Stories from Manila · Philippines

Three armed men entered a tourism office near the port around 3 AM, threatening an employee and demanding to know the boss's whereabouts. The men forced their way into the office and stole computers. The tourism agency, Asan Biliti, stated they would not be intimidated.

Ube, a staple food in the Philippines like rice and coconuts, is cultivated under difficult conditions. It is grown by small farmers on small plots of land, and mass production does not occur. The cultivation requires manual labor and favorable weather.

A root known as UB, which tastes sweetish, is cultivated primarily by small farmers in the Philippines. The current hype surrounding this UB root is also bringing problems. Stormer, a reporter living in Manila, discussed the UB root.

The Seoul Cycling Team secured first place in the team time trial during the Tour of Luzon.

Gasoline prices in the Philippines have risen by more than 100 percent. West Texas U.S. crude ended at $102 a barrel and Brent Crude closed at $108 a barrel. Rising fuel prices are significantly affecting Filipino fishermen, forcing them to travel further to find fish. Romel from Navotas City report that fuel consumption has nearly doubled for each trip as fish schools are now concentrated in the Bulacan sea area. This situation has made their livelihoods more challenging. Some residents who previously hunted and fished are now busy due to the increased travel distance required. Fish schools are now primarily concentrated in the waters off Bulacan, requiring longer journeys. Increased fuel costs have doubled the expenses for each fishing trip as fish schools have moved further from the coast, now concentrating in the Bulacan sea area.

Protesters in the Philippines burned effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. An activist stated that rising domestic prices have been exacerbated by the conflict in Iran.

Eleven officers from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have been axed following investigations into kidnapping incidents.

Manila is set to mark Labor Day with calls for higher wages. Participants called for higher wages and an end to the conflict in the Middle East. Demonstrators burnt effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the event.

TotalEnergies and Nextnorth are partnering to construct a 440MW solar power plant in the Philippines. The project requires a $300 million investment and is scheduled to become operational by late 2027.

A lawsuit has been filed against a Department of Health Undersecretary regarding government contracts allegedly won by their brother's firm.