The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG Fund, said it hopes to partner with more housing developers this year to broaden the availability of housing units and meet its target of extending P156.86 billion in housing loans in 2025. “We intend to tap new developers, those who are not yet accredited. There are thousands of development projects around the country,” …

A war is brewing between internationally acclaimed director Brillante Ma. Mendoza and action superstar and now senator of the land Robin Padilla. The issue: Senate Bill 2805 (An act strengthening the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and appropriating funds thereof) authored by Senator Padilla himself that seeks to expand the powers of MTRCB over its control of live …

Robert Delgado (Photo Credit: Robert Delgado/Facebook) One of the renowned Filipino musicians who contributed a lot to the success and popularity of the premier choral group Philippine Madrigal Singers is Robert Delgado Delgado. Robert Delgado who? Robert Delgado who has been the music conductor of many choirs—corporate, school-based, community-based, church-based, stand-alone etc.—in the Philippines including the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office …

Show people or a fraction of them, anyway, never runs out of political verve for the improvement of their field or the larger society in which they thrive. Take the case of the three-day mass actions against the derailing tactics of the majority in the Senate about the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte initiated by progressive groups, civil society …

by Boy Villasanta Once an actress always an actress. This maxim might not be true anymore for Sarsi Emmanuelle. In the special rescreening of Regal Entertainment’s 1984-Peque Gallaga-directed masterpiece “Virgin Forest” at the Dengcar Theater of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (Mowelfund) in New Manila to celebrate the 127th Philippine Independence Day, Sarsi quickly negated the prospect of doing movies …

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently released ₱1.3 billion for the implementation of the Electronic Gates (E-gates) Project at major airports and seaports across the country. “The DBM released the budget allocation for the E-gates Project for 2025, amounting to ₱1.347 billion,” according to statement from Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman. The project “modernizes and digitizes the primary …

San Miguel Corporation expects its growth projections for the first quarter of 2025 to be sustained by new revenue streams. During the firm’s annual stockholders’ meeting, SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said the conglomerate’s performance will improve due to additional revenues generated from SMC’s operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He added that the 66-kilometer tollway from …

Green and Smart Mobility (Green GSM), Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing service provider, is investing $1 billion for its Philippine operations. The Office of Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) said that Green GSM has started its investments in the Philippines with the launch of its taxi and transportation network vehicle service in the country. …

Jetstar Asia, a Singapore-based budget airliner, announced it terminate its operations by the end of July 2025. Jetstar Asia said in a statement the “difficult decision” was made to “progressively reduce the airlines’ flight schedule before permanently ceasing operations” on July 31. “Jetstar Asia’s business has been increasingly challenged in recent years by escalating supplier costs, airport fees and aviation …

In response to transportation challenges brought about by restrictions on the San Juanico Bridge, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) allocated more than P400 million from its budget to expand and modernize a key port in Samar that will serve as alternate transport routes between the provinces of Leyte and Samar. In less than a month since the Department of Public …