Dusit Thani Manila to bid adieu

Good morning. Happy first Monday of the Chinese new year! Things got festive as Clark International Airport announced that it was opening up 13 new routes this year. The gateway saw its passenger volume grow by 158 percent to 2 million in 2023, an optimistic sign for bright things ahead, the very opposite of the fate of the beloved Dusit Thani Manila, which will be torn down to give way to something new.

More good news: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has rolled out eco-friendly auto and housing loans, the first bank in the country to do so. The new loans are part of BPI Green Solutions, a program that provides sustainable financing and customized products for the market. The announcement could not be more timely. With the unemployment rate easing to 3.1 percent last December, more consumers will have the confidence to take out loans.

With Sky Cable out, Converge ICT Solutions is ready to fill the void in the pay television space. Pay TV service is currently available for upscale customers of Converge. With Sky Cable taking the exit, Converge will now have to boost its offering to be a worthy replacement. What's another company that could be replaced—or should we say, acquired? That's Cemex Holdings Philippines, which is in talks with DMCI Holdings for a major buyout.

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• Clark airport to open up 13 new routes
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• BPI rolls out green housing, auto loans
• PH jobless rate eased to record low of 3.1% in Dec. 2023
• With Sky Cable out, Converge scaling up pay TV presence
• Consunji eyes Cemex PH cement business
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