The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Kia Philippines is taking the subcompact SUV segment very seriously as it unwrapped its latest entry to the burgeoning market – the Kia Seltos. It heralded the new Seltos as “one of the most evolved, safer, and smarter SUVs available in the Philippines as it boasts of a new-age design and a host of safety features including the ADAS suite …

ENEOS Philippines Corporation (ENEPH), local office of ENEOS Motor Oil which is Japan’s No. 1 oil company, has partnered with The Plastic Flamingo (The Plaf), a social enterprise based in the Philippines that collects and transforms plastic waste into a range of construction materials. This is part of Eneph’s commitment to sustainability and in support of Republic Act No. 11898 …

inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, will become another ride-hailing services company in the country after it receive its official accreditation from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory LTFRB as a Transport Network Company (TNC). For the initial phase, inDrive will activate its application in five cities—Bacolod, Baguio, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, and Butuan – and is …

Jetour Auto Philippines, Inc., the exclusive distributor of the X70 seven-seater crossover, the X70 Sport premium three-row crossover, the Dashing compact SUV, and the Ice Cream Mini electric vehicle in the country, together with and Jetour Auto Cubao dxecutives, has broken ground at the site of the future Auto Cubao dealership.  Slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2024, …

Eight Platinum Driven To Serve Awards were given out by the Society of Motoring Journalists (SPMJ) to recognize the “good deeds” of automotive industry players in 2023.  For 2023, the Platinum Driven To Serve Awards were presented in four categories — education and training, road safety, environmental protection, and community development. Instead of the usual awarding ceremony, SPMJ officers scheduled …

Ford’s mobile application that lets customers access vehicle-specific content and support – the FordPass—has marked its first year offering customers a richer ownership experience as a one-stop platform with an array of functional and practical features that offers convenience to customers.  There are over 21,000 next-gen Ford vehicle owners who are now able to maximize the features of FordPass, including …

Museo de Intramuros Museo de Intramuros contains records detailing the country’s ecclesiastical heritage. The museum pieces explore the Philippines’ process of evangelization. The exhibit showcases how art during that period developed alongside the growing influence of Catholicism. Museo de Intramuros is composed of the San Ignacio Church and the Mission House of the Society of Jesus. The church was built in …

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) declared the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) as a national shrine. In granting the petition of Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila, the CBCP bestowed on Quiapo Church the title of “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene”, making it the country’s 29th national shrine. Quiapo Church is home to the …

Aklan’s craft and tradition of handwoven piña (pineapple textile) was recently inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The declaration was held during the 18th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Kasane, Botswana, from Dec. 4 to 9. This is the fifth intangible cultural heritage …

During the Christmas and New Year holidays, Filipinos hold family reunions, attend religious celebrations or take family vacations. Travelers just need to be reminded of some useful tips to make holiday travel less stressful. Arrive early at the airport Allot enough time going to the airport – 3-4 hours before flight departure for domestic flights and 4 hours for international …