SM MALL of Asia’s (MOA) cinemas have been relaunched after months of renovations, increasing screens but keeping the same number of seats in a preview of what cinemas under the SM chain would turn into.

PROPERTYACCESS Philippines recently launched its own online platform that aims to make buying, selling, and leasing real estate properties easier for Filipinos.

THE GOVERNMENT fully awarded the Treasury bills (T-bills) it offered on Monday as rates declined across-the-board amid strong demand.

UNIONBANK OF THE Philippines, Inc. saw its net earnings nearly double in 2019 on the back of a higher loan portfolio, margin recovery and strong gains from trading activities.

LONDON — New York remains the world’s top financial center, pushing London further into second place as Brexit uncertainty undermines the UK capital and Asian centers catch up, a survey from consultants Duff & Phelps said on Monday.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the construction start date for the Quezon-Bicol Expressway (QBEx) will fall sometime this year.

THE Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food on Monday approved in principle a measure that will promote integrated urban agriculture and vertical farming in metropolitan areas.

TRADE OFFICIALS urged industries at risk from Taal Volcano to firm up their contingency planning, with provisions for relocating operations and evacuating staff if necessary.

THE GOLDEN AGE of the spy thriller ended with the Cold War. But of late, news reports have provided enough material for a silver age to start -- if authors take heed.

The first month of 2020 has given us much to consider. The current climate of unrest in the Middle East, the sudden eruption of Taal Volcano, and the emergence of the coronavirus strain from Wuhan, China has no doubt given us more than a little cause for pause. It has also brought to the fore the different roles that the Philippine State plays in responding to the needs of Filipinos in times of crisis, whether natural or manmade.

The good news about the Philippines’ GDP growth of 5.9% in 2019 is that it is high by global and regional trends. The bad news is that growth is decelerating since 2016 and our GDP size remains small. With a low economic base, if we keep growing by just 5-6% yearly, it will take us many decades to be at par with the per capita incomes of our neighbors Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand even if they grow only 2-3% yearly. (See Table 1).

THE MAIN INDEX ended lower on Monday due to sustained investor worries over the novel coronavirus from China.