Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Manila Water closed 2025 with non-revenue water (NRW) at 13.55 percent. This level remains among the lowest in Asia and reflects the company’s continued commitment to efficient water system management.
Maintaining NRW at this level demonstrates disciplined efforts to reduce losses arising from leaks, pilferage, and metering inaccuracies. For the full year 2025, Manila Water posted an average NRW of 14.27 percent, showing sustained operational efficiency across the network.
Lowering NRW directly benefits customers because every percentage point reduced translates to more water that can be delivered to households. Manila Water estimates that a one-percent reduction in NRW can make available up to 15 million liters of water per day that would otherwise be lost. This additional volume supports growing communities and contributes to more stable and reliable service across the East Zone.
“Keeping NRW low allows more of the water we produce to reach our customers. Every liter we save strengthens the system and helps ensure that households continue to enjoy reliable, 24/7 water service,” said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water’s Communication Affairs Group Director.
Manila Water continues to prioritize system efficiency as part of its long-term service improvement strategy. Current initiatives include targeted pipe and meter replacements, pressure optimization, active district metered area monitoring, and enhanced digital tools that improve response time to leaks. These efforts ensure that more of the water produced is ultimately delivered to customers who need it most.
MANILA, Philippines – In the midst of unsavory news about local and global affairs, McDonald’s Philippines is delivering much needed good news as it brings back the much-beloved Twister Fries for a limited time.
Starting May 1, Twister Fries is back for fans and customers to enjoy.
“There is always clamor for McDonald’s Philippines to bring back the Twister Fries to its menu. This year, Twister Fries returns not just to delight fans, but also to bring everyday feel-good moments to our customers during this time when we all need something to brighten our days,” says Celina Lagandaon, McDonald’s Philippines Marketing Director.
Lagandaon invites everyone to enjoy Twister Fries as soon as possible because of its limited availability, saying, “35 days can go by just very fast and some regrettably missed the Twister Fries last year. This year, our customers should look forward to daily plot twists that will help them appreciate good in the world while enjoying their beloved golden Twister fries.”
Alongside the exciting return of the Twister Fries is “Your Daily Plot Twist,” digital campaign of special daily surprises during Twister Fries’ availability. Fans and customers should look forward to these daily “plot twists,” which will deliver the signature McDonald’s feel-good moments to everyone.
The McDonald’s Twister Fries can be ordered solo or sharing sizes starting at P89. It can be ordered as an add-on or fries upgrade option for all McDonald’s meals with fries.
With Twister Fries available only in just a little over a month, fans and customers should not miss this opportunity to find their own Daily Plot Twists as they enjoy golden, curly-shaped delight. It is available while it lasts via dine-in, takeout, McDelivery, Grab Food, Food Panda, and drive-thru.
For more information, visit McDonalds.com.ph, or follow @McDo.ph on Facebook, and @McDo_ph on Instagram.
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Saturday, May 23, 2026
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The water company’s NRW was recorded at 13.55 percent in December, bringing the full-year average to 14.27 percent. This performance reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce both commercial and physical losses in the distribution network.
A major contributor to this performance is the large-scale implementation of the company’s meter replacement program in 2025. By end-December, Manila Water had replaced 168,806 water meters.
The meter replacement initiative strengthens the company's efficiency measures by improving consumption accuracy and reduce water losses. These upgrades help ensure accurate billing for customers and reinforce the company’s initiatives to sustainably lower NRW.
The company’s quick leak response likewise plays a significant role in managing physical water losses. In December 2025 alone, Manila Water repaired all 26 reported pipe bursts within 24 hours, maintaining a perfect compliance rate for the month. For the full year, teams completed repairs on all 613 mainline bursts within 24 hours, preventing prolonged losses and service disruptions across the network.
“Rapid field response, active leak detection, and replacing meters remain essential to keeping water losses low and ensuring service reliability across the East Zone. These operational measures directly support the company’s commitment to maintaining efficiency and sustaining improvements in NRW performance,” said Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water’s Corporate Communication Affairs Group Director.
Manila Water will continue scaling up its NRW reduction initiatives in 2026 through district metering improvements, network pressure management, continued meter replacement, and expansion of leak detection activities. These efforts are part of the company’s broader program to secure water availability, improve service continuity and enhance the resilience of the East Zone water supply network.
Makati City, Philippines, 24 April 2026 – With obesity rising as a major driver of chronic disease and healthcare burden in the Philippines, Novo Nordisk today launched the Live Lighter movement, a multi-sector initiative aimed at transforming both public understanding and access to care.
Unveiled at a media launch in Makati City, the initiative calls for a shift in perspective: from viewing obesity as a matter of personal responsibility to recognizing it as a chronic, complex disease influenced by biology, environment, and other underlying factors.
“For almost 30 years, we have studied obesity not as a lifestyle issue, but as a chronic disease. Today is not just about introducing a new treatment option. It is about changing how a country understands obesity,” said Wei Sun, General Manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines. “Through Live Lighter, we aim to help Filipinos treat obesity right—with science, compassion, and with the support they deserve.”
Expanding access to science-based treatment
More than a platform for awareness, the Live Lighter movement also signals a step forward in how obesity is treated in the Philippines by introducing innovative, science-based treatment option that goes beyond traditional approaches.
The launch coincides with the introduction of a new prescription therapy based on semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that works with the body’s biology to help regulate appetite, energy intake, and metabolic processes. By targeting the underlying mechanisms of obesity, this class of treatment represents a shift toward more holistic and medically guided care.
Dr. Christiana Vida Montefalcon, head of Clinical, Medical, Regulatory & Pharmacovigilance of Novo Nordisk Philippines, underscored that for many patients, obesity is not simply a matter of diet and exercise, but a chronic disease that could require long-term health management and medical treatment. As such, newer therapies can play a critical role particularly for individuals who have struggled to achieve or sustain weight loss through conventional methods alone.
“Advancements like these are changing the way we approach obesity care,” Dr. Montefalcon shared. “They allow us to address the biological drivers of the disease, giving patients a more realistic and sustainable path toward better health.”
“This is not just about weight loss,” she noted. “It is about the over-all health and condition of people living with obesity.”
Reinforcing this, Wei Sun added, “Live Lighter is more than a campaign. It is a commitment to change the way obesity is understood and managed in the Philippines. By bringing science based care, including innovative treatments, closer to patients, we hope to empower more Filipinos to take control of their health in a sustainable and medically guided way.”
From stigma to science
Despite its growing prevalence, obesity continues to be framed largely around willpower and lifestyle choices, often delaying diagnosis and limiting access to appropriate care. Health experts at the launch emphasized that this outdated narrative can prevent people from seeking help and restrict the adoption of effective, evidence-based interventions.
“Treating obesity as a disease changes everything, from how patients are supported to how healthcare systems respond,” said Dr. Montefalcon. “It allows for earlier intervention, more comprehensive care, and better long-term outcomes.”
The Live Lighter movement brings together media, healthcare professionals, industry partners, and patient advocates to promote a more informed and compassionate approach; one that centers on patient realities and health outcomes, not just weight.
A growing public health priority
The initiative comes at a time when obesity is increasingly recognized as a major contributor to non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers—placing a growing burden on individuals, families, and the healthcare system.
Recent findings from the Epidemiological Burden and Cost of Obesity in the Philippines (EpiCOb-PH) study highlight the scale of the challenge, estimating that obesity cost the Philippine economy approximately Php 1.9 trillion in 2025—equivalent to 7.3% of GDP—and could reach up to Php 2.7 trillion when overweight-related conditions are included.
As awareness grows, so does the urgency to address obesity through a more structured, science-based approach that integrates prevention, early intervention, and long-term care.
Collective action
Beyond treatment, the movement underscores the need for collective action across sectors to address obesity more effectively—from improving public understanding and reducing stigma to strengthening healthcare systems and expanding access to care.
“Addressing obesity requires more than awareness. It requires a shift in mindset across healthcare, policy, and society,” said Anand Shetty, vice president for Novo Nordisk Business Area Southeast Asia. “With Live Lighter, we are working to move from stigma to science, and from fragmented efforts to a more coordinated, patient-centered approach to care.”
The launch also highlighted the role of global partnerships in advancing local health priorities, reinforcing how shared expertise and innovation can help bring evidence-based care closer to patients.
As the Live Lighter movement gains momentum, Novo Nordisk aims to spark a broader national conversation—one that recognizes obesity not as a personal failure, but as a serious, treatable disease.
“Because when we treat obesity right, we change lives, not just for individuals, but for families and communities,” Wei Sun continued. “That is the impact we hope to achieve through Live Lighter movement.”
Friday, May 22, 2026
Samsung’s latest display and audio innovations help Filipinos dive into their passions at home
MANILA, Philippines (May 21, 2026) – Global No. 1 TV and soundbar brand Samsung continues to make home entertainment better in every way as it introduces its newest lineup of Vision AI TVs and sound devices. Among the lineup are the Micro RGB and Mini LED TVs, built to help more Filipinos experience their passions more fully right in the comfort of their home.
Starting May 25, you can save up to PHP 86,999 and avail exclusive offers on the new Samsung Vision AI TVs. Get a free monitor worth PHP 32,999 and a free soundbar worth PHP 86,999 with every Micro RGB, Neo QLED, and Samsung OLED Vision AI TV. Plus, enjoy a free Installation and VIP Product Assistance service worth up to PHP 10,000.
Grow Your Passions with Vision AI Companion
Vision AI Companion sets the new Samsung TVs apart. With advanced natural language understanding, it allows you to interact with your TV more conversationally. You can ask for real-time recommendations or pull up cast information while watching a TV series or a movie, or ask for the current stats of your favorite player in the middle of a live broadcast.
AI Football Mode makes football viewing even better by applying picture and sound settings, designed to make you feel like you’re in the pitch. This AI-driven optimization delivers richer colors, dynamic contrast, with crystal-clear audio — allowing you to track rapid passes and feel the roar of the stadium crowd right in your living room.
The Micro RGB Vision AI TV Brings a New Dimension of Detail
Samsung’s newest Vision AI TVs are pushing display innovation further, proving that bigger moments start with something small. Leading the lineup is the industry’s first Micro RGB Vision AI TV, which introduces a breathtaking new world of ultra-wide colors. It uses microscopic backlights working together to produce a wider color range, brighter images and more accurate hues across the screen without color bleeding. This renders sweeping landscapes and moody cinematography with lifelike accuracy.
The Micro RGB Vision AI TV runs on Samsung’s most powerful processor, the Micro RGB AI Engine Pro. This enables 4K upscaling, color enhancement, and sound optimization all at once — pulling you deeper into every scene or every intense moment of a live match. To complement this, the Micro RGB Precision Color 100 refines every shade on screen, making colors appear more vivid and true-to-life. Glare from the sun or a lighting fixture has a way of breaking the spell when you’re watching, but with the TV’s Glare Free Display, distracting reflections are no longer a concern. This lets you get lost in your entertainment, day or night.
That same visual precision carries over into the gaming experience. The Micro RGB Vision AI TV becomes a premium battle station with smoother, blazing-fast gameplay even for VRR games up to 165Hz through the Motion Xcelerator technology. This ensures that high-speed esports tournaments and graphically demanding action games run with zero motion blur. Finding your next game is just as seamless with the Gaming Hub. It streamlines gameplay, bringing together your favorite titles from consoles, cloud services, and apps in one place, complete with tailored recommendations that suit your taste.
Great picture is only half the experience as the Micro RGB Vision AI TV also delivers a remarkable sound performance. The AI Sound Controller Pro allows viewers to take charge of their acoustic environment while watching, allowing them to adjust the volume of voices, background music, and sound effects to isolate even the subtlest audio.
Samsung OLED Vision AI TV Delivers Cinema-Grade Brilliance That Pulls You
The latest Samsung OLED Vision AI TV is designed to make entertainment feel more cinematic, immersive, and engaging from the comfort of your home. Built with self-illuminating pixel technology, the Samsung OLED display achieves perfect, infinite blacks and brilliant, pure whites. This results in a picture that feels less like a screen and more like a window right into the content you’re viewing. The TV holds VDE certification for Real Black Performance, Pantone validation for accuracy across over 2.100 colors and 110 skin tone shades.
This impressive picture quality is driven by the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, which uses 128 AI neural networks that work in real time to sharpen, upscale, and optimize every frame. Samsung OLED HDR+ further elevates the experience, analyzing each scene individually and boosting brightness precisely where it matters.
The TV’s brilliance extends to the gaming experience. The Motion Xcelerator 165Hz supports VRR gameplay at up to 4K 165Hz. It comes with a Gaming Pack, which eliminates lag, tearing, and stutter, to make every playthrough smooth and distraction-free.
Picture-Perfect Masterpiece with the Neo QLED Vision AI TV
The Samsung Neo QLED Vision AI TV is built on the idea that no matter what you’re watching, it should always look exceptional. To deliver on that, Samsung engineered the Neo QLED Vision AI TV with the Quantum Mini LED backlighting at its foundation. This utilizes thousands of microscopic LEDs organized into precise zones controlled with greater accuracy than standard LED panels. The outcome is a picture with stronger contrast, cleaner highlights, and shadow detail that holds up even in the darkest scenes. Whether you’re viewing a nature documentary, watching a film late at night, or catching up on live sports, the Neo QLED Vision AI TV renders it all with perfect clarity.
The Neo QLED Vision AI TV’s brilliance extends beyond picture quality. Its SmartThings connectivity delivers remarkable convenience, helping you control your smart home devices directly from the screen. Whether it’s monitoring or controlling your smart appliances, staying connected to your pets while you’re away, or managing your energy consumption with AI Energy Mode, this intelligent integration simplifies day-to-day life and keeps you entirely immersed in doing what you love.
The TV can also serve as an art piece for your living room. The built-in Art Store offers access to over 5,000 curated works from famous museums across the globe. When you switch off your TV, you can turn it into a rotating gallery of masterpieces to add elegance to your space. Meanwhile, Samsung Knox Security runs in the background to safeguard your connected devices. It protects your personal data, blocks suspicious apps, and keeps the TV’s software secure through continuous updates — giving you peace of mind, so you can focus solely on what you love.
Breathtaking Depth and Dynamics from the Mini LED Vision AI TV
Samsung’s new Mini LED TVs elevate the way you experience your passions at home through smarter processing and enhanced realism. Its NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor uses 20 AI neural networks to optimize picture and sound based on what you’re watching or playing.
Mini LED technology utilizes smaller backlights than regular LEDs, allowing for more precise control of light and shadow. It displays deeper contrast, finer details in dark scenes, and a clearer, more immersive picture overall. Pure Spectrum Color adds pixel-level color precision across an expanded hamit, keeping every hue balanced and natural. Mini LED HDR further enhances contrast, pulling out deeper blacks, brighter highlights, and sharper detail in action-packed shows or championship matches.
Gaming is taken to the next level through the TV’s Motion Xcelerator 144Hz feature, which delivers seamless visuals at incredibly fast speeds. This dynamic refresh technology provides ultra-smooth motion performance for VRR games up to 4K 144Hz, making fast-action on the pitch or in-game looks smooth and clear from every angle. The AI Gaming Optimizer keeps you focused on achieving victory without having to fumble through your display settings. Through real-time screen analysis, it instantly recognizes the specific genre of your game and automatically applies the optimal visual and performance settings.
The Odyssey OLED Gaming Monitor Unleashes Your Competitive Edge
Samsung has held the title of global No. 1 gaming monitor brand for seven consecutive years, a position built by consistently delivering a gaming experience at the highest level. The Samsung Odyssey OLED takes a leap for gaming monitors, pushing your competitive edge beyond limits. Built for gamers who refuse to compromise, this monitor is equipped with self-illuminating pixels that produce near-infinite contrast, rendering deep blacks and vivid colors. This allows you to fully immerse in dark gaming environments, revealing detail that would otherwise be lost on typical LED panels. At the same time, bright scenes remain saturated and controlled rather than washed out.
The Odyssey OLED G7 brings dual mode which delivers 330Hz at FHD and 160Hz at 4K resolution, with a response time as quick as 0.03ms to ensure a smooth, seamless display performance. It has a an ergonomic stand to help you achieve winning heights. You may choose to play in landscape or stream in portrait mode.
Display Performance Built for More
Samsung’s new TVs are designed for long-term use. Running on One UI Tizen, the TVs feature a seamless, intuitive interface that won’t get left behind with up to 7 years of OS upgrades. This ensures your TV continues to grow alongside your interests, adapting to new technologies and features as they emerge.
Samsung TV Plus helps you broaden your horizons. You can deepen your passions further with unlimited access to over 750 channels and thousands of on-demand content — from sports and news, to blockbusters and the hottest TV shows —- entirely for free.
Samsung’s latest range of Vision AI TVs and sound devices create moments that feel more immersive, connected, and meaningful. Pursue your passions more fully with the new Samsung Micro RGB and Micro LED TVs, coming this June. Go to samsung.com.ph to see what’s possible.
To know more about Samsung’s latest Vision AI TVs, visit https://news.samsung.com/ph/.
DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-251774 Series of 2026
Women from Barangay 176F attend BPI’s “Basta Babae, Wais!” financial literacy program in Caloocan City.
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) reinforced its commitment to financial inclusion and community empowerment through “Basta Babae, Wais!,” a one-day financial literacy program for women residents of Barangay 176F, Caloocan City. The initiative highlights the importance of empowering women with financial knowledge and access to resources, enabling them to build more secure futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.
The program last March 25 gathered over 300 participants for a full day of learning sessions, community engagement, and access to financial solutions designed to support women in managing and growing their finances.
“At BPI, we believe that empowering women with financial knowledge creates a ripple effect that strengthens families and entire communities. ‘Basta Babae, Wais!’ is about meeting women where they are, equipping them with practical tools, and supporting them as they take control of their financial journey. Through initiatives like this, we become the trusted partner in their everyday progress,” said Ginbee Go, Head of Consumer Banking at BPI.
The program featured practical discussions on budgeting, saving, credit awareness, and fraud prevention. It also highlighted inspiring stories from local women entrepreneurs, including a school supplies store owner, a carinderia owner, a livestock dealer, and a street food stall owner, who shared how they started and grew their businesses.
One of the speakers, Karen Marie Castillo, a carinderia owner, shared practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the community. When asked what guidance she could give to women who want to start a business, she said, “Target location and kailangan afford ng ating community ’yung itinitinda natin.”
Participants also explored various financial products and services from BPI and its partners, helping them take concrete steps toward financial security.
The program also encouraged participants to take their first steps toward formal financial services, with attendees opening accounts, signing up for digital banking platforms such as VYBE by BPI, and exploring loan solutions from BanKo and protection offerings from BPI AIA and BPI MS that can support their personal and business needs.
Participants explore BPI services and sign up for VYBE during the “Basta Babae, Wais!” event in Caloocan City.
“Basta Babae, Wais!” reflects BPI’s continued efforts to bring financial education closer to communities, especially to women who play a vital role in managing household finances and driving grassroots economic activity.
BPI remains committed to making financial services more inclusive, accessible, and relevant, helping more Filipinos build a better and more secure future.
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Manila Water Philippine Ventures (MWPV), the Non-East Zone subsidiary of Manila Water Company, celebrates its 11th anniversary, celebrating more than a decade of expanding access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water and wastewater services across the Philippines.
As Manila Water’s domestic investment arm outside Metro Manila, MWPV continues to support national development through strategic partnerships, infrastructure investment, and operational excellence. Over the past 11 years, the Company has expanded its footprint in key urban and growth areas nationwide, delivering essential services that support communities, industries, and local governments in over 50 cities and municipalities across the Philippines, covering a population of close to 2 million people.
Last year, MWPV sustained strong performance across its portfolio of business units, reinforcing its role as a key driver of Manila Water’s domestic growth. In Metro Ilagan, operations were fully supported by an alternative water system delivering 8 million liters per day, providing critical water supply support to Ilagan City. In Pangasinan, business units posted a 12 percent increase in service connections, extending water services to an estimated 4,500 additional individuals year-on-year in the municipalities of Calasiao, Malasiqui and Sta. Barbara. Laguna Water further strengthened its position as the Group’s largest business unit, surpassing 130,000 service connections, supported by resilient operations.
Operational efficiencies were also achieved across several service areas. Laguna Aquatech (LARC) reduced non-revenue water to 26.67 percent year-to-date 2026 from 33 percent during the time of takeover in 2024. In South Luzon, MWPV sustained network expansion and recorded over 8 percent growth in water service connections, reflecting continued demand and reliable service delivery. Through sustained operational improvements, MWPV lowered its collective non-revenue water (NRW) level from 25 percent in 2023 to 18 percent in 2025, marking a significant gain in system efficiency across the portfolio.
MWPV’s operating companies earned international and regional recognition for sustainability, operational excellence, and energy management. Laguna Water and Clark Water were recognized by the International Water Association, with Laguna Water named a 2025 Climate Smart Utility and Clark Water cited for maintaining non-revenue water levels below 6 percent. Boracay Water reduced non-revenue water to 19 percent, recovering more than 1 million liters per day, and received recognition in the SDG 6 Champion of the Year category at the 2025 Global Water Awards.
Cebu Water received the Department of Energy’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award, while Tagum Water was honored at the ASEAN Energy Awards 2025. Calbayog Water likewise achieved full septage system operations, strengthening sanitation and public health outcomes.
MWPV’s growth platforms continued to scale infrastructure development and new business. Manila Water Infratech Solutions closed P622-B in sales orders, up 253 percent year-on-year, and completed its largest pipelaying project under the Canlubang Sugar Estates joint project with Estate Water. Estate Water Group expanded its national footprint through new developer partnerships and advanced the Non-East Zone’s first desalination facility in Lio, El Nido, with its portfolio now spanning 129 developments across 50 cities and municipalities.
To support continued expansion and service reliability, MWPV invested more than P3 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, funding critical infrastructure, network upgrades, and sustainability initiatives.
As it enters its second decade, MWPV remains focused on expanding safe and reliable water services nationwide, advancing climate resilience, accelerating partnerships, and driving operational excellence, continuing its mission of delivering sustainable water solutions beyond Metro Manila.
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