FDA-Flagged Skin Lightening Products among those Banned in New York for Containing Toxic Mercury

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

EcoWaste Coalition pushes for concerted action to rid the market of dangerous cosmetics with mercury

10 October 2025, Quezon City.  The Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) has ordered three companies to immediately stop selling skin lightening products contaminated with high concentrations of mercury, a potent neurotoxin.  Among those banned were contraband facial creams flagged by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines in 2017, 2021 and 2024.

In a press release issued last October 8, the OAG said that three New York companies have sold dozens of cosmetics with mercury content up to 30,000 times the legal limit of less than one part per million (ppm). 

“Mercury is poison, not a beauty treatment, and no company has any business selling it to consumers.  Products with mercury this high are dangerous and illegal,” said New York State AG Letitia James. “We will not let companies profit by endangering New Yorkers’ health.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the “adverse health effects of the inorganic mercury contained in skin lightening creams and soaps include kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression, psychosis and peripheral neuropathy.”

The OAG’s action is in line with New York's Mercury Out of Cosmetics law prohibiting the sale of any cosmetic or personal care product containing mercury other than in trace amounts, which took effect in June 2023.

“We commend the OAG of New York State and its partners in the government and the civil society for this inspiring collaboration to promote and ensure the safety of the public, especially people of color and their children, against the damaging effects of mercury in skin lightening products to human health and the ecosystems,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition. 

The OAG is working with the Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and the Zero Mercury Working Group to protect vulnerable communities from mercury in skin lighteners and other products.

Among the 21 products found contaminated with mercury by OAG investigators were Faiza Beauty Cream, Golden Pearl Beauty Cream, Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream, and Sandal Beauty Cream.

These products are also among the hundreds of skin lightening products that have been flagged by the FDA for being sold without valid certificates of product notification and/or for containing mercury above the one ppm limit under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive.

The EcoWaste Coalition reported to the FDA the detection of high levels of mercury in Faiza Beauty Cream, Golden Pearl Beauty Cream, Parley Goldie Advanced Beauty Cream, and Sandal Beauty Cream -- all labeled "made in Pakistan" -- leading to the subsequent issuance of public health advisories in 2021 and 2024.

The FDA banned mercury-containing Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, also from Pakistan, much earlier in 2017.

However, the illegal importation, distribution and sale of the FDA-flagged products, Goree in particular, has not ceased, the EcoWaste Coalition lamented.

To address this persistent threat to human health and the environment, the EcoWaste Coalition repeated its call for strengthened action at all levels to effectively enforce the ban on mercury use in cosmetics under the Minamata Convention.

Consumers Demand “Immediate Relief” from Skyrocketing Power Rates as Congress Revisits EPIRA Law

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Metro Manila — Mounting frustration over persistently high electricity bills has reached Congress as consumer welfare group Kuryente.org passionately called on lawmakers to provide “immediate relief” to the public amid ongoing discussions to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) — a law that has long shaped the country’s energy landscape.

During a House Committee on Energy hearing, Bas Umali, National Coordinator of Kuryente.org, delivered a sobering message: ordinary Filipinos continue to bear the brunt of escalating power costs without ever feeling the benefits promised when EPIRA was first enacted in 2001.

“Sana mayroon ding road map ang Energy Regulatory Commission para pababain ‘yung presyo ng kuryente,” Umali urged lawmakers. “Ang kailangan namin ay immediate relief kasi sa mahabang panahon na naisabatas ‘yung EPIRA na ina-amend natin ngayon, hindi nakaranas ang consumers ng mababang presyo.”

(We hope the Energy Regulatory Commission will also have a roadmap to lower electricity rates. What we need is immediate relief because since EPIRA was enacted, consumers have never experienced affordable electricity.)

Two Decades Later, Still Waiting for Affordable Power

When EPIRA was passed more than two decades ago, it was envisioned to encourage competition, privatize the power sector, and ultimately lower electricity rates. However, consumers argue that the opposite happened — electricity in the Philippines remains among the most expensive in Asia, burdening households and small businesses alike.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), tasked with ensuring fair power pricing, has repeatedly faced criticism for failing to rein in the rising cost of electricity — a problem worsened by global fuel fluctuations, foreign exchange volatility, and the continued dependence on imported energy sources.

Just this week, Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor, confirmed another expected generation charge hike, citing the weakening peso and higher procurement costs. This marks at least the fifth increase in power rates this year, further straining Filipino families already grappling with inflation and stagnant wages.

Consumers Want a Seat at the Table

Beyond demanding cheaper electricity, Kuryente.org is also calling for greater consumer participation in shaping energy policy — a move they believe would bring transparency, fairness, and accountability to a system often dominated by large corporations and private interest groups.

“Isa sa pangunahing adbokasiya namin ay ang pagkakaroon ng participation ng mga consumers sa iba’t ibang processes sa energy sector, katulad ng pagpaplano ng legislation,” said Umali.

(One of our main advocacies is ensuring consumer participation in the various processes of the energy sector, including legislative planning.)

This appeal reflects a broader public sentiment — that the people most affected by power policies are too often excluded from decisions that directly impact their livelihoods.

Proposed Measures for Relief

Kuryente.org has consistently proposed tangible reforms to lessen the burden of high power costs, including:

Removal or reduction of the Expanded Value-Added Tax (EVAT) on electricity;

Review of the Feed-in Tariff Allowance (Fit-All) and other universal charges;

Transparent auditing of generation and transmission costs; and

Promotion of renewable and locally-sourced energy to reduce dependence on imported fuel.

These proposals, according to the group, are not mere short-term remedies but part of a broader vision to make energy a basic right, not a luxury.

A Defining Moment for Energy Reform

As Congress deliberates the amendments to EPIRA, all eyes are now on lawmakers and regulators to deliver meaningful change — not just promises. For millions of Filipino consumers, “immediate relief” means more than policy adjustments; it means being able to turn on the lights without fear of another budget-breaking bill.

The challenge before the government is clear: to finally fulfill the decades-old promise of affordable, reliable, and inclusive energy for all. Anything less, critics say, would be another betrayal of the Filipino people’s trust in reform.

At Geeks on a Beach, a startup makes the case for reviving the Philippine textile-garments industry — one partnership at a time

Wazzup Pilipinas?! 

Cebu, Philippines - At Geeks on a Beach 2025, Cecilia Martinez-Miranda, co-founder of Isla-Tek, joined Maria Elena “Nannette” Arbon, as well as Nicky Rice and Sylbil Marie Fortuna of Unisol in a panel discussion titled “From Dependence to Self-Reliance: Reviving the Philippine Textile-Garment Industry Through Technology and Tradition.” Together, they examined how technology, design, and collaboration could help restore a once-thriving sector that previously positioned the Philippines among the world’s leading garment producers.

A window of opportunity 

“Fifteen years ago, during my visit to weaving communities in Baguio, I discovered that many were using imported Chinese threads because the local supply chain had disappeared,” Miranda said. “That made me wonder — why did we stop producing our own textiles?” 

In the 1970s to  1980s, the Philippines was one of the world’s leading exporters of textiles and garments. However, the rise of cheap imported synthetic materials, rising local power costs and a lack of reinvestment in technology led to a significant decline in the industry. “The last commercial spinning mill closed down in 2024. We have the raw materials, but lack the infrastructure to process them,” Miranda noted.

Republic Act No. 9242, also known as the Tropical Fabrics Act of 2004, mandates that government uniforms must be made from fabrics containing at least 5% indigenous fibers. However, Moderator Nannette Arbon, a former regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), emphasized the challenges of implementing such policies, even when they are well-intentioned. 

“This policy has been in place for twenty years but has never gained traction due to a lack of local supply,” said Arbon.

Miranda added that the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of RA 9242, released in 2023, present a unique “window of opportunity” for progress. 

Weaving collaboration across the chain

Founded just a year ago, Isla-Tek is focused on developing specialty fabrics made from Philippine tropical fibers, such as pineapple and abaca. Instead of pursuing a vertical approach, the startup emphasizes collaboration by linking each stage of the supply chain. 

“We’re not trying to do everything ourselves,” Miranda explained. “We work with partners across the supply chain, from farmers, fiber processors, mills, to designers, so that value is created at every step.”

Among Isla-Tek's partners are Asia Textile Mills, a 40-year-old mill specializing in uniform fabrics which began R&D into tropical fabric in the early 2000s, and Unisol, a technology-enabled company that serves the government uniform market. “There’s a lot of innovation happening on the supply chain side,” Miranda noted. “We’re collaborating with people who have decades of experience—knowledge and skills that we can't afford to lose.”

Sylbil Marie Fortuna, Head of Customer Success at Unisol, emphasized the vital role that technology plays in connecting supply and demand. “Unisol is the go-to provider for government uniforms, offering efficient booking and delivery,” she explained. 

“Through our website, unisol.ph, clients can select fabrics and colors, upload their logos, set delivery dates, and process payments that create a hotel-like booking experience for uniform design,” said Fortuna.

Nicky Rice, Chief of Product and Design at Unisol, highlighted the importance of using local materials that resonate with consumers. She stated, “My goal as a designer is to transform fabric into something marketable, both functional and stylish, while also considering sustainability.”

A shared effort to rebuild

Challenges remain in scaling production, but the conversation at GOAB highlighted that collaboration among agriculture, manufacturing, and design could spark a new wave of domestic textile-garments innovation. 

“Competing with countries like China or India in cotton production is difficult, but few nations can produce pineapple or abaca as we do. That’s our competitive advantage,” Miranda noted.

Startups like Isla-Tek and Unisol are partnering with legacy mills, designers, and government entities, as the industry gradually reestablishes the connections between agriculture, manufacturing, and national identity. 

Although rebuilding the textile and garment sector may take time, each collaboration and partnership moves the country closer to realizing that vision. That is why the Philippine government, as the country’s biggest procuring entity, must be the first mover in supporting the local textile ecosystem by fully implementing Republic Act No. 9242.

About Geeks on a Beach

Geeks on a Beach is the Philippines’ pioneering beachside international tech and startup conference, launched in 2013. Known for its unique blend of serious conversations in a fun, laid-back environment, GOAB has connected thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, developers, creatives, and policymakers. Over the years, GOAB has helped catalyze deals, investments, and partnerships that continue to shape the Philippine and Southeast Asian startup landscape.

This year’s GOAB was held on October 1-3, 2025, at JPark Island Resort Hotel in Mactan, Cebu. It is organized by the non-profit group geeksPH with the support of its foundational government partner, the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).