The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO) was recognized as the Best Bank in the Philippines for the 12th year by Hong Kong-based institutional investment publication Alpha Southeast Asia at the 17th Best Financial Institution Awards 2023.  BDO is the country’s largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits and trust funds under management. The Bank has the country’s largest distribution network, …

As we usher in the uncharted new year, it is imperative to navigate the ever-evolving financial landscape with a bit of foresight and lots of savvy. The previous turbulent years have proven the importance of being financially prepared for uncertainties. No one knows when the next global emergency or personal financial difficulty will occur. It is never a bad idea …

The Yuchengco family is offering an exclusive insight into their privately held art collection, including never-before-seen artworks by Helen Yuchengco Dee, in an exhibit held at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati. Dubbed “Timeless Collections,” the exhibition stands as a remarkable celebration of art, culture, and history. Along with Dee’s paintings are the distinguished masterpieces of national artist Fernando Amorsolo and …

By Rose de la Cruz The continuing deficiencies in local supplies of vital food commodities, which are expected to be filled by imports, have prompted the government to maintain lower tariff rates on food imports to ensure that food inflation will not worsen. This, after the board of the National Economic and Development Authority– chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. …

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and newly-confirmed Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel led in the turnover of P776 million worth of excavators to various irrigators’ associations in the country held at the Naval Supply Depot in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City on Thursday. The NIA, an attached corporation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), procured 141 units of excavators under …

A special joint project of the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Justice providing persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) livelihood and farm training inside prison camps, called the DAxDOJ Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security DAxDOJ RISE has been benefitting inmates who are now more confident about having a livelihood after their release. “Paglabas ko po dito, …

Many farmers in Lanao del Norte who abandoned rice farming because of significant yield losses are now returning because of improved harvests largely from the training given to them by a graduate of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Service Program (RCtEF RESP). A story on Queenie R. Notario, owner of a farm school in Bacolod, who began planning …

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has recently given the green light to set in motion four high-impact plans and projects that will greatly benefit the Filipino people. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balicasan, in a Palace briefing, said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. already approved the P67.4 billion Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project of the Department of Public …

The House of Representatives has passed a new bill to repeal the country’s old procurement law. A total of 251 lawmakers moved in favor of House Bill (HB) No. 9648 or the New Government Procurement Reform Act. HB No. 9648, a consolidation of five bills, including one from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, seeks to repeal Republic Act No. 9184 or …

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) inaugurated last week three projects that have a combined cost of P4.48 billion. One of the projects unveiled was the P1.276-billion Balbalungao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Balbalungao SRIP) in Lupao, Nueva Ecija. “In pursuit of innovations and modernizations in irrigation facilities, Balbalungao SRIP was constructed to irrigate 967.19 hectares of agricultural land in the barangays …