The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Hotel Sogo has come a long way from its humble beginnings, with the opening of four more branches in year 2021. The hotel has 45 branches nationwide located in different key cities, and more in the pipeline. The hotel continues to live by its mission, since its first branch in 1993, of providing accessible and affordable accommodation of excellent standards.  …

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. And just like how you usually prepare for any season, you are probably glued to your screen searching for the best gift for your mom. And, with just a few clicks, you will get suggestions like “72 Unique Gifts for Moms” or “Flowers for Moms.”  A fragrant bouquet, a silky dress, a designer …

The FMCG market is changing rapidly, becoming more digitally-driven as customers are increasingly replacing store visits with on-demand deliveries, using online marketplaces and e-wallets to browse and shop on the spot. With constant innovation and competition among industry leaders likely to accelerate the online transition of more consumers, FMCG players must evolve their eCommerce capabilities in this challenging era.  Alexander …

By Ibarra C. Mateo In full force, after more than two years of being closed due to the Covid19 pandemic, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ board of trustees, senior executive officials, and employees welcomed the local media on May 4 to announce the CCP’s re-opening to the public soon.  “For the past two years, the CCP venues were shut …

By GEM SUGUITAN Every child has a mother. It could be the biological one, or somebody else who took the role of nurturing the vulnerable little tot until the child is ready to live on his or her own. With the evolving role of motherhood, even single fathers can be mothers, too!  Mothers do everything for the child to have …

Dry season and super hot? Siete Colores got you covered.  Anahaw fan-making is one of the oldest home industries in Lopez, Quezon. The forests of the town are replete with anahaw plant Levistonia Rotundifolia or Saribus rotundifolius which are made into different products, abaniko or anahaw fans among the major ones. More than 56 of the 95 barangays in the …

How well do you know Tagalog words? While it is true that it is the basis for having a national language and some Filipinos have it actually spoken at home, even Tagalog-speaking provinces have its own dialects which make it difficult for one word to be understood in another place.  Learn some “new” words which actually belong to the old …

After its programs were held in abeyance for almost two years by the pandemic, the Department of Tourism (DoT) is strongly rebounding towards the new normal.  The recent World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)’s 2021 Economic Impact Report cited the country’s Travel and Tourism efforts that contributed to the nation’s economy by 129.5%, year on year, at a value of …

The Philippine car industry is rushing to replace current models of automobiles running on fossil fuels that have recently become expensive due to the conflict in Ukraine. Over the years, manufacturers have researched on different forms of alternative fuel: hydrogen fuel cells, electric, hybrid, etc.  Today, close to 90% of automobile manufacturers worldwide announced they will stop producing internal combustion …

The Department of Tourism (DOT) recently launched a new digital travel magazine – 7641 Islands of the Philippines – that welcomes back travelers to explore the country’s world-class tourist destinations.  The magazine focuses on the tourism programs that different DOT regional offices have developed as part of the tourism recovery program.  Among the featured programs are the Bike Trails of …