The Blue Ink

  One afternoon at SM Aura was enough to show why generations of shoppers have made the Negros Trade Fair a much-awaited celebration. The Association of Negros Producers (ANP) , together with SM Supermalls , officially launched BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair with a preview that brought together the flavors, fashion, craftsmanship, stories, and creative spirit of Negros. From September 22 to 27, 2026 , the landmark anniversary edition will bring 178 brands from the Negros Island Region to the SMX Convention Center Aura. A Journey to Negros — Without Booking a Flight! One of the media launch’s most evocative moments was the unveiling of the official BÚTLAK video. Taking viewers through the places, flavors, craftsmanship, and stories of Negros, the film offered the kind of visual journey that could make anyone want to book a flight and experience the island for themselves. But there is no need to pack a suitcase. This September, Negros is coming to Manila for six days of food, fa...

  For thousands of Filipinos, finding the right job begins with having the right opportunity within reach. SM Job Fair marked a major milestone while widening access to employment and skills development — from celebrating its 500th nationwide job fair and bringing SM Group employers directly to communities, to working with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to connect technical-vocational training with careers. Together, these initiatives reflect SM Supermalls’ continuing commitment to make the journey from preparing for work to finding meaningful employment more accessible to Filipinos. 500 JOB FAIRS — AND COUNTING! On August 12, SM City Daet hosted the 500th SM Job Fair, marking an important milestone in SM Supermalls’ nationwide jobs advocacy. As of its 500th Job Fair, the program has connected around 330,000 jobseekers with thousands of employers nationwide, resulting in more than 42,000 applicants hired on the spot (HOTS). Behind those numbers are...

  Mall operator sustains portfolio transformation reinforced with customer-obsessed strategy following strong H1 business performance SM Supermalls delivered record revenues in the first half the year, expanding 8% to P41.8 billion from P38.6 billion. Its exceptional performance was driven by higher leasable space and tenant sign-ups, along with steady foot traffic. Total gross leasable area grew 3 percent to 5.1 million square meters from 5.0 million square meters, while the number of tenants rose 4 percent to 23,174 from 22,192. Average daily foot traffic was steady at 3.7 million. “Our growth reflects the enduring trust of our tenants and shoppers. Despite macroeconomic headwinds, they continue to find value in the variety of our offerings and the strong sense of community in our malls,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan. “This gives us confidence to keep investing in spaces and experiences that respond to their changing needs.” SM’s Transformation Journey Noting market de...

  From Gen Z innovation to zero-waste businesses, Filipino coco-preneurs are taking coconut somewhere new. A coconut may be familiar, but what Filipino entrepreneurs are doing with it is anything but. A college feasibility study has become a Gen Z-run coconut milk business. Surplus coconut shells are being transformed into handcrafted bags while helping provide livelihood to more than 100 workers. And one entrepreneur has developed around 40 products by finding new uses for virtually every part of the coconut. These are among the ideas and founder stories waiting to be discovered at the DTI-Bagong Pilipinas COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair 2026 , now underway at SMX Convention Center Manila until August 30 . “Over the next five days, we bring our coco-preneurs, our buyers, shoppers and partners together under one roof here in SMX as we celebrate National Coconut Week,” said DTI Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista during the opening ceremony. Mounted by the Department of Trade a...

  As ridership on the EDSA Bus Carousel increases, infrastructure evolves to meet daily demand Every day, over 170,000 commuters board the EDSA Bus Carousel to get to work, school, and everywhere in between – and this passenger count continues to climb. As more Filipinos turn to the EDSA busway as their daily mode of transportation, the infrastructure around its busiest stations is being pushed to keep pace, with one of the initiatives being a direct walkway linking the bus station to SM Megamall. The SM Megamall EDSA Busway Concourse, which opened to the public on April 2026, is an elevated, weather-protected walkway that connects the EDSA Bus Carousel’s SM Megamall station to SM Megamall Building A, eliminating the need for commuters to traverse the lengthy stretch across EDSA. It houses escalators and elevators to ensure convenient access for all, including commuters with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant women. The concourse was developed by your most loved SM Superma...

  Forty years. Generations of makers. One landmark celebration of everything Negros — back at SM Some fairs are worth visiting for the shopping. Others for the food. BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair gives you 40 years of reasons to come. From September 22 to 27, 2026, the country’s longest-running provincial trade fair returns to SMX Convention Center Aura, bringing the best of Negros closer to Metro Manila shoppers for its milestone 40th anniversary. Through SM for MSMEs, SM Supermalls continues its collaboration with the Association of Negros Producers (ANP), helping provide Negrense entrepreneurs a highly visible marketplace where their products, stories and craftsmanship can connect with more customers and potential markets. This year’s theme, BÚTLAK, celebrates a legacy moving forward with fresh energy: honoring the flavors, craftsmanship and stories that made the fair an institution while giving Negrense creativity a distinctly contemporary spin. Whether you come to eat, sh...

  Neither rain nor disrupted schedules could stop jobseekers from pursuing their next opportunity. After being rescheduled to August 17–18 due to inclement weather in Metro Manila, the PMAP Mega Job Fair 2026, held in collaboration with SM Job Fair, pushed through at the SM City North EDSA Skydome — connecting jobseekers with employers, career coaches, upskilling opportunities, and employment support services under one roof. The two-day event brought together around 30 employers and hundreds of jobseekers, with several applicants hired on the spot (HOTS). Held in celebration of the People Management Association of the Philippines' (PMAP) 70th Anniversary, the career fair carried the theme “HumanITy Forward 2026: Empowering Talent in a Digital World,” putting the spotlight not only on getting Filipinos hired, but also on helping them become better prepared for the changing world of work. More than getting hired For Ghie Lara, Chairperson of PMAP's Employability Committee, the ev...