Filipino American pop star Olivia Rodrigo built her career brick by brick

Filipino American pop star Olivia Rodrigo built her career brick by brick. And now, she has her own Lego collection to show for it.

In a first for any musician, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter will receive multiple dedicated Lego sets after the Danish toymaker unveiled a five-piece collection inspired by Rodrigo’s chart-topping albums “SOUR,” “GUTS” and “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.”

All collections were created in collaboration with the 23-year-old artist. They feature five Lego minifigures modeled after some of Rodrigo’s most iconic performances, complete with signature outfits, facial expressions and hidden references to her music, lyrics and career milestones.

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And for Filipino “Livies,”—as what Rodrigo’s fans are called—there’s an extra Easter egg to discover.

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Lego said one of the five sets (its first personalized Botanicals collaboration) was built around a striking purple flower made from electric guitars and features floral nods to Rodrigo’s Filipino heritage.

“There are so many pieces of my world inside these sets —little nods to songs, memories, outfits and moments that mean a lot to me,” Rodrigo said in a statement released by the toymaker.

For Lego, the collaboration aims to translate Rodrigo’s storytelling into collectibles.

“This collaboration is about more than recreating moments—it’s about inspiring fans to build, explore and express themselves through storytelling and creative building,” said Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer at LEGO Group.

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Lego said the collection launches globally on Aug. 1, although preorders are already underway.

Even beyond the music charts and in the world of Lego, Rodrigo proves time and again that Filipino talent belongs on the global stage. —Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta

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Why BPI is willing to give up transfer fees

Who said free always comes at a cost?

When BPI announced it would scrap digital interbank transfer fees, the immediate question from many corners of the market was obvious: how much revenue would the bank be giving up?

For president and CEO TG Limcaoco, however, that’s looking at only one side of the equation.

Limcaoco argues that customers will make those transactions anyway—whether through branches, ATMs or digital channels. From BPI’s perspective, steering them toward cheaper and more efficient digital channels and partner stores simply makes better business sense.

More importantly, convenience tends to attract customers.

Limcaoco expects the removal of transfer fees to help bring more Filipinos into the BPI ecosystem, boosting not only account openings but also deposits, bill payments and usage of other banking products.

Yes, transfer fee income drops to zero. But the bank is betting that customers who save a few pesos on transfers are more likely to keep their deposits, payments and financial lives within the BPI fold.

And BPI appears to have some evidence to support that thesis.

Its growing “May BPI Dito” partner-store network has already onboarded more than one million depositors, while over 7,000 retail outlets nationwide now serve as banking touchpoints for communities far from traditional branches.

As for when higher deposits and transaction volumes could offset the forgone fees?

“Almost immediate,” Limcaoco said.

For BPI, free transfers may not be a giveaway after all. They may simply be the price of getting customers to stay longer—and do more business with the bank. —Emmanuel John B. Abris

Terrestrial vs satellite? Globe bats for both

Globe Telecom Inc. is, apparently, taking notice of the heating telco wars that pit satellite against terrestrial, the old guard against the new kid on the block.

In a lengthy “think piece” over the weekend, the Ayala-backed telco, through its president and CEO Carl Cruz, acknowledged the growing noise around the two technologies that are increasingly competing to connect Filipinos, albeit through very different means.

Acknowledging, however, is not the same as participating.

Because while it recognized the plans of US-based satellite companies to penetrate the Philippine market, as well as the chatter surrounding satellite technology itself, Globe sought to paint a telco landscape spacious enough for everyone.

“No single technology can connect a nation,” Cruz said. “The challenge is not deciding which technology wins. The challenge is ensuring every Filipino has access to reliable connectivity wherever they are.”

Globe even went so far as to defend satellite technology, which in recent months has come under fire from its largest rival, PLDT Inc., for supposedly being slower than its terrestrial counterpart and too niche for mass adoption.

The Ayala-led telco argued that direct-to-cell satellite services open “new opportunities” to reach far-flung areas where building conventional cell towers remains difficult. It also sees the technology as key to reaching the remaining 4 percent of Filipinos still outside terrestrial mobile coverage.

In fact, both Globe and PLDT deployed Starlink-backed connectivity in parts of Mindanao after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake disrupted some of their network facilities earlier this month.

“Rather than viewing satellite and terrestrial networks as competing technologies, Globe sees them as complementary components of a broader connectivity ecosystem,” the company said in the same think piece.

Is this a subtle—if somewhat belated—response to the swings PLDT COO Menardo “Butch” Jimenez Jr. has taken at direct-to-cell satellite technology and, by extension, Globe’s own partnership with Starlink? That one can only surmise.

What is clear, however, is that Globe is committing to both.

And as the telco wars continue to heat up, the company appears keen on portraying itself as the genial player willing to make room for everyone—whether newcomers to the market or new technologies themselves.

“Mobile networks, fiber infrastructure, submarine cables, and satellite technologies each have a role to play in building a more connected, resilient, and inclusive Philippines,” Cruz said. “And this is exactly what we hope to fully achieve.” —Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta

MVP units come together

Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan is banding together some of his subsidiaries to offer broadband and solar energy solutions.

PLDT Home, Manila Electric Co. and MSpectrum, Meralco’s solar unit, have forged what they described as a first-of-its-kind collaboration aimed at helping Filipino families build smarter, more connected, and more sustainable homes.

Pangilinan said the initiative reflects the group’s commitment to providing innovations that deliver greater value and meaningful impact for Filipinos.

Under this partnership, PLDT Home subscribers will gain access to exclusive MSpectrum solar offerings, flexible payment options, and end-to-end expert support.

The three entities entered into this partnership “as Filipinos become increasingly connected while facing rising energy costs,” PLDT said.

Pangilinan said the collaboration reflects his vision of leveraging synergies within the group to create value for their customers.

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“By combining their expertise in connectivity, clean energy solutions, and innovation, the companies are helping empower Filipino families to embrace a smarter, more connected, and more sustainable future,” PLDT said. —Jordeene B. Lagare