The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Come to think of it, show business is equally distributed with representations from the many diverse regions in the country—from north to south, from east to west, from Aparri to Jolo, from Babuyan Islands to Basilan to probably West Philippine Sea  (because Dennis Roldan and Isabel Rivas and the Gumabaos—Paolo, Matco or even Michelle are Zambales Province) overlooking Masinloc Island. …

by Boy Villasanta On social media, it was filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) who broke the news of the demise of character actress Vangie Labalan. Later, it was confirmed by her son Carlo Labalan. Here’s Carlo’s account on the death of her mom: “With heavy hearts, …

A coalition of legal practitioners has asked the Supreme Court to hold Senate President Vicente Sotto III in indirect contempt, citing his public criticism of the tribunal’s decision voiding the impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte. In their formal submission, the petitioners argued: “Viewing all his interviews as a whole, all told, Senator Sotto, in his public scorn …

Public intellectual and political journalist Adolfo “Ka Ado” Paglinawan has challenged retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio over his position that satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) data are enough to define the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. Speaking at a forum organized by the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, Paglinawan said Carpio’s long-held view …

Consumers may see higher electricity bills beginning August after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) authorized the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to start collecting roughly ₱63.45 billion as part of its approved revenues. In a statement, the ERC said it granted NGCP an annual revenue requirement of ₱374.98 billion for the fifth regulatory period covering 2023 to 2027—lower …

The government’s temporary freeze on rice imports has begun to push farmgate palay prices upward, according to the Department of Agriculture. Latest figures showed dry palay fetching ₱21.52 per kilogram as of Jan. 30, while fresh palay rose to ₱18.42 per kilo, signaling a turnaround from the slump that followed heavy import arrivals last year. Records from the Philippine Statistics …

Right-of-way acquisition for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) is nearing completion, with authorities targeting full acquisition by June as construction advances across key stations. At the groundbreaking of the Shaw Boulevard Station on Friday, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez reported that overall right-of-way (ROW) acquisition has reached 90.92 percent. Pre-construction activities for the Shaw Boulevard Station, he added, are …

A South Korean national wanted in Seoul for alleged fraud and money laundering was refused entry into the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the passenger as 26-year-old Hwang Hyeonjun, who was intercepted at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Feb. 5 after arriving from Vietnam aboard a Philippine Airlines flight. Immigration officers flagged Hwang …

Malacañang on Friday rebuked Vice President Sara Duterte over her latest criticisms of the administration, urging her to focus on action rather than rhetoric. The response came after Duterte raised concerns about the country’s situation and accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of committing impeachable offenses. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro dismissed the Vice President’s remarks during a briefing. “Unang-una, masasabi …

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said his recent meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan focused on easing tensions, not the disputed Kalayaan Island Group. “Hindi namin pinag-usapan ‘yung Kalayaan (We didn’t talk about the Kalayaan issue). Mas pinag-usapan namin ‘yung how to de-escalate the tensions between the two countries. And a lot has to do with cultural exchanges,” Remulla said. He …