Blog – Page 142 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 (1995)

February 7, 2024January 25, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore a part of the Ultraverse through a tale of Mantra, the male eternal warrior Lukasz who died during battle then returned in the body of a woman named Eden.

It has been a few years since the last time I reviewed a Mantra comic book. For the newcomers reading this, the Ultraverse was a franchise of superhero comic books launched by Malibu Comics in 1993 which produced a lot of fun, intriguing and memorable tales made by a variety of really talented creators. Mantra was one of the pioneering characters of the Ultraverse and the related comic book series lasted more than twenty issues. Along the way, a standalone story of Mantra was published in the form of a 2-part mini-series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Paul Abrams.

Early story

The story begins when Mantra arrives at a museum to start her attempt (in her civilian identity as Eden Blake) to obtain the Spear of Destiny. While wearing a revealing outfit to distract the men, Mantra gets close to the highly prized spear to observe it and see how the security personnel guard it.

At a different spot within the museum, Mantra decides to start obtaining the spear in magical outfit and with a mask. As Mantra arrives at the room where the Spear of Destiny, already there are monsters overwhelming the men guarding the Spear of Destiny…

Quality

*Eden Blake/Mantra reporting to work at Aladdin.*

Having read most of the stories of the Mantra comic book series, I can say that Mike W. Barr came up with a fresh concept that emphasizes the quest to gain possession of a highly valuable item while also creating a new approach on presenting Mantra…by engaging in espionage (spying and infiltration).

As I am already used to seeing the eternal warrior Lukasz/Mantra using magic in many struggles or missions, the concept of having the protagonist getting disguised and becoming an impostor on a spy mission is a very inspired move by the writer. The preparations taken by Mantra to becoming a certain blonde woman for the mission were nicely structured and detailed enough to make the transformation. As if that was not enough, a certain piece of technology was implemented which made using magic a huge risk for the eternal warrior. That being said, the story smoothly transitioned from magic-filled fantasy into a convincing spy thriller

Along the way, this comic book also emphasizes the darkness of the secret society Aladdin which Mantra (as Eden Blake) works for. Aladdin’s operations were dramatized several times in other Ultraverse comic books but this one has a more explicit portrayal of them.

Conclusion

*Mantra got hold of the Spear of Destiny but for how long?*

Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 (1995) is really entertaining and compelling to read. This is easily one of the more creative and more unique tales of the Ultraverse character ever told and I can say that I am eager to find out what would happen next. This is also the one tale in which Mantra became a spy and gets into a dangerous mission in which the use of magic is too risky. The writing by Mike W. Barr is really strong with this one.

Overall, Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 (1995) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Over 10,000 public elementary school students receive scholarship allowance in Muntinlupa City

February 7, 2024January 31, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, over ten thousand students enrolled in public elementary schools received their scholarship allowance from the City Government, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

A total of 10,273 students from public elementary schools received their scholarship allowance from the Muntinlupa City government.

The Muntinlupa Scholarship Division (MSD) of the city government distributed the first tranche of educational assistance amounting P2,500 to each student in seven public elementary schools in the city.

Under the first tranche of the educational assistance program, elementary pupils will get P2,500 each, junior high school students will receive P3,000 each, senior high school students will get P3,500 each, and students under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program will receive P3,000 each covering six months.

According to the MSD, of the 10,273 students, the following received their educational assistance to date: Itaas Elementary School – 1,940 pupils; Sucat Elementary Zone 3, 402; Sucat Elementary School Zone 4 – 333; Muntinlupa Elementary School – 1,721; F. De Mesa Elementary School – 1,160; Buli Elementary School – 988; Putatan Elementary School – 1,960; and Tunasan Elementary School – 1,769.

The first tranche of educational assistance covers five months from August to December 2023.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted over the release of scholarship allowance for the qualified students?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

BIR clarifies that small online sellers are exempted from 1% withholding tax

February 6, 2024January 30, 2024carlocarrasco

In response to growing concerns related to the recent implementation of the 1% withholding tax on online merchants with annual earnings of over P500,000, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) clarified that small online sellers are exempted from it, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Monday clarified that small online sellers are exempted from the payment of the creditable withholding tax imposed on online marketplaces but would still need to register their business.

“Small-scale online sellers are exempted from withholding tax. The BIR is sympathetic to small businesses in its approach to taxing online sellers/merchants,” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. said in a statement.

BIR Revenue Regulations No. 16-2023, which took effect on Jan. 11, imposes a withholding tax of 1% on one-half of the gross remittances by e-marketplace operators and digital financial service providers to the sellers or mer-chants for the goods and services paid or sold through their platforms or facilities.

The BIR said that the withholding tax is not imposed if the annual total gross remittances to an online seller for the past taxable year has not exceeded P500,000; if the cumulative gross remittances to an online seller in a taxable year has not yet exceeded P500,000 or if the seller is duly exempt from or subject to a lower income tax rate pursuant to any existing law or treaty.

“For those who are above the threshold of P500,000 annual gross remittance, it is only fair that they will be subjected to withholding tax. We have to be fair to the retail sector and brick and mortar stores who are regularly pay-ing their taxes,” Mr. Lumagui said.

The tax covers marketplaces for online shopping, food delivery platforms, platforms to book lodging accommodations, and other similar online service or product marketplaces.

E-marketplace operators and digital financial service providers were given a 90-day transitory period to comply with the order.

The BIR in a separate circular said all online sellers and merchants need to register with the BIR and submit documentary requirements, even if their annual gross remittance is below the P500,000 threshold.

The circular also noted that sellers and merchants are not allowed to receive payments through a personal account and instead must use a BIR-registered account.

“If you have a business, you have to register and pay your taxes. It doesn’t matter if it’s an actual store or an online store. It is your responsibility to pay taxes like everyone else,” Mr. Lumagui said.

In a press conference last week, Mr. Lumagui told reporters that the measure will help the BIR better gauge the impact of the digital economy.

“We gave the online platforms a grace period of 90 days. With that, we are still checking on which are already capable of complying… During our discussions with online platforms, they’re cooperative. With this development, we’re hoping to get the entire picture on online transactions,” he said.

In 2022, the digital economy contributed P2.08 trillion or equivalent to 9.4% of the gross domestic product.

A report by Google, Temasek Holdings and Bain & Company showed that the Philippines’ digital economy is projected to reach as high as $150 billion by 2030.

The BIR also earlier clarified that the withholding tax is not a “new” tax as it is just a measure that will allow for an advance payment of income tax.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the newest clarification made by the BIR will end the confusion or concerns regarding the 1% withholding tax? If you are aspiring to sell items online, does the 1% withholding tax discourage you?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Czech traveler denied entry in the Philippines due to rude behavior towards immigration officials and others

February 5, 2024February 8, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently the immigration officials revealed that citizen of the Czech Republic who arrived at the international airport in Clark, Pampanga, was denied entry as a result of bad behavior and disrespect with regards to registering with the eTravel system online, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Being rude can get you the boot. This is just what happened to Czech tourist Jaroslav Konsel, 55, when he arrived at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga last Jan. 3.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said immigration officers denied the Czech tourist’s entry into the country for uttering expletives when he was asked to register with the eTravel system online.

“Reports that he taunted and mocked the immigration officers who were politely explaining to him the eTravel requirement is enough ground for him to be excluded and banned from entering the country,” Tansingco said.

He pointed out that Konsel showed disrespect to the country’s laws and persons of authority in refusing to comply with the requirement to fill out the eTravel.

“Registration in the eTravel system is mandatory for all international passengers as it is an electronic travel declaration system which receives and stores information and data about all passengers who enter and exit the country,” the BI said.

Citing reports from BI officials at the CIA, the bureau said that airline and immigration employees attempted to assist Konsel in filling out the form but he angrily rejected.

“BI-CIA officials reported that Konsel immediately became rude and started mouthing foul language when he was told by the BI officer to first fill out the e-travel form online,” it said.

“He allegedly continued to behave in an outraged manner even as he was filling out the eTravel form and even refused to listen or follow instructions from people who were assisting him in the eTravel counter,” it also said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the immigration officers did the right thing by denying the Czech visitor entry into the country in response to his rude behavior? Do you think the reported incident could cause a new diplomatic problem between the Philippines and the Czech Republic?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Muntinlupa City Government facilitates opening of access road between two villages

February 5, 2024February 4, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government announced that an access road between two villages will be opened with the easing of traffic in mind, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government announced the opening of a connecting road between two villages to ease traffic and provide easy access to residents.

The opening of the access road between the government housing project Katarungan Village and South Greenheights Village will happen soon.

According to the city government, the connecting road between R. Pamatina Street in Katarungan Village and Rosemary Street in South Greenheights Village is being built with the pavement being constructed, and installation of lights and security guard post.

The homeowners associations of the two villages signed a memorandum of agreement on Dec. 18 last year to approve the opening of the access road.

“Malaking kapakinabangan kasi they don’t have to go to the National Road papunta ng Daang Hari, Alabang o papunta ng Poblacion so magiging parang declogging road para doon sa dalawang villages (This will have huge benefit because they don’t have to go to the National Road to go to Daang Hari [Road] in Alabang or [Barangay] Poblacion so it will be like a declogging road for the two villages),” said City Administrator Allan Cachuela.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you find this development beneficial to you when it comes to traveling locally?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Visions of Mana coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC this summer

February 3, 2024January 24, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow gamers, geeks, and Xbox fans!

If there is anything that surprised me during the 2024 Developer_Direct event of Team Xbox, it was the guest participation of Square Enix which unveiled key details about their new action role-playing game (RPG) Visions of Mana which is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC this coming summer season. A release date will follow.

For the newcomers reading this, Square Enix announced previously that Visions of Mana is actually a multiplatform game. When compared to Team Xbox’s first party games unveiled during the Developer_Direct – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Avowed – Visions of Mana is the only non-exclusive game, the only 3^rd party game, the only game not coming to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and the first-ever game from the Mana series coming to the Xbox platform.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the Developer_Direct video presentation of Square Enix with Visions of Mana. Pay close attention to the details…

For added insight, posted below are selected excerpts from the Xbox.com article about Visions of Mana for you to read. Some parts in boldface…

What is Visions of Mana? – This sprawling new single-player action RPG puts you in the shoes of Val – a curious and carefree young man and skilled fighter. One eventful night, his childhood friend is chosen as an alm – someone who must travel to the Mana Tree and rejuvenate the flow of mana power. Val joins her as the Soul Guard to protect her on her journey, and an epic adventure begins.

As Val, you’ll explore vast areas, battle monsters, gain allies, and uncover the many secrets of this expansive world. And what a world it is! As you can see from the screenshots and trailer, it’s a beautifully vibrant game with rich colors and expressive characters.

The beauty is matched by equally appealing combat. Aerial combat allows for physical and magic attacks in mid-air, and the grand and mysterious powers of the Elemental spirits can assist players in the form of specialized weapons. It’s fast-paced, strategic, and endlessly satisfying.

In short, it’s a perfect entry point for those of you yet to experience a Mana game, as it brings together everything great about this incredible series.

What is the Mana series? – The Mana games are a long-running series of fantasy RPGs that typically feature fast-paced, action-based combat, appealing visuals and music, and stories that center around themes of nature and the majestic Mana Tree.

It’s one of the most immediately enjoyable series, with exciting combat, colorful worlds, and a desire to always innovate. Here’s how Mana Series Producer Masaru Oyamada defines it:

“There are different opinions on what makes a Mana game – as the Series Creator Koichi Ishii always tries to do something new with each game after all.

*Expect a lot of action and adventuring in Visions of Mana.*

“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.” – Masaru Oyamada, Mana Series Producer

“But from my own perspective, I think there’s very much a distinctive Mana style that is easily recognizable to everyone. You can see it in the Tree of Mana illustrations by the great Hiroo Isono, in Mr. Ishii’s unforgettable monsters, and in the characters that inhabit these worlds.

“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.”

Each Mana game is a standalone adventure, with its own characters, stories and even gameplay mechanics. There’s rarely any narrative connection between them – instead they’re connected by elements like repeating monsters, such as the adorable rabites.

In other words, you can jump into any Mana game as if it’s your first, and Visions of Mana is no different. In fact, it’s a particularly great place to start as it’s the first entirely new mainline Mana game in more than 15 years!

Which Brings Us to Visions of Mana – Visions of Mana offers a fresh new take on the series, with large areas to explore and a rich story, all portrayed with a beautifully colorful visual style.

That was something that the team was particularly eager to capture, as Mr. Oyamada explains:

“I asked the development team to try to create character models that captured the atmosphere of character designer HACCAN’s illustrations, and experiment to see if they could make a world that incorporated the beautiful depictions of nature from the artist Mr. Hiroo Isono.

“During this process of experimentation, I also managed to secure the support from Mr. Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series and designer of many of its classic monsters, asking him to oversee the updating of his past monster designs into 3D for current generation graphics. All this led to a world that I felt was recognizable at a glance as being from the Mana series.

*There is a lot waiting to be discovered in locations like this in the game.*

For me, Visions of Mana is a very enticing RPG that has open-world environments, nice art style and the gameplay shown looks highly playable. Even though it is not bound for Xbox Game Pass, I encourage Xbox gamers – especially those who love RPGs from Japan – to take a close look at the game and see how it would fit into their games-to-play-in-2024 list. It should be noted that Visions of Mana reflects the reinvigorated business relationship between Square Enix and Team Xbox. The more Visions of Mana sells on Xbox, the better. Lastly, if you watched Square Enix’s Developer_Direct presentation, you would have noticed the game developers/creators acknowledged the Xbox community.

Watch out for the release Visions of Mana on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC this summer.

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Philippine economy grew by 5.6% in 2023

February 3, 2024January 31, 2024carlocarrasco

The results are finally in. The economy of the Philippines grew by 5.6% for the year 2023 and this was short of the government’s own declared target of 6% to 7%, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine economy grew slower at 5.6% in year 2023, falling short of the government’s target as elevated interest rates resulting from high inflation environment dampened consumption, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday.

The economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) or the total value of goods and services produced in a period, grew by 5.6% from October to December 2023, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said at a press conference.

This is slower than the 7.1% growth rate seen in the fourth quarter of 2022. It is also a deceleration from the upwardly revised third quarter 2023 GDP growth rate of 6%.

The fourth quarter economic performance brought the full-year 2023 economic growth rate to 5.6%, slower than the 7.6% full-year 2022 GDP growth.

This is below the government’s target range of 6% to 7% for 2023’s full-year GDP growth.

“While this growth is below our target of 6 to 7% for this year, this keeps us in the position of being one of the best-performing economies in Asia,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during the press briefing.

Comparing the growth rates of neighbors in the region, the Marcos administration’s chief economist said the Philippines’ fourth quarter growth surpassed that of China (5.2%) and Malaysia (3.4%) while falling behind Vietnam (6.7%).

“More importantly, our full-year GDP for 2023 is now 8.6% higher than pre-pandemic levels,” Balisacan said.

High inflation, interest rates – The NEDA chief said the slowdown seen in 2023 could be attributed “possibly to effects of past interest rate increases.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ policy-setting Monetary Board has raised the benchmark interest rate by 450 basis points since May 2022 to temper inflation, which resulted from global supply disruptions and economic uncertainty following Russia’s full-scale attack and invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.

Notably, the Philippines’ full-year inflation — which measures the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services — accelerated to 6% from 5.8% in 2022.

“The impact of inflation is on Household final consumption expenditure. We saw the impact on food expenditure… directly affected by inflation,” Mapa said.

Spending on food for the whole year grew at 8.1%, slower than 12.4% in 2022.

“We are concerned about the low growth in real spending on food due to high food prices, though it has moderated in recent months,” Balisacan said.

Meanwhile, household final consumption expenditure decelerated to 5.3% from 7% in the previous quarter in 2022.

For the whole year, household spending slowed down to 5.6% from 8.3% in 2022.

“The government will be relentless in managing inflation, especially for basic commodities such as food. Our efforts include improving the efficiency and building resiliency of the agriculture value chain, utilizing strategic trade policy when domestic production is inadequate, and establishing mechanisms to empower consumers to exercise their market power to combat inflation,” Balisacan said.

Likewise, government final consumption expenditure contracted by 1.8% in the fourth quarter, from 3.3% growth in the same period in 2022.

Full year, government spending grew 0.4%, slower than the 4.9% growth in 2022.

Balisacan said the decline in state spending last year was “largely due to the fiscal consolidation program.”

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think 2024 will be a better year of growth for the Philippine economy? Do you think more government spending will boost economic growth without adding much to inflation?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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BSP sees inflation landing below 4% this year

February 2, 2024January 24, 2024carlocarrasco

The way the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) sees it, the inflation rate of the Philippines will end up at less than 4% this year although there could be external developments that might alter things, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the inflation rate to fall below four percent this year due to base effects, and is eyeing a lower January 2024 consumer price index (CPI) versus December’s actual 3.9 percent.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said the base effects will push inflation rates lower for the months of January and February, and for the first quarter on average. They also expect CPI to climb back up after the first three months.

When asked if he sees a below four percent inflation by end-2024, the BSP chief said it is “very likely if you look on a month-on-month basis, it will moderate,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English. “So you have to adjust on base effects,” he added.

The central bank will revise the current 4.2 percent risk-adjusted inflation forecast for 2024 on Feb. 15 to below four percent, said Remolona. “(It’s) very likely,” he said, citing again, the base effects.

The Monetary Board’s first policy meeting this year is scheduled on Feb. 15. The hawkish BSP has kept a tight policy stance of 6.5 percent since October last year.

Meanwhile, the BSP will announce its month-ahead CPI forecast for January on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

According to Remolona, “I think it will be lower (from 3.9% December) because of base effects.”

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr. said upside risks to inflation continue to evolve, and they now include the Red Sea crisis as another factor to their risk-adjusted inflation forecast. The Red Sea conflict centers on the Houthi rebel attacks which disrupted the trade routes in the Suez Canal. This affects the Philippines because oil imports bound for the country passes through the Suez Canal.

The changing labor conditions in the country is another upside risks that could be more of a risk than expected, according to Dakila.

The slowing growth in the global economy, and this already includes China, is a previously cited downside risk to inflation. The El Nino weather phenomenon – originally estimated to last only until March this year, is now expected to extend until the second quarter 2024.

The biggest upside risks to the inflation outlook is the spillovers such as second-round effects. This is electricity rates, transport fare hikes and wage increases.

As for the economy, Remolona said he has more confidence now that the economy will perform better this year.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think inflation here in the Philippines will land below 4%? Do you think that developments overseas could cause a spike in inflation in our country in the months ahead?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Over 1,000 senior citizens vaccinated for pneumonia in two Las Piñas City barangays

February 1, 2024January 27, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, over a thousand senior citizens in two barangays were vaccinated for pneumonia as a result of the latest vaccination drive of the City Government, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The Las Piñas City Health Office (CHO) launched a pneumonia vaccination drive in two communities to safeguard the health of the city’s senior citizens on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Las Piñas Vice-Mayor April Aguilar said the vaccination drive was held at Barangays Almanza Dos and Pamplona Tres with over 1,100 senior citizens getting the pneumonia vaccine.

Aguilar said the vaccination drive is part of the city’s ongoing effort to protect the elderly population who are vulnerable to respiratory diseases like pneumonia.

She said the initiative is especially crucial as pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among senior citizens in the Philippines.

The vice-mayor who supervised the vaccination drive emphasized the local government’s commitment to the health and well-being of the senior residents.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are there many senior citizens in your local community who need to be vaccinated for pneumonia?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993)

January 31, 2024January 23, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of the Turok: Dinosaur Hunter series.

Previously, Turok went on exploring Colombia after leaving the village of his romantic interest Serita. The village was decimated by the intelligent dinosaurs (also referred to as bionisaurs) that served Mon-ark, a fierce enemy of Turok’s. Eventually Turok got involved with the Colombian drug lord Comacho who has gang of armed men and lots of resources. Ever the dedicated hunter, Turok makes a deal with the drug lord to pursue dinosaurs.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bernard Chang.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia in 1987. Turok tries to sell the severed head of a bionisaur to a local buyer (collector of hunt-related trophies) who offers him only three hundred Pesos.

After concluding a disappointing deal, Turok leaves the local joint only to encounter a lady driving a jeep…the scientist Maria Cortez. She tells him that the drug lord Comacho is planning a raid against the dinosaurs very soon and the gang wants Turok to come along. Cortez, who is obsessed with researching dinosaurs, tells him her single condition that one dinosaur should be spared for scientific study. After some thinking, Turok agrees to join…

Quality

Starting first with the plot, I can say that David Michelinie’s script is well-written and never lost focus on the inevitable encounter between Turok and his vicious dinosaur rival Mon-Ark. Right from the start, it is clear that the stakes have been raised higher which is the result of Turok’s successful killing of Mon-ark’s mate. Like in the previous issue, Mon-ark here was portrayed again to be very evil and even abusive to his fellow dinosaurs.

The raid mentioned early in the story is easily the action-packed highlight and it has some notable forms of symbolism. For one thing, the raid was organized by Comacho not because of concern towards Mon-ark nor Turok, but because he wants to stop the disruptions on his illegal drug business caused by the dinosaurs. Cortez meanwhile sees the dinosaurs as animals meant to be studied for the sake of science. And then there is a certain photographer who wants to record everything visually no matter what happens. I can say the raid scenes are entertaining to follow.

As this comic book was not drawn by Bart Sears, I can say that the visual quality and style went way down. I’m not saying that Bernard Chang is a terrible artist at all. It’s just that Chang’s art style does not live up to the gritty, exquisite and intense visuals of the first two issues which clearly defined how Turok stories should look. Along the way, there are several instances wherein Chang’s art style made some characters and facial expressions look somewhat cartoony. The dinosaurs themselves also looked cartoony at times and the heavy loss of visual details on them is very clear.

Conclusion

*The armed raid against the dinosaurs with Turok as a willing participant looking like Rambo.*

Similar to its predecessor, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) has enough stuff worth following to be entertained even though the visual quality went down several notches. For one thing, the promised battle between Turok and Mon-ark happened and the way it was written was strong on its own. At the same time, the Indian hunter of dinosaurs got more involved Comacho’s gang which raises questions about his ability to differentiate right from wrong, and good from evil. At this stage of the series, Turok’s direction remains clouded.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) is recommended.

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