — if immediate intervention is not undertaken.

US strikes Iran after attack kills two American troops

PCSO Lotto Results | July 18, 2026

India launches first private orbital rocket

India's first privately built orbital rocket takes its maiden flight on July 18, 2026, its company said, marking a significant step for the South Asian giant as it eyes a bigger slice of the global space economy. Video By Skyroot Aerospace / AFP

Bolts rap Painters, chalk up 1st win in PBA

MANILA, Philippines — Meralco took control of the game behind a strong third quarter assault to beat Rain or Shine, 122-114 to chalk up its first win in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. Antonio Hester marked his PBA return by scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a near double-double effort to lead the Bolts to their first victory. Meralco dropped a narrow 98-97 decision to Phoenix after playing all-Filipino with Jordon Varnado

King saves the day as SMB downs Terrafirma

MANILA, Philippines — Import George King delivered the crucial baskets in the last period to lift San Miguel Beer to a pulsating 109-104 victory against Terrafirma to stay unbeaten in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center on Saturday. The sweet-shooting American tossed in nine of his 37 points in the last period to save the Beermen from the jaws of defeat. King added 14 rebounds to make up fot his six turnovers. CJ Perez added 22, Don Trollano chipped in 17, while Jer

AstroTurf Celebrates 50 years of Elite Field Hockey on our surface

Poligras-AstroTurf-50years FIELD HOCKEY Poligras-AstroTurf-50years FIELD HOCKEY DALTON, Ga., July 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The hockey turf revolution began 50 years ago at 10 am on 18 July 1976, when India and Argentina played the first match of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. This was Hockey Turf Day One. From the AstroDome to the Montreal Olympic Games Synthetic grass had been introduced to sport (baseball) a decade earlier in 1966 by AstroTurf at the AstroDome in Houston. The product

LingoPlus Expands Nationwide: Certified Translation Services Now Available Across Germany

From Paderborn to the Entire Nation, LingoPlus Enhances Accessibility to Professional Language Solutions Paderborn, NRW, July 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What began as a small translation initiative in 2010 has developed into a nationwide provider of certified translations. LingoPlus delivers professional translation services for businesses and individuals across Germany, with a strong focus on certified translations required for official, legal, and institutional use. The company was founded b

Military firefighters battle flames in Spain's wildfire

A wildfire in Spain's northern municipality of Ores has burned more than 15,400 hectares, regional media says on July 18, 2026. Video By Reuters / SPANISH MILITARY EMERGENCY UNIT

UFC Names Meridian Holdings Official Sponsor of Fight Night Belgrade

First UFC Event Ever to Be Held in Serbia, Scheduled for August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena Meridianbet Leads the B2C Division of Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) BELGRADE, Serbia, July 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) (the "Company”) today announced that the Company’s subsidiary Meridianbet has been named Official Sponsor of UFC Fight Night Serbia, a mixed-martial-arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), scheduled for August 1, 2026 a