Business as usual

By the time this piece comes out, another State of the Nation Address is done, perhaps minus the pompous red carpet, fashion show-like mood — if the ladies can actually help it.

- IRIS GONZALES

With or without the excessive display of extravagance, it's a much-awaited SONA because it comes at a time when the political climate in the country has become as heated as a pressure cooker on the verge of exploding. The two warring political families, it seems, are loving the chaos.

Businessmen, however, just want to go about their respective businesses. Some issues they are particularly keeping a close watch on include the final US tariffs to be slapped on the Philippines, workers' proposals for a legislated wage hike, the controversial Konektadong Pinoy measure and a blueprint for the economy amid the increasingly challenging global environment.

Ayala bets on Anko

For the country's oldest conglomerate, Ayala Corp., it's business as usual as it continues to navigate the changing times.

The STAR recently sat down with Mark Robert Uy, head of corporate strategy and business development at Ayala, and we had an interesting chat about Anko, the Australian home and lifestyle brand that the conglomerate brought to the Philippines.

It was in 2023, Mark recalled, when Mariana Zobel de Ayala went to Australia, entered an Anko store and left with two arms full of shopping bags while spending less than the equivalent of roughly P2,000.

The rest is history. Ayala decided to venture into retail — beyond being just a mall landlord — by bringing Anko to the country. Anko just opened its third and largest store in the Philippines early this month in Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.