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Healthy loan growth boosted the bottom line of Asia United Bank (AUB) in the first nine months of the year by 9 percent to a record P9.4 billion, thus perking up growth prospects, particularly in the digital space.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, the Ng family-led bank said its total operating income had climbed by 10 percent to P17.2 billion.

It also benefited from stronger trading and foreign exchange gains, as well as higher fee-based revenues from credit cards, e-wallet and remittance transactions.

Noninterest income

As a result, AUB’s noninterest income rose by 18 percent to P3.7 billion versus the same period last year.

While its loan portfolio expanded by 29 percent to P256.9 billion due to the monetary policy easing cycle, AUB’s nonperforming loan ratio, a key metric of asset quality, eased to 0.36 percent from 0.53 percent a year ago.

Its loan book expansion resulted in a 141-percent surge in loan loss provisions.

‘Sustaining our profitability is no mean feat, considering the heightened risks in our operating environment, both domestically and globally,’ AUB president Manuel Gomez said in a statement.

Balance sheet growth

As of end-September, the bank’s assets jumped by 18 percent to P417.1 billion.

Its positive performance has pushed AUB to pursue growth in the digital space.

‘We remain on the lookout for growth opportunities on the horizon, particularly in digital partnerships,’ Gomez noted. ‘It is through this that we can offer digital payment solutions.’

Last month, AUB inked an agreement with digital insurer Singlife Philippines to offer the latter’s products through the bank’s HelloMoney e-wallet application.

HelloMoney

AUB executive vice president Wilfredo Rodriguez Jr. said they were looking at expanding HelloMoney’s user base to at least 6.5 million by the end of the year through its partnership with Singlife, among others.

Under the deal, HelloMoney clients may access Singlife’s insurance products, including cash for income loss, which covers up to P1.8 million in case of disability or death due to accidents. It also offers protection to cover medical costs, providing up to P1.3 million for hospitalization or upon diagnosis of 125 listed critical conditions.

Apart from this, AUB also partnered with state-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) to launch the SSS Pay Card. Following the deal, SSS members may receive their benefits, loan proceeds and pension through HelloMoney.

A Halloween celebration wouldn’t be complete without sharing ghost stories or creepy encounters with unseen spirits – and Xyriel Manabat, Charlie Dizon and Jillian Ward each have something to tell.

Telling ghost stories or blood-curdling experiences with friends have always been a favorite pastime for those who enjoy the spooky season. It doesn’t matter if it ends with the group having an unexplained chilly feeling right after, as long as the stories are good. To celebrate the season, here’s what Manabat, Dizon, and Ward shared about their creepy encounters.

Xyriel Manabat

When Manabat was around ‘six or seven’ years old, she experienced being in the company of an unidentified spirit that put a taping on hold.

‘Naransan ko dati sa taping – kasi sa forest ang location – kinailangan namin mag-stop. As in na-tengga kami at hindi kami maka-take kasi may nakita po ako at hindi ako maka-stop sa pag-iyak. Lahat sila, hinintay para kumalma ako kasi mga six or seven ako n’un,’ she said during a talkback session for the horror film ‘Near Death.’

(I once experienced this during taping – the location was in a forest – we had to pause it. We really had no choice but to put it on hold because I saw something and I couldn’t stop from crying. I was around six or seven, and they all waited for me to calm down.)

The actress said the filming location had a huge tree, although she couldn’t remember what she witnessed at that time.

‘Malaking puno kasi ‘yun, ang tawag nila, balete, may nakita kaming nakatingin d’un t’as tinititigan lang niya ako. Hindi ko alam ano siya. Iyak daw ako nang iyak tapos hindi ko ma-explain sa kanila. Nag-stop kami mag-taping hangga’t nakikita ko,’ she said.

(It was a big tree, they called it balete. I saw someone at the tree who stared at me. I didn’t know what it was. I ended up crying, and I couldn’t explain why. We stopped taping while I could still see it.)

Charlie Dizon

For Dizon, she and her family hired a house helper who ended up getting possessed by an unknown spirit. This led to them enlisting the help of a faith healer, nuns, and other people to help her.

‘Sa bahay namin dati noong grade school ako, meron kaming kasambahay na sinapian siya. Kung sino-sino nang pumunta [sa’ming] mga albularyo, madre, as in na-experience ko siya until 5 a.m.,’ she recalled.

‘Sinabi na may tatlong dwende sa bahay namin. As in natatakot na akong banggitin ang pangalan nila kasi sinasabi na baka i-follow ka. Sinabi na swerte sila sa bahay namin kaya wala raw nagkakasakit nang malala. Hindi raw kami nakaka-experience ng hirap,’ she continued.

(When I was in grade school, we had a house helper who got possessed. Several faith healers and nuns came over. We were told that there were three dwarves in our house. I was scared to share their names because they told me that it might follow me. We were nonetheless told that they brought luck to our home. This is why no one got badly sick. We didn’t experience any hardships.)

Dizon recalled that these dwarves loved her family’s house helper, adding that since she was suffering from depression at the time, she would often go to their spot to feel better.

‘Ang kasambahay namin na-typan niya, d’un ko naintindihan ang kasambahay namin. Depressed ang kasambahay namin tapos tumambay siya sa area kung nan’dun ang dwende. Kapag low ang vibration or lower ang frequency, d’un sila papasok. ‘Yun ang explanation sa’min ng albularyo. ang inadvise sa kasambahay namin is kailangan itawid sa dagat para hindi siya sundan ng mga dwende,’ she said.

(They liked my house helper, and that’s where I understood where she’s coming from. She was depressed and would go to their spot where the dwarves were. When she experienced low vibration and low frequency, that’s where they go in. At least that’s what the faith healer explained to us. Our house helper was advised to be brought to the sea so the dwarves couldn’t follow her.)

Jillian Ward

Ward shared that she had a creepy encounter while filming the upcoming movie ‘Gabi ng Lagim.’

‘Noong nagsho-shoot ako ng ‘Gabi ng Lagim,’ we were shooting at the church tapos sobrang nilalamig ako. Ako lang pala ang nilalamig sa aming lahat so kaba lang ba ‘yun or there’s something else,’ she told reporters on the sidelines of The New Nocturnals ball.

(While we were shooting ‘Gabi ng Lagim’ at a church, I felt an indescribable chill. It turned out I was the only one who felt that way. Did it have something to do with the nerves or was there something else?)

International pop star Jackson Wang is back in the Philippines for his first-ever solo concert and has expressed his wish to experience what Manila’s nightlife has to offer.

‘I just got here yesterday, I don’t know how I feel yet,’ Jackson said in an interview with Inquirer Entertainment on Thursday, Oct. 30, ahead of his show. ‘I wish I could feel the nightlife in Manila more, but I don’t know where to go.’

Known for his charisma on and off stage, the Hong Kong-born artist said he finds inspiration in simple, spontaneous moments outside of work.

‘Being able to be free and just walk outside without a destination. It’s like going with the flow and seeing where I end up – it could be a bar. I don’t know what this bar is, who you meet, how much you drink, what you eat,’ he shared. ‘Sometimes just letting fate do the work, I enjoy doing that.’

Beyond his energetic performances, Wang hopes to use his music to encourage fans who may be going through difficult times.

‘I want to be able to share my story, how I recovered mentally when I was at my lowest point,’ he expressed. ‘I hope that message could help and encourage everyone in their lowest point and darkest days as well.’

When asked what he’s learned from his supporters, the rapper-singer emphasized the importance of honesty and mutual respect between artists and fans.

‘Fans love you. They don’t care about your label or your company, they love you,’ he said. ‘So if someone shows you love and support, make sure you return it and show them as much or even more love back.’

The 31-year-old artist rose to fame as a member of the K-pop group GOT7 before successfully launching his solo career as a singer, rapper and producer.

He is also the founder of Team Wang, a record label and fashion brand that reflects his creative vision and independence as an artist.

Wang’s upcoming Manila concert on Nov. 2 will mark another milestone in his ‘MAGIC MAN’ tour.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) moves to end ‘predatory’ lending schemes by capping interest rates and other fees charged by lending and financing firms.

‘The number of borrowers struggling under excessive interest rates has continued to grow in recent years, as certain entities exploit the accessibility of online lending applications to trap our fellow kababayans in cycles of debt,’ SEC chair Francis Lim said in a statement on Friday.

Thus the corporate watchdog has sought public comment on the draft memorandum circular that seeks to curb abusive lending practices.

Under the proposed lending guidelines, the nominal interest rate will be capped at 6 percent per month, or about 0.2 percent per day. The effective interest rate, including all other costs and fees, would also be limited to 10 percent per month, or about 0.33 percent per day.

Under the proposed rules, the ceiling on interest rates and other fees will apply to unsecured general-purpose loans with a maximum amount of P20,000 and terms of no more than six months.

For late payments or non-payment on outstanding scheduled amounts due, lending and financing groups may only enforce fines of up to 5 percent per month.

The SEC will also limit total charges to the amount borrowed.

Motorists must brace themselves for another hefty diesel price hike of as much as P2.70 a liter next week.

In an advisory Friday, Jetti Petroleum Leo Bellas said diesel prices may jump by P2.50 to P2.70 a liter starting Nov. 4.

If this will be implemented, next week marks the second straight week of diesel price hikes.

Gasoline prices, meanwhile, may also climb by P1.50 to P1.70 per liter.

‘Oil prices continued their rally this week as the sanctions on Russian oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil, which together account for more than 5 percent of global oil output, have introduced significant compliance risks and uncertainty into the market,’ Bellas said.

‘Growing concerns that refined products output will tighten globally due to the US sanctions on key Russian producers have resulted in strengthening diesel and gasoline prices outside of crude movements,’ he added.

Five out of 10 Filipino families rate themselves as poor, according to the latest Social Weather Survey released Thursday.

The survey, conducted from September 24 to 30, found that 50 percent of respondents, or an estimated 14.2 million Filipino families, rate themselves as ‘mahirap’ or ‘poor,’ while 38 percent rate themselves as ‘hindi mahirap’ or ‘not poor.’ Meanwhile, 12 percent rated themselves as ‘borderline’ (on the line dividing ‘poor’ and ‘not poor’).

The September result for self-rated poor families was 1 point above the 49 percent in June (roughly 13.7 million families) and the same as the 50 percent in late April. On the other hand, the September result for ‘not poor’ was 3 points below the 41 percent in June, and the result for ‘borderline’ was 2 points up from 10 percent in June.

Self-rated poverty was at its highest in Mindanao at 69 percent (unchanged from June’s result), followed by the Visayas at 54 percent (down 6 points from 60% in June), Metro Manila at 43 percent (up 7 points from 36 percent), and Luzon outside Metro Manila at 42 percent (up 4 points from 38 percent).

Meanwhile, the rate for ‘not poor’ fell from 57 percent in June to 51 percent in Metro Manila, from 28 percent to 23 percent in the Visayas, and from 52 percent to 49 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila. In Mindanao, the score barely moved from 21 percent to 20 percent.

The percentage of ‘borderline’ families rose sharply from 12 percent to 24 percent in the Visayas but hardly changed in other areas (from 8 percent to 7 percent in Metro Manila, 10 percent to 9 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila, and 10 percent to 11 percent in Mindanao).

On the other hand, 41 percent of families rated themselves as ‘food-poor’ (unchanged since April 2025). While 47 percent rated themselves as ‘not food-poor’ (falling slightly from 49 percent in June), 11 percent rated themselves as ‘food borderline’ (barely moving from 10 percent).

Self-rated food poverty was again at its highest in Mindanao at 61 percent (hardly moved from 60 percent in June). It was followed by the Visayas at 40 percent (down 4 points from 44 percent), Metro Manila at 35 percent (up 4 points from 31 percent), and Luzon outside Metro Manila at 33 percent (hardly moved from 34 percent).

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults and had sampling error margins of plus-or-minus 3 percent for national percentages, plus-or-minus 4 percent for Luzon outside Metro Manila, and plus-or-minus 6 percent each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.