The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The construction of the 1.34-kilometer Davao River (Bucana) Bridge by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is making steady progress, with civil works now more than halfway complete, less than a year after breaking ground in November 2023. In a report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain highlighted that the project has reached …

Real estate developers and locators in the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) have expressed support for the proposed bills amending Republic Act 7227.      Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI), Ayala Corp., Megaworld Corp., and Hann Development Corp. (HDC) stressed  that such measure would allow the state-run firm to continue ushering sustainable economic growth, drive investments, and generate jobs for …

Five more public-private partnership (PPP) projects worth around P28 billion are expected to be awarded this year and early 2025. According to a government agency. these projects are mostly pushing for the modernization of several airports to decongest the capital region and boost the tourism sector.  In a report, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center said among the projects with an  estimated …

It’s final. We will never see Piolo Pascual in the Philstagers’ stage production of “Himala, The Musical.” It’s not Piolo’s fault nor Philstagers’ but circumstances brought the musical to a nil as far as the Vince Tañada’s multimedia company is concerned.  According to a very reliable source, another production is doing the play. Even award-winning musician Pipo Cifra was surprised …

By Audie See We were among those who benefitted from the ayuda given by the Philippine government in a project dubbed as Serbisyo Caravan at the PhilSports Arena for three days-in-row from Saturday to Monday on October 12 to 14. I belong to a group of largely showbiz reporters whose inclusion in the project was facilitated by the Movie Workers …

It’s the beauty queen Pinoy-Kiwis that we’ve been hearing about, such as Victoria Vincent Velasquez who will represent New Zealand in the Miss Universe 2024 pageant. She has been competing in beauty pageants here in the Philippines for years now. Victoria is actually the 2024 Miss Philippines-Universe Charity. “Kiwi” is how the people of New Zealand are internationally called. Kiwis …

I was a movie fan when I enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas in the early 1970s. It was the height of the Nora-Tirso, Vilma-Edgar popularity and I was an avid follower of these teenyboppers at the time. It was a hot rivalry between the two love teams, and individually, of Nora …

The Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) thick and viable transport infrastructure portfolio offers rich investment opportunities for private firms, said Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.  Speaking before the 2024 Korea-Philippines Infrastructure and Plant Forum, Sec. Bautista sought the support of the Republic of Korea and its private firms to bankroll DOTr multi-sectoral projects, which is aimed at a common goal—providing better …

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista met with officials from the Government State Insurance System (GSIS), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Quezon City Government on 15 October 2024 to discuss the plans of each agency revolving the Integrated Transport Hub to be established at the GSIS Elliptical Lot.  Notably, the Integrated Transport Hub would support the DOTr’s …

Following the mandate to ensure a convenient and efficient travel, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) joined the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Local Government of Calamba City in Laguna, San Miguel Corp. (SMC), and Ayala Greenfield Development Corp. at the groundbreaking ceremony of Ayala Greenfield Interchange last 14 October 2024.  Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, represented by DOTr Undersecretary for Road …