The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Time-Honored Craftsmanship Finds a New Destination From the quiet village of Les Genevez in Switzerland to the heart of Philippine luxury retail, Claude Bernard—a brand rooted in Swiss watchmaking heritage—has officially arrived. Founded in 1973 and proudly independent, Claude Bernard is globally recognized for its hand-assembled timepieces crafted with the same dedication that has defined Swiss horology for centuries. Each …

List of Week 1 placers The debut of the GameZone Table Game Champions Cup Weekly Leaderboard has officially put the spotlight on the top Tongits players of the week, May 5. The list highlights the ten best performers from the Tongits Multi-Table Tournament, in which they received tickets that secured their entry into the GTCC Qualifying Round scheduled on May …

By Tracy Cabrera  BATASAN HILLS, Quezon City — Some 5.58 million high school graduates are considered currently as being ‘functionally illiterate’ or having problems in comprehension and understanding, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In a statement, House committee on basic education and culture chairman Roman Romulo of the Lone District of Pasig City cited that the 5.58 million individuals …

By Tracy Cabrera  THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced the assumption of new leadership, management and administration of its Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and including the case against former president Rodrigo’ Rody’ Duterte (FPRRD) in the wake of ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s leave of absence.  Assuming over the OTP and the litigation of Duterte’s case of …

By Tracy Cabrera  BATASAN HILLS, Quezon City — Noting the four hours of applied economics featured in the K-12 curriculum, Marikina District II representative Stella Luz Quimbo is questioning the Department of Education (DepEd) about the need to include these subjects when not all students take a program related to business or economics. During the hearing of the House committee …

By Tracy Cabrera  MALACAÑANG, Manila — It’s a green light for the creation of 16,000 new teaching positions in public schools for School Year 2025 to 2026 as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved funding based on President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM)’s directive to strengthen the education sector and ensure sufficient manpower in the country’s educational institutions. According …

By Tracy Cabrera   VATICAN CITY, Rome — Meeting with the pontifical foundation known as the Fondazione Centesimus Annus–Pro Pontifice that is tasked to promote the goals of the Apostolic See, Pope Leo XIV has issued the challenge on helping develop the Church’s Social Doctrine with the “people of God, in this time of great social upheaval.” The Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice …

TRACES OF TRUTH By Tracy Cabrera  A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits. — US president Richard Nixon MAYPAJO, Caloocan City — Midway his term as the country’s chief executive, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) has begun a new battlecry: “Alyansa, all the way!” But none of the candidates of the …

DEFTAC – Southeast Asia’s pioneering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts elite group – celebrated its three decades of excellence in the sport at the Hillton by recently honoring those who have become champions in the world and Asian tournaments as well the very people behind the organization and the contributors. These world champions include Brielle Bartolome, Thiago Bartolome, Claudia …

By Tracy Cabrera  AYALA, Makati City — Three firms owned by multi-billionaire Manuel ‘Manny’ Bamba Villar and six other companies were slapped with trading suspensions by the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) due to late filing of financial reports for the year 2024. Suspended were Villar’s Vistamalls, Vista Land and Golden MV Holdings as well as AgriNurture Incorporated (ANI), Waterfront Philippines Incorporated …