Category: Business Mirror

THE Philippine economy may once again fall short of the Marcos administration’s growth ambitions, as two international organizations cut their 2026 forecasts amid weaker investment and household spending.

SandP Global Ratings on Wednesday lowered its 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 2.9 percent from 4.1 percent previously, a 1.2-percentage-point downgrade.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), meanwhile, trimmed its growth forecast to 3.3 percent from 3.8 percent, or a 0.5-percentage-point reduction.

If either forecast materializes, the Philippines would miss the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s (DBCC) annual growth target for the fourth consecutive year since President Marcos Jr. took office.

‘We have lowered our growth forecast for 2026, reflecting the weaker-than-expected first-half growth and a more gradual recovery trajectory,’ SandP Global economist Vishrut Rana told the BusinessMirror in an email interview.

The Philippine economy grew by just 2.6 percent in the first half of 2026, sharply slower than the 5.4 percent expansion recorded in the same period last year.

According to SandP, the Philippines was a ‘notable exception’ to the resilience in domestic demand seen across Asia and the Pacific, pointing to continued weakness in investment.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that gross capital formation, which measures investment in the economy, contracted by 9.2 percent in the second quarter of 2026.

This marked another quarter of contraction after gross capital formation shrank by 2 percent in the third quarter of 2025, 9.4 percent in the fourth quarter, and 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2026.

Fixed investment also contracted by 13.7 percent in the second quarter, widening from the 2.5 percent decline in the first quarter. Construction likewise contracted by 14.8 percent, compared with a 4.3 percent contraction in the previous quarter.

Rana said the recovery in investment would take time, with public capital expenditure expected to gradually normalize as infrastructure projects resume.

‘Given strong reforms in the space to increase transparency and efficiency, it will take time for disbursements to ramp up,’ he added.

Data from the Department of Budget and Management showed that infrastructure and capital outlays, a measure of government capital spending, fell to P367.14 billion in the first half of 2026, down 40.8 percent from P620.2 billion in the same period last year.

The DBM earlier said infrastructure disbursements by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were affected by tighter payment validation, audit and documentary requirements aimed at ensuring that releases are made only for properly documented and verified projects that comply with government rules.

Meanwhile, ADB Philippines Senior Economist Teresa Mendoza also identified weaker household spending amid elevated inflation and weak consumer confidence as another drag on growth this year.

‘The impacts increasingly spread to the broader economy, including a slowdown in several services subsectors,’ Mendoza said during a briefing.

PSA data showed household consumption grew by just 2.8 percent in the second quarter, the slowest since the pandemic-induced first quarter of 2021, when household spending contracted by 4.8 percent.

Excluding the pandemic period, household spending growth was the weakest since the third quarter of 2010, when it expanded by 2.6 percent.

El Niño poses risk to inflation

Although the ADB expects Philippine growth to recover in 2027, it warned that the outlook remains vulnerable to the effects of a potentially strong El Niño from late this year through 2027.

‘Key risks stem from worsening of geopolitical tensions and extreme weather shocks, including worse than expected El Nino impacts, which could intensify further inflationary pressures,’ ADB Philippines Senior Economist Teresa Mendoza said.

The ADB expects growth to rebound to 5.1 percent in 2027, although this is slightly lower than its previous forecast of 5.3 percent.

On inflation, the bank retained its 5.9 percent forecast for 2026, while raising its 2027 projection to 4.4 percent as food prices, particularly rice, are expected to remain elevated amid El Niño.

SandP Global also expects the Philippines’s growth to recover next year, although it trimmed its 2027 forecast to 5.4 percent from 5.8 percent previously.

‘Elevated energy and food prices, together with the resulting tighter monetary policy, will continue to weigh on domestic demand. Amid these factors, we have also lowered our 2027 growth projection modestly,’ Rana said.

SandP Global expects Philippine inflation to average 5.5 percent this year before easing to 3.6 percent in 2027.

Earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned of a 60 percent or higher reduction in average monthly rainfall in some areas through the end of the year.

The government also reactivated the Task Force El Niño in June to coordinate measures aimed at mitigating the phenomenon’s impact on agriculture and vulnerable communities.

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is making powerful artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible to Filipinos with the launch of AI.Smart, a one-stop AI workspace that brings multiple advanced AI models and tools into one easy-to-use experience.

Powered by Avtica, AI.Smart gives Smart and TNT subscribers access to AWS Nova, ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Thinking Machines through a single interface that can be accessed on any browser.

Based on the user’s prompt, AI.Smart automatically selects the appropriate AI model to deliver the desired output, whether generating content and images, creating documents and presentations, or analyzing data in English, Filipino, or Taglish.

Everything a subscriber uploads stays private to their own workspace and is never used to train AI models. Subscriber data is never retained and is encrypted and handled in line with the Philippine Data Privacy Act.

Bringing AI to more Filipinos

‘AI should be for everyone, not just for those who can afford premium AI services. With AI.Smart, we are making AI more inclusive by bringing powerful AI models and tools together in one affordable platform, giving more Filipinos the opportunity to use AI to learn, create, work smarter, and achieve more, said Lloyd R. Manaloto, First Vice President and OIC for Smart.

Smart and TNT subscribers can sign up for AI.Smart using their mobile number and verify their account via SMS.

Users can choose from a range of credit packs based on their needs, with access starting at just P49 for seven days. For users with bigger needs, the P499 plan is valid for 30 days and supports up to 10 users sharing a pool of credits, making it suitable for small businesses and teams.

Customers can purchase additional AI.Smart credits through AI.Smart, and pay using prepaid load, postpaid billing, credit or debit cards, and select e-wallets.

FREE AI.Smart access

As an exclusive launch treat, Smart and TNT subscribers who sign up to AI.Smart can get a chance to enjoy free access to the platform valid for seven days.

Smart and TNT subscribers can make the most of AI.Smart is powered by Smart 5G, which enables customers to enjoy a seamless mobile experience for activities such as video streaming, gaming, and real-time social media sharing.

Smart was recently recognized by global connectivity intelligence leader Ookla® for delivering the 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.

THE power industry’s regulatory body said it has ‘exhausted all possible legal ways’ to bring down electricity rates. Its only remaining options are to extend the no-disconnection policy and order staggered payments.

‘We have actually exhausted all possible options to provide relief to our consumers,’ said ERC Chairperson Francis Saturnino Juan on Thursday.

In a recent push for consumer relief, the ERC facilitated the exemption of allowable system loss charges from value-added tax (VAT).

Juan said the commission will announce next month if it will extend the suspension of electricity service disconnections for non-payment of electricity bills of residential customers. The ERC earlier ordered the extension of the disconnection moratorium for non-payment of electricity bills covering the period August to October 2026.

‘We will revisit the no-disconnection policy after it expires this October; moving forward, we can focus on residential customers, while larger clients-such as industrial and commercial accounts-will be expected to pay their bills on time. We will make an announcement as early as October so that everyone can prepare accordingly,’ he added.

Juan said the moratorium and its possible extension apply not only to the Visayas and Mindanao-where electricity spot market prices have shot up to their highest levels yet-but also in Luzon, since power generation charges remain significantly high there, necessitating staggered payment options.

‘For those requesting staggered payments-especially those who have already entered into arrangements with their suppliers for deferred or installment-based settlements-we will allow or approve such arrangements,’ said the ERC chief.

He also recognized the plight of smaller power distribution firms. Many electric cooperatives are facing financial difficulties-specifically cash flow issues-because customer payments are being delayed, yet they still have to make advance payments to suppliers and power generators, placing a strain on these utilities.

But the ERC can only do so much to help consumers lower their electric bills without being unfair also to the distribution and generation players.

Juan said the largest portion of the bill is the generation component, which fluctuates based on current demand and supply conditions.

Even bilateral contracts are facing adjustments due to rising fuel costs. ‘It’s really difficult to intervene because doing so would be tantamount to price control. This would negatively impact the market, as we are trying to promote competition yet finding ourselves intervening every time generation charges spike,’ Juan said.

On Thursday, the Visayas grid was placed on red alert again from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement.

The yellow alert was also raised from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.

The number of yellow and red alerts for Visayas since the start of the year reached 1,111 and 44, respectively.

The grid’s available capacity as of press time reached 2,292 megawatts (MW) while peak demand stood at 2,495 MW.

There are 17 plants on forced outage this month-3 plants since August, 2 plants since June, 6 plants since May, 3 plants since 2025, 2 plants since 2024, 2 plants since 2023, and 1 plant since 2021, while 17 plants are running on derated capacities-which could have delivered a total of 949.9 MW to the grid.

THAILAND’S Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong fired a bogey-free nine-under 63 to seize a two-stroke lead on Thursday after the third round of the Kenda Tires Taiwan LPGA Open at the Taichung International Golf Club.

Yvon Bisera remained the best-placed Filipina despite a 73, seven strokes off the pace.

Santiwiwatthanaphong piled up nine birdies to move to 11-under 133, rising from joint 17th to the top spot in the NT$4-million championship co-sanctioned by the Taiwan LPGA Tour and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Local standout You Chiang Hou, who shared the first-round lead, stayed within striking distance with a 68 for 135, while South Korea’s Seulgi Jeong matched Santiwiwatthanaphong’s fireworks for most of the day, firing a 65 to join Hou at two strokes behind.

Bisera, who had an opening 67, struggled on the par-4 15th hole, missing the fairway three-putting for double bogey.

The Filipina, twice winner on the LPGT this season, slid from share of third to joint 16th at four-under 140.

With her title hopes taking a hit, Bisera knows she will need a strong final round to get back into contention. She expects to do better on the green after logging 32 putts in the third round.

‘I hope I can regain my putting touch,’ Bisera said.

Sarah Ababa recovered with a 70 but remained well back in 20th place at 141. Seoyun Kim carded a 73 for 144 and joint 34th, while Mafy Singson also shot 73 to sit at 145 in a tie for 37th.

Jiwon Lee matched par 72 and moved to 146 for joint 50th as only three Filipinas and two Koreans made it to the final round of the 16th leg of this year’s TLPGA.

The rest of the 20-player LPGT contingent failed to advance to the final round.

Kayla Nocum posted a 73 to finish at 147, Gretchen Villacencio finished at 148 after a 70, while LK Go and Kristine Fleetwood both ended at the same mark after rounds of 73. Rev Alcantara also finished at 148 after a 75.

Velinda Castil carded a 69 but wound up at 149, joined by Harmie Constantino, who shot 74, and amateur Lisa Sarines, who returned a 75.

Chihiro Ikeda finished at 150 after a 78, while Monica Mandario ended at 151 following a 73. Princess Superal also stood at 151 after a 74.

Amateur Mona Sarines posted a 76 for 152, while amateur Isabella Tabanas finished at 157 after a 75. Marvi Monsalve closed with a 76 for 158, and Eunhua Nam struggled to a 79 for 160.

HOUSE prosecutors clarified on Thursday that the Senate Impeachment Court’s recent interpretation of the voting threshold in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s trial will only apply to the current case and will not automatically serve as a binding rule for future impeachment proceedings.

House prosecutor and Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno of Akbayan explained that the court’s use of the term pro hac vice, that means ‘for this particular occasion,’ was intended to emphasize that the ruling was limited to the unique circumstances surrounding the present trial.

‘I think the usual use of pro hac vice is simply to emphasize that this applies only to this particular case and cannot be used in future impeachment proceedings,’ Diokno said.

He explained that impeachment proceedings differ from regular court cases because decisions issued by the Supreme Court may become judicial precedents that guide future similar cases. This principle is known as stare decisis, where courts generally follow legal principles established in previous decisions.

‘The difference is that in an Impeachment Court, we have what we call judicial precedent, where a decision made by the Supreme Court may be applied in other similar cases in the future,’ Diokno explained.

However, Diokno stressed that rulings made by an impeachment court do not operate in the same manner as judicial precedents.

‘But it cannot be compared to judicial precedent or the principle of stare decisis,’ Diokno emphasized.

He said every future Senate sitting as an impeachment court will have its own membership and constitutional authority to interpret procedural matters based on the circumstances of each case. A different Senate composition may, therefore, arrive at a different interpretation of the constitutional voting requirement.

The ruling resolved the dispute over the voting threshold in Duterte’s trial but did not permanently establish a fixed formula that would govern all future impeachment proceedings.

Meanwhile, impeachment trial spokesperson Ace Barbers emphasized that the threshold decision should not be interpreted as an indication of how senator-judges will vote on the actual impeachment charges.

‘But we believe that it is not an indication of the possible results of the vote they will make once all four articles have already been presented by the prosecution,’ Barbers said.

Barbers explained that the Impeachment Court’s decision focused only on a procedural matter involving the computation of the required votes for conviction. It did not involve an evaluation of the evidence or the merits of the four Articles of Impeachment filed against Duterte.

‘We do not want to preempt whatever decision they will make,’ Barbers said.

The prosecution has already presented evidence related to Article I, involving allegations concerning confidential funds, and Article IV, involving alleged grave threats. Proceedings on Article II, which concerns alleged unexplained wealth, are still ongoing, while Article III, involving alleged bribery, has yet to be presented.

Trial spokesperson Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia-ur Rahman Alonto Adiong explained that the revised voting threshold was created in response to the unusual circumstances affecting the current Senate membership and was not intended to become a universal standard for future impeachment cases.

‘The main point is that what is happening now is very extraordinary because it affects the membership of the Senate,’ Alonto Adiong explained.

The dispute emerged because some senators may be unable to fully participate in the proceedings due to circumstances such as detention, absence, medical conditions, or other limitations. While the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of all Senate members for conviction, it does not provide a specific numerical figure.

‘But the practical application of this two-thirds fraction, in order to arrive at a final number for the Senate to make its decision, was what was being discussed,’ Alonto Adiong said.

He noted that the commonly recognized figure of 16 votes assumes a complete 24-member Senate that is fully capable of performing its constitutional duties during the final judgement.

‘The expectation of that number 24 is based on the assumption that there would be no consequences or special circumstances occurring, aside from situations such as death or vacancy,’ Alonto Adiong noted.

AN Austin, Texas-headquartered company sees significant opportunities in the Philippine digital finance market as the firm seeks to expand its business in Southeast Asia.

According to Troy Nyi Nyi, senior vice president and general manager for Asia Pacific at SEON Technologies Ltd., the rapid growth of digital transactions, alongside increasingly sophisticated fraud threats, in the country is a key growth driver for the company, which operates the eponymous Seon fraud-prevention platform.

Nyi Nyi told the BusinessMirror in an email interview that the company has tapped local IT-solutions provider Exist Software Labs Inc. (ESLI) to help integrate its fraud prevention and anti-money laundering (AML) capabilities into clients’ existing technology environments.

Nyi Nyi said ESLI’s integration expertise allows real-time fraud and AML controls to be embedded into core systems rather than operating alongside them. ESLI, he added, can bring these capabilities into the technology environments that clients already use.

‘Seon [the platform] becomes part of a broader technology stack rather than arriving as a separate deployment project,’ Nyi Nyi explained.

‘Our starting point was whether a partner could put Seon [the platform] into environments that are already complex and already running. [ESLI] met that bar, with more than two decades in software engineering and systems integration and a track record with banking, fintech and payments organisations across the region,’ he added.

Nyi Nyi said company executives believe their partnership with ESLI ‘extends our reach to more organizations as they strengthen their defenses against evolving financial crime.’

The growing role of online platforms in everyday commerce has been underscored by a central bank report that digital payments accounted for 64.7 percent of total retail transaction volume in 2025, up from 57.4 percent in 2024.

‘Organizations across banking, fintech, payments, e-commerce and iGaming are dealing with more sophisticated identity fraud, transaction abuse and financial crime, while needing to keep digital experiences fast and convenient for legitimate customers,’ Nyi Nyi said.

‘That creates a growing need for fraud prevention that operates in real time without adding unnecessary friction,’ he added.

Complementary

ACCORDING to Nyi Nyi, the partnership also brings together what the company describes as ‘complementary capabilities.’

He explained that Seon Technologies provides fraud and financial-crime intelligence covering fraud detection and risk scoring, customer and payment screening, AML transaction monitoring, identity verification, case management and reporting.

ESLI, meanwhile, provides the integration expertise needed to connect these capabilities with the systems that clients already use.

Nyi Nyi said fraudsters rarely operate through a single channel, making it important for organizations to connect signals across identity, devices, behavior and transactions to obtain a more complete picture of risk.

While most organizations already have fraud and compliance tools in place, he said many of these systems were not designed to work together, leaving risk information fragmented across different parts of the business.

‘We do not want clients to feel that fixing that means starting from scratch,’ he said. ‘Seon [the platform[ operates as an AI command center for fraud prevention and AML compliance rather than a point solution bolted onto one stage of the journey.’

Afasa

NYI Nyi also pointed to the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (Afasa) as another stimulant for the digital finance market. According to him, the law raised expectations for safeguards to be embedded across the full digital customer journey rather than applied as bolt-on checks after onboarding.

According to Nyi Nyi, risks need to be assessed continuously, beginning even before know-your-customer (KYC) procedures and extending through login, checkout and payouts, with decisions that remain explainable and auditable for regulators and supervisors.

Requirements also vary from one market to another, Nyi Nyi said. Regulations like the Afasa prompt organizations to adopt governance that can adjust to local regulatory lists and frameworks while maintaining consistency across borders.

For Seon Technologies, the opportunity lies in bringing together more risk signals so fraud teams can make decisions in real time when a customer is onboarding or a payment is being processed, rather than reviewing transactions only after the fact.

THE Philippine Global Media Group (PGMG) based in the US and Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. (MTVi) that operates in the Philippines have formally entered into a partnership to produce a coffee-table book chronicling the journeys, dreams, achievements and enduring legacies of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in California.

The Memorandum of Agreement was signed by MTVi President Melandrew T. Velasco, PGMG President Dan E. Niño and PGMG Chairman Val G. Abelgas, with PGMG Public Relations Officer Ellen Rodriguez-Swing serving as the project’s Marketing Director.

The agreement was concluded following the unanimous approval of the PGMG Board, reflecting the organization’s full support for the publication and its commitment to preserve and promote the history, accomplishments and contributions of the Filipino community in California.

Tentatively titled ‘Filipinos in California: Journeys, Dreams, Achievements and Legacies,’ the premium coffee-table book will feature distinguished Filipino-Americans, community leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, media practitioners, public servants, organizations, businesses and institutions whose stories reflect the growth and influence of the Filipino community in the Golden State.

The publication will document the experiences of Filipinos who built new lives in California while preserving their cultural identity and maintaining meaningful ties with the Philippines. It will also highlight the contributions of successive generations of Filipino-Americans to public service, healthcare, education, business, science and technology, media, culture, sports, the arts and community development.

Beyond recognizing individual success stories, the book seeks to preserve Filipino-American community history and institutional memory, inspire the younger generation, strengthen cultural pride and provide a valuable historical and educational reference for families, schools, libraries, universities and community organizations.

The project supports PGMG’s mission of advancing responsible journalism, amplifying Filipino voices, preserving cultural heritage and promoting service to the community. Through the combined networks and capabilities of PGMG and MTVi, the publication is envisioned as both a historical record and a legacy project that will connect generations of Filipinos in California and beyond.

‘This is more than a publishing venture. It is a collective effort to document the Filipino experience in California and ensure that the sacrifices, accomplishments and contributions of our community are remembered by future generations,’ said Niño.

Abelgas, who will also serve as Senior Editor of the project, underscored the importance of documenting the community’s history through credible journalism and compelling storytelling.

‘The Filipino presence in California has a long, rich and inspiring history. This coffee-table book will help bring together the stories of the people and institutions that have shaped that history and continue to build a lasting Filipino-American legacy,’ Abelgas said.

‘The credibility of this project rests on careful research, professional editorial standards and the trust of the Filipino-American community,’ Velasco said. ‘Our goal is to produce a beautiful and historically meaningful publication that does justice to the people, institutions and stories that have helped shape California.’

MEAT processors and Filipino consumers are shifting to cheaper alternatives like buffalo meat in their bid to cope with rising costs, according to the Meat Importers and Traders Association (Mita).

Mita President Emeritus Jesus Cham noted that month-on-month meat import arrivals fell by nearly 23 percent to 115,182 metric tons (MT) in August from 149,497 MT in July.

Except for buffalo and duck, he added that import volumes of major proteins contracted and has returned to mid-2024 baseline levels in August.

‘While pork, chicken, and beef imports slowed down, buffalo jumped nearly 22 percent month-on-month, further confirming a sustained processor and consumer pivot toward cost-effective raw materials,’ Cham said.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that buffalo imports in August rose by 21.9 percent to 5,291 metric tons (MT) from the previous month’s 4,339 MT.

Despite the month-on-month decline, however, meat imports rose by nearly 8 percent year-on-year in January to August.

Figures from BAI showed that the continued rise in the Philippines’s purchases of pork propelled the country’s meat imports in the reference period.

Meat arrivals during the 8-month period climbed by 7.6 percent to 1.14 million metric tons (MMT) from last year’s 1.06 MMT.

Pork shipments rose by 5.16 percent to 602,655 metric tons (MT), accounting for more than half of the total shipments, from 573,091 MT in 2025. The bulk of the imports were pork cuts and offals at 254,524 MT and 182,969 MT, respectively.

Import ban

With the increase in shipments, agriculture group Sinag called on the government to restore pork tariffs to their original levels and impose an import ban on pork.

This, as the local hog sector currently grapples with plunging farmgate prices of around P130 to P145 per kilo, ‘threatening the viability of the local hog industry and allied sectors.’

Sinag Executive Director Jayson Cainglet said restoring pork tariffs to 40 percent for the out-quota volume and 30 percent for the in-quota shipments has been ‘long overdue.’

‘Supporting local food production amid rising global oil prices and economic uncertainty is not merely about helping farmers-it is about safeguarding the broader economy,’ he said.

‘Now more than ever, strengthening domestic agricultural production will reduce external dependence, ensure baseline food availability, protect rural livelihoods, and sustain jobs across allied industries.’

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now looking forward to the next phase of the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) after the region successfully held its first parliamentary elections last week.

This, after the Chief Executive recently met with Interim Chief Minister and Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP) Chairman Abdulraof Macacua in Malacañang to congratulate him for the successful conduct of the said elections.

About 16 of the 40 seats in the BARMM Parliament regional party representatives were won by the BFP.

The Office of the Special Assistant to the President said with completion of the region’s first parliamentary elections, the political track of the Bangsamoro peace process is now complete.

‘The discussion, likewise, covered the continuation of the normalization track of the peace process to sustain the gains of peace and development in the region,’ the Office said in a statement.

During the meeting, the national government has committed to continue the implementation of development programs and delivery of essential services in BARMM.

Also present during the meeting were Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto, Special Assistant to the President Antonio F. Lagdameo, Jr., and Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) Minister Jordan S. Bayam.

According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), over 2 million registered voters participated in the BARMM polls translating to a 84.34 percent voter turnout.

The poll body was able to proclaim all the winners of the BARMM elections on 15 September 2026.

vivo has officially introduced OriginOS 7 globally, its latest operating system designed to deliver a smarter, smoother, and more intuitive smartphone experience.

Introduced in Shanghai, China on September 21, OriginOS 7 brings together improved performance, flexible multitasking, cross-device connectivity, personal AI capabilities, and deeper customization to help users get more done with less friction.

‘Last year, vivo OriginOS 6 set a new standard for smoothness, design, and AI. With OriginOS 7, we’re taking that standard even further to deliver mastery of smoothness, smartly redefined,’ said Colling Cheung, OriginOS Global Product Planning Director.

Faster performance for smoother everyday use

OriginOS 7 introduces the next-generation Origin Smooth Engine, which brings improvements to graphics computation, memory management, and system scheduling.

Through Ultra-Core Computing, processing resources are dynamically allocated based on demand to help maintain responsiveness during demanding activities such as gaming, multitasking, and extended video sessions.

According to vivo’s internal testing, OriginOS 7 reduces app cold start time by 10% and improves app page switching by 11%. Memory Fusion enables 60% greater memory reclamation and can free up to 25 GB of additional storage on a 256 GB device under vivo’s test conditions.

Meanwhile, Dual Rendering improves rendering efficiency by 14.4%, supporting smoother animations and richer visuals.

Designed for long-term performance, OriginOS 7 has also undergone a 72-month anti-aging test in vivo labs, reflecting vivo’s efforts to maintain a smooth experience over years of daily use.

Multitask across five apps without losing your flow

For users who rarely do just one thing at a time, OriginOS 7 brings Origin Workbench, a new multitasking experience that lets users coordinate up to five active applications within a unified task space.

Whether working on a document while checking notes, reviewing content while messaging, or managing several parts of a creative task, Origin Workbench is designed to make switching between activities feel more seamless.

Instead of treating every task as a separate screen, OriginOS 7 brings them together in one space-helping users stay focused while doing more.

Make every swipe and transition feel more natural

OriginOS 7 also introduces Origin Animation, bringing physics-inspired motion to everyday smartphone interactions.

Fluid Motion allows interface elements to stretch, bounce, and merge based on touch movement, while Spring Animation applies consistent motion across system components, apps, and in-page elements.

With Seamless Interaction, scrolling is also designed to feel more fluid across supported system and third-party applications. Together, these features make everyday actions such as swiping, scrolling, and switching between screens feel more natural and responsive.

Connect your vivo phone across your everyday devices

OriginOS 7 expands cross-ecosystem connectivity, allowing users to integrate their vivo smartphones with devices they already use.

Supported Apple Watch connectivity enables notifications and synchronization of selected workout and health data with the Origin Health app. AirPods can also connect with battery information through Origin Island and support for Spatial Audio, subject to device and regional availability.

Through vivo Office Kit, supported vivo smartphones can connect with iPad, Mac, and Windows PCs for task handoffs, real-time note synchronization, and cross-screen file transfers.

OriginOS 7 also brings selected iCloud content into vivo File Manager, allowing users to browse, upload, and download supported photos and files directly within the system.

Let Jovi help get everyday tasks done

OriginOS 7 introduces Jovi, vivo’s personal AI agent designed to assist with tasks across connected smartphones and PCs.

Through vivo Office Kit, Jovi can retrieve files from a connected computer, summarize information, and deliver relevant takeaways to a smartphone. Users can also schedule recurring tasks, such as compiling reports or organizing files, depending on feature availability.

For everyday productivity, Snap Note uses intelligent structural recognition to turn photos of whiteboards, handwritten notes, and presentation slides into editable, formatted documents with a single capture.

Through Jovi Security, autonomous actions are recorded, while key steps require direct user authorization, giving users greater visibility and control over AI-assisted tasks.

Make your smartphone experience your own

OriginOS 7 introduces new ways to personalize the lock screen, home screen, and Always-On Display.

Wiggle Theme transforms personal photos into interactive surfaces that respond to touch, while Glint Theme uses gyroscope sensing to create dynamic light and shadow effects as the device moves.

With StickIt, users can create layered compositions from photos and Live Photos across supported screens.

Meanwhile, Pet Pals introduces interactive companion themes that respond to device movement, charging states, music playback, and the progression of day and night.

From the way the phone performs to the way it looks and responds, OriginOS 7 gives users more freedom to shape an experience that fits their individual style.

Availability

The OriginOS 7 will be available on the vivo X500 Series, as well as new X Fold and V Series devices.

Availability and supported features may vary depending on the device, software version, and market. Further details on Philippines availability will be announced by vivo through its official channels.

Follow vivo Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, or visit the vivo website and vivo Store app for official announcements.