Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Nov 11.

We hope you and your loved ones are safe after the recent typhoon. If you were affected, please reach out to us and we’ll do what we can to help in our own small way. In this week’s issue, we’re shifting to another kind of challenge. The government wants local tech firms to go public and bring new energy to the Philippine stock market. With most big players still coming from real estate, banking, and power, officials are betting that tech could be the spark that brings investors and confidence back.

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Big picture
The Philippines should follow the lead of global markets where tech companies dominate stock valuations, according to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda. He called on local technology firms to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to help revive investor confidence and open the digital economy to everyday Filipinos.

Key points

Why it matters
Aguda said a mature, tech-driven capital market could accelerate national development by channeling both local and foreign investments into innovation and digital infrastructure.

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Big picture:
Experts are warning that a large-scale internet or power outage isn’t a sci-fi scenario, it’s a matter of time. Cyberattacks, aging grids, or simple government lapses could knock out connectivity for entire regions. Security analyst Robert Siciliano says, “I don’t think it’s a matter of if, it’s simply a matter of when.”

So what:
If the internet goes down, so does modern life. Banking apps freeze, food delivery stops, and most people can’t even buy gas or load their e-wallets. Siciliano says everyone should have the basics ready: backup food, water, batteries, and power.

Experts suggest:

Why it matters:
The word “prepper” used to sound extreme, but experts say it’s now just common sense. When your world runs on Wi-Fi, being ready for a blackout is the smartest upgrade you can make.

A secretive San Francisco startup called Preventive backed by OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong is exploring gene editing in human embryos to prevent hereditary diseases and maybe boost traits like IQ and height. The catch? Editing embryos to make babies is banned in the U.S. Critics warn it’s unsafe and dangerously close to eugenics, but Preventive says it’s focused on “responsible” science. The world’s watching to see just how far they’ll go.

A new study found that chimpanzees and bonobos organize friendships just like humans with inner circles and casual acquaintances. By tracking how they groom each other, researchers saw chimps focus on a few close friends, while bonobos spread their attention more equally. Like humans, older chimps become pickier with age. The finding suggests our “barkada system” isn’t uniquely human, it’s been part of primate life long before we started posting friend lists online.

Scientists have finally solved a decades-old mystery about malaria parasites: why their iron crystals spin like crazy inside each cell. Researchers found that these crystals move thanks to the same chemical reaction that powers rockets, the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This “biological rocket fuel” helps the parasite survive by removing toxic peroxide and keeping crystals from clumping. The discovery could pave the way for new antimalarial drugs and even nanosized robotic tech.

Melatonin may not be the harmless sleep aid many think it is. A new study of over 130,000 adults with insomnia found that long-term users of melatonin (a year or more) were nearly twice as likely to develop heart failure or die compared to non-users. The study, presented at the American Heart Association’s 2025 conference, doesn’t prove cause and effect but raises serious safety questions. Experts say melatonin should never be taken long-term without medical supervision.

Big picture:
Most Filipinos do not have a spending problem; they have a system problem. The “salary, pay, repeat” cycle is not only about low income but about being conditioned to survive instead of grow. Many workers spend their entire paycheck within a week because every peso already has a name: rent, debt, food, transportation, and school fees. When everything is paid, nothing is left to build from.

So what:
Escaping this cycle starts with changing the order of your money habits, not the amount. Instead of earn → spend → save what is left, flip it to earn → save first → spend what is left. Set up an automatic transfer, even just ₱200 every payday, to a separate digital savings account you cannot easily access. You are not saving what remains; you are paying your future self first.

What actually works:

Why it matters:
If your salary cannot cover your needs, start expanding what you can earn instead of only cutting what you spend. Growth begins when you stop waiting for more income and start building it yourself.

Globe Telecom’s fintech arm Mynt, operator of GCash,  now drives 25% of the company’s pre-tax income, up from 14% last year. Mynt contributed ₱5.3 billion in the first nine months of 2025, boosted by strong growth in payments, lending, and overseas services. While Globe’s core income slipped 12% to ₱15.5 billion due to higher costs, GCash’s dominance kept profits steady. Analysts say new tools like PocketPay could fuel more growth ahead.

Foreign direct investments in the Philippines plunged 41% in August to $494 million as global firms grew cautious about lending to local subsidiaries. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed debt instruments dropped nearly 74%, while equity inflows from Japan, the U.S., Singapore, and South Korea helped keep totals positive. Experts say high interest rates, weak global trade, and local policy uncertainty are cooling investor appetite though long-term bets in manufacturing and renewables remain.

Kredit Hero, the Philippines’ first AI credit marketplace for small businesses, has teamed up with Discovery Capital Finance Corp. to boost financing access for unbanked and underbanked entrepreneurs. The partnership lets SMEs submit one online loan application and get matched with multiple lenders in minutes. Combining Kredit Hero’s tech with DCFC’s nationwide branch network, the collaboration aims to make business loans faster, fairer, and more inclusive  helping more Filipino SMEs grow and create jobs.

Government bets big on year-end spending

The Department of Budget and Management plans to release ₱1.31 trillion in the fourth quarter to boost the economy and hit growth targets, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said. Most funds will go to social services, education, and disaster aid, including ₱203.8 billion for DepEd and ₱9.5 billion for DSWD programs. Despite earlier spending delays and corruption concerns, the DBM expects catch-up disbursements to lift full-year growth toward the government’s 5.5% to 6.5% goal.

Cebu Pacific just received its first Airbus A320neo, boosting capacity ahead of the busy holiday travel season. The new aircraft, the budget carrier’s fourth delivery this year, will serve regional, domestic, and international routes. Cebu Pacific expects three more planes to arrive soon as part of its fleet modernization push. Passenger traffic rose 2.6% in the third quarter to 1.83 million, fueled by strong domestic demand despite a slightly lower 81% seat load factor.

Big picture:
New studies from Wharton and M.I.T. suggest that relying too much on A.I. tools like ChatGPT may actually dull the brain. In experiments, students who used A.I. to write essays showed lower brain activity and could barely recall what they wrote. Meanwhile, kids who spent more time on TikTok and Instagram scored lower in reading and memory tests, according to the University of California, San Francisco.

So what:
Experts call it “brain rot”, a mental slowdown caused by consuming low-effort content and letting A.I. think for us. When tech automates thinking and research, our brains stay passive. The more we scroll or let chatbots handle tasks, the less we practice real problem-solving, focus, or creativity.

What you can do:

Why it matters:
A.I. and social media aren’t inherently bad—but how we use them determines whether they sharpen or shrink our minds.

Thailand just greenlit $3.1 billion worth of new data center projects, signaling its big push to become Southeast Asia’s next digital hub. The plan includes massive facilities from Dubai’s DAMAC Digital and a local 200-megawatt hyperscale project. The government also moved to fast-track another $9.2 billion in delayed investments by easing power, land, and visa hurdles. Officials say the move will boost investor confidence and open new jobs in Thailand’s growing tech economy.

The International Olympic Committee is considering a full ban on transgender women competing in women’s events, citing potential physical advantages from male puberty. The move, which could take effect by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, follows a presentation by the IOC’s medical chief and growing political pressure from U.S. leaders. Officials are also reviewing eligibility rules for athletes with differences in sex development. No final decision has been made, but discussions on new gender policies are ongoing.

The Department of Education reported that 312 public schools were damaged by Super Typhoon Uwan, with Bicol and Calabarzon hardest hit. Over 1,100 classrooms suffered minor damage, 366 were heavily damaged, and 261 were destroyed. More than 5,500 classrooms are now serving as evacuation centers. DepEd set aside ₱78 million for clean-up and repairs and rolled out alternative learning programs for affected students. Education Secretary Sonny Angara vowed continued support for rebuilding efforts.

Three people, including five-year-old twins, died in Nueva Vizcaya after landslides triggered by Super Typhoon Uwan, the Office of Civil Defense Region 2 confirmed. Over 14,000 families across Cagayan Valley were affected, with more than 10,000 families now in evacuation centers. Several roads and 23 overflow bridges remain impassable, while the Cagayan River in Tuguegarao rose above critical level at 9.9 meters. Authorities continue rescue and clearing operations as heavy rains persist in northern Luzon.

The Government Service Insurance System announced a three-month grace period on emergency loan payments for members and pensioners in areas affected by Typhoons Tino and Uwan. Loans granted from November 2025 to February 2026 will start amortization three months later. GSIS president Jose Arnulfo Veloso said the move offers financial relief to those rebuilding after the storms. The agency’s emergency loan program is open until February 7, 2026, through its website, mobile app, or branch offices.

Visayan Electric reported that 93% of Metro Cebu’s power has been restored after Typhoon Tino knocked out electricity across the region. Over 474,000 customers now have power again, with full restoration expected soon. San Fernando, Naga, and Minglanilla are nearly fully reconnected, while Liloan and Cebu City face slower recovery. Utility crews continue repairs despite landslides and heavy rains, while Cebeco 2 and 3 also restore power across northern and western Cebu following widespread storm damage.

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