The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the Philippines’ lack of capacity to research and manufacture important drugs and vaccines. The Department of Science and Technology itself admitted that the country has no research facilities to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. Even before the pandemic, no local or foreign company manufactured a single vaccine inside the country. As of […]

Suspected Bagani and Black Fighters paramilitary agents killed Bae Imel­da Ansa­bo, 50, in Ba­ra­ngay Ma­hong­kog, Mag­pet, North Co­ta­ba­to on August 23 at 2 p.m. Ansabo was on her way to the farm with her pregnant daughter when she was ambushed by the suspects. The victim was shot and then hacked repeatedly. Ansabo was a Manobo […]

In the Philippines, foreign companies dominate the supply of drugs in almost all categories (an­ti­bio­tic, anti-hypertension, anti-cancer and others) compared to local companies. These are generally 30-80% more expensive than generic brands. Added to the high costs is the 25-45% mark-up by local and foreign distributors for branded drugs and almost 60% for branded generics. […]

Joint elements of  the police and military arrested Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Camarines Sur chairperson Nelsy Rodriguez inside the group’s office in Bagum­bayan, Naga City in the evening of September 6. A female agent disguised herself as a barangay health worker to enter the office. She was followed by eight policemen in plainclothes who presented the […]

Hundreds of coconut planters protested in front of the Phi­lip­pi­ne Coco­nut Aut­ho­rity in Le­gazpi City, Albay on August 20 to demand a dialogue, aid, increase in the farmgate prices of copra, and the immediate return of the coco levy fund. The protest coincided the 47th year of the Presi­dential Decree 27 which imposed the collection […]