A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #35 (1995)

January 13, 2020August 28, 2023carlocarrasco

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.

When Marvel Comics first launched the 2099 imprint of comic books showcasing many futuristic versions of their present-day characters – like Spider-Man, Ravage and Dr. Doom – it was inevitable that the same treatment will be applied to their popular supervillains.

In 1993, the 2099 version of Vulture was introduced and he sure proved to be one tough opponent for Spider-Man 2099. Even back then, there already was clamor for a futuristic version of Venom which at the time was riding high with readers being the featured anti-hero in several limited series (starting with Lethal Protector) of comic books.

Then in 1995, after doing a creative teaser in issue #34, Marvel formally introduced Venom 2099 by releasing Spider-Man 2099 #35. This is my review of the comic book written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman (X-Men Adventures).

Cover — *The cover drawn by Rick Leonardi.*

Early story

Picking up from the events of issue #34, the story begins in Washington, DC with Dana freeing herself only to find out that Alchemax’s CEO Tyler Stone was down suffering from a gun shot and losing blood. Minutes later, emergency personnel take Stone’s body for immediate treatment.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) encounters the SHIELD flyboys in New York. After almost getting into trouble together, Spidey gets informed that US President Doom 2099 ordered them to leave him alone for a period of seventy-two hours while he considers a cabinet offer. Back in Washington, Dana gets interrogated by one of the authorities. President Doom enters the scene telling Dana that she will join Tyler Stone immediately in the medical center.

*Andrew Wildman’s take on Spider-Man 2099 and the future was really nice to look at.*

In New York, two guys sitting on the sidewalk witness a moving black liquid coming out of the sewer. The thing turns out to be a living symbiote (or alien costume) forming into a human-like shape – Venom 2099!

Quality

As with other comic books of this particular series, the writing by Peter David is pretty deep and engaging. The usual balance between dramatization, character development, plotting and spectacle is here once again but with a slight touch of horror in relation to the introduction of Venom of 2099. Speaking of dramatization, the portrayal of Venom 2099 as a vicious villain is similar to the 20^th century Venom (Eddie Brock) but with a very powerful obsession to kill Miguel O’Hara and Tyler Stone.

Here’s an excerpt from the dialogue of Venom of 2099: Miguel O’Hara…and Tyler Stone…together again. We…I get to kill you…at the same time…how awfully…awfully…considerate. To show my appreciation…I’ll kill you slowly.

What makes this comic book unique is the artwork by Andrew Wildman who temporarily replaced regular illustrator Rick Leonardi. For comparison, I find Wildman’s art style a welcome thing in this comic book mainly because he draws with a lot more detail per panel and per page than Leonardi ever could. Instead of seeing the usual sketch-like art style of Leonardi, Wildman’s style is livelier and more expressive to look at. I also enjoyed Wildman’s visual take on Spider-Man 2099/Miguel O’Hara, Lyla, Tyle Stone, and the other established characters. Their facial expressions are also livelier to see.

*Venom 2099 appears! Take note of the “liquid” at the edges of the page.*

More on visuals, Wildman’s take on Venom 2099 is unforgettable. Like 20^th century Venom, he has a dark suit, elongated jaw with rows of sharp teeth and an elongated tongue but with green acid dripping all the time. There are also those tentacles-like things that stretch from his body until the arms. Also his white-colored mask with large eyes make him look horrific.

Conclusion

Despite being shorter than the usual 22-pages, Spider-Man 2099 #35 is still a very engaging and fun old comic book to read. Its purpose was to build-up anticipation leading to the introduction of Venom 2099 was achieved nicely and the respective qualities of the writing and visuals are very good even by today’s standards. More on the presentation of Venom of 2099, it seems like Peter David took inspiration from movie director James Cameron on building-up tension and suspense before showing the villain. That’s a move I enjoyed in this comic book.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #35 is highly recommended. If you plan to acquire an existing and legitimate hard copy, be aware that the near-mint copy of it is over $100 for the newsstand version while the Rich Leonardi-drawn “Venom 2099 AD” cover version is priced at over $80 at MileHighComics.com as of this writing.

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 Havenor is 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

A Look Back at Mantra #1 (1993)

January 13, 2020January 12, 2020carlocarrasco

If there is any intriguing way of utilizing fantasy concepts to introduce a superhero (or superheroine) to readers, Mantra #1 from the Ultraverse published in 1993 by Malibu Comics is one fine example.

Early story

Written by Mike W. Barr with art by Terry Dodson, Mantra #1 was an Ultraverse launch comic book that follows Lukasz who is an eternal warrior belonging to a group of other warriors which had been fighting another group (led by eventual Ultraverse villain Boneyard) for several centuries.

How did that conflict last that long? As told through the views of Lukasz, any individual warrior who dies will eventually be placed in a new body (often that of an existing person) and take control of it effectively displacing the its soul. Behind it all, Archmage, the leader of the warriors’ group that includes Lukasz, uses magic to ensure that each member will be reincarnated after dying.

Mantra2 — *A page for your viewing pleasure.*

The story takes a major turn for the shocking and intriguing when something unfortunate happens to Archmage and that the protagonist himself gets killed again. Fortunately for him, he gets to live one more time but there is one major difference – Lukasz occupies the body of a woman named Eden Blake (and the revealing scene remains shocking).

At this point, I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story. If you want to find out how Mantra came to be, you just have to read the comic book yourselves.

Quality

From an analytical view, I still find Mantra’s concept very intriguing to this day. In terms of mysticism, it reminds me a little bit of George Perez’s take on Wonder Woman in the mid-1980s and in some cases Mantra/Eden Blake herself reminds me bit of Wonder Woman/Diana albeit in a more motherly way.

When it comes to storytelling, Mike W. Barr’s script is very solid and made very good use of the twenty-eight (28) pages of the comic book. Unsurprisingly, there was a good amount of expository dialogue and narration but it was handled efficiently. The first-person views of Lukasz/Eden Blake are truly immersive to read. Along the way, there were several scenes that were intriguing to read and there were some nice moments of unintentional comedy which helped balance the overall tone of the story.

To say the least, Mantra’s concept about dead warriors’ souls entering bodies of existing people to live again sheds light on the moral or psychological implications of such events. If you were a warrior who just died and eventually got a new lease on life by occupying the body of let’s say a software company’s chief executive officer, would you not be concerned as to what happened to the soul (of the body) you displaced? Would you not think about how your control of that displaced soul’s body would affect not only the person’s established life but also the personal association with other people? Truly Mike Barr’s writing got me hooked and Terry Dodson’s art really brought his concepts to life.

Conclusion

So what else could I say? Mantra #1 is highly recommended not only because of its story and concepts but also because this particular series lasted several issues more and, for the most part, Mantra’s adventures and misadventures have often been fantastic and fun.

Even though it is fact that the Ultraverse remained in limbo and Marvel Entertainment showed no intention to revive the franchise, Mantra is still a fun and engaging comic book series to read and this comic book is the golden start of it. Mantra #1 itself is one of the most defining superhero comic books of the 1990s ever published and its mature themes combined with strong fantasy concepts made it stand out among all of those other superhero comic books I spotted on the shelf of a BF Homes comic book store that I visited in July 1993.

You guys can order copies Mantra #1 online at ComicCollectorLive.com, at MileHighComics.com (a near-mint holographic cover version of the comic book is worth over $40) or by visiting your local comic book retailer selling old issues.

Author’s Note: This article was originally published at my old Geeks and Villagers blog. What you just read on this website is the most definitive version.

Duty Free Philippines Grows 4% in 2019

January 12, 2020January 12, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! Have you shopped at a Duty Free Philippines yet? Me? I have not been to a Duty Free Philippines outlet or shopping center for quite some time now.

Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) announced today that it grew 4% in 2019 in terms of year-on-year sales growth. Notably, the achieved growth was a clear improvement over the 2% growth it achieved in 2018.

To put things in perspective, the consolidated sales reached a total of $226 million in 2019 compared with $217 million the previous year.

In relation to the latest statistics, DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said the Philippines’ hosting of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the opening of Duty Free Luxe have significantly contributed to the upswing.

He said the growing number of tourists visiting the newly-rehabilitated Boracay Island via Kalibo Airport has been beneficial to DFPC sales.

When it comes to the top source markets, 85% came from Filipino tourists, balikbayans (visiting Filipinos who live overseas) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Confectionery is still the major growth driver, with 31 percent share of the total sales, followed by liquor (21 percent), fragrance and cosmetics (18 percent), and fashion merchandise (10 percent).

The DFPC claimed it has met a number of significant milestones last year, including the opening of “Go Lokal’s” Marahuyo this past November.

“In line with the directive of Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), we have augmented our product portfolio which now includes more local artisans,” Angala said.

With the agency’s strong commitment to giving top local products a global audience, DFPC was recognized as “Highly Commended CSR Initiative of the Year “at the 2019 Frontier Awards in Cannes, France for supporting The Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The DFPC has expanded the list of exclusive brands that it carries which now includes: Gucci Beauty, Armani Beauty, Hogan, and MCM. Last year, it also embarked on the renovation of the Fiestamall and NAIA Terminal 1 Arrival stores.

DFPC is expected to maintain the momentum in 2020 with the opening of Duty Free store at the Hilton Sun Valley Resort inside Clark Freeport Zone by the first quarter of this year.

For everyone’s reference, the DFPC is the country’s sole operator of the duty-and tax-free merchandising system, and a vital component of the DOT as it contributes to the efforts in the development of the country’s tourism infrastructure, programs, and projects through revenue remittances. There are Duty Free Philippines outlets and shopping centers around the Philippines including Parañaque City (Fiestamall shopping center), Cebu province, and Clark International Airport to name a few.

For further learning, posted below is the official FAQ of Duty Free Philippines.

Check out their online store at https://www.dutyfreephilippines.ph/

Muntinlupa Real Property Taxpayers to Receive 10% Discount Upon Timely Payment

January 11, 2020January 10, 2020carlocarrasco

The City Government of Muntinlupa announced yesterday the schedule of payment of real property tax in their city for 2020 and also launched its incentives program for RPT payers who will pay on or before quarterly deadline.

Muntinlupa City Treasurer’s Office released the deadline of payment of real property tax on the following dates: March 1, 2020 (1^st Installment, Q1), June 30, 2020 (2^nd Installment, Q2), September 30, 2020 (3^rd Installment, Q3), and December 31, 2020 (4^th Installment, Q4).

Taxpayers with no delinquency who shall pay their real property taxes on or before deadlines of payment are entitled to a ten percent (10%) discount.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi lauded this incentive system as it will boost tax revenues for the city to be utilized in various programs and services for the city residents. The mayor said the City Government shifts in being more customer-driven which accelerates public services, bringing ease transactions for the public.

RPT payers in Muntinlupa can also pay their taxes at Muntinlupa Online Real-Property Payment System (MORPS) through the electronic banking system of the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The RPT e-Payment system, first of its kind in Metro Manila, aims to course transaction of its major taxpayers through electronic channels to provide them with efficient and less-time consuming delivery of services.

An interface with MORPS will handle real-time property tax payment and can process transactions in less than 15 minutes. An easy and taxpayer-friendly application for every Muntinlupenos, it targets to speed up the transaction for the convenience of taxpayers and the reduction of red-tape and under-the-table propositions.

Fresnedi encouraged Muntinlupeños to pay their respective bills ahead of time to avoid penalties.

While MCTO introduced the incentive program, it also noted that upon expiration of the periods given, an interest of two percent (2%) per month not exceeding 36 months or 72% shall be imposed upon delinquent properties for failure to pay the basic real property tax or any other tax levied under the Revenue Code.

For more information, RPT payers can log-in to http://www.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/RPT/ or visit the City Treasurer’s Office located at Ground Floor, Main Building, Muntinlupa City Hall with tel nos. 8862-2525 loc. 120 or 8862-1491.

My Observations: Not a Single Parañaque Resident Among The Many Philippine Athletes Who Won Medals in the 2019 SEA Games?

January 8, 2020carlocarrasco

It’s been almost a month since the 2019 edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) hosted by the Philippines ended with resounding success. The Philippines won a total of three hundred and eighty-seven medals to finish #1 among all Southeast Asian nations. The 387 medals won are composed of 149 gold medals, 117 silver medals and 121 bronze medals.

Here in South Metro Manila (composed mainly of the cities of Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas) there were indeed Philippine team athletes who won medals at the SEA Games who reside locally.

Shortly after the end of the premier sports event of the Southeast Asian region, the City of Las Piñas honored the SEA Games medalists among its residents by showcasing them in a special ceremony at City Hall in the presence of Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar, Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery, City Councilors and more.

The Las Piñas-based Philippine athletes who won at the SEA Games appeared in their respective sports uniforms and showed their medals and certificates of appreciation with the City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar. (source – City of Las Piñas Facebook page)

The local resident athletes honored were Joseph Arcilla (Gold Medalist – Soft Tennis), Anna Alicia Katrina Castillo (Gold Medalist Women’s Basketball), Mikoff Manduriao (Gold Medalist – Soft Tennis), Russ Ashley Monville (Gold Medalist – Arnis), Erdilyn Peralta (Bronze Medalist – Soft Tennis), and Aljon Salonga (Silver Medalist – Water Polo). Not only did they attend the special ceremony at City Hall with their sports uniforms, they also brought the SEA Games medals they won. They received certificates from the City Government.

Over at the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi did its part doing the same and their SEA Games medalists attended a special ceremony – which was mainly about the City’s 102nd anniversary celebration – held at the Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan.

2019 SEA GAMES MEDALISTS — Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (3^rd from right) awarded plaques of recognition to Muntinlupa athletes who snagged medals in the 2019 SEA Games last December 19 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan. Shown in the photo: (L-R) Congressman Ruffy Biazon, Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo), Vice-mayor Temy Simundac, and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela. (photo released by City Government of Muntinlupa – PIO)

The Muntinlupa-based SEA Games medalists who received honors and shared the stage with the Mayor, Vice Mayor Temy Simundac, Congressman Ruffy Biazon and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela were Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), and Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo). Incentives for the said achievers were promised by the City Government.

Meanwhile in Parañaque City, there have been no signs so far that there were any Parañaque residents among the many Philippine athletes who won 2019 SEA Games medals.

Twice, I inquired about this to City Administrator Fernando “Ding” Soriano plus my other contact at the City Government. It was only yesterday that I finally received a reply from City Admin Soriano. Below is his response.

Soriano: The moment there (are) residents from (Parañaque), we will certainly give recognition and awards.

Analyzing the words of the City Administrator, it seems that the City Government still has not yet found a single local resident among the 2019 SEA Games medalists who represented the Philippines. Previously the City Government promised rewards for any 2019 SEA Games medalist verified as a resident.

The hot questions here are:

Has the City Government of Parañaque approached the 2019 SEA Games organizers for a list of Philippine Team athletes (who won medals specifically) with city addresses?
If there are indeed any 2019 SEA Games medalist living in Parañaque City who just learned about the promised rewards and recognition from the City Government, which specific office should he or she go to? Who should he or she look for?
Does mayor Edwin Olivarez have time to meet Parañaque-based SEA Games medalists?

If any new updates come up, I’ll post them right here.

What’s The Best Darna Costume Design for Jane De Leon?

January 8, 2020January 7, 2020carlocarrasco

It has been several months since ABS-CBN formally announced it hired actress Jane de Leon as the new cinematic Darna for their ongoing movie project. Since that time, there has not been much details about the Darna movie. To put things in perspective here, De Leon came in as a replacement for Liza Soberano.

Darna2020 — *A Darna figure I photographed on the left, Jane de Leon on the right. (Jane de Leon picture from Belomed.com)*

Apart from the news that De Leon met with TV Darna star Marian Rivera (who works for a rival TV network), took physical training consistently, confirmed filming will happen this year and responded to those who bashed her for just being a pretty face who cannot act, the filmmakers have so far kept details of the Darna movie secret.

Are they revising the script to accommodate De Leon’s talent? Are they rendering the visual effects with computers ahead of time? Is the production team having trouble scheduling filming with the many actors they hired? Are the filmmakers consulting with local comic book artists and writers to find ways to make the Darna movie fun and engaging?

So far, nothing could be confirmed. And this leads me to the next point – what will be the best Darna costume design for Jane de Leon?

In this ABS-CBN news video posted on November 27, 2019, De Leon confirmed that she has been working out for the role, read the script and stated the costume was being arranged. No details about the design of the costume were revealed.

For starters, it is easy to imagine De Leon wear the traditional Darna costume which has always been a two-piece swimsuit with a head dress (in recent times, a helmet), superhero boots, arm braces and a frontal cloth. Check out the photo I took of a Darna statuette during the 2019 Toycon below.

*I took this during last year’s Toycon.*

If the filmmakers prefer to show the cinematic Darna with a new look of much less skin exposed while still maintaining the feminine figure, the lady’s armor design could be a useful alternative. Take a look at the armor of Faora in Man of Steel.

*The armored Faora in Man of Steel. (photo sourced from IMDB.com)*

An armored Darna just might work in modernizing the look of the Philippine superhero icon with the 21st century in mind. While it can cover a lot of De Leon’s skin, it could use a little less metallic parts (compared to Faora’s armor in Man of Steel) to show more of the actress’ figure. Having the armor painted red with some parts in gold can help maintain the Darna look.

As of this writing, we don’t know yet what the filmmakers have in mind with the Darna costume for Jane de Leon. But once new updates about the costume and the film itself have been released, I’ll share and discuss them right here.

For the meantime, visit the Darna (2020) movie page right here.

For those of you who read this, what do you think is the best Darna costume design for Jane de Leon? How should it look? Feel free to post your answers with the comment tool below.

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) Ends 2019 with Celebration of Achievements and Service to Local Youth

January 5, 2020January 4, 2020carlocarrasco

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) Ends 2019 with Celebration of Achievements and Service to Local Youth

The Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) posed for me. From left to right were SK Kagawads Jerry Dalmero and Alma Galindo, SK chairperson Mariel Angela Tumang, SK Kagawads Kelly Haboc, Roselyn Regis, Irene Juanico, Stephanie Sebullen and SK treasurer Jefferson Ching.

For the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK), a lot has been achieved in the year twenty-nineteen (2019) and that alone was worth celebrating during their special event called the Katipunan ng Kabataan: Year End Gathering which was held on the evening of December 28 at the Phase 1 gym along Pilar Banzon street, BF Homes subdivision, Parañaque City, Philippines. It was attended by a total of close to two hundred guests.

Before focusing on the event, let’s take a quick look back at some of the achievements of the BFSK under the leadership of their chairperson Mariel Angela Tumang.

They organized multiple events of Waste for Rice (rice grain released to local residents who turned over to them 1.5-liter bottles filled with silver-coated sachets) throughout the year plus seminars on teenage pregnancy and reproductive health, organized a seminar about suicide, organized Zumba sessions, organized the Mutya ng BF Homes pageant (plus one other) and most notably they had a highly successful Linggo ng Kabataan celebration that attracted MORE than 300 youth participants.

The BFSK also had a well-attended general meeting highlighting what they achieved in the first half of the year. Another major achievement they made was complying with the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Joint Memorandum Circular Number 1 which includes the opening of a bank account doing the fidelity bonding, the 3-year plan, the annual investment plan and the year’s budget.

For this past year, the SK of Barangay BF Homes became independent from the main barangay in terms of financing and management. This is a milestone highlighting the reformed SK system of the entire nation. The BFSK budget for last year was over P6 million.

The event

Once I arrived at the Phase 1 gym, I saw BFSK chairwoman Mariel Tumang and some of the SK kagawads welcoming the early guests.

Afterwards dinner was served and more local youth arrived to join the celebration. By this time, music was playing and the photo booth was being used. The SK Kagawads became complete with the presence of Alma Galindo (who was dazzling with her white dress), Roselyn Regis, Jerry Dalmero, Kelly Haboc, Irene Juanico, Anne Gabrielle Corre and Stephanie Sebullen plus their treasurer Jefferson Ching.

“We have prepared for you games and the raffle draw of varied prizes,” BFSK Kagawad Alma Galindo announced on stage. “We take this opportunity to thank our key supporter Congresswoman Joy Tambunting.”

BFSK Kagawad Irene Juanico reiterated to the guests that they should just forget about the problems, reflect on what the youth council provided them and have fun to gain optimism for the new year. Other SK kagawads took turns with the microphone.

*BFSK chairwoman Mariel Tumang delivered her remarks to the many guests who attended.*

“We the SK are very grateful to you for attending this special event of ours, the Katipunan ng Kabataan Year-End Gathering,” BFSK chairperson Mariel Tumang said. “Come the year 2020, be assured that the SK will strongly support you and will visit your local communities with projects and activities that you will benefit from.”

After the speeches, music played again, the games finally took place and varied prizes were raffled off. The many guests who attended went home happy and satisfied.

Here are other pictures I took for your viewing pleasure. None of the local community print media publications of BF Homes have these and, at the same time, they are not authorized to use these images (as well as pictures shown earlier).

If you see any of the photos or content of this article used by the BF Homes local community print media publications, please inform me ASAP. Thanks.

*BFSK Kagawad Jerry Dalmero explains something.*

*The BFSK with a group of prize winners. BFSK Anne Corre seated leftmost.*

*Winners of the raffle draw being called.*

For this year, be assured that I’ll keep posting updates about the BFSK.

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.

+++++

To others reading this, if you are dissatisfied with print media and you want your community/organization/business/special event or project to be featured on this website, please contact me locally via mobile number 0905-3350831 or via email at Carlo.Carrasco@gmail.com

Press releases/statements and photo releases are also accepted.

If you need to promote yourselves or your event or special projects, please check out my varied marketing services (including Twitter boosting) right here.

We can negotiate, work together and be achievers together.

Muntinlupa City Government Organizes Business Permit Renewal until January 20, awards early taxpayers

January 2, 2020carlocarrasco

010220 - Biz Renewal — Top Ten “Early Bird” Taxpayers in the 2020 Muntinlupa Business Permit Renewal receive cerficates of recognition and grocery packages from the City Government. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi meets early taxpayers and extended his gratitude to the business owners for renewing their businesses in the city on January 2. The business renewal event will run from January 2- 20 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

The City Government of Muntinlupa awarded early taxpayers with incentives and grocery packages for being the first of many who applied and settled their dues in the 2020 Muntinlupa Business Permit Renewal which will run until January 20.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi awarded certificates of recognition and grocery packages to the Top Ten Early Taxpayers in this year’s Business Permit Renewal on January 2. The Top Ten Early Taxpayers were the following: Abraham Tiro (Mama Nene Store), Lani Santos (Lito and Lani Food House), Josielyn Delez (E.J.D. Mini Store), Josephine Dejan (FDA Dejan Construction Services), Cesar Bronola Lastrilla (Mercy Salon), Milagros Salvador (Mila and Noli Scrap Woods), Elizabeth Sabalboro (Beth Sari-Sari Store), Ma. Pinky Lynsey (MPLG Begona Trading), Cynthia Olaes (Cynthia’s Sari-Sari Store), and Cherrie Flores (Mini-Mini Store).

The mayor thanked the business owners for their punctuality in paying their dues and renewing their businesses in the city. Fresnedi also urged other locators to avoid penalties and skip “rush days” of registration nearing the deadline.

The 2020 Business Permit Renewal officially started on the morning of January 2 and will conclude on January 20. Currently, there are 15,708 registered business in the city. The Muntinlupa Business Permits and Licensing Office recorded a significant increase of over 187% in business tax collection over the past seven years.

For the convenience of the taxpayers, a One-Stop Shop arrangement in the Business Permit Renewal Hub has been installed at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan. Requirements from Barangay Halls and Regulatory Offices can be acquired in the location of the Renewal as representatives of said agencies will be rendering service simultaneously.

Taxpayers can pay using Debit Cards in the renewal event. Mobile ATMs as well as a Closed-Circuit Television System were also installed across the venue. Business owners registering in the renewal may also access the internet through a free wi-fi connection.

Making matters even more convenient is the shuttle service provided for clients going to the venue. The pick-up points are located at Muntinlupa City Hall Quadrangle in Putatan and Muntinlupa City Public Market in Alabang.

The list of requirements is posted in Muntinlupa BPLO Facebook page at fb.com/bplo.muntinlupa. For inquiries, you may call the department’s hotline at 8317-9964 or email at bplo.muntinlupa@yahoo.com.

Christian Music Appreciation: Goodness of God

January 2, 2020January 1, 2020carlocarrasco

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade to everyone reading this! We are now living in the twenty-twenties (2020s) and for as long as we keep faith in the Lord, He will guide us, love us and take care of us. Keep the faith in the Lord always, no matter how good or how hard your situation is right now. Whatever decision you make in your life, never drift away from the Lord who is generous to offer us opportunities or options that we could use to move forward in life. Before making a decision, keep declaring Jesus as your Lord, Savior, Healer and Victory with a lot of heart. Your decision, by the way, is needed to authorize Heaven here on Earth.

For this new decade’s first Christian Music Appreciation (CMA), I chose the song Goodness of God written by Jenn Johnson, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, Ben Fielding and Brian Johnson. The song was performed by Bethel Music.

Let’s start with the song and its lyrics now.

Lyrics:

Verse 1

I love You Lord

Oh Your mercy never fails me

All my days

I’ve been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

I will sing of the goodness of God

–

Chorus

All my life You have been faithful

All my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

I will sing of the goodness of God

–

Verse 2

I love Your voice

You have led me through the fire

In darkest nights

You are close like no other

I’ve known You as a father

I’ve known You as a friend

I have lived in the goodness of God

–

Bridge

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now, I give You everything

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

–

The song is about God our Heavenly Father being faithful, loving and caring for us (His children who willingly became faithful to Him). In other words, this song examines the personal relationship between the faithful Christian and God. It is a relationship that is strictly off-limits to everyone else and there is no room for intervention by another person (including the most misguided, self-righteous person blinded by religion, rituals, idolatry and traditions).

More on the title and subject matter of the song, God’s goodness is not only about His generosity but also His enduring generous attitude towards his faithful children. As I learned in church, God is not a tyrant (He punishes the wicked) and in fact He is gentle and caring, and He has plans for His faithful children to prosper. Of course, we the children of God who have been saved must keep on persevering with living in holiness under Him. The blessings from the Lord will come but that does not mean we can be lazy and just wait for blessings to land on us. We still have decisions to make and personal circumstances to handle on our own. As mentioned earlier, keep faith in the Lord, pray to Him and read His Word (the Holy Bible) before making decisions. When things are done properly with our Christianity, God’s goodness will manifest.

God’s goodness is emphasized in the Holy Bible and her are some scriptures for you.

The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.

Psalm 145: 9 (NKJV)

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16: 34 (NKJV)

So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God.”

Mark 10: 18 (NKJV)

Psalm 145: 9 and 1 Chronicles 16: 34 show that God is full of goodness and mercy. What we Christians can at least do is remain faithful and dedicated to Him, thank Him in return, and give back (tithing) in return.

Mark 10: 18 emphasizes that true goodness is the prerogative of God. However, the man called Jesus “Good Teacher”. If Jesus was only a teacher, then He did not deserve to be called “good”. On the other hand, if He was indeed good, then He was God. The lesson here is that Lord Jesus directed the man to pay attention to God who is the Heavenly Father, the Creator, the Source and the ultimate standard of goodness!

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

Nahum 1: 7 (NKJV)

As mentioned earlier, no matter how good or how hard your situation is right now, always keep faith in the Lord. This means keep on trusting Him and endure with Him. God is undeniably the stronghold for those who trust in Him. Because He knows His faithful children who remain trusting and faithful to Him, God will NOT abandon them! This is a powerful look at God’s goodness.

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

Psalm 33: 5 (NKJV)

Psalm 33: 5 emphasizes that God’s goodness also refers to unfailing love, lovingkindness, mercy and steadfast covenant love. As we the saved Christians live in a very screwed-up world (read: anti-Semitism, Marxism, liberalism, socialism, idolatry, religion, sacraments, murder, crime, abortion, theft, corruption, secularism, atheism and the like), we must persevere living in holiness under the Lord, remain faithful to Him, preaching His Word to others and finish our respective efforts to meet God’s High Call. Our Heavenly Father loves the righteous and He is a just creator!

In closing this, and going back to the song Goodness of God, I encourage you to check out Bethel Music’s album Victory which carries the song. You can check out the album by clicking here.

Goodness of God is more than just a great Christian praise and worship song. It is a very lively reminder about our Heavenly Father’s goodness which cannot be matched by others. All the more reason to stay faithful to Him!

Remember, you don’t really need religion and unbelief. You need faith in the Lord and once that has been established (by repenting, submitting to Him and becoming born again), His goodness will manifest in your life.

Carlo Carrasco’s Movie Review: Write About Love

January 1, 2020December 31, 2019carlocarrasco

Write About Love is the first new Metro Manila Film Festival movie I saw in the theater in many years and I should say it was surprisingly good.

Here’s my review of Write About Love directed by Crisanto Aquino and released by TBA Studios.

Early story

The story begins when a lady (Miles Ocampo) succeeded in selling her story to executives of a movie studio. A short time later, the executives found her story looking “too mainstream” and was very similar to that of another movie. This results an order on revising the story and she has to do the rewriting assignment with the involvement of a seasoned indie screenwriter (Rocco Nacino). They have only thirty days to revise and improve the script and the state of the film project was at stake.

Together the screenwriters work and discuss in detail how to establish the situations, how to develop each character through trials and emotional rides, what to do to make the story deeper and the like.

As the film’s narrative and the screenwriters work on, the respective lives of the in-story characters transpire.

Quality

To put things in perspective, Write About Love is a character-driven movie about screenwriters who are challenged to craft a much-improved screenplay for the movie studio while dealing with matters of their respective lives. Miles Ocampo is clearly the protagonist of the film and through her, you will relate with the pressure of work she goes through, the creative challenges of writing stories (and developing the characters), and the fractured parts of her personal life (hint: she lives with her mother but maintains contact with her father). When it comes to acting, Ocampo delivered the emotions needed in each scene that required heavy drama. You will see her cry a lot and you’ll even feel her pain.

Her co-star Rocco Nacino (the other screenwriter) has comparable screen time as hers but with much less dramatic scenes. Nacino does excel, however, with the more creative side of screen writing.

What really stood out with the dramatic performances are the supporting players Yeng Constantino and Joem Bascon as the screenplay characters of Joyce and Marco. Joyce and Marco are lovers living-in together but their relationship got hampered by their respective careers. Joyce is a musician and Marco is a corporate executive. When things get rough between them, crying scenes happen along with convincing moments of depression. Constantino herself stands out as her in-depth talent in singing blends nicely with the dramatics of her character.

Constantino and Bascon are not the only supporting players in the film. There was also Romnick Sarmienta (himself a star in many romantic comedies in the 1980s) and Che Ramos, and each contributed nicely into the film.

When it comes to storytelling and visual presentation, Write About Love was very nicely done. The story moved at a steady pace and there was a good amount of interesting dialogue. In my experience, nothing felt padded. Even the slowest scenes did not bore me. The drama was heavy and there were several moments of clever humor executed.

I also really enjoyed the filmmakers’ smart of use of visuals in which screenplay scenes showing the lives of Joyce and Marco happening while the screenwriters appear near them as if they are watching (actually they were imagining and structuring the scenes which were part of their work for the movie studio). The shots of Joyce and Marco interacting were in full color while the shots showing the screenwriters had desaturated colors.

While it was clear that the filmmakers got great performances from the actors, this movie should be recommended for some very memorable cinematography that took place in the 2^nd half. I’m talking about the location shots of North Luzon locations like Baguio City and Sagada. The most visually striking scene was the sunrise scene and if you ever see it, do your best to feast your eyes on it.

Conclusion

Write About Love is a pretty good film to watch and definitely it is one of the better movies released here in the Philippines for the past decade. It does not have an epic concept but rather a small and simple concept that was nicely executed with fine cinematic artistry. The performances are very good (without going into over-acting), the characters are worth caring and following, and the film offers a very unique look at what goes on behind the scenes in the local movie industry.

Also the theme about love is nicely expressed through the trials and emotions of the characters. In relation to its title, this movie shows that writing about love will never be easy because love itself is complicated and unpredictable. In short, realizing the true meaning of love is an everlasting struggle.

Overall, Write About Love is recommended.

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