Category: Business Mirror

THE Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has been able to raise the profile of the Philippines and a number of local destinations through its recent travel fairs.

At last month’s Philippine Business Mission (PBM) in Japan, 1,284 strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings were held in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo and generated some P1.08 billion in sales leads, according to a news statement. The TPB said this was a 168.63 percent increase from the leads secured in the same event last year.

TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), and Japan is among the board’s 13 key source markets for tourists. Under the General Appropriations Act of 2026, the TPB is targeting the arrival of 6.98 million foreign tourists from these 13 markets this year.

Arrivals up from Japan

The PBM was held from August 3 to 7 to strengthen tourism linkages and drive visitor arrival growth from Japan. Of the total sales leads generated, Tokyo delivered the highest at P596.31 million from 600 sessions.

The business mission also highlighted 70 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, which underscored tourism as a pillar of the two nations’ bilateral relations.

From January to August this year, visitors from Japan reached 350,191, up 0.76 percent, year on year, as per DOT data from e-travel forms. These are arrivals by country of residence and includes Filipinos living in Japan. Based on their passports of nationality, Japanese tourists from all parts of the globe reached 310,196 in the same period. No comparative data was available.

Aside from the B2B meetings, PBM also featured destination seminars and networking receptions. ‘As one of the TPB’s flagship tourism initiatives in Japan for over 16 years, the PBM plays a vital role in positioning the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination for Japanese travelers,’ said TPB Chief Opearting Officer Ma. Margarita Montemayor-Nograles.

Sixty-five delegates representing 39 Philippine sellers attended the PBM. These included major hotel chains, luxury resorts, integrated properties, destination management companies, and airlines.

The Visayas region was the most represented among the participating sellers, as per the TPB. Japanese travelers buyers were offered a diverse number destinations such as Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Palawan (including El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa), Siargao, Ilocos Sur, and key hubs for MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions).

Empowering local biz

‘PBM in Japan 2026 has proven to be a powerful driver of growth in one of our key source markets,’ said Nograles. ‘By generating over P1 billion in sales leads, our private and public sector partners have demonstrated the immense potential of Philippine tourism. As we commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, these meaningful B2B connections reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships and welcoming more Japanese travelers to discover more reasons to love our islands.’

The country’s four operational urban and commuter rail lines keep 74,781 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere each year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said. That’s about half the emissions the same passenger volume would have generated if commuters had taken private cars.

The agency said the reduction covers the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3), Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1), Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT 2) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR), using private car travel as the baseline.

Bigger cuts are expected once the government’s pipeline of rail projects comes online. The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is projected to trim CO2 emissions by more than 150,000 tons annually-over twice the combined savings of the four existing lines.

The Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT 7), set to open in the second quarter of 2027, is expected to deliver a net reduction of around 58 percent, or more than 60,000 tons, against over 105,000 tons of car-generated CO2 per year.

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), for its part, is seen cutting emissions by as much as 63 percent, equivalent to more than 70,000 tons of CO2 yearly.

‘Ang bilin ng Pangulo, gawin nating sustainable ang ating transportasyon. Kaya tayo sa DOTr, isinusulong natin ang tinatawag na commuter-centric transport gaya ng mga tren kung saan mas marami ang nakakasakay,’ Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez said. ‘Kung mas maraming sasakay sa tren kaysa private vehicles, malaki ‘yung mababawas sa carbon emission sa kalsada.’

The computations draw on National Rail UK’s Greener Travel data, which pegs car travel at 167 grams of CO2 per kilometer against 35 grams per passenger-kilometer for rail. Even at an average of two passengers per private vehicle, car travel emits roughly 83.5 grams of CO2 per passenger-kilometer-more than double that of rail.

A case study on Metro Manila by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Climate Change and Energy Project said private car emissions in the Philippines ‘significantly worsen urban air quality, accelerate climate change, and pose severe public health risks, particularly in congested metropolitan areas like Metro Manila.’

Citing a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), Lopez said the economy loses an estimated P3.5 billion a day to traffic, a figure that could climb to as much as P5.4 billion daily by 2035 absent government intervention.

MINIMUM wage workers in the Davao Region began receiving higher pay on September 1, with the second tranche of the latest wage adjustment raising daily rates by P10 to P15.

Agriculture workers now get P525 per day from P515, while those in non-agriculture industries receive P540 from P525.

Wage Order RB XI-24 authorized the adjustment following consultations by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board XI, including a public hearing held in February.

The Department of Labor and Employment said labor inspectors will check establishments’ compliance with the new rates during routine inspections.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino has also reminded employers to comply with prevailing wage and labor standards.

Davao’s latest increase comes as wage adjustments continue to roll out across regions under the country’s decentralized wage-setting system.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila workers are still waiting for the first tranche of the P85 daily wage increase approved under Wage Order NCR-27.

The NCR order will raise minimum pay by P60 pesos, which should have been rolled out by July 25, while the final tranche is set on January 20, 2027.

However, the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City issued a preliminary injunction against the implementation of the wage order, effectively putting the Metro Manila increase on hold while the legal challenge is being resolved.

Full implementation will bring the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila to P780 for non-agriculture workers.

Agriculture workers, as well as those employed by small retail and service establishments and small manufacturing firms covered by the order, will eventually receive P743 per day.

Labor groups have criticized the staggered implementation, saying workers will have to wait months before receiving the full adjustment.

However, Dole has maintained that there is no legal basis to suspend the second tranche after the wage order completed the required process.

Davao’s wage order excludes barangay micro business enterprises with valid Certificates of Authority issued by the Department of Trade and Industry under Republic Act 9178.

Compliance with the new rates will be monitored through Dole’s regular inspection program, with covered employers required to observe the wage order starting September 1.

THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) found that 1,685 out of 2,669 names listed as alleged recipients of confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) had no matching birth, marriage, or death records, while other names matched individuals who were already dead, including a recipient record linked to a person who died at only two months old in 1965.

The findings were presented before the Senate Impeachment Court as part of the House of Representatives prosecution team’s effort to challenge the validity of confidential fund liquidation documents submitted under Vice President Sara Duterte.

PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza B. Grande testified that the agency verified 2,669 alleged payee names, consisting of 1,992 names from the OVP and 677 names from DepEd. The verification involved searching the Civil Registry System (CRS) for birth, marriage, and death records associated with each name.

Private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia said the largest group identified during the verification consisted of names with no available civil registry records. She stated that 1,287 names from the OVP list and 398 names from the DepEd list had no recorded birth, marriage, or death entries in the PSA database.

The prosecution also presented at least 37 names that matched death records, including 32 from the OVP list and five from the DepEd list. Among these was the name Marlin Sunga, which matched a PSA death certificate showing that the individual died on November 2, 1965, at only two months old.

Grande explained that the PSA record showed Marlin Sunga as the youngest person identified during the verification process. ‘According to the death certificate, he or she died when he or she was only two months old,’ Grande testified when asked about the youngest person found in the records.

The prosecution said the Sunga record was significant because it appeared among names used in confidential fund documentation covering transactions decades after the recorded death. However, the PSA testimony focused only on the existence of the civil registry record and did not independently establish who used the name in the acknowledgement documents.

25 children

DIVINAGRACIA also cited 25 names matching children’s records, including several individuals whose ages raised questions regarding their inclusion on the confidential fund recipient lists. The prosecution argued that these findings supported its challenge to the authenticity of some names appearing in liquidation reports.

The PSA explained that its verification process categorized names into three possible results: no matching record, multiple possible matches, or a single matching entry. Grande said that among the submitted names, 152 produced single-match entries that allowed the PSA to issue certified copies of corresponding civil registry documents.

The defense questioned parts of the prosecution’s interpretation of the PSA findings, arguing that the witness could not provide conclusions beyond the official records. Defense counsel Justin Nicol Gular maintained that certain issues, particularly those involving signatures and document comparisons, required further examination.

The prosecution responded that Grande’s testimony was only one part of a larger body of evidence. Divinagracia said the PSA records should be considered together with other documents and testimonies already presented before the Impeachment Court.

Grande further explained that PSA verification follows four procedures, beginning with receiving requests from agencies and processing the names through official databases. She said the agency searched birth, marriage, and death records individually based on the information provided by government offices.

The PSA emphasized that a missing record does not automatically prove that a person does not exist, just as a matching record does not alone identify the actual person who signed a receipt. The agency’s role was limited to verifying whether corresponding civil registry records existed.

FOREIGN investors looking to set up semiconductor and electronics operations in the Philippines will no longer be left to navigate the country’s bureaucracy alone, as the government will now directly handle their registration, permitting, and facility setup.

This definitive shift in investor treatment is the cornerstone of the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Roadmap, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Ferdinand Ferrer said.

The direct facilitation will be executed through the newly formed Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (Seiac), a joint body of government and private sector leaders.

‘What will happen through the Seiac, if there are investors in this industry, the Seiac…tutulungan itong mga investors,’ Ferrer said. ‘Registration, permitting, setting up, everything. Hindi na iyong pumunta dito ang investor and you’re on your own. No, hindi na. Kasama na ang government.’

The launch of the roadmap on September 2 aims to abandon the fragmented strategies of the past, signaling to the global market that the Philippines is unified under a single blueprint.

‘The Philippines has a roadmap; it is not just ‘kanya-kanya’ [to each his own] it is both government and private sector,’ Ferrer noted.

Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto, who chairs Seiac, reinforced this concierge-level approach, stating that the government is actively removing structural obstacles and regulatory bottlenecks to accelerate permitting.

‘A roadmap is only as good as its execution. We have enough good plans in government. What the industry needs from us now are results,’ Recto said in a statement. ‘As Chairperson of Seiac, you can be assured that our office will not only chair the launch of this Roadmap, but will stay on top of its actual implementation.’

Beyond streamlining the ease of doing business, the roadmap seeks to elevate the country up the technology value chain. Recto emphasized that President Marcos wants the industry to capture high-value activities such as advanced chip design and engineering.

‘Ang target natin, hindi lang makita ang Made in the Philippines [na tatak] sa mga produkto. Gusto natin: Designed in the Philippines. Engineered in the Philippines. Innovated in the Philippines,’ Recto added.

To measure its progress, the roadmap has established clear milestones for 2030:

Achieve US$110 billion in total semiconductor and electronics exports;

Increase the Philippines’ share of global semiconductor assembly, test, and packaging from 4 percent to 7 percent;

Capture 4 percent of global electronics manufacturing services;

Build an integrated circuit (IC) design sector generating US$2 billion to $3 billion in annual exports.

Because the unified strategy targets advanced manufacturing, the incoming wave of foreign direct investment will require a highly specialized workforce.

Ferrer pointed out that educational agencies, including the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), are actively involved in the roadmap to ensure talent availability.

‘The companies that we will be attracting are not technology of yung dati, this is all technology of the future, which we will need to train the people,’ Ferrer explained.

THE country could miss out on investments and industrial opportunities linked to the United States (US)-led Pax Silica initiative if it fails to put the necessary policies, infrastructure and workforce in place, according to the Makati Business Club (MBC).

MBC Chairman Edgar Chua said Thursday that the country needs to prepare early for the initiative while addressing concerns about its potential implications for the environment and the use of the country’s natural resources.

‘Pax Silica is not just an American initiative,’ Chua told reporters after the business group’s media get-together in Makati City. ‘It’s a US-led initiative, but it’s not the US alone.’

Chua warned that the Philippines could lose the opportunity altogether if it fails to act. ‘It could happen. It could not happen. It could be another missed opportunity. It’s up to us,’ he said.

Part of that preparation, he said, is determining what industries could emerge from Pax Silica so schools and training institutions can develop workers with the skills those industries will require.

‘We should already put in place the necessary framework. Some of them may be legislation, some of them may be infrastructure,’ Chua said.

‘We need to know what industries will come here so that our students can be trained on what is needed, and what kind of graduates we need to produce,’ he added.

Pax Silica is envisioned to support an advanced manufacturing complex in New Clark City focused on industries such as semiconductor production, including wafer fabrication and chip design, as well as critical minerals processing.

The proposed development is also linked to the Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park (CAMP), a physical development platform in New Clark City intended to attract advanced manufacturing and technology-related investments.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) recently began updating its census of families and residents in Sitio Sapang Kawayan, Capas, Tarlac, as part of preparations for CAMP.

BCDA, however, has clarified that CAMP is the proposed physical development, while Pax Silica refers to the broader international strategic partnership covering critical minerals, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

For Chua, one potential gain for the Philippines is moving up the value chain by processing more of its own mineral resources instead of exporting them in raw form.

‘All of our natural resources are exported as natural resources,’ he said, noting that about 90 percent of the country’s nickel is exported to China. ‘So what Pax Silica hopefully will do is, we can do processing here in the Philippines, rather than process outside. So there’s value added.’

The scale of the proposed development makes early preparation more important, he added.

Once the 1,620-hectare development reaches full buildout and becomes integrated into global supply chains for AI, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, total investments are projected to reach $40 billion to $70 billion, according to BCDA.

‘There are many things that need to be done there,’ Chua said.

MBC has also engaged with the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the US Embassy as it discusses the initiative and its potential implications for the country.

A production by wrong.orchestra, a collective experimental project, System: After Olafur Eliasson gathers practitioners across various media to explore the immersive experience of sound-both human-made and more-than-human.

Part of the public programs for the ongoing exhibition Olafur Eliasson: your curious journey, the event was organized by creative collectives wrong.institute and et alt in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) and the Music Production Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

In System: After Olafur Eliasson, wrong.orchestra views adaptation as a generative force and the only recourse within the present environmental and technological states.

The performance seeks to answer: When control is seized, and the players become mutable, will the symphony continue? How long can adaptation sustain a system that keeps taking choices away?

Completely improvised, each sound is formed and built upon by another, requiring each player to sense and listen. As it unfolds, the performance becomes a collective response to choice and the lack of it.

The show will feature costume design by Carl Jan Cruz, dramaturgy by Emerging Islands, documentation by Tarzeer Pictures, and lighting by RSL Rhythm Sound and Light Trading Corp. (RSL). The initiative is supported by Goethe-Institut Philippinen. System: After Olafur Eliasson is free and open to the public.

It is scheduled for September 12, 2026, 5 pm, at the 6th Floor, Black Box of the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

More information can be found at www.facebook.com/MCADManila or www.mcadmanila.org.ph.

As scams spread across calls, messages, websites, social platforms, and AI-generated content, they are turning corporate identity into a weapon. What begins as a fake account, phishing site, or impersonation attempt can quickly become a business problem that damages customer trust, raises service and response costs, and weakens confidence in digital transactions.

To move corporate protection closer to the point of risk, Whoscall recently mobilized business leaders and stakeholders at its first Anti-Scam Executive Meet-Up at Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The business-to-business (B2B) forum gathered representatives from government agencies, banking and financial services institutions, technology companies, and strategic partners of Gogolook Philippines and Whoscall.

‘Scams have evolved from isolated consumer incidents into a systemic threat to digital trust. When criminals exploit a company’s name, platform or customer relationship, the damage goes beyond an immediate scam-related loss. It reaches reputation, customer confidence and the willingness to use digital services,’ said Mel Migriño, Country Head and General Manager of Gogolook Philippines.

‘Businesses can no longer treat anti-scam protection as a downstream response after harm has occurred. It must be designed into the customer journey, strengthened by shared intelligence and supported by public-private collaboration. Watchmen, a brand protection solution and Anti Scam Intelligence (ASI) SDK, an in-app anti-scam protection translate that responsibility into practical protection around the brand and within enterprise platforms, while the Whoscall Mobile App extends the defense to consumers. The organizations that protect trust at every touchpoint will be better positioned to grow in an increasingly digital economy,’ Migriño emphasized,

The gathering focused on how enterprises can detect brand impersonation earlier, embed scam protection into customer-facing applications and work across sectors against threats that move faster than any organization can address alone.

Protection built around the business

Whoscall presented its complete anti-scam solution, an end-to-end model designed to protect both the enterprise platform and the consumers through its B2B and Business-to-Customers (B2C) solutions.

Watchmen, the Whoscall anti-scam enterprise solution, serves as the B2B brand-protection layer. It monitors social media channels for suspicious content, fake ads, and both conventional and AI generated fake accounts. By identifying threats linked to a company’s name, identity and digital presence, the service can support earlier intervention before customers are misled and reputational damage spreads. Further, it gives the business a clear map of where its brand is being impersonated across social platforms. ASI SDK brings protection into the enterprise platform itself. Companies can embed the anti-scam solution into mobile and web applications, allowing organizations in banking, financial services, e-commerce, retail, telcos, and other digital sectors to extend scam detection within environments their customers already use. Rather than requiring people to move to a separate tool, the SDK allows protection to sit within an existing digital journey.

The Whoscall Mobile App completes the consumer layer by identifying suspicious calls, SMS messages and links before they cause harm. Together, the three solutions address connected points of exposure: Watchmen helps protect the brand, ASI SDK brings protection into enterprise platforms, and the mobile app places scam detection directly in consumers’ hands.

Turning shared risk into collective action

During the program, Migriño discussed how Watchmen and ASI SDK can address enterprise risk. Luigi Longanilla, Partnerships and Business Development Associate of Gogolook Philippines, followed with a live demonstration of both solutions and their potential use cases across customer-facing platforms.

Jocel De Guzman of ScamWatch Pilipinas presented the Anti-Scam Quad Model, a collaborative framework that brings government, the private sector, communities and individuals into the fight against scams. Ailene Chua, CEO of A-List and Partners Consulting Group Inc., helped organize the event and bring participants together.

Executive discussions examined emerging threats, possible technology integrations and partnership opportunities. For banks and financial institutions, potential applications include adding another layer of protection to mobile banking and customer communications. Technology and digital-platform companies can explore embedding scam intelligence into their services, while government and strategic partners can strengthen education, reporting and coordinated response.

The discussions did not treat technology as a stand-alone answer. Participants considered how tools, governance, customer education and cross-industry intelligence sharing can work together, reducing the burden on individuals to recognize every new tactic on their own. The meeting also opened potential use cases and partnership conversations without limiting collaboration to a single industry.

The Executive Meet-Up reflects a broader business imperative: digital trust now depends on how well organizations protect customers across the full journey, from the first call or message to the app or website where a transaction takes place. Anti-scam protection is therefore not only a cybersecurity function. It also supports brand stewardship, customer experience, operational resilience and confidence in the digital economy.

By moving from a wide community coalition to focused enterprise action, Whoscall aims to build an end-to-end anti-scam ecosystem in which businesses, government and consumers reinforce one another. The objective is practical: detect threats earlier, make protection easier to access and preserve the trust that allows digital services and industries to grow.

From community awareness to enterprise action

Whoscall’s first anti-scam executive meet-up also marked the next phase of an anti-scam coalition that the Company began building through its first Community Meet-Up with a broad public-private coalition in strategic collaboration with key private sector players, Meta and ScamWatch Pilipinas, with support from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and Meta. Participants represented government, banking and financial services, telecommunications, technology and social media, fintech and digital payments, academe, professional associations, and community and nonprofit organizations.

The Community Meet-Up advanced Whoscall’s wider Know the Unknown movement, encouraging Filipinos to verify suspicious links and report potential scams. The Executive Meet-Up marked the critical next step, moving the conversation from public awareness to enterprise action. It brought decision-makers together to examine how companies can embed stronger anti-scam measures across their brands, products, operations and customer journeys, helping stop scams earlier and strengthening customer trust.

Microfinance institution Taytay sa Kauswagan Inc. (TSKI) has tapped PLDT Inc.’s enterprise unit to overhaul the connectivity behind its nationwide branch network, a shift the lender expects will speed up member transactions and steady its day-to-day operations as it expands.

Under the partnership, PLDT Enterprise will supply connectivity solutions covering TSKI’s fixed and wireless requirements, with the aim of strengthening business continuity across its branches.

The arrangement is designed to deliver high-speed and reliable branch connectivity, faster member transactions and communications, and more dependable operations.

The deal follows a period in which connectivity gaps across TSKI’s various locations had started to weigh on communication, operational efficiency, and the delivery of services to members. The institution, which provides accessible financial services to underserved communities, went looking for a technology partner as the demands of its growing operations increased.

‘As we continue growing, having dependable connectivity across our operations becomes increasingly important to the way we serve our members,’ TSKI President Peter M. Montalban said. ‘This partnership helps us strengthen the infrastructure behind our branches so our teams can work more efficiently while we stay focused on expanding access to financial services for the communities that need them.’

For the telco unit, the account fits a pitch it has been making to institutions whose service delivery depends on uptime in far-flung areas.

‘Connectivity becomes most meaningful when it helps organizations do more for the people they serve,’ said Javier C. Lagdameo, VP of the Domestic Enterprise Group at PLDT Enterprise.

‘Our partnership with TSKI is about giving its teams a stronger digital foundation so they can operate more efficiently, communicate more effectively, and continue extending accessible financial services to communities across the country.’

Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna drew with Woman FIDE Master Franchesca Largo in the final round to win the Women’s Chess Invitational title on Sunday at the Alicia Community Center in Isabela.

The 30-year-old Frayna halved the point with Largo after 31 moves of an English Opening, finishing with 11.5 points in 13 rounds on 10 wins and three draws.

WFM Shania Mae Mendoza dismantled Francois Marie Magpily in 37 moves of a Four Knights Game to finish in second spot with nine points.

Woman International Master Ruelle Canino placed third with eight points after halving the point with Kate Nicole Ordizo in 25 moves of another English encounter.

It was the second national title of the year for Frayna after reigning supreme in the National Championship and Olympiad qualifier in Bulacan.

Frayna and the Philippine team will compete in the Chess Olympiad set Sept. 15 to 27 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Filipinas earned the Group B gold medal in Budapest two years ago.

Khana Kathrine Ventolero of Zamboanga City topped the girls’ rapid event, Krystelle Emerald Sanchez of Santiago City ruled the girls’ blitz, John Randall Peralta won the boys rapid, while and Allen Abor took the blitz title.