Amalia Cabusao

6 Long before the island exploded across social media for its mystical “Fairy Walk” and death-defying cliff dives, Siquijor was where travelers from neighboring provinces went for some serious downtime. Roughly the size of Samal, the island has always kept its coves and lagoons just a scenic motorcycle ride away. But among its many coastal treasures, one inland destination demands a quiet pause: the San Isidro Labrador Parish Church and Convent in Lazi.

6 June arrives every year dressed in color—rainbow flags catching the breeze, laughter spilling into the streets, and voices rising not just in celebration, but in defiance. For those unfamiliar with or unmoved by Pride, the spectacle can seem excessive, even puzzling. Why the noise? Why the flags? Why, after all this time, the marches? We march because the right to exist—fully, openly, and without apology—is not yet guaranteed everywhere. And where it is, it was fought for.

2 The first day of school, June 8, 2026, will be forever etched in the minds of schoolchildren as a day that began with excitement for a new school year and ended as one of the most traumatic experiences of their young lives. The flag ceremony that kicked off the morning turned out to be a massive blessing, as it kept most of the learners and teachers outside where they were less vulnerable than they would have been inside the classrooms.