Philippines

Lejun dela Cruz, a human rights activist and midterm election candidate, was arrested in Pasig for a 1998 murder; once part of the armed struggle, he later shifted to peaceful activism and his arrest raises concerns over political repression

The House impeached VP Sara Duterte over alleged misuse of public funds, corruption and threats against President Marcos Jr.; backed by 215 lawmakers, the case moves to the Senate and the trial will begin after 2 June: if convicted, she’ll be removed

The Puerto Princesa City Jail, in Palawan, promotes sports for Persons Deprived of Liberty; basketball, volleyball, chess, and more, aim to improve physical and mental well-being, foster discipline, teamwork, and support rehabilitation

Baguio has launched the 2025 Panagbenga Festival, a month-long celebration showcasing the city’s rich floral heritage; the festival features the Grand Float Parade, street dancing, and “Session Road in Bloom” attracting local and international tourists

Schools adopt alternative learning methods during calamities to ensure education continuity: online classes, modular learning, broadcast media; the Department of Education highlights preparedness and flexibility to maintain access for affected students

San Rafael, a town in Bulacan, set a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as angels; over 2.000 participants convened at Victory Coliseum, surpassing the previous record held by Winnipeg, Canada, since 2015

AI is transforming the thriving Philippine call center industry, automating tasks via chatbots and virtual assistants; while boosting efficiency (a 7% growth is expected in 2024), it poses job risks, making reskilling in IT, AI, and data analytics crucial

“Tabang Bicol, Tindog Oragon” or Help Bicol, Rise Strong program to aid typhoon-hit Bicol residents has been launched in southeastern Luzon; it provides $14,4 million in assistance, food packs, housing aid, crisis support for around 150.000 beneficiaries

The Malabon-Navotas Waste Workers' Association is tackling flooding prevention by educating residents on proper waste disposal, clearing blocked drains and replanting mangroves to absorb waters - essential efforts in Malabon, a city steadily sinking

The canonical coronation of the Our Lady of Fatima de Binakayan in Cavite has been approved by the Vatican; this revered Marian image is the third in the Diocese of Imus, after Our Lady of the Pillar and the Nuestra Señora dela Soledad de Porta Vaga

The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction ended in Manila; thousands of participants from governments, civil society, private sector and academia shared best practices to accelerate disaster risk reduction across the region

Raihana G. Ambangala, from the Mindanao region in the southern Philippines, won female second place at the International Qur'an Reading Competition in Malaysia with participants from 71 countries; the event celebrates excellence in Qur'an reading

Acknowledging the increase of mental health conditions among workers, the Philippines’ Employees Compensation Commission is considering expanding its compensation program to include work-related mental health disorders caused by workplace stress