Philippines

San Miguel will acquire 88.5% of Eagle Cement shares, offering about 22 pesos for each. (Photo by Yuichi Shiga)
Business deals

Philippines' San Miguel to acquire major cement maker for $1.6bn

Acquisition will help conglomerate strengthen its infrastructure businesses

5 October 2022
A woman views a sculpture depicting former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda, as the Philippine mythological figures Malakas and Maganda (Strong One and Beautiful One), in an exhibit curated by Pio Abad. (Courtesy of Pio Abad). 
Arts

When art becomes evidence of truth

Exhibitions of Imelda Marcos' paintings and jewelry defy historical revisionism

5 October 2022
Ayala and Gokongwei groups, two of the Philippines' most powerful conglomerates, have agreed to merge their respective banking units. (Source photos screenshot from BPI and Robinsons bank) 
Business deals

Philippines' Ayala and Gokongwei groups to merge banks

Uniting BPI and Robinsons Bank would create country's 2nd-biggest private lender

30 September 2022
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Philippine counterpart Jose Faustino speak to reporters about plans to enhance defense cooperation. (Photo by Ryo Nakamura)
International relations

U.S., Philippines pivot to closer defense ties with eye on Taiwan

Defense chiefs Austin and Faustino discuss maritime security, intel sharing

30 September 2022
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his first State of the Nation Address in July. Marcos sees bilateral ties with the U.S. as a priority.
International relations

Marcos plans Japan trip as Philippines seeks to rejuvenate old ties

Tokyo hopes to explore deeper security partnership with eye on China

30 September 2022
Philip Morris' handheld IQOS device heats tobacco without burning it, producing a vapor but not smoke or ash. (Photo by Yuichi Shiga)
Companies

Philip Morris to make heated tobacco sticks in Philippines

$150m investment seeks to boost smokeless products in big market

30 September 2022
Jollibee is looking to expand Tim Ho Wan, the Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant chain, in China by opening a further 100 shops in the next four years. (Source photos by Cliff Venzon and Getty Images)
Food & Beverage

Jollibee cooks up Tim Ho Wan expansion in China despite COVID hit

Philippine fast food operator aims for 100 dim sum shops on mainland in 4 years

28 September 2022
Ant Group has partnered with 120,000 merchants in South Korea to accept payments under the Alipay+ program. (Photo courtesy of Ant Group)
Technology

Ant Group allows use of Southeast Asian payment apps in South Korea

120,000 merchants accept e-payments from Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand

28 September 2022
People shop for food in a market in Hanoi: Vietnam's economy is to grow faster than its Asia-Pacific peers this year, expanding by 7.2%, the World Bank said in its latest forecast.
Economy

Vietnam emerges as Asia's growth leader as China slows

Food, fuel subsidies risk long-term distortion, warns World Bank

27 September 2022
The central banks of Indonesia and the Philippines have both been tightening to rein in inflation. (Source photos by Reuters) 
Economy

Philippines, Indonesia lift interest rates again to curb inflation

Taiwan and others also hike as Asian central banks follow U.S. tightening

22 September 2022
Aboitiz InfraCapital CEO Cosette Canilao, former head of the government's public-private partnership office, leads the conglomerate's charge into infrastructure. (Source photos courtesy of Aboitiz InfraCapital)
Companies

Philippine conglomerate Aboitiz upbeat on Marcos privatization push

Infrastructure unit CEO eyes PPP deals, catches foreign investors' interest

22 September 2022
Chainalysis said Thailand and Vietnam saw high web traffic to marketplaces for non-fungible tokens.
Cryptocurrencies

Thailand and Vietnam emerge as ASEAN crypto trading hot spots

Each country logs over $100bn transactions in a year, topping Singapore

21 September 2022
Vegetable vendors at a roadside market in Jakarta on Sept. 12. Indonesia is one emerging Asian economy that is forecast to grow faster than expected this year.
Economy

Emerging Asia growing faster than China for 1st time in 30 years

Indonesia, Philippines are bright spots but India, Pakistan faltering, says ADB

21 September 2022
GCash will be the first payment app in the Philippines to offer stock trading.
Technology

Philippines' top payment app GCash to offer stock trading service

Exchange chief hopes to quadruple investor accounts in 'very short period of time'

21 September 2022
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses the United Nations General Assembly in his global debut Sept. 20.
International relations

Philippines' Marcos urges respect for international law in U.N. debut

President's address comes amid protests over human rights violations

21 September 2022
GT Capital Holdings and Nomura Real Estate have four development projects planned, estimated to cost a total of $5.2 billion. (Photo courtesy of Nomura Real Estate )
Companies

Philippines' GT hopes Japan property tie-up can emulate Toyota magic

Joint venture with Nomura Real Estate spans projects worth $5.2bn

18 September 2022
The Philippines' call-center workers have grown accustomed to working from home, a preference that had put their employers' financial incentives at risk. (Photo by Yumi Kotani)
Companies

Philippine call centers win battle to make remote work permanent

Government says BPO companies can keep tax perks without on-site workers

16 September 2022
The planned Sangley Point International Airport is aimed at easing pressure on Manila's congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (Illustration courtesy of Cavite Provincial Government)
Transportation

Samsung-backed group wins $11bn Philippine airport deal

Project once eyed by China could serve up to 130 million passengers annually

15 September 2022
In the 2022 film "Maid in Malacanang," Imelda Marcos -- shown in this scene with her vast shoe collection -- and her family are portrayed as victims of history. (Screenshot from YouTube)
Tea Leaves

Laugh, cry and rage, twice over, at Marcos cinematic redux

In the Philippines, a movie melodrama is happening for real

14 September 2022
The launch of ALLTV marks the official entry into the television business of the Philippines' richest man, Manuel Villar, a supporter of former President Rodrigo Duterte and new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Media & Entertainment

Philippine billionaire Manuel Villar launches TV venture

ALLTV begins broadcast via former channel of shuttered ABS-CBN

13 September 2022
Jia Hang was appointed as Ant Group’s general manager for Southeast Asia in March after joining the group’s international business in 2015. (Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga)
Technology

Ant Group's ASEAN expansion comes at right time: regional head

Alibaba fintech affiliate bets on global markets to counter restrictions at home

12 September 2022
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, second from left, walks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, Indonesia on Sept. 5.
International relations

Marcos says Philippines reaped $14bn of pledges on ASEAN trip

Country's new president describes visits as 'successful and productive'

8 September 2022
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong meets Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the city-state on Sept. 7. (Photo courtesy of Singaporean government)
International relations

Philippines' Marcos, Singapore's Lee align on South China Sea

Leaders express 'deep disappointment' in Myanmar's military leadership

7 September 2022
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his inauguration ceremony in Manila on June 30: Ensuring the country's food security is proving to be a herculean task.
Opinion

Marcos should not leave Philippine food policy up to politics

Extra role as agriculture secretary quickly becomes headache for president

7 September 2022
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, chats with his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widodo, in Bogor on Sept. 5. (Screenshot from Indonesian Presidential Palace's YouTube channel)
International relations

Philippines' Marcos meets Indonesia's Jokowi in 1st state visit

Southeast Asian leaders discuss regional security and economic cooperation

5 September 2022