For nearly seven decades, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has honored individuals and organizations whose leadership has transformed lives across Asia. Among them are women who expanded opportunities for women—through education, political rights, economic inclusion, and protection from exploitation—long before “women’s empowerment” became a widely used phrase. As the world marks International Women’s Day and reflects...
Category: Diversity
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Inside the lives and identities of Filipino furries
One night in a tucked-away corner of the internet, a young artist booted up “Nekojishi,” a Taiwanese visual novel about anthropomorphic deities, and stumbled into a world he never expected to call home. He assumed the name “Daitheinsu” and, like countless others in the Philippines, he would soon discover the colorful and misunderstood universe of...
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What does it mean to be ‘bakla’?
Gay culture in the Philippines is changing fast. What used to be just entertainment is now a way to tell stories and celebrate identities. From powerful drag acts on stage to viral TikTok skits, queerness is being shared and lived openly, showing how deeply it has been woven in today’s culture. And despite what conservative...
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Ahtisa Manalo is welcomed home while controversy hounds the Miss Universe pageant
Miss Universe Philippines Ahtisa Manalo, who placed third runner-up in the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Thailand, meets and greets her admirers in a two-part homecoming parade today, Dec. 2, in Manila and Pasay City. The parade takes place a week after Manalo returned to the Philippines to a rousing past-midnight welcome by her admirers...
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Candidates with Philippine roots are competing in Miss International 2025
TOKYO—The Filipinos’ domination of global pageantry is so undeniable that other countries have been fielding candidates with roots in the Philippines. In the ongoing 2025 Miss International pageant in Japan, Binibining Pilipinas Myrna Esguerra is joined by Bella Dela Cruz of Australia and Allyson Ee of Malaysia, who both incidentally competed in the 2025 Miss...
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Palestine is a contender in Miss Universe 2025
Editor’s Note: Two judges in the annual competition have pulled out of the 8-member jury, with one claiming that an “impromptu” panel had already selected 30 finalists from among the 136 participating countries, and the other citing “unforeseen personal reasons.” For the first time ever, the Miss Universe pageant has welcomed a delegate from Palestine,...
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Unusual drama at the Miss Universe pageant, now on its 74th edition
Walkouts, callouts, and police presence took over the Miss Universe pageant in just its first week, with global fans bracing themselves for more drama before a new queen gets crowned. The tension-filled 74th edition of the international competition has drawn spectators from around the world, including those who do not regularly follow pageants, because of...
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Myrna Esguerra is fighting for another Miss International crown for the Philippines
There is no doubt that the Philippines is an international pageant powerhouse, with crown upon crown collected from global competitions by both women and men for all these years. Among the competitions where the country has picked up multiple wins, the Miss International pageant tops the list with a total of six victories spanning six...
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From blade to bark, Gustavo Montero makes art from nature
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—Gustavo Montero is an Ibaloi artist and artisan who is contributing to the preservation and increased awareness of indigenous arts beyond his native province of Benguet. It all started in 2009, when Montero first became interested in Kali, the Filipino martial art that involves hand and body movements and the use of bladed weapons. He...
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Celebrity-powered show caps LGBTQIA+ community festivities calling for equality
Rainbow flags dominated the festive ground under the murky sky that burst in a downpour on June 28. At that moment at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Lov3Laban 2025 became more than a drenched march on campus: It was both declaration and living proof of Pride. The rain transformed the biggest festival of the...