Carlo Carrasco – Page 265 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Tasty food at Saibachi Japanese restaurant in Festival Mall, Alabang

February 18, 2022February 16, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City lately? If you are craving for delicious food at one of the many Japanese restaurants inside Festival Mall, then you should take a look at Saibachi Japanese restaurant (stylized as SAI-BACHI) at the ground floor level just steps away from SM Savemore Supermaket.

In my experience, I’ve been dining at Saibachi in the mall from time to time over the past several years. Their restaurant has limited space (note: they have a counter for orders and payments, and a selection of food at a space by the wall just outside their restaurant), some chairs and their tables are small compared to those in other restaurants there. The current COVID-19 pandemic saw the imposition of limitations on how many customers could be allowed to eat inside restaurants (I’m looking at you – MMDA, Metro Manila Council and IATF). Even so, Saibachi still succeeded in staying in business and keeps on feeding customers with delicious food. Not even the pandemic and government overreach could stop them.

At this point, you must be wondering what food of Saibachi’s do I enjoy eating. Let’s move on!

Miso Soup

For starters, I like their Miso soup which as of this writing costs P55 per single serving (small sized). In terms of taste and ingredients, it is good and satisfying to have. It is also one of the earliest items to be served to me in most of my dine-in visits at Saibachi Alabang through the years.

Futo Maki (Foto Maki according to Saibachi)

Saibachi’s Futo Maki is served with five pieces along with soy sauce and wasabi. Each roll is not as thick compared to what is served in other Japanese restaurants but to Saibachi’s credit, each roll is tasty and their specific selections of ingredients per roll shows precision. The 5-roll set is good enough in terms of taste and content for me personally. Those who crave for greater satisfaction with Futo Maki should consider a second set to order. The Futo Maki set nowadays costs P125 per order.

Fried Rice

Fried rice at Saibachi (P150 per order as of this writing) is pretty tasty on its own. The taste is strong enough, I did not need to add any condiments anymore. Their fried rice has bits of meat, carrots, egg and a few other vegetables. For a single serving, the content is satisfying enough for me dining in. For anyone who craves for greater satisfaction of fried rice, you should consider ordering Saibachi’s fried rice offerings through their delivery and catering services.

Beef Sukiyaki

This one is easily my favorite in Saibachi when dining in. At P220 per order, the Beef Sukiyaki is served by the bowl and it is what others would refer to as the “soupy type Sukiyaki” for it is prepared in soup-style. On face value, the bowl looks small but in reality, it contains a good amount of hot soup, Sotanghon-style noodles, pieces of beef, vegetables and one egg on top. Beef Sukiyaki served in other Japanese restaurants are often large (note: with lots of vegetables and ingredients served fresh apart from the soup) and prepared to feed at least three people. If you want a tasty Beef Sukiyaki for your solo enjoyment with lots of soup, enough ingredients and a strong taste, you will get it at Saibachi! Personally, I consider this as Saibachi’s dine-in special and I highly recommend it.

Chapchae

While they are referred to as a Japanese restaurant, Saibachi also serves non-Japanese food. Anyone who loves Korean-style noodles should order the Chapchae whenever dining in. To begin with, Saibachi’s Chapchae are really prepared to be very tasty and anyone who loves strong flavors will enjoy it. When it comes to content, I find the Chapchae solo-serving (P150 per order as of this writing) to be rather lacking. Any customer who wants more of the very delicious Chapchae should consider ordering another serving or go for the bilao-sized servings (for multiple people to enjoy).

The above-mentioned foods are the ones that I enjoyed collectively when dining inside Saibachi at Festival Mall over the past several years. That being said, I recommend their Miso Soup, Futo Maki, Fried Rice, Chapchae and Beef Sukiyaki to you readers. Apart from serving food for diners, they also serve meals of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Thai cuisine through delivery and catering. Going back to my previous dine-in experiences with them, they need to improve on their Beef Ramen which I must say is flawed and not exactly a satisfying ramen experience (note: the beef served had that burned taste and feel, and the noodles served did not look and feel made in store but most likely were sourced from the wholesale market).

*Saibachi’s Beef Ramen needs improving.*

Also, in my opinion, the interior of their restaurant inside Festival Mall needs some improving to be more comfortable for families or groups of friends (five people and more) to enjoy. I understand their restaurant space is limited and they need enough space for the kitchen personnel to work in, but I can see that some improvements could be made on the dining area. When I say improvements, I don’t mean a full renovation which can be very costly.

Ultimately, if you love Japanese food and you want it with the best possible value for your limited budget while visiting Festival Mall, I encourage you to try the food at Saibachi’s restaurant. Go there! They have lots of other food offered and their menu has lots of items for you to select.

*The wide menu at the space by the wall just outside their restaurant. Look at all the choices and prices.*

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you dined in at Saibachi inside Festival Mall lately? What meals do you enjoy there the most? Also, have you tried ordering Saibachi’s food through delivery service or through their catering packages? How often do you eat inside their restaurant whenever you visit Festival Mall?

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 WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993)

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022carlocarrasco

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 revisit the early days of Image Comics through Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams comic book franchise which was one of the launch titles of the said company.

Last time around, I reviewed the third issue of the WildC.A.T.S mini-series and its quality was good enough for me. Other than the visual candies delivered by Jim Lee, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 featured a crossover with Rob Liefeld’s very own Youngblood which was really surprising and intriguing back in those times.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at the final issue of the mini-series…WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4, published by Image Comics through Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

*Jim Lee drew this cover very similarly to his cover art work on X-Men #4 (1992).*

Early story

The story begins with Helspont already declaring victory as well as the beginning of his operation called Reunification which involves the use of the orb to activate a stargate which would allow his brethren of Daemonites to come to Earth to not only overwhelm the Kherubim but also to conquer the whole world. In his presence are two of his deadly companies standing with him and certain members of WildC.A.T.S – including their leader Jacob Marlowe – who are down on the rough surface having been hit hard moments earlier.

Suddenly a group composed of the six Youngblood members, Vice President Dan Quayle and WildC.A.T.S’ members Voodoo and Maul approach Helspont and his companions in an attempt to make them surrender.

As Voodoo realizes her power does not affect Helspont, the vicious Daemonite strikes the group with an energy blast aided by the orb and the high technology of the place. As this happens, Grift, Void and Jacob slowly make their moves. Jacob uses his communicator to send a signal to the heavily damaged Spartan…

Quality

*WildC.A.T.S face strong opposition from the Gnome and his dangerous companions.*

As the final tale of the mini-series, I can say that the script made for this comic book is a pretty satisfying read from start to finish. Like in issue #3, the pace here moves fast and there is a lot of spectacle that got executed while never overwhelming its narrative. More on the narrative, the conflict between the Kherubim and Daemonites is strongly symbolized by the WildC.A.T.S and Helspont’s forces going head to head. There are some pretty notable character moments that added to the fun factor such as Jacob sarcastically telling Helspont he could not access the back-up systems for his dreaded operation to bring the Daemonites to Earth.

Of course, this is not simply a WildC.A.T.S versus Helspont story in the good-versus-evil type of way. Apart from the inclusion of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood, there is also the other dangerous party led by the Gnome who also have a strong interest in the orb. While their participation in the story happens pretty late, they do provide serious opposition against Jacob Marlowe and his team.

As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of action that expresses the intensity of the conflicts. While there is almost no room left for any real character development, the creators managed to craft a story that never felt brainless or unintelligent. As such, there is a lot of entertaining stuff to enjoy here and I personally find the establishment of WildC.A.T.S’ core concept to be solid and worth following.

Conclusion

*As Helspont emphasizes his evil plan, Jacob Marlowe makes his move.*

WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993) is a not just a fun comic book to read. It is also a worthy conclusion to its mini-series and also it succeeded in establishing the WildC.A.T.S as both Jim Lee’s passion project and as one of the most worthy early titles of Image Comics. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, it became clear to me back in 1993 that Jim Lee was moving forward to a new territory on superhero comic book creations leaving behind his legacy with Marvel and their X-Men franchise. While this comic book ended the 4-issue mini-series, the funny thing was that Jim Lee and his team went on to start a regular comic book series of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams by actually publishing issue #5 (in late 1993) instead of starting with a brand new issue #1.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition (without card) and the numbered-and-signed edition cost $48 and $160 respectively.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993) is recommended.

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San Miguel Corporation’s P14-billion SLEX Elevated Extension Project Inaugurated

February 17, 2022February 16, 2022carlocarrasco

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is back in the news again as its ambitious South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Elevated Extension Project was inaugurated recently by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, GMA Network reported.

For the newcomers reading this, SMC under the leadership of CEO and President Ramon S. Ang is the same corporation behind the improvements made to the Metro Manila Skyway which ultimately benefited many travelers with improved accessibility and reduced travel times. Ang was present during the inauguration of the SLEX Elevated Extension Project which is worth P14 billion and is almost 4 kilometers long.

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

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday led the inauguration of the newly completed South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Elevated Extension Project, which is seen to ease traffic and boost economic growth in Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces.

In his remarks during the inauguration ceremony at Alabang Northbound Entry in Muntinlupa City, Duterte lauded the formal opening of the SLEX Elevated Extension Project “at a time when our economy is slowly opening up and recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“I am personally excited of this expansion projection which is expected to promote greater mobility, help ease traffic, and redound to the economic growth and productivity in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas,” the President said.

For his part, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and CEO Ramon Ang said the northbound and southbound lanes of the P14-billion SLEX Elevated Extension project can accommodate 200,000 cars per day.

The four-kilometer project connects Skyway in Sucat, Parañaque to SLEX at Susanna Heights in Muntinlupa, bypassing the Alabang viaduct and providing motorists a direct access to Skyway 1, 2, and 3.

“With this, travel time between Muntinlupa and Balintawak will now be reduced from two hours to just 30 minutes. This will go a long way in addressing traffic congestion,” Ang said.

“Since we soft-opened the southbound SLEX Extension last December 10, 2021 motorists in the south have seen a major improvement in the traffic situation. It has provided relief to thousands of motorists who go home every day to Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas. With both the southbound and northbound section of the SLEX Extension now fully operational, travel to and from the south is easier and faster than ever,” the SMC chief said.

Originally, the project was set for completion by December 2020, a little over a year since it began.

However, this was pushed back when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the Philippines in March 2020, necessitating quarantine restrictions which slowed work progress.

And here is the related video about the inauguration…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you often travel on the Skyway Elevated Extension? How was your travel experience on the Skyway and the elevated extension going north or south? Do you hope to see San Miguel Corporation keep funding and improving major infrastructure projects in the years to come?

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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Legal Expert: Palestinian Authority practices apartheid, not Israel

February 17, 2022November 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Let us be very clear here…deception must be overwhelmed in order for the truth to be realized. I’m talking about the years-long campaigns of lies, distortions, violence and exaggerations by the enemies of the State of Israel being magnified by all of those “free Palestine” activists, Leftists, social justice warriors (SJWs), the United Nations members and Amnesty International.

The side that always hates Israel often repeats lies that the State of Israel is guilty for committing apartheid (a term best associated with the apartness between white and black people in South Africa) which is completely false! In fact, it is the corrupt and terrorist-linked Palestinian Authority (PA) that practices apartheid according to the findings of a legal expert as reported by CBN News. This is something that the world should pay more attention to.

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

CBN News reported on backlash caused by an Amnesty International report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. One result of the fallout shines the light on a major issue basically ignored by this group that purports to end abuses of human rights.

The amnesty international report concluded that “Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.”

Apartheid refers to the South African policy of separating blacks and whites, which existed for more than 40 years. It ended in the mid-1990’s.

“Amnesty and the UN, which is going to be joining the effort by describing Israel as an apartheid state isn’t getting it wrong, they’re getting it an opposite of the truth,” says legal expert Prof. Eugene Kontrovich.

Kontorovich explains his conclusion in a piece published by the Wall Street Journal titled “There’s Apartheid in The Holy Land, But it’s Not in Israel.”

“Israel is a country where Arabs participate in all walks of public life, hold positions in the government,” he says. “In Israel, Arabs and Jews mingle, in cafes and on busses, in all public places. But right next door, in those areas of the Holy Land run by the Palestinian Authority, real apartheid is practiced.”

Kontorovich points out the PA has a law that calls for the death penalty if a Palestinian sells land to a Jew. Back in November, CBN News asked the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister about that law.

“Land in Palestine is not a real estate issue. Land in Palestine is a political issue. So therefore, the Palestinian law does not allow land to be sold to non-Palestinians,” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told CBN News.

Another controversial government policy is referred to as pay to slay. That program rewards terrorists convicted of killing Jews.

“Israel is not sponsoring a program of pay to slay against Palestinians,” Kontorovich says. “The Palestinian Authority government supported by Western governments … funds a pay to lay program to pay for the murder of Jews.”

Kontorovich says through all its laws and policies the PA has created a Jew-free zone.

“When you at the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, it’s not that there’s no separation between Jews and Arabs, there’s just no Jews. Because they have created a Jew-free state and they have enforced this through official methods.”

Posted below for your viewing is the very video about the CBN News report.

For a deeper understanding about the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as the web of deception and evil forces that are determined to destroy Israel and uplift Palestine (which has a history of terrorism), watch the following videos below.

Going back to the highlighted CBN News report, I urge you readers to NEVER allow yourselves to be deceived by the Palestinian Authority, its evil partners and terrorists. All these blaming and lies against Israel are deceptions recycled all over and over. Israel is the truly the land of the Israelites, not the Palestinians.

For insight about the Palestinian people and the land of Israel, watch this Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) documentary which is credible and truthful.

For more, let’s go to the Holy Bible and take a close look at God’s promises to Abraham as well as the inclusion of Isaac and Jacob as the true inheritors with regards to the land of Israel. Read the following scriptures below…

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

Genesis 12:1-9 (NKJV)

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign [a]gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.

And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”

Genesis 35:1-12 (NKJV)

And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,

I will give to you,

And I will give the land to your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NASB)

And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NLT)

God continued,

I am The Strong God.

Have children! Flourish!

A nation—a whole company of nations!—

will come from you.

Kings will come from your loins;

the land I gave Abraham and Isaac

I now give to you,

and pass it on to your descendants.

Genesis 35:11-12 (MSG)

As seen in the above verses, it is totally clear that Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael (whose mother was Hagar) was never meant to inherit the land of Israel. God had other plans for Ishmael and Hagar while His blessings for Abraham were meant for the rightful heirs Isaac and eventually Jacob. For greater insight, look at the scripture below…

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

Genesis 21:9-14 (NKJV)

Israel today is a great and blessed nation. It is the true homeland of the Jewish people and the foundation of the State of Israel was a promise fulfilled by the Lord. As this divided world is filled with evil and constantly influenced by Satan, it is no surprise that there are sinister forces that want to destroy Israel. Iran has sponsored terrorism for many years and they won’t give up with their support of Israel’s enemies. The Palestinian Authority has its own agenda, shenanigans, connections with evil forces (note: look at their connection of support with the Marxist terrorist group Black Lives Matter) and legacy of violence against Israel (note: remember what Yasser Arafat did decades ago? Remember when Bill Clinton as United States President accommodated Arafat knowing he committed terror many times?).

Under the watch and guidance of the Lord, the Abraham Accords were established during the days of United States President Donald Trump. The Abraham Accords is indeed working as Israel established new peace deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco and the Kingdom of Bahrain. For insight, watch the videos below.

Truly God is faithful and He always keeps His promises to the faithful. I believe that the Abraham Accords will keep progressing and the Palestinian Authority as well as its violent allies (notably Iran as well as the Democrats and Communists of America) will become less relevant in due time. The people in Palestine will become better off without the PA and its evil partners. In due time, the apartheid of the PA will be realized even more and eventually come to an end. Along the way, we must always look up to the Lord and maintain unwavering faith in supporting Israel and the Abraham Accords. Keep on praying to Him!

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Pray to the Lord for the Abraham Accords to keep progressing and establishing more peace and stability between the Jewish people and the Arabs! Pray to the Lord for the Palestinian people to be freed from the corruption and violence of the Palestinian Authority! Pray to the Lord for the fall of the anti-Semitic forces, the fall of the terrorists, the fall of the Leftist forces, the fall of the BDS Movement and the fall of the other enemies of Israel so that all those who oppose Israel will realize their errors, repent to the Lord and submit themselves to Him! Pray to the Lord for the continued protection and progress of the State of Israel no matter how their political landscape changes. Thank God for His Love, His Blessings, His Protection and for sending His Son Jesus who is our Lord and Savior!

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

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Over 40 employees of online lending applications arrested over alleged harassment of clients and contact persons

February 16, 2022February 14, 2022carlocarrasco

Here in the Philippines, have you been harassed or threatened by people who are working for online lending applications where you borrowed money from? I had to ask that question because it was revealed that more than forty online lending app employees (including a foreigner from China) were arrested for allegedly harassing and threatening clients who could not pay back their loans in time, according to a GMA Network news report.

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

Over 45 workers of online lending applications, including a Chinese national, were arrested for supposedly harassing and threatening clients unable to pay their loans within the prescribed period.

According to Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group Public Information Officer Police Lieutenant Michelle Sabino, the division had received several harassment complaints against lending apps that were being run by the Cashtree Lending Corp.

The terms and conditions of the applications allegedly contained a clause that granted the firm access to clients’ contacts – a requirement for taking out a loan. Once approved by the borrower, the firm is then said to save the contacts into its database.

“Hina-harass nila ‘yung mga relatives, kasi nga stated eh, ‘di ba nga like ‘yung contact numbers mo nandon… so if you do not pay out, ‘ire-rape namin ’to, papatayin namin,’ and all other threats na posible, ‘yun ang ginagawa nila,” she said in a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(They harass the relatives, as there was a clause regarding contacts… So if you do not pay, they threaten to rape, kill, and all other possible threats. That is what they do.)

The application targets mainly low-income households and those unemployed, even if it was found to have no certificate of authority or permit to operate.

The company’s loans were also said to have high interest rates, and they get in touch with the borrower’s contacts once payment is not made within eight days.

Collecting agents have also been reported to encourage borrowers to make other loans with different loan applications for them to make a repayment.

“Minsan merong mga dumadating sa kanila na sasabihin ng collecting agent na ‘Okay, para makasambot ka, para makabayad ka, magdownload ka ng itong loan app nito, would also offer, so para maka-payoff ka dito sa isa, mag-uutang ka na naman which in turn nabaon na nang nabaon si victim,” she said.

(Sometimes the collecting agents would tell the borrower that for them to be able to pay, they should download another loan app. So for them to pay off their debt in one application, they would borrow again leaving them buried in debt.)

For his part, one of the suspects, Shihai Dao, said the firm did not encourage any harassment.

“Never do anything illegal in Philippines, so I’m confused… Never allowed to employ to harass the client to pay the money back. Just reminding them and tell them to pay (sic),” he said in the same report.

The firm would face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2021.

“Do not download ‘tong mga lending apps na ‘to, ‘tong mga loan apps. May tendency na ma-threaten pa ‘yung life mo or i-harass, at ang problema, hindi lang ikaw, lahat ng contact mo,” Sabino said.

(Do not download these lending and loan apps. There is a tendency that your life will be threatened or be harassed. The problem is it will not be just you but all your contacts.)

Authorities from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) earlier warned firms against unfair debt collection practices.

Such practices included sending violent threats, using harsh words, disclosing the name and other personal information of the borrower in public, and messaging or calling the people on the contact list of the borrower without his/her consent.

The above report ended stating that lending firms who are guilty of doing the above-mentioned practices may be fined between P25,000 to as much as P1,000,000 and also have their certificate of authority to operate revoked.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent news report? Do you know anyone who got harassed or threatened by people because they are unable to pay back their loans in due time? Have you been seriously considering borrowing money through these online lending apps? Does this recent news development discourage you from taking loans through online lending apps? Do you believe that the immigration officials should do something about foreign workers of online lending apps who got involved with the harassment of clients?

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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COVID-19 Crisis: Clinical trials in Russia and Azerbaijan demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of AstraZeneca vaccine mixed with Sputnik Light

February 16, 2022February 15, 2022carlocarrasco

Are the local authorities in your place organizing COVID-19 vaccination programs with supplies of Sputnik V or the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine in supply? For the sake of protecting people from the coronavirus and its variants, local and national authorities should seriously consider acquiring more doses of Sputnik vaccines from Gamaleya as two new studies – one in Russia and the other in Azerbaijan – demonstrated the safety and immunogenicity of AstraZeneca mixed with Sputnik Light as announced recently at SputnikVaccine.com. This is apart from the confirmed findings that Sputnik vaccines effective against the highly infectious Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the official press release published at SputnikVaccine.com. Some parts in boldface…

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), R-Pharm group and AstraZeneca announce interim results of phase II clinical trials to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the combined use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine and the first component of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine (Sputnik Light).

According to the interim results of the trials, involving 100 volunteers in Russia and 100 volunteers in Azerbaijan, the vaccines combination demonstrated an acceptable safety profile, which is consistent with the results of previous AstraZeneca vaccine, Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines clinical trials.

Volunteers were being monitored for 57 days after the first dose. Monitoring results demonstrated a good safety profile of the combination. No serious adverse events related to vaccination were registered.

The research conducted by RDIF, the Gamaleya Center, AstraZeneca, and R-Pharm is the first study in the world to evaluate the combined use of components of different adenovirus vaccines to prevent coronavirus infection. In December 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a similar approach, also known as heterologous prime booster vaccination.[i] The WHO estimates that interchangeability of different drugs will allow greater flexibility in vaccination programs, increase vaccine efficacy and affordability.

A joint phase II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a combination of AstraZeneca’s vaccine and the first component of the Sputnik V vaccine is being conducted under the memorandum signed in December 2020 by the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the Gamaleya Center, AstraZeneca and R-Pharm. The study takes place in Azerbaijan, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Volunteers receive intramuscular injections of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Ad26-S component of the Sputnik V vaccine in different sequences at 28-day intervals.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF): Preliminary data from the trial to test Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca vaccines combination support the “mix and match” approach to revaccination. With new dangerous variants of concern emerging, this approach could provide safe, effective and long-term protection.

Vasily Ignatiev, CEO of the R-Pharm Group JSC: Current safety data adds to the data on the high immunogenicity profile of the vaccine combination that has been announced earlier. We are one step closer to completing the studies. The results are being processed.

In relation to the above press release, you might want to remember what specific brands of COVID-19 vaccines did you get injected with. If you got Sputnik V for your first two doses and AstraZeneca as your booster shot, then you should be protected. As for Sputnik Light, there’s not enough supplies of it here in the Philippines. Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca make an effective and safe combination as far as COVID-19 vaccine mix-and-match goes.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent news development? If you have been fully vaccinated but have yet to get boosted, does this latest development convince you to search for a Sputnik vaccine or AstraZeneca as your booster shot? Have you recently checked with the local vaccination organizers if they have sufficient supplies of both AstraZeneca and Sputnik vaccines? Are you aware that mRNA vaccines are flawed and the protection they provide fade away quickly?

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 WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993)

February 15, 2022February 12, 2022carlocarrasco

Last time around, I reviewed the 2^nd issue of WildC.A.T.S. which literally had more meat in its storytelling as the required introductions of the core characters were over. Issue #2 had some really nice revelations as it helped expand the WildStorm universe a bit more and it was intriguing to see International Operations (I/O) emphasized more as the mini-series established the Kherubim-Daemonite conflict.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3, published by Image Comics through Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

Early story

The story begins inside the top-secret research facility of SDI with Maul holding a Daemonite disguised as US Vice President Dan Quayle off the ground with Spartan and Voodoo near him. The problem they have, however, is that the Youngblood team is facing them ready to fight. Shaft of Youngblood demands the release of the Vice President.

With his massive build, Maul lets go of the Vice President and hits Diehard sparking a battle between his team and Youngblood. Shaft tells his teammates that as they fight the three WildC.A.T.S, he wants them alive. The impostor Vice President Quayle tells Youngblood to kill them all.

After Diehard and Badrock knock off Maul, Chapel fires several blasts at Spartan to separate him from the impostor. Shaft then fires an arrow that generates disruptive sound which prevents Voodoo from executing her power.

Elsewhere within the facility, Grifter, Jacob Marlowe, Warblade, Void and Zealot quietly make their way to the control center where the Daemonite leader Helspont is overseeing secret operations…

Quality

*You love Jim Lee-style action, you will find a lot to enjoy in this comic book.*

Starting with the storytelling, this one is expectedly a natural progression from issue #2 but the key difference is that the pace moved much faster as there was more emphasis on action and visual splendor. Along the way another sub-plot was dramatized complete with the showing of additional characters Attica, Slag, HARM and their superior who are after a key object that happens to be a crucial part of Helspont’s operation. The way the script was written, the narrative was told in a disciplined manner even though the pace was faster and the creators had to integrate Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood which resulted one of the earliest Image Comics crossovers that unfortunately did not justify the fancy cover art. Given the addition of Youngblood, the mentioned sub-plot and the way the script was made, there was clearly no room left for character development. In my experience, re-reading this comic book’s story was fun and engaging enough.

As this story was action-packed, fans of Jim Lee will surely enjoy what he presented here. Even by today’s standards, the art and presentation of the spectacle is great to see! Personally, I like Jim Lee’s visual take on Youngblood (except that I still find Rob Liefeld’s drawing of Chapel more detailed) and the short-but-sweet battle between the two superhero teams is quite a spectacle. In terms of visual details, Lee drew the characters and environment with a lot of detail all throughout. There were no signs of rushed art here.

Conclusion

*The battle between three WildC.A.T.S members and Youngblood begins!*

As mentioned earlier, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993) is pretty entertaining and engaging. Compared to issue #2, this one has a lot more action and the narrative moved at a faster pace without becoming brainless. At the same time, there is a clear feeling that the stakes were raised as the WildC.A.T.S made their moves in what is clearly their final objective as a team. Also a factor here is the continued emphasis on the Kherubim-Daemonite war which was executed well. More on Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood being involved in the story, this results the illusion that Image Comics back then had a shared universe (note: read the legal stuff on the bottom of the credits). The crossover done here was more of an experiment done to emphasize the cooperation between Jim Lee and Liefeld as they were co-founders of Image.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the gimmick cover edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition and the signed editions cost $60 each.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993) is recommended.

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I Love Israel: Israel donates 16,000 antigen test kits to Philippines’ Department of National Defense

February 15, 2022February 11, 2022carlocarrasco

Recently the State of Israel’s Ministry of Defense formally donated sixteen thousand antigen test kits to the Department of National Defense of the Philippines which was done by the Israeli Embassy and government officials in a ceremony, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. This latest development is helpful in terms of combatting COVID-19 while aiding the health of Philippines defense personnel.

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

The Ministry of Defense of the State of Israel, through the Israeli Embassy in Manila, donated 16,000 units of antigen test kits to the Department of National Defense (DND) of the Philippines to help its fight against Covid-19.

Israeli diplomats Ambassador Ilan Fluss and Defense Attaché Mr. Raz Shabtay turned over the antigen test kits to National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“Friends support each other in times of need. Israel is a friend of the Philippines and will continue to assist and share its expertise in various fields. I am proud to deliver this Israeli assistance today to support the Department of National Defense of the Philippines in keeping this country safe and secure,” Fluss said.

“The relationship between Israel and the Philippines, particularly the relationship between both defense ministries, is never as strong as it is now,” Shabtay said.

“We are delighted to be able to support once more, in the form of contributing 16,000 antigen test kits, to help the Defense Forces of the Philippines in fighting this current Global Pandemic,” he added.

Israel continues to assist the Philippines in combatting Covid-19. In 2021, the Israeli government turned over personal protective equipment to the Department of National Defense and the Philippine National Police, two Israeli delegations of medical experts assisted the country’s national vaccination campaign and shared Israel’s local clinical guidelines for Covid-19 infection control protocols and hospital management.

Israel also continues to share its experience and knowledge in emergency and pandemic response with the Philippines through webinars, courses, and joint meetings.

The handover ceremony was held at the DND Headquarters in Quezon City on February 9.

The above article ended stating that those who attended the ceremony were Assistant Secretary Jesus Rey Avilla, Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, Director Franklin Gali, Brig. Gen. Edgar Cardiñoza, Undersecretary Raymundo de Vera Elefante, and staff members of the DND and the embassy.

Be thankful to the Lord for the blossoming Israel-Philippines relations which are truly essential! For the newcomers reading this, Israel assisted the Philippines in varied ways such as sharing expertise on fighting COVID-19, vaccinating many Filipinos in Israel, and providing help to Typhoon Odette victims to name a few. In terms of national defense, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Philippines and Israel is in the works. Once again, be very thankful to God for Israel and its love for the Philippines! Be thankful that vaccination certificates of visitors from Israel are already being accepted here in the Philippines which is crucial to revive Philippine tourism! Be thankful to the Lord that the Abraham Accords are progressing and leading to more peace even though the United States has Commies in the Biden administration who prefer siding with Israel’s enemies. I urge you all to stand with Israel and help protect it from their enemies.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Over 2,600 aged 5-11 y/o receive COVID-19 vaccine in Muntinlupa City, one vaccination site added

February 14, 2022February 14, 2022carlocarrasco

The City Government of Muntinlupa, through the local COVID-19 Vaccination Program (MunCoVac), has vaccinated more than 2,600 children aged 5-11 years old in the first week of the “Resbakuna Kids” campaign in the city.

As of February 13, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded a total of 2,687 children aged 5 to 11 years old to have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Of the total, Barangay Putatan has the highest number of vaccine takers for the age group with 566, followed by Brgy. Tunasan with 487, Brgy. Alabang with 419, Brgy. Poblacion with 365, Brgy. Cupang with 326, Brgy. Ayala Alabang with 147, Brgy. Sucat with 125, Brgy. Bayanan with 105, and Brgy. Buli with 46. While there are 101 inoculated kids who are non-Muntinlupa residents.

Muntinlupa has opened two party-themed vaccination sites for the pilot implementation of the pediatric vaccination: Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun) in Brgy. Alabang and Laguerta Health Center in Brgy. Tunasan.

On February 14, Muntinlupa CHO has opened an additional vaccination site for ages 5-11 years old at Cupang Health Center.

CHO acting chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi led the launching event and the ceremonial inoculation of children. Bunyi invites all parents in the city to register their kids in the city’s vaccination database and assures the public that vaccines approved by the Philippine Food and Drugs Administration are safe and effective

Cupang Health Center has been decorated with cartoon characters and action figures; while children receive loot bags, free food and ice cream.

Bunyi noted that the initiative aims to provide a relaxing environment in the vaccination sites and to lessen the stress of kids during the vaccination.

To register, Muntinlupa may visit www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac and wait for further instructions from MunCoVac.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in Muntinlupa continue to decline and the number of active cases have dropped below 80. The latest data from the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO) showed that as of February 13, the city’s active cases only totaled 74, adding 13 recoveries and 15 new COVID-19 cases for the day.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi continues to urge residents not to be complacent and to continue following the minimum health protocols such as wearing of face masks, physical distancing, and washing of hands. He also encouraged Muntinlupeños to get vaccinated and get their booster shot.

As of February 13, Muntinlupa City has 39,656 confirmed cases with 38,973 recoveries, 74 active cases, 609 reported deaths, 0 suspect case, and 129 probable cases.

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The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Collection all set for release on Xbox and Windows PC on April 7, 2022

February 14, 2022February 14, 2022carlocarrasco

Way back in 2000, I got to play Chrono Cross on the PlayStation which was a hot release from Squaresoft. Due to a lack of time as well as the breaking down of the console (bought in late 1996), I never got to finish the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG).

Just days ago, I got very surprised as Square Enix announced that it will be re-releasing Chrono Cross in remastered form in Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition which is set for an April 7, 2022 release on Xbox One (compatible with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S) and Windows PC (via Steam). The good news is that you can order it already online now for only $19.99. Anyway, watch the official video below…

To put things in perspective, posted below are excerpts from the official announcement by Square Enix. Some parts in boldface…

CHRONO CROSS, which was never before released in Europe, returns as a remaster in CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION. Follow the story of Serge, who stumbles into another world and learns of the connection between his existence and the future of his planet. A classic time-bending tale of adventure and friendship, featuring one of the largest and most diverse casts of playable characters of any RPG. With over 40 potential party members, each character brings their own element affinity and unique skills. Additionally, “RADICAL DREAMERS – Le Trésor Interdit -“, a text-based adventure video game released for Satellaview in 1996, which forms the bedrock of the story, is also included in this edition.

Players can look forward to some exciting new features, such as:

3D models converted to HD*
Brand new artwork and character redesign by Nobuteru Yuuki*
Refined background music by Yasunori Mitsuda
Switch enemy encounters on or off
Background filter feature*
Battle enhancement features
Auto-battle function
French, Italian, German and Spanish localization now added
Switch between imitation pixel font and HD font*
The inclusion of Radical Dreamers, never before released in the West.
Players can choose between playing with original or updated graphics*

*Graphics, text and art in the game got cleaned up and look sharper than before.*

As I am writing this, I still am very surprised by the announcement as I never anticipated Chrono Cross would be made for Xbox, even though I wanted Square Enix to release many of its RPGs – both classic or modern ones – on Xbox. It is, however, nice to see Square Enix including Xbox in the worldwide release of Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition which is one of many Japanese RPGs (Japanese role-playing games) that has always been identified with PlayStation. Its strong legacy with PlayStation even made certain gamers – including the people who hate Xbox – believe that it would never ever be released on any Xbox console. Well, Square Enix proved them wrong and it is clear that the company needs to sell to the many gamers who own an Xbox One or Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console. The Windows PC release through Steam makes business sense.

Be reminded that Square Enix is set to release Star Ocean: The Divine Force on Xbox consoles and Windows PC sometime this year, while Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin will be released on the same platforms on March 4, 2022! To all Xbox gamers reading this, we as consumers can convince Square Enix to release even more games to our platforms by buying their games. Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition on Xbox is something worth looking forward to.

For the newcomers reading this, Chrono Cross is set in the same world as the classic JRPG Chrono Trigger. It should not be perceived as a sequel. On its own, Chrono Cross was very playable and engaging, and it is notable for allowing players to recruit lots of characters and take them on quests as they play along. As for the common elements between Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger, learn from producer and designer Hiromichi Tanaka’s statement below.

When creating a series, one method is to carry over a basic system, improving upon it as the series progresses, but our stance has been to create a completely new and different world from the ground up, and to restructure the former style. Therefore, Chrono Cross is not a sequel to Chrono Trigger. Had it been, it would have been called Chrono Trigger 2. Our main objective for Chrono Cross was to share a little bit of the Chrono Trigger worldview, while creating a completely different game as a means of providing new entertainment to the player. This is mainly due to the transition in platform generation from the SNES to the PS. The method I mentioned above, about improving upon a basic system, has inefficiencies, in that it’s impossible to maximize the console’s performance as the console continues to make improvements in leaps and bounds. Although essentially an RPG, at its core, it is a computer game, and I believe that games should be expressed with a close connection to the console’s performance. Therefore, in regards to game development, our goal has always been to “express the game utilizing the maximum performance of the console at that time.” I strongly believe that anything created in this way will continue to be innovative. – Hiromichi Tanaka (source – GamePro)

As I mentioned already before, Xbox is becoming the definitive and best place to play RPGs. If it is Japanese RPGs you want on Xbox, Square Enix’s upcoming releases are not just the only ones to look forward to as there are also the Eiyuden Chronicle RPGs coming as well! Already 2022 is looking great for Xbox gaming and there is also the much anticipated Xbox-exclusive RPG juggernaut Starfield from Bethesda coming before the end of this year!

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos plus a few Chrono Cross-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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