Cathy Yang

Award-winning multi-platform anchor/host. Asian TV Awards, Stevie® Awards, and AACA winner. Head of Programs, Cignal TV, Inc.

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

2024 TO REMEMBER 🙏🏼🥹

2024 has been truly eventful — the full ecosystem of Tech, Media and Telco (TMT) coming together for me in quite unexpected ways, deepening and broadening my roles as journalist and corporate citizen. I am immensely grateful for the international recognitions that have come along while straddling both worlds for nearly four and a half years — from Asian TV Awards’ 2023 Best Talk Show Host to Stevie® Gold Award for Technology Excellence 2024 Executive of the Year — Communications Technology.

And most recently, as the Asian Academy Creative Awards’ 2024 National Winner (Philippines) for Best Factual Presenter.

For 2025, the clarion call comes from Media. With five seasons in — and multiple international awards to boot — Thought Leaders with Cathy Yang turns out to be just the start.

Thank you to all my Kapatid at @PLDT Group — I am incredibly privileged to have worked with you all. And to all my Kapatid in Cignal One News, I look forward to the new year creating more content and conversations for our fellow Pinoys — on air, on ground, and online. ❤️

See you all soon! 🤩

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Philippine inflation eased to 6.8% in May from 7.2% in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Despite the slowdown, the figure was higher than the 1.3% inflation rate recorded in May 2025.

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Digital banks in the Philippines are poised to become the most profitable players in retail banking within the next 10 years, according to GoTyme Philippines CEO Nathaniel Clarke.

Clarke said this is driven by changing consumer expectations, cost advantages, and faster financial technology adoption.

He noted that users, especially younger consumers but also older clients, are increasingly accustomed to seamless digital services such as streaming, food delivery, and e-commerce apps.

Clarke also said that traditional banks struggle to match this convenience due to branch-based systems and higher operating costs.

Meanwhile, digital banks can offer higher savings rates, lower loan interest, and minimal fees by eliminating physical infrastructure.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/aoHno72YsB

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

GoTyme Bank Philippines is maintaining a cautiously positive outlook on its customer base, saying it has not seen signs of consumers unusually tapping into their savings even amid broader economic pressures.

GoTyme Bank Philippines CEO Nathaniel Clarke said customer acquisition and overall adoption continue to accelerate.

He noted that strong headline growth may sometimes conceal underlying macroeconomic risks that the bank is closely monitoring.

Despite this, he stressed that current trends remain stable, with no abnormal withdrawal behavior observed among clients.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/aoHno72YsB

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

MONITORING CLOSELY

GoTyme Bank Philippines CEO Nathaniel Clarke said the digital bank is closely monitoring the impact of current economic uncertainties, but remains cautiously optimistic as it has yet to see significant changes in customer behavior or lending performance.

YT: https://t.co/0sMReKoH3Q
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Catch us live Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM Manila time on ONE News.

#MTWCY #CathyYang

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Philippine Institute for Development Studies Senior Research Fellow John Paolo Rivera said the proposed strategic petroleum reserve serves as a reminder of the importance of long-term planning in energy security.

He said slower responses to global developments can raise costs for Filipino consumers, underscoring the need for policymakers to think beyond short-term horizons.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/hg6K5YmhJV

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) has met with the Philippine National Oil Co. to discuss bankrolling the government’s strategic petroleum reserve.

MIC President and CEO Rafael Consing Jr. has previously expressed interest in using the country’s sovereign wealth fund to beef up the country’s oil reserves. | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/FvbpoiK9pL

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

The Department of Energy (DOE) is drafting a circular that will govern power sources in planned data centers in the Philippines.

DOE Secretary Sharon Garin says power sources in these areas should not only be clean but also steady.

Some options, according to Garin, include building a power plant on the data center site, which should be either gas- or nuclear-powered.

The DOE is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry to finalize the proposal. | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/FvbpoiK9pL

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho said domestic travel continues to gain traction, with destinations such as Batangas, Tagaytay, and Cebu posting strong growth in hotel bookings.

She added that Filipinos are increasingly opting for trips closer to home or choosing value-for-money international destinations such as Vietnam and China amid economic pressures.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/prjtQXYgdU

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

The planned strategic petroleum reserve and an ASEAN-wide joint stockpiling system will go hand-in-hand, according to Energy Secretary Sharon Garin.

Garin tells One News’ “Money Talks” that both initiatives, aimed to ensure energy security in the Philippines and the Southeast Asian region, are still in the early stages of planning.

The strategic petroleum reserve is eyed as a project of the Philippine National Oil Co. with potential funding from the Maharlika Investment Corp. Japanese firms will arrive next month to help conduct feasibility studies.

While the ASEAN-wide joint stockpiling system will serve as a “regional hub” in the region, which is in line with the existing Petroleum Security Agreement. | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/FvbpoiK9pL

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho said the arrival of the Michelin Guide in the Philippines has boosted interest in Filipino cuisine among both local diners and foreign tourists.

She said the recognition is expected to benefit other restaurants as well, helping drive demand for food-focused travel experiences.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/prjtQXYgdU

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

✈️ FILIPINOS TRAVEL SMARTER

Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho said Filipinos remain eager to travel but are becoming more deliberate about where they spend their money amid inflation and a weaker peso.

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Catch us live Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM Manila time on ONE News.

#MTWCY #CathyYang

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

🇵🇭 BUILDING ENERGY SECURITY

Philippine Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the Philippines is exploring long-term measures to protect its fuel supply, including the possible establishment of a strategic oil reserve.

YT: https://t.co/2JByhtlvAY
FB: https://t.co/sh7uNBeRzI

Catch us live Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM Manila time on ONE News.

#MTWCY #CathyYang

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

The state think thank Philippine Institute for Development Studies has cut its growth forecast for 2026 from 5.3 percent in December 2025 to four percent this month.

The forecast, first reported by One News’ “Money Talks,” comes as the Middle East crisis shows no signs of letting up.

“Looking at how sensitive the Philippine economy is to domestic and foreign influences, then it is only prudent to lower down our forecast so that expectations are anchored,” PIDS senior research fellow John Paul Rivera says. | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/hg6K5YmhJV

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Philippine Institute for Development Studies Senior Research Fellow John Paolo Rivera warned that elevated inflation poses a serious risk to Filipinos' purchasing power, with many households finding it harder to meet their basic needs.

He said some families on the brink of poverty could be pushed below the poverty line, highlighting the need for targeted government interventions to cushion the impact of rising prices.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/hg6K5YmhJV

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

AT WHAT COSTS TO PINOYS

Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow John Paul Rivera warned that institutions risk losing focus on critical economic issues amid ongoing challenges facing the country.

YT: https://t.co/zuiuiauHPz
FB: https://t.co/9ma8a4YOGQ

Catch us live Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM Manila time on ONE News.

#MTWCY #CathyYang

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo says the central bank should have started hiking rates since last year, since there were already “signs of risks” in the external markets.

Guinigundo stresses that the BSP “could have taken a more decisive action much earlier” when forecasts as early as February showed average inflation for 2026 and 2027 were about to breach the central bank’s two-to-four percent target range.

For May alone, the BSP is forecasting inflation to range between 7.1 and 7.9 percent.

The Monetary Board will next meet on June 18. | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/7SM5TizFew

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo warned that questions about the Senate’s credibility and adherence to constitutional principles could affect investor confidence and the broader economy. He said political uncertainty and governance concerns may create risks for the country’s long-term economic stability.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/7SM5TizFew

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Building artificial intelligence (AI)-driven hubs within the Luzon Economic Corridor and other parts of the Philippines is one way to leapfrog the economy, according to former central banker Diwa Guinigundo.

Guinigundo, a former deputy governor at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, tells One News’ “Money Talks” that the government should show seriousness in establishing the 1,600-hectare AI industrial hub under the United States (US)’ Pax Silica initiative in New Clark City, Tarlac, for the benefit of the economy.

“We have to break the mold and allow innovation to be the next layer of industrial policy in the Philippines today. There's no other alternative,” he says.

Pax Silica is built within the Luzon Economic Corridor, a trilateral initiative between the Philippines, the US and Japan.

Just this Monday, President Marcos had a phone call with US State Secretary Marco Rubio, where they discussed “critical regional and economic priorities, and bilateral trade matters.” | via Money Talks

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/7SM5TizFew

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

Former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo warned that declining confidence in the Senate could affect investor sentiment, governance perceptions, and the broader economy.

He said the situation is still "not beyond repair" and that reforms aimed at restoring the Senate's credibility, transparency, and constitutional independence could have a positive impact on the economy.

📷: One News

WATCH: https://t.co/7SM5TizFew

[Cathy Yang @cathyyang]

LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN 🇵🇭 SENATE MAY HURT ECONOMY

Former BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo warned that declining confidence in the Senate could spill over to the broader economy by affecting investor sentiment, governance perceptions, and financial markets.

YT: https://t.co/MV6DkshOFe
FB: https://t.co/Lbp7aZOlko

Catch us live Monday to Friday at 9:30 AM Manila time on ONE News.

#MTWCY #CathyYang