It’s Friday, August 29.

Big shifts are happening everywhere: surgeons in China kept a pig lung alive in a human for nine days, Europe moved to snap back sanctions on Iran, and Philippine Central Bank Cuts Rates Again. Back to Politics, Marcos is cracking down on corruption with lifestyle checks and tax fraud audits, while the BSP cut rates again as EV adoption and new business registrations surge. Plus, in our deep dive, we unpack why piling up rakets keeps you broke and how to build a side hustle that truly scales.

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Big picture: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered lifestyle checks on officials, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), after billions spent on flood control projects failed to prevent widespread inundation. Preliminary probes showed ₱545 billion (US$9.5B) spent since 2022, with 20% of contracts going to just 15 firms and ghost projects declared “completed” despite no work done. Marcos, visibly angry, called the scandal “economic sabotage.”

So what: Lifestyle checks which compare officials’ wealth with declared income — are meant to catch corruption. Over 9,000 tips have poured in through a new public reporting site. But analysts warn the approach is more symbolic than systemic. Corrupt officials often hide assets, and past checks have exposed only surface-level irregularities while deeper graft persisted. Critics say such measures risk being politicized or used to target rivals.

Why it matters: Flood corruption is not new. Senator Panfilo Lacson recently alleged that only 40% of flood budgets reach projects, with lawmakers and contractors pocketing the rest. Experts argue lifestyle checks alone won’t fix this. Real reform, they say, requires tighter procurement rules, citizen audits, stronger watchdog agencies, and consistent prosecution — regardless of political connections. Without those, lifestyle checks may simply serve as optics while ghost projects keep draining public funds.

Bottom line: Marcos’ crackdown taps into public outrage, but unless paired with systemic reforms, it risks becoming just another patch-up solution to the Philippines’ corruption problem.

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The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines expects EV adoption to speed up this year as more Filipinos look for alternatives to high fuel costs. From January to July, 28,353 EVs and hybrids were registered, already beating last year’s total of 24,000. Public charging stations also jumped to nearly 1,000, up from just 300 in 2023, easing consumer “range anxiety.” EVAP projects sales could climb another 10% by December, boosted by new models, government incentives, and expanding infrastructure. With a Tarlac lithium battery plant set to scale up by 2030, industry leaders see EVs powering the country’s next mobility wave.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas trimmed its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.0% on Thursday, the third straight cut this year. Governor Eli Remolona said inflation, now at a six-year low of 0.9% in July, gives the economy room to breathe as growth hit 5.5% last quarter, the fastest in a year. Another cut may still come before year-end, though officials signaled the easing cycle is nearly done. BSP described the economy as being in a “sweet spot,” projecting inflation to average 1.7% this year before rising closer to its 2–4% target range by 2026.

The Mall | NUSTAR Cebu, Robinsons Land’s flagship luxury retail hub, bagged three major honors at the 13th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards: Best Retail Development, Best Retail Architectural Design, and Best Retail Interior Design. As the first luxury mall in the Visayas and Mindanao, NUSTAR Cebu is setting new standards for world-class shopping in the region. Judges praised its visionary concept, striking architecture, and refined interiors — cementing its status as a landmark of luxury. The wins also spotlight Cebu’s growing role as a hub for high-end retail and investment, with more global brands and lifestyle concepts on the way.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has widened its one-day company registration program, now covering 81 industries compared to just 33 before. Through its OneSEC online system, firms can register in as fast as 74 seconds, with July registrations jumping 190% to 2,938. Newly eligible sectors include computer programming, customs brokerage, fishing, radio broadcasting, and veterinary services. SEC Chairperson Francisco Lim said the move aims to make doing business easier and encourage more MSMEs to formalize, gain financing access, and scale. Economists hailed the expansion as a boost for jobs and competition, while the SEC signaled further streamlining ahead.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will audit contractors tied to anomalous flood control projects for possible tax evasion, Commissioner Romeo Lumagui announced Tuesday. The move supports President Marcos Jr.’s crackdown after revealing that 15 firms cornered ₱100 billion worth of projects since 2022. Contractors found underpaying taxes will lose clearance certificates, be barred from future bids, and face suspended payments on current contracts. For ghost projects, the BIR said it will disallow expense claims and issue deficiency assessments — “no project means no deductible expense.” The probe adds another layer to ongoing Senate and House investigations into flood control corruption.

Big picture: In the Philippines, it’s common to juggle multiple rakets — Grab shifts by day, online selling at night, tutoring on weekends. Many assume more gigs mean more money. But the reality? You end up tired, stretched thin, and often still broke. Gig-based hustles are tied to your hours: no work, no pay. Cancel a class, skip a shift, or pause your posts and the income dries up.

So what: This cycle creates burnout, not freedom. Scaling a hustle means building something that grows beyond your time. Digital products, content libraries, systemized small businesses, or turning freelancing into an agency all create compounding returns. Instead of chasing five rakets, focus on one that multiplies with reinvestment and systems.

Why it matters: Filipinos hustle hard because wages aren’t enough. But families need stability, not just today’s extra ₱500. True breathing room comes when your hustle pays even when you rest. Scaling shifts you from survival mode to asset-building mode.

Bottom line: Collecting rakets chains you to another rat race. Building a scalable side hustle plants trees that keep bearing fruit long after the first effort. Don’t just hustle harder — hustle scalable.

Starting March 2026, South Korea will ban smartphones and smart devices in school classrooms nationwide, making it one of the few countries to pass such a rule into law. Lawmakers say the move targets rising smartphone addiction, which affects nearly 43% of teens, and is hurting both learning and mental health. Teachers will have the power to stop students from using devices during class, though exceptions will be made for emergencies, disabilities, or educational use. Supporters argue the ban will curb distractions and bullying, but critics say it ignores deeper issues like extreme academic pressure and a lack of digital education.

France, Germany, and the UK have triggered a U.N. “snapback” mechanism to reimpose sanctions on Iran after it blocked nuclear inspectors during a brief war with Israel. The move, which can’t be vetoed, could take effect in October and would freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms sales, and punish missile development. Iran called the decision “illegal” and warned it would respond, while its currency hit a record low of 1 million rials per U.S. dollar. The sanctions aim to pressure Tehran back into talks, but with Iran enriching uranium close to weapons-grade, tensions are rising. Expect the showdown to be a major flashpoint at the U.N. General Assembly next month.

Next week, China will host a massive military parade in Beijing, bringing together Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un in a rare show of unity. The event, marking 80 years since Japan’s WWII defeat, offers China a chance to showcase military strength and position itself as a leader of nations challenging U.S. influence. For Kim, it’s his first global gathering and first trip to China since 2019, while Putin deepens ties with both Beijing and Pyongyang. But beneath the optics, each leader has different goals  from trade talks with Washington to military alliances limiting just how far this “axis” can go.

Two children, ages eight and 10, were killed and 17 others injured when a gunman opened fire during a Catholic school Mass in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Police said the attacker, identified as 20-something Robin Westman, fired dozens of rounds with multiple weapons before taking his own life. Fourteen of the injured were children, two critically, though all are expected to survive. Authorities say the FBI is investigating the shooting as possible terrorism and a hate crime against Catholics. The attack marks the 146th U.S. school shooting this year, reigniting debates over gun laws as communities mourn yet another tragedy.

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto urged Filipinos to reject the culture of admiring public officials and contractors’ families flaunting luxury cars, designer goods, and vacations online. He said such displays often reflect corruption, especially in taxpayer-funded projects like flood control. “Corruption should be disgusting. It should not be acceptable,” Sotto stressed, warning that years of tolerance have normalized ill-gotten wealth in politics. While noting there’s nothing wrong with being rich through honest means, he said flaunting questionable wealth should raise red flags. Pasig City is now reviewing DPWH projects in the city, as calls grow for full transparency and release of officials’ SALNs.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned senators that foreigners may be exploiting late birth certificate registrations to falsely claim Philippine citizenship. The issue resurfaced after the arrest of mining executive Joseph Sy, accused of securing citizenship with fake documents,  a method similar to that of former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, now facing espionage-linked charges. BI officials said Sy possessed “complete and original” Philippine papers, raising fears the loophole could enable infiltration and criminal activity. Sy, who has ties to China’s Communist Party, is detained pending deportation and has stepped down as chairman of Global Ferronickel Holdings to address his legal troubles.

The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) pushed back against corruption allegations, saying its contractor licenses are “not for sale” after Sen. Panfilo Lacson claimed some firms were offered accreditation shortcuts for as much as ₱2 million. PCAB warned the public against individuals misrepresenting themselves online as board agents and vowed to investigate irregularities. Lacson questioned how MG Samidan Construction, once with only ₱250,000 capital, managed to secure ₱5 billion worth of flood control projects across five provinces. The issue comes amid Senate probes into ghost projects and President Marcos Jr.’s warning that corruption has gutted the country’s multibillion-peso flood management budget.

Australia, Canada, and the Philippines staged joint naval and air defense drills Wednesday near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint in the South China Sea long guarded by Chinese forces. The exercises, involving three warships, fighter jets, and helicopters, practiced countering simulated aerial threats. Manila said the drills concluded safely, with no direct encounter with Chinese vessels. The move capped a 15-day military exercise with Australia involving 3,600 troops and observers from Canada and others. Scarborough remains a hotspot: Chinese ships shadow foreign forces, while the U.S. has stepped up freedom-of-navigation patrols, signaling growing pushback against Beijing’s sweeping maritime claims.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson raised alarm that Chinese sleeper agents  including members of China’s People’s Liberation Army, are already embedded in the Philippines, posing a national security threat. At a Senate hearing on anti-espionage bills, Lacson urged continuous follow-up operations, saying espionage networks “do not end with arrest.” Lawmakers cited recent arrests of Chinese suspects near military bases, drones and surveillance gear seized, and even infiltration of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Analysts warn the country’s outdated WWII-era espionage law leaves it exposed. Senators pushed for tougher intelligence efforts and strict checks on foreign-donated equipment to prevent hidden spyware.

Big picture: Meta has paused hiring in its artificial intelligence division after a record-breaking recruitment run that saw Mark Zuckerberg offering eye-popping pay packages — in some cases worth $100 million — to lure researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and others. At least 50 AI experts have joined Meta in the past few months, including Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang, who was brought in with a $14 billion stake deal.

Context check: The freeze, which began last week, comes as Meta reorganizes its AI operations into four teams under “Meta Superintelligence Labs.” These include a group focused on building superintelligence, one on AI products, one on infrastructure, and a fourth on long-term research. The shake-up follows the quiet dissolution of the AGI Foundations team after Meta’s latest Llama language models underwhelmed expectations earlier this year.

So what: Meta’s aggressive AI push is raising eyebrows among investors. Analysts at Morgan Stanley warned that sky-high stock-based compensation packages at Meta and Google could threaten shareholder returns by eating into buyback funds. Tech stocks slid last week as concerns mounted that the AI arms race is burning cash faster than it produces innovation.

Why it matters: Meta is betting big on AI superintelligence, systems that can outperform humans on cognitive tasks as the next frontier after social media and the metaverse. But with Wall Street pressuring Big Tech to show results, the question is whether these massive bets will create groundbreaking value or simply balloon costs.

Doctors in China have transplanted a lung from a genetically modified pig into a brain-dead man, and it worked for nine days. The study, published in Nature Medicine, is the first time a pig lung has functioned inside a human body. Scientists hope this kind of research, called xenotransplantation, can help fix the global organ shortage. Right now, only about 1 in 10 people who need a transplant actually get one. Experts say the results are promising but warn pig lungs are especially hard to use because they must fight pollution, infection, and immune attacks with every breath.

Scientists have found that waxworm caterpillars can chew through a plastic bag in just 24 hours. These “plastivores” don’t just shred the plastic — they actually break it down and turn it into body fat. The discovery could open new doors for fighting plastic pollution, since polyethylene (the plastic used in most bags) usually takes decades to decompose. But there’s a catch. On a plastic-only diet, the worms weaken and die within days. Researchers are now testing ways to keep them alive with extra nutrients and even exploring how this process could be scaled up for waste management or fish food.

For the first time, scientists have photographed a growing planet inside the dark gap of a dust-and-gas disk around a young star. The planet, called WISPIT-2b, is about five times the mass of Jupiter and sits far from its star, carving out a clean lane in the disk like a snowplow. Astronomers used powerful adaptive optics on giant telescopes in Chile and Arizona to spot the faint glow of hydrogen gas falling onto the newborn world. The discovery confirms that the mysterious dark rings around young stars really can be signs of baby planets in the making.

For centuries, restoring a single painting could take years. Now, researchers have created a method that uses AI and ultra-thin polymer “masks” to bring damaged works back to life in just hours. The process prints a digital restoration onto a removable film that can be aligned with the original artwork. In a test run, a 15th century oil painting was restored in 3.5 hours, with the system detecting over 5,600 damaged regions and filling them with more than 57,000 colors. Conservators say the approach not only speeds up restoration but also preserves a clear digital record for the future.

1. Digital Products
Sell ebooks, online courses, or printables — create once, earn forever.

2. Content Creation
Build a library on YouTube, TikTok, or blogs that pays you even while you sleep.

3. Service Business with a Team
Offer cleaning, landscaping, or events services — you handle clients, your team does the work.

4. Freelancing → Agency
Start solo, then grow into a small agency by training and hiring other freelancers.

5. E-commerce Brand (Not Just Reselling)
Launch a niche brand with loyal customers, instead of selling random products for quick cash.