Category: Business Mirror

PRESIDENT Marcos will have the final say on the possible extradition to the US of cult leader Apollo Quiboloy, who is facing large-scale human trafficking charges.

In a press briefing on Monday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said concerned government agencies are now studying the issue and are expected to submit their recommendations soon.

‘We spoke with the President earlier, and he said that this needs to be studied carefully, but an announcement regarding his decision on the matter will be made in a couple of weeks,’ she said in Filipino.

‘He will provide instructions on what needs to be done regarding this matter,’ she added.

Castro assured that the decision of the President on the issue will go through the necessary process and will have legal basis.

The Department of Justice said it is now evaluating if there will be any legal impediment on the US request for the extradition of Quiboloy.

Castro said among the options being considered by the Marcos administration is to keep the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the country while the hearings against him are ongoing in local courts.

The second option, she said, is for the government to temporarily suspend the said hearings and to send Quiboloy to the US.

Last week, DOJ confirmed the US government has officially requested for the extradition of Quiboloy who was indicted in California for sex trafficking of minors, visa fraud, and bulk cash smuggling in 2021.

Manila signed an Extradition Treaty with Washington in 1994.

Quiboloy also has a pending qualified human trafficking in the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Pasig and a sexual abuse and maltreatment case in the RTC in Quezon City.

ALEX EALA’S Filipino fans in Canada have spoken, and the National Bank Open listened.

After chicken adobo made its surprise debut at Sobeys Stadium last week, organizers rolled out another heritage favorite: pork lumpia.

‘This thing is going to be legendary,’ Ashtad Dadachanji, executive chef of the NBO, who helped curate the new offering, said in NBO’s social media post.

This isn’t your everyday spring roll. Chef Ddadachanji offered it with sinamak-Iloilo’s famed spiced vinegar-then topped it with crunchy chicharron, garlic chips, peanuts, cilantro and drizzle of banana ketchup.

The inventive layering reflects a fusion of nostalgia and innovation-a courtside flavor meant to resonate as strongly as the cheers echoing from the stands.

Pork lumpia was offered Sunday (Canada time), during Eala’s match against 12th seeded Swiss veteran Belinda Bencic.

NBO food concessionaire The Changeover Kitchen prepared only 200 servings for the limited time run, priced at CAD $12 (about P522). It continued to serve chicken adobo for special price of CAD$ 17 (about P740).

With more than 200,000 kababayan in the city, their voices-and appetites-are shaping the tournament experience in real time.

Just as Eala’s matches have drawn sellout crowds, the menu is evolving to reflect the culture of those filling the seats.

Tournament director Karl Hale had earlier called the Filipino wave ‘an absolute blessing.’

With adobo and now lumpia joining courtside, the NBO is becoming a showcase not only of world-class tennis but also of Filipino flavor.

As the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) marked its 50th anniversary, SM Retail continued to play a key role in shaping the future of the industry as the exclusive Diamond Sponsor of PRA’s 32nd National Retail Conference and Expo (NRCE) last August 6-7, 2026 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

For SM Retail, this year’s conference theme ‘New. Next. Forward.’ mirrored its approach to retail where it champions innovation, strengthens customer experiences, and leads in shaping the future of shopping for Filipino consumers.

As one of the country’s leading retail groups, SM Retail remains committed to delivering meaningful shopping experiences while continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of Filipino consumers. Across its portfolio, SM Retail brings together some of the country’s most trusted retail brands, including SM Store, SM Markets, SM Home, SM Appliance Center, Kultura, Toy Kingdom, Baby Company, Pet Express, Sports Central, Ace Home Solutions, and more.

The SM Retail booth was voted as the Visitor’s Choice for Best Booth at the conference expo. Visitors explored engaging brand showcases, and the latest innovations from across the company’s portfolio. The space highlighted how SM Retail’s diverse business units continue to evolve through new store concepts, curated product offerings, digital engagement initiatives, and customer-focused experiences. Visitors also played the interactive digital games made possible by SMAC, SM’s loyalty membership program

A highlight of this year’s event was the fireside conversation featuring Teresita Sy-Coson, Vice Chairperson of SM Investments Corporation, moderated by Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls. The conversation offered attendees a closer look at the leadership values, strategic decisions, and customer-first mindset that built one of the Philippines’ most recognized business groups.

As PRA celebrated five decades of advancing Philippine retail, SM Retail proudly supported the industry’s continued transformation by helping define what’s new, what’s next, and what moves retail forward.

The government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), has mobilized billions of pesos in relief resources in response to the successive weather disturbances battering the country. However, lawmakers have warned that emergency aid and temporary pumping equipment are no substitute for fully functional flood-control systems and permanent infrastructure.

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos raised the need to combine rapid emergency action with long-term solutions after three Mobile Flood Mitigating Pumps (MFMPs) were deployed at flood-prone Zapote Junction.

‘This is about providing a faster response when the rains come. We need to make sure that floodwaters are removed as quickly as possible so that our roads remain passable and our people can move safely,’ Santos said.

He stressed, however, that the mobile pumps should complement, rather than replace, permanent flood-control and drainage improvements.

‘These pumps can provide immediate relief, but we must continue pursuing permanent solutions. We need better drainage systems, improved waterways, regular clearing and maintenance, and well-planned flood-control projects to address the root causes of flooding,’ he said.

Santos’ call underscored a broader national concern: while the government has substantial relief supplies ready for distribution, many communities remain exposed when flood-control facilities are inadequate, poorly maintained, or unavailable during emergencies.

The DSWD has mobilized a nationwide relief network backed by P6 billion in standby funds and 4.98 million family food packs stored in more than 1,000 warehouses.

The stockpile aims to assist families impacted by the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay. The agency is also monitoring the potential effects of Tropical Storm Peilou.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the warehouses include facilities serving geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and hazard-prone communities.

‘Every day, we continue producing family food packs at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center,’ Dumlao said.

The continuous production is intended to replenish supplies released during ongoing disaster operations and keep relief goods ready for immediate deployment.

Under the DSWD’s Buong Bansa Handa program, the agency has entered into framework agreements with large grocery stores, supermarkets, and other private-sector partners to strengthen its disaster supply chain.

Dumlao said these partnerships allow supplies to be positioned closer to communities vulnerable to natural hazards, including areas that are difficult to reach. The system is intended to reduce delays caused by damaged roads, disrupted transportation, and the distance between national warehouses and affected communities.

In Las Piñas, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon personally visited Zapote Junction and turned over three new MFMP units to Santos and Mayor April Aguilar.

The diesel-operated, 7.5-horsepower pumps are expected to provide additional pumping capacity and remove floodwaters more quickly during intense or prolonged rainfall.

‘The deployment of these three powerful mobile flood-mitigating pumps is a welcome development for the people of Las Piñas. Zapote Junction is a vital transportation area, and when flooding becomes severe, it affects not only motorists and commuters but also businesses and families in surrounding communities,’ Santos said.

He emphasized the importance of keeping the pumps strategically positioned and ready for immediate operation whenever heavy rainfall threatens the area.

Santos thanked Dizon, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and its personnel for responding to the flooding concerns at Zapote Junction. He also called for continued coordination between national agencies and the local government.

‘We appreciate the DPWH for taking action. We will continue working with our local government and national agencies to ensure that the people of Las Piñas receive the protection and public infrastructure they deserve,’ Santos said.

The urgency of ensuring that flood-control equipment remains operational was highlighted in Marikina, where two pumping stations reportedly failed to function as floodwaters entered streets and homes in Barangay Tumana during the southwest monsoon on August 9.

Marikina 2nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo, meanwhile, filed House Resolution No. 1342 seeking a congressional inquiry into the non-operation of the Tumana and Iwahig pumping stations.

The inquiry will determine the cause of the facilities’ non-operation and establish the possible accountability of their contractor and operator, J.D. Legaspi Construction.

‘This is precisely when flood-control infrastructure should be working-not sitting idle or unattended while our people are facing rising floodwaters,’ Quimbo said.

Barangay Tumana, the second-most populated barangay in Marikina City with 49,950 residents, has historically been among the communities most vulnerable to flooding.

The Tumana and Iwahig pumping stations were established by the DPWH-Unified Project Management Office to manage and reduce flooding in Tumana and adjacent communities, particularly during intense rainfall and rising water levels in the Marikina River.

Residents reported on August 9 that the two stations were not functioning as floodwaters entered streets and homes. An on-site inspection reportedly found the facilities non-operational and unattended, with no construction company personnel present.

Quimbo said the incident raised serious questions about the contractor’s compliance with its obligations, the adequacy of DPWH oversight, the reliability of maintenance arrangements, and the readiness of flood-control infrastructure during emergencies.

‘What happened in Tumana raises a very basic question: when our communities needed these pumping stations the most, why were they not operating?’Quimbo said.

‘Flood-control infrastructure is not just another government facility. It is there to protect lives, homes, livelihoods, and property. It cannot be left unattended or neglected precisely when the flood risk is highest,’ he added.

Quimbo said the investigation should establish what happened and identify measures to prevent similar failures of flood-control infrastructure in other communities.

‘This incident is more than just negligence; this is blatant betrayal of public trust,’ Quimbo said.

Meanwhile, the DSWD continued distributing assistance to families affected by the weather disturbances.

As of 6 a.m. On Monday, the department had distributed 54,370 family food packs, 2,722 ready-to-eat food boxes, and 1,376 non-food items to affected families and individuals.

The agency had also released P928,000 in financial assistance through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program. Dumlao said the DSWD’s total humanitarian assistance had exceeded P39 million.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian directed disaster-response teams to coordinate closely with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure that assistance is delivered quickly and in sufficient quantities. The directive followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to provide timely government support to disaster-affected residents.

Although the agency uses mechanized packing systems, Dumlao said manual packing remains necessary-particularly for rice-when prolonged severe weather rapidly increases demand for relief supplies.

The DSWD has opened the Luzon Disaster Resource Center in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City to volunteers willing to help repack family food packs.

Barangays Malanday and Tumana.

To provide faster relief to communities affected by flooding, Mayor Marjorie Ann ‘Maan’ Teodoro said the Marikina City local government unit (LGU) on Monday, Aug. 10, deployed larger mobile booster flood pumps, with an estimated pumping capacity three times greater than the existing pumps, to accelerate the drainage of floodwaters in Barangays Malanday and Tumana.

‘Nag-deploy ang city government, sa pamamagitan ng Metro Manila Council, ng mas malalaking mobile booster flood pumps upang madagdagan ang pumping capacity at mapabilis ang pag-drain ng floodwater sa mga apektadong bahagi ng Barangay Malanday at Barangay Tumana,’ Mayor Maan said.

According to the mayor, the newly deployed booster pumps have an estimated pumping capacity three times greater than the existing pumps installed at the Tumana Pumping Station.

‘Ang mga bagong dineploy na booster pump ay may tinatayang tatlong beses na mas malaking pumping capacity kumpara sa mga kasalukuyang pump na nakakabit sa Tumana Pumping Station,’ she said.

Mayor Maan said the deployment aims to increase the volume of water discharged per hour and accelerate the removal of accumulated floodwater toward the drainage outfall.

TREASURY bill (T-bill) yields fell on Monday as slow economic growth tempered expectations for aggressive monetary policy tightening, although short-term yields could remain high as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) tries to keep inflation under control.

The BSP could raise rates by a measured 25 basis points, then a hawkish pause, rather than pursue a faster tightening cycle, after second-quarter growth slowed sharply, said Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. Philippines Head of Fixed Income Jean Olivia De Castro.

‘Existing weak domestic demand raises the cost of overtightening even as inflation remains above target,’ De Castro said. ‘Amid higher inflation and [foreign exchange] risk, local monetary policy could stay restrictive for longer.’

Against this backdrop, short-dated bond yields, most sensitive to near-term BSP policy rates, could remain elevated while longer yields could fall as investors expect a closer end to the hiking cycle, she added.

The 91-day T-bill average yield dipped by 4.2 basis points to 4.995 percent from 5.037 percent recorded in the previous auction last week. The Treasury awarded yields ranging from 4.975 percent to 5.052 percent.

Likewise, the 182-day debt papers fetched an average yield of 5.545 percent, down by 10.7 basis points from a week ago’s 5.652 percent. Yields ranged from 5.6 percent to 5.670 percent.

Average yield on the 364-day securities slipped by 18.9 basis points to 5.723 percent from 5.912 percent. It has rates ranging from 5.898 percent to 5.938 percent.

Yields fell as second-quarter economic growth came in weaker-than-expected at 2.3 percent, reducing the urgency for the BSP to deliver more rate hikes, said Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort.

Demand for T-bills was also strong, leaving the Treasury swarmed as combined tenders reached P184.2 billion, making the auction 4.4 times oversubscribed.

This prompted the auction committee to double the non-competitive bids across all tenors to P16 billion for the 91-day, P12 billion for the 182-day and P5.6 billion for the 364-day tenor. With the outcome, the Treasury generated a total of P58.8 billion for the auction relative to the P42 billion programmed offering.

Investors could continue to demand higher yields from the government as compensation for holding longer-term government bonds, De Castro said.

As investments contracted by 9.2 percent and construction slumped by 14.8 percent in the second quarter, De Castro said near-term cash borrowing needs by the government may not surge immediately if spending is delayed.

However, borrowing requirements could become more uneven as projects restart and spending catches up, she noted.

‘The bigger implication is on the deficit dynamics: weaker investment or construction weighs on growth and revenues as the government may still need to finance priority spending over infrastructure spending,’ De Castro said.

‘For investors, that combination argues for a higher risk premium driven by policy/implementation uncertainty and the risk that weaker growth slows improvement in debt metrics,’ she added.

The government seeks to raise P2.682 trillion this year, following a 70:30 financing mix in favor of domestic sources.

So far, the government has borrowed P1.821 trillion to finance its programs and projects.

Outstanding debt of the national government climbed to an all-time high of P19.065 trillion, pushing the debt-to-GDP to a 22-year-high at 66 percent in the second quarter.

THE Philippines’s gross gaming revenues (GGR) dropped to P88.136 billion in the second quarter due to weaker earnings from electronic games (e-games) as players wagered less and felt the pinch of the Middle East crisis.

State gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) reported last Monday that the GGR declined by 20.33 percent from the P110.631 billion notched in the same period a year ago.

‘The decline was driven by several factors, including the impact of inflation and the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, which weighed on consumer spending, particularly on discretionary activities,’ Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco was quoted in a statement as saying.

Revenue from electronic gaming, which includes e-games, e-bingo, bingo and poker, declined by 37.21 percent to P39.851 billion in the second quarter from P63.471 billion a year earlier. It accounted for 45.21 percent of total gross gaming revenue during the period.

Licensed casinos, meanwhile, overtook electronic gaming as the industry’s largest source of revenue.

Land-based casinos generated P45.37 billion, or 51.49 percent of total gaming revenue in the second quarter, up by 2.93 percent from P44.086 billion in the same period last year.

Pagcor-operated casinos also contributed P2.905 billion, equivalent to 3.30 percent of industry GGR. This was 5.42 percent lower than the P3.072 billion recorded a year ago.

This brought total GGR to P175.738 billion in the first half of 2026, down by 18.16 percent year-on-year from P214.752 billion.

The decline in gaming revenues comes as the state gaming regulator grapples with weaker earnings from gaming operations.

Pagcor’s total revenue also fell by 26.64 percent to P43.32 billion in the first half of the year from P59.05 billion in the same period last year as lower earnings from gaming operations weighed on its financial performance.

Tengco said the gaming industry could eventually recover as operators improve services, adopt new technologies and strengthen responsible gaming measures.

Regulatory tightening and weaker consumer spending are seen to weigh on the country’s gaming revenues this year, according to Standard and Poor’s (S and P) Global Ratings, which forecasts the GGR to decline by 7 percent before recovering by 2 percent in 2027.

This puts the Philippines behind other Asia-Pacific gaming markets, such as Macao special administrative region (SAR) and Singapore-the region’s most attractive markets-but ahead of New Zealand in terms of GGR growth.

In 2025, total GGR reached P396.138 billion, up by 6.39 percent from P372.334 billion in 2024.

Heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat,’ submerged parts of Cavite and forced families in Las Piñas to seek temporary shelter, while rescuers worked to bring stranded residents to safety.

In Kawit, Cavite, Coast Guard personnel assisted stranded residents, providing transportation to those making their way home through floodwaters.

In Pasig, meanwhile, the floodwaters brought an unexpected catch. Jerry Saunda, 54, of Pinagbuhatan, showed off an estimated 8-kilogram Cream Dory he caught at Barkadahan Bridge in Taytay, Rizal.

He said the fish have become increasingly common in the floodway, reportedly swimming upstream from Laguna de Bay.

Heplanned to give his catch to a friend for a birthday meal.

NONIE REYES AND BERNARD TESTA

There is a version of Alex Eala’s story that never happened: a talented kid plays tennis on a cracked public court, shows promise, then nothing. No academy, no years of travel and coaching before a single peso of prize money comes back. By 19 she’s in a business course, tennis never having paid the bills, and nobody knew there was a story worth telling.

Eala’s own rise has been rightly celebrated as a triumph of talent and hard work, but it should also prompt a harder question, one about the system around her rather than how she got there: how many athletes with the same talent and drive lack a real shot? It’s worth asking whether the country is building a pipeline sturdy enough that talent alone decides who competes on the world stage.

That question sharpens once you look at what the state actually promises athletes who make it through the official system, and what happens to them once the glory fades.

Republic Act 10699, passed in 2015, was meant to fix exactly this. An Olympic gold medalist earns P10 million and the Gold Medal of Valor; silver and bronze pay less, down through the SEA Games. The law also promises PhilHealth coverage, priority housing, and a functioning retirement system. A decade later, implementation continues to fall short of the promise.

A retiring athlete or coach receives a lump sum equal to 25 percent of the cash incentives earned over their career, a percentage of money they have already received. Represent the country for a decade without medaling at the level that triggers a payout, and your retirement benefit is 25 percent of zero. It isn’t a retirement system so much as a bonus structure for winners. Neither the training partner nor the SEA Games veteran who never won a medal is covered by a law built to reward outcomes, not years of service.

Then there’s the P30,000 funeral benefit for a national athlete or coach who dies. Modest in 2015, it’s definitely lacking now. Lawmakers need to show more urgency in updating the fine print to cover everyone else.

Even the benefits untethered to medal count, i.e., a 20 percent discount on transport, hotels, and medicine, have struggled to become real, with athletes publicly asking why merchants weren’t honoring rights already granted them by law.

Eala’s rise is a useful mirror, because it happened outside the system RA 10699 governs. She proves what talent plus resources can produce. The law was meant to produce that outcome without the resources, and to take care of athletes who never become global stars but represented the country all the same.

If the pride in Eala becomes more than a headline, it should become pressure to fix what RA 10699 quietly fails. The kid on the cracked court is still out there. Whether she gets a real shot depends less on how loudly we celebrate the exception, and more on fixing the rule.

A SENATOR is seeking to provide a P2,000 monthly disability support allowance to persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help cover disability-related costs and other essential expenses.

Under Senate Bill 2386, or the National Disability Support Act, qualified PWDs will receive the monthly allowance through a National Disability Support Allowance Program, with the amount subject to periodic adjustments based on inflation to preserve its value over time.

‘Persons with disabilities face additional and often invisible expenses in their daily lives, including transportation, healthcare, personal assistance, and assistive devices. These are essential not only for survival, but for participation in school, work, and community life. When these expenses are not addressed, opportunities are limited, poverty is deepened, and exclusion persists,’ sen. Bam Aquino said.

‘This allowance is designed to complement existing social protection programs and empower persons with disabilities to live more independently, pursue education and employment, and participate more actively in society,’ he added.

The measure proposes a phased implementation of the Disability Support Allowance Program. During the first three years, priority beneficiaries will include children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities.

In the next three years, coverage will be expanded to include persons with moderate disabilities who incur disability-related costs. Ultimately, the program will cover all eligible persons with disabilities who incur disability-related extra costs.

‘By strengthening income support, this measure helps ensure that persons with disabilities are not only supported, but empowered to live independently and participate fully in society,’ Aquino stressed, adding that empowering persons with disabilities builds a more inclusive and equitable Philippines.

To ensure fair and responsive implementation, the measure mandates the creation of a Disability and Needs Assessment System (DNAS), which will determine eligibility based on an individual’s functional limitations, support needs, and barriers to participation rather than income alone.

The bill also establishes a Disability Management Information System (DMIS) linked to existing national databases-including the National ID System, the Philippine Persons with Disabilities Registry, PhilHealth, and community-based monitoring systems-to improve disability data, strengthen policymaking, enhance service delivery, and facilitate the direct payment of benefits to qualified beneficiaries.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will administer the program with support from a Multi-Stakeholder Committee led by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

‘In empowering persons with disabilities, we are not only addressing inequality, but also unlocking potential, strengthening communities, and building a more inclusive and equitable Philippines,’ Aquino said.

Hazardous mercury-laced skin whiteners are still widely available in the marketplace, threatening people and the planet, a group advocating zero waste and toxic-free society said.

The EcoWaste Coalition made this observation ahead of the ninth anniversary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which entered into force on August 16, 2017.

The treaty, among other provisions, banned the use of mercury in cosmetics, such as skin-lightening products, to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury and its compounds.

‘Our vigilant market monitoring shows the global ban on health- and environmentally-damaging mercury-containing cosmetics is far from being fully enforced,’ said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

‘Countries that produce, import, and export mercury-containing cosmetics, as well as e-commerce and social media platforms peddling them, must take strong steps to shut down the illegal manufacturing and sales of these prohibited products.’

‘Moreover, we must fix colorism, challenge discriminatory beauty standards, uphold inclusivity, lift all skin tones, and promote respect for natural skin to discourage use of chemical whiteners laced with mercury and other hazardous substances,’ she added.

The Minamata Convention originally scheduled the global phase-out of the manufacture, import, and export of mercury-added cosmetics in 2020. At the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP5), parties agreed to a binding 2025 deadline to eliminate mercury in such products, and removed the previous one part per million (ppm) threshold for mercury content in cosmetics.

However, mercury-laced skin-lightening products are still being made and sold, even though the 2020 and 2025 phase-out deadlines have passed and health authorities have already flagged some of these items, the EcoWaste Coalition said.

To illustrate the persistent problem with mercury-added cosmetics, the EcoWaste Coalition reported it has procured and analyzed 27 contaminated products from January to July 2026, including 22 from Pakistan, two from Taiwan, and one each from China, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Of the 27 analyzed products, 15 were manufactured in 2025; four in 2026; three in 2024; two in 2023; and one in 2022 (two products provided no production and/or expiration dates).

Using a handheld Olympus Vanta M Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, the EcoWaste Coalition detected mercury up to 33,970 ppm in these products marketed to lighten the skin tone, achieve a youthful glow, treat acne, and remove signs of ageing, including age spots, freckles, and wrinkles.

Among the mercury-tainted skin-lightening products discovered by the EcoWaste Coalition from January to July 2026 are:

From Pakistan: Arayna Papaya Glow Beauty Cream; Arena Gold Beauty Cream; Arena Gold New Fairness Cream for Men; Biocos Beauty Cream with Emergency Whitening Serum and Soap; Bio Gold Papaya Whitening Beauty Cream; Chandni Day and Night Whitening Cream (black packaging); Chandni Whitening Cream Men›s; Due Beauty Cream; Face Fresh Beauty Cream; Fresh and White Beauty Cream; Golden Pearl Beauty Cream with Gluta Serum; Golden Pearl Ultra Glam Beauty Cream; Navia Gluta Bright Beauty Cream; Parley 24K Gold Gleam Beauty Cream; Sativa Beauty Cream; Seven Herbal Beauty Cream; Seven Herbal Ubtan; Super White Anti-Marks Cream; Super White Beauty Cream; Tibet Snow; Yaz Beauty Cream Double White + Vitamin C; and Yaz Gold Beauty Cream Active White + 24K Gold Dust.

From Taiwan: Lianibo Whitening Night Cream and Meiduzi Night Cream.

From China: Nen Fu Mei Yan Herbage Ruddy Speckle-Removing Cream.

From Thailand: Berry Plus Extra Whitening Cream.

From Indonesia: Rose White and Natural Cream Moisturizer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), acting on the reports submitted by the EcoWaste Coalition, had already issued 10 public health warnings against the purchase and use of Arena Gold Beauty Cream, Due Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Beauty Cream, Parley 24K Gold Gleam Beauty Cream, Tibet Snow, Yaz Beauty Cream Double White + Vitamin C, and Yaz Gold Beauty Cream Active White + 24K Gold Dust from Pakistan; Lianibo Whitening Night Cream and Meiduzi Night Cream from Taiwan, and Rose White and Natural Cream Moisturizer from Indonesia.

In addition, the EcoWaste Coalition, during the same period, monitored the illegal sale of skin-lightening products already flagged by the FDA, particularly the five variants of Pakistan-made Goree Beauty Cream, in online shops, social media sites, and in physical stores, particularly in 20 out of 23 local government units in the province of Cavite; Quezon City; and Davao City. The products were flagged due to mercury adulteration and/or lack of required market authorization.