Livestream selling has rapidly grown in the Philippines and other South-east Asian countries, particularly since COVID-19 lockdowns. Sellers like Kenneth Gongon Watanabe in Japan and Vee Javier in the Philippines use platforms like Facebook and TikTok to sell products ranging from Japanese sweets to perfumes directly to customers. The trend, which started in China, benefits from the agility of small merchants and the convenience of reaching a wide audience without a physical store. Challenges include dealing with scammers and payment issues. Regulatory uncertainties also loom, as seen with Indonesia's temporary ban on social media selling. Despite this, proponents like Watanabe see livestream selling as the future of shopping.

In Metro Manila, families of drug war victims are struggling to afford funeral expenses, leading to the risk of their loved ones being buried in unmarked mass graves. Vicente Batiancila's family, unable to pay the fees demanded by Eusebio Funeral Services, feared he would be buried without identity. The article details the plight of impoverished families during President Duterte's war on drugs, where funeral parlors like Eusebio and Henry's Memorial Services play a role in handling the bodies. Due to lack of funds, Batiancila's family had to borrow money from a loan shark to avoid a mass burial. The article also touches on the illegal practice of funeral parlors storing bodies without proper licenses and the historical pattern of violence leading to unclaimed bodies in Manila.

The article delves into the human cost of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in the Philippines, focusing on the stories of families in Metro Manila's Malabon City who have lost loved ones to extrajudicial killings. It highlights the plight of children left behind, such as Koykoy, whose father Agustine da Silva was killed in an anti-drug operation, and Angelica, who dreams of becoming a doctor despite her father's death and her family's financial struggles. The piece also touches on the broader societal impact, with families unable to afford funerals or education for their children, and the fear and mistrust towards authorities among the youth. The narrative contrasts the government's stance on drug users with the harsh realities faced by impoverished communities, where the killings are predominantly occurring, and the support for Duterte's campaign despite the tragic consequences for many Filipino families.

The article discusses the severe impact of the drug war in the Philippines, highlighting the lack of respect for the dead and the fatal desensitization to violence. It questions the support for President Rodrigo Duterte despite his violent anti-drug campaign, which has resulted in numerous civilian deaths and disproportionately affected the poor. The article also notes the changing public sentiment, with some victims' families unable to afford burials and expressing disillusionment with the political process.

The article discusses the severe impact of the drug war in the Philippines, highlighting the lack of respect for the dead and the fatal desensitization to violence. It questions the support for President Rodrigo Duterte despite his violent anti-drug campaign, which has resulted in numerous civilian deaths and disproportionately affected the poor. The article also notes the changing public sentiment, with some victims' families unable to afford burials and expressing disillusionment with the political process.

The article discusses the severe impact of the drug war in the Philippines, highlighting the lack of respect for the dead and the fatal desensitization to violence. It questions the support for President Rodrigo Duterte despite his violent anti-drug campaign, which has resulted in numerous civilian deaths and disproportionately affected the poor. The article also notes the changing public sentiment, with some victims' families unable to afford burials and expressing disillusionment with the political process.

The article discusses the severe impact of the drug war in the Philippines, highlighting the lack of respect for the dead and the fatal desensitization to violence. It questions the support for President Rodrigo Duterte despite his violent anti-drug campaign, which has resulted in numerous civilian deaths and disproportionately affected the poor. The article also notes the changing public sentiment, with some victims' families unable to afford burials and expressing disillusionment with the political process.