Lenovo Targets AI Cybersecurity Gaps With Resilience Services

Lenovo Targets AI Cybersecurity Gaps With Resilience Services

Friday, August 21, 2026

Artificial intelligence is giving businesses new ways to work, but it is also creating another cybersecurity challenge. Lenovo says 90% of IT leaders report gaps in their ability to defend against AI-driven threats, highlighting a growing concern for organizations adopting AI while managing increasingly complex technology environments.

For Philippine businesses, the issue extends beyond protecting computers and networks. Cyber incidents can affect customer data, business continuity, regulatory compliance, and the ability of employees to work. Lenovo is responding by expanding its Security Services portfolio, with a cyber resilience framework designed to give organizations a single point of accountability across security technologies, devices, services, and response operations.

The shift reflects an important change in how businesses approach cybersecurity. Having more security products does not necessarily make an organization more resilient if those products operate in disconnected environments and no single team is responsible for coordinating the response.

Why is cyber resilience becoming more important for Philippine businesses?

Cyber resilience refers to an organization's ability to prepare for, withstand, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents while continuing critical operations.

That distinction separates resilience from traditional cybersecurity. Preventing an attack remains important, but organizations also need plans for what happens when a threat gets through.

This is particularly relevant in the Philippines, where businesses across banking, healthcare, retail, business process outsourcing, education, and government increasingly depend on digital systems.

The country's National Cybersecurity Plan 2023–2028 identifies cyber resilience as a national priority. Organizations handling personal information also operate within data protection requirements overseen by the National Privacy Commission.

For companies, therefore, cybersecurity is no longer solely an IT concern. A serious incident can become a business continuity, privacy, compliance, and reputational issue at the same time.

What is the problem with having too many security tools?

Modern organizations can have multiple security products covering different parts of their environment.

One system may protect endpoints. Another monitors network activity. A separate platform manages identities, while another handles backup and recovery.

The problem arises when these tools, vendors, and teams do not work together effectively.

During a security incident, IT and security teams may have to determine which system detected the problem, who is responsible for responding, which vendor should be contacted, and how operations can be restored.

Lenovo's strategy is built around reducing that fragmentation through what it describes as a single accountable model.

The company says its expanded Security Services portfolio can help reduce system downtime by up to 50% and remediation costs by up to 40%. These are Lenovo's stated potential outcomes, rather than guarantees for every customer.

How is Lenovo changing its cybersecurity services?

Lenovo is expanding its Security Services portfolio around an end-to-end cyber resiliency framework.

The approach brings together several areas of security, including:

• Identity and Access Management to control who can access systems and information
• Data Protection to safeguard critical information
• Extended Detection and Response (XDR) to identify and respond to threats across multiple security layers
• Visibility and Risk Management to identify potential weaknesses
• Security for AI to address risks associated with AI adoption

The company says the framework can also work with technology providers including Absolute, Cisco, Google, Microsoft, SentinelOne, and Veeam.

The objective is not simply to add another security layer. Instead, Lenovo wants to coordinate existing technologies and services through a more unified operating model.

That approach is increasingly relevant as companies add cloud applications, remote devices, AI tools, and other digital services to their environments.

What is Lenovo Security Services with Absolute?

One of the offerings Lenovo is introducing is Security Services with Absolute, described as a fully managed, end-to-end resilience service.

The service is designed to help maintain critical security controls across distributed workforces without placing additional operational demands on internal IT teams.

A key feature is automated recovery of essential security controls if they are disrupted. That can reduce the need for manual intervention and help organizations maintain consistent protection across their environments.

The service is supported by Lenovo's global 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC).

A SOC is a centralized team responsible for monitoring an organization's technology environment, identifying suspicious activity, investigating threats, and supporting incident response.

For businesses without the resources to maintain a large internal security operation around the clock, managed SOC services can provide additional monitoring and specialist expertise.

What happens when a company laptop is lost or stolen?

Another part of Lenovo's strategy addresses a less dramatic but very practical cybersecurity problem: what happens when an employee's corporate laptop disappears.

Traditional endpoint security and management tools often rely on a device being powered on, connected, and able to communicate with the organization's systems.

Lenovo ThinkShield TraceLock, powered by Absolute Security, is designed to extend visibility and control when a device is disconnected or outside the normal reach of endpoint management.

According to Lenovo, the solution uses built-in cellular connectivity to allow IT teams to remotely locate, wake, and wipe supported devices.

That capability can be particularly relevant to organizations handling sensitive information. A missing laptop is not simply a hardware loss if it contains corporate documents, customer information, employee records, or other confidential data.

ThinkShield TraceLock became available beginning July 1, 2026, on select ThinkPad devices, according to Lenovo.

Why does AI create another cybersecurity challenge?

AI is changing the cybersecurity equation in two directions.

Businesses are using AI to automate tasks, analyze information, improve productivity, and support decision-making. At the same time, cybercriminals can use AI to make certain attacks more sophisticated, scalable, or difficult to identify.

This creates a moving target for security teams.

Organizations must protect not only traditional endpoints and networks, but also the data, identities, applications, and AI systems being incorporated into their operations.

That helps explain why AI security has become one of the components in Lenovo's broader cyber resiliency framework.

The challenge for businesses is finding a balance between adopting useful AI tools and establishing appropriate controls around access, data, privacy, monitoring, and incident response.

What does this mean for businesses adopting AI?

The bigger lesson is that cybersecurity cannot be treated as an afterthought to digital transformation.

A company that introduces AI tools, moves more operations to the cloud, or supports a distributed workforce also expands the number of systems and access points that need protection.

That makes integration and accountability increasingly important.

Lenovo's approach is one response to this problem, bringing hardware, security technologies, managed services, and technology partners into one operating model.

Industry analyst research cited by Lenovo from ISG Research also describes the company's Security Services as combining hardware trust, layered protection, and AI-enabled operations within a unified framework.

Lenovo has additionally received recognition in the 2026 Fortress Cybersecurity Awards in categories including cyber resilience, application security, and AI security.

These recognitions provide external context, but businesses evaluating cybersecurity services still need to assess whether a particular offering fits their own infrastructure, regulatory requirements, risk profile, and budget.

The business case for resilience

For Philippine organizations, the cybersecurity conversation is increasingly moving from "How do we stop attacks?" to "How quickly can we keep operating when something goes wrong?"

That is the core idea behind cyber resilience.

A strong resilience strategy combines prevention with detection, response, recovery, and business continuity. It also requires clear ownership when multiple technologies and service providers are involved.

As AI adoption accelerates, that coordination will become more important, not less.

For business leaders, the takeaway is straightforward: investing in cybersecurity is no longer only about buying another security tool. It is about making sure the organization's people, devices, data, and operations remain protected and recoverable when the unexpected happens.

As Philippine businesses pursue AI and digital transformation, cyber resilience is becoming a business capability rather than simply an IT function.

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74% of Filipinos Worry About Rising Costs Despite Economic Growth, FWD Study Finds

74% of Filipinos Worry About Rising Costs Despite Economic Growth, FWD Study Finds

The Philippines may be moving up the economic ladder, but many Filipinos are still worried about keeping up with the cost of everyday life.

A new 2026 Filipino Financial Confidence Report (FFCR) commissioned by FWD Life Insurance Philippines and conducted by Ipsos found that 74% of middle-income Filipinos identify rising everyday expenses as their biggest financial concern. The finding comes as the Philippine economy continues to grow and the country moves into the World Bank's upper-middle-income classification.

The contrast is worth examining. The country's economic indicators can improve while households continue to feel financially stretched. For many Filipinos, progress is ultimately experienced not through GDP figures, but through grocery bills, utility payments, tuition, transportation costs, savings, and the ability to handle an unexpected expense.

Why are Filipinos still worried about money?

The concern over rising costs comes against a backdrop of slower economic growth and elevated inflation.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country's gross domestic product, or GDP, grew 2.3% in the second quarter of 2026. That was slower than the 5.4% growth recorded during the same quarter in 2025 and the 2.8% expansion in the first quarter of 2026.

GDP measures the value of goods and services produced within an economy. While it is an important indicator of economic performance, GDP growth does not automatically mean that every household experiences an improvement in its financial situation.

Inflation provides another piece of the picture. According to the figures cited in the report, inflation averaged 4.8% during the first half of 2026, putting additional pressure on household budgets.

When prices rise, families may have to redirect money that would otherwise go toward savings or long-term goals.

That helps explain why economic progress and financial anxiety can exist at the same time.

What is the difference between economic growth and financial confidence?

Economic growth describes how an economy is performing, while financial confidence reflects how prepared people feel to manage their current obligations and future financial needs. A country can record economic growth while households remain concerned about prices, savings, debt, emergencies, and future expenses.

The distinction is important when looking at the Philippines' recent economic milestones.

What does the Philippines' upper-middle-income status mean?

In July, the World Bank reclassified the Philippines as an upper-middle-income economy, marking a major change in the country's income classification.

The World Bank uses gross national income per capita to classify economies into income groups. The reclassification reflects the country's longer-term economic development and places the Philippines in a group with higher income levels than before.

It is an important milestone, but it does not mean that households automatically become financially secure.

A country's income classification is based on national-level economic measures. Individual financial circumstances can vary widely depending on income, household size, location, expenses, employment, debt, and access to financial services.

This is where the FWD study provides another perspective on the country's progress.

How prepared are Filipinos for the future?

The FFCR found that only 56% of respondents currently consider securing their family's long-term financial future a priority.

The numbers decline further when the report looks at specific financial goals:

• 52% are actively building an emergency fund.
• 45% are working toward financial independence.
• 45% are saving for their children's education.
• 56% consider securing their family's long-term financial future a priority.

These figures suggest that immediate financial pressures may be competing with longer-term planning.

For a household managing higher food, transportation, housing, healthcare, or education costs, putting money aside for a goal that may be years away can feel difficult.

Why is an emergency fund important?

An emergency fund is money set aside specifically for unexpected expenses or financial disruptions, such as a major repair, medical expense, job loss, or other urgent need.

Its purpose is not to generate wealth. It is to give a household a financial buffer when something goes wrong.

The FFCR finding that only 52% of respondents are actively building an emergency fund highlights one of the challenges facing middle-income households: earning enough to cover present needs while also creating room for future shocks.

This is also why financial confidence should not be viewed simply as having a high income.

A household may have a reasonable income but still feel vulnerable if most of that income is already committed to regular expenses.

What can businesses learn from the financial confidence gap?

For businesses, the findings point to an important consumer insight.

Filipinos are not making financial decisions in isolation from the broader economy. Their spending, saving, insurance, investment, and purchasing decisions are influenced by how secure they feel about the future.

When consumers are worried about rising costs, they may become more cautious about discretionary spending. They may also prioritize products and services that provide practical value, flexibility, protection, or predictable costs.

That has implications across industries, from financial services and insurance to retail, housing, education, healthcare, and consumer goods.

Companies that understand this environment may need to look beyond simply offering products. Financial education, transparent pricing, flexible payment options, and products designed around real household needs can become increasingly relevant.

For financial services companies in particular, the opportunity is to make financial planning feel more accessible rather than treating it as something reserved for wealthy households.

Is financial confidence a better measure of progress?

Not necessarily a replacement for economic indicators, but it is a useful complement.

GDP growth, inflation, employment, income levels, and national income classifications help explain the condition of an economy. Financial confidence adds a household-level perspective.

It asks a different question: Do people feel capable of handling what is happening now while preparing for what comes next?

That question becomes particularly relevant as the Philippines enters its new upper-middle-income classification.

FWD President and Chief Executive Officer Soon Liang Lau described financial confidence as being prepared rather than wealthy. The company's report similarly frames confidence around the ability to manage current responsibilities while continuing to work toward future goals.

The idea has relevance beyond insurance.

Financial resilience can mean having an emergency fund, protecting income, planning for education, preparing for retirement, managing debt, or simply having enough flexibility in a monthly budget to absorb an unexpected expense.

What does the report mean for Filipino households?

The FWD report should not be read as evidence that all middle-income Filipinos are financially insecure. It is a survey of financial attitudes and priorities, and individual circumstances vary.

But its findings highlight a tension worth watching.

The Philippines is recording economic milestones that point toward long-term development. At the household level, however, many people are still focused on managing the immediate cost of living.

That gap matters.

Economic progress becomes more meaningful when households have the capacity to save, withstand setbacks, invest in their children's future, and pursue long-term goals without constantly sacrificing one for another.

For policymakers and businesses, that means economic growth and financial resilience need to develop alongside each other.

For ordinary Filipinos, it is a reminder that financial progress is personal. It is not measured only by how much the economy grows, but also by whether a family can face an unexpected bill without being pushed off course.

The Philippines may be moving up economically. The bigger challenge is ensuring that more Filipinos feel financially prepared to move forward with it.

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Solaire Resorts Earn Great Place to Work Certification

Solaire Resorts Earn Great Place to Work Certification

Solaire Resort Entertainment City and Solaire Resort Quezon City have earned the 2026 Great Place To Work Certification, becoming the first Filipino-owned integrated resorts in Metro Manila to receive the recognition.

The certification is based on employee feedback about their workplace experience rather than a company's own assessment of its culture. That distinction makes the recognition particularly relevant in the hospitality industry, where employee experience can directly influence how guests experience a property.

For Solaire Resort, the certification highlights its efforts in employee benefits, professional development, recognition, community involvement, and workplace engagement.

Why does Great Place To Work Certification matter?

Great Place To Work Certification is a workplace recognition based primarily on employees' assessments of their experience at an organization. The program evaluates factors related to workplace culture and employee experience, rather than relying solely on management claims or corporate policies.

That employee-led approach is significant because a company can offer extensive benefits and training programs without necessarily creating a workplace where employees feel supported.

In Solaire's case, the certification indicates that its employees provided feedback that met Great Place To Work's requirements for recognition.

Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work, said certification requires sustained attention to the employee experience and noted that the recognition is based on real-time employee feedback about company culture.

For businesses, this matters because workplace culture has moved beyond being an internal human resources concern. Employee retention, engagement, skills development, and leadership practices can all affect an organization's ability to attract and keep talent.

What does this mean for Solaire's workforce?

Solaire says its approach to employee experience covers several areas, including:

Health and well-being: Benefits covering health, nutrition, transportation, and other employee needs.

Recognition: The SIKAT Awards recognize employees for achievements and exceptional service.

Learning and development: Training programs are designed to build skills and support career progression.

Community engagement: Solaire Cares and other corporate social responsibility activities give employees opportunities to participate in volunteer initiatives.

Employee engagement: Life at Solaire provides a platform for employees to share their experiences and personalities.

Workplace culture: The organization identifies Focused, Integrity, Respect, Steadfast, and Teamwork as its core values.

Taken together, these programs show that Solaire's employee strategy extends beyond compensation. It covers recognition, capability building, social connection, and opportunities to participate in activities outside day-to-day operations.

What can other hospitality businesses learn from the recognition?

The timing is relevant for the hospitality sector because service businesses depend heavily on people.

Hotels, restaurants, casinos, and integrated resorts can invest heavily in facilities and technology, but the guest experience is still shaped by employees. Front-office staff, housekeeping teams, food and beverage workers, engineers, security personnel, and other employees influence how customers experience a property.

That creates a business case for treating employee experience as an operational issue rather than simply an HR initiative.

A recognition based on employee feedback can also provide an external benchmark for employers. It does not mean that every aspect of an organization's workplace is perfect, but it provides evidence that employees' experiences have met the certification criteria.

For employers competing for talent, this distinction can be valuable. Workers increasingly assess companies not only by salary, but also by benefits, development opportunities, management practices, workplace culture, and whether they can see a future within the organization.

Recognition is only useful if it is sustained

One potential challenge for companies receiving workplace awards is maintaining the standards behind the recognition.

Employee expectations change. Benefits that were attractive several years ago may no longer address employees' priorities. Likewise, training programs need to evolve as jobs change and new technologies reshape the workplace.

Solaire's certification therefore represents a snapshot of employee experience in 2026. Its longer-term value will depend on whether the company continues listening to its workforce and acting on that feedback.

That is particularly important in hospitality, where employee turnover and the need for specialized service skills can make talent retention an ongoing business concern.

How is Solaire positioning itself as an employer?

Solaire is also using Life at Solaire to showcase its workplace culture through stories about its employees.

Rather than focusing only on corporate announcements, the platform features team members' experiences, personalities, and everyday interactions. This approach serves an employer-branding purpose: potential employees can get a sense of the people and culture behind the resort before applying.

The strategy reflects a broader shift in employer branding. Companies increasingly use employee stories to show what working for an organization looks like instead of relying exclusively on recruitment advertisements.

For a hospitality company, that can be particularly useful. Prospective employees are not simply choosing a job description; they are choosing a workplace and a service culture.

What does the certification mean for Solaire's business?

The recognition is ultimately about more than an award displayed on a corporate profile.

Solaire operates in an industry where service quality depends on the performance of a large and diverse workforce. Creating conditions where employees can develop their skills, receive recognition, and feel connected to the organization can support the consistency of that service.

Sarci Razon, Vice President for Strategic Development and Special Projects, Metro Manila Region, said the company views employee support as closely connected to guest service and plans to continue investing in its people.

That connection between employee experience and customer experience is particularly relevant to integrated resorts, where guests interact with employees across multiple touchpoints.

Solaire's 2026 Great Place To Work Certification therefore offers a business lesson that extends beyond the resort itself: workplace culture can be part of an organization's operating strategy, not merely an employer-branding exercise.

For companies in hospitality and other service industries, the more important question after receiving recognition may be what they do next to keep employee trust, engagement, and development moving forward.

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Jobstreet By SEEK Salary Pulse Report Shows Pay Fairness Is Not Enough for Filipino Workers

Jobstreet By SEEK Salary Pulse Report Shows Pay Fairness Is Not Enough for Filipino Workers

Saturday, August 15, 2026

For Philippine employers, offering a salary that employees consider fair may no longer be enough to keep them satisfied or committed.

The 2026 Salary Pulse Report from Jobstreet by SEEK found that 80% of Filipino workers consider themselves fairly or well paid, placing the Philippines second in the Asia-Pacific region, behind Indonesia at 81%. Yet only 59% say they are happy with their salary, while 45% say their earnings remain below what they need to cover their cost of living.

The findings point to an increasingly important issue for business leaders: pay fairness and pay satisfaction are not the same thing.

For companies competing for talent, that distinction has implications for employee engagement, retention, performance and how compensation is discussed with workers.

Why does fair pay not always lead to salary satisfaction?

The Jobstreet by SEEK report surveyed more than 1,000 employed respondents in the Philippines in February 2026. It examined how workers assess their pay, their satisfaction with their salaries and their attitudes toward salary discussions and trade-offs.

Among employees who described their compensation as "fair, about right," only 44% were satisfied with their salary. The remaining 56% were not satisfied despite believing their pay was broadly fair.

That gap suggests employees may be comparing their salaries against more than market rates.

Workers also consider whether their compensation reflects their workload, contribution, career progression and ability to maintain their desired standard of living. In other words, a salary can be considered reasonable within a particular market while still feeling insufficient to the employee receiving it.

This distinction is particularly important in an environment where household expenses and lifestyle expectations continue to influence how workers perceive the value of their income.

What does salary satisfaction mean for employee retention?

The report connects salary satisfaction with both motivation and job-search behavior.

Filipino workers who are happy with their pay are more than 2.2 times as likely to feel motivated and willing to put in extra effort at work, according to the report.

The reverse is also significant. Employees who are unhappy with their salary are 2.9 times more likely to actively look for another job.

For employers, this makes compensation more than a payroll issue. Persistent dissatisfaction can become a retention concern, particularly when employees believe their contribution is not being adequately recognized.

However, the findings also suggest that increasing salaries alone may not address every reason an employee chooses to stay or leave.

Would employees trade workplace culture for a higher salary?

Not necessarily.

The report found that 28% of Filipino employees would consider relocating to another city or country for a 10% salary increase.

But the willingness to make a financial trade-off appears to have limits. Employees were considerably less willing to exchange a positive workplace environment for a toxic culture simply to receive a 10% raise.

That finding is relevant for companies developing total-rewards strategies.

"Total rewards" refers to the broader package employees receive from an employer, including salary, benefits, recognition, career development, flexibility and workplace experience. While compensation remains fundamental, employees may evaluate the entire employment proposition rather than focusing on salary alone.

As Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines Managing Director Dannah Majarocon noted, the gap between fair pay and salary satisfaction indicates that compensation is only one part of the employee experience.

Which generation feels the most financially squeezed?

The report highlights differences across generations.

Millennials appear to be under the greatest financial pressure among the groups measured. About 54% of Millennials who said they were happy with their pay also reported that their salaries were below their standard-of-living needs.

Their salary happiness score was 54%, compared with 61% among Gen Z and 60% among Gen X.

Millennials were also the most open to pursuing side hustles to address the gap between income and expenses.

For employers, this is worth watching. Side work can provide employees with additional income, but it can also raise questions around workload, productivity, conflicts of interest and employee wellbeing when workers are already managing demanding primary jobs.

Gen Z shows a different willingness to compromise

Gen Z respondents demonstrated greater willingness to make certain career trade-offs in exchange for a 10% salary increase.

The report found that 83% of Gen Z workers were open to compromises such as accepting a lower job title or less meaningful work for the higher salary.

This does not necessarily mean younger employees value money above all else. Rather, it highlights how compensation priorities can differ depending on career stage, financial obligations and expectations about work.

For employers, generational differences reinforce the need for more nuanced compensation and career conversations rather than assuming that one reward structure will motivate every employee in the same way.

Which industries have the happiest workers when it comes to pay?

Technology and Construction recorded the highest salary happiness figures in the report.

Technology workers recorded 54% salary happiness, while Construction workers recorded 50%. The report links this sentiment partly to wage growth, noting that nearly half of workers in both sectors received salary increases during the previous 12 months.

The Industrial sector showed the lowest pay satisfaction among the industries highlighted. Fifty-eight percent of Industrial workers said their earnings fell below their cost-of-living requirements.

These differences demonstrate why compensation strategies cannot always be designed using economy-wide averages. Demand for particular skills, labor shortages, business conditions and sector-specific wage movements can all influence how employees perceive their compensation.

What should Philippine employers take from the report?

The central lesson is that salary benchmarking should be only one part of compensation strategy.

A company may pay at or around the market rate and still have employees who feel undervalued. Business leaders therefore need to understand what employees consider a meaningful reward and how they connect compensation with performance and career progression.

Several areas deserve attention:

1. Make salary conversations more transparent

Employees may find it difficult to understand how their pay was determined if companies provide little information about salary ranges, performance expectations or progression.

Clearer communication can help employees distinguish between market competitiveness, individual performance and opportunities for future increases.

2. Connect compensation with career development

A salary increase addresses the present. A visible career path helps employees understand what their future could look like within the organization.

Companies can strengthen retention by explaining what skills, responsibilities and results are required to progress.

3. Recognize contribution beyond annual increases

Recognition does not replace competitive compensation. But employees may also want acknowledgment that their work has a measurable impact.

Recognition programs, professional development opportunities and greater responsibility can complement compensation when they are implemented meaningfully.

4. Pay attention to cost-of-living pressure

The fact that 45% of respondents said their income falls below their cost-of-living needs is particularly relevant for employers.

Companies cannot necessarily adjust compensation to match every change in household expenses. However, understanding how employees experience those pressures can inform benefits, allowances, flexible work arrangements and other forms of support.

5. Treat workplace culture as part of the reward proposition

The willingness of workers to reject a higher salary in exchange for avoiding a toxic workplace highlights the economic value of organizational culture.

Managers influence that experience through communication, workload management, recognition and how fairly decisions are made.

The bigger shift in compensation strategy

The Jobstreet by SEEK findings point to a broader change in how employers may need to think about compensation.

Fairness establishes a baseline. Satisfaction depends on what employees believe that compensation enables and what they believe their contribution is worth.

For Philippine businesses, that makes compensation a strategic issue rather than simply an HR or finance function.

Organizations that understand the difference between "I am paid fairly" and "I am happy with what I earn" will be better positioned to have more productive conversations about rewards, retention and career growth.

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IWG Expands Philippine Flexible Workspace Network in 2026

IWG Expands Philippine Flexible Workspace Network in 2026

Thursday, August 13, 2026

The Philippine flexible workspace market is expanding beyond traditional business districts as International Workplace Group (IWG) prepares to open five new locations across the country in 2026.

The expansion includes four HQ and Regus centers in Bohol, Lapu-Lapu City, and Taguig, plus the Philippine debut of Humanly, IWG's workspace concept designed specifically for healthcare, wellness, beauty, therapy, and fitness professionals.

The move signals a broader shift in the flexible workspace sector. Instead of serving only companies looking for offices, workspace operators are increasingly developing specialized facilities for professionals and businesses that need flexible access to purpose-built spaces.

Where are IWG's new Philippine locations?

IWG's five announced Philippine locations are:

1. HQ Plaza Helena (Panglao Island, Bohol) -  Flexible workspace
2. Regus Island Central Mactan (Lapu-Lapu City) -  Flexible workspace
3. Regus Savya Financial Center (Arca South, Taguig) -  Flexible workspace
4. Regus Alveo Park Triangle Tower (Taguig City) -  Flexible workspace
5. Humanly APECO Super Health Center (Casiguran, Aurora) - Healthcare and wellness workspace

The locations give IWG a presence across established business districts, tourism-oriented areas, and a smaller provincial community.

That geographic spread is important because flexible work is no longer limited to Metro Manila's central business districts.

Why is IWG expanding outside major business districts?

The economics of office space have changed as companies adopt hybrid and distributed working arrangements.

Rather than maintaining large permanent offices for employees who may only work onsite part of the week, businesses can use flexible workspaces when they need additional capacity, meeting facilities, or professional locations.

The same principle applies to individual professionals.

A consultant, freelancer, startup, or healthcare practitioner may need a professional environment without wanting to commit to a conventional long-term lease.

IWG Philippines says it plans to add 29 locations nationwide and reach 76 centers by the end of 2026.

The company's expansion also reflects the growing importance of regional business hubs. For workers who live outside major urban centers, having professional workspace closer to home can reduce commuting time while giving businesses access to local talent.

What is Humanly, and how is it different from a co-working space?

Humanly is IWG's flexible workspace concept for healthcare, wellness, beauty, therapy, and fitness professionals.

Its first Philippine location at the APECO Super Health Center in Casiguran, Aurora, is designed around the practical requirements of these practitioners.

Instead of providing conventional desks and meeting rooms alone, the facility includes spaces such as:

• Private consultation rooms
• Therapy suites
• Treatment rooms
• Reception areas
• Specialist facilities for healthcare and wellness services

The concept addresses a different business problem from traditional co-working.

A healthcare professional, for example, needs more than a desk and Wi-Fi. They need a suitable environment for consultations and treatments, along with the professional setting expected by their clients.

Humanly allows practitioners to access these facilities without having to shoulder the full upfront cost of establishing a conventional clinic or studio.

Why could this model matter to healthcare and wellness businesses?

Traditional premises can require significant capital for rent deposits, fit-outs, equipment, utilities, reception areas, and ongoing maintenance.

A flexible model shifts some of those costs from capital expenditure toward more manageable operating expenses, depending on the practitioner's arrangement and usage.

For new practitioners and smaller businesses, that can lower one of the barriers to establishing a professional practice.

The model could also provide greater flexibility for practitioners who do not need a permanent facility every day.

However, specialized healthcare practices still need to comply with applicable professional, regulatory, licensing, privacy, and health-and-safety requirements. A flexible facility does not remove those obligations.

How is hybrid work changing Philippine real estate?

The expansion comes as companies reconsider how much permanent office space they actually need.

According to Colliers' 2026 Asia Pacific Workplace Insights Report, 82% of organizations in the Philippines are already operating under hybrid work models, while 32% plan to invest further in workplace upgrades over the following year.

That suggests the office is not disappearing. Instead, its purpose is changing.

Companies may need fewer traditional desks but greater access to meeting rooms, collaboration areas, client-facing spaces, and strategically located offices.

For commercial real estate, this creates an opportunity for flexible workspace operators to become part of a company's broader workplace strategy.

IWG also cites research showing that more than 83% of CEOs have policies allowing employees to work from more than one location.

What does the expansion mean for businesses?

For companies, flexible workspace can offer an alternative to committing capital to permanent office infrastructure.

This can be particularly relevant for businesses entering new cities or testing regional markets.

A company may establish a local presence through a flexible office before deciding whether a permanent facility makes commercial sense.

Flexible workspaces can also support:

• Market expansion — Businesses can establish a presence in new locations without immediately taking on a long-term lease.
• Hybrid work — Employees can work closer to home while retaining access to professional facilities.
• Business continuity — Companies can use alternative workspace when their primary office is unavailable.
• Cost management — Businesses can align workspace requirements more closely with actual usage.
• Regional hiring — Employers can potentially access talent outside traditional business centers.

For SMEs and startups, these considerations can be particularly important because office infrastructure can compete with investments in hiring, technology, product development, and customer acquisition.

What does IWG's global growth say about the flexible workspace market?

IWG's Philippine expansion forms part of a much larger global strategy.

The company says it signed 1,132 locations and opened 782 centers in 2025. Its global network now spans more than 120 countries and includes over one million rooms.

IWG also says 85% of Fortune 500 companies are among its customers.

These figures point to an important development in commercial real estate: flexible workspace is increasingly being treated as an established component of corporate real estate strategy rather than simply an option for freelancers and startups.

The company's expansion also reflects a shift toward decentralized work, where employees and businesses operate across multiple locations rather than relying exclusively on a single headquarters.

What comes next for flexible workspaces in the Philippines?

The next stage of Philippine workplace development is likely to be less about choosing between "office" and "remote work" and more about creating a mix of spaces suited to different needs.

For companies, that could mean maintaining a smaller headquarters while using flexible offices in other locations.

For professionals, it could mean having access to specialized work environments without making long-term property commitments.

And for regional economies, the expansion of professional workspace could help support business activity outside Metro Manila.

IWG's launch of Humanly adds another dimension to that trend. By extending flexible workspace into healthcare and wellness, the company is testing how the model can serve industries where the physical environment is part of the service itself.

As Philippine businesses continue adapting to hybrid work, the real opportunity may be in building a more distributed commercial ecosystem—one where offices, clinics, coworking facilities, and specialized workspaces are available closer to where people actually live and work.

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Skyro Hits 2 Million Product Loans in Philippine Market

Skyro Hits 2 Million Product Loans in Philippine Market

Skyro has reached two million product loan transactions in the Philippines, four years after entering the local market, as demand for consumer financing continues to reshape how Filipinos make major purchases.

The milestone comes as the SEC-registered lending company expands its network to more than 10,000 partner stores and over 3,000 online and offline merchant partners. The company says it is targeting further expansion across the country, with a goal of doubling its growth.

For businesses, the development points to the increasing role of financing at the point of purchase. For consumers, it reflects a broader shift toward payment options that allow them to acquire appliances, smartphones, and other products without paying the entire cost upfront.

Why is consumer financing becoming important to Philippine retailers?

Retail financing allows customers to purchase products through credit and pay according to an agreed repayment schedule. Instead of treating credit as a separate financial transaction, point-of-sale financing integrates it directly into the shopping experience.

That model can benefit retailers by giving customers another way to complete a purchase, particularly when they do not have enough cash available immediately.

Skyro says its financing solutions have helped partner stores increase sales by at least 30%. The company also reports that SMEs account for more than 60% of its sales volume, highlighting the role smaller retailers play in its expansion.

The company's merchant ecosystem includes major retailers such as Abenson, Robinsons Appliances, and EMCOR, alongside smartphone brands including HONOR, TECNO, and Infinix.

How does Skyro's model support financial inclusion?

One of the more significant implications of consumer lending is its potential to connect people with the formal financial system.

For consumers who have never borrowed from a formal financial institution, a product loan can represent an entry point into the credit system. Responsible repayment may help establish a credit history, although the impact depends on how the lender reports and manages credit information.

Skyro says many of its customers are first-time borrowers. Its use of credit-profile-based risk models is intended to allow the company to tailor financing to individual customers while encouraging responsible borrowing.

This is particularly relevant in a market where access to formal financial services remains an important policy and business issue.

Financial inclusion is not simply about making credit available. It also requires that credit is offered responsibly, clearly explained, and appropriate for the borrower's ability to repay.

What does Skyro's 2 million loan milestone mean for merchants?

The growth of embedded financing could give retailers another tool for converting customer interest into actual sales.

For SMEs, this can be particularly relevant. A customer may want to buy an appliance or smartphone but hesitate because of the upfront price. Offering financing at checkout gives the retailer an additional way to close that sale.

Skyro says its partner network includes thousands of SMEs and that these businesses contribute more than 60% of its sales volume.

The model also allows financing providers to become part of the broader retail ecosystem rather than operating separately from merchants.

As more purchases move between physical stores and online platforms, the ability to offer financing across both channels could become increasingly important.

What financing options does Skyro offer?

According to the company, its financing products can include offers such as:

• Zero-down-payment options
• Promotional 0% interest offers
• Flexible payment terms
• Financing available through physical and online merchants
• Credit decisions informed by customer profiles

Terms, eligibility, interest charges, fees, and repayment schedules can vary by product and promotion. Consumers should review the complete financing agreement before accepting a loan.

Why are SMEs important to the consumer lending market?

The participation of smaller businesses is significant because SMEs are a major part of the Philippine retail economy.

A financing platform that works with large national chains alone can reach consumers in major commercial centers. A wider SME network, however, can potentially bring financing closer to communities where consumers shop locally.

For lenders, this also creates a larger distribution network. For merchants, financing can become an additional sales tool without requiring them to develop their own lending infrastructure.

This is one reason the competition in consumer finance is increasingly about more than simply offering credit. Distribution, technology, risk assessment, merchant relationships, and customer experience are becoming equally important.

What comes next for Skyro?

Following the two-million-loan milestone, Skyro says it plans to expand its merchant ecosystem, invest further in technology and data capabilities, and reach more consumers outside major commercial areas.

Co-CEO Arsen Lyametov said the company's growth strategy will continue to focus on technology, security, operational efficiency, and responsible lending.

That direction reflects a broader evolution in consumer finance. As credit becomes embedded into retail transactions, lenders have to balance accessibility with risk management.

For consumers, convenience should not be the only measure of a good financing product. The more important considerations remain affordability, transparency, repayment capacity, and the total cost of borrowing.

What does the growth of digital consumer financing mean for Filipinos?

Skyro's two-million-loan milestone illustrates how financing is becoming increasingly integrated into everyday retail in the Philippines.

The opportunity is significant for both merchants and consumers. Retailers can potentially reach customers who need payment flexibility, while borrowers can gain access to formal credit and, when managed responsibly, develop a financial track record.

But continued growth also raises the importance of responsible lending. As more Filipinos encounter credit directly at checkout, consumers need clear information about interest, fees, repayment obligations, and the consequences of missed payments.

The next phase of Philippine consumer financing will therefore not be measured by loan volume alone. Trust, transparency, responsible credit access, and the ability to serve underserved consumers will be just as important to sustainable growth.

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Why Indigenous Knowledge Can Shape Sustainable Food Systems

Why Indigenous Knowledge Can Shape Sustainable Food Systems

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Food sustainability is often discussed through the language of technology, innovation, and new agricultural systems. But some of the most useful ideas may already exist in communities that have managed forests and food resources for generations.

Indigenous knowledge can help build more sustainable food systems by connecting food production with cultural traditions, environmental stewardship, and local livelihoods. Sago offers a compelling example. In the Philippines and Indonesia, communities are finding ways to turn a traditional forest crop into commercially viable food products without separating economic development from the protection of ancestral lands.

The approach is particularly relevant as food producers look for ways to make agriculture more resilient while creating opportunities for rural and Indigenous communities.

What makes sago important to sustainable food systems?

Sago is a starch extracted from the trunk of several species of palm. It has long been an important food source in parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where communities have developed extensive knowledge about growing, harvesting, processing, and using the crop.

Its significance goes beyond nutrition.

In communities where sago forests form part of the traditional landscape, the crop can support food security while providing a reason to protect forest ecosystems. Processing sago locally can also create additional economic value instead of selling raw resources with limited processing.

That connection between food, livelihood, culture, and conservation is central to the experiences of Indigenous communities in South Sorong, Indonesia, and Caraga in the Philippines.

How are Indigenous communities turning traditional knowledge into economic opportunities?

In South Sorong, members of the Knasaimos Indigenous community have been working to protect sago forests while developing products that can generate additional household income.

The community's relationship with the forest is reflected in the Tehit Knasaimos philosophy, "Tabraw'o mamfe teme," or "The forest is our Mother."

That philosophy has practical implications. Rather than viewing the forest simply as a source of raw materials, the community treats its resources as something that needs to be maintained for future generations.

The community began replanting sago forests in 2018 and 2019 after years of environmental pressure linked to illegal logging and timber development.

The restoration effort demonstrates an important principle in sustainable food production: conservation and economic activity do not necessarily have to compete when communities have control over how natural resources are used.

What role do women and young people play?

Women and young people have become important participants in the community's sago economy.

Women are involved in seed selection and household food security, while younger community members are being trained in resource management, processing, and entrepreneurship.

The Merdesa Village School, or SEKAM, supports youth involvement in natural resource management. The program is associated with the Bentara Papua Association, which also established the Sira Bentara Papua Station as a hub for agricultural learning, food processing, and organizational development.

This matters because Indigenous knowledge can disappear when younger generations no longer see a viable future in their communities.

Creating economic opportunities around traditional resources gives younger people another reason to remain connected to their land and cultural practices.

How can sago become more than a traditional staple?

One of the biggest changes has been moving sago beyond household consumption.

Through training and product development, the community has created products including:

• Sago flour
• Noodles
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Cendol
• Meatballs
• Functional snacks

These products are marketed under the Tepung Sagu Mangsir brand.

Adding value through processing can potentially create more income than selling or consuming the raw agricultural resource alone. It can also create opportunities for small businesses involved in packaging, distribution, retail, tourism, and food services.

The community's experience illustrates why local food systems should not be evaluated only by how much they produce. How communities process, market, and retain value from their resources is equally important.

Can sustainable food production also restore forests?

The South Sorong initiative suggests that food production and forest restoration can work together when the economic model rewards conservation.

The community has replanted approximately five hectares of sago forest, according to the initiative. The restoration has also helped revive at least 11 companion tree species and protect four local sago varieties: Falya dla, Fa Sampe, Fablen, and Fanomik.

The economic incentive is straightforward. If healthy forests provide food and income, maintaining those forests becomes part of protecting the community's livelihood.

This is an example of what is sometimes described as a restorative economy: an economic approach designed not only to generate income but also to help restore the environmental and social systems on which that income depends.

What does this mean for the Philippines?

The Indonesian experience offers a useful reference for Philippine communities with traditional knowledge of local crops and natural resources.

In Caraga, a Manobo community has established what is described as the Philippines' first sago palm flour enterprise. The initiative demonstrates how Indigenous knowledge can be paired with processing and entrepreneurship to create greater economic value from a traditional crop.

Sago is also familiar to Filipino consumers. Its starch is used in products and dishes such as taho and halo-halo, but its potential extends well beyond these familiar applications.

As interest in plant-based ingredients and alternative food sources grows, traditional crops such as sago could receive renewed attention.

The opportunity, however, should not be viewed simply as turning Indigenous resources into commercial products. The more important question is whether commercialization can happen with Indigenous communities, rather than merely around them.

That means respecting community ownership, traditional knowledge, cultural identity, and decisions about how ancestral resources should be managed.

Why does Indigenous knowledge matter to the future of food?

Modern food systems face several interconnected challenges, including environmental degradation, pressure on natural resources, changing consumer expectations, and the need to create sustainable livelihoods.

Indigenous communities offer knowledge developed through long-term interaction with specific ecosystems.

That knowledge can include which plants thrive in particular environments, how resources should be harvested, how ecosystems respond to changes, and which practices help maintain food sources over generations.

It should not be romanticized as automatically sustainable. Indigenous communities, like all communities, face changing economic and environmental conditions. But their accumulated knowledge can provide valuable insights when combined with appropriate science, market access, technology, and community-led decision-making.

The lesson from sago is therefore broader than one crop.

Building food systems that benefit both people and nature

The future of sustainable food production will require more than producing alternative ingredients or developing new agricultural technologies.

It will also require recognizing the people who already understand local ecosystems and giving them meaningful opportunities to shape the economic systems built around those resources.

The sago initiatives in South Sorong and Caraga show what that can look like: traditional knowledge supporting food production, women and young people gaining new roles, local enterprises creating added value, and forest restoration becoming part of the economic equation.

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