CHICAGO – Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating at exponential rates, and companies are expected to adopt AI at a faster pace in the next few months, according to data activation company Boomi.

“I think we are going to start seeing enterprise-wide adoption of AI. I think we’ve reached a point where we understand the risks, we understand the value,” Dan McAllister, senior vice president of global alliances and channels at Boomi, told 大象传媒 on the sidelines of Boomi World here on May 13.

“We understand the cost model. And it’s matured enough where companies can actually start making real decisions based on RoI (return on investment), based on risk profile, based on tasks that they want to have accomplished,” he added.

Mr. McAllister said Boomi’s role is to help companies achieve all these things as it provides a strategic foundation for integration, application programming interfaces (API), data, automation, and agentic AI.

“I think technology has caught up to the outcomes that customers want to achieve. We’ve seen enough to now take some action. You’re going to see some people take some bets and put this out in the market. Of course, there will be those that left behind. There will be ones that go too fast. But we’re going to start seeing some real success,” he said.

As VP for global alliances and channels, Mr. McAllister’s role is to manage the company’s go-to-market partnerships and commercialized partnerships. This includes systems integrator relationships, product alliances, and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners that package Boomi within their own solutions.

Boomi currently has around 300 OEM partners, and around 400 active systems integration partners.

Mr. McAllister said Boomi is already a very successful company with hundreds of partners that were successful in their go-to-market strategy.

“I felt that we could leverage that as well as modify it a bit to really help the business grow… Our win rate is three times of what it is when we work alone. And so it’s when you think about what kind of an impact a partner can have, that’s pretty impressive,” he said.

In selecting partners, Mr. McAllister said Boomi is looking for companies that are “bringing value to their customers and are essentially winning on their own”.

“But we can provide value to them within their go-to-market strategy,” he added.

For systems integration partners, he said they are looking for those with technical or industry expertise.

“We look for partners who have that (expertise) because now they can apply our solution to the problem. It’s a bit like we give them the raw materials, they build the house,” he said.

Among the recent announcements at Boomi World, Mr. McAllister highlighted Boomi Companion and Boomi Connect as the most notable developments.

Boomi Companion aims to accelerate agentic engineering on the Boomi enterprise platform. Developers can now design, build, test, deploy, and diagnose integrations through natural language using their preferred AI tools.

Boomi Connect provides secure, governed connectivity between AI tools such as Claude, Copilot and Gemini, and enterprise applications through managed, Model Context Protocol (MCP)-enabled tools.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Meanwhile, Serco, a leading public services organization, has modernized its operations by leveraging Boomi AI agents and accelerating enterprise-wide integration initiatives.

Kiran Narayan, director for products and digital capabilities at Serco Australia, said the company was already using Boomi when they discovered that powerful AI capabilities were already available within the platform.

In an interview on the sidelines of Boomi World, Mr. Narayan said they were privy to the early access program for AgentStudio, and they started experimenting on the different agents.

“Boomi’s integration also has had a lot of improvements through the process. We have had significant recalibration of our processes… It created more efficiency,” he said.

With Boomi, Serco has significantly lowered integration complexity and time-to-delivery. Using Boomi Scribe, Serco said that documentation that once required 40-60 hours now takes only 6-12 hours. Individual documentation tasks dropped to 15 minutes from three hours previously.

Mr. Narayan said Boomi has a “very good support system” for customers like Serco.

“Boomi clearly differentiates itself with a very positive approach and culture in helping every customer, regardless of the size, regardless of where they are around the globe, with the best possible team equipped to support,” he said.

Mr. Narayan said he is very excited about the new innovations such as Boomi Orchestrate and Boomi Companion.

“I’m a technologist at heart. I’m seeing so many possibilities,” he said.

StreamZone199 includes 11GB of streaming data and 11GB of all-access data with data rollover, along with unlimited calls and texts to all networks, DITO said in a statement.

The package also comes with 30-day access to Prime Video, iWant, and BLAST TV, and supports access to other streaming platforms, including Netflix, VivaMax, Viva One, DashFlix, and iQIYI.

DITO said the offering is aimed at addressing the growing demand for mobile-based entertainment in the country, as more users shift to streaming content on their devices.

鈥淒ITO positions the StreamZone lineup as a streaming-aligned bundle that integrates data access, content platforms, and added value 鈥� designed not only to support seamless viewing experiences, but to enhance the overall entertainment experience for Ditozens,鈥� it said.

StreamZone199 is available nationwide via the DITO app. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

CHICAGO 鈥� Boomi, the data activation company, wants to help enterprises make their data ready for the artificial intelligence (AI) world.

鈥淥nly 7% of your organization鈥檚 data is AI ready today. AI-ready being things like contextual, consistent, etc. And these projects, they鈥檙e going to be abandoned unless you have your data activated and ready,鈥� Steve Lucas, Boomi chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), said in a keynote speech during Boomi World here on May 13. 鈥淏ut we can help. We can do this together.鈥�

Boomi currently moves twice the amount of data per second for its 30,000 customers than Visa does every day, he said.

鈥淲hen I looked at that number, I realized we are way more about the journey for the data than the destination. At Boomi, our job is to help you move data, get information to the right place, to the right people, to the right agents… with quality and context,鈥� Mr. Lucas said.

The Boomi CEO said data activation is critical to the success of any enterprise, as the data will be activated not just for human intelligence but for AI.

鈥淲e want to put you at the center of the center, that center of data. Automation, integration, and AI. And that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e focused on with Boomi as the data activation company,鈥� Mr. Lucas said.

鈥淒ata is not the new oil… Data is simply sand. There are tons of it. Not all of it鈥檚 useful, but we can do amazing things with it. We can turn sand into chips, silicon. We can do these things with data, but it鈥檚 only if you put it to work. It鈥檚 only if you activate that data,鈥� he said.

With all the hype about AI, Mr. Lucas emphasized that AI needs to translate into real return on investment (RoI).

鈥淣o matter how good AI is, if RoI doesn鈥檛 exist, it won鈥檛 matter. Who cares if it鈥檚 more creative… The RoI must exist for AI,鈥� he said.

He noted that around 95% of AI projects miss RoI, because 鈥渋t鈥檚 just too easy to start鈥� with no planning and analysis.

鈥淥ur job is to find value in RoI. Our job is to not brag about numbers. Our job is to help you become the center of the universe where data, automation, integration, and AI, where they converge,鈥� Mr. Lucas said.

In terms of RoI, he said they are looking at time savings and productivity boosts.

鈥淎re we saving people time? Time equals capacity for our sellers, for our marketers, for our engineers…听 I would say that we have solidly saved 100,000 or so hours per year at Boomi worth of productivity,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e are still growing. What we鈥檙e realizing is that we can produce more products and support more customers with the same number of people that we have. So, if anything, I would say that productivity or all of this AI has led us to a greater ambition for our growth. That鈥檚 the RoI,鈥� he added.

ENTERPRISE PLATFORM
Meanwhile, Boomi announced a major expansion of its enterprise platform to support modern, AI-driven environments.

At Boomi World, the company said it was adding new capabilities across orchestrated agentic workflows, agentic engineering, governed agent connectivity, grounded agent context, and localized agent infrastructure.

These innovations are expected to power the agentic enterprise, 鈥渨here agents and humans work together to drive action and operationalize AI at scale,鈥� it said.

鈥淓very enterprise transformation has a platform moment. For agentic AI, that moment is now. Customers don鈥檛 need more disconnected tools; they need an active data foundation that connects data, orchestrates workflows, and governs AI for people and agents. With these new innovations, we鈥檙e extending the Boomi Enterprise Platform to make that foundation a reality,鈥� Ed Macosky, chief product and technology officer at Boomi, said.

With an acceleration in AI adoption, many enterprises are having problems in scaling beyond initial use cases because of fragmented systems and lack of operational infrastructure.

Boomi introduced new innovations to address these issues faced by enterprises.

Boomi Connect provides secure, governed connectivity between AI tools and enterprise applications through model context protocol (MCP)-enabled tools, while Boomi AI Gateway enables built-in policy enforcement, cost controls, and observability.

The MCP Registry allows enterprises to scale AI with control and manage MCP servers across Boomi.

Boomi Orchestrate allows customers to turn business ideas into enterprise-grade agentic workflows, while Agent SIM lets organizations simulate and validate agent behavior before deployment.

Boomi Companion is touted to accelerate agentic engineering on the Boomi platform. It is a collection of open-source agent skills that allow developers to design, build, test, deploy, and diagnose integrations through natural language using AI tools that they prefer.

With Agentstudio, developers can invoke Boomi agents from any architecture or pipeline, while non-technical users can securely surface them within custom apps and portals.

Boomi Knowledge Hub provides a single, unified context layer to ensure AI agents and people always work from trusted, up-to-date information.

Boomi Meta Hub grounds AI agents and people in expert-endorsed business definitions that improve agent accuracy, eliminate fragmented interpretations, and ensure consistent business logic at scale.

Distributed Agent Runtime reduces cloud latency and controls costs by deploying agents on-premises while keeping sensitive data behind the firewall.

Agentstudio Multi-region Instances allow enterprises to scale agents globally by leaving agent metadata and runtime execution in specified regions.

鈥淲e鈥檙e entering the next phase of enterprise AI, where success won鈥檛 be defined by how many agents you deploy, but by how well they are connected, governed, and grounded in trusted data. With more than 30,000 customers and AI guided by hundreds of millions of integrations, we鈥檙e helping organizations move from connected and automated to fully agentic, and turn AI into real operational impact,鈥� Mr. Lucas said.

Boomi recently received several analyst recognitions, such as being named a Leader for a 12^th straight year and positioned highest for Ability to Execute in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS).

It was also named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide API Management 2026 Vendor Assessment, and included in the 2026 Constellation ShortList for Cross-Platform Agentic AI, the 2026 Constellation ShortList for Data Integration and Transformation for Cloud-Based Analytical Data Platforms, and the 2026 Constellation ShortList for IPaaS.

Boomi was also named a Leader in the Nucleus Research iPaaS Technology Value Matrix 2026.

鈥淲e believe this wave of analyst recognition reflects the strength of our platform and the momentum we鈥檙e seeing from customers who want one strategic foundation for integration, APIs, data, automation, and agentic AI,鈥� Mr. Lucas said.

Under the partnership, PLDT Enterprise will provide SKYGO a network foundation with its MY Only WAN setup, which is bundled with Fiber 100MB, wireless internet backup, Meraki SD-WAN, managed network services, postpaid plans, and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

鈥淧LDT Enterprise remains committed to helping businesses build the secure and scalable digital foundations they need to grow. Through solutions that combine connectivity, centralized management, and resilience, we support organizations like SKYGO as they modernize operations and move toward a more integrated digital environment,鈥� Jay Lagdameo, PLDT Enterprise鈥檚 head of domestic enterprise business, regional & commercial, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The company said SKYGO鈥檚 digital transformation journey aims to build an integrated and secure ecosystem to improve operational efficiency and scale its business.

鈥淭o support this direction, the partnership with PLDT Enterprise is intended to address key business challenges, including inconsistent connectivity, lack of network redundancy, limited visibility across sites, and rising demands from cloud-based and IoT-driven systems, as these issues can affect critical applications, productivity, and overall operational efficiency if left unaddressed,鈥� it said.

The MY Only WAN setup provides automatic failover, uninterrupted connectivity, centralized network management, and intelligent traffic routing that will allow business-critical applications to work seamlessly.

鈥淭he solution also supports standardized security policies across branches and users, helping strengthen compliance and protection against cyberthreats and unauthorized access,鈥� it said.

鈥淭ogether, these solutions are designed to provide SKYGO with business continuity, centralized visibility and control, stronger network security, and improved application performance across its growing operations,鈥� PLDT Enterprise added.

Shyrwinsteel Sia, chief technology officer of SKYGO, said the partnership will help strengthen their digital infrastructure.

鈥淎s SKYGO continues to modernize its business processes and expand its digital capabilities, the partnership with PLDT Enterprise highlights how integrated connectivity, IoT, cloud-ready infrastructure, and managed services can work together to support a more secure, resilient, and future-ready business environment,鈥� he said.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in 大象传媒 through the Philippine Star Group. 鈥� Juliana Chloe A. Gonzales

The platform is accessible via Mi.com Philippines (https://www.mi.com/ph/). It also features smartphones and smart devices under the Xiaomi ecosystem like POCO.

鈥淭he Mi.com Online Store launch highlights Xiaomi鈥檚 commitment to delivering a smarter, more rewarding digital shopping experience tailored for Filipino consumers,鈥� Xiaomi said.

As part of the rollout, customers can get launch-exclusive perks like 10% off vouchers on selected items and tiered discounts for accumulated purchases until June 14. There will also be daily flash sales scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for selected products.

New Xiaomi Account users will also get 50 Mi Points upon signup, and all purchases made during the May 14-June 14 online store launch period will earn double Mi Points. Other account perks include various vouchers.

Customers can redeem Mi Points as cashback for up to 5% off on eligible purchases, with 10 Mi Points being equivalent to a peso. 鈥� BVR

Gemini Omni is among the key innovations in AI announced by the company at the Google I/O 2026 event, where it also launched the Gemini 3.5 Flash model鈥攊ts most powerful agentic and coding model yet鈥攁nd intelligent eyewear, among other innovations.

Google said that Gemini Omni follows the success of Nano Banana, its advanced AI image generation and editing model that can create images from various inputs, but applies that technology to video.

鈥淲ith Omni, you can combine images, audio, video and text as input and generate high-quality videos grounded in Gemini鈥檚 real-world knowledge,鈥� Google said in a press statement.

鈥淵ou can also easily edit your videos through conversation,鈥� it added.

The first model of the Omni family, Gemini Omni Flash, was the first to roll out and is available on the Gemini app, Google Flow, and YouTube Shorts.

It will also be rolled out to developers and enterprise customers via APIs (application programming interface) in the coming weeks.

Currently, it only creates video, but Google noted that in time, the model will also support output modalities like images and audio.

Google recommended using the model to create videos with the user鈥檚 voice by using avatars, which generate a digital version of a person that looks and sounds like them.

It also said that it is working on a capability where the audio and speech of a video can be changed using the model. However, it noted that this is still being tested and is in the process of identifying how to bring the capability to users responsibly.

The tech giant emphasized that videos generated with Omni contain SynthID, its proprietary digital watermark used to easily detect AI content made by Gemini Omni. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

South Summit Madrid 2026, co-organized by IE University, said in a statement on May 19 that 50 of the 100 finalist startups use artificial intelligence as the core technology behind their businesses, reflecting the growing role of AI in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The finalists were selected from more than 4,500 applications across 110 countries, with startups from 26 nations making the final list, up from 22 countries last year. Organizers described the competition as their 鈥渕ost international, mature, and AI-driven鈥� edition to date.

Singapore secured three finalist spots, while South Korea also had one finalist startup in the competition. Singapore-based finalists included OmniShelf in Digital & Tech Solutions, Ailytics in Industry 5.0, and cybersecurity firm Peris.ai in Trust Tech & Data. South Korea鈥檚 HISTRANGER was shortlisted under Digital & Tech Solutions.

Europe accounted for nearly 77% of the finalist startups, while the United States represented 6% of the total. Latin America also expanded its presence in the competition, increasing to 10 finalists from seven last year.

Spain contributed the largest number of finalists with 44 startups, followed by Portugal with seven and the United States with six. France had five finalists, while Italy and the United Kingdom had four each.

The competition also reflected the increasing maturity of startups globally. Organizers said 57% of finalists generate more than $150,000 in revenue, while 35% generate over $500,000 annually. About 60% have raised more than $1 million in funding, and 53% are already backed by venture capital firms.

Among the selected startups, 36 are already in the scaleup stage, while 46 have registered at least one patent. In addition, 38 startups have at least one female founder.

The finalists were grouped across 10 sectors, including climate technology, fintech, healthcare, mobility, enterprise solutions, and trust technology.

Finalists in the Climate Tech & Sustainability category included EarthScan, Green Growth, MESPAC, NPHarvest, Ocean Oasis, Phen Olives, PowerUP, Ravenwits, Solfium, and UniSCool.

Consumer finalists included Ciudadela, Fibrazo, FindNido, FoodieFame, iCook, Macadam, Manie, Ochy, Qualla, and Tangy Market.

In Digital & Tech Solutions, finalists included Arq Quantum Technologies, Astroteq.ai, HISTRANGER, Lokutor, LunaLift, Oasy, OmniShelf, Spendbase, tranSkriptorium AI, and Ubicuity.

The Fintech & Insurtech category featured Brokerware AI, CryptoMate, Dalatea, Dost, EthicHub, Granter, Initiativ, PagaFactu, Paynest, and VENDY.

Future of Work & Talent finalists included Kincode AI, Diingu, Nova, OneNewOne, Sendsteps AI, Space To Grow, Stemdo, Trainect, Valeria, and Worksible.

Health category finalists included 60Nd, Altum Sequency, FLOMICS, iYoni App, MedicubeX, Miramoon, Moonlight AI, Nanogrow Biotech, PREDICTHEON, and Tissue Dynamics.

Industry 5.0 finalists included A4Radar Vitals, Ailytics, Ainwater, Dairy Tech, Dottir Labs, Floatech, Mapsi, NanoChronia, URAPHEX, and Xplorobot.

In Mobility & Smart Cities, finalists included boxful, DeepNeurotic, DeterCamAI, Mettis AI, Mobi, Nido Constructech, Serp Energy, UP鈥橭NE, Xplora Srl, and ZYON Helmets.

Trust Tech & Data finalists included Captain Compliance, Coalex.ai, Judit, Metadataworks Limited, MicelioData, Naltilia, Peris.ai, Riskita, Secrets Vault, and simplyblock.

Enterprise Solutions finalists included anyformat, Dealcar, KonvoAI, Libertify, LoopOS, Service Club, Silmaril Technologies, SmarterMRP, Soource, and Wise CX.

South Summit Madrid 2026 will be held from June 3 to 5 at La Nave in Madrid, where finalists will present their projects to investors, corporations, and technology companies.

Organizers said startups that previously participated in the competition have collectively raised more than $20.5 billion in investment over the past 14 editions. 鈥� Arjay L. Balinbin

In a statement released Friday, Google said that amid the rapid advancement of AI, the company is continuously upgrading its generative AI Search features, such as AI Mode and AI Overviews, to help users connect more easily with authentic voices and explore useful information across the web.

鈥淕oogle is continuing to improve how it shows links in its AI Search features and developing new ways to help users find the sources, brands, and websites they value,鈥� the company said.

Among the five new updates to its AI Search is a feature that suggests related articles and in-depth analyses at the end of AI-generated responses to help users further explore a topic.

Google also introduced a feature that highlights links from users鈥� news subscriptions in AI Mode and AI Overviews, allowing easier access to trusted and subscribed sources.

Another update includes previews of discussions from social media platforms, public forums, and other firsthand sources to help users access practical advice and experiences shared by other people. Google said these previews may also include additional context such as a creator鈥檚 name, handle, or online community to help users decide which discussions they want to explore further.

The company also said that a new update allows users to see more links directly within AI-generated responses, making it easier to immediately access relevant websites while reading Search summaries.

Google likewise introduced a website preview feature on desktop that shows information such as a webpage title or website name when users hover over inline links before clicking them.

The feature aims to help users better understand where a link leads and make them more confident in visiting helpful websites.

The tech giant said that by improving the visibility and helpfulness of links and showcasing original voices, its AI in Search helps users discover the web and connect directly to relevant sources and creators.

鈥淕oogle is committed to continuing to test, learn, and improve these features based on what works best for users,鈥� it said.鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

The DoST likewise held meetings with the legislative officers of Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� G. Escudero and Senator Paolo Benigno 鈥淏am鈥� A. Aquino IV.

During the discussions, Michael Jason A. Solis, chief of the national metrology division at the DoST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DoST-ITDI), pointed out that the lack of a national measurement authority has led many sectors at both the national and local levels to experience metrology-related challenges.

This includes inconsistent measurements, the unavailability of local measurement services, and limited alignment with international standards.

鈥淢easurement is a public good,鈥� Mr. Solis said. He added that these challenges are taking a toll, risking public health and safety, causing losses in agricultural productivity, creating barriers to trade and industrial growth, and reducing national competitiveness.

With measurements being accurate and properly enforced, consumers are better protected and people will have more trust in markets, Lita S. Suerte Felipe, director of the DoST-Legislative Liaison Office, said in a statement.

Under the proposed NMIPhil Act, the DoST said it seeks to establish the country鈥檚 national metrology institute, 鈥渁 premier research and development institute in measurement science and the lead authority for providing trusted, innovative measurement solutions.鈥�

“Its work will serve as the foundation of fair trade, consumer protection, industrial competitiveness, scientific advancement, and regulatory integrity across the country,” it added.

With a strong national measurement system led by NMIPhil, it will help ensure that every measurement across sectors is reliable and trusted both locally and globally, DoST said.

The bill has already been approved by the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology and is for endorsement to the Committee on Ways and Means and Appropriations.

The NMIPhil measure is included in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023鈥�2028, the government鈥檚 official medium-term blueprint for economic and social development. It falls under Chapter 8: Advancing Research and Development, Technology, and Innovation.鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

The three-day event, scheduled for June 3-5 at La Nave in Madrid, is co-organized by IE University and will focus on 鈥淎I Convergence,鈥� highlighting how AI is reshaping industries, venture capital, productivity and business models.

Nearly 30 unicorn companies are expected to participate, according to organizers.

South Summit described itself as a global platform that connects startups, investors, corporations and institutions to promote business opportunities within the innovation ecosystem.

Organizers said the event has gathered more than 42,500 startups over the past 14 editions, while its Startup Competition has produced more than 1,500 finalist startups with an 85% survival rate and more than $20.5 billion in investment raised.

South Summit said AI accounted for 61% of global venture capital investment in 2025, up from 30% in 2022, reflecting what it described as an 鈥渁ccelerated shift in the priorities of investors, startups, corporations and institutions.鈥�

鈥�Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a technology: it is a force that is redefining how we invest, how we build companies, how we compete and how we think about the future of Europe,鈥� South Summit founder and President Mar铆a Benjumea said in a statement.

Organizers said the conference will examine AI鈥檚 impact on investment, entrepreneurship, defense, sustainability, regulation and productivity amid increasing global competition over technological development and innovation.

The event will also feature a 鈥淒efense & AI鈥� track involving NATO innovation leaders through its DIANA defense accelerator program, alongside startups and investors working on cybersecurity, autonomous systems, infrastructure protection and dual-use technologies.

South Summit said the focus on defense technology reflects Europe鈥檚 efforts to strengthen technological sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign technologies in critical sectors.

Juan Jos茅 G眉emes, vice president of IE University, said the event would once again position Madrid 鈥渁s the world capital of entrepreneurship and innovation.鈥�

鈥�For our institution, as co-organizers, it is a pride to promote a meeting that reflects our strategic commitment to Artificial Intelligence as a driver of transformation, and our entrepreneurial DNA,鈥� he said.

Jes煤s Herrero, chief executive officer of Red.es, said AI has 鈥渞edefined the competitiveness of countries and the ability of our companies to innovate.鈥�

鈥�To lead this transformation, we must train, attract and retain talent, but also bet on entrepreneurship as a key lever to promote a more ambitious ecosystem,鈥� he said.

Confirmed speakers include GoogleX founder Sebastian Thrun, investor Kim Perell and Female Invest co-founder Anna Hartvigsen.

South Summit and PwC also released a report ahead of the conference discussing AI鈥檚 growing role in venture capital and startup ecosystems, particularly in healthcare and defense.

South Summit has also expanded its presence in Latin America, holding events in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

Organizers said the 2026 Brazil edition drew more than 24,000 attendees from 70 countries, alongside 3,000 startups and more than 1,000 investors managing a combined 鈧�250 billion investment portfolio. 鈥� Arjay L. Balinbin

CHICAGO 鈥� Boomi on Wednesday unveiled a strategic collaboration with Red Hat to deliver a single integrated stack for agentic AI (artificial intelligence) that will help organizations manage data sovereignty and optimize AI costs.

Boomi Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Steve Lucas said enterprises have to ensure that their sensitive data aren鈥檛 leaked outside.

鈥淭he one remaining moat that you have beyond your physical infrastructure is your data. Do not hemorrhage this to public models. This is exactly what Boomi and Red Hat are doing together, leveraging Red Hat鈥檚 AI as part of a new platform that we will be making available,鈥� he said during the opening of BoomiWorld 2026 here on Wednesday.

Mr. Lucas said enterprises can run models of their choice on this platform.

鈥淵ou will be able to put this where your data resides to protect it, to ensure your moat not just survives but thrives in the era of AI,鈥� he said.

He noted enterprise leaders he has talked to are asking the same question: 鈥淗ow do I get real AI ROI (return on investment) without losing control of my data, my security posture, or my budget?鈥�

鈥淭he answer isn鈥檛 stitching together dozens of vendors; it鈥檚 having a unified platform. With Red Hat, we鈥檙e giving organizations the ability to activate their data, orchestrate AI across the business, and run it with enhanced security in their own environment at a cost that makes AI viable at scale.鈥�

Red Hat Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer Michael Ferris said it is collaborating with Boomi to accelerate production-ready agentic AI and help enterprises build and scale AI for their businesses.

鈥淩ight now, organizations are stuck between experimentation and production, facing too much complexity, too many disconnected tools and rising costs. What we鈥檙e hearing from customers and analysts is clear. AI must be simpler to run, easier to govern and with more predictable costs,鈥� Mr. Ferris in a video message.

He said the agentic stack will bring together everything needed by enterprises to build, govern, orchestrate and run AI agents at scale.

鈥淏y bringing together the power of Red Hat AI with Boomi鈥檚 data activation and agent lifecycle management, we can help organizations move from pilots to production with greater confidence, securely, efficiently and with control,鈥� Mr. Ferris said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lucas said Boomi is also partnering with Couchbase, Inc. to accelerate AI agents from pilot to production.

鈥淭he companies will co-engineer solutions that give customers a production-ready foundation for agentic AI, combining Boomi鈥檚 connectivity, runtime and governance for AI agents with Couchbase鈥檚 scalable recollection and vector capabilities,鈥� the company said.

Also, Boomi said it is expanding its partnership with ServiceNow 鈥渢o deliver enhanced data activation capabilities integrated with ServiceNow Workflow Data Fabric.鈥�

Boomi will be a launch partner for the ServiceNow Workflow Data Network Passport Program, which would make it easier for customers to deploy its integration and data activation capabilities within the ServiceNow AI platform.

NEW ACQUISITION

At the same time, Boomi said it plans to acquire Lunar.dev, a move expected to extend Boomi鈥檚 AI gateway capabilities.

Boomi said it has already signed a letter of intent to acquire Lunar.dev, a Tel Aviv-based company that was described as an innovator in AI and Model Context Protocol (MCP) gateway.

With Lunar.dev, Boomi said it will have a centralized and decentralized control layer for managing AI interactions across the enterprise and add a MCP gateway to provide cost management and scalable AI connectivity.

鈥淲e are very excited about what they bring us in terms of MCP gateway, governance, MCP registry, and tying it to our Boomi Connect product and other areas of our enterprise platform,鈥� Mr. Lucas said in a press briefing.

He said the acquisition is expected to be closed within 30 to 40 days.

The study showed that 67% of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) and 72% of business decision-makers (BDMs) in the Philippines said they have felt pressured to approve AI despite security concerns, with some ignoring these due to the threat of competition and rising internal demand.

This is even as these organizations said they are employing various strategies to maintain data integrity in AI systems in both data security (76%) and data quality management (72%).

鈥淥rganizations are not lacking awareness of risk; they鈥檙e lacking the conditions to manage it. When deployment is driven by competitive pressure rather than governance maturity, you create a situation where AI is embedded into critical systems without the controls needed to manage it safely. This research reinforces our focus on helping organizations drive solid business outcomes with AI while still managing business risk,鈥� said Rachel Jin, TrendAI chief platform and business officer.

The lack of controls and governance can lead to vulnerability points that cybercriminals can take advantage of as attackers are already using AI to automate reconnaissance, accelerate phishing campaigns, and lower the barrier to entry for cybercrime, the company said.

Globally, just 33% of ITDMs and 44% of BDMs said they feel highly prepared for the pace of AI adoption, the study showed.

鈥淭he development of AI policy and governance frameworks is part of organizations鈥� preparation, with over half of ITDMs and BDMs (56% and 58%, respectively) saying comprehensive policies are already in place. However, a third of the organizations are still drafting their AI governance frameworks, with top barriers being unclear regulation or compliance standards (53%), as well as limited security or data expertise (51%),鈥� it said.

鈥淥rganizations are deploying AI faster than they can manage the associated risks, creating a widening gap between ambition and oversight.鈥�

AGENTIC AI RISKS
Meanwhile, 60% of respondents said they believe autonomous systems like agentic AI will significantly improve cyber defense in the short term, although they remain concerned over data access, misuse, and lack of oversight. The study also showed that 30% said they lack observability or auditability over these systems.

鈥淢ore than five in ten organizations (57%) say AI agents accessing sensitive data is their biggest risk. More than half warn that malicious prompts (53%) and abuse of trusted AI status (51%) could compromise security. Meanwhile, 36% point to a growing attack surface for cybercriminals, and 34% cite risks linked to autonomous code deployment.鈥�

In the Philippines, 65% of respondents said they support the introduction of AI 鈥渒ill switch鈥� mechanisms to shut down systems in the event of failure or misuse, while 33% said they remain unsure.

鈥淭his lack of consensus highlights a deeper issue: organizations are moving towards autonomous AI without agreement on how to retain control when it matters most,鈥� TrendAI said.

鈥淎gentic AI is moving organizations into a new risk category,鈥� Ms. Jin said. 鈥淥ur research shows the concerns are already clear, from sensitive data exposure to loss of oversight. Without visibility and control, organizations are deploying systems they don鈥檛 fully understand or govern, and that risk is only going to increase unless action is taken.鈥�

TrendAI鈥檚 study covered 3,700 ITDMs and BDMs globally, including 200 from the Philippines. 鈥� Bettina V. Roc

Integrated into the insurer鈥檚 integrated digital ecosystem platform Master Planner, AI Roleplay lets AIA agents, also called Life Planners, participate in simulated conversations based on different customer personas and life situations.

The platform gives real-time feedback on objection handling, emotional engagement, communication fluency, and insurance knowledge.

鈥淚nsurance has always been deeply personal. Behind every conversation is someone thinking about their family, their future, and the financial decisions that matter most to them,鈥� AIA Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Melita Teo said in a statement. 鈥淭echnology should help Life Planners become better listeners, more empathetic communicators, and more confident in addressing real customer concerns.

鈥淎I Roleplay is designed to support AIA Life Planners across multiple sales and recruitment scenarios, allowing them to access coaching simulations anytime through their mobile devices and receive immediate feedback after every session. The platform effectively gives Life Planners access to a 24/7 digital mentor for real-world customer interactions,鈥� AIA Philippines said.

The platform helps prepare agents for real-world situations by providing a dynamic and accessible training environment.

鈥淓very customer conversation is different,鈥� Ms. Teo said. 鈥淎gents need to be prepared not just with product knowledge, but with the confidence to respond thoughtfully in the moment. AI Roleplay gives them a space to practice, improve, and learn through experience before meeting actual clients.鈥�

The platform supports English, Tagalog, and also Taglish (a mix of Filipino and English).

鈥淭aglish AI language models remain uncommon in the industry, and AIA鈥檚 deliberate investment in this capability underscores its commitment to meaningful localization and contextualization. By designing AI that reflects how Filipinos naturally communicate, AIA moves beyond traditional technology adoption toward culturally relevant innovation,鈥� the insurer said.

AIA Philippines plans to enhance the platform further by deepening its localized conversational capabilities.

鈥淔or AI to make a difference, it has to help people in meaningful ways,鈥� Ms. Teo said. 鈥淲hat we want is to help Life Planners build stronger relationships with customers, have more relevant conversations, and ultimately guide more Filipinos toward better protection and financial security.鈥�

This initiative is in line with industry-wide trends of the use of AI for customer engagement, agent readiness, and training efficiency.

AIA Philippines鈥� premium income rose to P12.296 billion in 2025 from P12.06 billion in 2024, according to data posted on the Insurance Commission鈥檚 website. Meanwhile, its net income jumped to P5.67 billion from P3.48 billion. 鈥� A.M.C. Sy

The Forrester survey, released on Tuesday and conducted in March, found that cyber risks are driven by both external threats and internal complexity.

More than half, or 57%, of organizations identified AI-driven threats as their top cybersecurity concern, while 54% attributed risks to fragmented security tools.

Rashish Pandey, vice-president of marketing and communications for APAC and ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) at Fortinet, said that some organizations, including those in the Philippines, use between 20 and 40 different cybersecurity tools, making operations more complex to manage.

Meanwhile, 52% of respondents cited alert overload as a concern, 50% pointed to regulatory pressure, and 49% identified skills shortages as a major challenge.

Due to these cybersecurity risks, the survey found that security operations center (SOC) teams are struggling to keep up.

About 50% of organizations said the volume of alerts makes it difficult to distinguish legitimate threats, while 48% still rely on manual workflows.

The survey also found that most organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, or 68%, remain at the intermediate stage of cybersecurity maturity, while only 16% have reached advanced levels.

As operational challenges such as fragmented security tools increasingly become cybersecurity risks, the report said local organizations are gaining momentum toward shifting to unified, platform-based security architectures to reduce complexity.

鈥淚f you look across the Philippines, the top priorities for Filipino cybersecurity leaders are shifting toward simplification and visibility,鈥� Mr. Pandey said.

Other priorities cited in the survey include accelerating AI adoption in security operations, addressing skills gaps, and improving workforce training.

The report said adoption of unified security platforms is expected to nearly triple over the next 12 to 24 months, from the current 20% of firms to 59%.

Among the key drivers behind the shift are the need to reduce tool sprawl, solve integration challenges, and lower operational costs.

However, challenges such as migration costs and disruptions, limited automation, and the lack of unified data remain persistent barriers to achieving the transition.

The Forrester survey commissioned by Fortinet covered 585 decision-makers and influencers involved in cybersecurity solutions across organizations in the APAC region, spanning industries such as manufacturing, telecommunications, banking, and financial services, among others.

In the Philippines, Mr. Pandey said more than 50 customer firms participated in the survey. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

Yale, a lock brand under Assa Abloy Philippines Inc., has launched its new pop-up booth, an installation that allows consumers to immerse themselves in its latest security solutions.

The Smart Yale Home pop-up booth, unveiled on May 1, is an immersive installation that transforms retail space into a fully realized smart home environment, the company said in a statement.

It is designed in a 鈥淵鈥� shape and features actual working doors and three home simulation rooms, each showcasing Yale鈥檚 innovations such as the Yale Luna Elite+, Yale Uno, the Yale YDL325 Series, and Yale Solis Safes.

The pop-up booth launch was led by Jonathan Kwong, director and general manager of Assa Abloy Philippines Inc., along with other key officials from the company and its partners.

The Yale Luna Elite+ features FaceScan and PalmScan biometric access powered by 3D structured light technology, along with multiple entry options including fingerprint, PIN code, RFID, mechanical key, and app control, plus a built-in viewer screen, motion alerts, and dual-battery backup.

The Yale Uno offers a more practical home solution, integrating a fingerprint sensor directly on the handle for one-motion unlocking, along with PIN, RFID, and key access, and added security modes such as Panic Mode and Passage Mode for everyday flexibility.

Meanwhile, the Yale YDL325 Series offers compact smart lock solutions for interior spaces, with fingerprint, app, PIN, and key access, available in square and circle variants and designed for easy plug-in installation and seamless room integration.

Lastly, the Yale Solis Safe Series features laser-cut steel construction with solid locking bolts, offering fingerprint, PIN code, and dual authentication access, along with LED-lit interiors and backup access options for secure storage of valuables.

The Yale Luna Elite+ is available at a special price of P55,243.50 from P84,990, the Yale Uno at P13,592 from P16,990, and the Yale YDL325 Series at P7,992 from P9,990.

The Yale Solis Safe Series is priced at P11,192 for the 230L model, P11,592 for the 250L, P13,192 for the 400L, and P15,992 for the 560L.

These new security solutions can be experienced firsthand at the Smart Yale Home pop-up booth until May 31, located at True Value, Level 6, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

Claire Huang, Synology Philippines country manager, said that amid the country鈥檚 advancing digital initiatives, resilience can no longer be treated as a secondary consideration.

鈥淕overnment systems must be designed to handle disruptions, protect sensitive data, and keep essential services available at all times,鈥� Ms. Huang said in a statement, noting that this is crucial to ensuring public trust as more services go online.

The Philippines is among the countries most affected by cyberattacks globally, including attacks such as ransomware, phishing, and identity theft, Synology said, citing the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025.

During the GOVX.0 Conference 2026 held a few days ago, Synology shared how government agencies can strengthen their systems鈥� resilience through reliable backup, faster data recovery, and the ability to maintain operations during unexpected events.

The tech company also offers solutions such as Synology ActiveProtect, a specialized, high-performance data protection solution.

It said that the solution helps organizations standardize recovery processes, reduce manual workloads, and respond quickly to disruptions that halt access to essential services.

Synology reiterated that data resilience will remain crucial in ensuring reliable and secure access for citizens amid the expansion of digital government services. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

Under the collaboration, enterprises using the Maya Business platform can process payments with stablecoins and other digital assets using Lydian鈥檚 digital asset acceptance infrastructure.

These businesses will be able to accept these payments while receiving same-day settlement in Philippine pesos, removing exposure to price volatility.

For consumers, digital asset payments will be integrated into QR codes, payment links and online checkout, including a 鈥淧ay with Crypto鈥� option.

鈥淭he initiative is designed to address key friction points that have limited merchant adoption, including volatility, custody requirements and regulatory complexity, by enabling stablecoin-based payments within a structured framework,鈥� Maya said.

鈥淢aya will provide the regulated infrastructure layer for the collaboration, leveraging its merchant network and technology platform used by businesses nationwide, while supporting wallet screening, Travel Rule compliance and BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas)-aligned reporting requirements,鈥� it added.

Based on Chainalysis鈥� 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, the Philippines ranked ninth in the world in terms of cryptocurrency activity.

Chainalysis said Asia-Pacific was the fastest-growing region for on-chain crypto activity, with total crypto transaction volume growing to $2.36 trillion from $1.4 trillion, driven mainly by markets like India, Vietnam, and Pakistan.

A BSP survey also showed that awareness of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies increased from to 20% in 2025 from just 6% in 2021 as Filipinos鈥� financial literacy improves, helping drive the growth of digital payments.

Maya Innovations Holdings, Pte. Ltd., formerly Voyager Innovations Holdings, Pte. Ltd., is the parent holding company of Maya Philippines, Inc. and Maya Bank, Inc.

Maya Philippines is registered with the BSP as an electronic money issuer, remittance and transfer company, operator of payment system, and virtual asset services provider.

Meanwhile, Maya Bank is one of the six BSP-licensed digital banks in the country.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in 大象传媒 through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. 鈥� BVR

Xiaomi鈥檚 Power Bank Series 2026 are now available at Xiaomi Store and the brand鈥檚 official online channels on Shopee and Lazada.

The Xiaomi 212-watt (W) HyperCharge Power Bank 24,500mAh is for those who need to charge various gadgets, including laptops, while on the go.

鈥淚ts three ports can charge a laptop and a phone at the same time, with the primary USB-C port delivering up to 140W output for compatible high-power devices. The 24,500mAh equivalent capacity is designed for extended use across multiple devices, not just a single top-up,鈥� the brand said.

Meanwhile, its 100W adapter can get it to a full charge in about 2.5 hours. It also has a small color display that shows its remaining charge.

The second model, the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000 with Built-in Stand, is for those who want to charge their phone even while using it and without a cable.

鈥淚t attaches magnetically to the back of compatible phones, so charging starts without reaching for a cable. A fold-out stand props the phone at roughly 80 degrees for hands-free filming, video calls, or viewing while the battery charges in the background,鈥� it said.

For those who need a wired connection, it comes with an integrated USB-C cable. The power bank also supports charging up to three devices simultaneously.

Another option is the Xiaomi 67W Power Bank 10000 with Integrated Cable. Its USB-C cable tucks into a slot on the side and doubles as a carrying strap.

The brand said the cable has been tested to hold up through more than 5,000 bends.

鈥淯nder Xiaomi lab conditions, the integrated cable can fully charge a Xiaomi 15 smartphone in 59 minutes, with actual performance varying by device and charging conditions. Two additional ports handle a second or third device when needed,鈥� it said.

The power bank also has a digital display showing its remaining charge as a precise percentage.

Lastly, for those who prefer something light, the Xiaomi Ultra-thin Magnetic Power Bank 5,000mAh 15W is just 6 millimeters thin and weighs just 98 grams.

鈥淚t attaches magnetically to compatible phones for wireless fast charging up to 15W for compatible devices, no cable needed to start. A USB-C port handles wired charging when faster output is preferred,鈥� the brand said.

鈥淭he capacity is calibrated for emergency top-ups and extended daily use rather than multiple full charges from zero, which is the right scope for something this slim.鈥� 鈥� BVR

The company has appointed Raghuraman 鈥淩aghu鈥� Chandrashekhar as country head for the Philippines, it said in a statement. His role will involve deepening partnerships across banks, fintech firms, and digital platforms and delivering localized solutions in identity verification, risk intelligence, secure onboarding, and fraud prevention.

It said the appointment reflects IDfy鈥檚 intent to further invest in the Philippine market. It added that it wants to partner with institutions driving the growth of digital financial services in the country while prioritizing secure, compliant, and trusted customer experiences.

鈥淭he Philippine financial ecosystem is entering a powerful new phase. We are witnessing a fundamental shift toward secure, seamless, and compliant digital interactions. The opportunity to build trust at scale has never been greater. IDfy is building this critical layer of digital trust, and I鈥檓 thrilled to help shape that journey here in the Philippines,鈥� Mr. Chandrashekhar said.

鈥淭he Philippines鈥� relentless digitization presents a remarkable opportunity, and we are thrilled to deepen our commitment to fostering trust in this dynamic economy. With Raghu at the helm, we will champion this mission by delivering products tailored for the Philippines, served with the care and attention the nation is celebrated for,鈥� said Wriju Ray, global chief business officer at IDfy. 鈥� BVR

DoST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said that PHITEST address the challenge on how local innovators and researchers move from innovators in laboratory to the marketplace.

鈥淓ssentially, it builds a unified national system for testing, evaluation, and make sure that standards development are created to make sure that Filipino technologies are not only innovative but also reliable, safe, and globally competitive,鈥� Mr. Solidum said during the PHITEST implementation announcement on Tuesday.

PHITEST will operate as a networked testing and evaluation platform lead by DoST and Commission on Higher Education (CHED). It will also work with testing centers and industry partners.

The initiative covers priority technology domains, including semiconductors and electronics, biopharma and health technologies, agri-aqua technologies, renewable energy and circular economy, electric vehicles and aviation, and climate change and resilience technologies.

Its testing and evaluation activities include performance benchmarking, durability and reliability testing, safety assessment, interoperability checks, and compliance verification across these sectors.

As for its implementation, the DoST said that PHITEST comes in two phases.

The first phase focuses on developing 60 master PHITEST trainers through two sequential cohorts from January to June 2026 and from July to December, covering priority sectors such as semiconductors and electronics, biopharma and health technologies, among others.

Participants will undergo global benchmarking and immersion in leading international institutions to align local standards with international practices.

This phase will conclude with the certification of trainers and the nationwide rollout of PHITEST across 113 state universities and colleges and select private higher education institutions, where master trainers will lead the development and certification of validators.

The second phase will focus on training and certifying 700 PHITEST validators at lead sites, with cascading deployment to state universities and colleges and select private higher education institutions nationwide.

It will also establish inter-laboratory reproducibility for globally comparable testing and an integrated PHITEST registry as a 鈥減roof-to-trust鈥� system.

The initiative is supported by a P35-million funding from the CHED, intended to support the training of master trainers and master students, Napoleon K. Juanillo Jr., assistant secretary for technology transfer, communications, and commercialization at DoST said.

With the rollout of PHITEST, DoST aims to increase validated, market-ready Filipino technologies and strengthen confidence in local innovations.

It likewise eyes to speed up technology adoption in public and private sectors, and align research outputs with industry and regulatory requirements.

Over five years, DoST said it aims to validate between 755 and 1,200 technologies across six priority domains. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

鈥淥ur ambition is way, way bigger, and it鈥檚 to create a scientific field, a strong industry based on science in the Philippines, as a guarantee for development,鈥� UP President Angelo A. Jimenez told reporters in a briefing.

鈥淎s we said before, we want to make science attractive to young people,鈥� he added. 鈥淚n other words, make science sexy so that people will aspire to become a marine biologist, a physicist, a nuclear engineer.鈥�

During the launch of UP鈥檚 first innovation summit, Inoblasyon, the university also formally launched the UP System Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.

The new office will help coordinate the institution鈥檚 systemwide technology development and partnerships aimed at supporting national priorities.

鈥淲e separated it from the academic affairs to now focus on curriculum and faculty development and teaching,鈥� Mr. Jimenez said. 听鈥淣ow we have a focused office for research and innovation.鈥�

Along with its science and technology efforts, the university said it plans to create an 鈥渆cosystem鈥� for research and innovation in the Philippines.

鈥淲e want to build an ecosystem around research and innovation, which includes entrepreneurship, intellectual property protection, and support for startups,鈥� the university president said.

鈥淔rom research to coming up with a proof of concept up to prototyping, and then finally assisting in business,鈥� he added. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e trying to come up with is an ecosystem like Silicon Valley that will really attract investors, financiers, and startups鈥� So that鈥檚 the vision.鈥�

Data from the university鈥檚 innovation portfolio last year showed that it has produced 45 technology licensees, 24 spinoff companies, 68 technology transfer leaders, 152 research partnerships, and 1,428 intellectual property registrations.

The majority of the ventures are in health (34), agri-aqua and food (25), and climate and environment (10). Other innovation sectors include creative industries, circular bioeconomy, digital technology, digital governance, and energy and mobility.

鈥淚f you ask me, is this a lot? This is not a lot. This is just a drop in the bucket of what we have in mind,鈥� Mr. Jimenez said. 鈥淭he idea is to become an impact university, as we have said this before, and we want to target our communities as well.

鈥淲e want to solve problems that are actually felt by communities, prioritizing on communities that are around UP.. . Of course, the entire country as well,鈥� he added. 鈥� Almira Louise S. Martinez

鈥淲ith the increase in gas prices and consumers limiting their travel, we expect more e-commerce transactions, including for our app,鈥� PharmaServ Medical Director Salvador Pedro G. Rebullida told听大象传媒听in an interview.

鈥溾仩Our goal is to achieve one million downloads by yearend,鈥� he added.

The PharmaServ Express app, launched last month, serves as a third-party courier for its major drugstore partners, such as Mercury Drug, South Star, Watsons, and Med Express.

Users can upload their prescriptions or manually input each medication through the app, and select nearby drugstores available.

鈥淧harmaServ app is basically, if you think about it, something like Grab,鈥� Mr. Rebullida said. 鈥淭he difference is we don鈥檛 handle the medications on our own, what we handle are the medications that each consumer orders.鈥�

The platform also aims to mitigate the impacts of the Middle East war on Filipino families.

鈥淥f course, the Middle East War is going to affect mainly the transportation costs of devices and materials,鈥� Mr. Rebullida said. 鈥淧harmaServ is keeping it at pace and limiting its expenses by still shouldering the primary costs of deliveries.鈥�

鈥淲e are limiting the cost of each patient when they go out of their homes and travel, and the time that they鈥檝e consumed, the amount of energy that they鈥檝e consumed, and the amount of money that they have to spend on travel and gasoline and even parking,鈥� he added.

According to the Department of Energy (DoE) on Monday, gasoline and diesel prices this week increased by P2.21 and P2.66 per liter, respectively. Pump prices in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized areas reached P107.48 per liter for diesel, while gasoline prices are at P107.11 per liter.

The platform plans to integrate logistic scheduling for users who require tests at home or in a clinic, and partner with health maintenance organizations (HMOs) nationwide to streamline diagnostics and medication.

鈥淲hen they arrive, the patient doesn鈥檛 need to have a longer queue, faster response time, and the laboratories will also be delivered through the app,鈥� Mr. Rebullida said.

鈥淲e can streamline as well the clinic consultations, if necessary, such as the LOAs (letter of authorization) that are approved by the HMOs, so that the patient can have better health care from the clinic, diagnostics, and medication center,鈥� he added.

The PharmaServ Express app currently has 10,000 users and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play store. 鈥� Almira Louise S. Martinez

The new experience is powered by the BeeCamera mobile app, which enables smart monitoring of homes and work-spaces without cloud dependency or recurring fees.

鈥淏eeStation Plus is built to be a digital hub for home and for small teams,鈥� Yi Ma, Senior Product Manager of BeeStation, said in a statement.鈥�

鈥淲ith video becoming a bigger part of everyday life, BeeStation offers a simple way to manage monitoring alongside files and photos, keeping everything private and under the user鈥檚 control,鈥� she also said.

The solution integrates BeeStation Plus with Synology cameras to offer advanced on-camera AI detection for people, pets, vehicles, and intrusion events.

Synology said that users can manage up to four cameras in a single location, tailoring monitoring behavior through customizable recording schedules and specific detection zones to reduce unnecessary notifications.

All detected events are unified within the BeeCamera app, allowing users to filter footage by event type and save important clips to 鈥淐ollections鈥� to ensure they are not overwritten by routine storage retention settings.

The tech company said that the monitoring experience is designed for both families and micro-businesses, allowing owners to share camera access with up to eight invited users, who can view live feeds and receive real-time alerts. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

Called the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), the newly acquired equipment at the Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) in Bicutan, Taguig will be used together with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analyzers to enhance the facility鈥檚 capabilities in material testing and failure analysis.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said the equipment strengthens the country鈥檚 advanced research and manufacturing capabilities as it can detect materials at the nanoscale.

鈥淭his technology enables precise characterization of nanoparticles, nanotubes, and advanced materials, as well as detailed analysis of thin films and multi-layer coatings essential to modern technologies,鈥� Mr. Solidum said in a statement.

Among its potential users are semiconductor companies, academic institutions, and research organizations, as well as those analyzing biological samples and advanced nanomaterials.

鈥淚t empowers our local companies not just to fix problems, but to design better, more reliable products from the start,鈥� Mr. Solidum said, adding that the semiconductor and electronics industries remain key drivers of economic growth in today鈥檚 fast-changing technological landscape.

For Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) President Danilo C. Lachica, the FE-SEM enables precise examination of device structures, interfaces, material behavior, and process-related variations that can affect performance and reliability.

He also noted its importance in defect detection, root cause analysis, process improvement, validation, and resolving complex reliability issues.

ADMATEL said it will continue to provide testing services to local and international clients and is encouraging researchers, industry partners, and institutions to collaborate on advanced materials characterization and semiconductor analysis.

The initiative is part of DOST鈥檚 programs that promote science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions under its four strategic pillars鈥攈uman well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability鈥攖hrough the OneDOST4U framework. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva

Deloitte鈥檚 鈥淭he future of commerce: Agentic shopping in Asia Pacific鈥� report showed that 76% of consumer businesses are expected to adopt agentic AI within two years, surging from just 29% at present.

鈥淎gentic AI will redefine commerce in Southeast Asia because this is a region where discovery, conversation and transaction already converge across super apps, social platforms and physical retail. As autonomous agents begin to act on behalf of consumers and businesses, they will sit at the center of the journey. This necessitates a redesign of product and service experience and data,鈥� said Vivek Sharma, consumer industry leader, Deloitte Southeast Asia.

鈥淐ompetitive advantage will not come from technology alone, but from strategic vision and systemic transformation with trust and governance at the core. Those who stay ahead of the curve will stand the best chance of staying visible and capturing value in a new commerce landscape.鈥�

Deloitte鈥檚 research shows that consumer businesses in Asia-Pacific are already moving past AI pilots, with more than half already having live AI implementations across IT, cybersecurity, marketing, sales and customer support, and a third already using AI to transform their business models. Consumers are also already using AI to discover and compare products sold by retailers.

It added that nine in ten retail executives expect AI to be used more than traditional search engines by 2026, while half expect today鈥檚 multi-step shopping journey to collapse by 2027, with a larger share of e-commerce activity seen to be influenced or handled by AI agents in the coming years.

鈥淭wo-thirds of retail leaders surveyed by Deloitte do not expect customers to fully embrace agents purchasing on their behalf before 2028 鈥� however, search, comparison and AI-powered recommendations are more imminent,鈥� it said.

Retailers across the region are now using agentic AI for hyper-personal engagement to provide more targeted offers to customers, with some also using specialized AI agents across other areas of their operations, including forecasting, inventory, pricing, fulfilment, and customer services, Deloitte said.

鈥淧hysical stores in markets such as China, Singapore and India are already evolving beyond transactional spaces into environments where intelligence is embedded directly into the shopping experience connecting digital engagement, in-store experience, and the full retail supply chain into a unified, responsive whole,鈥� it added.

鈥淪hopping agents or 鈥榮hopping bots鈥� are emerging as one of the most visible expressions of agentic commerce as consumers use AI to search, compare and evaluate options, and, in some cases, to complete purchases on their behalf.鈥�

But even as they continue to ramp up their investment in AI technologies, only about 30% of Asia-Pacific consumer businesses report that at least 40% or more of their AI initiatives reach production, with implementation challenges among the top barriers, Deloitte said.

This highlights the need to strengthen technology foundations, business models, governance, security, and trust.

鈥淎 growing share of the industry now faces pressure to adapt quickly as consumer behaviors shift, platforms evolve, and AI begins to reshape the retail value chain.鈥�

Deloitte said that to remain competitive in the agentic commerce age, Asia-Pacific retailers and consumer brands should invest in their data, operating models, skills, and partnerships.

鈥淎gentic commerce has the potential to unlock new levels of productivity and personalization, while also enabling Asia-Pacific businesses to extend their influence globally and export not only their products, but also their operating models, services and standards to the rest of the world,鈥� it said.

鈥淵et the threat of a 鈥渨inner-takes-all鈥� scenario is real, where dominant platforms could control critical data and customer relationships. Emerging agentic commerce models could undermine progress and marginalize local businesses if shopping bots favor large, established players.鈥�

It added that businesses must also consider interoperability, design around behavior, reinvent their core operations, and embrace the fast-evolving agent ecosystem, but continue to enhance the human connection and experience even while embracing emerging technologies.

鈥淪uccess in the future of retail will depend on being discoverable, trusted and preferred by both consumers and their autonomous agents… In markets, where social commerce, livestream and creator-led ecosystems are central to shopping behavior, relevance is built through community, culture and participation. Technology plays a crucial role, but its true purpose is to enhance the human connection at the heart of every great retail experience,鈥� Deloitte said.

鈥淔or consumer-facing businesses, agentic commerce must be built with trust by design, reflecting consumer interests, privacy and security expectations and regulatory oversight. As agents begin to act for both customers and enterprises, organizations must intentionally test and govern their actions to understand their risks and outcomes. In the end, trust and security, not technical sophistication alone, will shape customer adoption and regulatory responses.鈥� 鈥� Bettina V. Roc

In a statement, the company said Boomi World will focus on the growing role of 鈥渄ata activation,鈥� or the process of making enterprise data usable for analytics, automation, and AI applications.

The conference, which runs from May 11 to 14, will showcase how the Boomi enterprise platform enables organizations to integrate and manage data across systems, with the aim of improving operational efficiency and supporting faster innovation in an 鈥渋ncreasingly agentic world,鈥� the company said.

鈥淒ata is only valuable when it鈥檚 activated. At Boomi World 2026, we鈥檙e bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to show how organizations can harness data to drive real outcomes, from AI to automation to entirely new business models,鈥� Boomi Chief Executive Officer Steve Lucas was quoted as saying.

The conference will include keynote presentations from Mr. Lucas, as well as Boomi Chief Product and Technology Officer Ed Macosky. Boomi executives are expected to announce advancements in data readiness, workflow automation, and agent management.

鈥淔rom breakthroughs that bring data to life to new ways organizations can power AI, analytics, and automation, Boomi World 2026 will showcase what鈥檚 next in turning data into action and accelerating business outcomes,鈥� the company said.

Other speakers include executives from Post Consumer Brands, Lexitas, Multiquip, Inc., Cognizant, AWS, Infosys, DXC Technology, Tata Consultancy Services and HNL Lab Medicine.

Tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams will be the special guest speaker at Boomi World. Ms. Williams is the founder of a design firm V Starr, as well as a plant-based protein company, Happy Viking.

Starting on May 11, Boomi World will hold one- and two-day pre-conference training for attendees to build practical expertise across the enterprise platform. Training would range from foundational to advanced tracks, including platform-wide learning through Boomi 360, integration-focused courses, and specialized sessions on designing, governing, and powering AI agents with application programming interface (API) and data.

The Boomi Partner Summit will take place on May 12, which will provide its partners with an exclusive look at the future of the Boomi ecosystem.

Boomi World will also feature over 70 breakout sessions on agentic AI, integration and automation, data management, API management and platform orchestration. 鈥� CRAG

The instax mini 13, which was announced by parent Fujifilm Corp. last month, is now available at authorized dealers nationwide for P5,399 with five pastel color options: Dreamy Purple, Candy Pink, Frost Blue, Lagoon Green, and Clay White.

Fujifilm Philippines marked the local launch with the instax Pop District event at the SM Mall of Asia Main Mall Atrium, where it introduced the new members of the instax Squad of brand ambassadors, Caprice Cayetano and Heath Jornales.

鈥淲e are celebrating the courage to be authentic. To be vibrant, real, and unafraid to share your true selves with the world. Our goal is to inspire everyone to move beyond just taking a photo and start giving a piece of their story to others,鈥� Fujifilm Philippines Imaging Solutions Marketing Head Glenn Gatan said.

The instax mini 13鈥檚 body features a pop-inspired design with soft, rounded 3D shape.

This latest model now comes with a self-timer feature, letting users choose between 2-second or 10-second timers to take selfie or group shots. These can be activated via the self-timer lever on the camera鈥檚 shutter button.

鈥淧erfectly designed for those who love being spontaneous, the self-timer empowers users to step out from behind the lens and experiment with various poses, angles, and distances. It is all about making sure every frame captures the full, vibrant brilliance of life鈥檚 most unexpected and joyful surprises,鈥� the brand said.

The instax mini 13 also has a camera angle adjustment accessory.

The new model also features the Close-up mode and Automatic Exposure functions that were introduced in its predecessor, the mini 12. 鈥� BVR

鈥淭hey have to talk to each other so that the data flows with the patient, that鈥檚 what we want,鈥� Veincent Christian F. Pepito, assistant professor and researcher at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) Center for Research and Innovation, said in a forum.

鈥淥ur health information system must be able to talk to each other,鈥� he added.

In his presentation at the forum, a public-sector respondent cited concerns about the gaps within the government鈥檚 health-sector systems.

鈥淵ou have E-konsulta for consultations and primary care, and you have HOMIS (Hospital Operation Management and Information System) for the hospital,鈥� the respondent wrote. 鈥淏ecause these are not interoperable, we can鈥檛 access the primary care records of patients when they are referred to us.鈥�

According to Mr. Pepito, the interoperability of health information systems across hospitals is an 鈥渋deal鈥� factor in the UHC framework.

鈥淲hen you go to PGH (Philippine General Hospital) or some other tertiary hospitals, you still have to take the records again, you still have to take the entire history of patients again,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n short, the data is not traveling with the patient.鈥�

However, he noted that cybersecurity and data privacy are crucial in implementing a synchronized health information system across the country.

鈥淢any are still hesitant because they might mess up with the data privacy,鈥� he said in Filipino. 鈥淒ata privacy advocates and the DICT can step in to clarify these issues.鈥�

鈥淚mplementation of encryptions, or having multiple backup servers so that one half will not derail the implementation or endanger the security of the data,鈥� he added.

The Universal Healthcare Act, or Republic Act No. 11223, enacted in 2019, mandates that all Filipino citizens be automatically enrolled in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) National Health Insurance Program.

In the 2026 national budget, P448.125 billion was allocated to the health sector to support the promotion of UHC, including P1 billion budget for the Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) Program in local government hospitals. 鈥斕�Almira Louise S. Martinez

The awards were given for several categories. The first category is the Tuklas Award for Most Outstanding Invention (government and privately-funded). The government subcategory winner was the Multi-shell Neutron Spectrometer from NCR cluster. The Demolluscum herbal cream won for the privately-funded subcategory.听

The Multi-shell Neutron Spectrometer is an innovative device that measures neutron radiation in a simple and practical way. The technology is intended for use in hospitals with medical radiation facilities, research laboratory, nuclear and radiation safety institutions.

Meanwhile, Demolluscum is an herbal cream designed to treat molluscum contagiosum, a contagious skin infection caused by a poxvirus, and similar skin conditions using locally available plant extracts. It offers a non-invasive, affordable, and convenient alternative to cryosurgery, curettage, or laser therapy.

The Banghay Award for the Industrial Design category, won by Delfin C. Cuevas Jr. and his Multi-grain Precision Seeder with Fertilizer Applicator. The Precision Seeder is a manually operated, two-in-one agricultural tool designed for precision seed planting and controlled fertilizer application.

The Likha Award for Creative Research category for government and privately-funded, where only the government category had听a proclaimed winner, the Point-of-Care (on-site) African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) Detection System.

The ASFV Detection system uses a DNA extraction kit, and a real-time PCR detection kit which delivers reliable ASFV detection in less than an hour. The Point-of-Care ASFV detection system enables sample-to-result testing in under 90 minutes, providing a rapid and efficient solution for field diagnostics.

Lastly, the Sibol Award for Student Creative Research for College was bagged by the Visayas cluster with I-Count, an Artificial Intelligence powered optical chick counting device for unloading operations.

The I-Count is an AI-powered optical chick counting and mortality detection device to help improve efficiency, accuracy, and biosecurity in poultry unloading operations.

According to DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., the NICE Presidential Awards is the highest recognition conferred upon Filipino inventors and innovators under RA 7459.

NICE is a biennial activity conducted by DOST-TAPI to showcase the Filipino鈥檚 innovative creativity and give due recognition to the hard work and efforts of Filipino inventors and researchers, including the students.

鈥淒OST-TAPI provides target support through its key programs: patent and intellectual property assistance, secure innovations, technology promotion and marketing, to connect inventors with industries, investors, and adapters, technology transfer and commercialization support to enable market entry and scaling up, international exposure initiatives that open global opportunities for Filipino innovations,鈥� Mr. Solidum said in his message for the winners.

鈥淭hrough NICE and ClusteRICE (Regional Invention Contests and Exhibits by Cluster) we continue to advance Filipino innovations that strengthen industries, improve everyday life, and create new opportunities for Filipinos,鈥� he said. 鈥� Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba

鈥婳f the 5 trillion annual searches globally, the company said signed-in users aged 18 to 24 generate more daily queries than any other age group, making Gen Z the most active group on Google Search.

This is driven by the group being AI-native users who resonate strongly with Google Search鈥檚 AI-integrated features, such as AI Mode and Search Live, which allow for a faster, more natural, and more intuitive way of finding information through text, voice, and visual search.

鈥婸owered by Google鈥檚 most advanced multi-modal reasoning model, Gemini 3.1, Search can now have intuitive, back-and-forth conversations to understand complex and highly nuanced intent.

鈥淭hey are no longer just entering keywords; they are researching, planning, brainstorming, and even having conversations with Search,鈥� Google said.

A majority of Gen Z, or 89%, use Google Search daily to make better decisions, such as finding good deals for upcoming travel, exploring the latest trends, and conducting deeper research on brands for smarter purchasing decisions, it said.

Gen Z also uses Search not only for information but also as part of their daily digital and fandom experience, with interactive features, trending insights, and cultural moments shaping how they engage with content.

Google said that Search reflects real-time Gen Z interests through tools like Google Trends and themed experiences tied to popular figures and events. More recently due to their performance at the Coachella 2026 music festival, “BINI Coachella” became one of the top search trends globally because of Filipino Gen Z BINI fans called “Blooms”. 鈥� Edg Adrian A. Eva