Filipino online shoppers emerged as Southeast Asia's "savviest" consumers in a 2026

Filipino shoppers ranked as Southeast Asia's 'savviest' online

Philstar.com
October 4, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino online shoppers emerged as Southeast Asia's "savviest" consumers in a 2026 regional e-commerce report, with more than one in three falling into its top shopper segment.

The 2026 eCommerce Savvy Shopper Report for the Philippines found that 36% of Filipino shoppers qualified as "savvy," the highest share among six Southeast Asian markets covered.

Another 22% were classified as "near-savvy," bringing the combined share to 58%, also the largest pool in the region.

The Philippines was followed by Indonesia, where 28% of shoppers were classified as savvy, Vietnam at 25%, Thailand at 22%, Malaysia at 20% and Singapore at 9%.

Filipino savvy shoppers also stood out for how much more they spent.

Their monthly spending was 47% higher than that of general shoppers, the biggest difference among the six markets.

Vietnam followed with a 44% spending uplift, Malaysia with 36%, Thailand with 27%, Indonesia with 19% and Singapore with 13%.

The report estimated the weighted spending gap associated with savvy shoppers in the Philippines at $3.3 billion in 2026. It said the estimate was based on annual e-commerce marketplace spending in Southeast Asia in 2026.

What makes a shopper 'savvy'?

The report, jointly conducted by e-commerce company Lazada and market data firm Cube, assessed shopper savviness across four dimensions: verification, value optimization, digital fluency, and confidence and protection.

These measured whether consumers choose the right products, get the best value, use available digital tools effectively and feel protected when something goes wrong with a purchase.

Across Southeast Asia, the report found that shoppers were more willing to put in additional effort to secure better value than give up trust-related protections.

Forty-three percent said they were willing to wait longer for delivery, 41% would spend more effort finding a deal and 36% would compare offers.

By comparison, only 14% were willing to give up authenticity signals, while 13% would sacrifice purchase protection.

The Philippines also stood out as the only Southeast Asian market in the report where Gen X and Gen Z shoppers were equally willing to pay more for stronger purchase protection.

The report described this as an indication that trust cuts across generations rather than being limited to younger online consumers.

The Philippines report, however, did not disclose key survey methodology, including its sample size, sampling and recruitment method, fieldwork period or the scoring thresholds used to classify shoppers as "savvy" or "near-savvy."

Philippines has taken the lead among major Southeast Asian economies in adopting renewable energy policies

PH leads race for clean energy among emerging SE Asia countries — study

Ted Cordero
GMA News
30 September 2026

Over six months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency, a new study revealed that the Philippines has taken the lead among major Southeast Asian economies in adopting renewable energy policies during the peak of the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

In a news release, international climate and energy research organization Zero Carbon Analytics said it conducted a study on six fastest-growing Southeast Asian markets — the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, alongside Vietnam — “all of which have committed to accelerating their shift to green technology amid historic oil market volatility.”

In its report, Zero Carbon Analytics said crude oil experienced greater volatility during the first six months of the conflict than 95% of all six-month periods since 2007, marking one of the most turbulent episodes for oil markets in nearly two decades.

In response, the research group said the Philippines adopted 13 clean energy policies between February and August 2026, representing the highest number among the tracked countries, which collectively announced 37 clean energy policies.

Across these nations, short-term clean energy policies outpaced the 29 fossil fuel policies passed during the same period, while long-term initiatives on renewables and electrification outpaced fossil-based efforts by a ratio of four to one, with 24 policies compared to six, according to Zero Carbon Analytics.

The research group cited key developments in the Philippines such as the proposing of the Sariling Kuryente Act, fast-tracking at least 250 megawatts of solar capacity to the grid, mandating energy storage systems for new renewable energy developers, and expanding electric vehicle adoption under the national energy emergency directives.

Despite its clean energy leadership, the group said the Philippines also adopted nine fossil fuel-focused policies, accounting for 40% of the energy policies tracked in the country.

These included accelerating up to 5 gigawatts of coal capacity and establishing the country's first government-managed Strategic Petroleum Reserve facility.

In a Facebook post, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin welcomed Zero Carbon Analytics’ findings.

“Who has introduced the most fossil fuel and renewable energy policies in the region? The Philippines has introduced the most energy policies since the start of the conflict, with 22 in total, leading in both fossil fuel and renewable energy policies,” Garin said.

“This is likely due to its declaration of a national energy emergency on 24 March 2026. The declaration included a list of emergency relief measures, such as directly procuring oil and increasing government control over fuel prices, as well as longer-term steps to accelerate renewables, EVs and energy efficiency across all sectors,” she said. — BAP, GMA News

Manila will make a push to anchor Southeast Asia’s $300-billion creative economy

Philippines vies to be Southeast Asia’s creative economy hub

Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta 
Inquirer.net
18 September 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Manila will make a push to anchor Southeast Asia’s $300-billion creative economy when the region’s heads of state troop to the Philippines in November, where it will pitch a center of excellence dedicated to the sector.

That center, planned for the 21,000-square-meter Likhang Filipino site in Pasay, would be just the second Asean center established in the Philippines, following the Asean Centre for Biodiversity in Los Baños, Laguna.

According to Junie del Mundo, senior adviser for creative economy at the Asean Business Advisory Council Philippines, setting up the center would allow Manila to take the lead in growing the sector, including efforts to improve intellectual property commercialization, financing and market access across the region.

“The onus will be on us, because the center of excellence is here in the Philippines,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Asean creative economy briefing on Thursday.

Del Mundo said the proposal had already cleared Asean economic and culture ministers, leaving it up for the approval of the bloc’s leaders.

Singapore and Thailand are also interested in hosting the center, he said.

Once operational, the center is envisioned to bring together the public and private sectors from Asean member states, providing a focal point for addressing common industry challenges while helping connect creators with financing and markets.

Its financing and governance structures are still being developed, with implementation targeted for 2028.

Hosting the center would also build on the Philippines’ sizable creative economy, which already accounts for one of the larger shares of economic output in the region.

In 2025, the Philippine creative economy was valued at P2.12 trillion, equivalent to 7.6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. That puts the Philippines toward the higher end of estimates across Asean, where creative industries account for roughly 2 to 8 percent of national economies.

A study presented by Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines estimated that creative industries across selected Asean economies generate roughly $300 billion in aggregate annual value in 2025 and about $150 billion in creative goods and services exports in 2024.

The study covered film, animation, game development, fashion and performing arts across all 11 Asean member states.

Philippines forecast to be second fastest-growing economy in SE Asia through 2035

Philippines projected to be second fastest-growing economy in SE Asia until 2035

BusinessWorld
September 17, 2026

THE PHILIPPINES could emerge as Southeast Asia’s second fastest-growing major economy over the next decade, with growth averaging 5.8% through 2035, according to a report by Bain & Company, DBS Group Holdings, and Vriens & Partners. 

In the Southeast Asia Outlook 2026-2035 report released on Wednesday, the Philippine economy is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.8% from 2026 to 2035 under the baseline scenario.

“The Philippines, which has a favorable demographic tailwind, could grow at a 5.8% average annual rate as consumption, infrastructure, and governance reforms unlock investment,” the report said.

This would make the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth the second-fastest among the six major Southeast Asian economies covered by the report, behind only Vietnam, which is projected to expand by an average of 6.2% annually until 2035.

The Philippine economy is expected to outpace Indonesia (5.4%), Malaysia (4.3%), Singapore (2.7%), and Thailand (2.2%).

Philippine GDP growth over the 10-year horizon is also above the 4.8% average for the six Southeast Asian economies.

The latest regional forecast for Southeast Asia is slower than the earlier average expansion of 5.1% for the 2024-2034 period, reflecting a more complex and volatile global environment.

However, the Philippine economy is experiencing a sharp slowdown this year, averaging 2.6% in the first half. The government is targeting 3.5%-4.5% GDP growth for 2026, and 5%-6% annually from 2027 to 2030.

Despite its relatively strong baseline forecast, the Philippines is also among the Southeast Asian economies facing the greatest downside exposure, according to the report.

The report noted that Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand would be the most exposed under a downside scenario because of their “capital-flow sensitivities, energy dependence, political uncertainty, and weaker structural momentum.”

Under more favorable global conditions, the Philippines could also capture less upside than Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, which are better positioned to benefit from their roles in capital intermediation and global manufacturing supply chains. 

“Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines see more limited benefit, as persistent structural constraints limit their ability to translate an improved external environment into stronger growth,” the report said.

The Philippines’ favorable demographics, steady remittance inflows, and consumption-led  economic model provide some insulation from disruptions to global trade, it added.

However, it warned that the country’s dependence on imported energy, weaknesses in policy implementation and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven disruption to the outsourcing industry could prevent the economy from reaching its full potential.

The report also pointed to longer-term risks from AI-driven automation to the country’s business process outsourcing industry.

“Without stronger energy security and governance consistency, growth could be capped below the Philippines’ potential,” it said.

The report said that one of the Philippines’ immediate challenges is managing the transition to AI.

“The next few years will be critical; the Philippines must move into higher-value services while sustaining reform momentum through its next leadership transition,” it said.

The country also needs to strengthen its energy system, as gains in Philippine technology services have been constrained partly by limitations in the power grid. 

Across Southeast Asia, the report said growth over the next decade will increasingly depend on stronger institutions, more reliable energy systems and the ability to use AI to raise productivity.

“Dependence on imported energy quickly turns external price shocks into household inflation, while weak policy implementation hinders the conversion of investment commitment into actual deployment,” the report said.

It said grid capacity and reliability will be increasingly important in determining whether economies can expand their industrial bases and support power-intensive AI infrastructure.

The Philippines has already fallen short of the report’s earlier growth expectations. From 2024 to 2025, the economy grew by an average of 5.1%, compared with the 6.1% average assumed in their previous 2024-2034 forecast.

“The Philippines saw growth impeded by weaker investment and public sector execution,” the report said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

PH companies dominate ASEAN’s best tech workplaces 2026

PH firms dominate ASEAN’s best tech workplaces

Story by J.G. Amor 
The Manila Times
02 August 2026

PHILIPPINE-based companies dominated the inaugural Southeast Asia's Best Workplaces in Technology 2026 rankings released by workplace culture authority Great Place To Work, accounting for seven of the top 10 organizations recognized across the region.

The rankings were based on more than 58,200 confidential employee survey responses representing over 219,200 employees from technology companies in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Organizations were evaluated on employee trust, workplace culture and the consistency of employee experience across their workforce.

Cisco topped the regional list, followed by Carelon Global Solutions Philippines and Insight. Other Philippine-based organizations in the top 10 were Genpact, Concentrix Philippines, Capital One Philippines and Lexmark Research and Development Corp., a subsidiary of Xerox Corp. Cognizant, which operates across several Southeast Asian markets, ranked eighth, while Vietnam-based Bosch Global Software Technology Co. Ltd. placed ninth.

The study found that younger employees expressed the highest levels of confidence in their employers. Workers aged 25 and below accounted for 11 percent of respondents and recorded a 91.1-percent trust score in leadership, exceeding the overall average for recognized workplaces.

It also found that 79 percent of employees in the under-25 age group had been with their employers for less than two years. According to the report, they were the demographic group most prepared to embrace innovation in the workplace.

Compensation, however, remained an area of concern. The statement, "I feel I receive a fair share of the profits made by this organization," received a 75-percent rating, making it the lowest-scoring measure even among the region's highest-ranked employers.

Pay fairness and transparency in promotions were identified as the weakest aspects of workplace culture across all categories.

Great Place To Work said participating organizations were assessed through employee feedback on leadership, credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Regional rankings also considered each company's presence across Southeast Asia, employee population, and the number of markets where it had achieved Great Place To Work certification.

Charles Plumley, general manager of Great Place To Work Philippines, said the inaugural rankings reflected the growing importance of workplace culture as Southeast Asia's technology industry expands.

"There has never been a more exciting time to work in technology in this region," Plumley said. "The companies that will define the next decade are the ones measuring how their people feel."

"Southeast Asia is where the next decade in technology is being decided," said Evelyn Kwek, managing director for Asean and Australia-New Zealand at Great Place To Work. "The 219,262 employees behind this list have given the region a clear, public benchmark for how technology companies treat the people doing the building."

Philippines top Southeast Asia’s Best Workplaces in Technology 2026

PH firms included in Southeast Asia’s best workplaces 2026 tech list

Story by Bryan Rilloraza 
Technobaboy
10 July 2026

Out of 50 companies included in Southeast Asia’s Best Workplaces in Technology 2026, 23 are certified in the Philippines. Nine of the ten winners in the Large category are Philippine-based, showing the country’s strong presence in the region.

The rankings were based on confidential feedback from 219,262 employees across six countries, making it the largest workplace culture survey in Southeast Asia.

The Philippine IT-BPM sector continues to grow, closing 2025 with US$40 billion in export revenues and a workforce of 1.9 million. It now contributes over 8% of GDP, with projections of US$42 billion and 1.97 million jobs in 2026.

This recognition cements the Philippines as the center of Southeast Asian tech employment, with workplaces that employees would recommend to their peers. The challenge now is to sustain growth while keeping a strong workplace culture.

Top ten firms in the Large Category

1. Cisco (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

2. Carelon Global Solutions Philippines (Philippines)

3. Insight (Philippines, Singapore)

4. Genpact (Philippines)

 5. Visa (Philippines, Singapore)

6. Concentrix Philippines (Philippines)

7. Capital One Philippines (Philippines)

8. Cognizant (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand)

9. Bosch Global Software Technology Company Limited (Vietnam) 

10. Lexmark Research and Development Corporation (Philippines)

Top ten firms in the Medium Category

1. Arcanys (Philippines)
2. Experian (Malaysia, Singapore)
3. Atlassian (Philippines)
4. Kollab (Philippines)
5. One CoreDev IT (Philippines)
6. Lingaro (Philippines)
7. Etrading Software Manila (Philippines)
8. CoDev (Philippines)
9. AGS Health (Philippines)
10. Full Scale Teams PH (Philippines)

Top ten firms in the Small Category

1. Tech One Global Phils., Inc. (Philippines)
2. ABPSecurite (Singapore)
3. HP Technology Vietnam Company Ltd (Vietnam)
4. Menlo Security (Singapore)
5. Cloudera (Singapore)
6. Manifest Global (Singapore)
7. RAKSUL Vietnam (Vietnam)
8. Ansarada (Vietnam)
9. HEMMERSBACH (Malaysia)
10. Karbon (Philippines)

PH ranks 3rd fastest in intangible investment growth—WIPO

PH ranks 3rd fastest in intangible investment growth—WIPO

Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta 
Inquirer.net
08 July 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines ranked as the world’s third-fastest-growing market for intangible investments in its first appearance in a World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo) report, making it the only Southeast Asian economy included.

In its World Intangible Investment Highlights 2026, Wipo said the Philippines’ intangible investments grew by 4.6 percent from 2021 to 2022, following only India (7.9 percent) and Japan (4.8 percent) among the 29 economies covered.

From 2012 to 2022, the country’s intangible investments grew at a compound annual growth rate of 3.9 percent, expanding the global average of 3.5 percent.

According to Teodoro Pascua, director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, the findings showed the country’s growing investment in knowledge-based assets as it enters upper-middle-income status.

“As the Philippines enters upper-middle-income status, our rapid gains in R&D, software and brands show that we are paving the way toward that future,” Pascua said during the report’s launch on Wednesday. 

Valued at $49.1B

Wipo estimated the Philippines’ intangible investments at $49.1 billion in 2022.

Among the different asset classes, research and development (R&D) posted the fastest growth, growing at a compound annual rate of 20.1 percent from 2012 to 2022.

Software and databases followed at 18.3 percent, making the Philippines the fastest-growing economy in that category.

Wipo Assistant Director General Marco Alemán said the country’s investment in software and data, which averaged more than 80 percent annual growth over the past decade, reflected a shift “from an economy of things to an economy of ideas.”

Although R&D and software accounted for only about 15 percent of the country’s total intangible investments, spending on R&D increased more than sixfold during the period, while investment in software and databases grew more than fivefold.

Organizational capital remained the country’s largest intangible asset, accounting for 48.3 percent of total intangible investments, followed by brands at 28.9 percent.

Brand investments reached $14.2 billion, placing the Philippines among the world’s 12 largest investors in the category.

Despite the strong growth, intangible assets accounted for only 4.4 percent of GDP in 2022, compared with 20 percent for tangible investments, WIPO said. 

The report, now in its third edition, covers 29 economies representing about 57 percent of global GDP. Global intangible investments surpassed $10 trillion in 2025 for the first time, an all-time high. /pai INQ

Philippines emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing markets for rooftop solar insallations

Philippines leads in solar panel use

Alimat Aliyeva
Azernews (Azebaijan news outlet)
 29 June 2026

Residents of the Philippines are increasingly turning to rooftop solar panels as electricity prices continue to soar, making solar energy one of the fastest-growing alternatives in the country, AzerNEWS reports.

According to reports, the Philippines' largest electricity distributor, Meralco, recently raised power tariffs by 10% following the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, which pushed global energy prices higher. As a result, demand for residential solar systems has surged, with the Philippines emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing markets for rooftop solar installations.

The average Filipino household now spends around 12% of its monthly income on electricity bills. Unlike many other Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines provides limited government subsidies for electricity, leaving consumers to pay some of the highest power prices in the region.

Homeowners say the falling cost of solar panels, combined with steadily rising electricity rates, has made investing in rooftop solar systems more financially attractive than ever. Many families expect to recover their installation costs within just a few years through lower monthly utility bills.

The Philippines receives abundant sunshine throughout the year, averaging 4.5 to 5.5 peak sun hours per day. This makes rooftop solar one of the country's most effective renewable energy solutions, allowing many households to significantly reduce their dependence on the national power grid while lowering long-term energy costs.

Philippines is the next big thing in global supply chain

Philippines, Thailand primed as next supply chain ‘rising stars’

BusinessWorld
June 25, 2026 

Thailand, the Philippines and Argentina are among a group of promising yet underutilized economies primed for an increasing role in supply chains, according to a new analysis of global trade trends.

These and other countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America stand to benefit from diversification as companies look beyond cost and efficiency to build resilience, Verisk Maplecroft, a UK-based risk intelligence firm, said in a report released Thursday.

A third of the world’s busiest ports and airports are vulnerable to disruption from conflicts, environmental risk and domestic security threats, the firm warned. At a time when trade resilience has deteriorated in more than 150 countries — accounting for 90% of global trade — there’s opportunity for “rising stars,” the report argued.

The shuttering of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israel conflict with Iran created “near-term headwinds” for both Thailand and the Philippines, Verisk Maplecroft said. Still, its data indicate that those “willing to take a longer-term view will find these markets worth their attention.”

Market openness, regulatory strengths and labor rights in each country are the three main factors the firm analyzes.

The supply chain potential in the Philippines comes despite a bout of political turmoil in the past year, including a sprawling scandal over corruption in contracts for flood mitigation projects that’s seen politicians issued with arrest warrants.

With a young, English-speaking labor force, the Philippines offers significant potential for industrial services and outsourcing, she said. “If you are confident in your company’s supply chain management systems to monitor and manage corruption risk, that doesn’t have to be a complete barrier,” Schwartz said.

THAILAND, ARGENTINA

Risks for Thailand, meantime, have decreased when compared with regional peers during the past five years, the firm said in its report. Thailand’s electronics sector is benefiting from AI investment, and the country is “well positioned to host higher-value supply chain links,” Verisk Maplecroft said. That’s even with an aging workforce and higher-cost labor compared with others in the region, it said.

“The ingredients are really good for a lot of the industries that are seeking supply chain diversification opportunities,” Schwartz said.

For Argentina, both the European Union-Mercosur trade accord and an agreement with US on reciprocal trade and investment could drive a shift on critical minerals, energy and industrial exports.

That graft scandal dented foreign investment in the Philippines last year and has been a factor in the government cutting its economic growth forecast for this year. The Senate, meantime, has been consumed by infighting related to a rift between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his deputy, Sara Duterte, who faces an impeachment trial in July.

“Things are still happening behind the scenes, including efforts to attract investment and reduce regulatory burdens on businesses — though the results of these efforts have yet to fully emerge,” according to Laura Schwartz, senior Asia analyst at Verisk Maplecroft.

“Sometimes political chaos completely stops policymaking, and sometimes it happens alongside policymaking.”

Chile and Uruguay are also on the regional list, with the latter offering the region’s strongest risk-adjusted operating profile.

“Latin America still trails Southeast Asia as a scaled manufacturing platform, but Western efforts to reduce exposure to China are creating new supply-chain contenders,” according to the report.

The report also points to Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico and Brazil as already benefiting from the reduction in bilateral trade between the US and China. Those four have their advantages as supply hubs, the report said, “but according to our data, risks to multinational supply chains in all of these jurisdictions are increasing.” — Bloomberg

Jollibee is on Time’s 2026 most influential companies

Jollibee lands spot on Time’s 2026 most influential companies list

Richmond Mercurio
Philstar Global
03 May 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Jollibee continues to assert its global dominance, with the homegrown fast-food giant earning a spot on Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2026.

The Time 100 Most Influential Companies list recognizes the world’s most influential businesses of the year.

Companies on the list are those whose impact, innovation, ambition and success are setting new standards for the world.

This year, Time introduced the Time100 Companies: Industry Leaders lists, an expansion of the Time100 Most Influential Companies issue that dives deeper into 20 sectors to highlight organizations shaping their industries.

Jollibee was named among the 10 most influential food and drink companies of 2026.

It is joined by the Ferrero Group, OpenTable, Mixue Group, Farmer’s Fridge, Wonder, Celsius Holdings, Pairwise, Fishwife and David Protein.

Jollibee is the flagship brand of Jollibee Foods Corp., one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies, which manages and operates a portfolio of 19 brands with over 10,000 stores and cafés across 33 countries.

Jollibee was recently ranked by Euromonitor International as the No. 1 Chicken Quick Service Restaurant in Southeast Asia, based on 2025 value sales.

The brand operates 1,658 stores across Southeast Asia as of end-2025, including 317 outside the Philippines, with potential for expansion in priority regional growth markets.

Its growth has been driven by localized product innovation, mainstream customer appeal and a consistently strong guest experience.

Signature products Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti remain among the brand’s top-selling items across markets and continue to drive repeat visits and strong customer affinity.

Jollibee crowned No. 1 chicken QSR in Southeast Asia

Jollibee crowned No. 1 chicken QSR in Southeast Asia

Richmond Mercurio
Philstar.com
01 May 2025

MANILA, Philippines — Jollibee, the flagship brand of Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Foods Corp., has been ranked the No. 1 chicken quick-service restaurant (QSR) in Southeast Asia by Euromonitor International.

The Jollibee Group said the recognition underscores the brand’s sustained growth and strong consumer demand across multiple Southeast Asian markets.

Euromonitor International’s assessment draws on comprehensive research methods, including in-country research, store checks, trade interviews and company analysis to determine market size and competitive positioning across the region.

Jollibee has built broad market appeal across Southeast Asia by balancing menu localization with a consistent core brand experience.

Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group global president and CEO, said the recognition reinforces Jollibee’s role as a key driver of international growth and highlights the group’s capability to scale restaurant brands across diverse markets through strong fundamentals and execution discipline.

“This milestone underscores the strength of Jollibee as our flagship brand and our ability to build brands that connect across markets. It reflects years of disciplined execution — deep consumer understanding, strong operating systems and a growth strategy that balances relevance with consistency,” he said.

Tanmantiong said Jollibee is well-positioned to scale significantly over time, supported by disciplined expansion and strong market fundamentals.

He added that the group would focus on scalable brands that stay meaningful to customers as it expands across Southeast Asia and other regions.

“With 317 stores across Southeast Asia outside the Philippines, we have a solid platform for continued expansion in this high-growth region,” Tanmantiong said.

Jollibee was recently ranked No. 1 QSR in Vietnam by Euromonitor International, despite not having the largest store network.

In Singapore, Jollibee was previously recognized by The Straits Times as the No. 1 fast-food brand in customer service, based on a nationwide consumer survey.

Jollibee also stands as the No. 1 QSR by store network in Brunei.

“There’s a common perception that Jollibee primarily serves Filipino customers outside the Philippines, but what we’re seeing on the ground is very different,” Dennis Flores, president of Jollibee Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia, said.

“In markets like Vietnam and Brunei, nearly all our customers are locals, and in Singapore and Malaysia, locals make up most of our customer base. This tells us that great taste and a strong brand experience resonate beyond borders — it’s something consumers choose, regardless of culture,” he said.

Two Philippine schools have placed for the first time in the global top 100 of QS' world university rankings by subject

PH breaks into QS global top 100 by subject, but still far behind SEA neighbors

Cristina Chi
Philstar Global
08 April 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Two Philippine schools have placed for the first time in the global top 100 of QS' world university rankings by subject, according to its latest edition, but the country still trails its Southeast Asian neighbors with higher-ranked academic programs.

Ateneo de Manila University entered the 51–100 band in Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies, climbing from 101–150 last year. The University of the Philippines debuted in the same band for Library & Information Management, a subject in which it had not previously been ranked. Neither university had placed in the top 100 in any discipline before.

The Commission on Higher Education called the two schools' placements a "historic breakthrough for the country."

Hospitality & Leisure Management also emerged as the Philippines' strongest subject, based on QS' rankings, with three schools — Adamson University, Lyceum of the Philippines University and UP — all placing in the global top 200.

The rankings, released late March by London-based higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), evaluate how specific academic programs — not universities — stack up globally. Unlike QS' overall university rankings, which rate institutions as a whole, the subject edition zeroes in on specific disciplines, from archaeology to veterinary science, across 55 fields.

Programs are scored on five indicators, weighted differently by discipline: how academics and employers worldwide rate the institution in that field, and how its research performs in terms of citation impact, productivity, and international collaboration. 

Research data is drawn from Elsevier's Scopus database; reputation scores come from global surveys of over 150,000 academics and 100,000 employers.

Rankings like QS have faced growing scrutiny, particularly from academics in developing countries who say the metrics favor well-funded Western institutions. Fidel Nemenzo, former UP Diliman chancellor, wrote in a BusinessWorld piece this month that the system rewards what is easily counted — citations, publication volume — while ignoring teaching quality and public service. 

QS' latest rankings by subject show a considerable gap between the Philippines and its regional peers. Malaysia fielded 356 ranked entries from 28 institutions, with 44 programs in the global top 100, 14 in the top 50, and one in the top 10. 

Indonesia had 189 entries from 26 universities and 15 were in the top 100. Thailand had 170 entries from 16 institutions and 18 top-100 programs. The Philippines had 47 programs from six schools — and two in the top 100.

Of the Philippines' 47 ranked programs, 14 climbed in rank, five dropped, 19 stayed stable and nine were new. Seven entries hit record-high ranks: UP in Library & Information Management, History (201–250), Arts & Humanities (257), and Life Sciences & Medicine (316); Ateneo in Theology; Adamson in Hospitality & Leisure Management (101–150); and De La Salle University in Philosophy (151–200).

Hospitality as the Philippines' best program

The Philippines' highest showing in any single discipline came in Hospitality & Leisure Management, where three schools placed in the global top 200, more than in any other subject.

Adamson University debuted at 101–150, the highest Philippine rank in the field. Lyceum of the Philippines University ranked 151–175, and UP debuted in the same band. Both Adamson and Lyceum were entirely new to the QS subject rankings this year.

No other program offering performed at this level. The next most represented programs — Business & Management Studies, Economics & Econometrics, English Language & Literature, and Politics & International Studies — each had three schools ranked, but none placed higher than the 151–200 band.

The University of the Philippines accounted for 22 of the country's 39 narrow subject entries — more than half — and all four broad faculty area entries. 

Philippine universities held steady positions in the 2026 QS World University Rankings

UP, Ateneo, La Salle hold ground in 2026 QS rankings

SHERYLIN UNTALAN,
GMA Integrated News 
26 March 2026

Philippine universities held steady positions in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, with leading institutions maintaining their global brackets in English and improving placements in broader fields such as Arts and Humanities. 

The latest rankings, released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), assessed more than 21,000 academic programs from around 1,900 institutions across 100 countries, covering 55 disciplines grouped into five major subject areas.

English Language and Literature

In English Language and Literature, three Philippine universities retained their 2025 global brackets:

University of the Philippines (UP) remained in the 151–200 bracket, with an academic reputation score of 63 and a global rank of 153.

Ateneo de Manila University stayed within the 201–250 bracket, posting an academic score of 58.3 and rank 226.

De La Salle University (DLSU) also held its position in the 201–250 bracket, with an academic score of 59 and rank 211.

These results supposedly indicate relative stability among the country’s top universities in humanities-driven disciplines, even as global competition intensifies.

Arts and Humanities

In the broader Arts and Humanities category, Philippine universities showed notable improvements:

UP climbed to rank 257, up from 331 in 2025, with an academic reputation score of 70.2.

Ateneo improved to rank 333, from 345 previously.

DLSU advanced to rank 365, rising from the 401–450 bracket last year.

The upward movement reflects strengthening recognition of Philippine institutions in interdisciplinary humanities research and teaching.

Global trends: Asia-Pacific on the rise

QS noted that the 2026 subject rankings reflect shifting dynamics in global higher education.

Northern America remains the most represented region overall, but Asia-Pacific systems are gaining ground.

Southern Asia (40%) and Southeast Asia (38%) recorded some of the highest proportions of institutions moving up in the rankings.

Emerging fields are also reshaping the landscape. Computer Science and Information Systems and Medicine remain the most widely ranked subjects, while Data Science and Artificial Intelligence saw the highest number of new entries.

Meanwhile, more established regions, including Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia, posted higher shares of institutions moving down the rankings, signaling increased global competition.

Despite limited movement in English studies, the improved standings of Philippine universities in Arts and Humanities highlight gradual progress in global academic reputation.

The 2026 results underscore a broader trend: while traditional education hubs remain dominant, universities in developing regions—including Southeast Asia—are steadily gaining visibility in international rankings.—MCG, GMA Integrated News

Jollibee advanced to the fifth spot in global ranking of the world’s strongest restaurant brands

Jollibee rises as 5th strongest restaurant brand worldwide

Richmond Mercurio
Philstar Global
26 February 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Homegrown fast-food chain Jollibee has emerged as the fifth-strongest restaurant brand worldwide, based on a new report by brand valuation consultancy firm Brand Finance.

Jollibee advanced to the fifth spot in global ranking of the world’s strongest restaurant brands for 2026 from ninth place in 2025, with its brand strength index improving to 87.9/100 from 83.9 the previous year.

Jollibee, which is the flagship brand of Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Foods Corp., remained the Philippines’ sole representative among the world’s 25 most valuable restaurant brands and is the only Philippine and Southeast Asian brand included in the global ranking.

Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group global president and chief executive officer, said the recognition reflects the brand’s rising global competitiveness and equity.

“Being ranked among the world’s strongest restaurant brands by Brand Finance signals that Jollibee is winning in superior taste and strengthening consumer preference across markets. It reflects the trust we have built, the disciplined execution of our teams and the growing power of our brand,” Tanmantiong said.

Brand Finance reported that Jollibee’s brand value rose by 32 percent to $3.3 billion in 2026, placing it 18th among the world’s 25 most valuable restaurant brands.

As the only Philippine and Southeast Asian brand in the global ranking, Brand Finance said Jollibee’s performance underscores the ability of home-grown brands to compete internationally through disciplined execution while sustaining strong brand equity and expectations for future earnings.

Jollibee’s continued expansion across Asia, North America and the Middle East has strengthened long-term growth visibility while preserving brand leadership in its core market.

The Philippines remains in a favorable position to attract investments and deepen regional cooperation

 ‘Philippines in good spot’

Despite rising trade tensions

Story by Keisha Ta-Asan
Philstar Global
25 February 2026

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippines remains in a favorable position amid evolving global trade dynamics and will continue engaging the United States while leveraging its role as ASEAN chair to attract investments and deepen regional cooperation, Finance Secretary Frederick Go said yesterday. Speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN Editors & Economic Opinion Leaders Forum, Go said the government would maintain dialogue with the US through existing trade channels even as uncertainties persist.

“Of course we will continue to engage with the US. The foreign trade desk continues to do that,” he said.

“As I always say, the majority of our semiconductors are exempted and the majority of our key agri exports are exempted. So I’d say we’re in a good spot, but of course we will continue to engage with our counterparts there,” Go added.

The global trade environment has grown more uncertain after US President Donald Trump announced plans to raise global tariffs to 15 percent, following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his earlier sweeping import duties. The move has heightened concerns among trading partners and exporters, including those in Southeast Asia, as governments weigh the impact of potential disruptions to supply chains and market access.

In his keynote speech, Go said the Philippines intends to capitalize on its position as ASEAN chair by aligning economic policies with regional priorities such as stability, connectivity and inclusive growth.

He noted that Southeast Asia remains one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, supported by favorable demographics, expanding trade corridors and deeper economic integration. Within this context, the Philippines is positioning itself as a model for policy execution and investment facilitation.

“Across ASEAN, competition for quality investment has intensified and investors increasingly compare destinations based on execution capacity, not just policy announcements,” he said.

Go said the government’s strategy centers on improving the ease, cost and predictability of doing business, anchored on several major reforms aimed at attracting long-term investments.

According to Go, the Philippines is well positioned within Indo-Pacific trade routes and supply chain realignments, particularly in clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Renewable energy has emerged as a major investment driver, with a large portion of registered investments flowing into solar, wind and hydropower projects.

He also pointed to opportunities in electric vehicle components, semiconductors, smart agriculture and creative industries, noting continued expansion by global electronics firms.

Go said recent trade negotiations underscore the need for the Philippines to diversify export destinations.

“What it made clear to us is that we have to open new markets. We have to create new markets for the Philippines to trade with,” he said, citing ongoing efforts to secure more economic partnership agreements.

Among the priorities is a planned free trade agreement with the European Union, which he described as a key target for this year.

As ASEAN chair, Go said the Philippines aims to strengthen regional economic cooperation and raise investor confidence across member states.

“Our message to investors is framed within ASEAN’s broader growth story. The Philippines is open for business. It is prepared for long-term partnership within a fast-growing regional block,” he said.

He added that the country seeks long-term partnerships anchored on policy reforms, investment facilitation and regional collaboration to translate growth into shared prosperity.

Philippines climbs to 56th in global competitiveness report

Philippines climbs to 56th in global competitiveness report

Louella Desiderio 
Philstar Global 
05 November 2025 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines climbed five places to the 56th spot out of 69 economies in this year’s World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Center (WCC).

The Philippines got a score of 50.87 this year, an improvement from 45.18 last year.

Released annually, the report measures the capacity and readiness of economies to adopt digital technologies for economic transformation in business, government and the wider society.

Economies are ranked using hard data and survey responses from business and government executives.

Through the report, IMD aims to help policymakers and companies understand what drives performance and where they should focus their resources.

IMD looks at digital competitiveness through the following factors: knowledge, technology and future readiness.

In the knowledge factor, the Philippines’ ranking slid to 65th from last year’s 64th.

The report cited female researchers as the country’s strength, while artificial intelligence articles were tagged as a weak point.

Meanwhile, the Philippines moved up to 54th place from the previous year’s 56th in terms of technology.

IMD said investments in telecommunications and high-tech exports are strong areas for the Philippines in technology, but starting a business, enforcing contracts and communications technology need improvement.

When it comes to future readiness, the Philippines went up to 52nd place from the previous year’s 58th spot.

While the Philippines is strong in flexibility and adaptability and public-private partnerships, the report showed that the country needs to work on the government’s cybersecurity capacity.

Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines lagged behind its neighbors Singapore (third), Malaysia (34th), Thailand (38th) and Indonesia (51st).

Overall, Switzerland topped the list, followed by the United States and Singapore.

Amid global trade fragmentation, the report said economies need to find new strategic advantages in the digital sphere.

IMD WCC director Arturo Bris said that trade fragmentation is affecting digital competitiveness in three main ways.

In particular, it is creating winners and losers in digital infrastructure, based on investments made in building a better framework for telecommunications and use of technologies.

While talent remains mobile, Bris also said that people are not entering certain countries in the same numbers due to geopolitical instability.

“This affects digital competitiveness when domestic policies and regional instability combust into a situation where more talent is leaving the country than entering it,” he said.

Bris also cited regulatory advantages as key determinants of digital competitiveness.

“Regulatory clarification and safety enable companies and governments to incorporate the technology available as efficiently and effectively as possible,” he said noting that the European Union, US and Southeast Asia are recognizing this through certain regulatory improvements.

Philippines among top drivers of SE Asia’s RE growth

Philippines among top drivers of SE Asia’s RE growth

Story by Brix Lelis
Philstar Global
14 October 2025

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has emerged as a leading catalyst in Southeast Asia’s renewable energy (RE) transition through 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.

The latest IEA report showed that the Philippines, alongside Vietnam and Indonesia, would boost the region’s RE surge, with major capacity gains expected between 2025 and 2030.

In particular, the Philippines is poised to add around 15 gigawatts (GW) of new RE capacity, with solar and onshore wind making up 90 percent of the expansion.

“This represents a five-GW (around 50 percent) increase over the previous forecast, owing to completed and ongoing competitive auctions,” the IEA said.

Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) attracted over 9,400 megawatts (MW) of capacity during the fourth green energy auction (GEA-4) round, with delivery dates between 2026 and 2029.

GEA-4 covers ground-mounted solar, roof-mounted solar, floating solar, onshore wind and integrated solar with energy storage systems.

This followed the successful bidding of over 6,000 MW of impounding hydro, pumped storage hydro and geothermal contracts under GEA-3.

“If challenges such as grid connection delays, high financing costs, land access restrictions and permitting bottlenecks are addressed, growth could be 90 percent higher, putting the country on track to exceed its targeted 35 percent renewable electricity share by 2030,” the IEA said.

Currently, renewables account for only 22 percent of the Philippines’ power mix, with coal remaining dominant at about 63 percent.

To ensure the timely delivery of new RE projects, the DOE is looking to allow power producers to build associated transmission facilities.

The move is designed to support effective grid integration of new projects and address constraints in the transmission network.

Across the region, ASEAN countries are on track to add over 95 GW of new RE capacity over the next five years, the IEA said.

Notably, more than half of these additions are likely to come from solar photovoltaic projects.

According to the IEA, Vietnam leads ASEAN’s RE growth and accounts for over 40 percent of total capacity additions, followed by Indonesia at 20 percent.

Both countries are expected to accelerate their expansion efforts through 2030.

Moody's: Philippines among Southeast Asia’s rising semiconductor hubs

‘Philippines among Southeast Asia’s rising semiconductor hubs’

Keisha Ta-Asan
Philstar Global
03 September 2025

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s growing hubs for semiconductor assembly and testing, with the industry now accounting for about 32 percent of the country’s total goods exports in 2024, according to Moody’s Ratings.

In its latest sector review, Moody’s said the Philippines, alongside Malaysia and Vietnam, is playing a bigger role in the global chip supply chain as multinational firms diversify operations amid United States-China trade tensions and calls to strengthen supply chain resilience.

While Southeast Asia is gaining ground in back-end processing – particularly assembly, testing and packaging – Moody’s cautioned that economies like the Philippines face hurdles in moving up the value chain.

“Technical gaps constrain their ability to capture greater economic value,” the report said, pointing to weaknesses in research and development, talent and infrastructure.

According to Moody’s, Asia continues to dominate global semiconductor manufacturing, commanding more than 75 percent of overall chipmaking capacity, spanning advanced wafer fabrication, materials and assembly.

Despite US-led efforts to reshore production and the intensifying push for self-sufficiency in China, large-scale relocations of chipmaking out of Asia remain “commercially challenging” due to cost advantages and established ecosystems.

In the Philippines, semiconductors remain the backbone of electronics exports, supplying components used in consumer devices, automotive and industrial applications.

However, Moody’s warned that chronic issues such as power supply reliability, logistics bottleneck and limited investment could weigh on the country’s ability to attract higher-value operations in fabrication and design.

Still, the credit watcher said the region is on track to capture around 24 percent of global semiconductor back-end capacity by 2032, up from current levels. Malaysia leads the pack, but the Philippines and Vietnam are expected to expand their roles as cost-competitive alternatives for multinational players.

“Securing a competitive edge will hinge on workforce development, innovation and stronger public-private partnerships,” Moody’s said, adding that without such reforms, Southeast Asian economies risk remaining concentrated in low-margin, labor-intensive segments of the semiconductor chain.

Philippines pitched to be Southeast Asia's pharma manufacturing hub

Philippines tipped to be a regional pharma manufacturing hub

Story by Ronnel W. Domingo 
inquirer.net
23 August 2025

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is tipped to become a regional pharmaceutical hub as strategic investments related to this industry pour into the country’s economic zones.

BMI Country Risk & Industry Research, in a commentary, cited recent moves by AstraZeneca, Merck Business Solutions and Royale Life Pharma.

The Department of Trade and Industry earlier this week announced that AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines Inc. would invest more than P7 billion over the next few years in the country’s first pharmaceutical innovation hub.

The hub will function as a regional center for digital health technology, R&D collaboration and patient-centered health-care solutions.

Its initial project will be an Oncology Innovation Center, modeled after AstraZeneca’s pharmaceutical hub in the United Kingdom.

“The government is also actively enhancing the pharmaceutical sector through strategic regulatory improvements designed to attract foreign investment, while Peza (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) is promoting pharmaceutical parks to reduce medicine costs through local production,” BMI said.

Specialized facilities

“These specialized pharmaceutical parks offer drugmakers significant advantages including reduced corporate tax rate of 20 percent, thereby providing substantial incentives to localize operations in the Philippines,” the research unit of Fitch Solutions added.

BMI also expects the Philippines to remain “the largest pharmaceutical market in Southeast Asia.”

Still, BMI said that while the domestic pharmaceutical market will grow in the Philippines, it continues to face several constraints.

One is that the Philippines faces significant systemic challenges in attracting and sustaining pharmaceutical research and development.

Another barrier is in the regulatory space.

BMI said that while the Food and Drug Authority officially targets a 254-day timeline for drug approvals and Certificate of Product Registration issuance, the actual process frequently extends to two to four years. This creates substantial market entry delays for new medications.

Mindoro as biodiversity hotspot

Scientists discover more of Mindoro’s ancient technology, biodiversity

Raymond Gregory Tribdino
Manila Times
17 July 2025

Scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), collaborating with international experts and institutions, have uncovered compelling evidence of Mindoro’s significant role in ancient maritime activities in Southeast Asia. At almost the same time, biologists from the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) revealed a new species of mice endemic to the biodiverse island.

A map of Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) and the Sunda region as it appeared roughly 25,000 years ago at the height of the last Ice Age, with locations of archaeological sites surveyed by the Mindoro Archaeology Project. (Base Map: www.gebco.net, 2014)

The ADMU findings detail effective human migration, advanced technological innovation, and long-distance intercultural relations dating back more than 35,000 years. The compilation of a 15-year study detailed in the Ateneo researchers' latest publication from the Mindoro Archaeology Project offers some of the oldest evidence of Homo sapiens (anatomically modern humans) in the country. These discoveries were made in Ilin Island, San Jose, and Sta. Teresa, Magsaysay all in Occidental Mindoro.

Mindoro, unlike most other main Philippine islands except Palawan, was never connected to mainland Southeast Asia by land bridges or ice sheets. Sea crossings were always necessary to reach it, which likely spurred the development of sophisticated technologies for traversing and surviving this environment.

Mindoro’s unique geological history and isolation are also reflected in its extraordinary biodiversity. The island is home to a bounty of endemic mammalian wildlife found nowhere else on Earth, including the famous tamaraw, the Mindoro warty pig and the humble Mindoro shrew.

Recently, three more species were added to this list with the discovery of Philippine forest mice, all belonging to the Apomys genus. From 2013 to 2017, teams of field biologists led by Filipino scientist Dr. Danilo Balete surveyed relatively understudied forests of Mindoro. During their expeditions, they noticed three distinctive forest mice that appeared noticeably different from the island's known endemic species, Apomys gracilirostris.

Evidence of Sophisticated Ancient Technology

The ADMU study called Chronology and Ecology of Early Islanders in the Philippines: The Mindoro Archaeology Project, published on June 1 this year, outlined a variety of finds—including human remains, animal bones, shells, and tools made from stone, bone, and shell — show that Mindoro's early inhabitants had successfully harnessed land and marine resources.

Over 30,000 years ago, the island’s inhabitants already possessed seafaring capabilities and specific fishing skills, enabling them to catch predatory open-sea fish species like bonito and shark, and establish connections with distant islands and populations in the vast maritime region of Wallacea.

“Particularly noteworthy is the innovative use of shells as raw material for tools, culminating in the manufacture of adzes from giant clam shells (Tridacna species) 7,000 to 9,000 years ago. These tools bear a striking similarity to shell adzes found across Island Southeast Asia, as far as Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, more than 3,000 kilometers away,” the ADMU study indicated.

The researchers also found a human grave on Ilin Island dating to about 5,000 years ago. The body was laid to rest in a fetal position, bedded and covered with limestone slabs. The burial method was similar to other flexed burials found across Southeast Asia, suggesting shared ideological and social influences and emerging social complexity across a vast area from the mainland to distant islands.

These archaeological sites have yielded evidence of culturally sophisticated inhabitants who were behaviorally and technologically adapted to coastal and marine environments. Collectively, these discoveries suggest Mindoro and nearby Philippine islands were part of an extensive maritime network that existed during the Stone Age, facilitating cultural and technological exchange between early human populations across Island Southeast Asia for millennia.

The latest publication from the Mindoro Archeology Project was authored by Dr. Alfred F. Pawlik, Dr. Riczar B. Fuentes and Dr. Tanya Uldin of the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Sociology and Anthropology; Dr. Marie Grace Pamela G. Faylona of the University of the Philippines-Diliman Department of Anthropology, De La Salle University Department of Sociology and Behavioral Sciences and Philippine Normal University College of Advanced Studies; and Trishia Gayle R. Palconit, a PhD student at the University of Ferrara, Italy.

Mindoro's Unique Endemic Wildlife

Mindoro's unique geological history and isolation are also reflected in its extraordinary biodiversity. The island is home to a bounty of endemic mammalian wildlife found nowhere else on Earth, including the famous tamaraw, the Mindoro warty pig and the humble Mindoro shrew.

Recently, three more species were added to this list with the discovery of Philippine forest mice, all belonging to the Apomys genus.

Between 2013 and 2017, field biologists, led by renowned Filipino scientist Dr. Danilo Balete, surveyed Mindoro's relatively understudied forests. During their expeditions, they observed three distinctive forest mice that appeared noticeably different from the island's known endemic species, Apomys gracilirostris.

Dr. Balete collaborated with Dr. Mariano Roy Duya and Melizar Duya of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science, Institute of Biology (UPD-CSIB), along with U.S. biologists. They analyzed the genes, fur, and skull structures of the forest mice, confirming after nearly a decade of laboratory work that the three are indeed new species: the tiny Apomys minor, the hairy-eared A. crinitus and A. veluzi. The latter was named in honor of the late Maria Josefa "Sweepea" Veluz, a distinguished mammalogist of the National Museum of Natural History of the Philippines.

There are now 12 endemic mammals unique to the island of Mindoro from the previous count of nine. It also solidifies the island's status as a unique evolutionary hotspot, now recognized as the smallest known island globally where mammal speciation has occurred.

The study, titled "Three new species of Philippine forest mice (Apomys, Muridae, Mammalia), members of a clade endemic to Mindoro Island," is published in the journal Zootaxa.