To put things in perspective, the new schedule is now set at 5AM to 12 midnight daily from February 16 up to April 16. The said schedule specifically applies to non-resident motorists who already secured vehicular stickers from the AHVA. For the newcomers reading this, Alabang Hills Village has gates connecting to the Alabang-Zapote Road, to BF Homes subdivision and the long road leading to the West Service Road.
Going back to the new schedule, the 12 midnight deadline is notable because previously passing through the village (using a vehicle with a valid Alabang Hills sticker) was prohibited by 10PM.
As the Skyway project involving parts of the West Service Road is ongoing, we will see in due time how many vehicles (with valid AHVA stickers) will pass through Alabang Hills Village.
Before closing this, those of you who will visit the village should know that there is a new community store that recently opened at one end of the renovated village facility (where the AHVA office used to be). Here’s a picture of the new store below.
The new AHV Convenience Store. The store keeper clarified to me that they don’t work on a 24/7 schedule.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
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.
Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 Set for February 23 at Subic Bay
The new multisport season of Bike King events will launch with the Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 which will fire off on the morning of February 23 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the nation’s triathlon capital.
Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 features two race courses of Standard Distance (1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run) and Sprint Distance (750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) which will take participants from the waters of Acea Subic Bay to Argonaut Highway (followed by a challenging climb up Ocean Adventure) and to the 4-loop run course towards All Hands Beach. A scenic view of Subic Bay as well as a festive atmosphere await both triathletes and spectators at the Acea Subic Bay area where the finish line and transition area are located at.
At stake in the event presented by Apollo Petroleum Jelly and supported by Cleene, Mediplast, LeGARDE L-Carnitine, Vermosa Sports Hub, Alviera, Clark Global City, Smart, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, ACEA Subic Bay, Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, hydration partners POCARI Sweat and Sip Purified Water, timing partner GARMIN, shoe partner Saucony and recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns are medals for all finishers, trophies and gift packs for the winners in each category. The categories include individual (Standard and Sprint) and relay (Standard Distance only), which have sub-categories, namely all-men, all-women, and mixed team.
Title sponsored by Apollo Petroleum Jelly and organized by Bike King, the Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 promises to be a great venue for athletes put test their limits, to eventually break their boundaries and ultimately better themselves. Over 500 participants from around the nation have signed up for the event.
For more information on the race and other upcoming events, visit BikeKingPhilippines.com.
About Apollo Petroleum Jelly
Widely known as a staple in every Filipino’s household, Apollo Petroleum Jelly is an athlete’s secret weapon. It can help lubricate skin areas that are predisposed to chafing, perfect for triathletes who has constant contact between skin, clothing and footwear during their races. Apollo Petroleum Jelly starts at PHP29.50 for 25 grams, and goes up to PHP 142.00 for 200 grams. It is available in drugstores, leading drugstores and supermarkets and department stores nationwide. To learn more about Apollo Petroleum Jelly and other related products, visit Philusa.com.ph
This is an official press release issued on behalf of Bike King Philippines and Philusa.
For the newcomers reading this, Aguirre Avenue, the major road inside BF Homes subdivision in Parañaque City, is well known for being a major commercial stretch where people can find lots of restaurants, stores, coffee shops and the like.
Recently along the same road, the BF Homes branch of Ben’s Halo-Halo Ice Cream opened within the area of Phase 3 in the subdivision. It is located between Shakey’s and Starbucks Coffee at the same side. Just steps away from it, also from the same side, is Mini-Stop convenience store.
Already, Ben’s Halo-Halo has been attracting a lot of customers and their best-selling product is, unsurprisingly, their signature halo-halo. In recent times, actor Mark Anthony Fernandez (Miracle in Cell No. 7), had been visiting the BF Homes branch to take home halo-halo not once but many times already. Out of curiosity, I decided to pay a visit and find out how good or tasty their top dessert is.
For P90, I was served with their signature Ben’s Halo-Halo in a tall glass. It came with a mix of corn, ube (purple yam), macapuno, saba, white beans, milk and leche flan.
This is the Ben’s Halo-Halo.At the top of Ben’s Halo-Halo.
After carefully mixing the ingredients, I took my first serving of it. The result? It tasted really good! Then I mixed it more and took another serving to find out if the resulting taste would be better or not. It still tasted good.
The halo-halo was so good and creamy, for me, there was no need to add sweetener or milk. A dessert served like this with such a good taste is a winner already for me. Of course, anyone else who wants to have their halo-halo be added with more sugar or milk will have to ask the people behind the counter. I don’t know yet if they would charge extra.
After enjoying my dessert, I decided to look further on their menu. Apart from the Ben’s Halo-Halo, they also serve Spicy Winter Halo-Halo and Salty Summer Halo-Halo. Other classic desserts include Mais Con Yelo and Macapuno Con Yelo.
They also serve rice meals (which I will try some day) like adobo, tocino, longganisa, braised beef and chicken barbeque to name some. They also have pasta and sandwiches.
As I learned during my time there, Ben’s Halo-Halo Ice Cream originally started in the city of San Pablo in the province of Laguna. It was founded by Ben Pasco who worked as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Italy for over a decade. During his years there, he got to work as a cook in a restaurant. After making some careful observations, becoming an entrepreneur entered his mind and he decided to go home to start a new business of his own.
More on their BF Homes branch, more people have been dining there. To say the least, it is a blessing for the BF Homes community that Ben’s Halo-Halo opened within the Phase 3 area.
I highly recommend the Ben’s Halo-Halo for those who crave for something cool and sweet (don’t forget to watch your blood sugar level).
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
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.
On February 6, Parañaque City Councilor Wahoo Sotto announced that the legislative body (presided by Vice Mayor Rico Golez) passed on third and final reading Draft Ordinance Number 3 (Series of 2019) which is fully referred to as “An ordinance granting monthly financial assistance to all Sangguniang Kabataan members, Sangguniang Kabataan secretaries and Sangguniang Kabataan treasurers in the City of Parañaque and providing funds therefor.”
To put things in perspective, the approved piece of legislation, once signed by the mayor of the city, will lead to the City Government’s release of funds for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK or Youth Council in English) members (from the chairperson to the youth councilors), their respective secretaries and treasurers in the form of allowances.
“We recognize the efforts and contributions of each Sangguniang Kabataan Member in bringing public service among youth,” Councilor Sotto expressed. “It was an honor for me to be part of this.”
While it is a fact that the respective SK units of barangays in Parañaque (specifically those who met the requirements of the banks and the Department of Interior and Local Government) now have access to earmarked funds needed to for their projects and activities, their officials and officers worked without any financial assistance, at least from the City Government. Under the reformed SK system, SK units are supposed to be independent from their respective barangay units.
We will find out soon enough from the City Government when will Draft Ordinance Number 3 be signed by the mayor.
Reaction from Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK)
“I’m happy because all of us SK Chairpersons had wished to have an allowance provided so that we can cover the costs of local transportation heading towards our events,” chairwoman Tumang reacted.
As of this writing, Barangay BF Homes chairman Paolo Marquez has yet to reply to my inquiry of the same issue.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
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.
As I mentioned before, I never read a single comic book about Birds of Prey. Apart from previously knowing Harley Quinn, Black Canary (from the 1980s specifically) and Huntress (from the 1990s), I had minimal knowledge of the DC Comics’ title as well as modest expectations entering the cinema yesterday to watch Birds of Prey: and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn which is the latest superhero production from Warner Bros.
Right now, I’m happy to share to you that the R-rated movie proved to be a fun-filled watch and is proof that the DC Comics Cinematic Universe is still moving forward (in terms of engagement, enjoyment and creativity) towards greatness.
Here is my movie review of Birds of Prey.
Early Story
The story begins with a look into the past of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) moving forward until her breakup with the supervillain Joker (don’t expect to see Jared Leto’s image). Through narration and clever visuals, Harley is now living a new life. Along the way, there is a club within Gotham City bustling with life which Harley haves fun at and eventually she encounters the club owner Roman/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) who is not what he seems. After getting drunk and becoming vulnerable to men with sinister intentions, Dinah/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who sings at the club, comes to her rescue. After recovering, Harley moves on to destroy a huge facility of Ace Chemicals which further sets events off…
Quality
While the screenplay by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee) lacked storytelling depth and character development, director Cathy Yan and her team still managed to craft a superhero film that was fun, action-packed and, surprisingly, not too reliant on computer-generated visual effects.
To make up for the lack of story depth, the movie relied mainly on the performances of the actors to bring their characters to life. Margot Robbie really excelled in playing Harley Quinn inside and out. While this latest cinematic portrayal does not have Harley insane, she’s still crazier than in Suicide Squad. Robbie’s act this time is more creative, more adulterated (which is the way the go), more daring with action and also more comedic. From this point on, I should say that Warner Bros. should rehire Robbie to play Harley Quinn in even more DC Comics movies.
Here come the ladies: Renee Montoya, Huntress, Harley Quinn, Cassandra Cain and Black Canary.
Rosie Perez as Gotham City police officer Renee Montoya delivered a strong presence as the law enforcement element in the film and through her, we get to see the culture of the local police. Don’t expect her to have any links with police commissioner Gordon or Batman, though. Jurnee Smollet-Bell as the cinematic Black Canary is one of the stronger performers even though her version of the character is radically different from the one I read in the comic books long ago. Ella Jay Basco, an actress of Filipino and Korean heritage, as the orphan Cassandra Cain is clearly the movie’s representative (and attraction to) of the youth. Performance-wise, Basco delivered a nice performance even though her character (who in the comics is one of many who became Batgirl) lacks depth. Fortunately for us moviegoers, she is not the whiny teenager who annoy viewers and, more importantly, she delivered nicely in her part of the film’s plot. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is good as the cinematic Huntress. It’s too bad her on-screen presence is not long enough to be enjoyed, nor were moviegoers given better opportunities to know the Huntress better.
The most outstanding performance in the movie was delivered by Ewan McGregor as Black Mask. McGregor, who is a naturally artistic actor, is very colorful with his portrayal of a supervillain who, unlike many other such antagonists in other superhero movies, is charismatic, suave and yet cruel to the core. This cinematic Black Mask is not your generic action movie villain and, as such, hiring McGregor was one of the best moves made by Warner Bros. I honestly find McGregor a worthy adversary versus Margot Robbie when it comes to cinematic artistry.
When it comes to spectacle, Birds of Prey is heavily loaded with hard-hitting action plus some bloody shots that make it standout among the many superhero movies released in this current century. For one thing, the actresses themselves took an active part in doing action and the stunts they could pull of on their own (the harder stuff were understandably done by stunt doubles). Watching Harley Quinn beat up the bad guys with that large hammer, the baseball bat and other stuff were not only hard-hitting but also creative without ever looking choreographed. Black Canary’s high kicks were notable. Renee Montoya’s reliance on guns and hard action were symbolic throwbacks to the police movies of the past. Huntress meanwhile showed how deadly her small but powerful crossbow can be on-screen.
Late in the film is a certain long-take action sequence filled with the characters struggling with the bad guys simultaneously (without using computer-generated imagery) which was cleverly filmed with nice timing as the camera moved on very steadily. That sequence, even though short, is worth watching again and again. Oh yes, there are no shaky camera sequences shot!
The action scenes, in my opinion, came into play at the right time whenever I felt enough dialogue and exposition were made. This shows that the filmmakers pulled off the right moves with the pacing to ensure that people are kept entertained while still maintaining some storytelling sense which is quite an achievement since the film’s plot lacked depth. The stunts, meanwhile, are really nice to watch.
As for the brewing arguments and anticipation that Birds of Prey is a leftist and feminist piece of propaganda, I should say that such influences are more on the visual side than on the dialogue. Even though Ewan McGregor publicly said the movie is feminist, it’s not too strong. The feminism is more visible in images of the ladies fighting the bad guys who are varied with their looks – muscular, tall, big, beards, etc. The feminism is obvious with the ladies teaming up together and that is not surprising at all. Even though it has feminism elements, Birds of Prey is still pretty much a superhero movie on its own. You want a movie with stronger and more blatant feminism? Watch Star Wars: The Last Jedi instead. Maybe you want to try Elizabeth Banks’ failure Charlie’s Angels.
Conclusion
With strong and creative performances plus loads of fun stuff that more than made up for the lack of story depth and character development, Birds of Prey is an enjoyable superhero movie that is worthy of being part of the current DC Comics Cinematic Universe. Without relying on fan service, this movie expands the current cinematic universe’ presentation of Gotham City and shows the other parts of it away from Batman.
Even if you have not read any Birds of Prey comics, this movie will still prove to be entertaining. Just don’t expect to see the more iconic DC Comics characters and don’t expect to see heavy amounts of computer-generated images on-screen. Birds of Prey is more grounded and for a production of roughly $100 million, the production values still look high.
Overall, Birds of Prey is highly recommended and I encourage you to watch it in the cinemas as soon as possible. And if you have the extra money, watch it on an IMAX screen as the film was optimized for the format.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
Muntinlupa City Signs Agreement with USAID and URC for Local Drug Rehabilitation Program
The City Government of Muntinlupa inks partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the implementation of USAID RenewHealth project, a community-based drug rehabilitation program. Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (3rd from left) signed a memorandum of agreement with USAID RenewHealth Project chief of Party Dr. Gina Hechanova (2nd from left), DCOP Dr. Ivanhoe Escartin (left), and Muntinlupa Drug Abuse and Prevention Control Office last February 3 at Muntinlupa City Hall to officially begin the program for persons who use drugs (PWUDs). USAID RenewHealth Project seeks to address drug dependency problem by expanding access to evidence-based and culturally-appropriate community-based drug treatment and recovery (CBDR) services. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
The City Government of Muntinlupa sealed its partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the University Research Company (URC) for the implementation of USAID RenewHealth project that aims to strengthen the city’s community-based drug rehabilitation program.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed the memorandum of agreement with USAID RenewHealth Project chief of Party Dr. Gina Hechanova and DCOP Dr. Ivanhoe Escartin on Monday at Muntinlupa City Hall on February 3 to officially begin the program for persons who use drugs (PWUDs).
Fresnedi extended his gratitude to USAID for selecting the City of Muntinlupa as one of the Pilot Areas in NCR for the drug rehabilitation project. The local exec said the USAID’s assistance will significantly contribute to the success of the City Government’s drug abuse prevention initiatives.
USAID RenewHealth Project seeks to address drug dependency problem by expanding access to evidence-based and culturally-appropriate community-based drug treatment and recovery (CBDR) services.
For its part, USAID shall provide technical assistance to the City Government personnel in ensuring local CBDR strategies are aligned to service standards provided by the Dangerous Drug Board and other regulations prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Barangay workers who serve as coach community facilitators will also be given training for screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment services, including CBDR, and CBDR governance.
USAID RenewHealth project supports the Philippine Anti-illegal Drugs Strategy that calls for a comprehensive and balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction. It also builds on the Philippine Mental Health law that recognized substance dependence as a mental health issue.
The City Government of Muntinlupa continues to collaborate with various organization to strengthen the local recovery program for drug surrenderees under the Mamamayan at Pamilya Laban sa Droga (MAPALAD), the local community-based response strategy against drug abuse.
Interested parties are free to visit Muntinlupa Drug Abuse and Prevention Control Office located Muntinlupa City Hall, G/F Main Building, Putatan or contact them at telephone no. 8403-6689 / 8862-2525 loc. 212.
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Official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa – Public Information Office.
Luke Skywalker going up against the game’s final boss – Emperor Palpatine.
By the middle of 1994, gamers and Star Wars fans who owned a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES or Super NES) were treated with more 2D side-scrolling fun with Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Developed by Sculptured Software and LucasArts and published by JVC, the game was the conclusion of the so-called Super Star Wars trilogy of the 16-bit era of console gaming.
Like its predecessor Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, this game is a 2-dimensional side-scrolling adventure game released just months before Sega and Sony respectively released the Saturn and PlayStation consoles (which eventually made 3D polygonal gaming popular). The game itself is based on the 1983 movie Return of the Jedi: Luke and his friends go out to save Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and the Rebels prepare its strategy to defeat the Imperial Forces now armed with a new Death Star with the personal presence of Emperor Palpatine.
Here’s my review of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Early story (and some notable differences from the movie)
The game begins with a quick look at Darth Vader’s arrival at the new Death Star setting up the stage for the Emperor’s arrival. On Tattooine, Luke and his companions travel to the temple of Jabba the Hutt to somehow save their friend Han Solo (who got frozen in carbonite at Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back).
A still cut-scene at the beginning of the game.
In order to get to the palace, Luke/Leia/Chewbacca (you get to pick which character to use) have to travel through a lengthy stretch of land filled with several forms of wild life, monsters and even Jawas blocking their way. Once inside, your character has to fight until the end of the next few levels (note: there was a boss or powerful enemy to beat) to make the story progress.
Once you have defeated Jabba and rescued Han Solo, your team regroups with the Rebels in space to start your next series of missions with the moon of Endor (with the 2nd Death Star in orbit).
Notable differences from the movie include fighting a large monster (which used a large ball as a weapon) did not appear in the film. Also notable was Leia (in her sexy slave outfit) having to move from the end of the stage to reach Jabba the Hutt who serves as the level’s boss. Jabba’s sail barge in the game looks and feels longer than in the movie.
Leia, Jabba is right behind you!
Gameplay
Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi plays a lot like its predecessor. As typical with most games of the era that used 2D sprites for visuals, the game is an action-packed side-scroller wherein you have to control your character from left to right, go up and down and complete the level by either defeating the end-level boss or by simply reaching the end (some levels have no boss). As you move on, you also get to collect power-ups and icons which are really helpful in completing the levels.
Along the way, you get to fight a whole bunch of enemies that appear to fight and stop you. This includes not only the Imperial forces that appeared in the movie but also new additions like machines and even flying robots. You never saw Luke fight any flying robot in the movie? In this game, he gets to fight them at the Imperial facility on the moon of Endor.
Han Solo blasts the Stormtroopers!
Given the story structure of the movie, the game developers were able to let players pick a Star Wars character to play as before starting a level. This particular feature was prominent in 1992’s Super Star Wars but was heavily toned down (due to story structure) in Super Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back. Back to the selectable characters, there are key differences between them such as Luke using his lightsaber and Force powers, Han Solo with his blaster and grenades, Chewbacca with his crossbow and his spin attack (he does NOT do this in the movies so it’s funny), and Leia who uses different weapons as she appears (based on the story structure) as a disguised bounty hunter and as a sexy slave to Jabba. Quite odd here is the addition of Wicket the Ewok as a playable character whom you must guide fighting the bad guys in two levels that are set in the village of the Ewoks up those tall trees. The Wicket levels are easily the least interesting to play in.
Like the previous two games, the game designers implemented levels that play differently from the standard side-scrolling adventuring. I’m referring to the Mode 7 level in which you fly the Millennium Falcon on a makeshift 3D environment on the surface of the 2nd Death Star needing to destroy a number of TIE Fighters in order to progress. I should say that this particular level lacked depth although it was cool to use the Falcon and just imagine Lando and his team inside operating it.
The Millenium Falcon in the Mode 7 3D environment set on the surface of the Death Star.
In what is a clear attempt by the game makers to push the hardware of the Super NES, they created a standalone level in which you use the top turret of the Millenium Falcon to shoot a required number of TIE Fighters while flying in space heading towards the 2nd Death Star (complete with a 3D background showing the Imperial Star Destroyers in the distance on one side). This was a very short yet cool sequence to play even though the darkness of space makes spotting the TIE Fighters a bit challenging. I liked the fact that the console’s processor was pushed hard to allow the TIE Fighters look 3D and detailed using several frames of animation as they fly around and right close to the Falcon (which itself looked detailed).
This 3D shooting segment in the game was fun and too short.
And then there is the speeder bike chase sequence that took place through the forest of Endor. This one is pretty shallow and has not aged well.
Nice visual detail on the speeder bikes but everything else felt shallow.
Finally, the game’s last stage is another hardware-intensive level that offers gamers the opportunity to experience the challenge and speed (as far as the hardware could push) of piloting the Millennium Falcon into the tunnels of the 2nd Death Star to reach the core, blast it and then escape on the way out (being chased by intense flame caused by the explosion). This level shows lots of repeating visual elements that are supposed to be the mechanical interiors of the tunnels and you can movie the Falcon in 1st-person view, speed up or down, rotate the view and tilt the direction as you move forward. Along the way, there are TIE Fighters who appear in front of you for you to shoot at. While the intention of the developers to replicate the memorable sequence of the movie is clear, the hardware limitations (and design limitations) could only go so far to make the gameplay experience solid. What bogged this particular sequence down are the bouts of slowdown (lowered frame rates) when things get hectic.
This sequence must be seen in motion.
Conclusion
While it is indeed a more polished game than the memorable Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was indeed a fun and engaging game but still falls short of its immediate predecessor in terms of enjoyment and engagement. For one thing, this game noticeably was less challenging and the return of the password system makes it even easier to finish. The boss battle with Darth Vader showed the iconic villain being much easier to beat with even on the standard difficulty level. I still remember how surprising it was to beat Vader during my first time playing the game.
The non-side-scrolling levels of the game created good variety for playing. I just wished that the 3D space shooting sequence of the Falcon (with its top turret) lasted longer and the visuals of the final level looked more detailed and had less lag. As for the Mode 7 level with the Falcon on the surface of the Death Star, that one pales in comparison with the lengthy and memorable Battle of Hoth (which has the grand experience of taking down the AT-AT walkers with the tow cable).
Overall, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jediis recommended. By today’s standards, this game is a classic and was one of the best ever Star Wars video games of not only of its console generation but among all Star Wars games that were made with 2D sprites and pixel art. If you have a Super NES console or Nintendo’s Virtual Console, play the game once you have it.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
The City Government of Muntinlupa had an emergency stakeholders meeting to discuss pro-active steps to prevent the spread of the disease in the city on Tuesday. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi ordered the City Health Office to conduct a briefing event for emergency response units, barangay officials and health workers, mall owners, hoteliers, and other commercial establishment owners on the latest updates on Wuhan Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCoV ARD). Muntinlupa City Health Office is set to distribute 2,000 pcs of 100ml alcohol bottles to city residents and boost its information drive in combating the spread of 2019-nCov. ARD. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
In a clear response to the rising number of persons under investigation (PUI) for possible 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) and confirmed cases in the country, the City Government of Muntinlupa had an emergency stakeholders meeting to discuss pro-active steps to prevent the spread of the disease in the city.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi ordered the City Health Office this past Tuesday to conduct a briefing event with the Department of Health (DOH) for emergency response units, barangay officials and health workers, mall owners, hoteliers, and other commercial establishment owners on the latest updates on Wuhan Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease.
Fresnedi said that the City Government is closely coordinating with DOH and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine regarding the health event and for the training of health workers on nCov prevention, containment, and control.
In the forum, Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao assured that health facilities in the city are equipped to respond in emergency situations involving patients with respiratory infections.
Tuliao added that hospitals and medical centers in the city were advised to observe high standard of infection prevention and control in dealing with patients suspected to have contracted with the virus.
For its past, the Ospital ng Muntinlupa installed priority lanes for patients experiencing flu-like symptoms and is equipped to respond in emergency situations involving patients with respiratory infections.
The City Health Office is set to distribute 2,000 pcs of 100ml alcohol bottles to city residents and boost its information drive in combating the spread of 2019-nCov ARD. The City Government is also set to inspect emerging Chinese restaurants and conduct a census of Chinese-nationals in the city as a precautionary measure.
Mayor Fresnedi advised the public to practice proper hygiene, observe proper cough etiquette, and adopt healthy lifestyles to increase body resistance against infections.
Local citizens are highly encouraged to immediately visit local health centers or Ospital ng Muntinlupa if they are experiencing symptoms of the virus. For more information, the public may coordinate with Ospital ng Muntinlupa at 8771-0457 or with DOH at 771-1001/711-1002.
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Official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa – Public Information Office.
February 2020 is already a much less exciting month for the City of Parañaque as their mayor Edwin Olivarez officially signed a February 4, 2020 memorandum INITIALLYPOSTPONING effectively the 22nd Cityhood Anniversary celebration. This is because of fear and concern about the still-spreading 2019 Novel Coronavirus (NCoV).
No Cityhood Anniversary celebration this year! (photo source – Mayor Edwin Olivarez Facebook page)
And here are the activities that were planned to mark Parañaque’s 22nd anniversary as a City (which was realized way back on February 13, 1998).
Almost all of these activities have been postponed! (photo source – Mayor Edwin Olivarez Facebook page)
For this month, there are no more beauty pageants, no more comedy events, no more taxpayer recognition ceremony, no more festival, no more fireworks display, no more job fair, no Sunduan Festival and no State of the City Address (SOCAD).
However, today, the City Government announced that there are actually four Cityhood Anniversary events that will push through.
What remains scheduled to push through are the following:
Release of Scholarship (February 8)
Unveiling of the 2019 National Anti-Drugs Abuse Council Performance Marker and the Blessing of the DRRMO Command Center (February 10)
Blessing of Ospital ng Parañaque 2 (February 12)
No wonder there is disappointment in Parañaque. A lot of people anticipated the annual Cityhood Anniversary for reasons like fun, idolizing and the like. The remaining activities set to push through are ceremonial in nature. In other words, not exciting.
It only makes sense to postpone most of the Cityhood Anniversary celebration for the sake of ensuring that the local citizens will not gather in public venues and put themselves at risk of getting infected by the Coronavirus (or any virus at all).
Barangay BF Homes’ reaction to Cityhood Anniversary postponement
Going back to the postponement of most of the Cityhood Anniversary celebration this year, I reached out to Barangay BF Homes captain Paolo Marquez for a reaction. His answer below…
Although preparations are underway on our end, we welcome and support the call of the city government to postpone activities in the interest of everyone’s safety
Barangay BF Homes Captain Paolo Marquez
Captain Marquez also confirmed to me that their barangay has candidates for the Binibining Parañaque and the Gandang Mamita pageants.
At the same time, Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Mariel Tumang added that her team made a lot of preparations for the Cityhood celebration before the postponement was done. I can only imagine their disappointment now that the preparations got wasted.
With the Cityhood celebration heavily reduced, it remains to be seen what the city’s barangays, the City Government itself and other stakeholders will do for the expected 2021 edition of the Cityhood Anniversary.
Right now, it is better to be safe than to have fun and get infected.
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.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
King of Kings is one of my favorite Christian praise-and-worship songs right now. The first time I saw it performed was inside a Christian church in Alabang Hills Village, Muntinlupa City and it resonated with me a lot ever since.
Checking out the song online, it is best identified with Hillsong Church’s musicians. To get things started, here are two YouTube videos about King of Kings embedded for you.
And now below are the lyrics. The song was written by Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood and Scott Ligertwood. To make a point here, King of Kings highlights us Christians praising God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
VERSE 1: In the darkness we were waiting Without hope without light Till from heaven You came running There was mercy in Your eyes To fulfil the law and prophets To a virgin came the Word From a throne of endless glory To a cradle in the dirt
CHORUS: Praise the Father Praise the Son Praise the Spirit three in one God of glory Majesty Praise forever to the King of Kings
VERSE 2: To reveal the kingdom coming And to reconcile the lost To redeem the whole creation You did not despise the cross For even in Your suffering You saw to the other side Knowing this was our salvation Jesus for our sake You died
VERSE 3: And the morning that You rose All of heaven held its breath Till that stone was moved for good For the Lamb had conquered death And the dead rose from their tombs And the angels stood in awe For the souls of all who’d come To the Father are restored
VERSE 4: And the Church of Christ was born Then the Spirit lit the flame Now this gospel truth of old Shall not kneel shall not faint By His blood and in His Name In His freedom I am free For the love of Jesus Christ Who has resurrected me
Praising the Lord directly and very highly is undoubtedly essential. To truly live in holiness under God, we must reject all sins for they separate us from the Lord. Among those many sins that keep many from being saved is idolatry (refer to idolaters as sinners as written in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 in the Holy Bible) which is still being practice worldwide by those living with religion and those living as unbelievers.
As I already wrote separate pieces about idolatry (click HERE and HERE), idols, both people and those man-made objects (paintings, statues, statuettes, relics, etc.) are forms of abomination to the Lord. We are supposed to worship God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit directly and exclusively. Forget about that human idol (who does NOT deserve worship at all) and get rid of those relics, statues, statuettes and images because all of those are Satan’s tools to separate us from the Lord. Religion, unbelief and idolatry are all tools of Satan against us and the Lord.
Our praise is only meant for the Lord and this involves faith!
Going back to the song, the chorus of Praise the Father, Praise the Son, Praise the Spirit three in one, God of glory, Majesty, Praise forever to the King of Kings is a very lively reminder of a key aspect being a real Christian. The Lord deserves ALL of our praise! Here are the holy scriptures.
I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Psalm 145:1 (NKJV)
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.”
Daniel 2:20 (NKJV)
Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For He has delivered the life of the poor From the hand of evildoers.
Jeremiah 20:13 (NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one of all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on Earth-in Him.
Ephesians 1:3-10 (NKJV)
He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.
Deuteronomy 10:21 (NKJV)
The LORD I my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Exodus 15:2 (NKJV)
Back to the song, Verse 2 emphasizes Lord Jesus’ sacrificing Himself to save humanity from sin, paving the way for us to get into God’s kingdom. Jesus paid the price for our salvation. Before His sacrifice, Jesus made clear that people need to be born again. Refer to the holy scripture below.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3 (NKJV)
Verse 3 of King of Kings refers to the resurrection of Jesus and this alone should remind you that idolaters, as well as those who make idols, often highlight Jesus hanging on the cross which easily distract people from realizing the truth that He conquered death and He ascended to Heaven alive. Jesus is really alive!
The resurrection of Jesus as well as his ascension to Heaven are meant to be strongly believed in. There is no exception to this! Refer to the holy scriptures below.
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)
But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him.”
Mark 16:6 (NKJV)
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NKJV)
He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”
Luke 24:6-7 (NKJV)
Verse 4 refers the start of the Church of Christ which was recorded in the Book of Acts which I strongly recommend you read from chapter to chapter. When you hear the words ‘the body of Christ’, it is not a reference to Jesus’ flesh but rather to the church which, in the most universal sense, refers to people who believe in the Lord. Of course, I’m not referring to any hierarchy nor an organization pretending to be the chosen authority of the Lord. People who truly have faith in Jesus, opened their hearts to God, allowed the Holy Spirit to occupy their hearts and then live on with the Word of God (the Holy Bible) are the definitive Christians. Definitely no place for idolatry, religion, unbelief and Satan here.
Here are a few more holy scriptures for you relating to Verse 4 of the song. After these, I highly recommend reading Acts 2:1-47in the Holy Bible to grasp and understand the beginning of the Church of Christ through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the response of the crowd and Peter’s sermon.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-where Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NKJV)
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
Ultimately, King of Kings is a very beautiful Christian praise-and-worship song and it is easily worth performing in any church activity (especially Sunday worship services) that needs music. It is the holiness of the Lord that makes the song beautiful and it is the faith in the Lord that makes King of Kings great!
Very truly, the Lord blessed Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood and Scott Ligertwoodwho wrote King of Kings for the world and for Christians to worship Him with.
In ending this, here is an embedded video showing King of Kings (starting at 15:00 on the timer) by the musicians of Hillsong Church in Australia during its December 29, 2019 Sunday morning service. Thank the Lord and enjoy this! Praise the Father, Praise the Son, Praise the Spirit, three in one!
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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
Author Carlo Carrasco 