Tag: BF Homes

By accepting Lord Jesus, the youth will be protected from suicide

By accepting Lord Jesus, the youth will be protected from suicide

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Suicide is defined as the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally (source – Merriam Webster Dictionary). For so long has suicide affected societies worldwide and left a lot of families very hurt.

If the World Health Organization (WHO) is to be believed, roughly eight hundred thousand people die worldwide due to suicide every year.

What is disturbing in the survey of the WHO on the said topic is that the age-group of 15-29 years saw suicide as the 2nd leading cause of deaths in 2016. To break down the 2016 statistics, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for people aged 15-29 among both genders and the females. Among the males, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death.

While varied organizations and researchers have their own definition of the age group for youth, the Jesus Global Youth Day organizers defined it verbally as below the age of thirty, which I personally witnessed during the 2019 Jesus Global Youth Day held here in the Philippines. As such, the 15-29 age group would be counted as youth at least in this article.

Back to the topic at hand, the menace of suicide affecting youth right down to the local level of Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City made its presence felt when I interviewed Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairwoman Mariel Tumang twice in 2019.

During the first interview (published here), she told me that suicide among the youth in the local community was present not just in the form of committed suicide (confirmed death) but also in the form of thoughts (suicidal thoughts or suicidal thinking) inside the minds of young people.

Then, months later, in another interview Tumang confirmed to me that a tragedy happened when a 21-year-old man living in the depressed community of Masville hanged himself to death because he broke up with his girlfriend (click here). The victim was a loss not only to his family, his friends and the neighborhood, but also for the economy (note: he was already working in the private sector). Tumang stated that their definition of youth is 15 to 30-years-old.

Along the way, Tumang and her SK kagawads (Youth Councilors) attended seminars on dealing with suicide through the aspect of psychology and behavior. Whatever topics and skills they learned, they made ways to make their community youth aware of it by holding seminars locally.

The sad trail of youth suicide also goes a long way back in the form of archived news reports. In January 2014, a 16-year-old boy killed himself inside his house in Cebu City because of his failure in school (click here) and his school adviser confirmed to his mother that he would not be going to fourth year high school.

On April 2016, a 15-year-old girl was found dead hanging from a mango tree (click here) in Talisay City, Cebu. According to the archived news report, a suicide note was left behind by the victim (a stay-in student of a school) and she reportedly told one of her superiors she wanted to kill herself and no reason was given. Before the tragedy happened, her superiors at school found it disturbing that she (the victim) was very silent. Included in the news report was a police officer who revealed that the victim lost her father to insurgents while her mother (who was then linked to another man) was later killed in a vehicular accident with her live-in partner.

What cause young people to commit suicide? There are several factors related to society, economics and psychology. Here are the factors I narrowed down.

Failure to deal with fear early in life

Depression

Physical abuse

Loss of purpose

Peer pressure

Gender confusion

Lack of parental guidance or counseling 

Being misled by pop culture or online trends

Internet addiction

Being misled by fake news or distorted news

Getting bullied

Being misled by rumors

Living with negative vibes in his/her local environment (note: in the Philippines, most barangay youth councils have presence in economically depressed communities dubbed as developing communities)

Shame or embarrassment

Being misled by those living with unbelief 

Temptations

Obsession with people, images and things they idolized

Becoming addicted to something dangerous

Being trapped by religious traditions, rituals and other restrictions

Having selfish desires or very high expectations

Lack of focus on the Lord

While taxpayers’ money is being spent by government bodies of different levels to develop the youth and help prevent suicide, I honestly believe that the menace of suicide can be solved more effectively by having the youth realize their true purpose as creations of God. It is by having faith in the Lord that young people can truly become strong, stable and more knowledgeable with their lives. It is by having a personal relationship with the Lord that the youth can truly move forward with. If the youth can be educated to reject all forms of hindrances that prevent them from truly establishing faith in the Lord, they would be better off and youth suicide would be reduced dramatically.

Sadly, government programs for youth development remain insufficient to bring the youth to God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

What I noticed is that the Christian faith and spiritual approach to solving and preventing youth suicide is missing among the key development programs of barangay youth councils.

Ironically in 2019, in the city of Parañaque specifically, there were barangay youth councils that organized their own beauty pageants featuring local homosexuals as candidates which most likely added to the suicide factor of gender confusion. This is sad because not only was taxpayers’ money most likely used to fund such events, it gave the youth the false message that homosexuality is legitimate. In truth, homosexuality is an abomination and certainly Satan loves it when people are fooled into believing that homosexuality is good and accepted as normal in society. Let’s read a holy scripture confirming that homosexuality is wrong and evil.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 (NKJV)

As a whole, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 made clear that people trapped by sin will never make it in God’s kingdom. As such, the youth today still have time and opportunities to turn away from sinful behavior, submit themselves to Lord Jesus for forgiveness, accept Him as their Lord and Savior to start a new life with dedication to live under His holiness. This is the good news that the youth, whether they are still trapped by the darkness of unbelief (read: atheism and secularism) or religion (read: idolatry, wrong theology, traditions and rituals) should know.

To help the youth understand their true purpose in life as God’s creations, they should be taught with the following holy scriptures (apart from teaching them they need to be born again as written in John 3: 3):

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, will all your mind, and with all your strength.

Mark 12: 30 (NKJV)

If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3: 1-2 (NKJV)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 (NKJV)

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Colossians 3: 5-7 (NKJV)

By becoming Christian, the young one can start a new life free from the sins and youthful lusts of the past. As part of getting reformed by Lord Jesus, the new life youth should learn to strongly reject the many form of lust like gratifying sensual cravings (example: losing his or her virginity in exchange for sexual pleasure), desiring the forbidden (example: taking illegal substances), longing for evil (example: bringing down other youth to bring yourself up just to feel good and proud), and engaging in experiences that are contrary to God’s will. These are emphasized in the holy scripture below.

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2: 22 (NKJV)

The Christian youth living the new life should learn to conduct himself or herself in an exemplary manner. This is expected because once someone gets born again, he/she is under the Lord and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit. Because really, under the watch and care of God, age does not matter and this also means being youthful as a Christian is NOT a disadvantage. It also does not matter if people will find Christians a peculiar people because this is expected. Learn from the next holy scriptures.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4: 12 (NKJV)

The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.

Psalm 118: 18 (NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special peope, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2: 9-10 (NKJV)

Conclusion

I believe that involving Lord Jesus in the lives of the youth will spare them from suicide and all other factors that lead to self-destruction. I honestly believe that no amount of taxpayers’ money spent and no sophisticated government program can be more effective on preventing youth suicide (and suicide in general) than emphasizing faith in the Lord, believing in His Word (with the Holy Bible as the main reference) and applying biblical lessons in life.

Please take note that the dreaded presence of secularism is still in the minds of many government officials (note: there is a so-called separation of church and state in the 1987 Constitution).

If the youth realize their true purpose as creations of God, then it would be great not only for the local community but also the whole world. An enlightened youth, as children of God, definitely would not even think about suicide nor give the devil any room into their lives. The youth should realize how essential it is for them to study the Word of God (the Holy Bible) and prioritize it as their ultimate authority among all reading materials. With the Lord on the youth’s side, the menace of suicide and Satan can be defeated and the youth can grow in holiness as they grow into adulthood. Christianity, not feelings or earthly matters, should be embedded into the minds and hearts of the youth. Because really, everybody needs Lord Jesus and the youth need Him. With more youth believing and trusting in Jesus, cases of youth suicide will be much smaller!

As such, I highly recommend that Christian teaching (complete with studying the Holy Bible) should be included more in youth development programs and suicide prevention programs of youth councils. The youth who are spiritually unsaved must be taught the truth that they need Lord Jesus and have faith (not religion) in Him.

At this point, I’d like to reach out to the unsaved youth reading this…if you seek salvation and are ready to submit yourselves to the Lord, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:

Dear God,

I believe that Jesus is Your Son, and that He died on the cross to pay the penalty of my sins. I believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead and that He is alive! Right now, I call on the name of Jesus. Jesus, come into my heart. I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me by the power of Your blood. Thank You for saving me and giving me eternal life! Help me now to follow Your plan for my life. Amen.

Congratulations! You are now a child of God! Praise the Lord and always be faithful to Him! No more darkness in your life caused by unbelief or religion (and the idolatry, traditions and rituals that come with it). Your new life under the Lord has truly begun!

From this point on, acquire for yourself a copy of the Holy Bible (New King James Version is recommended), study it and apply its many lessons in your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a church of born again Christians near you and find your place in the spiritual family. Worship the Lord together with them and remember that each of you has a personal relationship with Him. That personal relationship with God is strictly off-limits to everyone, even to your family.

The Holy Spirit is in you and you are now a new creation! You are a youthful Christian right now, and you can keep growing spiritually for the rest of your life. Remember that God loves you and He is definitely happy over your conversion.

As a new and young Christian with the Holy Spirit in your heart, never allow yourself to get involved in youth movements that involve unbelief, religion, idolatry, traditions and rituals because those are not holy. The only youth you need to get involved with are your fellow Christians (those who got born again like you), and the only reference of authority you need is the Holy Bible. Once you get involved in a new Christian church, you can always ask the pastor if they have a youth ministry you can join in.

Remember to overcome fear, never let your feelings (and the feelings of others) weaken your faith in the Lord and now that you have been born again, your sins have been forgiven and your past is way behind you. As a Christian, you must always be fearless and aggressive for you are now part of the Body of Christ (the church). We Christians are the church of Lord Jesus!

In ending this piece, feel free to enjoy these Christian praise-and-worship YouTube videos plus a few ones featuring the model Christian youth herself, Sadie Robertson! Hallelujah!!!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved souls out there.

If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City expands the scope of personal information disclosure of COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City expands the scope of personal information disclosure of COVID-19 cases

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City expands the scope of personal information disclosure of COVID-19 cases

The City Government of Muntinlupa has expanded the scope of personal information disclosure for patients who tested positive of COVID-19 as a mitigation measure to prevent the further spread of the virus in the city.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed into law Ordinance 2020-094, amending the COVID-19 Public Health Information Ordinance, which provided a new list of personal information to be gathered from COVID-19 patients.

Under the local ordinance, the City Government requires COVID-19 patients to provide their complete address which include name of purok and subdivision, name of their building in case residents living in condominiums, travel history, frequented locations, time of manifestations of symptoms, start and end of symptoms, and visited hospitals including private and public places.

Fresnedi urged COVID-19 patients to cooperate with the City Government and disclose accurate details to protect public safety and health.

Information gathered from patients will be used by Muntinlupa City Health Office for contact tracing. It will also enable the city government to advise people of the potential contagion of COVID-19 and issue a warning for residents living in affected areas with high risk of infection to limit their movement.

Confirmed, suspected, and probable cases in the city are encouraged to voluntarily have themselves identified for the purpose of providing the utmost protection from the local government and for the purpose of protecting public safety and public health. The local government shall ensure that they are not directly or indirectly identified by the public.

Muntinlupa City also recently passed the Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020 which aims to penalize dishonest COVID-19 patients who provide wrong personal information to health workers.

The public is advised to truthfully accomplish information data form, declaration or any similar document and disclose relevant information as may be asked by health workers, hospital employees, medical officers, or quarantine officers.

Violators shall be liable to pay a fine amounting to P5,000, community service for 30 days, and up to nine months of imprisonment. In case of inability to pay the fine, the offender shall be required to render an additional 30 days of community service or subsidiary imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

As of April 26, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 132 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 19 deaths and 22 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 18 “suspect” cases and 472 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council approves resolution protesting the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to Bilibid Prison

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council approves resolution protesting the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to Bilibid Prison

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council approves resolution protesting the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to Bilibid Prison

This past Thursday, the Muntinlupa City Council passed a resolution to express their protest and opposition to the transfer of 18 women PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) who tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.

The City Council supports Mayor Jaime Fresnedi’s position against the transfer of the infected PDLs to Muntinlupa last April 21. Fresnedi denounced the transfer and said it was done without prior coordination with the local government.

The resolution stressed that such transfer cannot be done without prior consultation with the City Government and the people and villages living or residing near and surrounding the Medium Security Compound, Camp Sampaguita and without the prior approval of the Sanggunian.

Further, it cited the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandates all national agencies and offices to conduct periodic consultations with appropriate local government units, non-governmental and people’s organizations, and other concerned sectors of the community before any project or program is implemented in their respective jurisdictions.

According to the LGC 1991 Section 27, “no project or program shall be implemented by government authorities unless the consultations mentioned in Sections 2(c) and 26 hereof are complied with, and prior approval of the sanggunian concerned is obtained.”

The City Council pointed out that the transfer also compromises the safety and health of NBP prisoners as it involves a highly contagious and infectious virus that has affected and continues to affect the health and safety of our constituents in particular and the people of Metro Manila which is the most affected region in terms of number of infected persons.

Following the passing of the resolution, the Committee on Health and Sanitation is set to conduct a public hearing and invite officials from the Bureau of Corrections and all other sectors concerned, including residents of nearby communities in Katarungan Village and Southville 3, to discuss the said transfer.

Meanwhile, Congressman Ruffy Biazon sent a letter on April 22 to National Action Plan on COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. recommending the transfer of the COVID-19 PDLs to a more secure facility that has the capability to handle these cases pending the evaluation of the isolation facility at the NBP.

Mayor Fresnedi has yet to consult with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases appealing the relocation of COVID-19 PDLs back to Mandaluyong or a medical facility.

As of April 23, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 129 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 18 deaths and 19 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 16 “suspect” cases and 392 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of COVID-19 cases

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of COVID-19 cases

In a bid to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in Muntinlupa, the City Government is considering to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of confirmed, suspect, and probable cases of COVID-19.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government will begin implementing stricter measures following the sustained rise of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. He said that the measure aims to prevent the movement of suspected carriers and curb the spread of the virus in the communities.

“It has become evident that curfew hours are not effective deterrent for the public to stay at home. I have instructed barangay chairmen to coordinate with PNP Muntinlupa to look into imposing pocket lockdown in their respective areas. Upon their assessment, they can implement tougher quarantine measures to reduce the risks of transmission in their barangays,” Fresnedi noted.

The mayor urged city residents to refrain from going out unless necessary and follow protocols provided by the local and national government.

Brgy. Poblacion Capt. Allen Ampaya announced on Wednesday that a modified lockdown will be in effect in their barangay starting April 23. Residents residing in Poblacion are only allowed to buy essential goods from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN.

Ampaya noted that residents who tested positive for COVID-19, probable, and suspect cases, including their families, are prohibited from leaving their houses. He added that food assistance and other supplies will be provided by the barangay government to affected residents.

The barangay captain warned violators that they will be apprehended and filed with a case by members of barangay police and PNP Muntinlupa.

Under a new directive from the City Government, flea markets (talipapa) in the city now operates from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN. While Muntinlupa City Public Market in Alabang and other supermarkets in the city operates from 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Muntinlupa City has recently enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.

As of April 22, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 129 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 18 deaths and 19 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 21 “suspect” cases and 331 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.

While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 313 cleared “suspect” cases and 28 cleared “probable” cases.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government protests the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to New Bilibid Prison

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government protests the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to New Bilibid Prison

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government protests the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to New Bilibid Prison

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi is denouncing and protesting the transfer of 18 Persons Deprived of Liberty from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City who tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to the New Bilibid Prison located in Muntinlupa City.

Fresnedi expressed his disappointment over the transfer saying that the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) did not inform the City Government when it transferred the prisoners to Muntinlupa on April 21.

“Coordination for the transfer of PDLs who are confirmed COVID-19 cases was not facilitated by BuCor to the local government. We were surprised to know about it from sources outside BuCor. We are all trying to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Muntinlupa and the transfer should not be done as it poses threat to the health of Muntinlupa residents,” the local exec said.

Fresnedi added that the local government has no information as to how the PDLs were transferred and if BuCor has followed protocols on safe patient transport for COVID-19 as provided by the Department of Health.

The Muntinlupa City Council is set to convene for a special session to file a protest opposing the transfer of confirmed COVID-19 PDLs from CIW. Congressman Ruffy Biazon expressed his support for the protest.

The City Government earlier announced that it will start to isolate suspect and probable cases in quarantine centers as a mitigation initiative to prevent sustained transmission in the communities.

A field hospital and isolation rooms have been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to accommodate suspect, probable, and confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the local government is considering to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of confirmed, suspect, and probable cases of COVID-19.

Navarro added that the unique measure aims to prevent the movement of suspected carriers and curb the spread of the virus in the communities.

Muntinlupa City has also enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.

As of April 21, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 126 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 23 “suspect” cases and 236 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

 

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa to start isolating suspect, probable cases in quarantine centers, earns praise for physical distancing measures

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa to start isolating suspect, probable cases in quarantine centers, earns praise for physical distancing measures

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa to start isolating suspect, probable cases in quarantine centers, earns praise for physical distancing measures

In an attempt curb the rise in the number of novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) cases in Muntinlupa City, the City Government is set to isolate suspect and probable cases in quarantine centers following the conduct of localized targeted mass testing.

Muntinlupa City started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing on April 13 and has finished collecting swab samples from 194 persons under investigation (PUI) for processing and testing.

As of April 20, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 121 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 41 “suspect” cases and 189 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government will begin the transfer of suspect and probable cases from their homes to quarantine facilities as a mitigation measure in avoiding further spread of the virus in the communities.

“Suspect and probable cases who are in home quarantine will now be transferred in isolation areas. A more aggressive medical intervention is needed to effectively segregate, for quarantine purposes, the virus-stricken constituents of the city for appropriate medication and containing of the virus,” Fresnedi said.

A field hospital and isolation rooms have been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to accommodate suspect, probable, and confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The City Government has also started to construct a public crematorium facility in Brgy. Putatan in anticipation of the pandemic’s worst-case scenario in the city.

Meanwhile, the city’s rules on physical distancing for market-goers have earned praises from the Palace and was hailed as a best practice in the enhanced community quarantine.

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr. cited Muntinlupa’s measures as one of the best practices when it comes to physical distancing during a televised press briefing on Monday.

“We can see how they practice social distancing in the flea markets, as well as the public markets. They’re very orderly in Muntinlupa,” Roque said.

Muntinlupa City recently implemented a market schedule for residents in different barangays. The city public market in Alabang now operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Mondays for disinfection.

Residents of Barangays Tunasan, Poblacion, Putatan, and Bayanan can go to MCPM on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays while those from Alabang, Ayala Alabang, Cupang, Buli, and Sucat can enter on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. All are required to show their quarantine passes and face masks before they are allowed to enter.

A queuing system has been imposed in the market in which those who are waiting need to fall in line with a distance of at least one meter from one another.

Only fifty individuals are allowed to enter the market to ensure that social distancing is observed. Senior Citizens, pregnant women, persons with disability, and children are not allowed inside the market.

Flea market operators were also ordered to implement a market schedule and set up stricter physical distancing measures as mitigation to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). City flea markets are now operating from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN.

Mayor Fresnedi thanked Malacanang for recognizing Muntinlupa’s initiatives to strictly implement the enhanced community quarantine in the city.

The City Government has also enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

71,000 scholars in Muntinlupa to receive allowances in advance amid COVID-19 crisis

71,000 scholars in Muntinlupa to receive allowances in advance amid COVID-19 crisis

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71,000 scholars in Muntinlupa to receive allowances in advance amid COVID-19 crisis

The City Government of Muntinlupa has started to distribute scholarship allowances in advance in light of the financial impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi approved City Ordinance 2020-087 for the early release of scholarship allowances to 71,000 Muntinlupa scholars covering the period of June to August.

Fresnedi said the City Government recognizes that most of the students under the local scholarship program belong to daily wage earner-parents and the allowance will help their families cope and get through the COVID-19 crisis.

Muntinlupa Scholarship Program piloted the distribution of allowances at Sucat Elementary School – Zone 4 on April 9.

In a Facebook Post, MSP explained that while the early distribution of scholarship allowance has rolled-out, there might be some delays as the government also considers the safety of the beneficiaries in the process.

“The local government hopes to deliver the scholarship allowance to every scholar during this COVID-19 crisis situation, however we also put into consideration the safety of the public as beneficiaries will gather in distribution locations,” it said.

MSP is posting distribution schedules in its Facebook Page to ensure the number of beneficiaries per location adhere to the protocols and guidelines given by the Department of Health and the COVID-19 Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).

The scholarship office advised claimants to strictly abide by the posted schedule (time, date and venue), observe social distancing, and wear masks in the distribution locations.

Parents and guardians of scholars with quarantine passes can claim the allowance. Guidelines in claiming the allowance are posted in MSP’s Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/muntinlupascholarshipprogram.

If they are unable to claim, scholars may still receive their allowance after the quarantine period by filing necessary requirements for re-processing.

Elementary and alternative learning system students in Muntinlupa receive an allowance of P4,000 per year. For junior high school students, the local government provides P5,000, while for senior high school students, P6,000 per year.

Further, State Universities and Colleges students, including beneficiaries of Continuing Assistance for Reintegrating Students Program, can receive a maximum incentive of up to P10,000 per semester depending on their academic performance.

As of April 19, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 117 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. There are 76 “suspect” cases and 147 “probable” cases.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the Our Home Tahanan coffee table book, inquiring with Florencia Umali and doing 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.

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

If you want to discover and study the history of a well-established village such as Tahanan Village in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City, don’t rely on a pretentious, so-called independent local community print media publication. Instead, pursue such information recorded in the official documents or an official publication of the village produced by the villagers.

As many of us here in South Metro Manila are confined into our homes with the ongoing quarantine on communities (which is part of the COVID-19 Crisis), I found time to read the official Tahanan Village coffee table book titled Our Home Tahanan.

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The coffee table book itself.

Published in 2006, Our Home Tahanan is a commemorative publication that emphasizes the past, the present and the future of Tahanan Village which in 2005 celebrated what was back then its 30th Foundation Day. It has a collection of stories and testimonies from the pioneering residents and the later residents who contributed to the development of the Tahanan community in more ways than one. I myself enjoy reading it and examining the photos which clearly showed how much Tahanan Village developed through the decades.

A special project of the 2005 Board of Directors of the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA),  Our Home Tahanan has an extensive look at the history of the village starting even before it was founded in the 1970s. It also offers readers a look at the many organizations that not only organized several in-village activities and events, but also emphasized how lively Tahanan’s community really has been.

Let’s take a look at how Our Home Tahanan was conceptualized and turned into an actual coffee table book.

From concept to a published work

The idea of developing an official coffee table book about Tahanan Village was raised in a meeting that was held on June 10, 2005. The Committee composed of Tess Arriola, Florencia Umali, Corly Vergara, Peter Olivares, Reno and Malou Araneta, Nene Sandico and then THA president Milton Lalisan had a thorough discussion about the elements and topics for a souvenir program in relation to the 30th Foundation Day of the village.

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A group photo of the yearbook committee members. 
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An article and a full page image.

The idea of a coffee table book alone was perceived to be challenging at first and there were expressions of skepticism and incredulity. The mood eventually turned into optimism and determination.

According to then THA president Milton Lalisan, the Committee came to a decision to develop the coffee table book project.

Below is an excerpt with words of Lalisan…

It was agreed that we would develop a really nice, glossy book, semi-hard cover, with lots of colored and black/white pictures. The book should appeal to different types of readers:

+ Residents who have grown with the village, who were here when Tahanan was still on its pioneering stage. 

+ Residents who have built their houses at a later stage but who quickly managed to acclimatize to the environment around them.

+ Sons and daughters of residents who had their childhood in Tahanan Village, some who may now be in their teens, young adulthood or are parents themselves.

+ and those who have personal interests in Tahanan Village, the lot owners who have not built their houses, the prospective homeowners who are considering living in the village.

Afterwards, several forms of preparation followed: writing articles, researching, organizing an in-village photo contest, financing, editing and finally, publishing it.

According to Florencia Umali (now the incumbent president of the Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. or CCTI), she and her fellow members of the Committee worked long and hard to make the project a reality.

“We coordinated with the different clubs and organizations, and the previous Tahanan Board (of Directors),” Umali recalled. “We also coordinated with the first homeowners of Tahanan Village. We also worked on collating their old pictures and memories.”

After much hard work as well as editing done by a local resident, Our Home Tahanan got published.

The history of Tahanan Village and its origin

As mentioned earlier, this coffee table book also has the official history of Tahanan Village and what happened behind the scenes that led to its foundation way back in the 1970s.

Here’s an excerpt from the article Tahanan Village: How It All Began written by Digoy Fernandez.

I guess the Tahanan story really began with the friendship of Dominador “Bandoc” Mercado with both the Rufino and the Campillo families. According to youngest Campillo son Lito, Bandoc had a special way with his father, Sostenes Sr. Bandoc even had a free place to stay in the Campillo managed Shellbourne Hotel located strategically at the Luneta. I remember my group of friends, which included Charlie Rufino, going to watch movies for free in the Rufino theaters, and then dropping by the hotel to meet up with Bandoc and middle Campillo son, Jun, on many an occasion during our high school and college years.

One day, Bandoc approached the Rufino family with a proposition to develop 60 hectares of the Campillo rice farm in Parañaque into a subdivision. At that time, the heirs of the eldest Rufino patriarch, Vicente, wanted to try their hand in horizontal development. Their past experience in real estate was mostly in vertical development. At that time, BF Homes had already started and proved that a housing development beyond the Merville area could be a success. The Rufino family agreed provided that Bandoc take the helm of the management of the project.

Youngest son Charlie and youngest daughter Pixie were assigned to the project and were mentored directly by Bandoc. The latter drew up a joint venture agreement with the Campillo family, and thus, Tahanan Development Corporation had its beginning. The eldest Rufino daughter, Ditas, thought up the name “Tahanan” Village and also the use of flowers to denominate streets.

The definitive book about Tahanan Village

Our Home Tahanan also contains articles about how the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) started, what were the facilities and organizations in the village, how the village’s very own tennis club began, who were the pioneers and notable residents, and more. Special attention was also paid to the THA’s relationship with contracted security agencies as well as the breakthroughs on securing the village that were realized when the association formed their Security Committee.

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A few of the many congratulatory pages.
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Another villager-written article. 

There are also many literary pieces written by village residents who shared their experiences and what living in the village truly is like. Adding depth to these articles are the many, many photographs of the times, the events, and the people involved with the village.

In my experience, Our Home Tahanan is not only a great published work to discover and research about Tahanan Village…it is the definitive published work complete with the contributions and involvement of the villagers.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Special thanks to Augusto Tejada of Tahanan Village.

Muntinlupa City approves Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020, to penalize suspected cases withholding information

Muntinlupa City approves Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020, to penalize suspected cases withholding information

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Muntinlupa City approves Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020, to penalize suspected cases withholding information

The City Government of Muntinlupa warns the public that withholding relevant information and committing dishonesty on medical forms required by health workers will now be penalized.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi approved Ordinance 2020-088 or the “Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020” this past Monday which aims to protect health workers from the risk of contracting COVID-19 due to untruthful declaration of patients.

Under the local ordinance, it shall be unlawful for confirmed COVID-19 infected persons, including suspected and probable cases, to knowingly and deliberately lie, commit dishonesty, and withhold information such as a residential address, travel history, symptoms experienced and medical condition, among others.

The public is advised to truthfully accomplish information data form, declaration or any similar document and disclose relevant information as may be asked by health workers, hospital employees, medical officers, or quarantine officers.

Violators shall be liable to pay a fine amounting to P5,000, community service for 30 days, and up to nine months of imprisonment. In case of inability to pay the fine, the offender shall be required to render an additional 30 days of community service or subsidiary imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao advised persons under investigation to disclose essential information during COVID-19 testing to help the local government in curbing the spread of the virus in the city.

“For PUIs/Suspects who will undergo the testing, we implore that you give the City Health Office your genuine address and contact number. As you provide misleading information, you are wasting valuable time when we do contact tracing,” Tuliao said.

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa City started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing beginning with persons under investigation (PUI). Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERT) and DRRMO personnel transport PUIs to a field testing area located at CHO for the collection of swab samples.

The local government targets to test all PUI this week and has partnered with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for the processing of samples.

As of April 15, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 101 confirmed cases in Muntinlupa with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to CHO, there are 133 “suspect” cases and 55 “probable” cases in the city.

While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 313 cleared “suspect” cases.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Muntinlupa City to implement market schedule, stricter measures on physical distancing

Muntinlupa City to implement market schedule, stricter measures on physical distancing

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Muntinlupa City to implement market schedule, stricter measures on physical distancing

Following the influx of market-goers in recent days, the City Government of Muntinlupa will begin implementing a market schedule and stricter physical distancing measures amid the enhanced community quarantine.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi announced recently that a market schedule will be imposed per district to lessen the flow of people coming to public markets.

“A market schedule will be implemented starting April 16 and stricter measures on physical distancing will be enforced in our local market. Our residents can go to the market three times a week from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM depending on the schedule of their respective barangays,” Fresnedi said.

District 1 residents from Barangay Tunasan, Poblacion, Putatan, and Bayanan buy groceries in the market on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. While District 2 residents from Barangay Alabang, Ayala Alabang, Cupang, Buli, and Sucat are given the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule.

Only 50 individuals are allowed to enter the Muntinlupa City Public Market (MCPM) to ensure that social distancing is observed. MCPM also implements a “No Mask, No Entry” policy. Senior Citizens, pregnant women, persons with disability, and children are not allowed to enter the market.

MCPM will be closed every Monday for cleaning and disinfection.

Muntinlupa City Administrator Allan Cachuela earlier called for an emergency meeting with private market operators to discuss the market schedule as a mitigation measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city.

Cachuela urged the market operators to also adopt the market schedule.

Muntinlupa City started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing on Monday beginning with persons under investigation (PUI). PUIs are being transported to a field testing area located at the local health office for the collection of swab samples.

The City Government targets to test all PUI this week and has partnered with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for the processing of samples.

As of April 14, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 98 confirmed cases with 15 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to CHO, there are 172 “suspect” cases and seven (7) “probable” cases in the city.

While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 270 cleared “suspect” cases.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website. 

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.