The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Honoring mid-autumn fest with mooncakes PASSERBYBy Nestor Cuartero Solaire Resort North has been awarded a five-star accreditation by the Department of Tourism (DOT), making it the first integrated luxury resort in Quezon City to receive the highest distinction under the National Accommodation Standards. The recognition coincides with the resort’s first anniversary, celebrated on May 25, and affirms its commitment to …

OPM icon Ice Seguerra opens a new creative chapter with the release of two original tracks—“Wag Na Lang Pala” and “Nandiyan Ka”—marking the first twin single drop from his upcoming all-original album, Being Ice. The songs dropped on music platforms July 18 While Seguerra has long been a beloved figure in Philippine music, Being Ice represents a personal milestone: it’s …

To aid government workers and retirees affected by Severe Tropical Storm Crising and the intensified southwest monsoon (habagat), the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has opened its emergency loan facility in five calamity-declared areas: Quezon City, Cavite, Umingan (Pangasinan), and Calumpit (Bulacan). GSIS Officer-in-Charge Juliet Bautista announced that qualified members and pensioners in these areas may now apply for the …

The Philippine gaming industry earned ₱215 billion in gross revenues during the first half of 2025, reflecting strong growth in integrated resort operations and robust investor interest, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) announced last week. Speaking at the Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 in Pasay City, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said licensed casinos inside integrated resorts (IRs) …

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has extended the deadlines for filing tax returns, paying taxes, and submitting documents in areas battered by tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, along with the intensified southwest monsoon or “habagat.” In a statement released Friday, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said taxpayers in the affected areas—including Metro Manila, parts of Northern Luzon, Mimaropa, …

US-based Cerberus Capital Management is set to invest an additional ₱15 billion in the Philippines over the next 12 months, eyeing upgrades to its Subic shipyard and launching new ventures in logistics, energy, and transport infrastructure. The announcement came following the firm’s meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Washington, DC, where executives cited government support and encouraging operational …

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque remains hopeful that tariffs on Philippine exports to the United States could still be reduced, even as the rate has been officially set at 19 percent effective August 1, following an announcement by US President Donald Trump. While the current rate is lower than the previously announced 20 percent, it is still higher than the 17 …

Government revenues continued to climb in June 2025, driven by double-digit growth in tax collections, while public spending also rose to support economic activity, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed. Revenue collections in June hit ₱306.9 billion, up 3.5 percent from ₱296.5 billion in the same month last year. Tax collections rose by 12.35 percent to ₱280.1 …

Hyundai Motor Philippines unveiled three of its latest vehicles in the market today during a well-attended event late last week at the Ayala Museum in Makati City. HMPI president Jiho Son spearheaded the presentation of the new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Hyundai Ioniq 9 which are expected to be a hit among the new buyers …

Synergy Ventures Corporation (SVC) romped with the major awards in the recent Nissan Philippines’ 2025 Dealer of the Year Awards, held last week at the Okada Manila Hotel in Paranaque City. Its president, Tey Sornet, was proud for the company’s haul of 14 major prizes including the 2025 Nissan Global Award, the highest recognition that is given to a dealership …