Hello PW Readers!

Good morning. Global tensions are pushing oil prices higher, and the ripple effects are already reaching the Philippines. This week in private sector, a four-day workweek is being floated, how fuel costs could hit inflation, and the signals investors and workers should watch next.

Stay Sharp.

Big picture: Philippine officials and labor groups are pushing companies to rethink how employees work as global oil prices rise. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently ordered a four-day onsite workweek for executive branch offices starting today March 9, aiming to reduce energy consumption and commuting costs.

Policy push: Senator Francis Escudero urged private companies, especially in Makati and Bonifacio Global City, to adopt similar arrangements or at least staggered work hours. The goal is to reduce congestion and improve productivity in Metro Manila, where heavy traffic remains a major economic drag.

The numbers: According to a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study, traffic congestion in Metro Manila costs the economy about ₱3.5 billion every day. Without major reforms, that loss could rise to ₱5.4 billion daily by 2035.

Workers’ view: Meanwhile, the BPO Industry Employees Network is pushing for expanded work-from-home options, warning that higher oil prices could push up transport, food, and electricity costs for Filipino workers already facing rising living expenses.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. warned oil hitting $100 per barrel could push inflation beyond the BSP’s 2% to 4% target and force a rate hike. Inflation rose to 2.4% in February as Middle East tensions lift energy prices and weaken the peso.

Stations run by Petron Corporation, Flying V, and SeaOil are posting some of the lowest pump prices in parts of Quezon City despite rising global oil costs. Gasoline sells around ₱52 to ₱56 per liter in monitored areas, below many nearby stations charging about ₱58 to ₱62.

The Philippine peso slipped to 59 per dollar as escalating conflict in the Middle East rattled global markets and disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Economists warn supply shocks could hit fuel-importing economies like the Philippines if tensions continue to threaten energy flows.

Philippines Becomes Top Buyer Of Brazilian Pork As Imports Surge

The Philippines overtook China as the largest buyer of pork from Brazil after imports jumped 56.6% to 433,595 metric tons in 2025, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Brazilian shipments accounted for 66% of Philippine pork imports as local supply struggles with animal disease.

Cebu’s beaches appear in the Netflix romcom Boyfriend on Demand as Blackpink’s Jisoo imagines a summer trip, with scenes filmed at resorts including Bluewater Maribago and Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu. (Read More)

Anne Curtis rejected Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay’s apology after he used her in a controversial remark during a House hearing, saying she will seek legal advice over the incident. (Read more)

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala expects a tough match against American star Coco Gauff in the Indian Wells Round of 32, weeks after losing to her in Dubai. (Read More)

NTT DATA and TELKHA formed a strategic alliance to modernize the Philippines’ digital infrastructure, expanding broadband, smart city systems, private 5G networks, and AI-powered services across telecom, enterprise, and government sectors. (Read More)

A father is suing Google, claiming its Gemini AI manipulated his 36-year-old son into dangerous missions and eventually persuaded him to take his own life, according to a lawsuit. (Read More)

Armed robots are increasingly used in the Russia–Ukraine War as Ukraine expands its fleet of uncrewed ground vehicles to support troops, deliver supplies, and strike enemy positions on the battlefield. (Read more)

Researchers say the Coruna toolkit can infect iPhones when users visit a website. It exploits 23 iOS flaws and was used in spying campaigns and later in attacks stealing cryptocurrency. (Read more)

Scientists at Lund University created a cartilage scaffold that directs the body to repair damaged bone. Animal studies show successful regeneration with minimal immune response, paving way for human trials.

GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy, used for diabetes and weight loss, may also curb cravings and lower risk of substance addiction, research suggests.

New Magic Mushroom Drug May Treat Depression Without Hallucinations

Scientists developed a modified magic mushroom compound that showed antidepressant-related brain activity in mice while causing fewer psychedelic effects, raising hopes for safer treatments for depression and other brain disorders.

What Happened During Mars’ 2024 Solar Superstorm

In May 2024, a massive solar flare struck Mars, filling its upper atmosphere with electrons and causing glitches in two ESA spacecraft, revealing the storm’s strong effects on the planet.

Cagayan is being explored as a possible Philippine spaceport, with PhilSA and partners studying rocket testing and small-satellite launch capabilities.(Read more)

Inter-island ferry operators raised fares and suspended some routes after fuel prices surged, as regulators allowed temporary surcharges up to 20 percent. (Read more)

The Land Transportation Office suspended a motorcycle rider’s license after a road rage incident with a pickup driver in Quezon City. (Read more)

BFAR said the annual closed fishing season in Palawan helped increase galunggong stocks and improve fish size through science-based conservation measures. (Read more)

PCSO, MMDA, and Quezon City distributed relief items and temporary shelters to nearly 2,000 families affected by a Quezon City fire. (Read more)

Israel struck oil storage depots and refining facilities in Tehran, causing large fires across the capital. Iran retaliated with a drone attack that damaged a desalination plant in Bahrain.

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan issued a decree allowing husbands to beat wives as long as bones are not broken or wounds left visible. The rule also makes sodomy punishable by death.

Oil prices climbed to about $84 a barrel after reports of an attack on a US-registered tanker in the Persian Gulf. Despite the tensions, Asian stock markets rebounded, with South Korea’s KOSPI rising nearly 10%.

📝 Man fakes disability for MRT priority card, sparks online backlash. (Read more)

📝 Anne Curtis slams Bong Suntay’s lewd remarks in a recent post. (Read more)

📝 Massive blaze erupts in Tehran after airstrikes hit oil depots. (Watch)

📝 Fuel shortages hit Dagupan City stations as motorists rush to beat surging prices.(Watch)

📝 Defining womanhood through stories of women choosing their own path this month (Read more)