General

Zamboanga City: Growing up amid the tumultuous backdrop of Zamboanga City and Basilan Province in Mindanao, Rhadem Musawah witnessed the profound struggles faced by marginalized communities during decades of armed conflict and displacement. “We grew up with bombings, corruption, and human rights violations all around us,” Musawah reflects. “But even within that, LGBTIQ+ people were often the most vulnerable, unseen, and unheard in humanitarian responses and peace processes.” According to UN Women, Musawah’s advocacy today spans the entire nation, though his formative experiences in Mindanao continue to shape his mission. As a queer Muslim advocate, he is committed to supporting

Manila: Oil firms on Monday announced staggered price hikes on fuel products this week. In separate advisories, Seaoil, Shell, and Caltex stated they will implement the first round of price increases on June 24, while the second round will take effect on June 26. According to Philippines News Agency, these companies will hike gasoline prices by PHP1.75 per liter, diesel prices by PHP2.60 per liter, and kerosene prices by PHP2.40 per liter for both June 24 and June 26. CleanFuel also announced it would implement a PHP2.60 per liter increase for diesel and PHP1.75 per liter for gasoline on June

Manila: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced that 10 additional medicines for conditions such as cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness are now exempt from value-added tax (VAT). According to Philippines News Agency, Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 62-2025 on June 20, which further expands the list of VAT-exempt medications. The BIR aims to enhance access to essential medicines and reduce treatment costs for patients and their families through these changes. The newly exempted medicines include Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium for cancer, Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin for diabetes, Atorvastatin (as calcium)

Manila: Authorities seized over PHP2.1 million worth of illegal drugs from June 1 to 22, the Police Regional Office in Caraga Region (PRO-13) said Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, the intensified operations resulted in the confiscation of 302.84 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and 440 grams of marijuana. PRO-13 stated that 51 drug suspects were arrested during the period, comprising 26 high-value individuals and 25 street-level individuals. Two major drug seizures were highlighted during these operations: on June 13 in Surigao del Sur, two suspects were arrested with 80 grams of shabu worth PHP544,000; and on June 19 in

Quezon City: If we are serious about achieving gender equality, we must recognize all women in their diverse and intersecting identities. You can’t talk about peace and security if queer women and gender minorities are excluded. Gandeza’s advocacy is rooted in his own experience living with what he describes as the benevolent tolerance of queer identities in the Philippines, where acceptance is often conditional. There’s this unspoken rule that you’re okay until someone finds you offensive. And that shapes how queer people move through society, he explains. According to UN Women, working within the National Action Plan on Women, Peace