Nurturing, caring, and loving are words we associate with our mom, mama, mommy, or nanay. Our mother’s unconditional love has always been our anchor in life, and we thrive thanks to their fostering heart and unwavering support. So, this Mother’s Day, let us give back to our mothers by supporting their hobbies, such as gardening. Why don’t you surprise her by transforming her garden into a stylish and cozy hideaway where she can relax and have fun with loved ones? Build a garden where furniture and plants collide in a way that nourishes her soul and brings her closer to nature. Wilcon Depot off ..read more

As SM Supermarket and Savemore Market’s Treat Yourself enters its 4th year, it continues to redefine shopping experiences as more than just an event; it’s a movement advocating self-care and indulgence, fostering a culture of fun and wellness. For until the end of May, shoppers are invited to embark on a journey of joy, relaxation, and delight at their branches nationwide. A Celebration of Self-Care The Treat Yourself campaign offers an array of deals and offers across food, beauty, and health segments. Moreover, SM Advantage Card (SMAC) members can expect member-only deals, enticing bundles ..read more

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila will cease operations starting July 1, according to the hospitality group Accor. “The hotel has announced that it will close and cease operations starting July 1, 2024,” Accor told BusinessWorld in a Viber message on Friday. “This decision comes as part of our ongoing commitment to providing our guests and colleagues with the best possible experience,” it added. The hotel said it will honor engagements and reservations until the end of June and close its doors. “We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support and patronage of our stakeholders, employees, and g ..read more

RETAIL PRICE growth of construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) accelerated to three-month high in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday. According to preliminary data from the PSA, the construction materials retail price index (CMRPI) in April grew by 1.2%. This was twice faster than the 0.6% growth in March but slower than 2.6% last year. April CMRPI growth was the quickest or since the 1.4% in January. NCR’s CMRPI averaged 1.1% for the first four months of the year, lower than the 4.4% average last year. Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Ro ..read more

THERE’S a persistent mystery about Mark Zuckerberg, and it’s not the one about his new chain necklace. The chief executive officer of Meta Platforms, Inc. has spent billions of dollars building powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models and is giving that technology away for free. Why? Zuckerberg recently argued that “open sourcing” LLaMA, his AI model for training chatbots, prevents power from being concentrated in a single company.* Maybe take that explanation with a pinch of salt. This, after all, comes from a man who consolidated control in social media by buying and copying his competit ..read more

THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY grew by 5.7% in the first quarter, outdoing most of its peers in Southeast Asia despite slowing consumption and government spending, according to the local statistics agency. But the expansion was below the 5.9% median forecast of 20 economists in a BusinessWorld poll last week. The less-than-expected growth makes a case for the Philippine central bank to keep rates steady next week despite quickening inflation. “Despite various risks and challenges, the economic outlook for the Philippines in the near and medium terms remains bright,” National Economic and Development A ..read more

By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) might still cut interest rates as early as June amid weaker-than-expected economic growth and as inflation comes within target, Pantheon Macroeconomics said. “Our call for a June cut is grounded on the assumption that first-quarter gross domestic product will fall short of expectations, enough to override any potential BSP fears over a likely — albeit temporary — breach of its consumer price index (CPI) target range in May,” it said in a report. The Philippine economy grew by 5.7% last quarter from 5.5% a quarter ..read more

PHILIPPINE CONSUMER SPENDING is expected to rebound this year amid easing inflation and improved labor conditions, Fitch Solutions unit BMI said. “We have a positive outlook for consumer spending in the Philippines in 2024,” it said in an e-mailed commentary on May 8. “Easing inflationary pressures, a slightly favorable labor market and lower interest rates form the base for consumer spending growth.” BMI sees household spending expanding by 6.4% this year. The statistics agency on Thursday said household consumption grew by 4.6% in the first quarter, slower than 5.3% in the fourth quarter and ..read more

THE NATIONAL Government’s (NG) debt as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 60.2% as of the first quarter, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Thursday. This was below 61.1% a year ago but higher than 60.1% at the end of last year, it said in a statement. This year, the government’s debt-to-GDP ratio target was set at 60.3%. It seeks to bring this down further to 55.9% by 2028. The threshold considered by multilateral lenders to be manageable for developing economies is 60%. As of end-March, the NG’s outstanding debt slid by 1.67% to P14.93 trillion from the record-high P1 ..read more

The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy (Article II.2 of the Constitution). That much is clear. It doesn’t mean, however, that the Philippines can’t defend itself. When circumstances permit, the Philippines, through the president, can unleash the Armed Forces to defend the country’s sovereignty, territory, and people. Thus, the president may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion, or rebellion. Furthermore, in case of invasion or rebellion, he may, for a period not exceeding 60 days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas cor ..read more