Navo and Burgos the Fastest in 2nd MediCard Sprint Triathlon
Teenagers Richard Anson Navo and Erika Nicole Burgos led all competitors in their respective categories during 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri held this past Sunday at Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga.
Navo registered the fastest time in the 600-meter swim – 20 Kilometer bike – 5 Km run event with 1 hour, 8 minutes and 46 seconds earning himself the Male 15-17 title. Next to him were two of his fellow age-group competitors Adrian Thomas Dionisio and Lorenzo Joaquin Solda with 1:09:46 and 1:10:45 respectively.
Among the ladies in the event supported by MediCard Philippines, Standard Insurance, Klean Athlete Nutritional Supplements, Smart, official timing partner Garmin, hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns Philippines, hotels Fontana and Royce Hotel & Casino, Erika Nicole Burgos was unbeatable in the Female 15-17 category with 1:24:26. Following Burgos was 18-24 champion Franchesca Ezzabella Joves with 1:26:49 and 25-29 champion Kath Lagusnad with 1:27:44.
“Today’s triathlon was pretty good as several participants, including people I personally know, became triathletes for the first time. Aside from seeing the participants enjoy the race to stay healthy, it was inspiring also to see participants aged fifty and older finish the race with strong determination,” said MediCard President Dr. Nicky S. Montoya.
Among the highlights of the race was the successful finish of 78-year-old 1st-timer Ruben Del Rosario who was greeted by his family and grandchildren near the finish line.
Atty. Ruben Del Rosario completed his first-ever triathlon at age 78.
“It was challenging but I kept persevering as I focused on completing this event which was my main goal. This is an achievement that I will always treasure. I am very inspired right now,” said Del Rosario who works as a lawyer.
A joint project of Bike King and MediCard Philippines, the 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri was the race organizer’s closing event of 2019. Details about scheduled 2020 sports events of Bike King are available for viewing at their website.
Bike King and MediCard Philippines.
Press release issued on behalf of Bike King Philippines and MediCard Philippines.
Hey everyone! If you are looking for a new destination for your Christmas shopping or shopping for your needs, then be informed that there will be a Christmas bazaar inside Alabang Hills Village in Muntinlupa City that will start from November 29 up to December 1, 2019.
According to an Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) official, the bazaar (formally titled Baratilo & Bingo sa Pasko) will be held at the two covered basketball courts and at a portion of the grass near the old village clubhouse. The schedule of the organizing of the bazaar will be from 9AM to 9PM on each of the three days.
More notably, the AHVA revealed to me that there will be a lot of sellers. As of today, confirmed are 72 sellers of dry goods, 32 sellers of food and beverages, and 29 ukay (used items) sellers. Expect to see a big mix of products like clothes, shoes, bags, household items, appliances and the like. As written on the bazaar’s title, there will also be bingo games held although the precise venue and other key details are not yet available as of this writing.
As with the past bazaars and special events held in the village, non-residents are welcome to visit and shop in the bazaar. Naturally, non-residents who are bringing vehicles that do not have Alabang Hills stickers are required to leave their ID cards at the village gate in order to enter.
For more information, contact the AHVA by calling landline 8850-8254 and 8850-9631.
I will just say it straight and clearly – the Terminator film franchise is truly unnecessary today and, having seen its debut in the year 1984 (written and directed by a very young James Cameron), I should say that the saga really ended with 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron’s masterpiece).
Ultimately, I left the cinema disappointed yet again although the experience was not as bad as that of 2015 (with Genisys).
Clearly, the filmmakers took inspiration from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and mix the more established film franchise stars (in supporting roles) with the younger actors.
To put it short, Terminator: Dark Fate took creative inspiration from 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This means it was made with recycled concepts, told the story through its new characters (played by actors who are much younger and who are supposed to appeal to younger viewers) and back them up with the old, more iconic actors (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton) limited to supporting roles. When it comes to presentation, this new movie felt more like a roller coaster ride than an actual story laced with spectacle stage-by-stage.
That is pretty much how Terminator: Dark Fate turned out. It does not matter that this was directed by Tim Miller, the guy behind 2016’s Deadpool. It does not matter that the great James Cameron got involved with producing and story credit (he shared with a few other names). It does not matter that this movie was made with a large budget of $185 million and relied heavily on computers to generate the visuals (which look fake most of the time). Whatever the preparations made, they did not matter at all because Terminator: Dark Fate is a rushed and creative disappointment that does not deserve your time nor your money.
The movie opened with archived footage of Sarah Connor expressing the darkness of the future coming. This was immediately followed by a scene set in 1998 showing Sarah and her son John living in an age in which Judgment Day did NOT occur on August 29, 1997. Suddenly another Terminator T-800 Model 101 (another Schwarzenegger-type Terminator) appears and actually kills John Connor leaving Sarah in turmoil.
This is the protector sent through time by the human resistance.
John Connor, who has been a central story element in the 1984 and 1991 (memorably played by Edward Furlong) movies as he was destined to be the human resistance leader in the war with Skynet, was eliminated so quickly in the opening of this new movie very similar to how the character of Dwayne Hicks (played by Michael Biehn in the James Cameron-directed Aliens) got killed in a very dismissive way in the beginning of Alien 3. This move was nothing less than cynical, ill-conceived and even a daring disservice to Terminator fans.
From this point on, Terminator: Dark Fate turns into a “what if John Connor was dead and a new future war followed?” type of story.
Even though Judgment Day got prevented in relation to what Sarah and John achieved in Terminator 2, a new war between man and machines in the far future still occurs only this time Skynet is no more and the new enemy artificial intelligence (AI) this time is called Legion. This new story concept, by the way, is pretty insulting to any fan who loved the first two films directed by James Cameron as those flicks told a complete saga.
This is the new, future leader of the human resistance.
And then the plot of The Terminator got recycled. A human fighter is sent back through time to protect a person who is destined to become the leader of the human resistance. Also sent back through time is a Terminator designed to look human and infiltrate society with a mission to kill the future human resistance leader. This is essentially what Terminator: Dark Fate truly is and even though Sarah Connor returned (plus another Terminator T-800 played by Schwarzenegger), there really is nothing new, nothing fresh and nothing worth enjoying.
When it comes to quality, this movie does not have much standing for it. The new characters are not engaging at all and their respective performers really had nowhere to go to engage moviegoers. Mackenzie Davis playing the new combat-ready protector only served to beef the film with action and there is nothing compelling about her act, nor did the script provide anything to make her androgynous character memorable. The new human resistance leader played by Natalia Reyes is forgettable and unbelievable even though she tried hard being dramatic. Compared with Sarah Connor in 1984’s The Terminator, the chosen one Dani Ramos in the film was transformed from a struggling, working-class person into a brave fighter in a very rushed and unconvincing manner. Also, if you take a close look at Natalia Reyes, she is too short to be a figure of authority, too small to use weapons and her act is clearly sub-par in terms of quality making her big misfire in terms of casting. The performance, script and directing really had no depth when it comes to developing the characters.
The new Terminator (Rev-9) played by Gabriel Luna was nothing more than an uninspired attempt to outdo the T-1000 of Terminator 2. Luna was decent with playing cold and emotionless but when he acts human to infiltrate human society, he’s just generic at best.
This is the new cinematic villain that won’t stop to kill the future leader of the human resistance. Oh, the computer-generated visuals are often fake to look at.
As for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton returning, it is sad for me to say that these two iconic performers of the film franchise got wasted. Sarah Connor in this movie was poorly written and this modern version ruins the legacy the character had since 1991. Schwarzenegger meanwhile played another T-800 Terminator whose adjustment into human society turned out to be unconvincing, even outlandish. A Terminator adjusting into domestic human life? Totally unbelievable!
If there is anything to admire in this ill-conceived movie, it is Schwarzenegger’s delivery of his lines as the Terminator. He was over 70-years-old at the time of filming and he no longer has the super fit, muscular build he was famous for but he still proved to be excellent in being robotic with the dialogue. Sadly, this good stuff from the ex-governor of California was not enough to save this movie from its dark fate.
The film has a lot of action and there is a notable variety of it here. Even though action-packed and the action quality is an improvement over Terminator 3, Salvation and Genisys, Terminator: Dark Fate is ultimately a ride that can only provide temporary relief from the pain of the weak script. Oh, the use of fake-looking CGI hurts the action and stunts
Conclusion
Let this be the LAST Terminator movie and let it fade away. How? By NOT spending your precious time and money on it.
Terminator: Dark Fate clearly failed to be a solid film and definitely it is NOT worthy of being the official follow-up (the “real Terminator 3”) to the first two films written and directed by James Cameron. Cameron’s involvement with this movie did not really improve the situation of the deteriorating Terminator film franchise and even worse, this big disappointment taints his record of excellence as a producer. Director Tim Miller, in my opinion, should go back to superhero film making or try directing a brand new project of science fiction that does not involve an established intellectual property.
Bottom line – Terminator: Dark Fate is absolutely not recommended. You definitely should NOT spend your money on this movie (the cinema, future release on streaming services, Blu-ray, DVD, etc.). The movie is also woke garbage and the product of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).
If you want to experience the cinematic greatness of the Terminator film franchise, go back to watching The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day instead.
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 candidates during the late stage of the Mutya ng BF Homes.
About a month ago, the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) and its personnel pulled off something pleasurable which its constituents enjoyed. I’m talking about their beauty pageant called Mutya ng BF Homes.
Held on the evening of October 19 at the Phase 1 gym along Pilar Banzon street, BF Homes subdivision, Parañaque City, the Mutya ng BF Homes was, in my view, nicely organized and it had a touch of class. Organizing aside, the decorations were eye-catching and the lighting system was of high standard. The BFSK headed by chairperson Mariel Angela Tumang accompanied by SK Kagawads Alma Galindo, Roselyn Regis, Jerry Dalmero, Kelly Haboc, Irene Juanico, Anne Gabrielle Corre and Stephanie Sebullen plus SK secretary Darrenz Fabros and SK treasurer Jefferson Ching.
The Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) kagawads and their chairperson on stage.
The pageant showcased sixteen candidates composed mainly of ladies from the developing communities and a few from private subdivisions of BF Homes. Previously I wrote about the screening of candidates which was held at Barangay BF Homes hall along Elsie Gatches street (and NOT in the Barangay BF gym which a certain BF Homes community print media publication claimed in its pretentious and unprofessional front page story) which I personally attended (check out the videos of the screening I posted on my official FB page plus the pictures in my article) From the screening to the pageant itself, I can say the BFSK is dedicated to realizing its special event.
Who were the winners? Declared as Mutya ng BF Homes 2019 was Charity Dawn Jamon of Target. Other major winners by category were Maria Carla Ret of Masville (Tourism), Samantha Danielle Samooc of Clinicville (Parish), Aira Kate Kawit of J. Estrada 1 (1st Princess) and Blessed Joy Catugda of Governor Santos (2nd Princess).
On the other categories, declared as Best in Swimwear and in Casual Wear was Jamon of Target, while Best in Production Number, Evening Gown and Sunduan went to Samooc of Clinicville. The winners received varied prizes from the sponsors as well as honors related to their respective titles.
Nothing like being called as the award winner.
Charity Dawn Jamon won the Best in Swimwear award and posed with the BFSK.
Apart from the showcase of the candidates per category through the night, the BFSK itself performed a few times on stage to the delight of the many spectators who cheered a lot. Along the way, SK Kagawad Alma Galindo sang to the delight of the audience. She proved that she is as talented as she is pretty.
More on the audience, there were a lot of youth present and they enjoyed the event. There were also guest appearances by City Councilors Binky Favis and Tess de Asis (who on stage confirmed she participated in beauty pageants during her youth), Barangay Kagawad Cielo Lazatin with husband Alfred (former Barangay Kagawad) and more.
The candidates on stage.
Ultimately, the successful organizing of the Mutya ng BF Homes proved that the BFSK can deliver a fun-filled event apart from engaging a large number of community youth with seminars, sports-related events and other activities. The BFSK is clearly moving forward with its independence from Barangay BF Homes. Also I encourage the private sector stakeholders reading this (note: watch your back for those sleazy, unethical and irresponsible local community print media practitioners who ripped off my South Metro Manila articles and used key details for their publishing without my consent. They think they can fool you into advertising with them) to take a close look at the BFSK for possible sponsorship of their upcoming events and activities.
The year is not yet over but I personally congratulate chairwoman Mariel Tumang and the kagawads and officers of the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan for what they achieved since they took office in mid-2018. The SK system of the Philippines, as we know it, is modernizing a lot since it was reformed and its results are being realized in the BF Homes community.
Watch out for what the BFSK can pull off in twenty-twenty.
Plastics Collection Drive at Minbduilders Preschool Nets 88 Kilograms Worth of Materials
Mindbuilders Preschool Directress Marah V. Estuesta with her husband Richard and their daughter. (source – Mindbuilders Preschool)
The latest plastics drop-off project (a collection drive) that took place at Mindbuilders Preschool along Tropical Avenue, BF International, Las Piñas City on November 5 and 6 turned out to be another success for the school and its strategic partners Envirotech Waste Recycling, Inc. and Pure Oceans Philippines.
According to Mindbuilders Preschool Directress Marah V. Estuesta, donors this time around dropped off a total of 88 kilograms worth of plastic materials composed of plastic bottles (the most visible ones I saw during my visit), candy wrappers, take-out containers, CD and DVD cases, plastic containers of electronic products and the like.
At 88 KG, that’s an improvement of 3.9% over the amount the partners collected from the donors on August 29 and 30. To put things in perspective, 88 KG is over 190 pounds.
All the materials were collected by Pure Ocean Philippines and forwarded them to Envirotech Waste Recycling. Envirotech specializes in upcycling which is the process of making new furniture and items out of old materials (specifically plastic). As shown on local TV, Envirotech has the equipment and processes to upcycle collected plastic material and turn them into brand new plastic chairs and tables. The conversion processes generate a very minimal amount of fumes and below the limit set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
More plastic materials were collected from donors this time.
You must be wondering if I myself donated any plastic in this latest project. Yes I did! I donated even more plastic materials than the previous time. I do care about the environment and I also saw the opportunity to get rid of plastic materials from our household.
If you intend to get rid of all excessive plastic materials of your household or your business establishment (or your church), then mark your calendar for the next plastics drop-off project at Mindbuilders Preschool scheduled for February 6 and 7, 2020. Knowing that, you better start preparing for it if you intend to reduce plastic materials at your place.
For more information, call Mindbuilders Preschool at 0927-2062506 or their landline at 88257419. Visit their official FB page by clicking here.
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To others reading this, if you are dissatisfied with print media and you want your community/organization/business to be featured on this website, please contact me locally via mobile number 0905-3350831 or via email at Carlo.Carrasco@gmail.com
We can negotiate, work together and be achievers together.
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
This past October, Barangay BF Homes sent a request to the City Government of Parañaque to review the permits they issued to business establishments operating in their local community that built illegal structures and initiated construction projects along the sidewalks.
Barangay BF Homes chairman Paolo Marquez confirmed this development to me in relation to an October 1, 2019 letter that they received (on October 3) from developer BF Homes, Inc. (BFHI).
In that letter, BFHI Vice President for Production Engr. Fernando Javier told the barangay captain that most business establishments in the local community have built illegal structures along the sidewalks which are intended for public use.
The BFHI executive pointed out that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued on July 29, 2019 a memorandum circular (Number 2019-121) in which President Rodrigo Duterte expressly directed local chief executives to rid the roads and sidewalks of illegal structures and constructions that were being used for private ends.
The memorandum circular, signed by DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Ano, stated:
Relatedly, local chief executives are hereby directed to revoke permits that give authority to private entities to occupy public roads, alleys and other thoroughfares. Prudence must also be observed in placing street signs and signages to avoid exacerbating problems on obstructions. Moreover, local sanggunians are enjoined to revisit ordinances and similar legislative measures to ensure responsiveness to this presidential directive and consistency with related laws and policies.
For strategic implementation of this Circular, all provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), cities and municipalities shall prepare an inventory of all roads within its jurisdiction.
To put things in perspective, varied city governments around the country implemented road clearing operations on roads and sidewalks.
But going into the Barangay BF Homes community, which by the way is huge, BFHI not only urged captain Paolo Marquez to act (the developer will report the matter to the DILG and the Office of the President if no significant results are realized), but they also wrote twice to the Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay BF Homes council) on November 2018 about clearing obstructions along sidewalks. BFHI reminded Marquez that the Barangay BF Homes Council claimed it will refer their demand (note: in response to the November 2018 letters) to the City Legal Office and, so far, the developer has not received any updates from the barangay.
With regards to Barangay BF Homes responding to the October 1, 2019 letter of BFHI, captain Marquez told me that they will see developments first before issuing a response to the developer. So far the barangay has yet to see an official response from the City Government whom they requested to review all permits that were issued to business establishments (including those that built illegal structures on sidewalks). It also remains to be seen if the City Government under mayor Edwin Olivarez will actually revoke the business permits of businesses found guilty of obstruction in accordance to the DILG’s July 29, 2019 memorandum circular.
Back to captain Marquez, he also mentioned that the barangay itself initiated street clearing operations back in August. To conduct clearing operations on Aguirre Avenue (which is a very long road all of which occupies the jurisdiction of Paranaque City), the barangay will have to engage with a private stakeholder first.
To put things in perspective, BF Homes, Inc. NEVER donated the roads and sidewalks to any local government unit (LGU) or homeowners association (HOA) which explains why they have the right to complain about illegal structures on the sidewalks. The BF Homes community, by the way, also stretches into the cities of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa.
Back to the barangay, there recently was a reform of the Parañaque system of processing business permits in which the barangay no longer processes applications for business clearances (clearly, they no longer issue the said clearances) and that business owners who wish to renew permits can go straight to City Hall, specifically at the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO). Under the old system, business owners had to apply for a biz clearance at the barangay and secure it first (because it was a requirement back then) before proceeding to BPLO of the City.
Future updates on this ongoing development concerning the BF Homes community will be posted here once they happen.
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 event was held at a facility along Tropical Avenue in BF International, Las Piñas City. The main focus was on curbing bullying (which victimizes a lot of people of different ages around the world each year), protecting young children from bullies (and preventing them from becoming bullies themselves) and helping people understand what it takes to recover from the many negative effects of bullying.
During that particular day, I managed to watch a short storytelling activity done by Nikka Martinez-Garcia, the wife of local actor Patrick Garcia (Batang PX, Love Me Tomorrow). Among those who attended the storytelling were lots of children (including Southville students), parents and other guests.
Nikka Martinez-Garcia tells a story about being kind and friendly to the kids in attendance. The storytelling was a part of the anti-bullying theme of the 2-day event.
There were also parenting talks and games held.
I have to admire Southville for dedicating two days filled with activities that are meant to help people deal with the social menace of bullying. I myself grew up and got bullied a few times at school during an era in which anti-bullying campaigns were not too common and were not organized in many schools.
Bullying has tremendous negative effects on victims, especially with the psychological side. It is one painful thing to get hit hard physically by the bullies, it is a worse thing to be traumatized deep inside and be scarred mentally.
Several kids with some parents and guardians in attendance.
Bullying is not limited to the physical environment. It can also be digital and there is such a thing as cyber bullying. The sad thing about the advancement of technology and Internet connectivity is that social media makes people more vulnerable to online bullying.
Think about it carefully. Imagine for example you post something on Twitter with the intention to enlighten or inspire others positively. Then suddenly one Twitter user reads it, somehow gets offended and then goes all out against you with insults, angry thoughts and other forms of negative expressions. Even worse, other Twitter users suddenly joined that harsh user on bashing and shaming you without thinking. Believe it or not, there are some people out there who actually enjoy bullying because they somehow found satisfaction by doing it.
Several books were put on sale as part of the 2-day anti-bullying event at Southville.
Bullying, whether physical or digital, is indeed a serious problem to deal with.
Going back to the 2-day event, it was really nice of Southville to organize it. There definitely should be more anti-bullying events held not only in schools but also in commercial places and within the local communities.
I previously published an article about mobbing, which is related to bullying. You can read it by clicking here.
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To others reading this, if you are dissatisfied with print media and you want your community/organization/business to be featured on this website, please contact me locally via mobile number 0905-3350831 or via email at Carlo.Carrasco@gmail.com
We can negotiate, work together and be achievers together.
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
Las Piñas City Provides FREE Initial Parking for Senior Citizens and PWDs (Persons With Disability)
The City Government of Las Piñas announced today that starting December 1, 2019, senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) will be exempted from paying parking fees on the first three hours in all business establishments and offices within the city’s jurisdiction as a result of a new ordinance that was approved.
City Ordinance No. 1623-19, otherwise called the “Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability (PWDs) Free Initial Rate Parking Fee Ordinance of 2019,” as proposed by Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery grants the privilege to the elderly and PWDs who are either driving or on board the vehicle that will park in any commercial or pay parking areas.
“This is one way of providing social services to our senior citizens and PWDs because their welfare is one of our priorities,” Vice Mayor Aguilar-Nery said.
She also acknowledged the cooperation and support of the city’s business establishments in granting the exemption to the senior citizens and PWDs of Las Piñas.
The exemption covers the first three hours of the prescribed parking fee, while the corresponding rate shall be imposed for the succeeding hour. But no charges shall be collected in the case of flat rate policy provided it does not exceed four hours.
Parking booth attendants or cashiers who may be found violating the ordinance shall be meted penalties ranging from P1,000 to P3,000 with 30 days to a maximum of six (6) months imprisonment, depending on the discretion of the court.
Mayor Imelda Aguilar welcomed the passing of the ordinance by the City Council. She said that “the ordinance will contribute to the Tuloy-tuloy na Serbisyo Program of her administration in promoting the welfare of the senior citizens and the PWDs of Las Piñas.
The City of Las Piñas has more than 80,000 registered senior citizens and 15,200 PWDs who are enjoined to avail of the privilege and other benefits as mandated by Republic Act No. 7432, known as the Senior Citizens Act of 1995.
Muntinlupa City is among 2019 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awardees
Today the City Government of Muntinlupa announced that they have been feted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as one of the 2019 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awardees for its excellent delivery of public service. This latest development continues to show why Muntinlupa is a standout city among South Metro Manila’s cities.
DILG Sec. Eduardo Año turns-over the 2019 Seal of Good Local Governance award to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi during an awarding ceremony at Manila Hotel last November 4. SGLG is the DILG’s progressive assessment and reward system that gives LGUs distinction for their remarkable performance across various assessment areas in governance. Also attending the program were Muntinlupa City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela and DILG Muntinlupa Field Office chief Bernadette Ferino. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
The prestigious SGLG award was received by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi from DILG Sec. Eduardo Año during the awarding ceremony held at the Manila Hotel yesterday. With the mayor were City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela and DILG Muntinlupa Field Office chief Bernadette Ferino.
Despite having a more stringent assessment criteria for the award, the City of Muntinlupa has passed “all-in” seven assessment areas in governance namely: Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Protection; and Tourism Culture and the Arts.
To put things in perspective, Muntinlupa City was among the three hundred and eighty local government units (LGU) in the country conferred with the coveted award in governance. In the National Capital Region or NCR, only eight LGUs received this year’s Seal including the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Navotas, Pasay, Quezon City, and San Juan.
Fresnedi thanked the DILG for its recognition of Muntinlupa’s commitment in improving local administration and service delivery for Muntinlupeños.
“We are honored to receive this award as it validates our efforts towards local governance reforms and development. This recognition is an outcome of the collective efforts of dedicated city officials and employees who tirelessly worked in facilitating a transparent, caring, and accountable government for the people,” the mayor said.
As an incentive, 2019 SGLG recipients are set to receive Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to finance local development projects and capacity development assistance from the DILG.
To be clear, SGLG is the DILG’s progressive assessment and reward system that gives LGUs distinction for their remarkable performance across various pillars. This year’s award is the second SGLG award conferred to Muntinlupa City after receiving the same recognition in 2015.
Furthermore, Muntinlupa City was also awarded with three major awards from the Department of Health (DOH) last November 4 at the Metro Manila Center for Health Development’s “Gabi ng Parangal” held in Crowne Plaza Manila.
The DOH conferred the City Government with Best in Rabies Prevention and Control Program, Best in National Voluntary Blood Services Program, and Plaque of Appreciation for the implementation of the Universal Health Care.
More about the NCR city governments and the DILG’s organizing of the 2019 Seal of Good Local Governance awards, I reached out to my contacts at the City Government of Parañaque and asked what was their reaction about their city NOT receiving the prestigious SGLG award. They did not reply at all today.
I guess it’s more comfortable for them to remain silent than answering tough questions about competition with other city governments. Now I’ve got to check with one other South Metro Manila city regarding the SGLG awards.
Way back in 1994, Warner Bros. released the action movie On Deadly Ground which marked the directorial debut of its star Steven Seagal. The movie had a poster that easily attracted the attention of avid Steven Seagal fans and eventually the film lured quite a lot of moviegoers to the cinemas.
Even though it had a boring design, this image at cinemas excited Steven Seagal fans and moviegoers craving for action.
I never saw it in the cinemas due to a lack of time and money. Instead I saw On Deadly Ground on VHS format (and later on cable TV) in the comfort of home. That comfort however turned into disappointment after watching it.
For starters it’s a Steven Seagal movie which guarantees lots of hard-hitting action with lots of swearing. What makes it feel unique was its focus of the environment and its very forced concept about a very greedy top executive of an oil company is creating danger towards the environment as his team rushes to complete an oil rig called Aegis One in Alaska.
The execution of the movie, to say the least, is rather poor. Just about every character in the movie is one-dimensional. When it comes to action, it is typical (and very predictable) Seagal as the star gets to fight lots of bad guys without ever being hurt by them! Ironically Seagal in the film expresses pain over the treatment of his wounds.
Star-director Steven Seagal and the film crew working on an action sequence.
And then there is the emphasis on the environment. The movie narrowly portrays the fictional oil company as the force of danger to nature and threat to indigenous people of Alaska because it is led by Michael Jennings (played by Michael Caine) who is too greedy and desperate to beat a deadline and prevent the oil rights from reverting back to native Alaskans.
That’s right! Jenning’s Aegis had the oil rights for twenty years and all they could do is try to launch an oil refinery so near the end of the time period. Does it really take that long to construct an oil rig? What exactly did Jennings do during those twenty years? I mean, he acquired the oil rights from the natives and I could speculate he did not prioritize the construction of any oil-related business project using those same rights. Perhaps Jennings spent years touring the world, suddenly was advised that his corporation has financial trouble and only then did he go to work to make oil rig.
More on the environment, Steven Seagal plays Forrest Taft who initially serves Jennings. He eventually checks the computers of the company to find out that faulty equipment has been used and the delivery of better and more reliable equipment is coming in way too late. Taft even asked Jennings (who eventually learned about Taft’s unauthorized computer access) how much money is enough and this predictably leads to a scene in which Taft gets set up to die in an explosion.
Michael Caine and Steven Seagal.
Unfortunately for Jennings and the other bad guys, Taft survived and got assistance from native Alaskans. Very predictably, he makes a comeback, collects weapons, performed a few destructive operations before proceeding to Aegis Oil’s rig to cause further destruction and kill bad guys!
Then the film ends with Taft giving a speech at the Alaska State Capitol focused on uncontrolled pollution, environmental destruction and big businesses’ contribution to environmental decline.
Chinese actress Joan Chen pretending to be a native tribe member.
It’s funny how Taft got to deliver his speech. He was not arrested for causing the oil rig’s devastation nor was held accountable for killing other people. Where were the local authorities who could have initiated an investigation? Even without Michael Jennings, the oil company could have gone to the local authorities or the federal government to accuse Forrest Taft for murder and even acts of terrorism! Also where in the world are those staunch, loudmouth environmental activists, SJWs and climate change activists? The damage caused by Taft on the oil rig clearly caused damage to the natural environment with those toxic fumes from the explosions! Logic was clearly thrown out for the sake of senseless violence.
When it comes to performances, this movie is a showcase of shallow acting and cinematic expressions. Not only are the characters one-dimensional and the script really had no character development, the actors really had no where to go as far as acting is concerned. Chinese actress Joan Chen plays Masu who only serves as the English-speaking expository dialogue delivery person to help the audience understand the norms and concerns of a native tribe. Shari Shattuck (who is an author and has her own Facebook page) played the pretty, bland and straight-forward special assistant to Michael Jennings. R. Lee Ermey, who is best known for playing military officers, plays the leader of a group of mercenaries who got defeated too easily by Seagal.
In terms of directing and overall presentation, this movie is clearly nothing more than a vanity project of Steven Seagal. There were many moments in the film that looked like it suggested viewers to worship and idolize Seagal. The pacing of the film is very lackluster overall.
Poorly directed scenes? One of them is the excessively violent torture scene of Hugh Palmer (played by a then 73-year-old Richard Hamilton) which showed no restraint on the part of filmmakers. The scene, which was clearly designed to make moviegoers see the evil of Michael Jennings through the acts of his henchmen, would have worked better had the on-screen torture been reduced and shortened.
More on the movie’s violence, the scene showing Forrest Taft easily beating up multiple oil workers in response to the mistreatment towards a native man was unnecessary and overly long. Taft looked more like a senseless superhero who does not care about humanity and laws. And then there was that hand-slap game between him and “the man’s man” Big Mike (Mike Starr). The presentation of violence and bloodily injuring a man as means of enlightenment is senseless.
Ultimately On Deadly Ground is a worthless action to film to watch and I believe only die-hard Steven Seagal fans will love it. It was a very bad movie back in 1994, it’s even worse by today’s standards. On Deadly Ground is filled with bad ideas turned into film. A pro-environment concept presented as a senseless action film is a big waste. And then there is the old stereotype that a giant corporation’s head is unabashedly evil, inhuman and greedy (note: not all corporate heads of billion-dollar corporations are like that).
As such, I should say that you should never waste your time nor your money on this piece of crap.
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Note: This retro movie review was originally published at my old blog Geeks and Villagers. What you just read was the updated and expanded version. As such, this retro movie review is the most definitive version.
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