MANILA, Philippines — If you stumbled on a viral post screaming “Philippines’ Corruption Scandal Triggers P1.7 Trillion Market Meltdown” and supposedly quoting S&P Global Market Intelligence—scroll past it.
Scary stuff, we know. Except, it’s totally fake.
S&P itself was quick to disown the post, which cites the ongoing corruption probe (likely over flood control projects) as spooking investors.
A representative from the company told Biz Buzz: “This is incorrectly attributed to S&P Global Market Intelligence and we are taking steps to have the posts taken down.”
Moral of the story? Think twice before hitting that share button. —Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral
READ: Philippines’ dream of ‘A’ rating still alive, says S&P
MPTC gets new boss
From airways to expressways, Gilbert Gabriel Santa Maria is keeping the driver’s seat.
Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) named Santa Maria as the new president and chief executive officer of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), effective Sept. 1.
As the new big guy overseeing the tollway business, Santa Maria seeks to strengthen the firm’s customer-centric approach, serving millions of motorists and the commuting public.
Santa Maria will likewise pursue MPTC’s expansion abroad, particularly in Indonesia and Vietnam.
He brings with him more than three decades of leadership experience. Part of his notable track record was his stint with Philippine Airlines, holding the position of president and chief operating officer.
READ: After only 3 months, MPTC names new prexy
MPIC noted that Santa Maria “guided the flag carrier through a successful business pivot and Chapter 11 restructuring during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He succeeded Jose Maria Lim, who assumed the role of interim president to help stabilize MPTC’s leadership. Lim will remain as a director of MPTC and MPIC.
MPTC is the biggest toll road developer in the local market, with a current portfolio of tollways that includes the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway and NLEx Connector Road. —Lisbet K. Esmael
Mang Inasal’s ‘new’ Iloilo branch
Digitalization is rapidly chasing every brand still stuck in the old ways, and one of the most prominent chicken barbecue brands has gone out of its way to advance.
Mang Inasal – a business founded by tycoon Edgar “Injap” Sia II and later on sold to Jollibee Foods Corp. – has officially relaunched its branch in Robinsons Place Iloilo.
The difference from its original 2003 opening as the brand’s first-ever store is stark: the spanking new 5G (for “fifth generation”) branch now has a “more efficient” kitchen layout, an upgraded takeout station and Mang Inasal’s very first Cashless Express Kiosk.
“This store represents the heart and soul of Mang Inasal,” said Mike Castro, Mang Inasal president.
READ: Mang Inasal to focus on strategic partnerships to boost visibility
“From our first grilled chicken to the millions served today, we remain deeply grateful to Iloilo and every customer from around the world who made this journey possible. This reopening is a tribute to our beginnings and a bold step toward the future,” Castro added.
What better way to start modernizing than a facelift of your first store? —Meg J. Adonis
UA&P’s golf ‘course’
We’ve all heard about the golf craze across the country, with nearly every developer racing to develop their own golf courses and take advantage of the growing interest from younger age groups.
Well, schools have taken notice, too.
University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) officially became the first university in the country to get the National Golf Association’s acknowledgement over its integration of golf into its Physical Education program.
This, after UA&P inked an agreement with Villaroman Golf Academy (VGA)—known for producing Olympic athletes Yuka Sado and Bianca Pagdanganan—to pioneer the new “golf course.”
“We look forward to developing a program that not only enhances skills but also nurtures integrity, patience and focus—qualities our students carry with them throughout life,” VGA president Carito Villaroman said in a statement on Thursday.
For their part, UA&P president John Philip Yeung said the integration is not just because of golf’s reputation as a “business sport.”
“It is a game that develops men and women of character, men and women of integrity,” said Yeung. “We wanted to partner with VGA not because of their track record or their new facility in Aguinaldo that is very accessible to our students, but because of their shared emphasis on values formation through golf.”
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Get ready for the new generation of golfers! —MEG J. ADONIS
