The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

As versatility beckons, actress Mercedes Cabral isn’t disrobing this time as she’s fully clothed, donning a baro’t saya (dress and long skirt) in most of her scenes. Mercedes is one of the main leads in the historical film “Ang Bangkay,” a 2012 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Full-Length Play Grand Winner. Instead of Nonilon Queaño’s theater piece of the same title …

The Department of Trade and Industry-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (DTI-FTEB) reported a threefold increase on retail value of confiscated products in the National Capital Region (NCR) from January 1 to February 28, 2022.  A total of 7,551 pieces of uncertified products, with a retail value of Php1,401,189.05, were cracked down by the DTI-FTEB through random inspection activities for the first …

Rolls-Out DITO Auto Pay and DITO Advance Pay with DITO Level-Up Packs for one year anniversary Atty. Adel Tamano, Chief Administrative Officer of DITO Telecommunity; the newest telecommunications player in the country, announced this morning that DITO has just reached 7-million subscribers, right in the middle of celebrating its anniversary month.  “We are pleased to inform our countrymen that DITO …

To help address the depleting supply of blood needed by those with medical emergencies, SM Foundation and SM Supermalls reactivated its annual bloodletting donation drive campaign that will run until March 18, 2022 in select SM malls nationwide. In partnership with the Department of Health-Philippine Blood Center (DOH-PBC) and Philippine Red Cross (PRC), this social good effort provides venues for …

In a party hosted by actor Rey “PJ” Abellana and his wife Sheena Abellana, one of the guests who came was Tom Rodriguez. Although Tom came minus Carla Abellana, it was a gesture seen by observers as an act of goodwill on his part especially these days that he and wife are rumored to be on the brink of split-up …

There’s no turning back for stage and TV director Vince Tañada from filmmaking. After the completion of his maiden big screen job “Katips,” a foray into student activism and dissent during the dark days of Martial Law and alluding to the revolutionary organization Katipunan during the oppressive Spanish rule, Vince has rolled his cameras on his second outing. “Ang Bangkay,” …

Manila Harbor Center (MHC), the largest bulk and breakbulk handling facility in the Port of Manila in the Philippines, is expanding its cargo handling capacity with the completion of eco-friendly bulk cargo bays (BCB) and dredging of the berths to accommodate larger vessels. This new development increases MHC’s number of BCBs from two to five, effectively improving the terminal’s bulk …

With the single biggest increase in oil pump prices this week in Philippine history, beer is now much cheaper than gasoline or diesel and car owners call gas stations as one of the most expensive places in the metro. Beleaguered Filipinos get pro forma lip service from government agencies with no immediate action. Any trumpeted band-aid measure stand to benefit …

Going into its 3rd week, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen the collapse of negotiations held in Belarus (Russia’s collaborator), a Putin-sponsored ceasefire and a derailed all-out movement of “peace-keeping” troops ordered to destroy a whole country. Young Russian soldiers, mostly conscript teenagers who were captured by Ukrainians, revealed they were lied to; they were told it was a military …

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will include Asia’s No. 1 men’s pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena on the list of Team Philippines entries that will be submitted to organizers of the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games. Obiena was one of 654 athletes who will defend the country’s grip of the overall championship in the SEA Games that Vietnam will …