Bless Aubrey Ogerio

THE government can still support stronger economic growth this year, but it needs to speed up spending, restore public confidence and improve the investment environment, according to the Makati Business Club (MBC). MBC Chairman Edgar O. Chua said in a forum last Thursday that it was too early to write off 2026, with four months left in the year. However, he acknowledged that some of the constraints facing the economy would take time to address.

PHILIPPINE Seven Corp., the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in the Philippines, remains on track to reach 5,000 stores by the end of the year, with Chairman Jose Victor P. Paterno saying the target is now effectively “carved in stone.” Paterno told reporters on the sidelines of a Makati Business Club-organized event last Thursday that the company ended the first half with 4,650 stores and still expects to open the remaining outlets needed to reach its target.

THE next digital divide in Asia and the Pacific may have little to do with who can get online and more to do with what countries can actually do once they are connected. The warning comes as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the region’s digital infrastructure, increasing the need for faster networks, computing capacity and systems that can process data and support real-time decisions.