Progress and hurdles – reappointed Eskom chair Mteto Nyati looks at the utility's financial recovery, municipal debt and unbundling.
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BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS deskGLOBE Telecom, Inc. said its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives generated P1.2 billion in measured business benefits as of August, which the company said was equivalent to 2.8 times its AI investments. The listed telecommunications company said the amount included incremental revenue, cost avoidance, and employee productivity gains from its generative AI and AI and machine-learning initiatives. AI-powered commercial and customer initiatives accounted for more than P825 million in incremental revenue, the largest component of the benefits, Globe said in a statement on Tuesday. The initiatives include the use of AI in Globe Rewards, roaming, lending, and postpaid services to customize customer offers, it said. Globe also reported P368 million in cost avoidance from AI initiatives covering finance, customer engagement, marketing technology, and order management. AI-enabled automation resulted in more than 52,000 hours saved, which the company valued at P28 million in productivity gains, according to the company. Globe did not disclose the amount it had invested in AI or provide details on the methodology used to calculate the 2.8-times return and the value assigned to the reported productivity gains. “The real measure of AI is not how many people are using it, but what it actually improves,” Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Raymond R. Cruz said. “That is why we are putting greater discipline around measuring the value AI creates,” he added. Globe said enterprise AI adoption had reached 90% as of August, with more than 450 employees involved in developing AI-based solutions across the company. The company said it plans to further measure the business value of its AI investments as the technology is integrated into more of its operations. Globe shares r
BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS deskLISTED A Brown Co., Inc. (ABCI) said it is investing about P75 million in Simple Brown Builders, Inc. (SBBI), equivalent to an approximately 20% stake in the newly formed real estate company. In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, ABCI said it will acquire about 75 million common shares of SBBI at a par value of P1 per share. The company said SBBI was formed to engage in real estate development and housing projects. ABCI did not disclose the funding source, payment terms, completion timetable, or other terms of the investment. The investment adds to A Brown’s existing property business, which includes residential developments in Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Tanay, Rizal. A Brown has also expanded into economic and socialized housing projects, according to its 2025 annual report. For the first half of 2026, the company posted gross revenue of P1.07 billion, up 4.2% from P1.03 billion a year earlier. Net income attributable to the parent fell 45.1% to P194.49 million from P354.07 million in the same period last year. A Brown had total assets of P16.62 billion and total liabilities of P7.47 billion as of end-June. Aside from real estate, A Brown has interests in power generation, palm oil processing, electron-beam services, and bulk water supply through its subsidiaries and affiliates. A Brown shares fell by P0.01, or 1.23%, to close at P0.80 apiece on Tuesday. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno
BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS deskBy Roselle Marisol Belleza Andaya, Chief Executive Officer, MR.DIY Philippines When companies talk about growth, the conversation often goes straight to numbers—stores opened, customers served, revenues generated, and markets entered. Those numbers matter. But as a business leader, I believe the more important question is not simply how much a company grows, but how much value it creates along the way. This is how we see growth at MR.DIY. Growth is not simply about becoming bigger. It is about making the right investments today and bringing people together to create value that lasts—for our people, communities, business, and environment. Reaching our 1,000th store this year gave us an opportunity to reflect on that. We started with one store in Balagtas, Bulacan in 2018. Today, we have more than 1,000 stores across the Philippines. But this milestone is not a finish line. It challenges us to think about how we can grow better. That means investing in six areas. Accessibility. Our stores remain at the heart of our business. With more than 1,000 stores and over 18,000 products, we bring affordable, practical solutions closer to Filipino families. But our goal is not simply more stores. It is to make every store matter. Customer experience. Our first Elevated Experience Store at Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati reflects this shift, with improved navigation, lighting, product zoning, and layouts designed around how Filipino families shop. Growth is not just expanding our footprint; it is elevating the experience within it. People. Sustainable growth requires capable and empowered teams. We invest in leadership, capabilities, and opportunities because at our scale, leadership cannot sit only at the top. Technology. We use digital tools, data, and customer insights to improve op