Newsletter: P-Pop boyband AYO finds strength in duality in pre-debut single “I’m Him”

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AYO is the latest addition to Sony Music Entertainment’s esteemed roster of P-Pop acts. Arriving with primal energy and unmistakable superstar aura, the Davao-based, seven-member boy group is composed of Justin, Renzo, GV, TJ, Enzo, Zack, and Patrick. Their name is derived from the Cebuano word “maayo,” which means talented. It’s also commonly used as a call for attention, much like knocking on a door.

Newsletter: Xpress Super App and the New Geography of Mobility in Southeast Asia

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Inside the halls of the Mandarin Oriental, where this year’s Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Forum 2026 convened founders, investors, and operators from across the region, one theme stood out: momentum is no longer evenly distributed.

Newsletter: Toxic lead still persists in Metro Manila air amid fuel crisis and despite interventions

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

A hazy Metro Manila skyline reflects the persistence of airborne pollution in the Philippine capital. Ateneo de Manila University  researchers have recently found that toxic lead remains in the city’s air even decades after the phaseout of leaded gasoline, with major sources including local industrial activity, fossil fuel combustion, and legacy pollution. Much of this lead is carried aloft as particulate matter that can be deeply inhaled, posing particular risks to children and vulnerable individuals and communities. SOURCE: Aaron Vicencio, Ateneo de Manila University. CC BY-NC-SA

Counterintuitively, despite the ongoing fuel crisis and the over two decades since the global phaseout of leaded gasoline, toxic lead still lingers in Metro Manila’s air.

Newsletter: Waymo Expansion Signals New Robotaxi Race as Carziqo Advances Smart Fleet Platform

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The global race for driverless ride-hailing is entering a more competitive stage as autonomous vehicle companies move from technology demonstrations toward larger-scale commercial operations.

Newsletter: Fuel Pressures Push Dumaguete Toward Digital Transport as Xpress Launches Tricycle-On-Demand

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As fuel prices continue to pressure local transport operators, Dumaguete is taking an early step toward digital mobility with the launch of tricycle-on-demand services through the Xpress Super App.

Newsletter: Pasig City, GCash bring access to faster aid to over 30,000 Pasig City scholars, cashless payments for mega market vendors and residents

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Pasig City mayor Vico Sotto and GCash vice president and general manager for business Paul Vincent Albano (5th and 4th from left) with (L-R) GCash account manager Rose Ann Danting; vice president and head of public sector Cleo Celeste Santos; chief operations officer and B2C general manager Barbara Dawn Dapul; Pasig City councilors Simon Tantoco and Ryan Enriquez; and administrator Atty. Jeronimo Manzanero

Pasig City continues to innovate in public service, finding new ways to better serve its citizens. To enhance efficiency and speed, the City Government has partnered with GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance superapp, to digitize financial assistance and market fee collection citywide.

Newsletter: Satellite data shows NO2 concentration in Metro Manila down to pre-fire levels for two consecutive days

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The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) has done daily monitoring of satellite data since the Navotas landfill fire reportedly broke out on 10 April 2026. Coinciding with reports on Tuesday (28 April) that significant progress has been made in suppressing the fire, satellite data shows that nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration in Metro Manila has fallen below 6 April (pre-fire) levels for two consecutive days. Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant produced from burning and is a component of smoke, and lower NO2 concentrations indicate a reduction in the volume of smoke emitted from the landfill fire. 

Newsletter: Tech experts call for urgent developer education and regulatory clarity as stablecoin adoption accelerates globally

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The Philippines is positioned to lead the global shift toward stablecoin-based remittances provided it prioritizes developer education and formalizes regulatory pathways, according to fintech and blockchain leaders at the recent “Settle In! Manila” panel organized by Morph and Bitget’s Blockchain4Her and Blockchain For Youth initiatives on the global rise of stablecoins and the future of digital payments.

Newsletter: KOMUNIDA, Inc. Expands Climate Justice Education Through Resilience Builders Toolkit and Global Partnerships

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KOMUNIDA, Inc., a Philippines-based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing art-based education, is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Resilience Builders program, now in its third year of implementation. Rooted in the principles of climate justice, human rights, and community empowerment, KOMUNIDA works with diverse communities to foster inclusive, creative, and locally grounded learning spaces. As part of this initiative, KOMUNIDA proudly introduces the Resilience Builders: Climate Justice Education Toolkit—a resource designed to support learning, dialogue, and collective action on climate justice. Currently available in English, the toolkit is intended to be adapted and contextualized across different cultural and local settings to ensure accessibility and relevance.

Newsletter: Gyukatsu Boracay Joins March for Mental Health, Championing Team Wellness and Island Unity

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Gyukatsu Boracay proudly joined the March for Mental Health organized by Malay-Boracay Lifeline White Beach on March 29, 2026, walking the shoreline route from Kasbar to Epic alongside local businesses, residents, and advocates. The initiative spotlighted the importance of open conversation, practical support, and community solidarity around mental well-being in Malay.

Newsletter: PLDT, Smart Hold Cyber Safety Workshop for Blind Students

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In a classroom at the Philippine National School for the Blind, the lesson shifted from traditional subjects to something less visible but increasingly urgent: how to stay safe online.

Newsletter: #GCashTipidTips: DOTr-mandated 50% discounted MRT-3 fares can be availed via GCash

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Starting March 23, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has implemented a discounted fare matrix for single-journey tickets, stored-value cards, and cashless payments in response to rising consumer prices. 

Newsletter: Ateneo VR escape room game teaches Martial Law to a new generation

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

For young Filipinos, the Martial Law era—those dark years from 1972 to 1981 that cast a long shadow until 1986—is not a lived memory but a chapter in the nation’s history often encountered only at a distance. Bridging the gap between knowing and understanding the hard-earned lessons of that era to a new generation of Filipinos is a challenge.

Newsletter: Orange & Lemons to release “Too Young To Be Old,” announce 2026 European Tour

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Iconic Filipino indie pop outfit Orange & Lemons are back with the upcoming release of their new single, “Too Young To Be Old,” alongside the announcement of a European tour set for May-June 2026.

Newsletter: A decade after Diwata-1: From crisis to capability

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On 27 April 2016, microsatellite Diwata-1 became the first Filipino-built satellite in orbit. It was deployed from the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) of the International Space Station (Photo credit: JAXA/NASA)

In the aftermath of Yolanda in 2013, the Philippines faced one of its most devastating disasters. Entire communities were flattened, and the country urgently needed satellite imagery to assess damage and guide response efforts. At the time, however, access to space data was constrained, highlighting a critical gap in the country’s disaster management capabilities.