25 Years of Charity and Celebration: The Grandest World Bazaar Festival Opens!

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The metro’s most anticipated one-stop shop and holiday marketplace —World Bazaar Festival, officially opens its doors today, December 12, 2025, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. Now on its historic 25th year, WBF fills the holiday atmosphere with nostalgia for Christmas through the years. More than just a showcase of booths, products, and great finds, the event creates moments for everyone to bond, and serves as a joyful platform that embraces the true spirit of the season — sharing, celebrating, and being together. 

Hosted by online presenter and YouTube content creator Ms. Charlotte Ferguson, the opening ceremonies featured Mr. Joseph Ang, Founding Chairman of Worldbex Services International (WSI), who delivered the opening remarks, welcoming visitors to ten days of festive treats and holiday cheer. Joining him were Co-founding Chair Ms. Levi Ang, WSI Managing Director Ms. Jill Aithnie Ang, and WSI Finance Director Ms. Michelle Paula Ang-Yu. The event was also graced by distinguished guests, including Pasay City Mayor Hon. Imelda Calixto-Rubiano; Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Hon. Christina Garcia Frasco, represented by Director Judy D. Gabato; Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Hon. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., represented by Assistant Secretary Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra; and Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, Hon. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, represented by Assistant Secretary Dominic R. Tolentino. The event also honored its long-time partnership with the ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. in the presence of the Managing Director, Ms. Roberta Lopez-Feliciano  who received the special token of appreciation. 

With the grand lineup of speakers, VIP guests, and personalities, the symbolic ribbon-cutting, accompanied by the opening of festive gift boxes and a series of grand performances, set the tone for the biggest and grandest holiday bazaar in the country.

Further, the spirit of giving is more than alive as the festival presented tokens and gifts to 100 children, followed by a dazzling Christmas lighting at the Jingle Mingle Stage inside the halls.

Worldbex Services International (WSI) is wrapping up the year with full holiday cheer at the World Bazaar Festival. Shoppers can drop by today until December 21, 2025, between 10 AM to 10 PM at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. With Christmas just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to explore, enjoy the holiday rush, and shop all the way!

You can get your tickets now at www.worldbazaarfestival.com, or visit the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/worldbazaarfestival for more details. 

The World Bazaar Festival is for the benefit of the ABS-CBN Foundation and is organized by the leading event organizers in the country, Worldbex Services International. 

The Grid Revolution: Solar is Now 'Anytime' Electricity as Battery Costs Plummet!

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

A monumental shift is reshaping the global energy landscape: the once-prohibitive cost of battery storage has collapsed, making dispatchable solar—solar power available day and night—an economic reality. New analysis from the energy think tank Ember reveals that dramatic price drops in 2025 have confirmed batteries are now cheap enough to transform cheap daytime solar into reliable, anytime electricity.

This is a game-changer for countries with soaring electricity demand and abundant solar resources.

The New Benchmark: $65/MWh Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS)

Ember's assessment, based on recent auction results from markets like Saudi Arabia, India, and Italy, shows the Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS) has fallen to just $65/MWh as of October 2025, in markets outside of the US and China.

This groundbreaking LCOS is driven by a stunning reduction in the total cost to build a utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS):

Total Project Capital Expenditure (CAPEX): An all-in cost of just $125/kWh for long-duration (4 hours or more) utility-scale BESS projects.

Core Equipment Cost: The core equipment, mainly sourced from China, costs around $75/kWh. This covers the BESS enclosures, Power Conversion System (PCS), and Energy Management System (EMS).

Installation & Connection: Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services and grid connection typically add approximately $50/kWh.

More Than Just Cheaper Batteries

While the cost of battery equipment saw a 40% fall in 2024 and is on track for another major decline in 2025, the dramatic drop in LCOS is not solely due to cheaper hardware. Modern battery performance is far superior, with key improvements contributing to the sharp decline in storage costs:

Longer Lifetime

Modern Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology enables a 20-year standard design life, which alone reduces the LCOS by approximately $20/MWh.

Higher Efficiency

Round-trip, AC-to-AC efficiencies are now typically 90%, cutting an estimated $5/MWh off the LCOS compared to older models.

Lower Project Risk

Increased safety and the shift from high-risk merchant revenue models to lower-risk auction models have lowered the cost of capital from 10% to 7%, saving around $10/MWh.

Taken together, these performance and financing improvements have reduced the LCOS by over a third—from an estimated $100/MWh to $65/MWh—even before accounting for falling battery prices.

The Economic Case for Dispatchable Solar

The $65/MWh LCOS means that turning intermittent solar energy into reliable, dispatchable power is stunningly cheap:

The Cost to Store: Shifting 50% of a day’s solar generation to cover night-time demand adds only $33/MWh to the total cost of solar.

Total Dispatchable Cost: Using the 2024 global average solar price of $43/MWh, the resulting total cost of dispatchable solar is just $76/MWh.

"Solar is no longer just cheap daytime electricity; with storage, it becomes dispatchable, anytime electricity," said Kostantsa Rangelova, Global Electricity Analyst at Ember.

This makes dispatchable solar competitive with, and often cheaper and quicker than, building a new gas power plant, especially in countries reliant on costly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports. The pairing of solar and batteries provides a scalable, secure, and affordable foundation that is on track to meet much of the world’s future energy demand growth over the next decade.

Igniting the Nation's Engine: SM and Jobstreet Power the MSME Summit 2025

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The heart of the Philippines' economy beat stronger on November 25, 2025, as a powerful collaboration between Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines and SM Supermalls culminated in the highly successful MSME Summit 2025. Held at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the event gathered a dynamic crowd of entrepreneurs, industry titans, and key stakeholders, all united by a singular mission: to empower and accelerate Filipino Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

A Shared Vision for National Growth

The summit served as a vibrant testament to the shared commitment of Jobstreet and SM Supermalls to foster sustainable growth for the nation's backbone industries.

Ms. Dannah Majarocon, Managing Director of Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines, underscored the summit's critical goal: supporting MSMEs as the undeniable driving force of the Philippine economy.

Joaquin L. San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing of SM Supermalls, delivered a profoundly inspirational message, reinforcing SM's unwavering support for Filipino entrepreneurs.

"SM is not just a venue—it’s a partner in every MSME’s success story," stated San Agustin. He added, "When MSMEs grow, the nation grows. Every small business that thrives represents a dream realized, a livelihood sustained, and a community strengthened".

SM's own journey, from a small shoe store in Carriedo to a massive presence with 88 malls nationwide, echoes the spirit of its MSME partners. San Agustin highlighted that almost 70% of SM's tenants are MSMEs, cementing their success as the very foundation of SM's continued growth. Through the SM for MSMEs program, the company actively provides essential support, including high-foot-traffic retail spaces, crucial market access, and visibility to help entrepreneurs scale sustainably.

The Blueprint for Scaling: Key Learning Sessions

The MSME Summit delivered an arsenal of practical knowledge through powerful key sessions designed to address the most urgent needs of small businesses. Attendees received game-changing insights across crucial business pillars:

Talent and Hiring: Participants learned how to scale their first hire from Mr. Henry Jose “Joey” Yusingco of Jobstreet.

Technology and Innovation: Ms. Arlynne Roa-Awayan of Asia Pacific College led a session exploring AI applications for small businesses.

Logistics and Operations: Experts from Lalamove PH, 2GO Travel, and DITO BizBayan provided essential guidance on logistics and operations.

Ms. Flor Tanay of Lalamove PH, Mr. Francis John Cha of 2GO Travel, and Mr. Gabriel Cui of DITO of BizBayan specifically presented logistics and digital solutions designed to help MSMEs scale.

Marketing: Ms. Life Dawn Cervero of TikTok guided attendees on mastering smart marketing on a budget.

Finance Hacks: A high-profile panel featuring partners from BDO, Maya, RCBC, BanKo, and Asialink shared vital finance hacks for achieving sustainable growth.

The atmosphere was further electrified by real-life inspiration, including success stories like that of Kay & Karl Santos of 1919 Chocolate, who shared their experience scaling a Filipino business.

Networking and Engagement

Beyond the main stage, the summit fostered hands-on learning and practical engagement.

Partner Demos: Attendees actively engaged in partner demos.

Partner Passport Challenge: This interactive activity encouraged attendees to make their rounds, visiting different booths to learn about essential services supporting MSME growth, such as hiring solutions, business tools, digital platforms, and other partner services.

Booths from partners like Jobstreet, BDO, Maya, BanKo, Asialink, and others were active during the challenge.

The MSME Summit 2025 was more than an event; it was a powerful statement that reaffirmed SM Supermalls' enduring commitment to Filipino entrepreneurship. By providing innovative programs, essential physical spaces, and strategic partnerships, SM helps MSMEs innovate, scale, and thrive amidst a rapidly evolving economy.

SM Supermalls champions Filipino entrepreneurship as the country’s biggest marketplace for MSMEs, driving local growth and fueling the Filipino spirit of enterprise.