Carlo Carrasco – Page 268 – Author Carlo Carrasco

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines to collaborate on science and technology

January 31, 2022January 29, 2022carlocarrasco

Remember last November when it was announced by Israel’s Ambassador Ilan Fluss announced that the Jewish State and the Philippines will collaborate key fields such as technology and agriculture and more? A new development related to that shows that Israel-Philippine ties will grow more through collaboration and cooperation and this was confirmed by no less the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Manila Bulletin reported recently.

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

The Philippines and Israel have committed to pursue science, technology, and innovation projects centered around agriculture and health, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced Friday, Jan. 29.

In a taped report, DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” de la Peña said he met Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss online on Jan. 24 to discuss the Department’s collaboration with Israel.

“The priority and the specifics of the cooperation identified were on the innovation, ecosystem which will focus on technology-based enterprise incubation and acceleration,” de la Peña said.

“One that will focus on agriculture, water management, one that will focus on the development of the vaccines and therapeutics for our livestocks,” he continued.

Partnership on drug discovery and drug commercialization, as well as the establishment of the Virology Science and Technology Institute will also be explored.

According to de la Peña, Fluss also expressed the intent of creating an incubator/facility in the Philippines.

The above details prove that what Ambassador Fluss said in November is true and the cooperation between the Philippines and the State of Israel is only growing stronger. For those who missed my previous I Love Israel posts, Israel provided assistance to Typhoon Odette victims and has been drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation with the Philippines. The Philippine Army recently received military hardware made by Israeli firm Elbit Systems which will surely enhance military operations and defense in the country. Truly, the Lord is blessing both Israel and the Philippines! The Israel-Philippines ties are the most essential.

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.

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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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 as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

COVID-19 Crisis: Las Piñas City online registration for vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 is ongoing

January 31, 2022January 30, 2022carlocarrasco

The City Government of Las Piñas announced that it has officially launched the online registration for minors aged 5 to 11-years-old for COVID-19 vaccination, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. In recent times, the total number of vaccination in the city surpassed 1.2 million. More on children aged 5 to 11, it was announced that more than 168,000 of them have registered as of Saturday.

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

The Las Pinas City government started the registration of children and students aged five to 11 on Saturday (Jan. 29).

Las Pinas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar encouraged parents of minors belonging to the said age group to register them at the city’s “Bakunahan sa Kabataan” for them to get protection against the COVID-19.

Aguilar told parents or guardians of five to 11 years old to visit and register their children at https://bit.ly/e-covid19reg.

She said in visiting the link for registration of vaccination of minors, parents and guardians will be asked to answer questions properly.

The mayor added once they received the confirmation, the registrants will get a text message of their schedule of vaccination and the vaccination site.

For all the unvaccinated people reading this, any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for the free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (4 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a parent of young children living within the city, what do you think of the idea of vaccination for those aged 5 to 11?

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

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

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government grants zero-interest loan to 200 “Muntipreneurs” to help them recover amid pandemic

January 31, 2022January 31, 2022carlocarrasco

The City Government of Muntinlupa continues to provide zero-interest loan assistance to micro-entrepreneurs and MSMEs dubbed as “Muntipreneurs” in a bid to revive the stalled local economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led a ceremonial turn-over ceremony of the loan assistance amounting to P4,374,000.00 for 200 beneficiaries of Tulong Negosyo’s Batch 132, 133,134, & 135 in Muntinlupa City Hall last January 27.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi leads a ceremonial turn-over ceremony of zero-interest loan assistance amounting to P4,374,000.00 for 200 “Muntipreneurs” (Muntinlupa entrepreneurs) last January 27. The local government of Muntinlupa continues to provide zero-interest loan assistance to micro-entrepreneurs and MSMEs in a bid to revive the stalled local economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Muntinlupa is the first LGU to introduce the micro-financing program. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Of the total, four local entrepreneurs received P150,000 each, seven (7) received P100,000, and five (5) beneficiaries received P75,000. The local exec vows to continue the local financing program and hopes to revive the local economy by supporting grassroot players through various programs.

The City Government of Muntinlupa assists local micro-entrepreneurs through the Joint Resource Financing Program’s (JRFP) Tulong Negosyo (formerly Dagdag Puhunan). Muntinlupa is the first LGU to introduce the micro-financing program.

Tulong Negosyo caters to MSMEs and provides micro-finance assistance ranging from P2,000 up to P150,000 depending on the business capital ceiling and payment record of beneficiaries. The program aims to provide additional capital for business expansion for aspiring and established business owners in Muntinlupa.

Tulong Negosyo program has three categories namely: Simulang Kapital (SIKAP) Pangkabuhayan with loan application amounting to P2,000 – P5,000, Asenso Loan Program amounting to P6,000 – P75,000, and Maunlad Loan Program amounting to P75,000 – P150,000.

Further, a Savings Program has been incorporated in the loan assistance to teach clients about the importance of economizing and serve as protection to the clients and the program. Entrepreneurial education through trainings and other related interventions are also conducted.

Recently, JRFP has launched a Restructuring Program extending payment schedules for beneficiaries in a bid to help them recover from losses due to the pandemic.

Due to the limitations in face-to-face transactions, the Tulong Negosyo has also implemented Online Application services and cashless repayment system through Smart Padala and G-Cash.

To apply, visit Joint Resources Financing Program – JRF Facebook Page or click the following links: New Applications – bit.ly/TulongNegosyoNew, and Renewal – bit.ly/TulongNegosyoRenewal. The Muntinlupa Joint Resources Financing Program is located at 2F Plaza Central, Brgy. Poblacion with contact number 8772-3457.

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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/

COVID-19 Crisis: Philippines vaccine expert panel members call Sputnik Light a good booster shot against COVID-19

January 28, 2022January 27, 2022carlocarrasco

I said it before and I will say it again – the Philippines should acquire a lot more supplies of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to be used in nationwide vaccination for COVID-19 especially as the Omicron variant has been present locally (reportedly over a thousand cases nationwide) and already there were people who died because of it. There are already studies confirming that Sputnik vaccines are effective against the highly infectious Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here). Recently a few experts on vaccination here in the Philippines expressed their views about the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine as reported by CNN Philippines. Here is hoping the national government will pay close attention to the details.

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

Gamaleya Institute’s single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine is a good booster shot candidate against coronavirus infection, according to members of the Philippines’ vaccine expert panel.

Pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Maria Liza Gonzales shared the study on 84 individuals who received Sputnik Light. This measured the antibody, T-Cell responses, and the level of virus neutralizing activity against variants of concern — including the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.

It showed Sputnik Light enhanced the immune response of previously infected individuals on the seventh day after vaccination. Those who never had COVID-19 infection, meanwhile, only developed antibody response after 21 days.

“Can it be useful as a booster? I think the studies would show that it would. It would actually enhance the immune response in those who were previously vaccinated and in fact…higher pa ang response in those who were previously infected. So, whether infected or not and given primary immunization, I think the Sputnik would be a good booster to be given, to be used,” Gonzales told a forum on Tuesday.

She noted that Sputnik Light has the same components as the first dose of Sputnik V.

Another vaccine expert panel member, Dr. Derrick Sumalapao, said the revaccination with Sputnik Light among inoculated individuals could elicit neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant.

“The good thing is there is presence of such neutralizing antibody to Omicron variant among the study participants revaccinated with Sputnik Light,” he said.

A study conducted by Italian Spallanzani Institute and Gamaleya Center also found that the level of antibodies fighting the Omicron variant among those vaccinated with Sputnik V did not decline as much as Pfizer. The study involved 51 people inoculated with Sputnik V and 17 with Pfizer.

It showed Sputnik V has more than twice the number of neutralizing antibodies to Omicron.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this newest development? Are you convinced that the national government as well as local government units (LGUs) should seriously consider acquiring more doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to really immunize as many Filipinos as possible as part of the effort to lift the country up from this pandemic? Are you aware that the nation of Tunisia approved the use of Sputnik Light as their universal booster for COVID-19 vaccines?

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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Illegal drugs seized and two suspects arrested in Parañaque City

January 28, 2022February 3, 2022carlocarrasco

Here is the latest about Parañaque City crime developments. Two individuals were arrested in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City as a result of a new buy-bust operation according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The illegal drugs seized were worth hundreds of thousands of pesos.

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

Members of the Southern Police District (SPD) Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) arrested two suspects during a buy-bust operation in Paranaque City and confiscated from them P340,000 worth of shabu on Tuesday (Jan. 25).

SPD Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspects as Kennedy Valan, 25, and Maynard Delos Santos, 25, both of Paranaque City.

Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested at about 8:55 p.m. at 3299 Kabesang Cillo, Barangay Tambo, Paranaque City.

He said SPD-DEU conducted a buy-bust operation after getting information from a concerned citizen that the suspects were the main source of shabu in Barangay Tambo.

The SPD chief said confiscated from the suspects were eleven plastic heat sealed transparent sachets containing shabu with a street value of P340,000.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City, are you tired of seeing your city being the hot spot for illegal drugs?

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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Antitrust notification for Robinsons’ full takeover of Ministop not needed according to Philippine Competition Commission (PCC)

January 27, 2022January 26, 2022carlocarrasco

If you have been living here in the Philippines, have you visited any branch of the Ministop chain of convenience stores lately? Did you notice that the term acquisition was more prominent recently in business news as of late mainly due to the Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard deal?

The point here is that another acquisition happening in the Philippines – Robinsons is set for a full takeover of Ministop (which itself is already majority owned by the said corporation) and an antitrust notification is not needed according to the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). This was reported lately by GMA Network news.

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

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said Tuesday Robinsons Supermarket Corp. does not need to notify the antitrust watchdog of its full takeover of the Ministop franchise in the country as the company already has majority control over the convenience store franchise.

“Based on PCC’s merger rules, the Commission acknowledges that Robinsons’ current majority stake in Ministop already affords them control, and Robinsons is no longer required to notify the proposed acquisition to the antitrust commission,” the antitrust body said in a statement.

On Monday, Robinsons Supermarket —a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI)— announced it will acquire the 40% share of Ministop Japan in Robinsons Convenience Stores Inc. (RCSI), effectively taking full ownership of the business.

RCSI is the exclusive franchisee of Ministop in the Philippines, with Robinsons Supermarket Corp. holding a 60% stake in the firm. It will continue to operate the stores with the Ministop brand, within a prescribed transition period agreed upon with the Japanese counterpart.

RRHI said the stores will continue to operate as Ministop until they are repurposed and appropriately rebranded, in consideration of its ready-to-eat offerings such as Uncle John’s Fried Chicken and Kariman.

The PCC said it received reports of Ministop Japan’s sale to Lotte, including its sale of its joint venture stake in the Philippines.

Nikkei Asia reported that the Japanese convenience store operator will sell its South Korean and Philippine businesses, after unloading a Chinese subsidiary in Qingdao.

The PCC, however, noted that it will look into Robinsons’ portfolio in the consumer retail sector which includes supermarkets, department stores, and community malls, among others.

“Merger reviews are focused on the effects and changes of market behavior in the hands of new owners or stakeholders,” it said.

“This transaction may result in a change in ownership of a significant portion of equity but it is not likely to have an effect on the economic behavior of the target firm,” it added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this business development? If you are a regular customer of Ministop, what do you think will happen once the full takeover by Robinsons happens? Do you think that the quality of the customer service and store facilities will improve? When it comes to convenience store competition here in the Philippines, how do you rate Ministop with the likes of 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson? Are you personally attached to Ministop’s branch?

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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4 Chinese nationals apprehended for disturbance in Las Piñas City

January 27, 2022January 27, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been to BF Homes within the jurisdiction of Las Piñas City lately? In case you missed the news, there was a disturbance that happened there and it involved foreign nationals who eventually got arrested by the local police, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Four Chinese were arrested by members of the Las Pinas City police for alarm and scandal and for possession of firearms on Monday (Jan. 24).

Police identified the suspects as Zhao Yi, 32; Zheng Chao, 32; Zhuang Zhi, 34; and Li Xue, 32, a businesswoman, all residents of Unit 617 Tower 2, Avida Tower, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Southern Police District (SPD) Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested at about 6:30 p.m. at Gate I Inner Circle Home Owners Association Inc., BF Homes, Barangay Almanza Uno, Las Pinas City.

Investigation showed the suspects were on board a black Ford Everest with plate number CAA 7449 driven by Zhao and tried to enter the subdivision but was prevented by security guards for having no homeowners association sticker and no valid ID.

The police said Zhao bumped the gate of the subdivision resulting in damages that prompted security guards to ask for police assistance.

Macaraeg said the three Chinese companions of Zhao tried to stop the police from arresting him that also resulted in their arrest.

The above report ended stating that a .45 caliber pistol loaded with six live pieces of ammunition was found in the possession of one of the foreigners.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Did you encounter any troublesome foreigners within your local community? What should the Bureau of Immigration (BI) do about the reported four Chinese nationals who got arrested?

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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Public hearing and investigation on Maynilad will happen soon in Muntinlupa City

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022carlocarrasco

If you are a local resident or if you manage a business within Muntinlupa City, did you experience the recent water supply interruption? Be aware that the City Council of Muntinlupa will soon conduct a public hearing to get answers from water concessionaire Maynilad regarding the water supply interruption that affected many around the city, the Manila Bulletin reported.

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

The Muntinlupa City Council will conduct a public hearing to investigate Maynilad on the severe water supply interruption being implemented that has affected thousands of households and businesses in the city.

Maynilad extended the water supply interruption to Feb. 15 instead of Jan. 20 that it earlier announced.

Households in Muntinlupa have experienced up to 18 hours without water service while other areas have no water supply for days.

According to the Muntinlupa City government, councilors are asking that people from Maynilad involved in the operation of water service should be the one to attend and not just any representative who cannot make a decision or explanation about the matter.

Among the topics to be discussed are asking Maynilad to deploy more water tankers to supply to different communities and payment holiday on the days without any water supply.

City Council Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro told Manila Bulletin that they are just awaiting the notice of public hearing from the City Council secretary and chairman of the committee concerned on the date of the public hearing.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this newest development? What do you think Maynilad would say when it comes to explaining the recent water supply interruption? Was your household or your business negatively affected by the water supply interruption?

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: Almost 60 million Filipinos fully vaccinated

January 26, 2022January 24, 2022carlocarrasco

This past weekend, the national government announced that almost sixty million Filipinos nationwide have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to a report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be more precise, the official count was at 57 million.

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

The Philippines has administered 122,889,494 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines nationwide as of Saturday, with 57,095,695 Filipinos now with complete shots and better protected against the virus.

Data from the National Covid-19 vaccination dashboard showed 59,716,484 individuals have received at least the first dose of the primary series while 6,077,315 got their booster or additional doses.

The government recently launched the “Resbakuna sa Botika” program in partnership with private pharmaceutical stores and clinics to encourage more fully vaccinated Filipinos to avail of booster shots.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said “self-management and social responsibility” would greatly contribute to the country’s response to the global health crisis.

“Basically, it is not sustainable that only the national government will take care of everything. I believe the private sector, the LGUs (local government units), and also the different parts of our society want to have responsibility. And that’s the way forward to our Covid-19 pandemic response,” Galvez said in an interview at a booster vaccination event in Makati City on Friday.

Galvez said there should a policy shift from having a government-centered approach to giving pre-access to those who are willing to assist in the national vaccination program.

On face value, having 57 million fully vaccinated Filipinos nationwide sounds like good news but in reality it remains to be seen if the Omicron variant could be resisted.

More on the Omicron variant, it is crucial for the Philippines to acquire as many new doses of Sputnik vaccines from Gamaleya to really immunize and boost more Filipinos as soon as possible. Already there were studies conducted showing that Sputnik V and Sputnik Light resulted in strong resistance against the Omicron variant (for references, click here, here and here). Historically, Muntinlupa City was one of the first cities of the Philippines to receive a batch of Sputnik V vaccines.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the news about our nation having almost sixty million fully vaccinated Filipinos sound encouraging to you? Are there still lots of unvaccinated people there in your local community? If you are managing a business, have you checked if your employees got fully vaccinated or even boosted? Are you still worried about the Omicron variant? If you have been fully vaccinated, when did you get your 2nd dose and when do you plan to get yourself boosted?

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: Las Piñas City’s vaccination count surpasses 1.2 million, over 530,000 fully vaccinated

January 26, 2022January 25, 2022carlocarrasco

The City Government of Las Piñas announced that their official COVID-19 vaccination count has surpassed 1,200,000 and over 530,000 of that were counted as fully vaccinated (meaning getting injected with 2 doses of most COVID-19 vaccines or getting injected with the single-dose Janssen vaccine). The statistics are accurate as of January 22, 2022.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the official update that the City Government released online…

As seen above, the total number of patients who got fully vaccinated was at 532,786. It should be noted that getting fully vaccinated as well as getting boosted are crucial in relation to the Omicron variant’s effects on the Philippines. More on the statistics, the first dose count of 557,468 is 124.7% of the target population (70%) while the second dose account is 119.2% of the target population.

Meanwhile, the official booster dose count of Las Piñas City was recorded at 114,799. For the newcomers reading this, only the fully vaccinated are eligible to avail of the booster shot (AKA 3rd shot). 114,799 out of 532,786 is equivalent to 21.5%. There’s still a long way to go before the booster dose count of the city reaches the 500,000 mark.

Meanwhile, the City Government is already handling the online registration process for COVID-19 vaccination for local minors (aged 12 to 17) which can be done at http://laspinascityonline.laspinascity.gov.ph/eCVRS/

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the city’s vaccination count could reach 2,000,000 within the year? Are the fully vaccinated members of your local community making efforts to get their booster shots? Do you hope that the City Government will receive more doses of the Sputnik vaccines as research showed they have strong resistance against the Omicron variant?

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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