MANILA, Philippines – Following the earthquake in Abra in July 2022, educator and entrepreneur Mia Magdalena Capuyan Fokno published a post on her Facebook wall, questioning the whereabouts of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

Some friends later sent her the link to a malicious video by vlogger Renan Padawi (who goes by the name “Jackfloyd Sawyer” online) attacking her, but she brushed it off. She did not know Padawi personally. But this was not the first time she had had to deal with online attacks, after all.

But because close relations insisted, she finally forced herself to watch it. Her reaction was so visceral, that it took time for her to get to the end of the video. 

With each statement that Padawi made, Fokno cringed: “Kulang ka lang sa dilig (You just need watering)!” A rude way of saying she was badly in need of sex.

“Baka ‘pag nagkita tayo, shit, ibabangka kita sa dagat na walang hanggan. (Maybe when we see each other, I will send you off on a boat to the next life.)” In essence, threatening her life.

“It really was bastos. Nandiri ako. (It was really crude. It was disgusting.) I felt violated. He was saying some very sexually explicit things and kept pointing his finger and raising his clenched fist,” Fokno’s voice cracked as she recalled details during an interview with Rappler in March.

“I suffered sleepless nights, public ridicule, embarrassment, anguish. I felt unsafe online and in the real world. Knowing that he had many followers, I feared for my safety. I became paranoid and I made sure that I was home every day before it got dark.” 

Fokno’s experience is not unique. Following the rise of social media, cybermisogyny has taken gender-based violence online. 

Must Read

[OPINION] Cybermisogyny: Thoughts after I got a death threat online

There is no need to suffer in silence, however. Filipinos using the digital space have avenues of redress for incidents such as these. 

As of May 2022, 3,700 cyber libel cases have been filed since the law was passed. From 2019 to 2022, 754 cases of violations of the RA 11313 (Safe Spaces Act) were reported.

Laws like the Safe Spaces Act and Cybercrime Prevention Act, as well as various support groups can hold individuals accountable and ease trauma that can result from online hate in all its many forms. What is important is to take action. 

Roots of online misogyny

Men do not have a monopoly on misogyny, according to licensed professional teacher, psychometrician, and psychologist Eizaleen Fusingan-Lappay. But, to a certain extent, it thrives because society conditions us to think that women are inferior to men, and as such, are subject to their power and authority. 

A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) study conducted from 2017 to 2022 shows that 99.5% of all Filipinos have biases against women.

To a degree, the pervasive milieu of online hate contradicts a number of Philippine core values such as pakikipag-kapwa (treating the other as an extension of the self), according to Carolyn Sobritchea of the Commission on Higher Education’s Technical Panel on Gender and Women’s Studies, and the University of the Philippines’ Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc.

However, she said, some of our indigenous values, like utang na loob (debt of gratitude), can be misused, especially if appropriated by the ruling class for their personal agenda and political gains.

Lappay attributed the boldness of perpetrators of cybermisogyny to the online disinhibition effect, which makes a person disregard societal norms due to the anonymity afforded them by online platforms. 

Addressing trauma: Cybermisogyny and its discontents

Cybermisogyny can take many forms, from abusive language to grave threats. 

“Things happen very fast online,” Sobritchea told Rappler in an interview last May. “Someone can post a woman’s naked photo or make a defamatory statement with the click of a button. The damage to someone’s reputation spreads fast, resulting in trauma and emotional distress.”

Some people may be sitting with unresolved feelings that are building up as trauma, which is when residual negative energy or feelings stored in the body remain unresolved after an experience or event.

Following an encounter with cybermisogyny, Lappay said, it is important to undergo debriefing sessions. She strongly advised working with a mental health professional to process the experience in a safe space. 

Should someone not be able or ready to go to a face-to-face therapy session, there are  support groups online and MindNation has 24/7 chat support that can help.

Different ways to cope

Whenever Christine Abrigana, who started Lagim: A Filipino True Crime Podcast in 2020, receives snarky comments, she steps away from her screen until the emotions pass. 

She has made it a practice to delete inflammatory comments and block commenters because she doesn’t like dwelling on them. She also doesn’t discuss them with friends, though she sometimes vents on her Instagram Stories about mean comments. 

When she decides to answer them, she draws from her experience working in public family law and approaches with compassion, understanding, and respect – mindful that the person on the receiving end may be going through something.

When activist and academic Renee Karunungan-Edwards’ Facebook wall and message inbox were flooded with hate-filled messages following a post about then-candidate Rodrigo Duterte in March 2016, she documented them, taking screenshots that she then shared on her wall.

A previously published Rappler report documented the abusive messages online. Some Duterte supporters said back then: “Ul*l. T*ngina mo. UP ka man din galing, pero utak dilis ka. Bobo ka ang pangit mo. Sana ma-rape ka, manakawan ka. ‘Yan gusto mo, ‘di ba? Ayaw mo ng pagbabago dahil ayaw mo kay Duterte. Sana lang one of these days ma-rape ka para matauhan ka.” 

(Stupid. S*n of a b*tch. You are from UP but you have the brain of an anchovy. You’re stupid and ugly. I hope you get raped, or get mugged. That’s what you want, right? You don’t want change because you are against Duterte. I hope one of these days you get raped so you’ll become enlightened.)

She subsequently filed cases – with legal services offered pro bono – citing violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and Omnibus Election Code. As of March, the Comelec had handed down subpoenas. The legal process is ongoing. Karunungan-Edwards, who is now based in the United Kingdom, will attend court proceedings online.

Fokno, Abrigana, and Karunungan-Edwards have accepted that the online attacks on them ebb and flow, depending on the political climate in the Philippines.

Expert Speaks

[ANALYSIS] Cybermisogyny violates human rights

Online crime and offline consequences

After suffering through many sleepless nights and anxiety, Fokno decided to file a case against Padawi. Since she lives in Benguet, Fokno went to the Philippine National Police Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit in the Cordillera. There, through an app, an officer helped her document the video that Padawi posted.

Then, she wrote an affidavit. She also asked witnesses, who had watched the video and seen firsthand the effects it had on Fokno, to write statements.

With those documents, a police officer accompanied her to the provincial prosecutor in Benguet. In September 2022, the case People of the Philippines vs. Renan Padawi was officially filed. In February 2023, Padawi pleaded guilty to violating the Safe Spaces Act. He has yet to settle the fine and civil liability of P150,000.

Fokno did not need to spend any money on any step in the process. 

She has been encouraged by messages she receives from women, many of whom are strangers to her, thanking her for inspiring them to fight back against their attackers.

Building communities of empathy and action

According to Lappay, empathy-building connections and communications will empower people to speak kindly and mindfully online, as well as to help set awareness in dealing with cybermisogynists, including forging alliances to help those who are defamed and shamed on various online platforms.

“We have the power to create safe spaces in the virtual world if we speak up and stand for the victims,” she said. Then, we can once again look at each other, eye to eye, as fellow human beings and extensions of each other, though mediated by technology. 

Sobritchea advocates for a multi-layered approach. First, for content moderation of online platforms to prevent online abuse – knowing full well that there are risks to regulation, which can curtail freedoms, especially of small organizations and the marginalized. 

Next, by showing models of positive portrayal of women and giving space for their narratives to be heard. And finally, by empowering women to help them protect themselves. She said there are many laws and mechanisms to combat violence against women.

Dr. Gregor Mate, who has lectured and published extensively on life-long impacts of trauma, blames our modern globalized culture for what he calls an epidemic of loneliness. 

But an antidote lies in technology too: “We have to use the technologies that we have to connect with each other. People need to build virtual communities where they can share their ideas, their miseries, and their joys, and talk about their values. Seek connection on the local level, internet level.”

Though it seems that cybermisogyny has become commonplace in our society, individuals and groups can fight back to destroy the culture of online hate: by healing from their trauma, by seeking justice under the law, and, in the long-term, by building communities of care that hark back to the values deeply embedded in our Filipino identity. – Rappler.com

Mari-An Santos is a fellow of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s caretaker government is proposing to “fully reengage” Myanmar’s military rulers and has invited ASEAN foreign ministers to an informal meeting on Sunday, June 18, in an effort to jump-start a stalled peace plan, according to a letter seen by Reuters and sources aware of the invitation.

The proposal was made in a June 14 letter to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) counterparts from Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, which was seen by Reuters on Friday, June 16, and confirmed by three sources with knowledge of the planned meeting.

ASEAN has barred Myanmar’s ruling generals from its high-level meetings over its failure to honor its agreement, known as the “5-point consensus,” which included calls for an immediate end of hostilities, dialogue between all parties and the granting of full humanitarian access.

ASEAN chair Indonesia has declined to attend the meeting, according to three sources. Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The foreign ministry in Thailand, which is expected to have a new government by August following an election last month, declined to comment.

Indonesia last month cited progress in its behind-the-scenes efforts to engage multiple parties in Myanmar’s conflict in a bid to advance a peace process agreed in 2021 by ASEAN leaders and Myanmar’s military, two months after it seized power in a coup and launched a deadly crackdown on opponents.

Myanmar has been roiled by violence since the coup, with the military battling on multiple fronts to try to crush an armed pro-democracy resistance movement formed in response to the crackdown.

Human rights and some United Nations experts have accused the military of committing widespread atrocities. The junta says it is fighting terrorists who aim to destroy the country.

The letter from Thailand’s foreign minister did not explicitly say that Myanmar’s junta-appointed foreign minister had been invited to the meeting. However, two informed sources said the Myanmar minister had been invited.

The letter said the proposed meeting would be “part of the initial steps” of the peace process.

It cited a meeting last month at the ASEAN summit in Indonesia where “a member nation” made an unequivocal statement that ASEAN should fully reengage with Myanmar at the leadership level.

“A number of members supported the call and some were willing to consider, there was no explicit dissenting voice,” Don said in the letter. – Rappler.com

All 12 members of K-pop group LOONA have left their agency BlockBerry Creative.

Haseul, Yeojin, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye won their respective injunctions to suspend their exclusive contracts with BlockBerry, South Korean media reported on Friday, June 16.

According to Seoul Economic Daily, the Seoul High Court’s Fifth Civil Cases Division ruled in favor of the five members, citing “a problem with BlockBerry’s transferring of exclusive contracts to Japanese agency Universal Japan without the written consent of the members.”

BlockBerry has not released a statement as of this writing.

The members have been in a legal battle against BlockBerry for more than a year, filing a string of lawsuits to suspend their exclusive contracts with the agency.

Chuu filed her injunction in December 2021 on the grounds of nonpayment for her activities. BlockBerry expelled her from the group almost a year after, on November 25, 2022, alleging verbal abuse against staff, which Chuu denied. 

A few days after, on November 28, JTBC reported that Heejin, Haseul, Yeojin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye filed their injunctions, citing breach of mutual trust.

Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry won their injunctions in January 2023. 

Hyunjin and Vivi filed their injunctions in February 2023, winning them a few months after in May. 

‘Liberation’

LOONA members took to social media to react to the news, with Yeojin, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye thanking the group’s fans for their support.

“I think we got a good outcome because you were always on our side and rooted for us and gave us strength,” Olivia Hye wrote.

Fans have been boycotting BlockBerry Creative since December 2022, calling out the agency for apparently mistreating LOONA members and signing them to contracts that leave them “in perpetual debt.”

Seven of the LOONA members are currently pursuing their respective endeavors.

Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry signed exclusive contracts with Modhaus and launched the ARTMS project in March 2023. The project is now teasing a comeback of the LOONA subunit ODD EYE CIRCLE, comprising Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry. 

In April, Chuu signed an exclusive contract with a new agency ATRP. She has also teased an upcoming solo album in the second half of 2023, with details still pending as of this posting.

Meanwhile, Hyunjin and Vivi signed exclusive contracts with CTDENM in June. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The La Salle Green Archers and the Perpetual Help Altas completed the semifinal cast of the 2023 FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup after posting contrasting quarterfinal wins against the Letran Knights and the FEU Tamaraws, respectively, on Friday, June 16.

Kevin Quiambao showed the way for the Green Archers as they rolled past the Knights, 101-79, and kept their undefeated run going in the preseason tournament.

Quiambao delivered 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists off the bench, while Mark Nonoy also came up huge for La Salle with 18 markers built on four long bombs. 

Evan Nelle, meanwhile, hardly looked like he missed a beat in his return from an injury as he filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the 22-point drubbing.

On the other side, Kurt Reyson topscored for the Knights yet again with 17 points, while big men Kobe Monje and Paolo Javillonar added 11 and 10, respectively. 

In the curtain-raiser, Arthur Roque put on a show for the Altas as they eked out a thrilling 74-73 escape over the Tamaraws.

Roque erupted for 27 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting, along with a perfect 9-of-9 clip from the foul line. 

With the Tamaraws up by 1, 71-70, John Paul Boral and Roque knocked down four consecutive crucial free throws to give the Altas the lead with only 12 seconds remaining.

FEU’s Xyrus Torres and Royce Alforque had two opportunities to tie the ball game and potentially send it into overtime in the following play, but they both failed to connect on their attempts from beyond the arc.

Boral backstopped Roque in the hard-fought win with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.

For the Tamaraws, Aeron Bagunu led the charge with 14 points, while Torres and Cholo Anonuevo scored 12 each.

La Salle takes on the NU Bulldogs, while Perpetual faces off with the UP Fighting Maroons in the knockout semifinals on Monday, June 19.

The Scores

First Game

Perpetual 74 – Roque 27, Boral 15, Pagaran 9, Razon 8, Abis 5, Nitura 3, Ferreras 3, Nunez 2, Sevilla 2, Barcuma 0, Ramirez 0.

FEU 73 – Bagunu 14, Torres 12, Anonuevo 12, Montemayor 11, Alforque 8, Faty 7, Sleat 7, Pasaol 2, Tempra 0, Ona 0, Felipe 0.

Quarters: 17-25, 39-40, 53-60, 74-73.

Second Game

La Salle 101 – Quiambao 23, Nonoy 18, Nelle 12, Austria 7, Macalalag 6, Manuel 6, Policarpio 6, Phillips M. 6, David 4, Abadam 4, Gollena 4, Nwankwo 2, Cortez 2, Escandor 1.

Letran 79 – Reyson 17, Monje 11, Javillonar 10, Cuajao 9, Tolentino 9, Galoy 7, Santos 6, Bojorcelo 4, Morales 2, Guarino 2, Nunag 2, Bautista 0, Brillantes 0, Go 0.

Quarters: 23-18, 52-45, 74-61, 101-79.

– Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao continues to have a soft spot for basketball as the boxing legend looks to expand his pro basketball league to the grassroots level.

Pacquiao unveiled the Junior Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), where kids can test and hone their skills against other young athletes nationwide starting next month. 

“We want to discover our homegrown, grassroots players who are into basketball,” MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao said in a media event on Thursday, June 15 at Vivere Alabang.

“Filipinos are really in love with basketball, and that is why we are giving these kids a chance, accommodate them and be able to showcase their basketball talent.”

The Junior MPBL, set to launch on July 9, will feature three age groups – U18, U16, and U14 – as 18 teams to date have confirmed participation. 

Set to be televised over their MPTV channel on the Cignal pay TV service, the Junior MPBL plans to hold games regularly during the school break, before shifting to a weekend-only affair when classes start.

Teams from Antipolo; Batangas City; Bauan, Batangas; Caloocan; Cavite City; Dasmariñas City, Cavite; Imus City, Cavite; Las Piñas; Leyte; and Malabon will see action, said league commissioner Keith Picazo. 

Mandaluyong; Marikina; Muntinlupa; Pampanga; Quezon City; Quezon Province; Rizal Province; and San Pedro, Laguna also confirmed participation, while Iloilo is in talks to join.

Games will be played in different venues, including the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City, Batangas City Coliseum, Bauan Sports Complex in Batangas, Ynares Center Antipolo, Villar Coliseum in Las Piñas, and the Malabon Sports Complex.

Pacquiao to support Gilas in World Cup

Pacquiao, the eight-division world boxing champion known as a longtime basketball fan, said the MPBL will also give way to the country’s hosting of the FIBA World Cup from August 25 to September 10.

“We will stop to support the Philippines and stop the MPBL and Junior MPBL so we can watch the games personally,” said Pacquiao.

The former senator said he’ll support Gilas Pilipinas and watch at least one of its games in Group A action, where Filipinos will battle the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Angola.

While Pacquiao remains focused on his basketball league and other business, he admitted he is still on the fence when it comes to a political comeback.

Based on a recent SWS survey conducted last April 15 to 18, the former solon was the most preferred choice of local voters if the midterm elections were to be held today.

“I thank… the support of the people, we are always committed to serve the people properly,” said Pacquiao, who was a distant third in the 2022 presidential elections.

“But currently, I am focused on expanding my businesses, especially my family but we continue to help the less fortunate.”

Aside from politics, Pacquiao admitted he’s also not ruling out a return to the boxing ring. – Rappler.com

Claim: Data from the 1997 Philippine Yearbook released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) shows a summary of government expenditures under former presidents Ferdinand E. Marcos, Corazon Aquino, and Fidel Ramos.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The false claim can be found in a screenshot from a Twitter post on June 13, 2023, with 339 views. The Twitter account no longer exists as of writing.

The following can also be seen in the screenshot: “President Marcos built a massive infrastructure program and had other achievements while succeeding presidents had little to show despite their huge budgets.”

The same screenshot has been spreading as early as 2019; Rappler published a fact-check of the false claim on April 8, 2019.  In that article, the source of the screenshot was a Facebook post by Larry Gadon, who was a senatorial candidate in the 2016, 2019, and 2022 elections. Gadon is also a lawyer who has been suspended by the Supreme Court at least twice for unbecoming behavior and languge.

The facts: The figures cited in the screenshot are incorrect and misleading. The NSO, now the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), releases annual expenditures, not summaries of government spending by presidency. It is also misleading to compare the peso values without adjusting for inflation.

Information from the PSA: The April 2019 Rappler fact-check cited information published by the PSA on government income and expenditures from 1966 to 1997. The figures are shown in millions, contradicting the erroneously-inflated figures shown in the screenshot.

The same information above can also be found in two resources published by the PSA and available online: (1) the 1994 Philippine Yearbook’s “Table 21.1 Summary of Government Income and Expenditures: 1964-1994,” which shows government expenditures from 1966 to 1993:

(2) the 1997 Philippine Statistical Yearbook’s Table 15.4, which shows government expenditures from 1994 to 1997. There are some inconsistencies in the figures prior to 1994 here compared to the figures in the Philippine Yearbook. (The Philippine Yearbook and the Philippine Statistical Yearbook are different publications.)

In both sources, the figures are expressed in millions. 

Adding up these figures would lead to the same results cited in Rappler’s previous fact-check:

A note on the numbers:

• 600,778 million pesos is 600,778 × 1,000,000 = 600,778,000,000 or P600.778 billion 
• 1,364,498 million pesos is 1,364,498 × 1,000,000 = 1,364,498,000,000, or around P1.364 trillion
• 2,237,907 million pesos is 2,237,907 × 1,000,000 = 2,237,907,000,000, or around P2.238 trillion

Inflated figures: The numbers in the screenshot incorrectly used commas and decimal places, resulting in outrageously large figures.

Adjusting decimal places, Marcos’ supposed spending of “P486,273 billion” would translate to P486 trillion.

Meanwhile, Aquino’s “P1,077,895 T (trillion)” expenditures would inflate the number to P1.077 quintillion, and Ramos’ “P2,237,907 T” spending would be 2.238 quintillion.

Here is a summary of the large numbers involved:

Other inaccuracies in the screenshot: It is inaccurate to state the years 1986-1991 and 1992-1997 for the Aquino and Ramos administrations, respectively, as was done in the screenshot. Aquino’s term ended on June 30, 1992, and Ramos on June 30, 1998. 

Therefore, in adding government expenditures, figures for 1998 would still have to be included for Ramos, but the 1997 Philippine Yearbook would be inadequate as a source as it does not have the 1998 expenditures. 

Also, the years mentioned in the screenshot do not properly correspond to the time periods covered by each administration as far as adding up budgets is concerned. For instance, 1986 covers both the Marcos and Aquino administrations, as Aquino took office in February 1986; 1992 covers both Aquino and Ramos. Additionally, almost the entirety of 1965 was under the administration of former president Diosdado Macapagal, as Marcos’s term only began on December 30, 1965.

As pointed out in Rappler’s previous fact-check: “To begin with, the NSO does not summarize government spending by presidency. What it publishes are annual expenditures.”

Comparability of pesos over time: The government expenditures in the various sources published by the PSA are nominal values, which are not adjusted for inflation. Without adjusting for inflation, it would be misleading to compare nominal values as the value of past pesos changes over time. – Percival Bueser/ Rappler.com

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one fact check at a time.

MANILA, Philippines – PSA, MUJI enthusiasts!

SM North EDSA is now home to MUJI’s grandest store in the Philippines, marking the Japanese lifestyle brand’s sixth establishment in the country.

Boasting an impressive floor size of over 2,500 square meters, the new store sets a record as MUJI’s largest establishment in the country to date, showcasing the Japanese retailer’s signature design elements.

With over 4,000 MUJI products available, including original concepts such as MUJI Labo and MUJI Walker, visitors will be spoiled for choice.

One of the features of the store is the aisle that connects two distinct areas. Area 1 presents a wide range of MUJI merchandise, from garments for all ages to functional houseware, furniture, stationery, and skincare products. 

In Area 2, MUJI introduces new lifestyle services, including a coffee counter serving curry rice meals, a kids’ playing area for young visitors, and a service counter.

The expansive coffee counter is one of the standout features of the store and is MUJI’s largest coffee counter to date. Customers can take a break there and enjoy a cup of coffee or meals from MUJI’s new product line, MUJI Curry, which is exclusive to the branch. The product line includes seven flavors such as butter chicken curry, green curry, and prawn curry.

The kids’ playing area allows children to engage with educational toys, providing a space for them to have fun while their parents explore the store, which also features an expanded kidswear line for babies and toddlers.

The store also features the sixth MUJI water refilling station in the country. The station is a free service that encourages visitors to refill their own bottles. The branch also introduces an embroidery service, allowing customers to personalize their MUJI products with over 200 designs to choose from.

To celebrate the grand opening, MUJI SM North EDSA is conducting a price review on select everyday products, making them even more affordable for customers.

In addition to SM North EDSA, MUJI is also present in other locations, including Greenbelt 3, Central Square in BGC, Power Plant Mall at Rockwell, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA. – with reports from Jacob Maquiling/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Friday, June 16, “discussions” with the United States to help the Western superpower sort out the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications of refugees who fled Afghanistan.

“While the proposed arrangement is humanitarian in nature, it will not involve the admission or hosting of Afghan refugees,” said the DFA in a statement.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez had earlier told CNN Philippines that the request was lodged in October 2022.

Romualdez, cousin of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said Washington will cover all costs should the request be granted, and that Afghan refugees were meant to head straight to the US once their applications are finally processed.

The DFA said discussions concerned refugees in the last stages of the infamously long, bureaucratic, and rigorous process of securing an SIV.

Amid criticism from officials, including the President’s own sister Senator Imee Marcos, the DFA said Manila “has not entered or finalized any agreement with the United States on the matter.”

“Consultations with relevant Philippine government agencies are ongoing,” the DFA added.

Romualdez, speaking to CNN Philippines, that Washington’s request includes Afghans who worked for the US government during and in the aftermath of its controversial invasion of Afghanistan. Special immigration visas will eventually be issued to them via a facility in the Philippines.

“The information that we so far have received is that there are about 50,000, which includes the families of the Afghan citizens who worked with the United States government,” Romualdez said.

After over two decades of war in the central Asian country, the US abruptly pulled out of Afghanistan, resulting in the return of the Taliban to power.

Afghans – particularly those who worked for and with the US in the past decades – scrambled to find a way out of Kabul in the last days of US presence, in fear of punishment at the hands of the Taliban.

According to the Foreign Policy, the Biden administration’s estimates place the number of Afghans seeking SIVs at over 150,000 as of March 2023.

Senator Marcos led on Friday a probe into the Americans’ request, a move that was supported by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III.

During the hearing, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said US President Joe Biden “briefly raised” the request during Marcos’ visit to Washington DC in May 2023. 

In a separate statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the request “is currently under evaluation.”

The Philippines has a long history of taking in people who had to flee their homeland en mass because of conflict and war. Many of these refugees – unlike the Afghans included in the current US proposal – went on to stay in the Philippines, creating communities of their own.

Manila most recently expressed openness to taking in the Rohingya in 2020, and Afghans in 2021, and Ukrainians in 2022. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Billionaire Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corporation is set to spend P350 billion for the next five years to expand its township footprint across the Philippines.

Megaworld’s strategic focus will extend beyond Metro Manila as the company seeks to develop townships in new growth areas like Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Northern Luzon, and selected regions in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“This [capital expenditure] program will allow Megaworld to set its sight on various opportunities in building townships or mixed-use lifestyle communities, which is already the strength of our company. Aside from residential, office, malls, and hotels, there are more to offer to make every township more relevant and sustainable to the next generation of Filipinos,” said Kevin Tan, Megaworld’s chief strategy officer.

Must Read

Megaworld exceeds targets, nets P14.4 billion in 2022

Megaworld is set to construct additional hotels and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) facilities, including convention centers, in key cities within the next five years to leverage the increasing tourism demand.

In response to the rising demand for workspaces, Megaworld is set to construct more “sustainable” Grade A office towers. These office towers will cater to emerging businesses and industries while also accommodating the continued demand from the business process outsourcing sector. The selected locations for these office towers include Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Davao.

Megaworld also plans to expand its Lifestyle Malls portfolio by constructing new malls and commercial developments in various regions. Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Cebu, Bacolod, and Davao have been identified as prime locations for these upcoming projects.

“There will be some land acquisitions during this period, and we are also preparing for that. Most of the budget will really be used to spruce up and expand the existing townships and, of course, to put up more residential, offices, malls, and hotel properties,” Tan said.

Since its incorporation in 1989, Megaworld and its affiliates have launched more than 741 residential
developments, 74 premier offices, 24 lifestyle malls and commercial centers, and 13 homegrown hotels and resorts.

Megaworld, so far, owns or has development rights to over 5,000 hectares of land located throughout the Philippines. – Rappler.com

Editor’s note: This press release is sponsored by SM Supermalls and was handled by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the publishing of this piece.

This Father’s Day, making super fun memories is made easier, safer, and more convenient at SM Supermalls. No matter what your SuperDad is like, your favorite SM mall has got you covered with an array of activities that will make his day all the more special.

Start the day with a mass

Our dads are definitely God’s gift to us. On this special weekend date with him, start the day by attending a mass organized by SM Supermalls. Don’t forget to say a little prayer for him!

Grab the nicest gift for him

Make Father’s Day even more rewarding by giving Dad the trendiest personalized gifts. Plus, you can save more and buy more because lots of SuperDad deals are up for grabs!

Spend the day with a feast

Famished after all the shopping and strolling? Turn a simple dining experience into a feast with SM Supermalls’ fab dining deals. From June 13 to 18, you can get your hands on exclusive deals and discounts, as well as dining rewards for dads so be sure to get all his fave Filipino food.

Furdads are also dads

Don’t be sad, Super Furdads, because this day is also for you. Learn from the best at the special tricks and training classes with SM Supermalls’ featured dog whisperer. Plus, there will be a pet show competition in partnership with PCCI so suit up and make sure you and your pet look dashing.

This weekend deserves a cool ride!

Father’s Day at SM wouldn’t be complete without cool photo spots. Make sure to drop by your fave mall’s SuperDads Ride installations. From interactive retro-futuristic and arcade designs to astounding larger-than-life vintage cars and big bike setups, delight your car enthusiast dad by giving him the gift of great photos. 

Get ideas on where to go with your SuperDad on your #FYP

Scroll through Tiktok from June 13 to 18 to check out the best SuperDad dining and shopping promos straight from SM Supermalls’ tenants. 

Show how big your love is by taking him to the SuperDads Giant Collections

Pretty sure your SuperDad loves it big– big displays, big feasts, big toys, and even big love. So this weekend, show how big your love is by taking him to the SuperDads Giant Collection featuring collector dads with super-sized collection items. 

Give your SuperDad an amazing weekend with these dad-approved activities. Cool deals, sumptuous dining promos, and rewarding treats and experiences await the King of your Home this June! Plan the best weekend treat for him at SM Supermalls.

For more information, visit www.smsupermalls.com. To get the latest updates, follow @smsupermalls on social media. – Rappler.com