Hiring Tracker Notebook For Optimized Talent Recruitment Processes Launched

The term “malling” has been in use since the late 1970s and meant just that — a trip to the mall to hang out with friends, shop for groceries, have a meal or catch a movie. For decades, it was a favorite pastime of many, but consumers’ needs have changed and continue evolving. “We are seeing that Filipinos care more about experiences than just buying things,” said Steven Tan, president of SM Supermalls, at a media briefing held Sept. 10. To meet that shift in demand, the country’s largest mall chain has been going beyond expanding its footprint by providing spaces and serving as a venue for Filipinos to explore their varied interests. That evolution is reflected in the way SM Supermalls is reshaping its spaces and programming to respond to the activities and experiences that matter most to consumers today. Among the clearest indications of that shift is the growing interest in wellness and social activities, which malls are increasingly incorporating into their spaces and events. Over 40,000 runners participated in the Galaxy Manila Marathon and SM2SM Cebu events this year. “The numbers we’re seeing for active lifestyle are really amazing,” Tan said, adding that wellness is now part of people’s daily routines. “We now have 102 pickleball courts spread across 32 SM malls nationwide.” The arts have also long been championed by the chain. In the ‘90s, one of the upper floors at SM Megamall was devoted to art galleries and exhibits. Since then, its cultural offerings have expanded with the opening of Museo del Galeon, events like Art for Everyone, and interactive campaigns like Gala to the Max. Tan also announced key milestones for the chain, including the newly opened SM Seaside Cebu Arena and the launch of SM Supermalls’ 90th location in Zamboanga City earlier this year. “With 25,000 seats, SM Seaside Cebu Arena is actually bigger than our Mall of Asia Arena. It will now bring world-class concepts, concerts, and major sporting events in the Visayas region,” he said. “[The Zamboanga opening], meanwhile, marks another major step in deepening our presence across Mindanao, bringing lifestyle experiences to even more communities.” By November this year, SM Nuvali will open along the South Luzon corridor. Once operational, the sprawling mall will house the country’s first LED cinema screen experience of its kind. Matching consumer demand, SM’s tenant footprint grew four percent in the first half of 2026, surpassing 23,000 tenants nationwide. “Food, leisure, and lifestyle concepts are leading the demand right now,” said Hanna Carinna Sy, senior assistant vice president for marketing and leasing. “We’re actively curating a mix that keeps shoppers staying longer.” Over the next six months, several existing malls will undergo property upgrades, including SM City Iloilo, SM City Naga, SM City Santo Tomas in Batangas, and SM Aura. Beyond retail, SM has been supporting local economies by partnering with nearly 900 small businesses daily, hosting trade fairs for 3,000 entrepreneurs, and connecting over 330,000 job seekers through more than 500 job fairs. Its environmental programs also focus on nationwide plastic collection and solar power integration. “We want to grow, but we want to grow responsibly,” Tan said, noting that the company aims to build lasting opportunities and spaces where communities can connect.

LUCENA CITY – A 47-year-old fisherman who had been missing after his boat was found burning in the waters off Calatagan, Batangas, on Sept.13 was found dead on Thursday morning. The body of Celideño Hernandez, a resident of Barangay Tanagan, was recovered at around 11 a.m. in waters near the area where his fishing boat

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Thursday guaranteed that the passage of an anti-political dynasty law is a congressional priority. Dy made this statement after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Congress has a constitutional duty to enact and define a law that prohibits political dynasties. The SC en banc’s unanimous decision

Steven Kolb has apologized for his actions against PETA at New York Fashion Week and is taking a leave from his job pending an investigation.

MANILA, Philippines — Around P1.04 million worth of medical devices were flagged at the Port of Cebu after they were misdeclared as a water purifier tube and bag, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported on Thursday, Sept. 17. According to the BOC, two 40-foot containers were found carrying at least 78,720 medical devices during its

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has flagged 47 of 100 flood control projects in the district of Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said Thursday. The projects are part of the P1.9 billion worth of flood control projects in Duterte’s district, all of which Matibag said were awarded

Rally organiser accuses ruler's rivals of committing treason, calls for action.

Domestic shipping company Montenegro Lines announced that it is banning, "effective immediately," any electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid EV (HEV) from its vessels, whether for passenger or cargo carriage, as a safety measure.

MANILA, Philippines — Environmental groups on Thursday condemned the Philippine National Police (PNP) for allegedly harassing organizers barricading in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya to stave off a mining venture there. The groups, spearheaded by the Kasibu Intertribal Response for Ecological Development (Kired), took their grievances to a protest staged outside the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame,

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it is considering coordinating with its foreign counterparts to track down one of the co-accused in the plunder case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. In a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co assured that manhunt for

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday asked Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) to clarify how it plans to hold its Sept. 21 protest if it is rejecting government’s call for a peaceful demonstration. The Palace is reacting to the statement of Bayan Secretary-General Raymond “Mong” Palatino on the sidelines of a protest outside Camp Crame in Quezon

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito on Thursday renewed his call for an anti-political dynasty law despite being part of a political dynasty himself. His statement came a day after the Supreme Court directed Congress to enact a law banning political dynasties under the 1987 Constitution. “I benefited from it when I first entered politics,

MANILA, Philippines — Palace press officer Claire Castro on Thursday said the lack of attention from Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp may explain why the vice president appears “clueless” about the administration’s programs. The remarks came after Duterte’s new spokesperson, Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., said Castro was not a factor in his appointment and that he

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday said he is “happy” as he noted that former President Rodrigo Duterte appeared to be in good condition after appearing before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time. Marcoleta made the remarks after his bail hearing for plunder at the Sandiganbayan Third Division, which allowed

MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains are expected to prevail over Metro Manila and 11 other areas in Luzon on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 17, due to localized thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said. In a thunderstorm advisory issued at 2:30 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said heavy to intense rains with

'State exco's media announcement has no legal bearing.'

There is one complainant left who continues to attend the hearings in the case of the missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) after other families were allegedly paid off.

Vietnam's Party General Secretary and President To Lam will attend the U.N. General Assembly's high-level general debate in New York and pay a state visit to Canada this month.

However, a Putrajaya source declines to confirm whether there is a meeting.

There were no winners of either of the major lotto draws on September 17, 2026, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced on Thursday.

Today’s headlines: Rodrigo Duterte, Baste Duterte, Mark Zuckerberg

CALASIAO, Pangasinan —Reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which the previous Marcos administration in 1979 billed as a long-term solution to the country’s growing power demand and dependence on imported oil, got the support of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC).  In his lecture “Powering the Countryside: Rural Electrification in the Marcos Senior Era, The

Veronica “Kitty” Duterte on Thursday expressed her support for her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, after he made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta allegedly “solicited” P20 million from businessman Aristotle Viray, one of the donors linked to the plunder case involving P75-million funds, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Thursday. Maria Melinda Mananghaya-Henson of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Bureau, who led the fact-finding investigation into the case, made the

Josh Cullen of SB19 is set to meet his fans at his upcoming Like Me showcase this September.

The latest report from watchdog group Global Witness says violence against defenders in the Philippines in 2025 was linked to the government's counterinsurgency programs and extractive projects

What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm, and 9pm.

16 U.S. colleges will charge more than US$100,000 for a single year of undergraduate study in the 2026-27 academic year, a surge from only two schools a year earlier.

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robin Padilla shed tears of joy after former President Rodrigo Duterte made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III on Wednesday. It has been a year and a half since Duterte attended his proceedings in the Hague, which he previously only attended through online video

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday cautioned protesters not to test the law enforcement agency’s resolve ahead of rallies expected this Monday, September 21 to protest corruption and mark the 54th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co issued the warning in a

MANILA, Philippines — Joselyn Serenio, a former staff member of House Speaker Martin Romualdez and one of his co-accused in a P7.4-billion plunder case, is currently outside the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Thursday. In a statement, the bureau said Serenio had already left the country before the Sandiganbayan issued a hold departure

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel on Thursday confirmed receipt of the show-cause orders issued by the Senate impeachment court against two of its members for possible violation of the sub judice rule. According to House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, one of the recipients of the order was House prosecutor and Bicol

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — The Valencia National High School (VNHS) is mourning the tragic loss of an 18-year-old Grade 12 female student who passed away Wednesday evening after allegedly jumping from the school building, which officials now want to upgrade to avoid a similar incident. According to school principal Angelina Cacharo and city police investigators,

MANILA, Philippines – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will be placed on full alert starting Saturday midnight as police prepare for rallies in Metro Manila condemning corruption and marking the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on Sept. 21. In a press briefing in Camp Crame on Thursday, Philippine National Police

Catch the 'Isip' hitmakers perform on Rappler Live Jam for the first time!

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives on Thursday terminated sponsorship and plenary deliberations on the proposed P27.89-billion budget for the Congress of the Philippines for 2027 without any interpellation. Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora sponsored the proposed budget of the Congress, which covers the Senate, House of Representatives, House and Senate Electoral

Comfort classics get an ambitious push as Basti Escalante, succeeding his father, launches Sebastian’s in Rockwell

Eligible domestic users will also be exempted from SST, Automatic Fuel Adjustment, among others.

P75-M donation to Marcoleta poll-related, 3 co-accused said – witness MANILA, Philippines — A witness in the plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Thursday that three of the senator’s co-accused informed investigators that their P75 million donation was in fact campaign-related. Maria Melinda Mananghaya-Henson of the Office of the

The Senate impeachment court issued a show cause order on House prosecutor Terry Ridon and private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa, Jr., asking them to explain their statements that could violate the sub judice rule, meaning the ban on parties from discussing the merits of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte outside the trial proceedings.