carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: MECQ for NCR Plus extended until May 14, 2021

April 30, 2021April 29, 2021carlocarrasco

After weeks of anticipation by the public, President Rodrigo Duterte announced the other night the extension of modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 14, 2021 for the National Capital Region (NCR) plus the bordering provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal. In connection to this, Duterte apologized.

To put things about the extended MECQ in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article. Some parts in bold…

“Modified enhanced community quarantine. Modified ito so medyo strict. NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal (Modified enhanced community quarantine – modified, meaning somehow strict – will be imposed in NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal),” Duterte said in his talk to the people.

MECQ will be implemented in NCR Plus, composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, MECQ until May 14, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a separate press statement.

Quirino and Abra provinces, as well as the City of Santiago in Isabela, will also stay under MECQ for the whole month of May, Duterte said.

On the other hand, the more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) will be imposed in Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur from May 1 to 31.

The rest of the country will remain under the least restrictive modified GCQ (MGCQ).

Roque said the latest quarantine status is still “subject to the appeals of local government units.”

The government is targeting to lower health care and intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rates to ease the quarantine protocols in the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In recent times, the daily count of new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines fell below 10,000. It was reported the other day that the new COVID-19 cases was at 6,895 nationwide. Still the nation has over 1,000,000 COVID-19 cases grand total (including recoveries) and the secured vaccines cannot arrive fast enough from overseas. Also, it will take a lot of time before the local production of vaccines will become a reality in the nation.

Apart from public health, more attention should be paid on the economy which has been set back a lot since the latest ECQ (enhanced community quarantine). The current MECQ meanwhile resulted 13% of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to stay closed specifically in the NCR Plus zone.

More on the economy, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez is pushing to help the economy by recommending a flexible MECQ in NCR Plus with gradual reopening of labor-intensive sectors in mind.

For perspective, posted below is an excerpt for the Philippine News Agency article. Some parts in bold…

In a radio interview Thursday, Lopez said the agency is eyeing to reopen personal care services with a limited capacity of 20 to 30 percent as well as dine-in services in food establishments by 10 to 20 percent.

“Ni-recommend ho kasi naming ‘yong MECQ with flexibility. We are just after sa pagbabalik ng trabaho, pero yung higpit naman ng mobility ay nandoon pa rin. Ang importante lang ay itong trabaho. We’re talking about opening the sectors na sarado pa rin (We recommended the MECQ with flexibility. We are just after bringing back jobs, but the strict mobility will still be there. What’s important is the jobs. We’re talking about opening the sectors that are still closed),” he said.

He added that the gradual reopening of the personal care and dine-in services was “partially discussed” with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

“Iko-confirm na lang mamaya sa IATF kung ilang porsyento [The IATF will confirm later the percentage (of capacity)],” Lopez said.

An estimated 200,000 workers in personal care services and 1 million fast-food and restaurant crews were affected during the stricter community quarantine measures in National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal and about PHP60 billion worth of wages were lost during the two-week MECQ, Lopez said.

The current MECQ also shed PHP120 billion in gross domestic product, on top of the PHP180-billion economic losses during the two-week ECQ.

While it is essential for people and organizations to follow health protocols and avoid COVID-19 infections, the same goes with the economy. So many have been suffering from the lack of jobs, the loss of income and, in the case of businesses, the loss of customers and clients. Being in the private sector myself, I definitely want more businesses of any size to reopen, make money, hire the unemployed and contribute to the development of local society. I want to see the personal care services to resume operations, as well as the return of indoor dining for restaurants and cafes. I also want to see more of my fellow Filipinos to stay above poverty and rise higher. That being said, I say that capitalism is the way to go and the real way to restore prosperity for the Philippines even as we face varied challenges daily during this COVID-19 (China Virus) crisis.

From this point on, I encourage you to keep observing the moves of not only the national authorities but also those in your local government, your barangay and other organizations serving you. Pray that the public servants and community leaders will look up to the Lord and acknowledge His authority over them. Pray for the leaders to look up to God. Finally, no matter how good or bad your situation is, keep having strong faith in our Lord. If you are hurting and you need healing, come to Lord Jesus (read Mark 5:25-34 in the Holy Bible).

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Fire razes residential area in Muntinlupa City, 200 families affected

April 29, 2021April 28, 2021carlocarrasco

A four-hour fire incident displaced at least 200 families in a residential area along PNR Site in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City before midnight this past Tuesday.

According to an initial report from Muntinlupa City Fire Station, the fire broke out at Aquino Damaso Compound, Purok 2, PNR Site in Brgy. Cupang at 11:36 PM last April 27.

The fire was raised to 2^nd alarm leaving 50 houses damaged and around 200 families or 1,000 individuals affected. The estimated damage in the area is at P1,400,000. A total of 79 fire trucks from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), city government, and other volunteer groups responded to the incident.

BFP declared fire out in the area at around 4:02 AM of April 28 and the cause of fire is still under investigation.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi visits residents who were affected by a fire incident in Brgy. Cupang last April 28. The local government has provided hot meals and family kits to affected families who are temporarily taking shelter at Mullet Compound Covered Court. Fire victims are also set to receive financial assistance through a local resolution. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Muntinlupa Social Service Department chief Analyn Mercado said the City Government has provided hot meals and family kits to affected families who are temporarily taking shelter at Mullet Compound Covered Court. The local social service department also continues to conduct mapping of affected families and facilitates stress debriefing to affected residents.

Further, the City Health Office and Department of Disaster Resilience and Management are closely monitoring the evacuation center to mitigate COVID-19 transmission. Fire victims are also set to receive financial assistance through a local resolution.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi visited the fire victims to extend the City Government’s assistance on Wednesday. Fresnedi vowed to support the fire victims and help them through the city’s social programs.

Muntinlupa City Fire Station encouraged locals to stay safe and take preventive measures in avoiding fire accidents.

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The above information was provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

A Look Back at Ravage 2099 #15 (1994)

April 29, 2021November 28, 2025carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of Marvel Comics! To those who read my previous retro comic book reviews related to the 2099 universe of Marvel Comics, you know fully well that I found the first eight issues of the Ravage 2099 monthly series to be lackluster even though they all involved the writing of the late legend Stan Lee. After Lee stopped working, the Ravage 2099 series was taken over by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner for the writing duties and those two were in-charge of the Punisher 2099 series.

Eventually, a crossover storyline of the 2099 universe was published titled The Fall of the Hammer. It was told in five parts and each of the existing 2099 monthly series at the time – Spider-Man 2099, Ravage 2099, Doom 2099, Punisher 2099 and X-Men 2099 – had one issue forming it. The Fall of the Hammer kicked off with Spider-Man 2099 #16 which had solid writing by Peter David.

Part 2 was told in a Ravage 2099 issue. To find out the story and its quality, here is a look back at Ravage 2099 #15, published in 1993 (cover dated 1994) by Marvel Comics with a story written by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner, and drawn by Grant Miehm.

Early story

The story begins at the place of Paul-Phillip Ravage who is now in human form. In his presence are X-Men 2099 members Meanstreak, Krystalin and Bloodhawk. Suddenly Bloodhawk comes after Ravage and tries to make him give out information in relation to the disappearance of Jordan Boone, a friend of Meanstreak. Boone disappeared after compiling data related to Alchemax’s problem with Valhalla.

Ravage then transforms into his monstrous form which surprises Bloodhawk. After the winged X-Men member mentioned Valhalla, Ravage calms down and decides to talk with the team. Soon enough, they fly above the city streets in a vehicle heading towards Valhalla. As they approach the floating city, armed flying personnel move in to attack Ravage 2099 and the three X-Men.

Elsewhere in New York, Spider-Man 2099 finds himself at a disadvantage as Punisher 2099 has a gun pointed at him…

Quality

*2099’s Spider-Man and Punisher together.*

To put it clearly, this 2^nd part of The Fall of the Hammer storyline is where the 2099 heroes begin to actually cross over with each other and the first panel showing Ravage with the three X-Men members is symbolic of that. The plot here is actually simple…Ravage and the X-Men make it to Valhalla which is their common destination. The mutants want information about Jordan Boone while Ravage tries to meet Doom 2099 (whom he met in Ravage 2099 #14). Apart from those objectives, there is a lot of action scenes laced with dialogue designed to move the narrative forward little by little. If you are looking for character development of Ravage, you won’t find much here. What you will find, however, are some scenes of intrigue that show Ravage getting disturbed temporarily as a result of realizing the presence of a certain someone he got close with.

As for Valhalla, the city here is more of a technical playground than an actual threat to the people and societies it flew over. What weakens the story here is the absence of 2099’s Thor.

Conclusion

To a certain extent, Ravage 2099 #15 (1994) is a somewhat entertaining read mainly due to the mix up of 2099 characters together here. The story is pretty light but at the very least fans of Ravage 2099 will find their monstrous hero in a somewhat interesting misadventure here. The concept that started in Spider-Man 2099 #16 showing Valhalla as a floating danger is weaker here but at least this comic book sets the stage for the next chapter of the storyline decently.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Ravage 2099 #15 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, Ravage 2099 #15 (1994) is satisfactory.

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Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-Halo ice cream

April 28, 2021April 27, 2021carlocarrasco

Here in the Philippines, what is considered by many to be the most popular local dessert reflecting the Filipino culture is the Halo-halo. For the foreigners and newcomers reading this, the Halo-halo is the cold dessert composed of crushed ice, milk (condensed or evaporated) and a variety of ingredients such as purple yam (ube), nata de coco, leche flan slices, sweet beans, coconut strips, jelly orbs, gelatin portions, fruit slices and a scoop of ice cream.

In Tagalog (the major language here in the Philippines), halo means mix. Halo-halo then means mixture (rough translation – mix-mix) which is realized when a consumer mixes all the ingredients together. In this form, the consumer will experience a unique, sweetened taste with each serving by the spoon complete with different ingredients entering his or her mouth.

Now in line with this article’s topic, try to imagine halo-halo in the form of an ice cream! That’s right! There is such a thing and in certain points during my lifetime, I consumed ice cream designed to have the taste and ingredients of halo-halo! Such halo-halo flavored ice cream were temporarily offered by the different ice cream makers.

Here, I want to show you Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-halo ice cream which is now available in pints and half-gallons!

*Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-Halo ice cream in half-gallon.*

*This is what the Coco Halo-halo ice cream looks like up close.*

*Coco Halo-halo in pint and in half-gallon. These were sold in Las Piñas City for P90 and P275 respectively.*

So what can I say about the Coco Halo-halo ice cream? It is made with water, coconut milk, sugar, milk solids, red mongo beans, white beans, kaong, nata de coco, and jackfruit strips to name some. The ice cream itself is mildly sweet. Its taste is enhanced when you eat the ice cream with the frozen (but not hard) ingredients. While it is not as sweet as the standalone halo-halo dessert (note: which can be served sometimes with condensed milk by certain sellers), it still is delicious in my taste. It is also ideal during this hot summer season. As such, Gold Delight’s Coco Halo-halo ice cream is recommended.

For more content about Gold Delight and Ice Cream House, check out my Coffee Crumble-Cocoflan article as well as my DIY Sundae Box article and the Pastilla de Langka article. If you are interested in ordering Gold Delight ice cream products and have them delivered to your household, call their mobile number 09190091543 or visit them at their official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/icecreamhouseph

The details regarding ordering such as how to pay, what form to fill up and how long it will take for orders to be delivered are available for viewing at the FB page.

For those of you living in or near Las Piñas City, there is a local seller of Gold Delight ice cream products and you can call them at mobile phone numbers 0915-4606505 or 0917-3646363.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa Mayor Fresnedi urges residents to get vaccinated as new major vaccination hub at SM Center Muntinlupa opens

April 28, 2021April 27, 2021carlocarrasco

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi appealed to city residents to avail of the local vaccination program for them to have an added protection against the adverse effects of COVID-19 and in a bid to begin the local economic recovery.

Fresnedi urged residents who are members of the priority groups to get their COVID-19 jab as it helps prevent the risk of severe illness, hospitalizations, and death from COVID-19. He also noted that the vaccination program is an integral component of realizing economic recovery in the city.

“Hinihikayat ko po ang lahat ng Muntinlupeño na magpabakuna dahil bakuna ang solusyon sa pandemya. Kung gusto natin na bumalik sa normal ang buhay, protektado ang ating pamilya, at ligtas ang lahat, magparehistro na at magpabakuna,” Fresnedi said.

The local exec also encouraged city residents who are not yet registered in the city’s own COVID-19 Vaccination Registration System to sign-up through www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac.

Fresnedi, who is also a senior citizen at 70 y/o, received his first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine last April 8 at Muntinlupa National HS – Tunasan Annex.

Further, the City Government opened yesterday its second major vaccination hub at SM Center Muntinlupa Open Parking Area in Brgy. Tunasan for members of A2 (Senior Citizens) and A3 (Persons with Comorbidities) priority groups.

SM Supermalls has begun its multi-mall vaccination drive in partnership with various LGUs nationwide to be the venue for their COVID-19 vaccination program.

The major vaccination hub in SM Center Muntinlupa can accommodate up to 500 residents from Brgy. Tunasan and Brgy. Poblacion per schedule. Residents from A2-A3 categories will receive a text message for their assigned schedule. Additional major vaccination hubs in other local malls will be installed in the coming weeks.

On April 24, the City Government has opened the first major vaccination hub in Ayala Malls South Park, Brgy. Alabang. According to Muntinlupa City Health Office, at least 216 were vaccinated during the launching of the city’s first major vaccination hub.

Further, community vaccination sites in the barangays will continue to accommodate other residents from different priority groups. The schedule in barangay vaccination centers will be posted in the City Government of Muntinlupa Facebook Page.

Muntinlupa CHO recorded 21,425 vaccinated residents, of which 17,261 received Sinovac and 4,164 inoculated with AstraZeneca as of April 24. For inquiries and other concerns, the public may contact MunCoVac hotline numbers: 0956 358 9228 / 0915 805 5932 / 0915 806 7419 / 0960 588 5937 / 0998 249 4580.

As of April 25, Muntinlupa City has 10,557 confirmed cases with 8,819 recoveries, 1,462 active cases, 276 reported deaths, 172 suspect cases, and 965 probable cases.

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The above information was provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

COVID-19 Crisis: Philippines to become a new producer of vaccines?

April 28, 2021April 27, 2021carlocarrasco

Very recently, the national authorities announced that the grand total of COVID-19 (China Virus) cases in the Philippines had surpassed the 1 million mark, landing at 1,006,428 cases. There will be many millions of new vaccines coming into the country but they just could not come in fast enough.

In recent times, the national government started making a move to become a new player in the production of new vaccines for coronavirus according to National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 chief implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr. He added that this would ensure a steady supply of vaccines not only for this current crisis but also for future health crises.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the story published through Philippine News Agency (PNA). Some parts in bold…

“We are working on building the country’s vaccine sufficiency, particularly our capacity to manufacture and produce our own vaccines not just to address Covid-19 health crisis, but also to prepare for any future pandemic,” Galvez said at a virtual Economic Development Cluster and Infrastructure Cluster forum for the Pre-State of the Nation Address on Monday.

The Philippines is hoping to replicate the Serum Institute of India (SII), India’s largest vaccine producer which produces the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, known in India as Covishield.

Galvez earlier visited India to negotiate with SII for the acquisition of 30 million doses of the Novavax vaccine.

One of the topics tackled during the trip was the possibility to develop local production of vaccines in the Philippines.

“One of our agenda during our trip to India last month was to look into opportunities that will allow us to build on the same vaccine and medicine manufacturing capacity that India has,” Galvez said.

He said he had met with the Department of Science and Technology Sec. Fortunato de la Peña and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez along with the country’s vaccine experts to discuss the plan to establish local vaccine production.

The government targets “to encourage foreign vaccine manufacturers to establish domestic operations” on vaccine production in the Philippines, he said.

“We will achieve vaccine security and partner with domestic and international private pharmaceutical companies in developing our own capability in manufacturing vaccines domestically,” he added. “For 2023, we envision for self-sufficiency and readiness for the pandemic and other disasters with the modernization and integration of our healthcare system.”

With the ongoing negotiations of the Philippines for equitable vaccine acquisition, Galvez said the government has earmarked a total of PHP82.5 billion for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, of which PHP70 billion have been sourced out from various multilateral loans and assumed savings.

As seen above, the Philippines looked to the largest vaccine maker in India as a model for their plan. If vaccine production does push through in the country in the near future, it should create some new jobs and contribute somewhat to the economy. How much would vaccines cost when made here in the Philippines remains to be seen. The same also with how the national government will convince vaccine makers overseas to establish production lines in the country.

Meanwhile, I encourage you my readers to check out how much progress Israel has achieved with regards to combatting COVID-19, normalizing the lives of their people and setting the stage for an economic rebound. In relation to these details, the Jewish State will reopen its borders to foreign visitors who have already been vaccinated. This means visiting the Holy Land is possible once again for all those who seek the Lord. Israel is a bright example for the world and they deserve a lot of praise. Their success was acknowledged by veteran writer Boo Chanco.

Now if only the vaccines the national government paid for will somehow arrive as fast as possible. The Philippines still has a long way to go before achieving herd immunity and having both society and economy rebound at last from the COVID-19 crisis.

By the way, if you are a resident of Las Piñas City or Muntinlupa City, you can get yourselves registered for COVID-19 vaccines by reading the instructions and details here (Las Piñas) and here (Muntinlupa).

If you have something to say about the current situation of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, or within your city or local community, you may contact me directly online or comment below.

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I Love Israel: Israel’s success in dealing with the pandemic acknowledged

April 27, 2021April 26, 2021carlocarrasco

Yesterday, there was this article published in the Philippine Star (online version here) with a title that caught my attention…O Israel!

The said article was written by long-time columnist Boo Chanco (who cited the Washington Post, Capital Economics and Deutsche Welle for context) and to put things in perspective, below are notable excerpts for your reading. Some parts in bold…

Excerpt 1

According to The Washington Post, Israel is now partying like it’s 2019.

“With most adults now vaccinated against the coronavirus and restrictions falling away – including the lifting this week of outdoor mask requirements – Israelis are joyously resuming routines that were disrupted more than a year ago and providing a glimpse of what the future could hold for other countries.”

Oh, Israel! How did you guys do it? We are still in limbo. The best guess for us puts two more years of aimless wandering in the COVID desert.

Excerpt 2

According to The Washington Post, “the rate of new infections has plummeted – from a peak of almost 10,000 a day to about 140 – and the number of serious coronavirus cases in many hospitals is down to single digits.

“The emergency COVID-19 ward at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv resumed duty as a parking garage, and waiting rooms are suddenly flooded with non-COVID patients coming for long-deferred treatments.”

But Israeli health officials are quick to note that the pandemic is not over. They are worried about the variants. There is also the possibility of outbreaks in schools, where most students are too young to be vaccinated.

Still, Israel is showing what other nations can expect if they can keep on vaccinating.

“With almost 90 percent of the most vulnerable cohort – those 50 and older – fully inoculated, experts say hospital ICU units are now shielded from being overwhelmed, as almost happened earlier in the pandemic.”

Just two months ago, the spread of the disease stubbornly refused to slow. Vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine is making the difference for Israel.

Dr. Tony Leachon, who once advised IATF, however observed rightly that while “vaccines save lives, the success of Israel is anchored on leadership and governance, and agility in execution.”

According to Deutsche Welle, Israel was able to secure large quantities of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine because Israel agreed to pay double the price for each dose.

Excerpt 3

Israeli officials explained they agreed to pay extra per dose because they figured that in pure economic numbers, the total amount they overpaid was a miniscule fraction of what it costs to lockdown the country. This is not counting the extra medical costs of COVID and the incalculable price of losing a loved one.

Poor Filipinos. We don’t have leaders who think as clearly as the Israelis. We have red tape loving bureaucrats. So, we didn’t have enough vaccines early enough, and it seems we have the wrong one.

A successful vaccination rollout would be our country’s economic game changer. But as Capital Economics said, progress has been disappointing as only one percent of the population has been inoculated almost two months since the start of the program.

Israel launched one of the fastest rollouts in the world. According to The Washington Post, Israel delivered just under 10 million doses of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine regimen, reaching 4.98 million people or about 55 percent of its total population. An additional 400,000 Israelis have received one shot.

“If those who have been infected and then recovered are added, more than 60 percent of Israeli residents now have some level of protective antibodies. The virus is running short of vulnerable bodies to infect.”

Can you imagine if we were able to do that for Metro Manila? NCR’s population is comparable in number to Israel’s.

Wow! Those are very notable details. It is very clear that Israel went all-out and paid heavily to protect their people and set the stage for social and economic comebacks. I admire Israel for their focus, their efforts and management of the COVID-19 crisis (China Virus) there. To put things in perspective, watch these related YouTube videos below…

By comparison, the efforts here in the Philippines are nowhere as efficient and nowhere as successful. It should be noted that yesterday, the Philippines’ total number of COVID-19 cases has passed the 1,000,000 mark. Regardless, I encourage you all to read Boo Chanco’s article in full at https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/04/26/2093707/oh-israel

Going back to Israel, they already announced that they will open their borders to foreign visitors who have already been vaccinated for COVID-19.

In ending this piece, let me ask you readers the following questions:

What is your opinion about Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination program and the way they managed their economy and society?
Here in the Philippines, what is your opinion about the COVID-19 crisis-related efforts of the national government as well as the local government units (LGUs)?
Also here in the Philippines, as local citizens, do you believe your respective mayors are diligently working to serve you and protect your from COVID-19? Do you find your mayors more focused with their egos instead of performing public service?
Still here in the Philippines, if you are a local business owner or manager, has your local government been helpful or harmful?

If you are willing to answer, please do so in the comments section below. If you want more privacy, please contact me directly online.

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Suspects apprehended for illegal firearms sale in Las Piñas City

April 27, 2021April 26, 2021carlocarrasco

Are you a resident of Las Piñas City who managed to spot something suspicious?

Yesterday it was reported via Philippine News Agency (PNA) that four people – including two foreigners from South Korea – were arrested as a result of a weapons buy-bust operation in the City of Las Piñas. The arrest happened on April 23, 2021.

To put things here in perspective, below is an excerpt from the PNA report…

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) Director Maj. Gen. Albert Ferro said members of the CIDG field unit in Metro Manila nabbed suspects Tomas Adonis, Patrick Rowan, and South Korean nationals Han Bao and Hu Zhi at the Emapalico Subdivision, Las Piñas City on April 23.

Ferro said the operation stemmed from a Chinese informant who said the suspects are selling him illegal firearms through an online transaction.

One of the CIDG agents posed as a driver/assistant of the Chinese poseur buyer during the actual transaction, which led to the arrest of the suspects.

Recovered during the operation were firearms including a 9mm Colt rifle, a caliber 5.56 Colt AR-15 rifle, a .38 caliber revolver, a .45 caliber pistol, various ammunition, marked money, a laptop computer, assorted credit cards, blank cards, and a skimming device.

Furthermore, it was reported that the four suspects will be charged for violating Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and RA 11449 (Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998).

When it comes to illegal possession of firearms, posted below is an excerpt of Section 28 of RA 10591 under the Penal Provisions…

Section 28. Unlawful Acquisition, or Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. – The unlawful acquisition, possession of firearms and ammunition shall be penalized as follows:

(a) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a small arm;

(b) The penalty of reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua shall be imposed if three (3) or more small arms or Class-A light weapons are unlawfully acquired or possessed by any person;

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-A light weapon;

(d) The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall, unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-B light weapon;

(e) The penalty of one (1) degree higher than that provided in paragraphs (a) to (c) in this section shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully possess any firearm under any or combination of the following conditions:

(1) Loaded with ammunition or inserted with a loaded magazine;

(2) Fitted or mounted with laser or any gadget used to guide the shooter to hit the target such as thermal weapon sight (TWS) and the like;

(3) Fitted or mounted with sniper scopes, firearm muffler or firearm silencer;

(4) Accompanied with an extra barrel; and

(5) Converted to be capable of firing full automatic bursts.

(f) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a small arm;

(g) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a small arm or Class-A light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a small arm, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter;

(h) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-A light weapon;

(i) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a Class-A light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a Class-A light weapon, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter;

(j) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-B light weapon; and

(k) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a Class-B light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a Class-B light weapon, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter.

If you wish to react about this story or the crime situation there in your city, please feel free to comment below or contact me directly online.

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A Look Back at The Strangers #24 (1995)

April 26, 2021April 25, 2021carlocarrasco

Wow! What a journey it has been! Back in the 1990s, I could never forget the first time I read The Strangers #1 which was so captivating, I decided to follow its monthly series and it was easily my favorite superhero team of the Ultraverse. It was also my first time to see the collaboration of Steve Englehart and Rick Hoberg leading the creativity which, as the many months and issues went on, resulted a series that was never boring and often satisfying and fun to read. I should state that the literary team of strangers composed of Atom Bob, Grenade, Lady Killer, Yrial, Spectral, Zip-Zap and Electrocute was memorable. Truly Malibu Comics had very talented creators for the Ultraverse which eventually lasted just a few years (read: Marvel Comics acquired Malibu Comics).

This brings me to my next point…this retro comic book review is about the last issue of The Strangers monthly series ever published. As I love the Ultraverse, it is sorrowful to see the end of an enjoyable monthly series. In recent times, I reviewed the final issue of the Prototype monthly series (which itself was fun overall) which ended in a rather unsatisfying manner. Prototype’s final issue was not even written by the original creators of the series!

How will this final issue of The Strangers series turn out? We can all find out in this look back at The Strangers #24, published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Rick Hoberg with inkwork done by Barbara Kaalberg.

Early story

The story begins with Teknight, Spectral, Grenade, Lady Killer, Yrial, Zip-Zap and Electrocute back together (note: Lady Killer and Yrial went somewhere far in the previous issue). They talked about Electrocute’s codition, Atom Bob being in a comatose state at the Clinique de Parsival, and the dangerous encounter with Taboo.

Meanwhile inside a passenger jet flying above the North Atlantic, a man expresses his passion and fondness of the Strangers to the passenger sitting to his left. The said passenger wants to learn more about the team.

The following night at Union City in California, the same passenger knocks on the window of a van with a man and a lady kissing passionately inside. As the man comes out of the van feeling very annoyed, the passenger introduces himself to him as Taboo. A new team of TNTNT is being formed…

Quality

*Pay close attention to the details on the words of Lady Killer.*

To start with, I confirm that the usual high quality of writing and art by the Englehart-Hoberg duo is evident in this comic book. Not a single part of it looks rushed to me. The plot is very well structured and the visuals are great to see!

While the story is not as conclusive as I hoped it would be, it is still a lot of fun to read. For one thing, it’s nice to see the Strangers together again (note: Teknight has been with the team for some time already) and it was entertaining to see them face worthy opposition in the form of a new team of their rival TNTNT (with an obsessed Taboo as the new addition). The Strangers-TNTNT battle was not an all-out brawl but the match-ups were nicely done complete with really fun action scenes. I should state that not only did Rick Hoberg frame the action scenes greatly, he pushed his imagination up a few notches with regards to adding a lot of flair to the battle between Teknight and Taboo.

As mentioned earlier, this comic book was unfortunately the last of the series and clearly it was not written to be the end (note: the comic book ended with the anticipation of the celebration of the Jumpstart). There was a part in which Lady Killer told her teammates about using the funds they made from licensing to build for themselves their own headquarters and Grenade even mentioned having a room for Atom Bob in anticipation of a return. There was also a sub-plot about J.D. Hunt and his very rebellious son who clearly wants to do more while he exists. More on the battle between the Strangers and TNTNT, it’s clearly not decisive and in my own view, a rematch was needed.

Conclusion

As the final issue of its monthly series, The Strangers #24 (1995) is pretty entertaining on its own. It was definitely not a conclusive story and in fact, art was made for what could have been the 25^th, the 26^th and 27^th issues of The Strangers (see the A Fond Farewell excerpt below). It’s too bad those conceptualized issues did not materialize because there was a lot of good and enjoyable stuff to read in this comic book. This only shows that Steve Englehart and Rick Hoberg still had more great and new stuff to tell through The Strangers.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Strangers #24 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $50.

*Rick Hoberg’s farewell message plus art for what would have been The Strangers #25, #26 and #27.*

Overall, The Strangers #24 (1995) is highly recommended!

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7th Las Piñas Food Festival all set for April 29 via Facebook

April 26, 2021April 25, 2021carlocarrasco

Even as people and businesses are still struggling with the ongoing COVID-19 (China Virus) pandemic, nothing will stop the celebration of cooking and gardening in the city of Las Piñas as Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) formally announced that the 7th Las Piñas Food Festival will take place on April 29, 2021 (Thursday) at 10AM via Facebook.

With the theme of “Harvest of Our Garden Meals”, the 7th Las Piñas Food Festival will be composed of its standard competitions for cooking (with competitors representing the barangays) as well as urban gardening (with competing barangays that do have urban gardens of their own).

*The official banner for the food festival this year. (source – Villar SIPAG Facebook page)*

As Villar SIPAG’s announcement specifically mentions Facebook and does not mention any venue (physical location), it is understood that this event will be streamed live via the social network and most likely it won’t be a spectator nor a visitor-oriented event compared to the previous editions of the food festival. Very likely, the cooking contest will be held somewhere indoors where the contests, event organizers and camera operators can safely organize. We will find out very soon.

During my years as a journalist, I attended and covered the Las Piñas Food Festival a few times and each time it was held at the Villar SIPAG facility along C5 Extension Road. As there was no pandemic back then, visitors and customers were welcomed to watch the competitions and the award ceremonies on-site. Very notably, the food festival back then had a section where food vendors as well as stalls of ready-to-eat food were present and welcomed visitors to buy from them. There were also freshly cooked meals, desserts and beverages being sold to customers during those years.

The 7th Las Piñas Food Festival is presented by Senator Cynthia Villar and Congresswoman Camille Villar and supported by AllDay, AllHome, AllBank, First Metro, Island Gas, Mex, Tecnogas, Technik, Mushroomburger, Handelaar Corp., and Asia Brewery Inc. To watch the event live, visit https://www.facebook.com/VillarSIPAG

If you wish to react about the 7th Las Piñas Food Festival, please feel free to comment below or contact me directly online.

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