SME Policy Push (Philippines): President Marcos Jr. is driving Ledac’s priority agenda for the 20th Congress, including tax relief for workers and small businesses, a tax amnesty, lower electricity costs by cutting system loss charges, and broader reforms aimed at growth and better public service delivery. Local Business Safety Rules (Philippines): Quezon City ordered billboard and tarpaulin owners/advertisers to secure or remove signage during storm alerts under a new weather safety ordinance, with escalating daily fines for violations. Main Street Boost (Iowa, US): Iowa’s sales tax holiday runs Friday–Saturday for clothing and footwear under $100, with NFIB urging shoppers to support local stores. Community-Led Growth (US): Shreveport won international Bronze Excellence awards for its “Block by Block” neighborhood revitalization and permitting modernization, both designed to help businesses operate more easily. Startup & Funding Signals: Fusemachines added up to $10.66M via a convertible note and warrants; Bundle raised $5.5M to let smaller firms pool rewards; and Profound raised $1.5M to build AI “digital representatives” for professionals. SME Finance Access (Africa): Zambia’s SEC highlighted a Capital Markets Master Plan to expand SME funding beyond bank loans, while AfricaNenda urged human-centered reporting to improve digital financial inclusion. Small Business Tech Reality Check: A new index finds many owners build their own software because agency quotes and timelines are too costly.