Canada – Author Carlo Carrasco

Philippines attracts 3.47 million international visitors as of July 30, 2025

August 10, 2025July 31, 2025carlocarrasco

As the Department of Tourism (DOT) gave the press updates about the state and direction of tourism, it was revealed that the international visitors who arrived in the Philippines this year reached less than 3.5 million as of July 30, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

For the newcomers reading this, the DOT confirmed early this year that the nation attracted less than 6 million foreign tourists in 2024 (note: the declared target was 7.7 million) and quickly pointed to all-time high revenue for success and the tourism industry as a whole contributed 8.9% to the 2024 Philippines gross domestic product (GDP).

By attracting 3.47 million international visitors as of July 30, 2025, it looks like the Philippines will barely reach the 6 million mark by the end of the year, and there is no denying the fact that not enough foreign tourists are visiting the country. Keep in mind that in the Philippine perspective, international visitors include both foreign tourists and overseas Filipinos.

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

The Philippine tourism sector has so far generated USD4.2 billion (PHP242 billion) in visitor receipts from Jan. 1 to June 18, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the figure is up 0.48 percent, year on year.

As of July 30, the agency recorded 3,473,726 international visitors – 3.15 million foreigners and 317,536 overseas Filipinos.

In a media briefing in Makati City, Frasco said the DOT is planning to recalibrate its targets for 2025 to take into consideration the challenges the sector is currently facing.

Despite this, aggressive promotions will continue in the Philippines’ top markets, including South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

The DOT, Frasco said, would also increase Philippine exposure in Canada to capture more Canadian visitors with the recent launch of direct flights from Air Canada.

With recalibration underway, Manila is likewise looking at emerging markets to boost arrivals, among them Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and India, Frasco said.

“We’re taking a very close look at these exciting markets, especially India, which now has visa-free access and forthcoming direct flights to Manila,” she said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT right now cannot come up with effective solutions to make the Philippines a more attractive tourist destination? Do you think Congress should increase the annual budget of the DOT so that it can execute its tourism plans? Does the DOT need a new leader right now?

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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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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines attracts less than 6 million foreign tourists in 2024, points to tourism revenue for success

January 16, 2025January 7, 2025carlocarrasco

When it comes to the state of tourism in 2024, the Philippines achieved a mixed record by failing to reach its declared target of 7.7 million international visitors while still managing to achieve a new, all-time record with P760.5 billion in tourism revenue, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

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

Philippine tourism earned an all-time high revenue of PHP760.5 billion in 2024, translating to a 126.75 percent recovery rate from the 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

Revenues from inbound tourism expenditures — representing the total amount spent by non-resident visitors — were 9.04 percent higher compared to the PHP697.46 billion in 2023.

Department of Tourism (DOT) data showed earnings surpassed the estimated PHP600.01 billion in 2019 by an impressive 26.75 percent.

“With these figures, it is clear that the Philippine tourism industry is not only bouncing back but also evolving and expanding, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic stability and growth. In the past year, we have witnessed remarkable growth in tourism revenue, which has surpassed previous records,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Monday.

“This achievement is not just a statistic. It translates to thousands of jobs created for Filipinos, fostering economic resilience and enabling families to thrive,” she added.

She attributed this growth to the pro-tourism policies of the Marcos administration that prioritized the sustainable development of Philippine tourism resources.

“These policies focus on enhancing infrastructure, promoting heritage conservation and investing in skills development programs for our workforce, among others. We believe that the growth of tourism should be inclusive and equitable, empowering local entrepreneurs and communities,” she said.

Based on the World Travel and Tourism Council data, international tourists spend at least USD2,073 per capita.

From an average of nine nights in 2019, tourists are now staying an average of over 11 nights in the country, while 70 percent are repeat visitors.

Continued collaboration with stakeholders from the private sector also garnered about 63.18 percent repeat visitors in 2023, the DOT said.

Tourist arrivals – While falling short of its original target of 7.7 million, the DOT said the country still recorded growth in the number of foreign visitors last year at 5,949,350, up by 9.15 percent from the 5.45 million foreign guests recorded in 2023.

South Korea maintained its position as the top source of foreign tourists, with arrivals increasing to 1,574,152 from 1,455,977 in 2023, garnering more than 26.46 percent of the total market share.

Frasco cited the country’s “effective strategic marketing initiatives, enhanced air connectivity and strengthened cultural exchanges” for the sustained number of Korean tourists to the Philippines.

“Furthermore, the Philippines’ growing reputation as a prime destination for incentive travel has played a key role in this positive trend, attracting an increasing number of Korean companies hosting their reward trips for their employees in the Philippines’ world-class tourist destinations,” she said.

The United States ranked second, with 1,076,663 visitors in 2024, increasing from 1,041,305 in 2023. Enhanced connectivity, including nonstop flights from San Francisco to Manila by United Airlines and from Seattle to Manila by Philippine Airlines contributed to the growth of the market.

Japan, meanwhile, emerged as a standout market with a 22.84 percent growth in arrivals, reaching 444,528 visitors from its previous year’s 361,862.

The surge was attributed to aggressive tourism campaigns and strategic partnerships with Japanese travel agencies that paved further awareness and interest in the Philippines as a travel destination.

Though significantly lower than the pre-pandemic figures, China showed signs of recovery with 313,856 arrivals compared to 264,922 in the previous year.

This can be attributed, the DOT said, to the increased number of flights from 2023, both commercial and chartered, including the first half of 2024, connecting China directly to Cebu, Bohol, and Davao.

Cruise ships also started to arrive during the second half of 2024, with the new visa waiver program becoming an important factor for the improved numbers.

Other consistent contributors included Australia (299,286) and Canada (269,300). Emerging markets like Taiwan and Singapore demonstrated strong growth momentum, with arrivals reaching 213,833 and 198,471, respectively.

The introduction of direct flights to Kalibo in Aklan and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, as well as the growth of niche markets such as English as Second Language (ESL) learning and diving, contributed greatly to the visits of guests from Taiwan.

The United Kingdom likewise sustained its position among the top contributors with 178,656 visitors, driven by a keen interest in heritage tourism and adventure activities. Meanwhile, Malaysia emerged 10th with 99,881 registered arrivals in 2024.

The DOT said the Middle Eastern market similarly showed promising signs of recovery in 2024.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) posted a remarkable 668.34 percent recovery rate from its 2019 figures, reflecting increased air connectivity and a surge in interest in the Philippines as a leisure destination. Qatar followed closely, with an impressive 832.87 percent recovery rate, and Saudi Arabia with 66.54 percent growth.

Likewise, Oman and Bahrain registered more than 200 percent recovery rates from the 2019 number of arrivals, the DOT said.

Those in the top 25 source markets which have fully recovered as compared with 2019 data included Australia (102.63 percent), Canada (109.26 percent), Hong Kong (106.79 percent), UAE (668.34 percent), Italy (143.02 percent), Spain (111.08 percent), Guam (200.19 percent), New Zealand (100.50 percent) and Switzerland (102.01 percent).

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think it is safe to call 2024 a successful year of tourism for the Philippines with regards to the record-high tourism revenue achieved? Do you think the Philippines will be able to attract at least 6 million foreign tourists this year?

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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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 51

January 8, 2025January 7, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The dirty business behind Caffeine – Have you been drinking coffee, or sodas or energy drinks a lot over the past twelve months? Chances are, you are dependent on caffeine for your livelihood and your own lifestyle. Sadly, a lot of people out there are not even aware about the subject of caffeine in American history, in business and health studies. YouTuber fern has this in-depth look at caffeine and why there dirty business behind it. Watch and learn.

#2 You, Me and the Movies react to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective – Despite being negatively received by movie critics in 1994, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective still went on to become a surprise hit in the cinemas grossing over $107 million worldwide and establishing Jim Carrey as an effective cinematic comedian. The film has an effective formula on making viewers laugh with Carrey’s performance, the jokes, the unfortunate turn of events, the funny one-liners and the like. I saw the film on home video in 1995 and I revisited it by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies. If you have not seen Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, go watch it first. Otherwise, the reaction video below is entertaining to watch.

#3 The hunt for Ted Bundy explained by fern – Way back in 1989, I saw The Deliberate Stranger on local TV here in the Philippines. It was an engaging portrayal of the very notorious serial killer Ted Bundy (executed in 1989) who was responsible for the kidnapping, rape and murders of several young women and girls. While a lot of documentaries about Bundy have been released, fern’s visual presentation and explanatory observation of the killer’s story is a must-see.

#4 A look at the history of the Ikari Warriors trilogy – Back in the mid-1980s, I played Ikari Warriors (Japanese title: Ikari) on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) and it was a fun game and even relatable. Why relatable? Because at the time of its release, the fictional character Rambo (played by Sylvester Stallone) and the Cold War were still present in our minds. As it turned out, Ikari Warriors was originally intended to be an official video game adaptation of Rambo: First Blood Part II but no agreement was made. Regardless, the game still had Rambo-inspired designs for the playable characters, an obvious Vietnam-inspired environment and lots of shooting-oriented action. It became so successful commercially, it eventually spawned two sequels. To know more about the history of the Ikari Warriors trilogy, watch PatmanQC’s video below.

#5 A look at 50 underrated arcade games from the 1990s – The 1990s was a wild time for people who love playing games in the arcades. While the decade was often perceived to be all about fighting games defining the arcade experience, there still was a greater variety of arcade games of different genres or game designs. This retro gaming video from Marvelous Gamers is a fun look back at the 1990s arcade games that got overlooked.

#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to National Lampoon’s Vacation – If you are looking for a 1980s comedic viewing experience with a theme about going on holiday, then you should focus on National Lampoon’s Vacation directed by the late Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase. Released in cinemas in 1983, the movie became a box office hit grossing over $60 million in the American box office and it won a lot of rave reviews from the critics. If you have seen the movie and want to revisit it without the need to spend time watching it all over again, you should watch the reaction video by the jolly YouTuber Ashleigh Burton.

#7 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Quantum of Solace – I will say it clearly – Quantum of Solace was a very disappointing follow-up to Casino Royale (2006) as it was so negatively impacted by the strike of the Writers Guild of America as well as the lack of focus within the production. By the time I left the cinema, Quantum of Solace left me feeling numb and unsatisfied. That being said, I encourage you to see the reaction video of Popcorn in Bed (who also reacted to Casino Royale) and witness how the 2008 James Bond movie affected their viewing experience.

#8 Justin Trudeau officially resigns from office – I really do not like Justin Trudeau. As Prime Minister of Canada, he has been very out of touch with his people and does not seem concerned with them. Under the super woke and feminist Trudeau, the costs of living in Canada has gone way up, housing is too expensive and crime has gone up. There is also division and infighting within his Liberal Party which is not helping Canadians at all. Trudeau’s failed leadership should be a lesson to everyone that woke nuts, Satanic Leftists and outrageous liberals should not be voted to lead the government. Liberals do not care about common sense at all. Watch and learn from the videos below.

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2025

January 1, 2025December 31, 2024carlocarrasco

Happy New Year to everyone!

2025 is finally here. So much has happened in 2024, particularly in the Middle East and in America. Israel clearly led the war against Islamic terrorists who were led by the terrorist state of Iran. The good news is that Israel made tremendous gains against the terrorists (example: the elimination of Yahyah Sinwar) which tremendously weakened the axis of evil of Iran.

Over there in America, Donald Trump got re-elected as US President and his second non-consecutive term will officially start on January 20, 2025. Trump’s victory over Commie Kamala Harris is easily the greatest American comeback of all time and also a major push back against American Communism and Satanic Leftists.

Thank the Lord for the two major developments overseas. Israel and the Trump-led America will become a huge force together to reshape the Middle East for the better. God’s moves should remind you all that He is always around, He is watching everyone and He will help the faithful overcome the forces of evil. Be thankful to Him for blessing you, guiding you and loving you.

I am thankful to the Lord for the special features I published (related to events I personally attended), the continued trust with my business clients, the continued donations from the readers and the tremendous milestone of registering over one million lifetime hits (page views) worldwide with my official website and blog at www.CarloCarrasco.com

With regards to what was achieved with my website and blog, I am thankful to our Lord and also happy to share with you the numbers for the year 2024. Over 73,000 hits (page views) worldwide were achieved in the past year with over 50,000 visitors worldwide recorded, plus the tremendous surge of likes counted within the WordPress network reaching over 1,400 likes worldwide (almost 1,700% higher than the previous year).

The top nations of hits and visitors are the Philippines, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, Spain and Australia. As mentioned earlier, the lifetime hits count of my website has exceeded 1,000,000 worldwide.

As before, the blogging of local community developments, magnified news articles, special features, Christian teachings, entertainment pieces and other forms of content will continue. There is no slowing down for me as I am dedicated to not only keep on publishing relevant updates but also maintain the good connections (and the trust) of varied communities, organizations, businesses, local churches and many other people. My thanks to the Lord God for these growing achievements and connections, and I am also grateful to you readers and other stakeholders for your continued trust in my website and blog.

For 2025, I encourage you all to never lose faith in the Lord and keep moving forward with unwavering faith in Lord Jesus who is our Savior, our Way Maker, our Redeemer and the Hope of ALL nations! Keep moving forward with faith in Him and the Word of God.

Lord Jesus is the light who overcomes darkness. God our Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus to us so we can be saved. That being said, I prepared the following scriptures from the Holy Bible for your enlightenment below…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4 (NKJV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5 (NKJV)

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying,

“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (NKJV)

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,

As when at first He lightly esteemed

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

And afterward more heavily oppressed her,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

In Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them a light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation

And increased its joy;

They rejoice before You

According to the joy of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You have broken the yoke of his burden

And the staff of his shoulder,

The rod of his oppressor,

As in the day of Midian.

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,

And garments rolled in blood,

Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:1-7 (NKJV)

For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.

1 Timothy 2:5 (TPT)

Jesus said to him,

I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

John 14:6 (AMPC)

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

John 3:16-18 (MSG)

To have strong faith in Lord Jesus in this new year and in the years ahead, let me tell you that challenges will always come not just in the form of circumstances but also in the presence of people around you. There are still a lot of woke zealots, religious zealots, idolaters, secularists, atheists, overbearing people, political correctness believers, the Satanic Left, the Islamists, the climate change extremists, diversity believers, inclusion believers, the political troublemakers and others who will just keep on spreading chaos because they believe so much in their wicked agendas and their self-centered beliefs. Many of them oppose God and disregard both decency and common sense as we know it. They want darkness to spread over others.

That being said, I urge you to reject their ways and stand with the Word of God to keep moving forward knowing that Lord Jesus is the Light, the Savior and the Hope of ALL nations. Learn from the holy scripture below.

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

3 John 1:11 (NKJV)

Reject the evil ways of the world and keep moving forward with the path of the Lord. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and preach His Word so that the lost and the unsaved around you will stop being wicked and realize Lord Jesus is the Savior of all! Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

Once again, Happy New Year!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 47

December 23, 2024March 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 You, Me and the Movies react to 1984’s Runaway – When it comes to the works of the late Michael Crichton, you might be familiar with Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Sphere and Westworld. Way back in 1984, Runaway was released in cinemas and it was directed by Crichton himself. The result was a very unique way of telling a crime story with a heavy touch of techno thriller. Hollywood has not made another movie like Runaway. To discover more about Runaway, watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies.

#2 Minty Comedic Arts’ look at The Indian in the Cupboard – I remember way back in the mid-1990s when I was inside a local movie theater anticipating a movie to start playing. As I waited, a few movie trailers were shown and the one trailer that really caught my attention was that of The Indian in the Cupboard. Apart from having an interesting concept (based on the 1980 children’s book), the trailer even showed a few but special seconds of Darth Vader and RoboCop in motion. I never saw the movie but there is a lot of interesting stuff to learn about it. Watch the video by Minty Comedic Arts.

#3 The incompetence and delusions of super woke Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – Let’s be very clear here. Justin Trudeau, who has been Canada’s Prime Minister since 2015, is living with a very distorted view of reality and his fellow Canadians are already suffering economically and socially. A proud feminist, Trudeau recently attacked Americans for rejecting his fellow Communist and American counterpart Kamala Harris in the 2024 US Presidential Election. Trudeau’s recent speech only proved his delusional views and lack of common sense. Most likely, he is panicking already over US President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on Canada. Watch the Sky News Australia video to find out more.

#4 The sinister truth about the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry that the mainstream news media is not telling you – I already said it before – electric vehicles (EVs) are dangerous and can harm you and your local community. There really is a conspiracy between the electric vehicle industry players, the mainstream news media and the climate change zealots. Together, those sinister forces are hiding the dark truth about EVs and they will do anything to get your money. Watch the Piston Pundit video now.

#5 More videos about Planet of the Apes (1968) – Did you notice that every time a new Planet of the Apes movie got released, there is the temporary revival of interest in the original movie of 1968? By today’s standards, Planet of the Apes of 1968 has little spectacle as it was more philosophical, more suspenseful and more about shock. If you want to discover more about the Planet of the Apes film that starred Charlton Heston, watch the selected videos below.

#6 PatmanQC’s look back at The Combatribes – The Combatribes was a hit in the arcades both in Japan and America way back in 1990. Unsurprisingly, the game was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1992. Believe it or not, the company behind The Combatribes also made the Double Dragon games. If you wish to learn more about the history of The Combatribes, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video.

#7 Decker Shado’s video review of City Hunter (1993) – Believe it or not, the 1993 Jackie Chan-led action comedy movie City Hunter was a live-action adaptation of the City Hunter manga series (which was adapted into an anime TV series). I never saw City Hunter when it was played in cinemas here in the Philippines in 1993 but I heard so much feedback from my friends as the claimed to laughing so hard inside the cinema. Years ago, YouTuber Decker Shado had a series of retro video reviews of Jackie Chan films and his City Hunter video review is entertaining.

#8 Slope’s Game Room’s Dino Crisis series retrospective – I can hardly believe it has been 25 years since I first played Dino Crisis on the PlayStation which was a memorable game as it was directed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. A lot of gamers called Dino Crisis “Resident Evil meets Jurassic Park” but in my view, it was daring creative choice by Mikami who led a team that worked so hard to animate dinosaurs while using a game engine that rendered full polygonal environments for players to explore. To my surprise, Dino Crisis 2 was released a little over year later and it had radically different gameplay that emphasized more of speed, shooting and scoring. A few years later, I played Dino Crisis 3 on a rented Xbox console and it was a very disappointing experience. To find out more about the history of the Dino Crisis games, watch Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 45

December 11, 2024December 9, 2024carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 A look back at Tobal No. 1 – The 1990s will always be remembered as the decade when fighting games became wildly popular. While franchises like Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter and The King of Fighters literally flooded the arcades and consoles, game developers at DreamFactory (a subsidiary of Square) were dissatisfied with the state of fighting games at the time and this eventually led to the creation of Tobal No. 1, one of the most unique games of its genre ever made. To learn more about it, watch the video below.

#2 Assorted videos of Air Force One (1997) – Watching Air Force One (starring Harrison Ford) on the big screen in 1997 was a fun experience for me. It was one of the many so-called Die Hard clones of the 1990s which featured one brave, vulnerable hero fighting terrorists while confined in a place where escape is not option. For your enjoyment, I selected one trivia video and a few reaction videos of Air Force One. As it is a great film, I encourage you to watch it first in case you have not seen it. Otherwise, go watch the selected videos below.

#3 Slope’s Game Room’s look back at the Choplifter series – I first played Choplifter on the Family Computer back in the late-1980s and it really was both unique and fun to play. It was a side-scrolling adventure game with military action but it was not an all-offense experience. In fact, the game gives you opportunities to rescue hostages and the game development history is pretty interesting to discover. As such, I encourage you to watch Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective of Choplifter.

#4 The games of Square in the 1990s remembered – If you know your video game history, Square Enix was established in 2003 as a result of a merger between Square (AKA SquareSoft) and Enix. When Square was still an independent, standalone company it released a lot of memorable games on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the PlayStation in the 1990s. If you love retro gaming and if you are interested to discover (or rediscover) what Square released back in the 1990s, then this video is for you.

#5 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau receives response from returning US President Donald Trump regarding new tariffs – Justin Trudeau – the super woke and out-of-touch Canadian Prime Minister – told the returning US President Donald Trump that new tariffs would kill the economy of Canada. The result is a memorable response from Trump. To see what happened and how the public reacted, watch this Sky News Australia video. Lastly, never ever trust Trudeau. You will regret it believing in him as he is a very bad leader.

#6 Kamala Harris being hit by her donors and her fellow Democrats for reckless campaign spending – The defeated Commie Kamala Harris is now the target of her US presidential campaign donors and even her fellow Democrats. You see, her campaign team raised at least $1.5 billion and ended up with a debt of at least $20 million due to reckless spending and irresponsible handling of money. Apart from literally BUYING the support of celebrities and Hollywood Communists, the Harris campaign spent excessively on online ads, private jets and others. The donors are very furious and a lot of Democrats realized that the laughing hyena Kamala Harris severely damaged the political party. That being said, Kamala Harris would be delusional enough to actually run for US President again in 2028. Watch and learn from Sky News Australia’s video.

#7 You, Me and the Movies react to Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan – Years I ago, I posted my retro review of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. The 1989 Friday The 13^th sequel was so sloppy and bad with its presentation, it sometimes could be funny to see and it’s okay to ridicule it. If you want to discover Jason Takes Manhattan without spending too much time, you should watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies.

8. The collapse of the Assad dictatorship in Syria – In case you missed the news, a new chapter in the history of Syria has officially started as the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad officially ended with the Islamist rebels taking over the country. Assad and his family are now in Russia. While there is euphoria going on in Syria, you should not allow yourselves to be deceived because the civil war in Syria was never a case of “good versus evil”. Assad was allied with Russia and terrorist state Iran. Meanwhile, the Syrian rebels are allied with the Islamist Turkish forces, Jihadists, terrorists and they have Al-Qaeda members in their ranks. Syria now has a new beginning but where will it go? Watch the videos I selected for your viewing and learning.

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FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship all set for September 12-28, 2025 in the Philippines

November 15, 2024November 14, 2024carlocarrasco

The 2025 edition of the prestigious FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship is all set to be hosted exclusively by the Philippines from September 12 to 28, 2025.

The event will have the top 32 men’s volleyball teams of the world competing for the championship title. Games will be staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Schedules of the games will be announced soon.

The 32 teams are divided into eight pools which are arranged in the following order: Pool A: Philippines, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia; Pool B: Poland, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania; Pool C: France, Argentina, Finland, Korea; Pool D: USA, Cuba, Portugal, Colombia; Pool E: Slovenia, Germany, Bulgaria, Chile; Pool F: Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, Algeria; Pool G: Japan, Canada, Türkiye, Libya; and Pool H: Brazil, Serbia, Czechia, China.

The Philippines is the exclusive host of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship. It is recalled that previous editions of the event were each co-hosted by multiple nations – Italy and Bulgaria in 2018, and Poland and Slovenia in 2018.

For the 2025 edition, the Philippines emerged as the successful bidder and the final decision was made following a rigorous evaluation process where the FIVB and Volleyball World found the Philippine bid to be particularly strong; with its emphasis on ensuring a continued growth of the event and the country’s commitment to the development of volleyball globally.

FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça F° stated that their organization is confident that the Philippines “will host an extraordinary World Championship that will leave a lasting legacy.”

Meanwhile, Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor stated that the Philippines “is well-positioned to deliver an exceptional championship that will showcase the best of the sport.”

For future updates about the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, visit https://en.volleyballworld.com/volleyball/competitions/men-world-championship/

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International nuclear supply chain forum set for November 13-15, 2024 in Quezon City

October 21, 2024October 9, 2024carlocarrasco

In what could be a boost for a nuclear-powered Philippines, the Department of Energy (DOE) is officially hosting the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum (PINSCF) which will take place in Quezon City from November 13 to 15, 2024, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

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

Eyeing to lead Southeast Asia in deploying nuclear energy technology, the Department of Energy (DOE) will host the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum (PINSCF) from Nov. 13 to 15.

Happening at Solaire Resort North in Quezon City, the PINSCF will gather local and foreign stakeholders to discuss the latest technology and innovations, as well as share best practices in the nuclear energy industry.

Expected participants in the forum are power generation companies, government agencies, embassies, academia, and other key sectors.

“We are bringing together companies from countries with proven track records in building and maintaining the critical infrastructure needed by the energy sector. This forum will showcase their innovations and best practices, offering the Philippines the opportunity to learn and benefit from their experiences,” the DOE said in a statement Wednesday.

Stakeholders from the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and South Korea, which are among the leading countries in nuclear technology, will provide insights for the Philippines as the government explores nuclear energy for a balanced, resilient, and low-carbon energy system to drive sustainable economic growth.

“As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, each nation is weighing options for achieving energy independence and security. This forum allows us to engage with the global community while ensuring that our own stakeholders are part of the discussions,” the DOE said.

Interested participants should register through http://www.nuclearforumph.com. For more information, participants may contact the Nuclear Energy Program Secretariat via email address nep-iac.secretariat@gmail.com.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you wish to see the entire nation powered by nuclear energy using the latest power-generating technologies found in nuclear-powered small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors? Do you realize that nuclear power is more capable on providing the nation abundant energy better than the unreliable solar and wind power?

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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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 32

September 11, 2024September 5, 2024carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed’s Logan reaction video – I saw Logan three times in different cinemas – the first viewing on IMAX – here in the Philippines in 2017. The movie is still great to watch as it carries the R-rated vibe of 1980s Hollywood action cinema and it remains Hugh Jackman’s greatest performance as Wolverine. Unsurprisingly, Logan is the subject of several YouTubers’ movie reaction videos and in recent times Popcorn in Bed released its own reaction video which I really enjoyed watching. If you have not seen Logan, I urge you to watch it first before seeing any reaction videos. Otherwise, Popcorn in Bed’s video is posted below for your enjoyment.

#2 Sega Lord X’s Retro Awful video – I’ve been having retro gaming fun on my Xbox Series X this year with Grandia, Grandia II, Contra, Gradius, and Elevator Action Returns to name some. I am also enjoying the Atari 50 Collection Xbox copy as well. When it comes to old games that are not fun or are simply terrible, Sega Lord X published a video about which games from the past to avoid. Watch the video and pay close attention to the games shown.

#3 Chuck E. Cheese documentary – Have you ever heard of Chuck E. Cheese? It started as a restaurant that had a clever blend of entertainment (arcade games, amusement rides and musical shoes) with dining that attracted families. It also became known as a fun-filled place to have wholesome parties at. Although I have visited the United States many times, I never got to visit a single Chuck E. Cheese branch nor was there ever an opportunity for me to try the food they cooked.

Chuck E. Cheese (original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater) was established in the late 1970s by Nolan Bushnell, the same man who founded Atari. The restaurant chain went through several developments and changes as each decade passed by. The most comprehensive video about Chuck E. Cheese that I found is from YouTuber Bright Sun Films and you can watch it below.

#4 Angry Video Game Nerd’s (AVGN) 3DO console video – If you are into video games for a long time, then you might at least have heard of the failed 3DO (formally called the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer) game console which was notable for its multimedia approach with gaming. The console was also known for not having a strong lineup of video games and for launching with a very high price. As a part of retro gaming culture, the 3DO is the subject of many retrospective videos by YouTubers. The one retrospective 3DO video that I found entertaining to watch is that of the Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN) which you can watch below. Be warned of brash humor and foul language.

#5 Minty Comedic Arts’ “The Version You’ve Never Seen” videos – YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts is great with making entertainment trivia videos and he has attracted a lot of viewers from around the world. Apart from trivia videos, he is also good with “The Version You’ve Never Seen” videos which provide viewers a captivating new look at movies that could change the way they perceive them. Since there are many, I selected three for your viewing pleasure. To see more of these kinds of videos, visit Minty Comedic Arts’ YouTube channel.

#6 ESPN’s “Nobody came closer to ending the Bulls’ dynasty than Reggie Miller’s Pacers” video – When I look back at the 1998 NBA Playoffs, I could never forget the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual repeat champions Chicago Bulls. Both teams played hard, there were a few games that concluded with a high level of suspense, and the series went to a full seven games. Apart from seeing Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller doing their on-court heroics, it was a unique experience to see NBA legend Larry Bird coaching the Pacers (note: Bird led the Boston Celtics to NBA Playoff victories over the Chicago Bulls when Jordan was much younger). To see a detailed and engaging retrospective about the Bulls-Pacers series of 1998, watch the video below.

#7 Ashleigh Burton’s Citizen Kane movie reaction video – Citizen Kane is one of the most revered American movies ever made. Starring and directed by the late Orson Welles, the movie dramatized the story of fictional media tycoon Charles Foster Kane while showcasing many creative filmmaking techniques that influenced other filmmakers through the decades. Citizen Kane was one of the very first Blu-ray discs I ordered through Amazon and I occasionally replay it. Among the many movie reaction videos of Citizen Kane posted on YouTube, Ashleigh Burton’s own reaction should be seen. Before you watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below, I encourage you to watch the classic movie first.

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A Look Back at What If #62 (1994)

August 9, 2024August 2, 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 arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1994 to examine an alternate story of the Marvel Comics shared universe chronicled through the What If monthly series.

There is a lot to be said about the origin of Wolverine. There was the tale of his Canadian origin and being born with claws inside him. There was also the tale of him encountering the Hulk in Canada. And there was also the famous storyline Weapon X (written and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith in Marvel Comics Presents #72 to #84).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #62, published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Ron Randall.

Early story

The story begins in the when Logan (Wolverine) encounters armed men who try to overwhelm him. Logan easily knocks most of them out and leaves them behind by car. It turns out the armed men are agents of a secret organization called Weapon X which has been targeting Logan for their series of unethical experiments on abducted humans (the Weapon X Project).

The organization is already dealing with problems regarding their live experiments. One living subject (with adamantium claws on his arms and some machinery on his head and shoulders) became a murderous berserker who cannot be reasoned with anymore. The subject is former Mounted Police Officer and Marine Guy Desjardins and Weapon X dropped him off at Department H.

James Hudson of The Flight took him in and officially refers to him as “Weapon X”. The live subject eventually broke loose, killed Dr. Langkowski and went to Kenora where he starts a killing spree…

Quality

*Logan arrives at the scene where the Weapon X biological experiment killed several people.*

I want to point out that Kurt Busiek came up with the very believable portrayal Logan who is not Wolverine, not a member of the X-Men and not even the violent fighter in the plot. This is a story about a major scientific experiment of Weapon X that went terrible wrong resulting in their living subject (with adamantium claws and other features identified with Wolverine in the mainstream Marvel universe storyline of Weapon X) going way beyond their controller and impacting Canadian society negatively. The good news here is that the story by Busiek is very well written and nicely structured.

In his civilian form as Logan, Wolverine (as we often identify him) is not the fierce slasher he is often known as. Rather he is a former tool of the Canadian government who previously resigned and decides to get involved in response to the rampage caused by the Weapon X killing machine (Desjardins).

As Logan is no slasher (note: Wolverine #75’s big revelation about Logan’s claws had no influence on this comic book’s concept), he fights with guns and a knife backed with his extensive experience in grounded combat. In relation to this comic book’s concept, you will a captivating portrayal of Logan who is truly unconnected with the X-Men and there are certain character moments that you really have to read.

Along the way, Kurt Busiek’s story not only dramatizes the classic trope about man tampering with nature but also the potential scandal of Canada’s government having top secret unethical science experiments while developing their own superhero project in the form of The Flight. Back to Wolverine, the story pounced on the conflict between being human and being animalistic with sheer believability.

With regards to the artwork, Ron Randall exerted effort to recapture some of the aesthetics of Barry Windosor-Smith’s work on the Weapon X storyline of the Marvel Comics Presents comic books. As required by the script, the visual display of action is brutal to look yet does not go over the top (with regards to graphic violence) as the creators implemented restraint restraint on the display of blood and killing blows.

Conclusion

*A new Weapon X biological experiment gone wrong.*

What If #62 (1994) is truly a great alternative tale to the established Weapon X storyline and it is also one of the more engaging portrayals of Wolverine unconnected with the X-Men. You will see Logan being more grounded with reality and you will also witness how he sees himself as a Canadian citizen who actually gets involved again with the government which he previously served. This a really compelling work by the Busiek-Randall duo.

Overall, What If #62 (1994) is highly recommended.

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