Category: Business Mirror

St. Luke’s Medical Center Inc. is moving the target opening of its third hospital in Aseana in Parañaque to 2031, two years later than its original projection of 2029.

Dennis P. Serrano, the hospital’s CEO, said the plans are already in place for the St. Luke’s Aseana, which will cost about P12 billion to build.

‘It’s going to be the same size as BGC [Bonifacio Global City]. It’s about 500 beds. We’re winding up on our design phase for our Asiana Hospital,’ Serrano said. ‘We’re hoping to start construction by September of next year. But we’re building in a reclaimed area. So, even before we start construction, there has to be a lot of piling that has to be done.’

‘And it’s peculiar to build in Aseana. You can’t dig down because it’s reclaimed land. You can’t build too high up because you’re very near the airport.’

Serrano said the hospital will start hiring people in 2028, training them in its two medical centers in Quezon City and in Taguig so that the new facility will have necessary talent when it opens in about six years.

‘It’s a big project. But we’ve done it before in (Bonifacio) Global City, obviously, which opened in 2010,’ Serrano said. ‘(Our personnel) should be already very well trained by the time the hospital opens its doors.’

Serrano, who has 15 years of experience in robotic surgery, said the hospital is in the planning stage.

‘We are in the age of artificial intelligence. We are in the age of precision medicine, molecular medicine, molecular oncology.

‘And there’s an explosion of all of these new technologies. But we really have to navigate through all of that. We’re also in the age of digital transformation,’ he said.

St. Luke’s has completed over 2,500 robotic surgeries, the highest number of robotic-assisted procedures performed by any hospital in the country.

This achievement was certified by DTG Medical Inc., which affirmed St. Luke’s position as the hospital with the highest number of robotic-assisted surgeries in the Philippines.

IF there’s one word that defines life in the Philippines today, it’s ‘uncertainty.’ From shifting economic forecasts, rising prices, and political noise to unexpected changes at work and home, many Filipinos are living in a constant state of adaptation. While it’s tempting to feel overwhelmed, it’s also in these moments that resilience shines most-both at the personal and communal level.

Instability affects more than the numbers in the news; it’s felt deeply in day-to-day life. Concerns about job security, higher costs of living, divisive headlines, and shifting government priorities can all trigger stress. It’s important to recognize these feelings as normal responses. After all, Filipino families have weathered many storms before-disasters, political upheavals, and financial challenges.

During turbulent periods, routines become lifelines. Try to set daily anchors, even if circumstances keep changing-meal schedules, exercise, prayer, or quiet time with family bring a sense of stability. Budget wisely: review spending, cut down on unnecessary costs, and save even small amounts if possible. These small habits lay the groundwork for a sense of control.

Managing information overload is another crucial step. Limit ‘doomscrolling’ by curating credible sources and setting boundaries for social media. This allows space to focus on what can be changed rather than what causes fear and uncertainty. Remember, reconnecting with loved ones-even digitally-is a source of comfort and support.

Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing or short walks, reduce anxiety and refresh the mind. Spiritual activities or prayer may also bring peace and perspective, both of which are anchors in Filipino life.

The Filipino values of bayanihan-helping one another- and resourcefulness remain crucial. In unstable times, collective optimism and small acts of kindness have powered countless families through adversity.

Celebrate small wins: a new income stream, a resolved household problem, or any adjustment that worked. Sharing these stories with family, friends, or workmates can inspire others to persevere, too.

Uncertainty is a fact of life, but as a nation, we have thrived amid change through hope, unity, and ingenuity. Today’s challenges invite everyone to practice, share, and strengthen these habits. Change may be inevitable, but our capacity to adapt, uplift others, and look ahead with hope never wavers.

IN these days of back-to-back challenges-budget troubles, illness, family, or relationship problems-how often do we actually stop to check if we are truly caring for ourselves? Most of the time, we put work, family, and obligations first, and our own needs come last. Many people, especially women, take on the world’s expectations to always embody the ‘superwoman’- strong, beautiful, tireless. Yet in Filipino society, many people still hesitate to talk openly about women’s health, whether it’s PCOS, breast cancer, or mental wellness.

Real strength, I believe, is knowing our limits. Sometimes, we must allow ourselves to put our comfort first, to rest, or to sleep in. This month, as we mark Breast Cancer Awareness and Mental Health Awareness, right after PCOS Awareness Month last September, let’s listen to the voices of women who have learned that real courage means knowing how to care for themselves.

Fortunately, there are organizations and companies now advocating for women-offering information, products, and support, such as New Moon PH and their Power Within campaign. This includes supplements (Soft Glow, Hormo Balance, Nighty Bright) that help women on their path to health, comfort, and self-confidence. The campaign calls every woman to see her own strength and resilience while making her health and wellness a true priority. Find @newmoonph on TikTok.

Two foreign reinforcements rose above everyone else in exciting week two of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 88 basketball tournaments.

After starting its campaign winless in three games, Far Eastern University finally cracked the win column, thanks to the heroics of the towering Mo Konateh of Gambia, who dominated inside the shaded area.

Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas went unbeaten in two games, as Nigeria’s Oma Onianwa made wonders on both ends for coach Haydee Ong and company, improving their record to 3-0.

Owing to their stellar performances for their respective schools, Konateh and Onianwa were named the Collegiate Press Corps’ UAAP Players of the Week presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the period of October 1 to 5.

The 6-foot-10 Konateh starred as the Tamaraws avoided a 0-4 hole, scoring 18 points, 21 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a 64-58 triumph over Adamson University on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Konateh had a crucial block on Emmanuel Anabo while the Soaring Falcons were trying to claw their way back late in the game, 1:26 left in regulation.

‘That’s what we expect from him [Mo Konateh] and I was glad that he really stepped up today,’ FEU coach Sean Chambers said.

Konateh averaged 16.0 points, 15.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block to win a tight vote among the scribes covering the collegiate beat. The Gambian was picked over Ateneo’s Dom Escobar and Shawn Tuano, La Salle’s Mike Phillips, UST’s Nic Cabañero, and UP’s Harold Alarcon.

Chambers said the Tamaraws ‘had their moments’ against previous opponents, including La Salle University, to which they lost by a slim margin, 72-74, on Wednesday at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Konateh put up 14 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and a steal against the Archers.

Onianwa, on the other hand, was unstoppable as she fueled the Growling Tigresses with an 18-point, 15-rebound showing in a 76-62 victory over defending women’s champion National University.

During that game, the Onianwa-led UST came up with a whopping 78 rebounds-43 from the offensive glass, compared to NU’s 37 boards in total and six offensive.

The Nigerian center then again had a fine performance of 17 points and six rebounds in just 19 minutes of play as the Tigresses overwhelmed University of the East with a 57-point shellacking, 99-42, on Saturday.

As they currently ride on an unbeaten run, Ong is already looking forward to Onianwa matching up against Ateneo’s back-to-back MVP and Gilas Pilipinas Women standout Kacey Dela Rosa, as well as FSA Sarah Makanjoula.

Onianwa, who had averages of 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in just over 22 minutes per game, won the vote unanimously over Cheska Apag of Adamson, Dela Rosa of Ateneo, Amyah Español of FEU, and Tin Cayabyab of NU.

LOSS of investments and employment, among others, may be the ‘broader impact’ on the Philippine economy if the country’s exports keep underperforming, according to Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr.

‘Well, loss of investments, expansions will be held, definitely loss of employment,’ Ortiz-Luis said in a recent televised interview when asked about the impact on the Philippine economy if exports continue to plunge.

With this, he reiterated the need for a ‘more realistic’ budget for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to prop up the country’s outbound shipments.

In particular, the Philexport chief said ,’Maybe double [the budget of DTI] it. What is P10 billion compared to some projects that we are not doing now?’

In a witty retort towards the reallocation of funds from the anomalous flood control projects, Ortiz-Luis said: ‘If we can only get 5 percent of what is lost in the floodwater.that would help a lot the development of exports also of SMEs, which are lagging behind all our Asian neighbors.’

While he could not quantify by how much corruption has held back the export sector in the Philippines, he pointed to the participation rate of exporters in international trade fairs.

‘We have big fairs outside which we couldn’t afford which are supported by our neighbors. In the [China-Asean Expo] CAEXPO recently, you know how many exporters our neighbors sent? More than 200 from Thailand, more than 200 from Malaysia. You know how many we sent? Ten. Although the space will be given to us for free, it’s expensive for exporters to go,’ added Ortiz-Luis.

Apart from the lack of budget for the country’s exports, Ortiz-Luis took note of the changing trend in the trade data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which indicated that growth of exports in August slowed down while exports to the US plummeted, with Hong Kong now being the Philippines’ top export destination.

‘We know that Hong Kong overtook the US last August as the number one export destination,’ which could prove, he said, that ‘we’re trying to shift to other areas but it’s easier than done.’

PSA data showed that in August 2025, or during the month when the 19-percent reciprocal tariff imposed by Washington took effect for the Philippines, exports to the United States contracted 11.2 percent to $1.09 billion from the $1.22 billion recorded in August 2024.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ shipments bound for Hong Kong soared by 26.4 percent to $1.19 billion in August 2025 from the $942.56 million in August 2024.

For August 2025 alone, this means that Hong Kong is now the Philippines’ top export destination.

The PSA data showed the growth in country’s outbound shipments slowed down in August compared to the previous months or when the tariff imposed by Washington was not yet in place.

PSA data showed that export earnings growth slowed in August as outbound shipments only grew 4.6 percent to $7.06 billion in August from the $6.75 billion in the same period last year.

This, after exports peaked at 26.9 percent in June 2025, then export earnings slowed to 17.6 percent in July and posted single-digit growth in August.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector slipped into ‘negative territory’ in September on the back of drops in output and new orders.

Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) economist Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr. said, ‘this has to do with the poor performance in exports.’

‘I think this has to do with the poor performance in exports. Manufacturing is significantly linked with exports. Hence, given the global headwinds, particularly with Trump’s unconventional policies, exports are down, bringing down manufacturing as well,’ Lanzona told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Wednesday.

For her part, Elizabeth Lee, Chairperson of Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message recently that while the September dip reflected weaker domestic demand, weather disruptions and rice import restrictions, ‘companies’ continued purchasing activity and upbeat sentiment suggest the downturn is viewed as temporary.’

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will expand the assets that may be infused into real estate investment trusts (REIT) in its bid to encourage more companies to list their properties.

SEC Chairman Francis E. Lim said the commission has its own ideas on how to amend the rules, such as redefining income-generating assets.

‘For example, the toll roads, although the company is not the owner, but it has a real right to operate the highway in that long piece of land, that’s a ‘reitable’ asset,’ Lim said.

According to the REIT Act of 2009, an income-generating real estate are those properties that are held for the purpose of generating a regular stream of income, such as rentals, toll fees, user’s fees and the like, as may be further defined and identified by the SEC.

The law gave the SEC the authority to ‘promulgate rules to include real rights over real property, provided they generate interest or other regular payments to the REIT.’

Lim said the agency can include power plants or cell towers, which can be characterized as real estate.

‘They are, under the law, considered immovable properties,’ he said. ‘Real estate assets are immovable properties and therefore by definition under the civil court, they are real property and therefore if they generate income on a regular basis, that’s a ‘reitable’ asset.’

Passed by Congress in 2009, the REIT law did not take off immediately in the country amid issues on public ownership and taxation on asset transfers.

Ayala Land Inc.-backed Areit Inc. was the first to brave the market and listed at the height of the pandemic in August 2020. Four more REITs followed suit the following year in 2021-DoubleDragon Corp.’s DDMP REIT Inc., Filinvest REIT Corp., Megaworld’s Mreit Inc. and the Gokongwei’s RL Commercial REIT Inc.

In 2022, the Villar group added two of its own-VistaREIT Inc. in June and Premiere Island Power REIT Corp. in December-along with Citicore Energy REIT Corp. of the owners of Megawide Construction Corp.

Sparkle artist Mika Salamanca continues to open more doors after being hailed as GMA’s first-ever big winner for Pinoy Big Brother Collab Celebrity Edition alongside duo Brent Manalo. From back-to-back magazine covers and endorsement shoots to a new single, a movie, and a series, Mika remains unstoppable-yet she still makes time to nurture her advocacies.

Mika recently released her newest single with Brent, ‘What If Tayo?,’ further solidifying their bond beyond PBB. This followed the successful release of her rendition of ‘Sino Nga Ba Sya,’ which surpassed 500,000 streams on leading audio streaming platforms in under a month. Her big screen debut is also on the horizon as part of the upcoming MMFF 2025 entry Call Me Mother. On top of that, she reunites with her PBB batchmates in another GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios collaboration, The Secrets of Hotel 88.

An advocate for mental health, Mika also released her first-ever children’s book, Lipad, which aims to inspire and encourage self-belief. She hopes to deliver the message not only to the younger audiences but to all the people who dream of rising above fear, embracing their truth, and taking flight toward the life they deserve. Proceeds from book sales are dedicated to supporting charities and outreach activities for those in need.

In her recent interviews, Mika expressed deep gratitude for all the love and support she receives, saying it fuels her drive to dream big for her family. Now, with both mainstream and online success, Mika is more determined to continue growing and being a positive influence to her supporters. Beyond being the face of big brands, she ensures that she is not the only one benefiting-part of her brand deals includes donating appliances to cancer patients and the elderly in home care.

To continue honing her craft, Mika diligently attends singing and acting workshops. For balance, she also dedicates time to writing and painting, even converting one of the rooms in her condo into a workstation for her artwork, which she plans to release soon.

Mika’s newfound success feels more than just a breakthrough-it’s a rebirth. And she is now fully embracing the life she was meant to live.

THE Capital1 Solar Spikers take the spotlight on Tuesday as top pick Bella Belen finally sees action when the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference gets going at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal.

Following her stint with Alas Pilipinas, Belen, the former Universoty Athletic Association of the Philippines standout with National University suits up for the Solar Spikers against Choco Mucho at 6:30 p.m.

The three-time UAAP Most Valuable Player joins forces with Ukrainian import Oleksandra Bytsenko, who steps in to fill the shoes of former reinforcement Marina Tushova.

After finishing 11th in the PVL On Tour, Capital1 is determined to climb the rankings with help from local talents Leila Cruz, Kecelyn Galdones, Roma Doromal, Rovena Instrella, Norielle Ipac, Trisha Genesis and Sydney Niegos.

The Flying Titans, who finished 10th in On Tour, are looking to rebound with the help of American high-flyer Anyse Smith, who recently impressed fans while playing for Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC in the AVC Champions League. Smith is expected to be a key figure in Choco Mucho’s title bid.

Supporting her are veterans Dindin Manabat, Des Cheng, Mean Mendrez, Isa Molde, Royse Tubino, and Jen Villegas, along with a formidable middle rotation of Cherry Nunag, Aduke Ogunsanya, and Lorraine Pecaña.

At 4 p.m., ZUS Coffee and Akari take center stage in a Pool B clash, both aiming to bounce back from lackluster showings in the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference.

ZUS Coffee, which finished seventh in On Tour and last in the Invitationals, features American import Anna DeBeer-a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from the University of Louisville who recently played for Indy Ignite in the Major Volleyball League. In her pro debut, DeBeer racked up 172 points from 148 attacks, 17 blocks, and seven aces, along with 110 digs.

Returning for ZUS Coffee is Thea Gagate, fresh off her stint with Alas Pilipinas. With her back in the lineup, the Thunderbelles aim for a strong run in a group that includes Chery Tiggo, Creamline, Galeries Tower, and Petro Gazz.

Akari, meanwhile, is led by American import Annie Mitchem, a 31-year-old veteran who last played for Jakarta Livin Mandiri and has competed in Italy, Turkey, and Brazil following a standout college career at the University of Hawaii. She’ll be supported by a solid local core: Ivy Lacsina, Gretchel Soltones, Eli Soyud, Faith Nisperos, Steph Bustrillo, Chenie Tagaod, and middles Ced Domingo, Ezra Madrigal, and Fifi Sharma.

The tournament features two pools of six teams in a single round-robin format. The top three teams from each pool will advance to the second round, facing only the bottom three from the opposite group.

Rankings will follow the FIVB system: total wins, match points, set ratio, and point ratio. After the second round, teams will be re-ranked from 1 to 12. The bottom four will be eliminated, while the top eight move on to the quarterfinals in a knockout format: 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5. The semifinals, finals, and bronze medal matches will also be single-elimination games.

The average price of power on the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) declined 33.8 percent to P3.04 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in September, the lowest in the last seven months, from P4.59 per kWh the previous month, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said Monday.

The WESM operator noted an improved supply for the billing period August 26 to September 25 at 20,712 megawatts (MW) against a lower demand which stood at 13,640MW, resulting in an increased margin of 5,194 MW, up from 4,578 MW in August 2025.

IEMOP said these conditions were observed across the regions with supply increasing and demand decreasing. The higher margin compared to the previous billing month led to lower prices.

In Luzon, prices dropped significantly due to lower demand and higher supply, even with increased power exports through the HVDC (high-voltage direct current). The average power rate declined 31.7 percent to P2.57 per kWh, with supply at 14,681MW. Demand stood at 9,595MW.

WESM rates in the Visayas also registered a decline. From P6.4 per kWh, it dropped 37 percent to P4.02 per kWh. Supply inched up to 2,440MW while demand went down four percent to 1,945MW.

In Mindanao, WESM prices settled at P4.19 per kWh, 37 percent lower than the P6.66 per kWh registered from a month ago. The grid’s available supply stood at 3,592MW. Demand grew to 2,100MW.

IEMOP said there were no major plant outages affecting the September billing period, contributing to the overall decrease in prices. *While Visayas experienced an earthquake on September 30 that caused multiple tripping of transmission lines and generators, this will be settled as part of the October 2025 billing period,’ it said on Monday

In terms of system-wide generation mix, renewable energy (RE) contributed 26% of total generation. Coal increased its share from 50.6% to 55.1%. Hydro generation continued its upward trend, rising from 12.6% to 13.5%, due to rainy season that was intensified by typhoon.

Meanwhile, the share of natural gas and oil-based decreased, with natural gas dropping from 22% to 17%, and oil-based generation from 0.9% to 0.5%. Solar and geothermal generation also decreased their share from 4.0% to 3.7% and 7.8% to 7.6%, respectively. Approximately 25 percent, or 2.34 terra wat of total customer transactions were purchased from retail market for this billing period.

During the period, IEMOP said the system-wide reserve market transactions decreased from P5 billion to P4.68 billion.

THE Philippines is eyeing higher foreign holdings in peso-denominated government bonds, boosted by the possible inclusion in the JP Morgan bond index.

On the sidelines of the Philippine Development Forum last Monday, National Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza told reporters that having a bigger foreign participation rate is better.

‘We want to increase participation. But since we haven’t really seen before that it’s too high, we want to manage the impact volatility in terms of rates domestically and peso,’ Almanza said, adding that a 10-percent foreign participation rate is also a ‘good number.’

According to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), foreign ownership of peso-denominated government bonds amounted to $12.78 billion or roughly P728.46 billion.

The foreign participation rate has more than tripled, increasing from 1.8 percent in 2021 to 6.03 percent as of August 2025.

Almanza said foreign holdings of government bonds rose from P400 billion at the start of the year to over P700 billion.

However, Almanza said: ‘We also have to manage the volatility because this month, although in and out, we’ve seen sell-offs, especially the fast money or hedge funds.’

The sell-off, Almanza noted, is not isolated to the Philippines, as even regional counterparts are experiencing the same.

The alleged corruption unveiling in the government is also not seen as a factor that could hinder the Philippines’ possible inclusion in the JP Morgan bond index, Almanza added.

‘It’s not because of the corruption issue [here], but it’s really because of the United States. This is more of an external development than domestic,’ Almanza said.

The Philippine Peso-denominated government bonds (RPGBs) have been placed on Index Watch-Positive for potential inclusion in the widely tracked JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) series.

Being placed on the positive watchlist signals the possible inclusion in the bond index, which is a key benchmark for international investors.

Entry into the index could expand the country’s investor base, deepen the market and reduce reliance on foreign currency borrowings to support growth.

If the Philippines were included, it would have a weight of about 1 percent of the GBI-EM Global Diversified Index, covering government bonds issued since 2023 with tenors of up to 20 years.

The watch period is expected to run six to nine months, with updates and rebalancing estimates due in the first quarter of 2026.

WHEN I am beauty shopping at a big event, I try to be cautious because it’s so easy to get carried away and purchase more than you actually need.

I went to the Robinsons Department Store’s BeYOUty Fest 2025 at Robinsons Manila Midtown Atrium, which was part of the month-long celebration of beauty at all RDS branches. There were discounts of up to 50 percent on selected items.

It took me an hour or so to go around the venue and here are the stuff that I got:

Colourette Blur Base Everyday Powder Foundation SPF 15 in Coron. This shade is a light medium with olive undertone. I got it for P599. True to its name, the powder is indeed blurring. It’s something that you could wear over sunscreen, skin tint, or foundation. I won’t say you can wear it on its own because you aren’t supposed to go out without sunscreen on your face. I like the powder and feel like I got my money’s worth even if Coron is slightly lighter on me. It’s not oily and I didn’t get any breakouts because of it.

Mise En Scene Curling Essence 2x Natural (pink tube). I think I got this for around P400 or slightly less than that.

My daughter has curly hair and she’s been using this Korean curl cream for around two years now ever since I got it as a freebie from an event. So she has gone over several tubes of it. It’s reasonably priced, not sticky, and holds her curls well.

Dazzle Me Our Secret Cover Concealer. I had been looking for this in the shade Medium because on TikTok Shop, they only have it in Light. At the event, it was on sale for only P90, I think, so I got the only tube left in Medium.

It’s a decent enough concealer. I put it in my bag for retouching because I recently attended a makeup workshop where I was told by one of the instructors that for long days, it’s good to retouch your undereye concealer.

Barenbliss Pout Plush Transferproof Lip Liner in 394 Kind (pumpkin latte). This is one of those chubby and super matte lip liners. It’s good for girls who don’t retouch a lot and just like to apply lip gloss because you still have some color on your lips but it’s not bold (this shade at least). I’m not sure how I paid for this but it was less than P200. Barenbliss’ booth was the most fun because their colors and packaging are so cute.

Colorgram Fruity Glass Tint in Lovely Raspberry.My daughter likes these tints so I got another shade for her. It’s a typical Korean tint that young people like to wear and the packaging is so fun. I got it for around P300, I think.

I’m happy that all my purchases were mindful and I didn’t go over my budget. Again, I started shopping with a list in my hand so that I’d buy only the things I needed.