Category: Business Mirror

THE idyllic island beach resort Boracay will bustle with activity on Friday with the start of the Fourth Southeast Asia Open Water Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at the Boracay Newcoast overlooking the crystal clear blue waters of the Sibuyan Sea.

Close to a 200 swimmers from Southeast Asian neighbors Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and host Philippines will be in one of the country’s tourism crown jewels for three days of intense action in the Olympic discipline that debuted in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

‘The open water swimmers began arriving last Wednesday for what promises to be three days of thrilling action in the competition we made extra efforts to prepare for,’ Philippine Aquatics Inc. secretary general Eric Buhain said.

‘We aim to put our best food forward for all of our participants, considering that this is our inaugural hosting of the meet and want it to be memorable and unforgettable for all,’ added the former national swimming standout and Batangas congressman.

Sanctioned by the Southeast Asian Swimming Federation, the three-day championships will be shielded from the elements inside a protected cove at the 160-hectare tourism and leisure estate developed by Global Estate Resorts, a subsidiary of property giant Megaworld.

Buhain added that they left no stone unturned to safeguard and secure the well-being and safety of the swimmers in the open water swimming showcase In cooperation with and supported by the Aklan provincial and Malay municipal governments.

Highly-trained volunteer lifeguards from Philippine Lifesaving, which has a regional center on the island, have also been tapped to supplement the safety measures to be enforced with the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police, Buhain said.

He also expressed his gratitude to PSC chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio for backing the swimming association in its choice of the competition, aligning with the government sports agency aggressive thrust in promoting sports tourism.

‘Choosing Boracay as the site for this competition was a no-brainer, which is why we are thankful to PSC Chairman Chairman in wholeheartedly supporting our choice,’ Buhain said of Gregorio, who also heads the National Sports Tourism Interagency Committee.

‘We congratulate the Philippine Aquatics Inc. in organizing the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Championships given the present challenging conditions,’ Gregorio said. ‘Through this competition, we are creating a new group of sports and tourism goodwill ambassadors who will experience and spread the word of our famed Filipino hospitality worldwide as well as the irresistible charms and appeal of Boracay.’

2GO, the Philippines’ largest and most integrated end-to-end transportation and logistics solutions provider, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Mindanao’s economic growth by strengthening connectivity by helping businesses access markets and travelers reach their destinations across the country.

Speaking at the 35th Mindanao Business Conference on August 12, 2GO Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer William Howell highlighted connectivity as a critical enabler of a more future-proof and inclusive Mindanao economy. The conference, held in Cagayan de Oro City from August 11 to 13, carries the theme ‘Accelerating Inclusive Growth through Innovation and Sustainability: Bridging the Gap, Scaling the Future.’

‘When we talk about the future of the Philippine economy, Mindanao is not a peripheral story,’ Howell said, noting the region’s vital role in agriculture and fisheries, energy, manufacturing, mining, exports, and tourism. Howell emphasized that the region’s economic potential can be further unlocked by strengthening the connections that allow goods, people, and opportunities to move efficiently across markets.

Connecting Mindanao’s industries to wider markets, Howell outlined four strategic pillars underpinning Mindanao’s economic advantage: industry, growth engines, connectivity, and tourism. While the region continues to produce globally competitive agricultural and manufactured products and attract investments across industries, he emphasized that connectivity ties these growth drivers together by linking farmers to markets, manufacturers to customers, exporters to gateways, and communities to new economic opportunities.

‘Connectivity is not merely about moving goods and passengers. It is about enabling commerce, expanding access, attracting investments, and strengthening communities,’ Howell said.

As Mindanao’s industries expand, 2GO is supporting businesses through an integrated network of freight, logistics, and travel solutions. The company’s Forwarding network includes 93 distribution hubs and warehouses nationwide, with 18 located in Mindanao. In the region, 2GO Forwarding handles approximately 1.5 million packages, or 150,000 transactions, annually.

Through 2GO Sea Solutions, the company connects Mindanao to key commercial hubs across the Philippines. 2GO serves ports located in Cagayan de Oro, Ozamiz, Butuan, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, and Zamboanga, as part of its 20-port network nationally, while transporting 2.5 million metric tons of cargo to, from, and within Mindanao in 2025.

Beyond regular sea freight, 2GO provides specialized logistics solutions designed to address the evolving requirements of Mindanao’s industries, including project logistics for large-scale developments, cold chain for agricultural and food products, e-commerce logistics, and cross-docking solutions that support faster movement of goods.

Connectivity also extends beyond the movement of cargo. Through 2GO Travel, the company supports the mobility of entrepreneurs, workers, tourists, and communities, helping connect Mindanao with key destinations across Luzon and the Visayas.

2GO Travel currently operates 36 active passenger routes nationwide, including 18 with a Mindanao connection. The network supports 37 weekly voyages connecting Mindanao to Luzon and the Visayas, strengthening access to markets, employment, tourism, and other economic opportunities.

These integrated services reinforce 2GO’s role beyond that of a transportation provider. By combining sea freight, forwarding, specialized logistics, and passenger travel, the company helps businesses move products from production sites to markets while connecting people and communities across the archipelago.

The company’s participation in the 35th Mindanao Business Conference builds on its continued engagement with government, chambers, and business stakeholders in the region. Earlier this year, 2GO, the Mindanao Development Authority, and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. convened regional industry leaders to discuss logistics challenges and opportunities for strengthening supply chain connectivity across Mindanao. The conference program likewise placed connectivity at the center of discussions on Mindanao’s economic future, with sessions covering the region’s economic strategic foresight, connectivity and resilience, smart industrial development, energy transition, digital infrastructure, trade, climate-smart business, tourism, and MSME financing.

Through its integrated network of sea freight, forwarding, and passenger travel, 2GO continues to support the next chapter of Mindanao’s growth by connecting people, markets, and opportunities across the Philippines.

For more information about 2GO’s end-to-end logistics and transportation solutions, visit www.2GO.com.ph.

Catholic leaders should step up voter formation ahead of the 2028 presidential election without dictating political choices, as Filipinos prepare to choose the country’s next leaders, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said.

With less than two years before the polls, CBCP President and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera said the Church should help voters form their consciences around faith, truth and ‘authentic human values.’

‘As we prepare for the coming presidential election, we are called to accompany our people in forming consciences that are guided by faith, truth, and authentic human values,’ Garcera said.

‘A truly missionary Church does not impose political choices, but it helps the faithful discern wisely, participate responsibly, and promote the common good with a heart shaped by the Gospel,’ he added.

Garcera made the call during the 70th annual national assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies-Philippines in Tacloban City on Aug. 19.

His remarks put voter education within the Church’s broader push to engage social realities rather than limit its work to activities within parishes.

Garcera called for a more outward-looking Church that reaches the poor, young people, marginalized communities and Catholics who have drifted away from the faith.

He warned that parishes risk becoming inward-looking when routine programs take priority over engagement with communities.

‘Mission begins wherever we live, work, study, and serve,’ Garcera said, stressing that responsibility for the Church’s mission extends to all baptized Catholics.

The archbishop also tied the Church’s role in voter formation to efforts to implement the Synod on Synodality in dioceses across the country.

He said synodality should not be treated as a temporary program or a series of consultations, but as a continuing process of listening, discernment, participation and mission.

‘The work of the Synod did not end with the publication of its Final Document,’ Garcera said. ‘The question before us is no longer simply, ‘What is synodality?’ but rather, ‘How shall we live it?”

For the Philippine Church, he said this means turning its strong religious traditions, active communities and young population into greater participation in both Church life and wider society.

Garcera also pointed to millions of Filipino migrant workers and volunteers as examples of how Filipino Catholics already carry their faith into communities beyond the country.

He said the challenge is no longer simply to preserve inherited traditions, but to translate them into greater service, responsible participation and a stronger commitment to the common good.

JDC One Acacia Corp., operator of JEG Tower in Cebu City, will source electricity from Vivant Energy subsidiary COREnergy for two years.

The parties recently signed a retail electricity supply (RES) contract, which allows a qualified contestable customer to buy commercial electricity directly from a licensed RES under Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) program of the government.

By transitioning to the RCOA framework, JEG Tower contracted 0.6 megawatt of energy capacity, while securing a fixed rate for the next two years and price stability for its commercial office building.

‘Electricity is fundamental to how we operate our building and serve our tenants,’ said Marivic Sembrano, JDC president. ‘By taking a more strategic approach to energy procurement, we’re able to better manage one of our major operating costs while continuing to provide a reliable, comfortable, and productive environment for the businesses that have chosen JEG Tower as their workplace.’

The agreement enables JEG Tower to secure predictable generation costs while gaining access to COREnergy’s customer portal, which provides daily and hourly load profiles, billing history, load factor, and historical generation charges. These insights allow building management to monitor energy consumption more effectively, make informed operational decisions, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency over time.

‘This partnership is particularly meaningful because it brings together organizations that share a longstanding commitment to serving Cebu’s business community,’ said Marko Sarmiento, COREnergy vice president and head of operations.

Through the RCOA framework, property owners are gaining greater flexibility to optimize electricity costs while improving how their buildings operate. JEG Tower’s partnership with COREnergy reflects this growing shift toward viewing energy not simply as a utility expense, but as a strategic investment that enhances building performance, supports tenant satisfaction, and strengthens long-term business competitiveness.

Vivant recently reported that its core profit fell by 19 percent year-on-year to P784 million due to market volatility in the first half.

Non-core losses, including subsidiary downtime, dragged the parent company’s net income down by 21 percent year-on-year to P757 million, despite offsetting foreign exchange gains and insurance payouts.

Consolidated revenues reached P7.6 billion at end-June this year, compared with P5.4 billion in the same period a year ago. Power generation sales, which remained the primary revenue source, jumped 53 percent to P6.3 billion, driven by six subsidiaries.

Cartographic Cinema, a collection of motion pictures which probe films as a lens through space, identity and emotion, will be screened for free at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

Part of the MCADxMoving Image program, it views culture, society and politics through the media of the moving image-from filmed performances and narrative experiments, to hybrid documentaries, video essays, and archival audiovisions.

Curated by professor and geographer Joseph Palis, the selection investigates films and maps as ‘powerful ideological tools that work in consort with one another,’ as Tom Conley, American scholar of literature, cartography, and film, stated in his book Cartographic Cinema (2007).

‘Whether maps are actually shown in films, or when films function as maps that situate the spectator to a landscape or space, films can be seen as an atlas that contains stories which clue the audience to the place, identity and emotion,’ Palis shared.

The lineup includes Central Station (1998), a road odyssey by Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles; Good Bye, Lenin! (2003), a comedy-drama by German film director and screenwriter Wolfgang Becker; and Joint Security Area (2000), a thriller-mystery by Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook.

The roster comprises films situated in the war trenches and demilitarized zones, post-socialist Berlin and the hinterlands of northeastern Brazil.

‘Each story contains the myriad lives that survive within these borders, as it interrogates how real or humanly constructed these borders are, and shows how a place can have meaning even in landscapes of despair or desolation,’ Palis added.

Palis teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of the Philippines Diliman Department of Geography.

In addition to his research interests, which include countercartographies, geonarratives, island and archipelagic geographies, and cultural geography, he has likewise taught courses, such as cinematic geography and cartographic cinema. He currently serves as a co-editor of Palgrave Macmillan Pivot Series, which is devoted to media geographies.

Cartographic Cinema is free and open to the public.

It will be held at The Loop, 12th Floor of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

The event will run from August 26 to 28, at 12 noon each day.

Megaworld Hotels and Resorts (MHR) will be welcoming two new managing directors to further drive the company’s growth strategy.

Industry sources told the BusinessMirror that the two managing directors are seasoned hotelier Socrates ‘Sonny’ S. Alvaro, who starts in September, and 31-year-old Marriott International veteran Anna Liza Vergara, who begins her stint in October.

The appointments were announced in a town hall meeting on August 13 and were confirmed by Alvaro and Vergara in separate messages to the BusinessMirror.

Asked if there could be any confusion on her co-management position with Alvaro, Vergara said: ‘No naman. We’ll have our own areas,’ without elaborating.

The two leaders have been brought in from within the Megaworld Corp./Travellers International group – both owned by the Andrew L. Tan-led Alliance Global Group Inc. – in place of Cleofe C. Albiso, who leaves her post at the end of August. She has been MD since September 2022.

Alvaro is currently the general manager of Belmont Hotel Manila, while Vergara is the GM of Sheraton Manila at the Newport City.

Also leaving at month’s end is Arturo P. Boncato Jr., MHR Group General Manager since April 2024. Aside from his stints in the private sector, Boncato is well-known for his posts in government, the last being Tourism Undersecretary from 2018 to 2020.

Announced as well, sources added, was the change in the name of MHR to Megaworld Global Hotels and Resorts.

The name change, scheduled for October, reflects the hospitality firm’s continued growth and expansion, as well as assertive moves in franchising global hotel brands, the sources added. The company currently has franchise agreements with the Accor Group and Marriott.

MHR recently opened Belmont Hotel Iloilo (405 keys) and Chancellor Hotel Boracay (554 keys), raising the number of its total rooms to some 8,700. It has seven brands across 15 properties in the National Capital Region, Batangas, Mactan in Cebu, Iloilo, and Boracay in Aklan.

Its homegrown brands also include Richmonde Hotel, Savoy, Kingsford, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, and Twin Lakes in Tagaytay, along with franchised brands Movenpick Mactan, Movenpick Westside (currently Grand Westside Manila Bay), and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo.

In its recent investors briefing, Megaworld Corp. disclosed an 11 percent increase in MHR revenues to P3.1 billion, making the unit the fastest-growing recurring income segment for the parent firm in the first half of the year. These revenues helped lift Megaworld’s net income by 5 percent to P12.7 billion.

In celebration of History Month, Museo del Galeón at the SM Mall of Asia Complex will be open daily for 11 straight days from August 21 to 31, with 11% off regular Adult and Child admission.

Guests can journey through centuries of Philippine maritime history, explore the country’s rich seafaring identity, and discover the cultural exchanges shaped by the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. At the heart of the museum is the Galeón Espíritu Santo, a full-scale representation of the historic vessel built in Cavite in 1603. Guests are welcome to board the vessel, walk its decks, and interact with immersive exhibits.

Located within the SM Mall of Asia Complex, Museo del Galeón adds to the destination’s diverse lineup of cultural, leisure, and lifestyle experiences. Your most loved mall, SM Mall of Asia continues to bring together attractions and experiences that give guests more reasons to visit, discover, and spend time at the complex, with Museo del Galeón offering a unique opportunity to explore the Philippines’ maritime heritage.

The offer applies to regular-priced Adult and Child admission tickets. The Child rate is available to guests under 18. The offer cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at bit.ly/MuseodelGaleon. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Private-sector workers may refuse to report for work without facing administrative sanctions when severe weather or similar events pose an imminent danger to their safety and health, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).

The protection is contained in Labor Advisory No. 14, Series of 2026, which updates the rules on work suspensions during weather disturbances and other disruptive events.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino signed the advisory on Aug. 19 amid recent flooding and weather disturbances that have affected workers and communities nationwide.

Under the guidelines, workers who fail or refuse to work because of imminent danger arising from weather disturbances or similar occurrences cannot be subjected to administrative penalties.

Employers may also suspend operations when conditions threaten workers’ safety, in coordination with their safety and health committee, safety officer or another responsible company official.

However, the advisory does not automatically guarantee pay when work is suspended.

Employees who do not report because of a work suspension are generally not entitled to regular pay unless a company policy, established practice or collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise.

Workers may instead use accrued leave credits if their employer allows it.

Those who report for duty and work for at least six hours are entitled to their full regular pay.

Employees who render less than six hours will receive pay proportionate to the hours worked, unless more favorable company policies or practices apply.

Employers may also grant additional incentives or benefits to employees who still report for work during severe weather and similar disruptions.

Labor Advisory No. 14 updates guidelines issued in November 2025 covering workers exposed to imminent danger from disruptive events.

The earlier rules covered not only natural disasters but also industrial accidents and public health emergencies.

DOLE said the updated policy is intended to keep workplace safety protections in place during emergencies while allowing businesses to respond to disruptions.

DON’T ask Eumir Felix Marcial about his dream of winning an Asian Games gold medal next month, ask him instead about his eighth professional fight that’s scheduled on the very same day the games open on September 19 in Nagoya.

‘Let’s not talk about the Asian Games for the meantime,’ Marcial told the BusinessMirror on Thursday just hours after it was announced that he’ll be defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight international belt against American Omar Ulises Huerta at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

‘I’m extremely focused on this fight,’ added the 30-year-old two-time Olympian who owns a middleweight bronze medal from Tokyo 2020.

Marcial always expresses that although the Asian Games rank high in his priorities, a similarly intense dream to become a pro boxing world champion are that high, too.

‘There’s another regional belt that would be staked in this fight, and it could lead to my dream of fighting for a world title,’ he said. ‘It won’t be easy that’s why I must give my entire time and focus on this one.’

On Monday, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said Marcial remains on the list of boxers for the Asian Games and that with his fight set on September 19 and with a high confidence level that he’d win, he’ll have enough time for recovery because the boxing competitions in Nagoya start on September 24.

Tolentino said Marcial ranks as a gold medal potential-he settled for silver losing to a Chinese in the final last 2023 in Hangzhou-alongside Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, as well as Aira Villegas, who like Petecio, clinched bronze in Paris two years ago.

Marcial is now in deep training at the Knuckleheads Gym in Las Vegas under the tight watch of Reynaldo Galido, gold medalist at the Hiroshima 1994 Asian Games and a 1996 Atlanta Olympian.

His main trainer, American Kaye Koroma, is focused on improving the quality of the Zamboanga City pride’s power punches, speed, agility and ring smart-ingredients needed to beat Huerta, who similarly has a burning passion to become a world champion.

Huerta was on a winning streak in 15 fights-13 of his opponents he knocked out-until fellow American Vieto Mielnicki Jr. beat him via unanimous decision last April 11 in New Jersey.

That, according to Marcial, makes his opponent dangerous.

‘It’s going to be dangerous because he is coming from a loss after an undefeated streak,’ said Marcial, ‘and he’s got an experience.’

Marcial is 7-0 with four knockouts but his last fight was almost a year ago-October 29 in the ‘Thrilla in Manila II’ at the Smart Araneta Coliseum-and it was a controversial majority decision over Venezuelan Eddy Colmenares.

He was knocked down in that fight.

Marcial fought at the Bangkok Asian Games last December 19 and won the light heavyweight gold medal, 4-1, over Indonesia’s Maikhel Roberrd Muskita.

The Mandaue City Government will distribute security equipment to public schools and expand police visibility in and around campuses as part of efforts to strengthen protection against school violence.

According to the Mandaue City Public Affairs Office, the city will provide seven walk-through metal detectors, 50 handheld metal detectors and mobile phones that can be used for Zoom live streaming in public schools, Mayor Thadeo ‘Jonkie’ Ouano said following a multi-agency meeting on school safety on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

The meeting brought together the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), Department of Education-Mandaue City (DepEd-Mandaue), and various city government offices to discuss measures aimed at keeping students and school personnel safe.

Ouano directed the police to increase their presence in schools, particularly during periods when students are most vulnerable, including mornings, lunch breaks, afternoons, and night classes.

The mayor said stronger police visibility is necessary to deter incidents of violence and help ensure that students can exercise their right to learn in a safe environment.

The city also emphasized the need to remain prepared for violent incidents and other emergencies that could threaten students, teachers and other school personnel.

DepEd Mandaue said it continues to conduct information drives in schools on precautionary measures, including what students and school personnel should do in case of an active school shooting.

The department also noted that, following a June 24 meeting, Barangay Peacekeeping and Security Officers (BPSOs) have become more visible in schools within their respective barangays. Their presence is intended to help prevent unauthorized individuals from entering school premises.

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Office (SAMHSO) and the City Social Welfare Services Office (CSWSO) reported that they are strengthening programs and services for schools, particularly psychological interventions and other mental health support for students.

SAMHSO also plans to expand seminars for parents, with emphasis on effective communication with children and the use of positive parenting approaches.

The city government and concerned agencies also discussed the development of policies and procedures to further safeguard students and teachers while maintaining a peaceful, secure, and conducive learning environment.