The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Energy Secretary Raphael PM Lotilla claimed energy sector has seen remarkable improvements in stability and capacity under the Marcos administration. In a comprehensive update on the Philippine energy sector earlier this month, Lotilla marked  the start of 2025 with optimism and highlighted  significant milestones achieved since the administration began in July 2022. Lotilla said 1,400 megawatts of baseload capacity became commercially …

A consortium of Philippine banks has extended an P18.3 billion green loan to finance the 550-megawatt Bugallon Solar Power Project in Pangasinan. The project, spearheaded by Vena Energy and MGen Renewable Energy Inc. (MGreen), the renewables arm of Meralco PowerGen Corp., is slated for completion by the fourth quarter of the year. Once operational, it is expected to produce 958 gigawatt-hours …

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has secured P2 billion to deliver the preliminary works for a project that would extend the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) to the western segment of Manila. LRTA administrator Hernando Cabrera told reporters his agency can finally pursue the initial works for the LRT-2 West Extension Project this year. Cabrera said the LRTA …

There are two faces to a single coin, the obverse (front) and the reverse (back). In colloquial, vernacular speech/language, there’s the tao (human being) and the ibon (bird) in tossing a coin the air to signify the order of appearance, for instance, in a game. Or simply put, there are many sides to a story. True enough to the postponement of the 2nd Manila …

Even if Kapitol Films and United Straight Shooters Media, Inc.’s “Isang Himala” didn’t make much money at the recently concluded 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival, it made history just the same to express its filmmakers and creative team’s vision of a musical film that is relevant and meaningful to a lot of people. One of its main cast members, Bituin …

The start of the Year of the Wooden Snake offers the public a young boy named Liam Rhys E. Jalla, a ten-year-old talent of filmmaker Mark Arvin Agcaoili Bago. We enjoin you, dear readers, to support Liam Rhys as he journeys in this wonderful yet cruel world of show business. Jalla loves singing so he prefers to concentrate in music …

The moment the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal (awards night) proclaimed Dennis Trillo and Ruru Madrid as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, for GMA Pictures’ “Green Bones,” their common director Zig Dulay was triumphant and proud of their artistic achievements. “Your success is also my success,” wrote Zig in his Facebook wall. “From the first …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) remains relentless in its pursuit to elevate the country’s road sector, and uphold to global standards the different transport systems for 2025. Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, the Department under Secretary Jaime J. Bautista continuously implements road transport infrastructure projects across the nation. Active Transport Project To promote sustainable mobility and alleviate traffic …

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), along with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and Cebu Port Authority, is steadfast in implementing maritime projects and initiatives by empowering the rights and welfare of Filipino seafarers, protecting our coastal territory and modernizing ports. New Cebu International Container Port To be constructed in Consolacion, Cebu, the …

Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, ordered all regional directors to ensure that all the license plates of tricycles, particularly those being used in public transportation, are delivered by April 30 this year. The order came after the inventory of the printed license plates revealed that they are sufficient to cover all the tricycles …