The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The  Economy and Development Council (ED) has approved the public-private partnership (PPP) for the operation and maintenance of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR). The North-South Commuter Railway is a 147-kilometer mass transit system that is planned to connect Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna. With 58 eight-car train sets, it is expected to ferry up to 800,000 passengers daily and halve …

It started when the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSSA) issued a report that a certain staff from the office of Senator Panfilo Lacson had smelled from an adjacent ladies’ room an odor akin to marijuana smoke. Prior to Sen. Ping Lacson’s staff’s discovery on August 12, 2025 about a marijuana-like smell emanating from the women’s powder room, there was …

Not only prayers, but huge prayers, are needed in times like this. If they are requested for the sake of the so-called Queen of All Media Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino, plainly known as Kris Aquino, it isn’t purely personal. They even go beyond socio-political dimensions because she is a scion of national leaders however past. Like anyone else, Kris’ health …

Sweethearts for five years Shaira Diaz and EA Guzman finally tied the knot last week in Silang, Cavite. Both Shaira and Edgar Allan were ecstatic about the union. The wedding was attended by friends, colleagues and families of the newly-weds. (Boy Villasanta)

After the success of the recently concluded 2025 Palawan International Choral Festival (PICF) held at the various venues in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan where the Board of Judges laid down its verdict, it’s time for the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Philippine Madrigal Singers to unveil the roster of acclaimed members of the choir community locally …

E-wallet giants GCash and Maya have vowed to comply with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) order to sever connections with online gambling platforms. In a statement Thursday, GCash said it will fully support the BSP’s directive by removing links and icons in its app that connect users to gambling sites. “We share the BSP’s commitment to ensuring that digital …

It takes a thorough study of music to make one not only a National Artist but as a professional musician as well. Especially if one is in pursuit of excellence and social responsibility in a chosen field of expertise, the more it requires a deeper understanding and sharing of one’s career to the public, commercially and artistically. This is the …

The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is calling on Filipinos to take part in the Bureau of the Treasury’s (BTr) latest Retail Treasury Bonds (RTB-31), saying it’s a safe and rewarding way to grow savings while helping fund the country’s development projects. DBP President and CEO Michael de Jesus said the bonds offer steady returns and low risk, making …

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD400 million loan to help the Philippines tackle hunger, food insecurity, and poor nutrition through the government’s Walang Gutom (Zero Hunger) Food Stamp program. The funding will provide monthly electronic food vouchers to 750,000 food-insecure households nationwide, enabling them to buy healthy and nutritious food.  “With nearly half of Filipinos unable to …

Approved foreign investment pledges in the Philippines surged to ₱67.38 billion in the second quarter of 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported. The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Board of Investments, Bangsamoro Board of Investments, Clark Development Corporation, Clark International Airport Corporation, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority greenlit the projects. Singapore led all …