Many stock market investors are betting that DigiPlus Interactive Corp., which has emerged as the new market darling, may soon join the 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi).
The latest in our radar is that at P158 billion, the market capitalization of this digital entertainment platform is now higher than that of conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc., currently valued at P121.7 billion.
DigiPlus is now also worth more than Alliance Global Group Inc., which has a market capitalization of P53.97 billion.
DigiPlus’ market capitalization can be enough of a push. After all, that and trading liquidity are among the main considerations for inclusion in the blue-chip basket. The share price of the company led by Forbes Magazine’s breakout billionaire Eusebio “Yosi” Tanco has already surged by 21 percent year-to-date.
An added sweetener is the move of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to reduce fees for e-bingo from 30 percent to 25 percent.
After all, BingoPlus is DigiPlus’ biggest product. Since its launch in 2022, BingoPlus has helped the company balloon in popularity—DigiPlus had 40 million registered users as of last year.
COL Financial noted in its Monday report that e-bingo accounts for 12 percent of DigiPlus’ gross gaming revenues, while sports betting and traditional bingo account for 9.5 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
“After factoring in the lower Pagcor fees, we raise our 2025 and 2026 net income forecast by 2.7 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively,” COL adds.
In 2024, DigiPlus’ earnings tripled to P12.6 billion, or nearly five times larger than the net income of brick-and-mortar casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which ended at P2.6 billion last year.
But there are potential headwinds: Pagcor also warned that a proposed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) policy could hurt the online gaming industry.
The BSP’s draft circular prohibits digital marketplaces from offering products and services related to gambling.
There’s also the proposal of Senate President Francis Escudero to review the Philippine inland gaming operator scene, which includes both DigiPlus and Bloomberry. We’re all aware of what happened to the other half of this equation.
We’re a few months away from the next PSEi rebalancing in August, so a lot may still happen. Let’s just hope that it’s something exciting for the market. —Meg J. Adonis
DA execs take on new roles
Women’s Month may be over, but two women in agriculture have stepped into new roles to advance the development of the farming sector here and abroad.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Paz Benavidez II has become the first Filipino to be elected as chair of the United Nations’ Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) during the 20th session held in Rome.
Benavidez, a lawyer, will serve a two-year term until 2027 as chair of CGRFA, which provides a platform for discussing biological diversity for food and agriculture, focusing on policies for the sustainable use, conservation and equitable sharing of these resources.
Back in Manila, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research (Searca) also announced the appointment of former Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla as the first woman to lead the nonprofit organization.
Before becoming the 12th Searca director, Sombilla previously served as undersecretary at the National Economic and Development Authority and held key research and advisory positions at the Searca, the International Food Policy Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute.
In her acceptance speech, Sombilla emphasized “the need to shift from business-as-usual development to transformational development” and forward-looking policies that fast-track modernization, drive innovation, strengthen capacity building and nurture inclusivity in Southeast Asia.
The likes of Benavidez and Sombilla continue put the Philippines on the world map, particularly in the agriculture space. —Jordeene B. Lagare