Blog – Page 389 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Christian Music Appreciation: In Jesus’ Name

September 8, 2020December 16, 2022carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! Welcome back to the latest piece of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series. This time around, I’ll be reviewing and analyzing another Christian worship song which carries the ultimate name of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

The song featured now is none other than In Jesus’ Name, a very beautiful and popular worship song around the world written by Darlene Zschech and Israel Houghton. The said song is best identified with Darlene Zschech as the performer. Before getting to the lyrics, let’s start with the official live performance video below. Watch and enjoy the song, and remember to praise Him always.

Now below are the lyrics of In Jesus’ Name.

God is fighting for us

God is on our side

He has overcome

Yes He has overcome

We will not be shaken

We will not be moved

Jesus You are here

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Carrying our burdens

Covering our shame

He has overcome

Yes He has overcome

We will not be shaken

We will not be moved

Jesus You are here

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I will live

I will not die

The resurrection power of Christ

Alive in me and I am free

In Jesus’ Name

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I will live I will not die

I will declare and lift you high

Christ revealed

And I am healed

In Jesus’ Name

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God is fighting for us

Pushing back the darkness

Lighting up the Kingdom

That cannot be shaken

In the Name of Jesus

Enemy’s defeated

And we will shout it out

Shout it out

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Before analyzing the lyrics, let me start by stressing that the name of our Lord Jesus is not only eternal but truly the holiest and above all names! Learn from the holy scripture below which should help you realize why Lord Jesus’ name is highlighted in the song.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)

In the above scripture, the exaltation of Lord Jesus is in consequence of His humbling Himself by means of His redemptive work. His exaltation is absolute and His lordship is universal although it will not be universally recognized until His promised return.

Now I can start analyzing the lyrics starting with: God is fighting for us, God is on our side, He has overcome, Yes He has overcome, We will not be shaken, We will not be moved, Jesus You are here.

As written in the Book of Genesis, God created all of us and everything. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

When God created man and woman (Adam and Eve), He blessed them and told them to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and have dominion over the creatures in the different realms. Through Adam and Eve, God intended to manifest His character and authority (image), and express His dominion over the Earth and display His indisputable power over the works of darkness and subdue His archenemy Satan. As such, God is not only omnipotent but also good natured, a just creator, a very organized planner and a very loving and caring father to His children. Through Adam and Eve, He blessed them and trusted them to take care of the Earth (which points to Him giving them dominion over it). Refer to Genesis 1:26-29 for context.

As we all know, Adam rebelled against God (the Fall of Man) and this led to a downward spiral on the lives of many on earth. Sin became so common among the people. Idols and idolatry spread. Slavery was part of the societies’ systems. Traditions, rituals, unbelief and religion hindered people from realizing faith in God.

Through the generations, people who proved to be very faithful to God and became willing instruments of His received His guidance, blessings and protection. I’m referring to Noah, Abraham and Moses before the arrival of Lord Jesus. Ultimately, the Lord sent His only Begotten Son Jesus into our world to live among people to spread the good news of faith, died on the cross to redeem everyone, came back from the dead and made final personal interactions with those who believed in Him, and ascended to Heaven (to join our Heavenly Father) with a promise to return to Earth. It was also Lord Jesus Himself who stated that one must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God (read John 3:3) and as such, becoming new creations under the Lord was realized (read 2 Corinthians 5:17).

All of these details make sense with the first section of the lyrics and the truth is clear: our Heavenly Father will always fight for us (we His faithful children who got born again and became new creations), be on our side, be victorious in battles we cannot fight (which is why we must always be faithful to Him), and along the way we will never go down for as long as we remain very faithful and always remember and honor Lord Jesus who redeemed us all. And then there is the truth in the holy scripture below…

“And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV)

Next are the following lyrics: Carrying our burdens, Covering our shame.

The words Carrying our burdens in reference to our Lord sparing us from hardship is directly related to the holy scripture below which carries the words of Lord Jesus…

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

The words Covering our shame is related to the times when God covers His people and proves His compassion when dealing with their guilt. Refer to the very notable holy scripture below. It’s the first of multiple scriptures of the same nature.

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Genesis 3:21 (NKJV)

Genesis 3:21 showed how compassionate God is towards Adam and Eve after the Fall of Man happened. Because they sinned, Adam and Eve realized they were naked and made coverings composed of leaf to hide their shame from Him but God went on to provide them with garments of skin which were more protective, thick and provided them warmth. The said garments were symbolic of God providing cover for the shamed. Under the New Covenant, we are required to be clothed in Christ rather than with our good works (refer to Galatians 3:7).

Next are the following lyrics: I will live, I will not die, The resurrection power of Christ, Alive in me and I am free, In Jesus’ Name. In my honest view, these words from the lyrics are related to the following holy scriptures from the Book of John. Each with words from Lord Jesus Himself.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

John 10:27-30 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 (NKJV)

When people get born again, it means they have decided willingly to submit themselves to the Lord, repent to Him, receive the Holy Spirit into their hearts and start new lives as Christians as well as children of the Lord. They also became new creations of the Lord, free from sin and the past of darkness or emptiness. With Jesus as Lord and Savior, they are also spiritually alive (related to the mentioned eternal life). Eternal life is more spiritual and is not limited to living in the flesh. Too many people who are living as lost and unsaved souls obsess with the concept of immorality being about living in the flesh, not realizing the eternal life they can have with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. As such, the lyrics I will live, I will not die, The resurrection power of Christ, Alive in me and I am free, In Jesus’ Name do make sense with the Holy Bible.

And now we can go to the final batch of lyrics from the song which read: God is fighting for us, Pushing back the darkness, Lighting up the Kingdom, That cannot be shaken, In the Name of Jesus, Enemy’s defeated, And we will shout it out, Shout it out.

Not only is God on our side and fights the battles that are too great for us – His children – to handle, He will ensure victory which will be symbolized by His light overwhelming the darkness that hounded many. It is through powerful faith in the Lord in which we can be secured by Him, worry nothing, fear nothing and enjoy the eventual victory coming from Him. Really, no matter how hard or how easy life gets, never ever lost faith in God. If you are feeling disoriented, go back to God’s Word by reading the Holy Bible, praying in tongues to Him and edifying your spirit. We can also help Him in other sensible ways like preaching His Word to others who don’t realize they need spiritual saving. We live in a screwed-up world and there are many lost and unsaved souls who believe that Satan is very powerful and has an army of demons working against them and their loved one. The truth of the matter is that Satan is actually a loser and he only looks powerful through deception, lies, manipulation and trickery. The lost and unsaved souls don’t realize that being faithful children of God will enable them to resist Satan and defeat him. Satan lives eternally only because Adam gave him dominion as a result of rebelling against God in the Garden of Eden.

Of course, Adam’s error has already been corrected by Lord Jesus’ redemption of humanity which paved the way for the establishment of His Body (the Church), the truth (with the Holy Bible), the restoration of humanity (getting born again and becoming new creations) and the realization of the Kingdom of Light (God’s kingdom) which we the faithful can help Him establish here on earth. The moment Jesus redeemed the world, He defeated Satan and a new standard was set! A standard involving faith, not religion, not unbelief, not idolatry, not traditions and not rituals. This holy truth is sadly not realized by the many, many lost and unsaved souls around the world but we the children of God can help them get saved in the name of Lord Jesus. Let us remember His words from the scripture below…

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, He is coming with the louds and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the LORD, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:4-8 (NKJV)

As such, the song In Jesus’ Name is truly holy and I strongly recommend Christian church musicians (and their musical directors) reading this to make it a point to play the song not only during Sunday worship services but also on other church activities whenever applicable. In Jesus’ Name is not only a beautiful song but also very biblical.

In closing this piece, below are additional videos of In Jesus’ Name . Enjoy these and always be very faithful to Lord Jesus. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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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. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

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

A Look Back at Prototype #12 (1994)

September 7, 2020September 5, 2020carlocarrasco

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.

Apart from the in-depth storytelling, spectacle and solid characterization consistently delivered by writers Tom Mason and Len Strazewski for the Prototype monthly series of the Ultraverse, I also enjoyed their implementation of corporate intrigue. In fact, the storytelling in issues #7, #8, #9, #10 and #11 also showed corporate intrigue gradually building up leading to something. Without spoiling the story too much, what happened in issue #11 showed a clear change of direction involving Prototype pilots Jimmy Ruiz and Bob Campbell complete with something brewing at Ultratech.

Will the payoff of the corporate intrigue build-up be realized in the next Prototype issue? We can all find out together in this look back at Prototype #12, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Tom Mason and Len Strazewski, and drawn by Roger Robinson.

Early story

The story begins at the Ultratech tower in New York City. At the lobby, Felicia Campbell gently knocks the guard out with an injection and takes control of the security desk to allow Bob Campbell/Ranger and Jimmy Ruiz/Prototype (wearing a “goofy” outfit) to come in and, together, they move to the basement for a certain need (of Jimmy) – the Prototype armor.

Suddenly Ultratech’s newest hire Prototype Mark III fires a blast at Ranger’s back pushing him down and surprising both Jimmy and Dr. Campbell. The dark-armored Prototype Mark III introduces himself to Jimmy as his replacement and states: Ultratech has somebody man enough to do what it takes!

With Bob Campbell beside him, Jimmy recalls that Prototype Mark III was one of the trainees that his boss Leland often flaunted in front of him. What Jimmy finds hard to believe is that one of the trainees was actually placed into an actual Prototype suit…

Quality

Once again, the creative team delivered the great stuff with storytelling, twists, spectacle and suspense all with a high level of quality. This comic book suggests that careful planning on plotting, characterization and intrigue were done by Tom Mason and Len Strazewski with a good amount of care and timing. As for what I mentioned earlier, I do confirm that the payoff for the corporate intrigue build-up has been realized big time and I should state that this comic book’s ending is very powerful (and also enticing for reading the next issue). This one is a smash hit!

*This is only a few of the many action scenes that worked nicely with the in-depth story.*

Conclusion

Prototype #12 is indeed great, worthy of serving as the anniversary issue (the two words stated on the cover) and as the climax of the first year of its series. For the most part, the series told events of not one but two Prototype pilots (the current one Jimmy Ruiz and the past one Bob Campbell) who eventually got together just as the series’ direction took a solid turn reflecting the changing interests of Ultratech. This one is definitely one of the best Ultraverse comics published in 1994 and it surely proved that the storytellers were not afraid to take risks or move against conventional storytelling (as far as armored superheroes go). Lastly, this comic book encouraged me to look back at issues #0 and #1.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prototype #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prototype #12 (1994) is highly recommended!

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa reports COVID-19 response efforts in National Task Force Against COVID-19 Team visit

September 5, 2020September 4, 2020carlocarrasco

(From left to right) Muntinlupa Councilor Raul Corro, DOH Undersecretary and CZAR Treatment Leopoldo Vega, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Deputy Chief Implementer Against COVID-19 Sec. Vince Dizon, and DILG Asec. Francisco Cruz. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi presented local programs and best practices in Muntinlupa City towards curbing COVID-19 during the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Team visit and launching of the Barangay Disiplina Brigades in the city yesterday.

The Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team, headed by the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), organized a meeting with the City Government officials to discuss the strategies, intervention methods and good practices against COVID-19 at the Plaza Central in Barangay Poblacion.

Fresnedi reported local initiatives for testing, tracing, and treatment such as the construction of the city’s molecular laboratory, testing efforts, construction of additional isolation facilities, and contact tracing, among others.

He extended his thanks to “Big Brother” Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade for his assistance to Muntinlupa and expediting national government services in the city. Recently, Tugade was assigned to the city to monitor its health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance to surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols.

For his part, Secretary Tugade lauded Muntinlupa’s existing processes, policies, facilities, and equipped personnel working towards the fight against COVID-19.

“After working with the City Government officials for two weeks, I can say that Muntinlupa is doing well in terms of its response efforts and there is only little work that we need to add,” Tugade said.

Also attending the meeting were Deputy Chief Implementer Against COVID-19 Sec. Vince Dizon, DOH Undersecretary and CZAR Treatment Leopoldo Vega, DILG Asec. Francisco Cruz, DILG exec Robin Lim, National Incident Command exec Dr. Ofelia Saniel, Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao, Ospital ng Muntinlupa director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac, and City Councilor Raul Corro.

The NTF also donated face masks, personal protective equipment, and hygiene kits to the City Government.

While, Sec. Dizon committed to donate one RT-PCR machine to Muntinlupa’s Molecular Laboratory following its accreditation with DOH. The additional equipment is set to double the laboratory’s capacity from 200 tests to 400 tests per day. Last August, Sec. Tugade also donated one unit of ambulance to the local health office.

The NTF Team promoted the One Hospital and said that the City Government may refer patients to the facility. Sec. Tugade added that hotel establishments in Muntinlupa are being studied to be converted as isolation facilities following the mandatory self-isolation of residents in the city after undergoing COVID-19 swab tests.

Recently, Muntinlupa City Council approved an ordinance ordering the mandatory quarantine, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing.

The local council also signed an ordinance mandating the daily reporting by all hospitals, laboratory, and diagnostic clinics of all COVID-19 related cases to the City Health Office.

Further, the oath-taking of Barangay Disiplina Brigades (BDB) established by the DILG and DOH was also launched in the event in support of the joint national advocacy program called, ‘BIDA ang May Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19’.

The BDB BIDA Ambassadors shall promote self-discipline to the communities in keeping their families safe, as well as in safeguarding the country from the virus.

As of September 3, Muntinlupa City has 3,465 confirmed cases with 2,634 recoveries, 709 active cases, 122 reported deaths, 486 suspect cases, and 690 probable cases, with a doubling rate of 14.63 days.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. 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 distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

My Observations: You should visit Matty’s along Tropical Avenue, BF International

September 4, 2020September 28, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! Are you looking for something new to visit within South Metro Manila, and find something so delightful you will get good value in return for your hard-earned money? Specifically there is a place along Tropical Avenue in BF International, Las Piñas that my friend and I visited and we enjoyed very good drinks and tasty food plus a nice ambience. That place is a new café called Matty’s.

*Matty’s cafe is just steps away from Mang Pandesal.*

*This is the exterior of Matty’s along Tropical Avenue very near the corner with El Grande Avenue.*

Located very close to the corner of Tropical Avenue and El Grande Avenue, Matty’s is a café that happens to be a related business to the great bread seller Mang Pandesal which is just a few steps away at the said corner.

As soon as my friend and I entered Matty’s, there was this peaceful and relaxing atmosphere inside that welcomed us. The interiors really looked nice and there was a large wooden table (good enough to accommodate some customers who sit by) plus a few smaller tables with chairs. There is also a hanging monitor where you can see some cable TV movies or news feed shown. Wifi is also available. Further inside is the counter as well as a selection of beverages and prices displayed on the nearby wall. There you can make your choices and order over the counter. Oh yes, like Mang Pandesal, 1 Corinthians 10: 31 is displayed clearly. For your reference, the scripture reads:

Whether you eat or drink, live your life in a way that glorifies and honors God.

1 Corinthians 10: 31 (TPT)

*Tables and chairs await customers. Matty’s also has TV and wifi as well. (note: this photo is a property of Matty’s and permission was granted to use it for this article.)*

*A very nice looking counter and menu-on-the-wall inside Matty’s. Displayed on the counter is 1 Corinthians 10: 31.*

*Pandesal from Mang Pandesal and chilled coffee from Matty’s make a GREAT combination!*

My friend and I had a nice time talking while enjoying the really tasty drinks we ordered: a Matty’s milk tea and an iced coffee with jelly. There was also smooth music played which added more to the relaxing atmosphere. I also noticed while inside, we had a view of the road outside as well as the nearby corner of Tropical Avenue and El Grande Avenue where vehicles pass by all the time.

For those of you who love drinks, Matty’s has nice selections of milk tea (multiple variants), fruity drinks, hot coffee and iced coffee. Good food? They have it too such as their specialty Sylvanas and the Rich Leche Flan in jars to name a few. I brought home Sylvannas and the leche flan and they both really tasted good! In fact, I highly recommend them to you all! Through their website, you can even make orders in advance before visiting Matty’s to pick up. By the way, I must state that Matty’s in-store personnel are very helpful and attentive.

*Two great tasting products of Matty’s that you should try: Rich Leche Flan in jar and Matty’s Sylvanas.*

*and a closer look at one of* the Sylvanas. *Each one tasted really good!*

*Matty’s Rich Leche Flan in jar is indeed rich and delicious!*

Right now, I can say that Matty’s opening and commercial presence is indeed a blessing not only to the residents of BF Homes and BF International, but also to food and beverage enthusiasts from outside of the said communities who have the means to enter the subdivision and visit their café along Tropical Avenue (note: there are a few parking slots across the café). Considering how good the place is, how helpful the in-store personnel are and how good their food and drinks are, I can say that Matty’s is highly recommended. Oh yes, after leaving Matty’s, you should not forget to buy and take home great tasting bread from Mang Pandesal just a few steps away. You can’t miss it!

For more information about Matty’s, visit their website at https://www.mattys.ph/ or call them at landline 7217-6263 or mobile 09176858188. Visit and like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mattysph

*Read 1 Corinthians 10: 31 in the Holy Bible.*

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Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) executives visit Muntinlupa City for 2020 Census

September 4, 2020September 3, 2020carlocarrasco

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

2020 Alabang Hills Village vehicular stickers for non-residents now available!

September 3, 2020September 2, 2020carlocarrasco

Recently the Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) announced that it is accepting applications (for brand new and renewal, and for residents and non-residents) for the 2020 edition of the vehicular stickers for Alabang Hills Village, Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City. Motorists whose applications got approved will see their brand new AHVA stickers released to them.

For your visual reference, see the images below.

As seen in the images of the 2-page application form, required (in the form of the latest photocopies of the requirements) if the vehicle is under the applicant’s name are the vehicle’s Official Receipt (OR) and the Certificate of Registration (CR) of the vehicle. If the vehicle is not under the applicant’s name, required are OR, CR and a notarized Deed of Sale.

If the vehicle is under the name of a Company, required are the OR, CR and a Company Certification signifying that the applicant is the authorized user. If the vehicle has been recently acquired and has no license plate yet, required are the Delivery Receipt and Sales Invoice.

Most notable of all, as listed on the application form, are some changes on the application procedure which is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Take note that things will be a little bit different compared to last year. Firstly, the application form must be filled-up with details (for non-residents, this includes an endorsement from a legitimate Alabang Hills Village resident, from your homeowners’ association or from a school or organization) and must be signed by the applicant (on the back page). Secondly, the signed application form and the required documents (note: must be attached with the form) must be sent to the AHVA through email at alabanghills@yahoo.com (note: you don’t need to personally and physically submit your application form and documents. You only need to scan them for the purpose of sending them to AHVA via email)

Thirdly, the applicant must wait for the AHVA to reply by email from the Sticker Processor on the payment arrangements and day of appointment. That being said, you must prepare yourself for whatever amount will be charged and whatever method of payment will be revealed. Constantly monitor your email. Fourthly, an authorized crew member of the AHVA will install the new vehicular sticker on the windshield (driver’s side) of your vehicle on the day of appointment.

One last thing…the AHVA confirmed to me today that they charge P1,200 for a 1-year sticker (2020-2021) and P2,400 for the 2-year sticker (2020-2022) for non-residents.

Inside Alabang Hills Village, I spotted a tarpaulin (located a short distance away from the Tirona street gate) about the different schedules of the start of applications of AHVA’s 2020 vehicular stickers for different types of applicants. The following details are:

August 24, 2020 – Non-residents

September 14, 2020 – Residents

September 28, 2020 – Commercial

October 12, 2020 – Motorcycle/bicycle

Meanwhile, the old vehicular stickers issued by AHVA in 2019 for private vehicles (both resident and non-resident) and commercial vehicles will expire on September 30, 2020. Meanwhile, the 2019 AHVA stickers issued for motorcycles and bicycles will expire on October 30, 2020. As such, anyone who have expiring stickers need to apply and renew as soon as possible.

If you have further questions for the AHVA, send them email at alabanghills@yahoo.com or call them at 8850-8254 and 8850-9631.

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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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to impose mandatory isolation after COVID-19 swabbing, daily reporting of hospitals

September 3, 2020September 2, 2020carlocarrasco

In a new attempt to slow down community transmission in the city, the City Government of Muntinlupa will be imposing mandatory isolation of residents who have undergone swabbing for COVID-19 and daily reporting of all hospitals and clinics to the local health office.

Muntinlupa City Council Majority Floor Leader Councilor Raul Corro said the City Council is set to sign an ordinance this week ordering the mandatory self-isolation, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing. Corro noted that the stringent measure aims to restrict movement of suspect cases and prevent possible carriers of the virus to travel and infect other individuals.

Isolation facilities in Muntinlupa are situated in Ospital ng Muntinlupa, Brgy. Alabang and Emergency Quarantine Facility (EQF) in Brgy. Sucat. An additional quarantine facility is being constructed in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Further, Muntinlupa City Council will also be signing an ordinance mandating the daily reporting by all hospitals, laboratory, and diagnostic clinics of all COVID-19 related cases to CHO. Councilor Corro said that this will help the local health office gauge the actual situation in the city and implement effective response efforts.

Meanwhile, new curfew hours will be implemented in Muntinlupa City from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am for the duration of the General Community Quarantine which officially took effect on September 1.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urges city residents to refrain from going out unless necessary and to follow health protocols such as frequent hand-washing, physical distancing, wearing of face masks, proper cough etiquette, and other precautionary measures.

Muntinlupa City has 3,389 confirmed cases with 2,502 recoveries, 768 active cases, 119 reported deaths, 533 suspect cases, and 840 probable cases as of September 1.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

A Look Back at UltraForce #2 (1994)

September 2, 2020February 25, 2021carlocarrasco

Some time ago, I wrote and explored what would happen had superheroes been real and got involved with government leaders and the corporate media. Considering what has been going on for some time now, I hope that more readers would read the article and realize the conspiracy between political parties and corporate media is real and even dangerous. Did you even notice that in America, the Left-leaning media outlets have been distorting the facts about the riots involving the Marxist movement Black Lives Matter and the violent Antifa group? Also, did you notice that the liberal media distorted the meaning of the words peaceful protesters? Being a former local community print media publication journalist myself, I know why media outlets (whose owners and managers willingly get involved with those who wield power) would distort the news and insult the public’s intelligence. Really, the truth is that objective, truthful, responsible and professional journalism is shrinking.

Enough with the sickening news wave of negativity magnified by corporate media. It’s time to examine the superhero-government-media conspiracy followed by a fantastic conflict within the Ultraverse in this look back at UltraForce #2, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and art by George Perez (breakdowns) and John Statema (finished pencils).

Early story

The story begins with UltraForce member Ghoul visiting a place within the woods. He stops at a huge grave site of the Exiles and tries to communicate with his former teammates but to no avail. He only got glimmers from them. After expressing himself to nobody, he walks away.

Shortly after, UltraForce composed of Hardcase, Prime, Prototype, Ghoul, Pixx, Contrary and Topaz meet with US President Bill Clinton, US Senator Bob Dole, UN’s secretary general Boutros-Ghali and Blackrock of the press in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC. As they discuss important matters together, Atalon makes his move against the civilized world…

Quality

*The interactions between the members of UltraForce are richly written.*

To start with, this comic book is a build-up type of story containing lots dialogue, exposition and explanatory pieces with not too much spectacle. That’s not to say this is a boring issue, in fact it still remained quite engaging to read. The very wordy script for this comic book was written with care and there were efforts made to keep the story cohesive even as it grapples with all the details for explaining. What the writer presented not only explained what is happening and why the world is being threatened by Atalon and his forces from underneath, the script also took its time in presenting the characters struggling with each other’s views while providing key moments that add some development to the personality of some of the characters (example: Prime’s interest in Chelsea Clinton reflected not only his teenage self but also his first encounter with her during the Prime monthly series). As far as storytelling goes, it succeeded in helping me understand the huge event transpiring and justified why UltraForce as a team is needed. When you think about it, Prime, Hardcase and Prototype already have major affairs of their own (especially when you read their respective monthly series) but Atalon is a major threat that requires the three to work together (along with Pixx, Ghoul, Topaz and the ever scheming Contrary).

More on the conspiracy between the superheroes, the government leaders and the corporate press, this comic book is more relevant than ever today even though superheroes do not even exist in real life. I like the moments when Contrary wanted access to government files which drew a strong reaction from Bill Clinton who in turn is being watched carefully by opposition leader Bob Dole. For his part, Hardcase expressed that his team does not want any power struggle between ultras and the government. And then Bob Dole stressed to Prototype that he works for Ultratech and said: I take it that you are a defender of the rights of the private sector?

Of course, the highlight of the writing is the dynamic interactions between the UltraForce members when they are on their own and struggle to work together due to their respective differences. The dialogue is very rich.

When it comes to visuals, this one is rather unique because it has breakdowns by the legendary George Perez with finished pencil work by John Statema. It’s not a pure Perez art work which is obvious but still I recognized the characters and there is still a high level of visual detail all throughout. Still a solid looking comic book!

Conclusion

*This is a clever way of doing exposition…Bill Clinton learns more about Topaz and Ghoul but only the readers get a visual presentation.*

Never mind the fact that it lacked spectacle, UltraForce #2 is still compelling to read mainly due to its strong writing, the memorable interactions between the characters and emphasis of the crisis that justifies the presence of the team complete with impact on the world. Not only that, this comic book event went the extra mile to emphasize crossing-over within the Ultraverse by including The Strangers (check out The Strangers #4 and Hardcase #4 for reference).

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of UltraForce #2 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the limited edition costs $12.

Overall, UltraForce #2 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

Las Piñas City Police Force at Work – September 2, 2020

September 2, 2020September 1, 2020carlocarrasco

The Las Piñas City Police Department continues to serve the local constituents by means of securing places, implementing rules and helping those who need assistance. Check out these recent media releases and pay close attention to the details written.

On September 1, 2020, elements of Sub-Station 4 utilizing MC 111 under supervision of PMAJ LEO GLENN T CALABIO, SS4 Commander, and through the strong leadership of PCOL RODEL A PASTOR, COP of Las Pina’s City Police Station, conducted Brgy Ugnayan/Dialogue with Hon. Ruben “pogi” Sanchez, Barangay Chairman of Talon Dos, Las Piñas City. (Source – Las Piñas City Police Station)

On September 1, 2020, elements of Sub Station 1 led by PMAJ JOYLENE A BULAN SS1 commander with six (6) others under the strong leadership of PCOL RODEL A PASTOR, COP Piñas City Police conducted Checkpoint which resulted to fourteen (14) issued OVR including three (3) impounded MC. Sitrep peaceful. *(Source – Las Piñas City Police Station)*

On September 1, 2020, PLT BRYAN U RAQUINIO, SS2 Day Shift Deputy Commnder under the supervision of PMAJ JOEL P GOMEZ, SS-2 Commander through the strong leadership of PCOL RODEL A PASTOR, COP of Las Piñas City Police Station inspected above-named Personnel at Vista Mall , along Alabang-Zapote Rd., Barangay Pamplona Dos, Las Piñas City. Thus, personnel was reminded to strictly adhere on the minimum health protocols and advised to strictly implement the City Ordinances and guidelines under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ). *(Source – Las Piñas City Police Station)*

On September 1, 2020, Team SWAT of Las Piñas CPS led by PMSg RitcheB Pal under the supervision of PLT JUANITO ACIERTO VERGARA, SS-4 CHIEF SWAT under the strong leadership of PCOL RODEL A PASTOR, COP of Las Piñas City Police Station conducted Establishment Visitation and Physical/Social Distancing at Barangay Pamplona Tres. *(Source – Las Piñas City Police Station)*

If you are in Las Piñas City and you need the help of the local police, call 85516401 or visit https://www.facebook.com/pcrstation4/

+++++

The above information and images were provided by the Las Piñas City Police Station 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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

A Look Back at Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995)

September 1, 2020August 31, 2020carlocarrasco

When done right with the comic book format, fantasy crossover concepts can become very entertaining and memorable. Such was the case with the comic book Batman versus Predator II: Bloodmatch #1 which I enjoyed reading a lot.

Now we can find out if the creative team behind that memorable comic book could maintain the high quality of fun and engagement in this look back at Batman versus Predator II #2, published in 1995 by DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy.

Early story

The story begins in the forest outside of Gotham City. A fake use of the Batman signal was lighted there by the Predator which was meant to lure Batman into a potential trap. As soon as he arrived, Batman believes that his old ally commissioner James Gordon bought a portable Batman signal meant to call him to a crime scene far away from the urbanized areas.

Expecting to see Gordon in the woods, Batman sees a tree with several men’s heads hanging each with a net. He realizes that the Predator lured him into what he calls the hunting ground. Batman is correct as the Predator, standing nearby, unleashes a weapon to attack him…

Quality

*This one really looked out of place in this comic book.*

A pretty good crossover comic book. When it comes to storytelling, the comic book starts paying off the anticipation built up in issue #1 by presenting Batman in an early encounter with the Predator which, I must say, was smartly handled complete with key references to the previous Batman versus Predator crossover series from the early 1990s. What happened in the said encounter between the two pop culture icons will make you reflect about what you know about Batman and the Predator. Given how the story turned out, clearly the encounter (which was quite beefy) served as a sign of what is more to come between Batman and the Predator (or the race of Predators). The Huntress meanwhile has a slightly reduced spotlight which is not surprising but she still proved her worth in the conflict. When it comes to presenting the respective views of Batman and the Huntress, I admire the use of narration boxes (instead of the traditional thought balloons) which added depth to the story.

Meanwhile, there is a subplot about an assassin from Asia who came all the way to America for a key transaction. However, this subplot (which does not even look like it’s related to the Batman-Predator conflict) ended up looking like filler.

Conclusion

*An action-packed encounter between the Dark Knight and the warrior from outer space!*

Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995) is almost as good as issue #1 but its first, action-packed encounter between the Dark Knight and the warrior from outer space alone makes it worth collecting.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy costs $30.

Overall, Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

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