While the entire Philippines is sweltering under the intense summer heat, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) told the local government units (LGUs) to update their disaster plans and hazard maps in light of the looming La Niña phenomenon, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday urged local government units (LGUs) to update their disaster action plans and hazard maps to mitigate the effects of the looming La Niña phenomenon.
In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, DILG Undersecretary Marlo Iringan said local officials must also regularly hold meetings with their respective disaster risk reduction management councils and conduct a La Niña pre-disaster risk assessment.
“Kinakailangan din na magkaroon ng close coordination with PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) at with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) particularly iyong ating Mines and Geosciences Bureau nang sa ganoon ma-update iyong kanilang mga (There should also be a close coordination with PAGASA and with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, particularly our Mines and Geosciences Bureau to update their) local hazard maps on rain-induced landslides and floods,” Iringan added.
He also called for an aggressive clean-up of estero and other waterways to reduce flooding as part of mitigation measures under the agency’s “Operation Listo”.
The”‘Operation Listo” is an advocacy program of the DILG that aims to strengthen the disaster preparedness of LGUs using the whole-of-government approach which institutionalizes local protocols for disaster preparedness, response, and monitoring.
Iringan also cited the need to assess the structural integrity and the capacity of vital facilities such as evacuation centers.
“Kinakailangan nasusunod iyong mga specifications. At dapat ang mga ito ay hindi located doon sa (The specifications must be followed. And these should not be located in) high-risk areas as identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR,” he added.
While most LGUs have already established at least one evacuation center, Iringan said the DILG is assessing the need for some areas to have around two to three evacuation centers to accommodate more evacuees.
He also said the use of schools as evacuation centers is only a last resort.
“But in extreme cases na kinakailangan pong gamitin iyong mga paaralan ay kumukuha po ng pahintulot mula sa (where we need to use the schools, we secure permission from the) Department of Education,” he added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier directed LGUs to brace for La Niña, which is expected to bring above normal rainfall conditions in the country.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that La Niña will arrive soon? Do you think your local government has been doing its job with regards to disaster preparedness and emergency measures related to wet weather? Has your local government failed consistently when it comes to flood prevention and the cleaning of waterways?
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
If the Philippines is to keep growing economically in the long-term, it needs to have abundant energy and that makes nuclear power essential (for related posts, click here, here, here and here). That being said, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) recently stated that nuclear power can prevent power shortages in the country, 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 Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), on Tuesday, May 7, said nuclear energy sources can help prevent energy shortages in the Philippines due to its “capacity factor” and “energy density.”
In a PTV interview, PNRI Executive Director Carlo Arcilla said nuclear power has two factors—energy density and capacity.
Energy density means that even a tiny amount of nuclear fuel, about the size of a finger, contains an incredible amount of energy, he said.
“If you had several tons of coal, it’s that powerful. It’s a very, very concentrated power,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Arcilla cited the second factor, “capacity factor,” explaining that the availability of a nuclear plant is approximately 90 percent of the time.
“When you’re running a nuclear plant, it’s reliably available about 90 percent of the time, regardless of the weather,” he said.
He further explained this by citing the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant as an example, along with other power plants built in the 1980s.
“Similar plants in Slovenia, South Korea, and Brazil have been in operation for 40 years and are even being relicensed for another 20 years,” he said.
“These plants can run for an impressive 18 months straight without needing to refuel. The amount of fuel they require is roughly equivalent to what you’d put in a jeep, and they keep running continuously,” he added.
The PNRI official then emphasized that nuclear energy production produces no emissions, including no carbon dioxide. The cost of running such a plant is estimated to be around 30 million dollars.
If that were compared to a coal plant running for 18 months at 620 megawatts (MW), it would be the same.
“The amount of coal needed would fill 50 Panamax ships. Each Panamax ship carries 50,000 tons. That’s 50 of them. Not to mention the CO2 (carbon dioxide). The cost of importing that coal would be around 800 million US dollars,” he explained
The PNRI is a research and development institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
Furthermore, Arcilla pointed out that even though nuclear power plants are initially costly to build, they have a lifespan of up to 80 years.
“America, for example, has 94 operating nuclear plants, average age, 60 years. Supplying 20 percent of America’s energy. Many of them don’t even know they have nuclear,” he said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that nuclear power is the key to ensuring abundant amounts of energy that the Philippines will need to for economic growth as well as the needs of the people? Are members of your local community still living with a fear of nuclear power?
Recently it was confirmed that the economy of the Philippines grew by 5.7% in the first quarter of 2024 which is noticeably lower than what was achieved in the same time period a year ago, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine economy grew by 5.7 percent in the first quarter of the year, surpassing other major economies in the region.
In a briefing on Thursday, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the economic growth during the quarter was higher than the 5.5 percent seen in the last quarter of 2023.
Mapa said, however, it was lower than the 6.4 percent economic growth seen in the first quarter of last year.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan noted that the Philippine economy continues to demonstrate resilience and growth despite the domestic and external headwinds.
“Despite our challenges on both domestic and international fronts, our economy continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and growth. This performance retains the country’s position as a leading force among Asia’s emerging economies,” he said.
Balisacan said the first quarter Philippine gross domestic product growth rate is about the same as Vietnam’s, and surpassed other major economies such as China at 5.3 percent, Indonesia at 5.1 percent, and Malaysia at 3.9 percent.
All major economic indicators which include agriculture, forestry, and fishing; industry; and services posted year-on-year growth in the first quarter at 0.4 percent, 5.1 percent, and 6.9 percent.
Household final consumption expenditure and government final consumption expenditure posted lower growth rates at 4.6 percent and 1.7 percent from a year ago’s 6.4 percent and 6.2 percent.
Balisacan said the slowdown in household spending was due to the elevated prices of major food items and the heat wave.
“Meanwhile, government spending also slowed down, primarily due to the sliding of a large amount of expenditure to April this year, whereas the government made such spending in March last year,” he said.
Gross capital formation also posted a lower growth of 1.3 percent from 12.8 percent last year, while imports of goods and services also slowed to 2.3 percent from 4.2 percent.
Growth of exports of goods and services, however, accelerated to 7.5 percent from 1.1 percent in the first quarter of 2023. Balisacan said the growth in exports was mainly driven by the recovery in the exports of electronics products.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national economy will be able to grow at least 6% in each of the next three quarters? Is it possible that the intense summer heat will make 2nd quarter economic growth smaller?
In light of the recent news that the economy of the Philippines grew by 5.7% during the 1st quarter of 2024, economic analysts stated that growth should be more than 6% per quarter over the next three quarters in order to meet the set target of the year, 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 PHILIPPINE ECONOMY should expand by more than 6% in the next three quarters to meet the government’s growth target this year, analysts said.
“The Philippines needs to grow almost 6.1% for the remaining three quarters to reach 6% growth for the entire year, which appears to be a tall order, particularly given the slowdown in household spending in quarter one and the subdued global economic backdrop this year,” Makoto Tsuchiya, an economist at Oxford Economics Japan, said in an e-mail.
Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.7% in the first quarter, slightly faster than the 5.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023 but below the government’s 6-7% target.
University of Asia and the Pacific Senior Economist Cid L. Terosa said GDP growth should average 6-6.5% for the rest of the year to hit the lower end of the government’s target band.
“We had always been expecting growth to stay subdued largely due to the ‘triple threat’ faced by the economy. Elevated inflation, high borrowing costs and fiscal consolidation are the troika of challenges we face,” ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in an e-mail.
Household spending, which accounts for nearly three-fourths of economic output, rose by 4.6% in the January-to-March, the slowest since the coronavirus pandemic and weaker than 5.3% in the fourth quarter and 6.4% a year ago.
Mr. Tsuchiya said private consumption lagged due to “economic-wide” pressures on spending in the first three months of the year.
“We believe the softening in household consumption was due to a combination of elevated inflation, tepid confidence and the impact of monetary tightening,” Mr. Tsuchiya said.
Inflation quickened to 3.8% in April amid rising food and transport costs. April was the third straight month that inflation accelerated.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that inflation will continue to rise and prevent the Philippines from achieving economic growth of 6% for 2024?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from playing the video game 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 retro gaming fans and readers!
Today, we will go back to the late 1980s to examine one of the most significant console games of the decade…Konami’s Contra. To put things in perspective, Contra started in the arcades in 1987 and went on to become a big hit. Konami went on to make a version of the game for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the West and the Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan that resulted in different looking graphics (both artistically and technically), reworked stages, and different and extended level designs that were done within the consoles’ limitations. In short, the home version of Contra was pretty different from the arcade version but still was made to be fun and exciting on its own.
In my personal experience, my discovery of Contra has always been on the Famicom and some time later on the NES. For this retro review, I replayed Contra (both Famicom and NES versions) via the Contra Anniversary Collection on my Xbox Series X.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Contra, developed and published by Konami for the NES and Famicom in 1988. The NES version was released one week ahead of the Famicom version in February 1988.
The start screen of the NES version of Contra. The commando with dark hair was deliberately made to resemble Sylvester Stallone somewhat.
Game concept
In the far future, an alien army from space – Red Falcon – arrived on Earth inside a meteorite that landed on the Galuga archipelago. There, Red Falcon established an extensive high-tech base for their operations and eventually brainwashed a local human army to do what they want. Red Falcon plots to wipe out human civilization on the planet.
With the information about Red Falcon collected, the Earth Marine Corps send Contra unit members Bill Rizer and Lance Bean to the island to destroy the opposition and find out what Red Falcon has been doing…
Gameplay and quality
Contra is an action-packed 2D side-scrolling game with strong sci-fi and military influences.
To begin with, Contra of 1988 was made to be a nicely-paced, action-packed, side-scrolling adventure game that has some 3D-like levels in between. The game design and levels Konami came up with was done to immerse gamers into actual participation in the military campaign against the aliens and their brainwashed human soldiers. This campaign not only includes battles through the forest of the Galuga archipelago but also through the interiors of Red Falcon’s high-tech facilities, going up an elevated location with waterfalls, the snowy area and further deep into the rest of the enemy’s mechanical base.
For the most part, you play as a commando armed with a rifle with unlimited ammunition. As you shoot enemies and make your way through the 2D side-scrolling level, there will be the occasional flying capsules that you can shoot down to gain new weapons/ammunition (S for Spread Shot, M for Machine Gun, L for Laser) or some power-up (temporary invincibility or the rare ability to eliminate all enemies present on-screen) to help yourself as the wave of opposition from Red Falcon is relentless (which is reason enough to compel you to keep progressing and fighting). There are also times when the mentioned enhancements suddenly pop out after killing an enemy.
To prevent the game from getting too old with side-scrolling, Konami implemented these stages in which players face the front to attack enemies, overcome obstacles and move forward with 3D-like effects going into the next place.
By default, this game is brutally hard. Not only do the enemies keep appearing (with some of their teammates being strategically placed to fire at you), the obstacles will compel you to take your time overcoming them. In this game, one-hit death is the norm and there are many moments in which falling to your death becomes a huge risk. You get hit, you not only lose one life, you will lose whatever powerful weapons you gained.
There are also stage bosses (powerful enemies that await you at the end of a level) that will challenge you so much, you will have to adjust your strategy, pay attention to the movements and timing of the enemy, and then adjust your way fighting.
Only the Famicom version of Contra has this sequence.
I really love the sci-fi elements the game developers came up with for this classic game. There are lots of high-tech stuff to see here and this robotic enemy is just one of them.
Fortunately for us players, the controls are really tight and very responsive. You can move your characters to overcome obstacles, avoid getting hit by enemies and even move down from one platform if the space below is safer. I still remember how precise and responsive the controls were on the NES and Famicom versions, and I can say that all the responsiveness made it on the Xbox controller when I replayed Contra on Xbox Series X with the Contra Anniversary Collection I downloaded. In fact, the high precision of the controls added to the fun of shooting enemies or obstacles with the Spread Shot while moving to the right as it was meant to be.
Considering the intense difficulty of the game, players who do the famous Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, and Start) will be reward with 30 lives when they start playing Contra. For Xbox gamers reading this, there is a slight difference with the Konami Code when playing Contra on Xbox consoles.
Apart from shooting, there are lots of platform gaming elements to experience here. The difficulty is very brutal and the famous Konami Code will grant you 30 lives when you do the code correctly.
This cut-scene is only available in the Famicom version.
With regards to game design, the Konami developers did a really fine job creating the levels, placing the challenges and setting up memorable boss battles for action/adventure-hungry gamers to indulge in. The developers also cleverly implemented the fictional/fantasy concepts into the game design which resulted in me getting immersed in the Contra team’s mission against the Red Falcon at their secret base.
Another highlight with playing Contra is the 2-player option and the above-mentioned Konami Code added to the fun and accessibility of. I still remember the old days of playing in a 2-player session (cooperative play essentially) of Contra at a friend’s house on a Famicom. Since my friends and I were already enthusiasts of 1980s Hollywood action movies, playing Contra was enjoyable even though the difficulty was brutal.
This is one of the touch stage bosses you will encounter in the game.
If there are any notable differences between the two versions of Contra of 1988, it would be the fact that the Japanese (Famicom) version has storytelling emphasized through cutscenes (with Japanese text displayed), a technical overview of the Red Falcon base at Galuga with maps displayed before you start a new level, in-game art, an additional scene that spiced up the ending and, most notably, more background/environmental animation. The additional animation on the Famicom version made the adventuring look and feel more lively and this is most evident in the final stage (lair of the alien).
Conclusion
The Japanese cover art of Contra on Famicom. The Rambo-like character and the alien egg are obvious inspirations from Hollywood action movies of the 1980s.
There is no doubt in my view that after all the decades that passed since I first played it, Contra (1988) is still very engaging and a lot of fun to play whether you choose the Famicom version or the NES version. The developers who made this game succeeding in making something very enjoyable for millions of gamers and it is very clear that the makers were inspired by Hollywood action movies of the decade. In my view, the most obvious military inspirations are Aliens (1986), Commando (1985) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).
Historically speaking, Contra (1988) was released at a time when militarism inspired many other game designers to come up with enjoyable games in different forms such as Cabal, Jackal, Rush’n Attack, Operation Wolf, Operation Thunderbolt to name some. Considering the overall quality and high fun factor Konami established, it is safe to say that this game is one of the finest among its militaristic gaming counterparts of its decade.
I had a grand time replaying Contra (1988) on my Xbox Series X in preparation for this review. Having played both NES and Famicom versions, I can say that the latter is the more complete and more immersive version to play. That does not necessarily mean the NES version is totally inferior. In fact, the NES version is more straightforward with the pick-up-and-play approach, and the gameplay itself is nearly identical (note: Famicom version is slightly more challenging) and very much fun to experience. If you are the player who really wants to be more immersed into the lore of Contra and absorb the military sci-fi concept Konami prepared, then the Famicom version is the one to play. That being said, now is a good time to purchase and download Contra Anniversary Collection.
Overall, Contra (1988) is highly recommended! It truly is a retro gaming gem!
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar graced the inauguration of the newest women’s crisis center located in Barangay Talon Dos, according to the local government’s social media post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s social media post of May 9, 2024. Some parts in boldface…
The City of Las Piñas has inaugurated a new Women’s Crisis Center in Sta. Cecilia Village, Barangay Talon Dos, providing essential services to women aged 18-59 who face gender-based violence. The center, which opened its doors on May 8th with City Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar in attendance, aims to support up to 40 women with temporary shelter and rehabilitation services.
This initiative responds to a rising number of violence cases against women in the area, attributed to increased awareness of women’s rights. The facility offers a comprehensive range of services designed to promote healing and recovery, including counseling, legal assistance, and livelihood training.
In addition to serving as a protective haven, the center functions as a Livelihood Center, aligning with Mayor Aguilar’s focus on enhancing economic opportunities for women through skill development. The diverse programs aim to empower women to rebuild their lives and achieve economic independence.
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? Do you wish to see another women’s crisis center get built and launched in your local community someday?
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
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, an incident took place inside Ayala Alabang Village which eventually led to the discovery that two members of Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) turned out to be working as bodyguards for Chinese nationals and drew a reaction from Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon, 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…
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon expressed disgust against some police officers who moonlight as bodyguards for Chinese nationals amid the controversy over their presence in the country.
Biazon reacted to the arrest of two members of Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who engaged in a fistfight in the posh Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa.
They were identified by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) as Police Corporal George Rojo Mabuti, 30, and Patrolman Roger Ramos Valdez, 30, who were arrested by Muntinlupa Police on May 18.
The NCRPO said the two provided VIP security to a Chinese national involved in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
Biazon commended the Muntinlupa Police for their immediate action.
“I commend the Muntinlupa Police which immediately responded to the scene and faithfully performed their duty in arresting the culprits,” he said.
However, the mayor said that some police officers work as bodyguards for Chinese nationals.
“It is sad that in the light of the controversy surrounding the presence of Chinese nationals in the country, personnel from the PNP engage in illegal moonlighting as bodyguards. I expect the PNP leadership to do what is right and what is called for by law,” said Biazon.
According to the NCRPO, at about 3:15 p.m. on May 18, a security guard of Ayala Alabang Village who was on patrol saw a fistfight between the two and sought the help from the Ayala-Alabang Police Sub-Station 5 (SS5).
Mabuti fled and sought refuge in one of residences in the village which caused panic and alarm among the residents of the house.
Personnel from the Ayala-Alabang Police SS5 arrested and brought the two to the Muntinlupa City Police Station.
Operatives from the Muntinlupa Police discovered that the two SAF personnel were based in Mindanao.
Mabuti is presently assigned at the 52nd Special Action Company Zamboanga and Valdez is assigned at the 55th Special Action Company Zamboanga.
The police said they were moonlighting as VIP security to a POGO personality. The two police officers said they are not rendering their official duties with their respective units, the NCRPO said.
Lieutenant Riza Soledad of the Muntinlupa Police said Mabuti and Valdez are currently under their custody and underwent inquest proceedings before the prosecutor’s office for the complaint of alarms and scandals.
They will also face administrative penalties for neglect of duty and misconduct for moonlighting and unauthorized provision of VIP security, the NCRPO added.
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 concerned that there could be more police officers or even barangay tanods who could be secretly working as bodyguards of Chinese nationals or POGOs?
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
The City Government of Muntinlupa recently won a prestigious award (Gawad Edukampyon) in the field of education among highly urbanized cities (HUC), according to a Manila Bulletin news report. For the newcomers reading this, Gawad Edukampyon is a nationwide program launched by REX Education in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of the Interior, and Local Government and Early Childhood Care and Development Council.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government won the Gawad Edukampyon award in the highly urbanized city category for its efforts in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD).
Muntinlupa won the award for its Supplementary Programs on Early Stimulation and Promotion of Proper Health and Nutrition. This involved a wide range of initiatives, including feeding program, health services, sports activities, educational support, and social services for families.
The city also caters to the needs of parents through the Family Support Program, Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged / Displaced Workers (TUPAD), and Parent Congress.
“Patuloy ang City Government of Muntinlupa sa pagsulong ng mahusay na childhood care services para sa mga kabataang Muntinlupeño. Gusto natin lahat ng mga bata sa Muntinlupa ay malusog, nakakapag-aral at may mabuting asal (The City Government of Muntinlupa continues to advocate great childcare services for our young Muntinlupeño. We want all children in Muntinlupa to be healthy, go to school and have good manners),” said Mayor Ruffy Biazon.
He added, “Maraming salamat sa ECED Muntinlupa, led by Ms. Jenny Mercado, sa pangunguna sa ating mga programa for childhood development (Thank you to ECED Muntinlupa, led by Ms. Jenny Mercado, for leading our programs for childhood development).”
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 happy with the Gawad Edukampyon award the city government won?
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
The unemployment rate of the Philippines ended up at 3.9% as of March 2024 which is an improvement over what was estimated a year earlier, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. In terms of unemployed Filipinos, the number is at two million (versus 2.42 million unemployed in March 2023).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The country’s unemployment rate in March this year was estimated at 3.9 percent, lower than the recorded 4.7 percent in March last year, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said.
In a briefing on Wednesday, Mapa said the number of unemployed Filipinos during the month went down to 2 million from 2.42 million in March 2023.
Mapa said the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in March 2024 was registered at 65.3 percent, or about 51.15 million Filipinos aged 15 and above who were either employed or unemployed.
The employment rate in March 2024 was recorded at 96.1 percent, higher than the 95.3 percent estimate in March of the previous year.
Several sectors contributed to employment gains – The wholesale and retail trade sector saw the highest annual increase, employing 963,000, followed by manufacturing with 553,000 new jobs, and public administration and defense with 229,000 additional employed individuals.
Underemployed persons – or those who expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their current job or to have an additional job or to have a new job with longer hours of work – also declined to 5.39 million in March from last year’s 5.44 million.
In a statement, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the government remains committed to creating more high-quality jobs for Filipinos and fostering a resilient workforce.
“We will continue to prioritize creating high-quality and well-paying jobs to address the rising issues of vulnerable employment. We will focus on attracting job-generating investments from the private sector and scaling up social and physical infrastructure to improve our people’s employment prospects to achieve this goal. These will be accompanied by reskilling and upskilling programs to increase employability,” said NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.
Balisacan said a medium- and long-term Foreign Investment Promotion and Marketing Plan (FIPMP) is underway and targeted to be completed by June 30.
The Inter-Agency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee, established following the amendment of the Foreign Investment Act, leads the formulation of the FIPMP.
Balisacan said the government also plans to enrich the content of training programs for workers and employers by integrating courses on advanced productivity tools such as data science, analytics, and artificial intelligence.
“For the government to sustain a robust labor market and reap the benefits of the demographic dividend, it must ensure that people are healthy, educated, and skilled. To facilitate the development of soft and hard skills among workers and create a more agile and adaptive workforce, we at NEDA continue to advocate for the passage of the Apprenticeship Bill, Lifelong Learning Bill, and the Enterprise Productivity Act,” Balisacan said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the newest statistics on employment and unemployment show that bigger economic opportunities will be realized before the end of the year? Do you think the government should do more to attract more foreign investors to create even more new jobs?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Konami’s 3-in-1 sports games print ad
Long before the advent of major league sports video games, Konami was prolific with sports video games.
Back in the 1980s, Konami was a prominent gaming company as they released a lot of games that became hits in the arcades, on home computers and gaming consoles. Considering the limited amount of games publishers were allowed to release on the Nintendo Entertainment System in America, what Konami released were really fun games to play and their contributions of sports-based video games on the NES were significant. Possibly due to a lack of marketing budget at the time, they promoted Blades of Steel, Double Dribble and Track & Field II with this single-page ad showing the game box covers and screenshots. Ultimately, this print ad was sufficient in giving gamers a clear idea of what to expect with the three games.
2. The Adventures of Bayou Billy print ad
Bayou Billy looks inspired by the cinematic hero Crocodile Dundee. This video game even had a comic book adaptation published by Archie Comics.
Still with Konami, the Japanese publisher released in America the non-military adventure game The Adventures of Bayou Billy for the NES which was a revised version of their 1988 Family Computer game titled Mad City (see the differences by clicking here). This game really looked like it was influenced by Hollywood action/adventure movies of the era and it provided gamers gameplay styles of light gun shooting, beat-them-up action and racing. The titular hero looks very inspired by the cinematic hero Crocodile Dundee. This print ad is very stylish and also eye-catching. I think it has done a good job to make viewers interested in the video game.
3. Krull Atari video game print ad
I never got to play this Krull video game on Atari 2600, nor its arcade game.
Way back in 1983, I was fortunate to see the science fantasy movie Krull inside the movie theater here in the Philippines. When I saw this print ad, I easily got excited for the Atari 2600 video game adaptation but never got to play it. This print ad does its job showing what Krull’s game looked like and the ad makers cleverly used painted art reflecting the movie’s characters and the armored enemies from space. I should add that between the time I saw the movie and the time I first saw this print ad, I became aware of the existence of the Krull arcade game by watching an episode of Starcade on TV.
4. Rocket Ranger NES print ad
Really great and detailed painted artwork in this print ad.
When Rocket Ranger on the Amiga in 1988, it had fancy visuals and a strong cinematic vibe that worked smoothly with the game design. This game was developed by Cinemaware which developed a reputation of releasing games based on classic film genres. In 1990, a version of Rocket Ranger for the NES was published by Kemco/Seika and print ads using painted art were made to promote the game. This particular print ad made heavy use of painted art which was captivating to look at while conveniently keeping people’s minds off the downgraded visuals of the NES version.
5. Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City print ad with contest entry
Some gamers thought this was a basketball video game.
Yes, it was all true. There definitely was a video game that NBA legend Michael Jordan endorsed. First released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America in 1994, Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City was a side-scrolling action game in which gamers play a digital version of Jordan who has to save his friends, fight enemies and move from one location to the next in order to progress. The fact that an image of Michael Jordan holding two balls was used in this print ad (as well as on the game cover) in a dominating fashion made some gamers think this was a basketball game. The display of screenshots was so small, it did not help the situation. Lastly, the available of a contest entry form in this print ad was meant to promote not only the game but also GamePro magazine.
6. Gun.Smoke print ad
Gun.Smoke was indeed a fun game to play on NES. Therefore, the promotion is justified.
This print ad of the NES port of Gun.Smoke has strong imagery and literary descriptions the strongly emphasize the Old West concept and setting. The screenshots displayed are too small but the descriptions more than made up for it. Ultimately, what this print ad emphasized was realized as the NES version of Gun.Smoke itself captured the continuous action and excitement of the arcade version and the graphical limitations of the console did not matter much. I myself played this game and it was a lot of fun.
7. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage print ad
This add appeared in my comic books and magazines I read in 1994.
Back in 1993, Marvel Comics published the huge Maximum Carnage crossover storyline which covered many issues of the four monthly Spider-Man comic books and two issues of the quarterly Spider-Man Unlimited series. Considering the high popularities of Venom and Carnage at the time, it was not surprising that Marvel took advantage by having Maximum Carnage licensed to Acclaim to create a video game adaptation in the form of a beat-them-up.
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage was released for SNES and Sega Genesis in 1994, and game developer Software Creations really adapted story to fit with their side-scrolling game design. Between playable stages are cutscenes that actually were digitized versions of actual comic book panels. This red-colored print ad had a dominating image of Carnage and screenshots with text descriptions. The ad makers even went the extra mile by inserting screenshot cut-outs showing individual characters such as Firestar, Venom, Spider-Man, Carnage, Cloak and Dagger, Iron Fist, Captain America and more. Whatever your opinion is about the Maximum Carnage storyline or the video game adaptation, there is no denying that this was a very eye-catching print ad.
Author Carlo Carrasco 