The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

To say that the Philippines has strong potential in harnessing renewable energy (RE) is an understatement. It is widely reported that the RE sector is comprised of geothermal resources (14.6%/1,932 MW), solar/wind energy (1.4%; solar at 1,382 MW; wind at 443 MW), hydropower (4.1%/1,161 MW), and biomass (12.6%/759 MW). The Department of Energy (DOE) has instituted policies that would encourage …

PASSERBYBy Nestor Cuartero Did you know? That BootsAnson Roa Rodrigo considers herself a perfect klutz? She writes, in her own words, in Chapter 11 of her newly launched book, Grateful:   “For one formally trained in music and dance, my reflexes and timing in movement are shameful.  I constantly spill water accidentally, unintentionally hit and break glasses, awkwardly drop spoons, napkins, cellphones, ball pens. …

Senator Loren Legarda has introduced a bill aimed at enhancing heritage protection by granting incentive mechanisms to privately owned heritage buildings and ancestral houses. Senate Bill No. 1852, or the “Strengthening the Conservation and Protection of Philippine Cultural Heritage Through Heritage Incentives,” aims to amend the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 by extending tax relief and credit benefits to …

The Philippines is set to ink 25 official development assistance (ODA) agreements with foreign governments, Finance Secretary Frederick Go said Thursday. Speaking at the Social Security System office, Go said the deals include 10 loans from Japan, 10 pipeline loans from Korea, and five loans from France, totaling USD10.3 billion. Separate Department of Finance data show that 10 pipeline ODAs …

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), and UnionBank have signed a memorandum of agreement to integrate UnionBank’s UPay Facility into the national tax collection system, aiming to expand digital payment options for taxpayers. The partnership, signed Tuesday at UnionBank Plaza in Pasig City, seeks to provide convenient web- and mobile-based channels for paying taxes and …

Land Bank of the Philippines and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have signed an agreement to enable digital disbursement of scholarship grants and training support funds for over 335,000 TESDA scholars. The memorandum of agreement was signed on Feb. 16, 2026 at the TESDA Central Office in Taguig City by LandBank President and CEO Lynette Ortiz and …

Philippine National Bank (PNB) reported consolidated net income of ₱25.3 billion for full-year 2025, a 20% increase from 2024, boosting return on equity to 11.1%, up 70 basis points from the previous year.  The strong performance was fueled by solid core business results, efficient balance sheet management, cost discipline, and operational efficiency. PNB’s loan portfolio expanded 15% year-on-year, led by …

For Benedicto “Benny” Marra, loyalty isn’t just a value—it’s a way of life. Like millions of overseas Filipinos, Benny left home to provide for his family. While working as a mechanic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he relied on BDO as his financial partner. “Life abroad is demanding, maraming hirap at na-aksidente pa ako. Pero kinaya ko lahat ng sakripisyo,” he …

THE Philippines and New Zealand shared more than just a hard-fought battle on the court, as both nations commemorated 60 years of diplomatic relations with a symbolic jersey exchange prior to their FIBA clash. With the special FIBA game in Manila, the jersey swap was proposed during discussions months ago with the Philippine ambassador to New Zealand, as a meaningful …

MARK JOHN LEXER GALEDO was unbeatable in the individual time trial for Masters and Standard Insurance riders finished 1-2-3 in Women’s Under-23 of individual road race in the PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2026 earlier this week. But the week’s highlight was the awarding of the Mark Arvin España Armendez Gold Medal to the Men Junior road race champion—won by …