The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Practo, Asia’s largest healthcare platform, has announced its entry into the Philippine market to bring its award-winning products, Practo Search and Practo Ray, to Filipinos. 

Review by Jake Coyle / The Associated Press Not since Saigon in the 1970s has an American operation in Southeast Asia been as ill-conceived as No Escape, a taut, well-made and entirely dubious thriller. 

Twenty-three films from 18 countries, including a recent Academy Award winner and a Golden Globe nominee, are set to entertain audiences as part of the 18th edition of the Cine Europa film festival, which unreels from September 10 to 20 at Shangri-La Plaza’s Shang Cineplex in Mandaluyong City. 

The world’s most popular culinary competition finally comes to the Philippines, and the rest of Asia, when MasterChef Asia premieres on the Lifetime cable channel on September 3 at 9 p.m. 

By Monika Scislowska / The Associated Press Warsaw, Poland—Almost every month brings something new in Warsaw. With nearly 2 million people, Poland’s capital has been developing fast ever since the once-communist nation joined the European Union in 2004. From skate parks and roof gardens to historic palaces and some of the continent’s most modern buildings, visitors will find plenty to see …

Wondering how to spend a extraordinarily fun and relaxed weekend with your family, special someone or friends, or even by your fabulous self? Stay at Richmonde Hotel Ortigas (RHO) and choose from among its wonderful Weekend Packages. 

By Luis Leoncio  Among the monumental missed opportunities of the Aquino administration was the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Act that, according to an influential business group, would have elevated transparency in the government to an irreversible level and, thus, drew in bigger investments to the country. 

By Riza Lozada  Aside from the automatically appropriated Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA), a total of P28 billion in lump sums, or what used to be commonly referred to as the pork barrel fund, is set to be released to local government units (LGUs), just nine months before next year’s elections. 

By Jerry Maglunog  Rural banks (RBs) are ramping up their services amid competition from a state-owned universal bank that has penetrated the micro loan market targeting public-school teachers. 

By Luis Leoncio Local business groups gave mixed views on the effects of the Chinese government’s move to devalue the yuan to counter its slowing economy.