Business

 At the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Day Philippines 2025, Cruz joined fellow executives in a high-level panel on navigating the GenAI revolution, where he emphasized that AI isn’t simply about automating tasks or cutting costs. “Generative AI has moved us past automation and into a new age of augmented intelligence,” he said. “It’s no longer about doing things faster; it’s about unlocking creativity and creating relevance at scale.” Cruz shared how Globe is embedding AI across its operations to drive efficiency, elevate customer experience, and enable innovation at every level. The company’s Net Promoter Score of 49, which is well above the industry benchmark, reflects its success in delivering hyper-personalized services through intelligen...

Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr,.Bacolod City's Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) recently passed on first reading a proposed ordinance aimed at regulating poultry dressing plants and processing farms.It is authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr.  and  co-authored by Councilors Homer Bais and Caesar Distrito.The ordinance addresses urgent public health, sanitation, and environmental concerns within the city, Gamboa said.The legislation allows for poultry dressing and processing to occur outside the AVM Bernardo Slaughterhouse in Handumanan, but under strict regulation.This Gamboa-authored proposed guidelines strictly prohibits poultry operations without registration, improper poultry waste disposal mechanisms that will contaminate water bodies through its emission, use o...

The GMO-Free Negros Coalition — composed of Negrense farmers, organic agriculture advocates, Indigenous Peoples Organizations, civil society groups, church leaders, scientists, communities, consumers, organic certifying bodies, academe, and like-minded individuals— vehemently opposes the proposed “Ordinance Providing for the Rules and Guidelines on the Research, Development Handling, Use Transboundary Movement, Release into the Environment, and Management of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) within the Territorial Jurisdiction of the Province of Negros Occidental, and for Other Purposes”.I. NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORKThe Provincial Government of Negros Occidental (PGNO) is under no legal obligation to amend its landmark anti-living GMO ordinance to conform with Joint Department C...

The  red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation on sugarlands has increased by 4,869 percent since May, the Sugar Regulatory Administration  reported on Friday, Sept.5.The total area affected   was 4,324. 77 hectares on Sept. 2, from  87.4 hectares  on May 22 when it was first discovered.The  farmers affected are 2,377, the SRA report also said.The report also said the Sept. 2  figure increased by 18 percent from 3,656.69 hectares infested as of August 19.Negros Occidental has been the worst hit with  4,113.60 hectares followed by Iloilo with 83. 69 hectares, Leyte – 73.18 hectares, Capiz – 29.50- hectares and Negros Oriental -  24.80 hectares.The RSSI attacks sugarcane leaves and reduces sugar content by about 50 ...

The Hinigaran municipal government has made a significant move to support local entrepreneurs by launching its own "One Town, One Product" (OTOP) Retail Store and Learning Center on Monday, Sept. 1. This is the first OTOP store in Negros Occidental to be directly led by a local government unit (LGU), a new milestone in promoting economic development at the grassroots level, Engiemar Tupas, chief trade-industry development specialist of DTI-Negros Occidental, said.The initiative follows the signing of an Executive Order by Vice Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo, which institutionalizes the OTOP program in the municipality in line with Republic Act 11960, also known as the OTOP Law. The law encourages communities to identify, develop, and promote products and services that reflect their local c...

(LAPSED INTO LAW AS OF 24 AUGUST 2025) Globe Telecom expressed its concern that the KonektadongPinoy Act was allowed to lapse into law last August 24, 2025. “By not signing it, Malacanang is taking a neutral stance on the Konektadong Pinoy Act. We shall work with the government on how we can make better the standards in the industry to safeguard the public,” said Globe General Counsel Atty. FroilanM. Castelo.     While the measure aspires to broaden digital access, its current form poses grave risks that include weakening cybersecurity, undermining national safeguards, and unsettling an industry that is vital to the country’s economy and over-all national security.  ...

Navigating a complex international macroeconomic environment and shifting consumer preferences, the company improved its topline performance and staged a sequential rebound in the second quarter. Consolidated gross service revenues ended the quarter at ₱40.3 billion, 1% above the first quarter, fueled by improving mobility and stronger digital engagement across segments.The company's digital portfolio served as a key growth engine, reinforcing its relevance in today’s increasingly connected economy. Mobile and corporate data services together maintained a stable contribution of 83.2% to total service revenues in the first semester, up slightly from 82.9% in the same period last year....

McDonald’s Philippines has introduced MyMcDonald’s Rewards, the country’s first fully digital loyalty program for a quick-service restaurant (QSR), now available on the McDonald’s App.The new program allows customers to earn points on every order, which can then be redeemed for free McDonald’s favorites and exclusive perk, a press release from the firm said,.For every ₱10 spent, customers will earn 1 point.To get started, simply sign up on the McDonald’s App and scan the Rewards QR code at any counter, Drive-Thru, or Self-Order Kiosk before ordering, the press release said.Points can be exchanged for popular menu items like the Big Mac, fries, and Chicken McDo. The launch is being celebrated with long-time fan Heart Evangelista, who is helping to promote the new platform....

Filipino visual artist Francis Nacion holds up the "Balik Tanaw" can*In a tribute to its 135-year legacy, San Miguel Pale Pilsen is releasing a limited-edition "Balik Tanaw" can, celebrating its deep roots in Filipino culture and history.The iconic beer, which has become a global Filipino symbol, commemorates its rich heritage through a unique collaboration with renowned Filipino visual artist Francis Nacion, a press release from San Miguel said Friday, August 15.The collectible can, titled "Balik Tanaw," which translates to "looking back," features Nacion's signature style to reimagine nostalgic scenes from the Filipino way of life.The artwork captures how San Miguel Pale Pilsen has been a part of countless Filipino social gatherings and personal milestones, weaving it...

NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu is expanding its reach, bringing its luxury amenities and lifestyle experiences closer to residents of the Visayas.The resort  provided an overview of its offerings, which include hotels, a high-end mall, and a loyalty program at a press conference in Bacolod City on Friday, August 8.NUSTAR, a flagship project of Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. (UHRI), currently features two hotel towers with a third under development.The ultra-luxury NUSTAR Hotel has 223 rooms and is listed in the Michelin Guide, while the five-star Filipino brand Fili Hotel has 379 rooms and houses the Fili Café. A third hotel, the Grand Summit Hotel, is set to open in late 2026.Katrina Mae de Jesus, Assistant Vice President for Business Development for UHRI, said the re...