Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a task force of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) raided a vape festival and seized more than five thousand illicit vape products, according a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Illicit Trade Task Force raided Sunday the Philippine Vape Festival 2024 in Las Piñas City and confiscated illicit vape products.
In a statement, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said surveillance of the event confirmed that there were vape products without internal revenue stamps.
“The illicit vape being displayed in this festival shows the brazen attitude of the vape industry against the proper taxation of vape products. They even organized a festival filled with illicit vape. The full strength of the BIR Illicit Trade Task Force will be deployed against this industry,” Lumagui said.
About 5,385 illicit vape products have been seized. The inventory of the illicit vape products confiscated during the festival is still ongoing but the BIR said the initial estimate of tax liabilities is at least PHP7 million.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there could be more illicit vape products being sold in local stores? Are many members of your local community involved in the vape trade? Do you think the vape festival organizers will be held accountable for the presence of illicit vape products?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently the City Government of Muntinlupa won prestigious awards during the 2024 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony which took place in Quezon City, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government bagged awards at the 2024 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony organized by the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-National Capital Region on Aug. 16 at the Novotel Hotel in Quezon City.
According to NNC-NCR, Muntinlupa LGU “has been recognized as 1st Year Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance Contender!”
The “prestigious award is presented to LGUs that demonstrate efficient and effective nutrition program management, leading to sustained nutrition improvements among their population.”
“We successfully maintained our CROWN (Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition) Contender status for the first year—patunay na consistent tayo sa mahusay na implementation ng ating nutrition programs and services since our first Green Banner Award in 2019 (proof that we are consistent in great implementation of our nutrition programs and services since our first Green Banner Award in 2019),” according to Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon.
In addition, Muntinlupa was bestowed the award for Best in Documentation of Nutrition Programs, “acknowledging their exemplary performance in documenting nutrition programs and projects which contributed to high-quality nutrition program management.”
Muntinlupa’s Dr. Magdalena Meana also won runner-up as the Regional Outstanding City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO).
Biazon, meanwhile, received the Nutrition Leadership Award as chairperson of the Muntinlupa City Nutrition Committee.
“These awards reflect our dedication to keeping our community healthy,” said Biazon.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted with the awards won by the City Government?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. A-Jax North American arcade flyer
Another one of Konami’s arcade flyers showing a pretty fashion model with a touch of militarism.
A-Jax (also referred to as Ajax) is another one of the many military themed games Konami released for the arcades in the 1980s. It was a 2D vertically scrolling shooter in which players use aircrafts to shoot enemies both in the air and on the ground. The game was a hit in Japanese arcades and Konami came up with the North American arcade flyer showing three screenshots, an archive footage shot of a military helicopter and a sexy lady (with a light military look) with a machine gun. The style of presentation was similar in style with the North American arcade flyers of Contra and M.I.A.: Missing in Action.
2. The Combatribes print ad
The short comic book approach was used to emphasize the setting and concept of the video game.
Technos, the Japanese company behind the wildly popular Double Dragon games franchise, proved to be successful with the arcade release of The Combatribes. In an attempt to keep the wave of success moving, Technos released The Combatribes on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1992 and someone involved with the North American marketing came up with the idea of creating a comic book-style presentation for the print ad. Creatively speaking, the comic book approach was done to emphasize the story and visual concepts of the game, and entice readers to play it. By today’s standards of video game marketing, this print ad’s approach is both unusual and notable.
3. Dead or Alive 2 Dreamcast port print ad
This was a wide print ad that appeared on magazines and it sure was eye-catching. It was an effective way to promote the game and inform people of the Sega Dreamcast’s presence in the market.
When Dead or Alive 2 was released in the arcades in 1999, a lot of gamers were astounded by it as developer Team Ninja (led by Tomonobu Itagaki) made it much bigger and a lot better than its 1996 predecessor. Team Ninja really went all out making the sequel utilizing Sega’s NAOMI arcade technology, inviting martial artists to do motion-capture, and having a very ambitious game design. Since the game was developed with the NAOMI hardware, porting the game for the Sega Dreamcast was reportedly convenient and smooth for the developers who went on to add more gameplay features and modes. Publisher Tecmo came up with this wide print ad (promoting the Dreamcast release) showcasing three characters, six screenshots and text descriptions emphasizing the universal acclaim the game received. The promotional approach was simple yet effective.
4. Jet Moto (PC version) print ad
From PlayStation to PC.
In November 1996, the futuristic all-terrain hoverbikes racing game Jet Moto was released on the PlayStation which went on to sell well and attract mostly positive reviews. Sony Computer Entertainment eventually released a version of the game for the personal computer (PC) in November 1997. As seen in the above print ad, the network play option and compatibility with Direct3D video accelerators were emphasized as such features resonated with the interests of PC gamers of the era. This print ad showed how willing Sony was to release PlayStation hits on PC back then.
5. Elevator Action Returns Japanese arcade flyer
Great looking art on the front.
The rear of the flyer.
When Taito released Elevator Action Returns (also titled as Elevator Action II in other nations) in the arcades in 1994, it became a hit as gamers enjoyed its action-packed gameplay, ambitious 2D visual presentation and varied level designs that clearly went beyond its 1983 predecessor. The front of the Japanese arcade flyer has really nice art showing the three playable protagonists on an elevator on their way to do their mission. The back of the flyer shows screenshots (which emphasized the varied level designs), text descriptions explaining how the game played (English version printed), and what the features are. Another text description confirmed that terrorists are the antagonists that players will be dealing with which was reflective of the rise of Islamic terrorism in the 1990s. Oh yes, if you look closely you will the word “item” misspelled as “items”.
6. Sunset Riders print ads
The Sunset Riders arcade machine, the SNES version, screenshots and a can of pork-and-beans on this ad.
This print ad appeared in some comic books I read long ago.
After enjoying a lot of success in the arcades with their 1991 game Sunset Riders, Konami went on to release ports of it to the Sega Genesis in 1992 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1993. With regards to conversions and procedural/artistic changes between the arcade and console ports, the SNES version had few changes implemented compared to the one released on the Genesis. As seen in one of the print ads of Sunset Riders on SNES, it came with 7 arcade levels, 2-player mode and additional shooter stages. What the print ads did not reveal were notable replacements of specific characters in key parts of the game such as the dynamite-tossing female bandits getting replaced by male bandits, North American Indian villains getting replaced with outlaws, etc.
7. Jackal Japanese arcade flyer
Whoever was the artist Konami hired truly delivered great-looking art!
Konami’s military themed game Jackal (Japanese title: Tokushu Butai Jackal) debuted in Japanese arcades in October 1986 and became a hit. The Japanese market arcade flyer had great looking artwork on the front that strongly emphasized the very concept of the game (players move military jeeps to shoot at enemies as they move into enemy territory). One of the characters (the one wearing the red beret) somewhat resembles the late Sean Connery which only shows that someone within Konami’s development team took inspiration from movies. This arcade flyer’s front still looks great.
8. Aliens North American arcade flyer
A good amount of effort was done to truly capture Aliens’ concept using hired models (as Ripley and Newt), a Xenomorph physical model and a suitable background.
The key details presented on the rear of the flyer. The Xenomorph’s presence adds tension.
In 1990, Konami released their ambitious arcade game Aliens which was loosely based on the 1986 movie that starred Sigourney Weaver and was directed by James Cameron. As Konami’s Aliens license was only temporary and the movie was so highly regarded, the Japanese company’s marketing team really had to exert extra effort to truly capture the film’s sci-fi horror concept in order to make a strong presentation towards arcade operators and their paying customers (the gamers).
Apart from showing screenshots on the front, the creative team hired a blonde model as Ellen Ripley holding a gun and a young girl as the character Newt, and have them pose convincingly in front of a Xenomorph model (darkened in the foreground). On the back of the flyer, the team heavily revealed the details using the text description to emphasize the gaming experience and story concept. The technical details, meanwhile, were presented in simplistic, easy-to-follow fashion. Aliens was a smash hit in the arcades and there are long-time gamers who regard it as one of the best game adaptations of the 1986 movie. This arcade flyer is a strong reminder that the featured game was never ever ported to any game console nor to any personal computer.
The latest results of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) for the year 2024 showed that the City of Parañaque fell down to 27th place among the 33 Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) in terms of Competitiveness when compared to last year’s results. Also for the 2nd straight year, Parañaque finished dead last at 33rd place in the category of Government Efficiency.
Parañaque City, which was the 24th Most Competitive HUC a year ago, scored 35.3478 points in total on the main category of Competitiveness among HUCs ranking 27th out of 33 HUCs overall.
The overall ranking of Parañaque City among the 33 highly urbanized cities (HUCs) nationwide for the 2024 CMCI.
Along the way, the city scored 7.9090 points on Government Efficiency for 33rd place, 6.5970 points on Innovation for 31st place, 11.1401 points on Resiliency for 30th place, 4.6574 points on Infrastructure for 23rd place and 5.0443 points on Economic Dynamism for 12th place.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque City, do you think the City Government has been doing something wrong which resulted in a lower competitiveness ranking this year? Has your City Government been transparent with regards to rendering services to you?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the province of Cavite, police officers arrested a transgendered woman (transwoman) for sharing nude images of a former partner to many people (the friends and relatives of the victim), according to a GMA Network news report. The arrest was the result of successful entrapment operation.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
A transwoman was arrested in Cavite for sharing nude photos of her former partner to his friends and relatives, the Philippine National Police (PNP) – Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said on Friday.
In a statement, the ACG said the suspect identified as alias “Jerica” was arrested in an entrapment operation in a drive-in hotel in Bacoor City on Tuesday evening.
The victim said he and the 22-year-old suspect engaged in video calls and exchanged explicit photos and videos, according to the police.
“After their relationship ended in July 2024, the suspect retaliated by sharing the intimate contents with the victim’s friends and relatives,” the NCRPO said.
“The suspect then demanded a meet-up with the victim promising to delete the compromising materials only if he would agree to have sexual intercourse at a hotel,” it added.
Due to this, the suspect is facing complaints for grave coercion under the Revised Penal Code and violation of Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 in relation to Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“Avoid sending explicit photos or videos to anyone, as it could be exploited against you,” ACG chief Police Brigadier General Ronnie Francis Cariaga said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think criminal activities involving transgendered people are bound to multiply nationwide? Are many members of your local community identifying as transgendered people? Do you think that gay pride or “Happy Pride” celebrations are distorting the youth’s perception about morality?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The latest results of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) for the year 2024 showed that the City of Muntinlupa is now the 4th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City (HUC) of the nation as well as a very high finisher among other categories including 1st place on Innovation.
Muntinlupa City, which was the 5th Most Competitive last year, scored 53.5967 points in total on Competitiveness among HUCs ranking 4th out of 33 overall.
Along the way, the city scored 12.2489 points for 1st place on the category of Innovation, 15.2697 points on Resiliency for 2nd place, 10.1075 points on Infrastructure for 3rd place, 11.9714 points on Government Efficiency for 6th place, and 3.9992 points on Economic Dynamism for 17th place. On the category of the Most Improved Rankings for 2024 among HUCs, Muntinlupa finished 7th place.
In addition, the City of Muntinlupa won awards during the Creative Cities and Municipalities Congress held on August 23, 2024, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The awards are related to the CMCI 2024 research and results.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted to see your city being very competitive with other HUCs of the nation? Do you think Muntinlupa City has what it takes to become the most competitive city of all in next year’s CMCI?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a close look at the 2nd part of the comic book adaptation of the movie RoboCop 2 (1990).
In my previous retro review of Robocop 2 #1, I pointed out that the comic book was not a faithful adaptation of the movie but more of the creators’ creative interpretation of the movie script they had which resulted in a stylized presentation. It was a surprisingly enjoyable reading experience for me.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at RoboCop 2 #2, published in 1990 by Marvel with a story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Mark Bagley based on the movie screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Detroit with RoboCop reduced into a very bad condition with most of his parts missing. The cops are still on strike and the ultra-addicting drug Nuke continues to spread through the city causing social problems. Cain and his gang are still on the loose, and his video statement (which emphasizes his gang’s defeat of RoboCop) spreads through the news cycles.
Inside a hideout, Cain and his loyal companions terrify and killed traitorous police officer Duffy for betraying them. Meanwhile at police headquarters, the support crew bumps heads with the Omni Consumer Products (OCP) executive who does not see RoboCop’s poor state as a problem. As far as OCP is concerned, getting replacement parts for RoboCop is very expensive.
Over at OCP, the psychologist executive Dr. Juliette Faxx begins researching criminals for the new RoboCop project…
Quality
The motorized encounter between RoboCop and Cain here is shorter and much inferior compared to what the movie showed.
As with issue #1, this comic book followed the events and scenes of the film but left enough room for the creative team to make their stylized version suitable with the literary format. Mark Bagley, who is best known for drawing Spider-Man and Venom in the 1990s, came up with nice artwork that brought Grant’s script to life. There were a few shots here that were pretty graphic or brutal to see at the time of publication which makes me wonder why did the Comics Code Authority (CCA) give its approval to this comic book.
Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the creative team and editor Gregory Wright did a good job adapting scenes of the movie script to (fill up the pages) while also succeeding in setting up readers for the final conflict in the 3rd and final issue.
As a standalone reading material, this comic book will lead readers deep into the crisis of the police force as well as into the developments behind the closed doors of OCP. Due to the selected scenes of the film’s script, RoboCop has sufficient presence but lacked his normal personality. That being said, the movie’s comedic look of RoboCop acting very out-of-touched (hint: OCP tampered with his mind digitally) did not translate well into literary format. If you’re hoping to see solid storytelling with a consistent tone, you won’t find it here.
When it comes to action, there is just enough of it to keep the reading experience entertaining. Again, this comic book does not have the final conflict and the selected action scenes are rather limiting in terms of impact. If you want to see the police raid of the Nuke facility as well as RoboCop’s motorized chase with Cane, you are better off replaying the movie.
Conclusion
There definitely is something wrong with RoboCop here.
Considering the selected movie script scenes for adaptation, RoboCop 2 #2 (1990) lacks impact compared to the first issue. In fairness, this comic book was clearly meant to set-up readers for the next issue. If there is anything worth looking at within the 2nd issue’s pages, it would be the details that were highlighted during the internal developments at OCP and the police. As mentioned earlier, RoboCop is not his usual self for a significant portion of this comic book. While the engagement and fun factor are lower this time around, I’m still interested to read the next issue.
Very recently in the city of Parañaque, local authorities raided an alleged scam hub in Barangay Baclaran resulting in the arrests of almost one hundred suspects who were mostly foreigners, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Authorities apprehended nearly 100 Filipino and foreign workers during a raid at an alleged online scam hub in Parañaque City on Thursday morning.
In a report, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, said police operatives swooped down on the office of AIA Company on the 9th floor of Centrium Tower 1 on L. San Pedro Street corner J. Maceda Street in Barangay Baclaran at about 2 a.m.
Among those arrested were Nan Shan, Detu Su, and Wu Jian Bin, who were identified as the manager, owner, and supervisor of the company, respectively.
Aside from the three, 64 other foreigners – 56 Chinese nationals, four Malaysians, two Myanmar nationals, an Indonesian, and a Vietnamese national – and 32 Filipinos were nabbed.
Nartatez said the operation stemmed from confirmed intelligence reports that the establishment was engaged in cryptocurrency investment and love scams by posing as a licensed offshore gaming operator.
He added that the company is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Investigation disclosed that the company utilizes their CSRs (customer service representatives) in fraudulently portraying a character, such as a wealthy model who would entice prospect victims to invest in the manipulated cryptocurrency exchange/trading platform, with fraudulent intent,” he said.
During the raid, NCRPO officers found rooms where indecent shows could be filmed.
“While conducting inquiries to them, the Filipino nationals manifested that they (CSRs) were forced to work as scammers, while the models were being forced to dress in a seductive manner and perform lascivious conduct, which the CSRs will portray in order to lure their prospect victim,” Nartatez said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be even more scam hubs secretly doing illegal operations within the city? Do you think the remnants of closed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have secretly been flocking to Parañaque to set up scam hubs?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, a team composed of the local police, Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives and members of the Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) of the Republic of Korea for fraud in South Korea arrested a wanted Korean national, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A Korean national was arrested by combined personnel of the Parañaque City Police BF Homes substation, Bureau of Immigration (BI), and Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) of the Republic of Korea for fraud in South Korea.
The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspect as “Park,” 33 who was arrested at around 1:30 p.m. along Manrea St., BF Homes, Parañaque City.
Park was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office and Hong Sung District Court for fraud of Article 347 in violation of the criminal act and telecommunications business act of the Republic of Korea.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think there could be more foreign fugitives who could be living within your local community?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a former employee of the City Government revealed how she survived breast cancer with the help of the local green card program, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A breast cancer survivor was emotional in narrating how she survived the disease with the help of green card program, a hospitalization support of the Las Piñas city government that subsidizes P30,000 of the total bill of a confined patient.
Clara Cruz, a former employee at the City Hall, said she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in 1919 and was operated on at the San Juan de Dios Hospital.
Cruz said she underwent chemotherapy and was very thankful to Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice-Mayor April Aguilar because she was able to use her green card twice with their approval.
Aguilar said the green card program is an important part of the city’s health subsidy program designed to deliver essential medical benefits to residents.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you or any member of your household a green card holder? Are many members of your local community applying for a green card at City Hall?
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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 