Category: Business Mirror

Heavy thunderstorms did not stop guests from filling the halls of SMX Convention Center on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, to explore over 310 booths and major deals at the Philippine Tour Operators Association’s (PHILTOA) 37th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM), which officially opened this week under the theme ‘Nurturing the NextGen Tourism: Discover Your Philippines,’ with tourism officials and industry leaders calling on Filipinos to look past the country’s most familiar attractions and explore its emerging destinations, communities, and culture.

From food to textiles, local handicrafts, and offbeat destinations, this year’s PTM once again takes travelers on an instant tour of the Philippines, where one can sample the best of the different regions’ offerings, and help them plan their next travel itineraries that will take them beyond the usual tourist spots.

‘Today, people are looking beyond the usual attractions. They want to meet local people, taste local food, and experience a destination in a more personal way,’ said Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay in her opening remarks. The event is PHILTOA’s third installment of PTM’s ‘NextGen Tourism’ series, launched in 2024 with the theme ‘Love the NextGen Tourism’ alongside the DOT’s ‘Love the Philippines’ campaign. In 2025 with a push toward turning industry mindset into action, PTM’s theme was ‘Boosting the NextGen Tourism,’ and this year’s edition builds on that momentum that is supported by four pillars: digitalization, sustainability, inclusivity, and health and wellness.

PHILTOA president Maria Lourdes Japson encouraged PTM visitors to explore this year’s booths to avail themselves of the deals exclusive to the three-day fair-airfare and hotel discounts unique to the event.

With the participation of DOT regional offices from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, PTM is guaranteed to be a ‘truly national’ affair, said Japson, and provides everyone a taste of what the entire Philippines has to offer. The Capiz booth, for one, provides a high-tech visual exploration of their province through the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Over in the Cordilleras booth, one is educated on and gets a free taste of the different kinds of coffee they grow. The Calabarzon booth trains the spotlight on pet-friendly destinations, for travelers who like taking their fur babies on vacation with them.

‘PTM is where people meet our markets, where destinations meet buyers, where stories meet opportunities,’ Japson said.

Building an industry for the next generation

Tourism Secretary Angara-Mathay also highlighted how PHILTOA, through PTM, is a key partner in shaping the Philippines’ tourism industry to not just become bigger but better-pointing to a shift in traveler behavior toward more personal, community-based experiences.

She cited several initiatives under the Philippine Experience Program designed around that shift, including ‘The Secret Kitchens of Samar,’ which she said lets visitors discover heirloom recipes and the family stories behind them, and a slow-food movement in Negros built around producers, cooks, and their communities. She also pointed to community-based weaving programs in Kalinga, Lake Sebu, and Zamboanga, where visitors ‘don’t just buy the fabric’ but learn directly from the weavers who make it.

Angara-Mathay tied the push to diaspora tourism as well, saying the department wants overseas Filipinos to ‘come not just for the grass, but with a deeper connection to who we are’ – journeys she said also create livelihoods for local artisans, farmers, cooks, guides, and transport providers.

A legacy handed to the next generation

Japson traced PTM’s roots to its founding under the then-Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), which later evolved into the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) before the fair found its current home with PHILTOA.

With this year’s theme, PTM is also a call for Philtoa and the rest of the tourism industry to build on nearly four decades of groundwork. ‘Every generation has a responsibility to build on what the previous generation started, and to prepare the next generation to take it even further,’ she said.

The 37th Philippine Travel Mart is presented by the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines. It runs from September 4 to 6, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

EVEN as the Philippines’s headline inflation eased for the fourth straight month, the central bank said it is closely watching the impact of recent developments in the Middle East and weather-related disturbances.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said this on Friday after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that overall inflation in the country eased to 6.1 percent in August 2026, from 6.2 percent in July 2026.

While lower food inflation led to the further easing of headline inflation, the central bank pointed out that average headline inflation for the first eight months of 2026 settled at 5.2 percent.

This was still above the full-year target of 3-percent and the tolerance range of plus or minus 1 percentage point.

Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, likewise moderated from 4.2 percent in July to 4.1 percent in August, the central bank also noted.

‘Overall food inflation went down amid a more stable domestic supply, driven by the decline in vegetable prices and the slowdown in inflation for fish. By contrast, rice inflation accelerated, partly due to higher logistics costs,’ the BSP said.

Lower electricity and water rates moderated inflation for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, the central bank noted.

The BSP said inflation in August was within its forecast range of 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent for the month.

Nonetheless, the central bank said: ‘The BSP will continue to closely monitor the impact of recent developments in the Middle East and weather-related disturbances.’

‘Going forward, the BSP will remain guided by incoming data and its assessment of risks to the inflation outlook,’ BSP also noted.

I was already in Northern Morocco for a few days. I figured that visiting Chefchaouen would be a good idea because it’s only a few hours away from Tangier (where I stayed).

I considered spending a few days in Chefchaouen, but I was in the country for such a short time and would like to visit other places. I settled on doing a day trip. I knew that wasn’t enough; however, it would still be a great ‘reconnaissance’ trip if I ever returned.

A brief overview of Chechaouen in bullets:

It is located in the Rif mountain range.

A warrior named Abu Youma founded it as a holy city in the mid-15th century.

The Moors used it as their refuge after their expulsion from Spain.

Spain occupied it in 1920.

The Spaniards returned the city to Morocco in the 1950s.

It’s blue almost everywhere. The information above might be useful whenever an influencer walks up to you and asks about geography with US$100 as a prize.

The drive to the blue city was scenic, with views of the mountains, hills, and countryside. Our group arrived at our destination. I was unsure if it was low season or if it just so happened that there weren’t a lot of other tourists.

There are a few stories as to why many of the buildings in Chefchaouen have a blue hue. One of the narratives was that the Sephardic Jews in the city brought their tradition of painting things blue with them when they fled the Spanish Inquisition centuries ago.

For Jews, Blue symbolized the heavens and sky. As we wove in and out of narrow paths and alleys, we noticed that some of the buildings, shops, and houses were a mix of white and blue, some of which were only half painted. Our guide pointed out that Jews and Muslims lived together in Chefchaouen before.

To distinguish their houses, the Jews used blue paint for their homes while the Muslims used white paint for theirs. Although currently no Jews are living in the city, the tradition lived on. Locals repaint their walls, buildings, and homes to maintain the vibrant colors the city is famous for. The whole city gave off an artsy vibe. Several corners looked like a great spot for a photo op with either a blue wall (or door) or a mural as a background.

The old city didn’t have the grand mosques (like the ones I saw in Iran and Malaysia) I expected to see; however, the narrow, winding streets and alleys, ancient buildings and structures, and its historic atmosphere made up for it.

The balance of the white and vibrant blue walls with a sprinkle of color (exemplified by the shops selling trinkets, ceramics, and paintings, and murals) allowed my thoughts and imagination to linger. What was life like here three centuries ago? How could teenagers at that time survive without TikTok and smartphones? These questions were a couple of the things that crossed my mind.

The squares at the center of the zigzagging streets served as rest and dining hubs for weary travelers or locals. After an hour or so of haggling with shopkeepers and/or hundreds of photos, you can sit down, drink tea, or grab something to eat before doing it all over again.

The main square Plaza Uta el-Hammam is a lively spot surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops. A day is always never enough when visiting a new destination, but I did get a feel for what Chefchaouen is, a little bit of it.

It’s exciting to think of a return trip and to visit other cities in Morocco; concretizing my imagination with details such as visiting Rick’s Café in Casablanca (a recreation of the fictional bar from Humphrey Bogart’s movie), haggling and pretending interest in buying from a shop in Marrakech, getting lost in Fez’s medina, and riding a camel along the dunes of the Sahara Desert. But for now, I’ll let these thoughts simmer in my head until the next time.

Conrad Manila’s all-female chef-led culinary experience brings regional flavors, Filipino heritage, and contemporary craftsmanship to the table

Philippine cuisine is more than a collection of dishes. It is a reflection of the country’s diverse regions, traditions, communities, and stories. Building on its commitment to champion Philippine culinary heritage, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC) advances its ‘Gateway to Gastronomy’ campaign through Conrad Manila’s Filipinas, a culinary experience that brings the flavors and stories of the archipelago to the table through the artistry of seven Filipina chefs.

Launched by SMHCC, ‘Gateway to Gastronomy’ is a group-wide campaign that positions its hotels as immersive destinations where guests can discover the culture, history, and communities behind Filipino food. The campaign supports the Department of Tourism’s Food and Gastronomy Tourism Roadmap 2024-2029, which seeks to position the Philippines as a leading gastronomic destination in Southeast Asia by promoting regional cuisines, strengthening hospitality partnerships, championing local ingredients, and creating meaningful culinary experiences for travelers.

demonstrates how Gateway to Gastronomy can translate our country’s rich culinary heritage into an experience that is both deeply rooted in tradition and relevant to today’s diners,’ said Leah Magallanes, SMHCC Vice President for Food and Beverage, Quality, and Sustainability. ‘By bringing together regional ingredients, Filipino culinary stories, and the creativity of our chefs, we are not only showcasing what makes our cuisine distinct. We are creating opportunities for guests to understand the people, places, and traditions behind every flavor. This is how we see our hotels contributing to the continued appreciation and promotion of Philippine gastronomy.’

At the heart of Filipinas is a seven-course chef’s table experience at Brasserie on 3, available exclusively on September 12, 2026. Created by seven female chefs from Conrad Manila’s culinary team, the menu takes guests on a gastronomic journey through the Philippines, with each course representing a different chapter in the story of Filipino food.

‘With Filipinas, we wanted to give our guests a deeper appreciation of Filipino cuisine by presenting familiar ingredients and traditions through a fresh and contemporary lens,’ said Rupert Hallam, General Manager of Conrad Manila. ‘What makes this experience particularly special is the creative voice of our seven Filipina chefs, whose interpretations bring together the diverse flavors of the archipelago while honoring the stories and heritage behind them. It is our way of inviting guests to experience the Philippines through a dining experience that is distinctly Filipino, thoughtfully crafted, and deeply personal.’

The experience opens with simula (beginning), a contemporary interpretation of tokwa’t baboy featuring tofu skin, etag from the Cordilleras, coconut vinegar, and soy gel. Pagbukas (opening) follows with tuna kinilaw, incorporating batwan from Western Visayas, while paglago (growth) presents kabute at keso ravioli with local kesong puti, mushroom duxelles, salted egg crème, smoked corn, and tarragon foam.

A refreshing calamansi sorbet marks sandali (pause), before the menu moves into its main courses. Direksyon (direction) interprets flavors associated with Central Luzon through maya and alugbati, black heirloom rice from Negros Island, and chicken tinapa, while lakas (strength) draws from the culinary traditions of Bicol through beef tenderloin, burnt coconut, labuyo pearls, and creamed taro leaves. The journey concludes with pamana (legacy), a dessert inspired by Davao’s identity as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines, bringing together guyabano, cacao, pili, and San Nicolas cookie.

Beyond the one-day chef’s table, Filipinas will also be available at Brasserie on 3 beginning September 12, 2026, through a four-course set menu, allowing more guests to experience its interpretation of Filipino cuisine. Guests may choose from a selection of appetizers and main courses, including tokwa’t baboy, tuna kinilaw, maya maya at alugbati, baka at laing, and kordero at piyanggang, alongside vegan selections. The meal concludes with halo-halo, reimagined through elements such as ube, leche flan, macapuno, langka, buko-pandan, and pinipig.

Through Filipinas, Conrad Manila expands the reach of Gateway to Gastronomy by bringing together culinary traditions from across the archipelago within a single dining experience. Its menu highlights how Filipino cuisine can be elevated through contemporary culinary techniques without losing its connection to the ingredients, flavors, and cultural influences that define each region.

This approach reinforces SMHCC’s broader role in advancing gastronomy tourism: using its properties as gateways to the destinations they represent, while creating opportunities to preserve culinary traditions, celebrate local producers and communities, and introduce Filipino flavors to both local and international guests. Across the SMHCC portfolio, this approach is reflected in destination-led culinary initiatives, from Taal Vista Hotel’s heritage journey inspired by Filipino heroes to Pico Sands Hotel’s focus on local ingredients and fishing communities, as well as regional culinary experiences across Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, and Mindanao.

As SMHCC continues to advance Gateway to Gastronomy, each property becomes more than a place to stay. It becomes a place where guests can experience the Philippines through its food, meet the stories behind its flavors, and gain a deeper appreciation of the heritage that continues to shape Filipino cuisine.

MAC mini and Mac Studio got a fresh upgrade, with Apple debuting M6 and M5 Ultra chips, respectively, that provide extraordinary performance and AI capabilities. M6 for Mac mini boasts a 2-nanometer chip, capable of advanced computer block to deliver better performance across the board. It features a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and up to 170GB/s of unified memory bandwidth.

It is designed to support workflows of students, hobbyists, and developers. It introduces a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, letting its computing power spike 2x more than previous generations to enhance its AI capacity.

The M6 has a brand-new 12-core CPU complex consisting of 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores. Apple dubs it the ‘world’s fastest single-threaded performance and up to 1.2x faster multithreaded performance as compared to the M5, and up to 2.4x faster than the M1.’

It also delivers a 30 percent increase in peak GPU computation for AI as opposed to its predecessor with its 12-core GPU.

Moreover, it offers advanced graphics capabilities, providing extreme visual realism, faster rendering, and higher frame rates with its shader core architecture, Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

The M5 Ultra, on the other hand, was dubbed by Apple as its ‘most powerful chip ever.’ It is designed for professionals who need the maximum CPU and GPU performance and united memory bandwidth. It provides advanced ‘complex 3D rendering, visual effects, scientific analysis, and running compute-intensive frontier AI models on device.’

Meanwhile, it also has Ultrafusion, ‘connecting two dual-die M5 Max chips to form the quad-die architecture-a first for Apple silicon.’ It increases interdie bandwidth by 4.4TB/s. M5 Ultra can be upgraded to a 36-core CPU consisting of 12 supercores and 24 performance cores to deliver faster and better performance than the M3 Ultra by up to 1.3x. Graphics is its main selling point, featuring a next-generation GPU with up to 80 cores. ‘The GPU includes Apple’s latest shader core with second-generation Dynamic Caching, as well as hardware-accelerated mesh shading and third-generation ray tracing, delivering up to 40 percent faster graphics performance than M3 Ultra.’

‘Today, we’re debuting the next giant leap in performance and AI compute for Apple silicon with the incredibly advanced M6 and the most powerful M-series chip yet, M5 Ultra,’ said Sri Santhanam, Apple’s vice president of the Silicon Engineering Group.

GLOBAL gaming and creator platform Roblox is encouraging parents to take a more active role in their children’s digital lives, arguing that gaming can become an avenue for learning when children are guided to explore coding, game design, creativity and critical thinking.

Papri Dev, head of communications for Asia Pacific, Roblox, said the global gaming and creator platform is positioning parents not simply as monitors of their children’s screen time, but as partners who can help transform play into opportunities for developing skills that could eventually lead to careers in the digital economy.

‘Kids can actually learn while playing,’ Dev said during the company’s first Unbox Roblox event in the Philippines, highlighting how young players can move from simply playing games to creating their own digital experiences.

Dev said many Roblox creators started as young players who became curious about how games were made. Some eventually learned programming, designed their own games, built studios and reached audiences around the world.

For parents, she said the challenge is to recognize that distinction between passive consumption and active creation.

For example, Dev has created a program to make physics more engaging and eventually evolving into a user-generated platform where users can create and share their own experiences.

Dev said the platform now offers Roblox Studio, a free development environment that allows users to build interactive worlds, games and other digital experiences.

With this development, Dev said it provides young people with an accessible introduction to skills such as coding, game development, digital design, storytelling, problem-solving and collaboration.

Estephan Millendez, Roblox developer engagement team for the Philippines, said the progression can start with something as simple as curiosity. A child playing a racing game, for example, may eventually wonder how the cars move or how the virtual environment was created. ‘That curiosity can lead the child to experiment with Roblox Studio and eventually learn the fundamentals of game development,’ he said. The company highlighted several Filipino creators who followed a similar path-from players to developers and creators with global audiences.

‘Among them are developers who have created games played internationally, while other Filipino creators have produced user-generated virtual items inspired by local culture, including digital versions of the barong,’ Millendez said. Roblox said these examples demonstrate how young people can move from being consumers of digital content to becoming creators of products and experiences.

The company is also encouraging parents to explore Roblox’s educational content through its Learning Hub, which features experiences covering computer science, mathematics, science, geography, art and creativity, and life skills. The idea is to make learning more engaging by placing educational concepts in an environment that children already enjoy. The company said some young users have also used Roblox to develop their English vocabulary and communication skills.

For parents, this creates an opportunity to connect their children’s interests with their education.

Instead of simply telling a child to stop playing, parents could encourage them to explore experiences related to a subject they are studying or use their gaming interests as a starting point for learning.

A child interested in dinosaurs could explore experiences related to paleontology. A student fascinated by computers could experiment with coding. Another interested in fashion could try designing virtual clothing.

Founded in 2004 by David Baszucki and the late Erik Cassel, Roblox was created around the concept of combining physics-based play with creativity.

IF you come across someone’s video of making matcha or coffee on Instagram or TikTok, that person is likely using Oatside.

Oatside is a big deal, online or offline. Supermarket restocks are a big deal. Unfortunately, there are also individuals who hoard Oatside and sell them online.

Oatside, an oat milk brand founded in Singapore, caught the fancy of Gen Z and young millennials because of its quirky meme-friendly branding, playful campaigns, and a culture that appeals to those who are always online.

For example, when Oatside stocks in Thailand ran out in 2023 due to its popularity, the brand went on Twitter to say ‘sorry for being too popular.’

In 2025, Oatside partnered with phone accessories company Casetify on a limited-edition collection of tech accessories. The range featured customizable phone cases, AirPods cases and MacBook covers inspired by nostalgic school lockers, incorporating the Oatside Bearism mascot and playful designs.

To celebrate Earth Day this year, Oatside teamed up with transit ticketing and travel card-related services website SimplyGo for a series of adorable EZ-Link charms.

This year, Oatside also ventured into the soy milk category with a brand called Nobo Soy.

Oatside being plant-based also appeals to Gen Z and millennials.

The brand is the brainchild of Singaporean Benedict Lim who, during the pandemic, experimented by making his own oat milk at home using different ingredients and extraction processes to achieve distinct flavors and texture combinations.

So, aside from these reasons, why is Oatside a cult favorite in Asia? Why is it a Gen Z pantry staple?

If you’ve noticed, Oatside, as a brand, never just talked about the it being healthy. The brand has always focused on taste.

‘We roast our oats instead of steaming them, which most people will never notice and we obsess over anyway. That’s the part that makes it creamy enough to earn a spot in your cup,’ said Mario Dagdag, country head of Oatside Philippines.

Behind every pour is what Oatside calls its ‘nerd-grade’ approach.

”Nerd Grade’ is just our way of admitting we think about oat milk more than any reasonable person should. Roast profiles, oat extraction, texture. We obsess over the details so people can simply enjoy a really good carton of oat milk,’ said Dagdag.

Oatside is also versatile. It’s not just for making coffee or matcha. I personally enjoy the chocolate flavor and drink it on its own. A friend’s pre-school child brings this same flavor to school for snacking.

Oatside also fits into Gen Z’s active routines. It makes a smooth, creamy base for blending protein powder, fruits, and nut butters into a smoothie.

‘The best compliment we can get is when Oatside just becomes part of someone’s routine-whether it’s in their morning coffee, over cereal or in a favourite recipe. That’s when we know we’ve done our job,’ said Dagdag.

Finally, Oatside has no gums or emulsifiers, and no added sugar.

‘The interesting thing isn’t that Filipinos tried oat milk-it’s that they kept at it. It’s quietly moved from the café menu into the weekly grocery run, and that only happens when people actually enjoy the thing, not just the idea of it,’ said Dagdag.

More information can be found at www.oatside.com, or its Facebook and Instagram social media pages.

The second cycle of the TOURISE Awards officially launched today as a continuing global benchmark celebrating premier tourism destinations. The TOURISE Awards set a new global benchmark in 2025, celebrating destinations that deliver distinctive, purpose-driven travel experiences.

In 2027, TOURISE will celebrate the destinations shaping tomorrow’s tourism; that deliver value across the entire journey, align with traveler purpose, and set new global standards for how the world travels, connects, and grows. Nominations are now open to the public from 1st September to 19th November 2026.

The TOURISE Awards feature six distinct award categories: Best Arts and Culture Destination, Best Adventure Destination, Best Food and Culinary Destination, Best Shopping Destination, Best Entertainment Destination, and a new category: Best Wellness Destination. Together, the categories show the full traveler journey and the evolving ways destinations create memorable, meaningful experiences. In addition, a flagship Best Overall Destination award will recognize the destination that excels across all aspects of the traveler experience and sets a global benchmark as the most exceptional place to visit. In line with the TOURISE ethos, the Awards recognize destinations with a strong sense of identity, measurable impact, and responsible management. Eligible destinations must have (i) a defined geographic scope (a city, region or site), (ii) a distinct identity and character that stems from culture, landscapes and attractions that shape how the destination is perceived by travelers, and finally (iii) must be backed by a tourism governing body responsible for ensuring a destination is effectively managed.

His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE, said: ‘Recognizing excellence through the TOURISE Awards is more than a celebration; it is a decisive step toward shaping the future of global tourism. These awards shine a spotlight on premier travel destinations that are not only captivating travelers with unique experiences but are also leading with innovation, sustainability, and cultural authenticity. In a world where tourism is a powerful catalyst for economic growth, cultural exchange, and community empowerment, it is critical that we honor those destinations setting new standards of excellence and purpose.’

The TOURISE Awards will be judged by an independent jury panel comprised of a powerhouse of cross-industry trailblazers from the worlds of travel and tourism, fashion, culinary, art, retail, culture, adventure and entertainment:

Albert Read – Former Managing Director, Condé Nast

Filip Boyen – Former CEO, Forbes Travel Guide

Bernold Schroeder – Former CEO, Kempinski Hotels

Fiona Jeffery – Former Chair, World Travel Market; Former Chair, Tourism for Tomorrow

Michael Ellis – Former Global Director, Michelin Guides

Omar Samra – UN Goodwill Ambassador; Mountaineer and Polar Explorer

Renaud de Lesquen – Former CEO, Givenchy; Former President, Dior Americas

Lars Nittve – Former Founding Director, Tate Modern

Caroline Rush – Former CEO, British Fashion Council

Andrew Gibson – Former VP of Global Well-Being, Accor Hotels

Albert Read, Jury Panel Chair and Category Lead, said: ‘It is an honor to be part of the TOURISE Awards. Through the rigour of its processes and the caliber of the judging team, the TOURISE Awards have set a new benchmark in recognizing the leaders in travel. With its second awards, TOURISE has the opportunity to go further: to again recognize the year’s outstanding destinations but, importantly, to also track their evolution through time, building what will become the ultimate measurements of long-term impact, progress and success in global tourism.’

Destinations are evaluated across 14 assessment criteria, including authenticity, accessibility, safety, sustainability, and visitor experience. Judges will assess what makes a destination stand out in its nominated category as well as a set of universal standards that every great destination is expected to meet.

Following a public nominations period, each category will have a shortlist of destinations, from which the jury will select one winner and two distinguished finalists. The winners are honored at the TOURISE Awards ceremony, held alongside the TOURISE Summit in Riyadh on March 23, 2027.

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is making high-speed home connectivity more accessible with a limited-time 40% discount on Smart 5G Max Home WiFi, bringing the device down to only P2,995 from P4,990 until Nov. 20, 2026.

Powered by Smart’s nationwide 5G network, the Smart 5G Max Home WiFi delivers speeds of up to 600Mbps, supports up to 40 devices, and comes with FREE Unlimited Data for 15 days.

As a full-capability 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution, the device is designed to maximize the capabilities of Smart’s 5G network, giving households access to fast broadband connectivity in areas where fiber connectivity is not yet available.

Fast, flexible home connectivity

Whether it’s working or studying from home, streaming videos, gaming, or running a home-based business, Smart 5G Max Home WiFi provides the connectivity needed to keep multiple devices online.

The device is also plug-and-play, with no installation required. Customers can simply set up the router, insert the included Smart SIM, and connect their devices.

The limited-time offer includes the Smart 5G Max Home WiFi Router, Smart SIM, and FREE Unlimited Data for 15 days. After the free data period, customers can reload with UNLI 1299, which provides unlimited data for all sites and apps for 30 days.

Powered by Smart 5G

5G FWA is gaining traction globally as a way for telecommunications providers to extend high-speed broadband to more households, particularly in areas where traditional fixed-line infrastructure may be limited.

Smart’s promo comes as more Filipinos adopt 5G-enabled devices and embrace faster, more reliable connectivity for their everyday digital activities.

5G Fixed Wireless Access is gaining traction globally as telcos look to extend fast, reliable broadband to more households, particularly in areas where fixed-line services may not yet be available. As a leading 5G provider in the country, Smart is helping drive this technology forward, giving more Filipinos access to high-speed broadband and the digital experiences it enables,’ said Lloyd R. Manaloto, FVP and OIC for Smart.

‘With Smart 5G Max Home WiFi, we are bringing the full capabilities of our 5G network into the home. It gives households a powerful and flexible broadband solution that can support their digital needs, without the need for a wired installation,’ Manaloto added.

As of end-June 2026, the number of 5G-capable individual devices on the Smart network had increased by 30% to 12.5 million, representing 21% of individual devices on the network.

Smart continues to invest in its nationwide network to meet the growing demand for high-quality digital experiences. These efforts have helped Smart earn recognition from Ookla® for Best Mobile Video Experience in the Philippines for the first half of 2026, with a Video Score of 72.82, the highest among mobile operators in the country.

Enjoy Smart 5G connectivity with Smart 5G Max Home WiFi. Get the device now for only P2,995 at your nearest Smart Store or via the Smart Online Store

THE Bangsamoro’s transition from armed conflict to self-government remains vulnerable to local violence as weak policing, political rivalries, clan feuds and easy access to firearms continue to strain the region’s security institutions, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG).

Despite the 2014 peace agreement that ended decades of conflict between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front, violence continues to flare across the autonomous region, driven increasingly by local disputes rather than large-scale rebellion.

‘Violence still flares as clan feuds, political rivalries and criminal rackets rattle the region,’ the Crisis Group said in its report, ‘Policing the Bangsamoro: Peace in the Southern Philippines.’

Large-scale fighting may have stopped, but, the report said, more than a third of young people in the region have experienced armed conflict within or near their homes since 2019.

A local civil society leader described the situation as one of ‘controlled peace.’

Military fills policing gap

One of the biggest weaknesses in the Bangsamoro transition is policing, with the national police struggling to respond to violence in some of the region’s most conflict-affected areas.

Police officers face limited manpower and equipment, making it difficult to deal with complex clan feuds that can erupt without warning, according to the report.

In parts of Maguindanao most affected by conflict, police even struggle to conduct routine patrols, leaving law and order largely in the hands of the military.

A senior police officer told Crisis Group that the force could handle ‘soft targets’ but still needed back-up when operations took place in a ‘harsh’ environment.

That has left the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the dominant security institution in the Bangsamoro.

Yet the Crisis Group warned that while the military has greater operational capacity, it is ‘ill-suited to handling local conflicts over the long run.’

Communities often see the police as weaker, more politicized and less dependable than the military, further complicating efforts to shift responsibility for public order toward civilian law enforcement.

Guns fuel recurring violence

Persistent local conflicts have also been made deadlier by the widespread availability of firearms.

Decades of war have made weapons ubiquitous in the Bangsamoro, where guns are viewed as symbols of status and power and are carried by members of armed groups, local politicians, civilians and former combatants.

Police estimated in late 2024 that the region had more than 27,000 unregistered firearms, according to the report.

A separate estimate cited by Crisis Group placed the number of legally registered firearms at around 20,000.

High-caliber weapons, including machine guns and assault rifles, can quickly intensify local disputes and increase the likelihood of casualties and retaliatory violence, the report said.

Efforts to address the problem remain difficult, with activists telling Crisis Group that firearms continue to move in and out of the Bangsamoro without effective means of tracing them.

Peace deal still unfinished

Key provisions of the 2014 peace agreement also remain unfulfilled more than a decade after it was signed.

These include the decommissioning of former rebels, the redeployment of military forces outside the Bangsamoro and the disarmament of private militias.

Some 14,000 fighters and 2,450 weapons still had to be decommissioned when the report was prepared.

Integration of former MILF and Moro National Liberation Front fighters into the police force has likewise produced limited results.

More than 11,000 applicants took a special eligibility examination in 2022, with 7,145 passing, but only about 400 positions were earmarked for former fighters and just 396 eventually joined the police force.

Justice remains out of reach

Weak policing is only one part of the region’s broader security problem.

Courts remain slow and difficult to access, particularly for poor Bangsamoro residents facing long distances, case backlogs and high costs.

Those weaknesses can allow disputes to remain unresolved or resurface, sometimes triggering fresh rounds of violence and retaliation between rival clans.

The Crisis Group said stronger and more professional policing, better coordination between the military and police, improved access to justice and tighter control of firearms would be needed to prevent local violence from undermining the transition.

‘Communities will not feel safe until the peace gets the policing it needs,’ the report said.