You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Monday, August 24, 2026

Angelica Hart does an Azi Acosta, says goodbye to nudity


 

By Neil Ramos

Published Aug 23, 2026 02:28 pm


Angelica Hart says she is moving away from roles that require nudity, while clarifying that she is not giving up sexy roles altogether.

Another VMX star is saying no to nude roles.

Actress Angelica Hart, who made a name for herself disrobing in a number of VMX films, is now turning down roles that require nudity.

She said so during a recent appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.”

Not that she would ever stop doing sexy roles.

“Maybe I can be a sexy comedienne or a sexy action star,” she said.

Her statement comes after fellow VMX actress Azi Acosta earlier announced that she was leaving sexy films behind.

It remains to be seen if Hart will stick to her pronouncement.

She currently appears on TV via the series “Taskforce Firewall.”

Meanwhile, when asked if, like most sexy stars, she had also received so-called indecent proposals, the sweet, innocent-looking nymphet answered in the affirmative, relating how some of these offers can involve millions of pesos.

There are also times, she said, when the person making the offer would tell her that he is willing to spend “kahit magkano” to be with her.

She maintained she didn't bite.

She went on to say that she is hurt by rumors claiming that she accepts such offers.



Globe, PLDT, Converge escalate network-level blocking to curb violent content

 

CICC warns of geo-blocking for platforms that violate child protection rules

The Philippines’ major telecommunications providers, Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., PLDT Inc., and Converge ICT Solutions Inc., are expanding network-level blockades to restrict access to websites hosting graphic violence, school shootings, and illegal gore, amid mounting public concern over children’s exposure to extreme online violence. Read more

Meanwhile, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said geo-blocking could be among the measures imposed on platforms that repeatedly fail to meet the country's child protection requirements. Read more

RULES FOR A GOOD LIFE…

 


  • 1. Be kind. (Include yourself.)
  • 2. Find something you love to do and do it flat out - with your whole heart, fully engaged - as often as you can.
  • 3. Stop doing things you hate. Quit boredom. Give up worry. Wean yourself away from agreements that compromise your integrity and contracts (especially those unspoken, unwritten ones) that give you a stomachache.
  • 4. Tell the truth - begin with the truth about what you really want, who you really are. Jot down that thing you obsess about; that idea rolling around in the back of your mind. Promote that dream from "fantasy' to 'vision' and start sketching out an action plan.
  • 5. Share. Right now. Even though you may not have much. No matter how humble, a thoughtful gift is a gesture of such grace.
  • 6. Be encouraging - even when you're not sure how they'll EVER make money with that. (Remember: even the most successful people must take practice runs; you never know what skill someone's building.)
  • 7. Wear natural fibers. Cotton, silk, wool, linen. They just feel better.
  • 8. Add beauty to the world. (include the world you live in, your home, your body, your cubicle.)
  • 9. Leave room for silences - in conversation; and in your day. Find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts and go there.
  • 10.If you don't know how to help someone who's suffering, instead of worrying about them, say a prayer on their behalf. Trust the angels to deliver the support they need.
  • 11.Eat food that tastes good and which, once eaten, leaves you energized. Avoid food that leaves you feeling bloated, angry, spaced out or sick.
  • 12.Plant things in soil ... actual soil. Preferably outside.
  • 13.Drink more water.
  • 14.Get enough sleep.
  • 15.Wear a hat that covers your ears in winter. In the summer, don't forget the sunscreen.
  • 16.Naps are nice.

The richness in that color


 

by

Celestine Joy V. Sancon

|

August 24, 2026

There was a joke I often heard on television and amongst my elementary school peers: “Siguro nakulangan ka ng gatas nung bata ka kaya negro ka (Maybe you lacked milk when you were young so you grew up dark).”


It was one of those rare moments when my mother was in the car with us on the way to work, my father driving us to school first. Seizing the opportunity of having an audience, I cracked that same joke. The three of us busted into a fit of laughter as my father shortly followed suit. But since then I’ve seen the soaps in our bathroom become kojic soaps and other whitening products.


My mother lectured me later on in the evening after pulling me aside to her usual spot at the staircase, where she sits and watches the quiet street through the window. My mother rarely goes out too. I have heard her complain about becoming significantly tanner since moving to our home in 2012 because she handwashed all our clothes under the scorching sun.


She bought arm sleeves to avoid tanning, until inevitably putting down the cash to buy the crappy washing machine that stayed for nearly 10 years before upgrading to one that made that silly little jingle when you switch it on. Before that joke, kojic had never really touched our bathroom. It was mostly those generic antibacterial soaps that kept slipping off into the toilet.


I never really meant anything by that joke, but I think it really stuck with Papa. It’s something Mama does that makes our insecurities an endearing thing we call each other. I’ve been bullied a lot for my weight and it was our thing to be “mama and baby piggies” for each other—just us two since I inherited her plumper figure. And I would hear her lovingly call Papa “negs,” even during fights and incredibly heated arguments where you can hear how sharp the name gets and how increasingly soft it becomes.


However, my own little selfishness and teenage brain often muddles that conscientious feeling. I tan easily and I never truly inherited Mama’s paleness. It looks more like the “2in1” coffee Mama and Papa used to drink early in the morning together. I hated it—my skin and that coffee. I actually somehow blamed Papa for it, for my tan skin, how easily I get acne when the rest of the women in our family don’t, my stubby fingers and toes, my wider nose, huge face—many of which I now realize are the last few physical remnants I have left of him.


The kojic soaps and all the other whitening stuff disappeared from our cabinets and our bathroom the first time we went grocery shopping since he left. There was no more of that weird medical, mildly strong kojic scent, or the slightly addictive but annoying artificial papaya scent that lingered in the bathroom.


I don’t think it was ever about the product he used. He probably bought whitening soaps as Mama supported him through his insecurities. It’s like one of his solutions he went above and beyond for that never really solved anything, only fueled whatever caused it.


He had this rich, dark brown skin that simmered under the sun from his years of hard work trying to pay off college tuition in his early to mid-20s, and even during childhood, just so he could fulfill his dream of an education—of becoming an engineer, the latter being one of the many, many nails that never struck the cross.


I know this because he told me one night when I was helping him fold underwear when I was 7 or 8 years old. He wanted to be an engineer, that’s why he’s good at math. And now he’s good at computers because the only slot left to get a degree at the college he went to was for information technology, after having to drop out many times because he didn’t have the money.


He had siblings to help take care of. He would always praise me for all that I’ve achieved. He’s one of the few people who has ever told me that I’ve got a long way to go. That I’m smart. I’ve got so many opportunities waiting for me. He would recall his own. He probably noticed it as well, when his voice cracked while reminiscing about his days under the sun, on a boat, catching fish, tending ducks. Going home sweaty, sunburnt, tired. Providing. Dreaming.


That same richness in his skin showed proof of his labor. It was what he tried to erase, and it was what had stayed even when the life in his eyes faded since Mama’s death. Until it was then, I saw how lifeless color can be on the flesh of a person.

5 Pasta-Gerichte, die perfekt für den Sommer sind


Leichte Pasta, frisches Gemüse und sommerliche Aromen: Diese fünf Rezepte bringen mediterranes Urlaubsgefühl direkt auf den Teller.

Wenn die Temperaturen steigen, darf es in der Küche gerne unkompliziert und leicht zugehen. Pasta eignet sich dafür hervorragend: Mit frischem Gemüse, Zitrone, cremigem Käse oder zartem Fisch entstehen Gerichte, die sommerliche Aromen auf den Teller bringen und trotzdem schnell zubereitet sind. Diese fünf Pasta-Kreationen sorgen für Abwechslung und schmecken nach Sonne, Urlaub und entspannten Abenden.   

Burrata-Pasta mit Tomaten

Burrata-Pasta mit Tomaten.
Sehnsucht nach Italien? Mit dieser schnellen Burrata-Pasta mit Kirschtomaten holt man sich die Urlaubsstimmung nach Hause. © Einfach Tasty
Rezepte ganz nach Ihrem Geschmack
Saisonale Rezept-Ideen, Tricks in der Küche oder köstlicher Kuchen: Unser Newsletter versorgt Sie donnerstags mit den passenden Rezepten und Tipps. Eine kurze Registrierung genügt.

Cremige Burrata und sonnengereifte Tomaten sind wie gemacht für warme Tage. Die Burrata zerläuft über der heißen Pasta und verbindet sich mit dem Saft der süßen Tomaten. Frisches Basilikum und hochwertiges Olivenöl runden das Gericht ab. Das Beste: Die sommerliche Pasta steht in wenigen Minuten auf dem Tisch.

HIER können Sie das Rezept für Burrata-Pasta mit Tomaten kostenlos als PDF herunterladen

Pasta mit Zucchinisauce

Pasta mit Zucchinisauce.
Entdecken Sie unsere leckere Zucchinisauce für Ihr nächstes Pasta-Gericht! © Wirestock/Imago

Zucchini gehören zu den vielseitigsten Sommergemüsen und machen sich auch als cremige Pastasauce hervorragend. Zusammen mit Knoblauch und Parmesan entsteht eine aromatische, samtige Sauce, die angenehm leicht bleibt. Wer möchte, kann das Gericht mit frischen Kräutern oder etwas Zitronenabrieb verfeinern.

HIER können Sie das Rezept für Pasta mit Zucchinisauce kostenlos als PDF herunterladen

Zitronen-Ricotta-Pasta

Draufsicht: Teller mit Zitronen-Ricotta-Pasta mit Babyspinat. Im Hintergrund Knoblauch und Nudeln
Die Zitronen-Ricotta-Pasta ist ein Rezept, das in nur 20 Minuten ein mediterranes Geschmackserlebnis auf den Teller bringt. © Einfach Tasty

Frische Zitrone bringt sofort sommerliche Leichtigkeit auf den Teller. In Kombination mit cremigem Ricotta entsteht eine besonders feine Sauce, die die Pasta umhüllt, ohne schwer zu wirken. Knoblauch und Basilikum sorgen für zusätzliche Würze. Ein ideales Gericht für alle, die unkomplizierte Pasta mit einer frischen Note lieben.

HIER können Sie das Rezept für Zitronen-Ricotta-Pasta kostenlos als PDF herunterladen

Ofengemüse-Pasta

Eine Schüssel voll mit Pasta und Ofengemüse.
Pasta mit Ofengemüse lässt sich saisonal variieren und das ganze Jahr genießen. © IMAGO/Sandra Roesch

Für diese Variante darf es gerne bunt werden: Paprika, Zucchini, Tomaten oder anderes saisonales Gemüse werden im Ofen geröstet und entwickeln dabei intensive Aromen und eine natürliche Süße. Anschließend wird das Gemüse mit al dente gekochter Pasta vermengt. Olivenöl und Parmesan machen daraus ein unkompliziertes Sommergericht.

HIER können Sie das Rezept für Ofengemüse-Pasta kostenlos als PDF herunterladen

Orzo-Zitronen-Pasta mit Lachs

Cremige Orzo-Zitronen-Pasta mit Lachs in einer Pfanne.
Ein schnelles und leckeres Gericht für warme Tage ist die cremige Orzo-Zitronen-Pasta mit Lachs. © Einfach Tasty

Orzo, die kleinen reisförmigen Nudeln, treffen hier auf zarten Lachs und spritzige Zitrone. Das Ergebnis ist cremig, aromatisch und wunderbar frisch. Die Kombination erinnert an einen entspannten Urlaub am Meer und eignet sich sowohl für ein schnelles Abendessen als auch für einen besonderen Sommertisch.

HIER können Sie das Rezept für Orzo-Zitronen-Pasta mit Lachs kostenlos als PDF herunterladen

Ob cremig, zitronig oder gemüsereich: Diese fünf Pasta-Gerichte zeigen, wie vielseitig sommerliche Küche sein kann. Am besten schmecken sie mit frischen, saisonalen Zutaten und ganz viel Lust auf den Sommer. All unsere Rezepte stehen Ihnen nach einer kurzen Registrierung mit unserem Login-Service USER.ID kostenlos in der Mediathek zur Verfügung.   

Sunday, August 23, 2026

WORRYING HAS NEVER HELPED ANYONE

 


Worrying does not solve problems, but practical steps like focusing on what you can control, deep breathing, and writing down your thoughts can help you feel better. Research shows that most of the things we worry about never actually happen. 



The truth is, obviously I have problems too. Everyone does.

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” said already author Dale Carnegie. Then proceed to improve on the worst.” Carnegie believed that by accepting the worst-case scenario, one can find peace. Once you’ve mentally prepared for the worst, any other outcome is a pleasant surprise. This perspective shift can drastically reduce the weight of worry.

“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” says a  Swedish Proverb.

Some feelings of worry can be healthy, pushing us to find solutions to real and present problems. However, chronic worry, even about things out of our control, can severely impact our mental health.

The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke put it well: “Life is not even close to being as logically consistent as our worries; it has many more unexpected ideas and many more facts than we do.” Worrying is pointless not only because it rarely makes things better, but also because you’re rarely ever worried about the right thing!

We hardly count our blessings. We enjoy counting our crosses. Instead of gains, we count our losses. We don’t have to do all that counting – computers do it for us. Information is easily had.

Facebook to and fro, back and forth, there and back – how many posts and comments have been posted already with sadness, loneliness, boredom strikes, problems, worries … .

Just remember this: Opportunity doesn’t just knock – it jiggles the door-knob. and “your social media online-friend” – the warrior is with you day and night, at every corner, following your every step. Complaining and grumbling are good excuses, right?

Seniors may experience more anxiety-inducing situations than younger adults, and they may not have as many resources for support. Some people may notice that their anxious thoughts get stronger or more frequent with age, but anxiety is a treatable mental health disorder.

Is social media bad for us? Four billion people, around 50% of the world’s population, use online social media – and we’re spending an average of two hours every day sharing, liking, tweeting and updating on these platforms, according to some reports. That breaks down to around half a million tweets and Snapchat photos shared every minute. Stress, mood, anxiety, depression, sleep (or better non-sleep), self-esteem – Overall, social media’s effects on well-being are ambiguous, according to a paper written last year by researchers from the Netherlands. However, they suggested there is clearer evidence for the impact on one group of people: social media has a more negative effect on the well-being of those who are more socially isolated.

The whole world is an awful place filled with dreadful and horrible negativism. Yes, I confess, I’m also surrounded by many worriers who put their fears into me. Politicians, i.e., many times love to search for some grave alarm that will cause individuals to abandon their separate concerns and act in concert, so that politicians can wield the baton. Calls to fatal struggles and fights are forever being sounded.

The overbearing person, who tyrannizes the weak, who wants to domineer and to bluster, is simply nothing else than a worrier, who claims to be a friend. But he isn’t. Really not! The bullying of fellow citizens by means of dread and fright has been going on since Paleolithic times. The night wolf is eating the moon. Give me silver and I’ll make him spit out.

Well, when will we start counting our courage and not our fears, or enjoy instead of our woe? Worrying itself is pointless.Of course, no society has achieved perfect rules of law, never-ending education or unique responsible governments. Let’s seek out the worries but avoid the warriors, because they try to avoid liberty.

Worry, that sense of insecurity, unease, and fear over what negative events may happen – as unrealistic as these concerns may be – is one of the most unpleasant emotions that you can experience as a human being. It is also one of the most common. While everyone has worried at some point, many people suffer from chronic worrying in the form of anxiety. In Australia alone, 2 million people will suffer from anxiety in any one year.

If you worry often, you’re far from alone. In fact, it may comfort you to know that many of us tend to worry about the same issues. All of those anxieties and stressors that may plague your life also affect a huge chunk of the rest of the world as well.

Melanie Greenberg, Ph.D., is a practicing psychologist, author, speaker, and life/business coach, with more than 20 years of experience as a clinician, professor, and researcher. She says:” One of the most helpful things you can do instead of worrying is problem-solving. Problem-solving means defining the problem in a way that you can do something about it (e.g., “How do I prepare for a possible loss of income?” or “How can I learn to accept that my ex has moved on?”). Once you have a defined problem, you can generate some possible solutions and think through the likely consequences of each (e.g., “What is most likely to happen if I do X?”). Finally, you can implement your favorite solution, whether it involves taking action, discussing the situation, finding out more information, or working to accept something you cannot change”.

The problem is, it doesn’t work. Thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable. You may feel safer when you’re worrying, but it’s just an illusion. Focusing on worst-case scenarios will only keep you from enjoying the good things you have in the present.

Take a mindful relaxation break. If your worries and negative thought patterns feel inescapable, it may be time to switch up your routine. 

If you are still worrying right now about something, try to read Jeremiah 29:10-14 or Revelation 21:1-8, just to mention these two. It works.

The last chapter - not yet

 

The last chapter - not yet


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Beginning with a decree of the German Foreign Office dated October 17, 2016 the Federal Republic of Germany called me as Honorary Consul for Mindanao. After the Philippine Government accepted my appointment through the Department of Foreign Affairs, then German Ambassador to the Philippines  Dr.Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke arrived in Davao City on June 20, 2017. I took my oath and served Filipino and German nationals until my retirement as consul in December 2020. My administrative district encompassed all of Mindanao except Sulu Archipelo, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan. It was a challenging job especially acting as notary public: issuing Legal Capacities to Contract Marriage in the Philippines or Philippine Driver's Licenses, urn/cadaver  certificates, certified true copies of German and Philippine documents, consultations - the list would all be long. 

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[Members of the Diplomatic Corps:
Hon. Consul Joji Ilagan-Bian (Bangladesh), Consul Yosiaki Miwa (Japan), Acting Consul General Mohd Jafri Bin Mohd Sharif (Malaysia), Asec. Romeo Montenegro (MINDA), Hon. Consul Maria Lourdes Garcia-Monteverde (Mexico), Madame Elisabeth Napitupulu, Atty. Zuleika Lopez (City Administrator), Hon. Consul Peter Faistauer (Austria), Consul General Berlian Napitupulu (Indonesia), Asec Robert Ferrer (DFA for Mindanao), Consul General Li Lin (China), Hon. Consul Edgar Ang (South Korea) and Hon. Consul Klaus Doring (Germany)]

It was one of the greatest honors that I, as a German national in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, received. Being a member of the diplomatic family opened many new opportunities for me. Retirement means very often the end of everything. The last chapter in life. Not for me. 
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After leaving the diplomatic stage and the University of Southeastern Philippines, suddenly other interesting tasks didn't make my "old age" seem boring.

Teaching (again!) German at Ateneo de Davao University, Language Center and a lot of translation works - my home office keeps on booming. One of my hobbies, exploring German-Philippine relations and the differences between both countries' culture and tradition and writing about, takes up most of my free time now. And another hobby that I have neglected very often recently is to be revived: Classical Music. Myself at the piano or some other audio carrier... .

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The last chapter - here. But I pray to our good  and Almighty Lord, that He might allow me some more chapters on earth - together with my wife Rossana, to whom I dedicate this 30-part biography and together with our awesome Philippine family, to whom I owe a lot if not everything!

Century Tuna Superbods marks its 20th year with a VIP night


This year's competition highlights the finalists' strengths, stories, and individuality

Published Aug 22, 2026 09:19 am

Wellness and fitness have gone beyond the physique. These days, true wellbeing is also centered on mental health, a better quality of life, and purpose. That shift is what Century Tuna Superbods is aiming to highlight as it marks its 20th year.
Anne Curtis with top 40 Superbod finalists (Photo: Century Tuna)
Anne Curtis with top 40 Superbod finalists (Photo: Century Tuna)
For years, the annual competition has been a movement that spotlights its mission of “wellness for all.” Last Aug. 6 at The Fifth at Rockwell, Century Tuna Superbods presented its roster of fitness enthusiasts whose strength isn’t just shaped by hours in the gym and healthy choices, but also by their life stories.
“We created this space to show that anyone, at any stage of life, can step into their own Superbod Era,” Carlo Endaya, vice president, general manager, and group business head of Century Pacific Food Inc., said. “Physical fitness gets you on stage, but our finalists are proving that true transformation is about leading by example and empowering every Filipino to take charge of their wellness journey.”
This season highlights the rich variety of life experiences among the finalists—bringing together individuals from diverse professions, life stages, abilities, and personal journeys, each of whom carries a unique story of strength. One who captured this story is the brand’s longtime ambassador, Anne Curtis.
“I've had a front-row seat to how this brand and this platform have grown,” the actress said. “What makes Superbods so special is how it brings real human stories to the center stage. Seeing these finalists step up with heart and genuine passion for their health advocacies is truly inspiring for everyone.”
Greg Banzon (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
Greg Banzon (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
KC Montero and Inka Magnaye (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
KC Montero and Inka Magnaye (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
Carlo Endaya (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
Carlo Endaya (Photo: John Legaspi/Manila Bulletin)
Also there to celebrate the launch of Century Tuna Superbods was Century Pacific Food Inc. executive vice president and chief operating officer Greg Banzon. Ambassadors, actress Alice Dixson and Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena, offered their support for this year’s finalists through video messages. Hosts KC Montero and Century Tuna Superbods 2024 People's Choice winner Inka Magnaye kept everyone on high spirits throughout the evening.
As the competition nears its grand finals, the stakes have never been higher for the finalists vying to become the ultimate faces of healthy living. Out of the 40 finalists, one male and one female will be named grand winners, each receiving ₱1,000,000, while the runners-up will receive ₱250,000.

9.7% live below poverty line: Does it reflect the true state of Filipinos?


Published Aug 23, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Aug 22, 2026 04:43 pm
The Philippines has reached a milestone that deserves recognition: poverty incidence fell to 9.7 percent in 2025, the lowest on record and the first time the proportion of Filipinos living below the official poverty line has fallen into single digits. It also means the country achieved the Philippine Development Plan's 2028 poverty target ahead of schedule.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the 2025 figure translates to about 11.08 million Filipinos living below the poverty line, down from 17.54 million in 2023. In two years, approximately 6.46 million people were lifted above the official poverty threshold. The decline is substantial and cannot just be dismissed as pure statistics.
This is an achievement the government and the Filipino people can rightly celebrate.
The improvement also indicates that economic growth, easing inflation and employment conditions, together with social protection, can produce tangible gains in household welfare. It demonstrates the value of policies that expand economic opportunities while protecting vulnerable families from economic shocks.
Yet precisely because the achievement is significant, it warrants a deeper question: Does the 9.7-percent poverty rate fully reflect the poverty that Filipinos actually experience?
This is not an argument against the PSA's statistics. Rather, the issue is whether the yardstick remains sufficiently comprehensive, and whether the poverty threshold itself remains sufficiently representative of what it actually costs to live with dignity in the Philippines.
Economist Edita A. Tan, in her 2017 study, “How We Measure Poverty Underestimates Its Extent and Depth,” published in the Philippine Review of Economics, argued that the official income threshold does not adequately account for nonfood needs and may therefore underestimate both the extent of poverty and the rate at which it is being reduced. She examined evidence involving nutrition, education, and housing and proposed alternative poverty thresholds, with particular attention to housing.
This is another observation worth considering.
A household can rise above an official income threshold and still struggle to pay for adequate food, decent housing, education, healthcare, transportation and other necessities. It can remain one illness, job loss, disaster, or sudden price increase away from financial distress.
For many ordinary Filipinos, this distinction is not academic. A family that can technically meet a statistical threshold but cannot afford nutritious food, secure housing or necessary medical care would hardly regard itself as having escaped poverty.
The country should therefore celebrate the 9.7-percent figure without treating it as the final word on poverty.
The next step should be a serious review of how poverty is measured. Income-based poverty incidence remains indispensable, but it could be complemented by measures of housing adequacy, food security, access to healthcare and education, employment quality, debt vulnerability and exposure to economic shocks.
The objective should not be to make the poverty figure look worse. It should be to make it more truthful.
Reaching single-digit poverty ahead of 2028 is a milestone worthy of national recognition. But the more meaningful victory will come when fewer Filipinos are merely above the poverty line—and more are securely beyond the conditions that make poverty a daily reality.
The country has crossed an important statistical threshold. Now it must ensure that the threshold itself reflects the lives of the people it is meant to measure.

LaLaLa Fest brings Steve Lacy, FLO, Two Door Cinema Club to Manila


Published Aug 22, 2026 02:48 pm

The Southeast Asian music festival held its first Philippine edition on Aug. 21 at the World Trade Center, with Steve Lacy, Two Door Cinema Club, FLO, Dermot Kennedy and Matthew Ifield leading a lineup that also featured some of the Philippines’ current OPM acts.

Presented by Wilbros Live, the Manila edition marked the festival’s first staging in the country.

For Steve Lacy, the festival appearance came as his song “oh yeah?” entered the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 at No. 39. The track is from his latest album, also titled “oh yeah?”  

The American singer, songwriter and producer was among the biggest names on the Manila bill, bringing his alternative R&B sound to a festival lineup that leaned heavily into contemporary and indie music.

British R&B trio FLO also made their Manila appearance as part of their “Therapy At The Club” tour. The group’s Philippine stop served as the opening date of the tour’s Asian leg.

Then there was Two Door Cinema Club, whose appearance gave the festival a dose of indie rock nostalgia. The Northern Irish band arrived in the Philippines during the 15th anniversary year of its debut album, “Tourist History.”

Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy and Australian artist Matthew Ifield were also part of the international lineup.  

But the Manila edition was not built entirely around foreign acts.

Ben&Ben, Maki, Over October, Dilaw and fitterkarma represented the local scene, while Indonesia’s Isyana Sarasvati, Thailand’s KIKI and South Korea’s HOA added more regional names to the bill.

The festival also featured a separate DJ stage, with OOKAY, Rave Republic, Harry Hayes and Lizzy Wang joining the program.

LaLaLa Fest began in Indonesia and has since expanded its reach across the region. Manila’s inclusion gives the festival another foothold in a country with a notoriously enthusiastic live-music audience.

For its first Philippine outing, the festival chose a lineup that did not stick too closely to one genre—or even one market.

That may be the most interesting thing about LaLaLa Fest’s Manila debut: it was less about fitting everything into one musical box and more about putting different sounds on the same bill and seeing where the audience followed.