The month of February 2023 is indeed exceptional. In my experience, I had the greatest overseas trip of my life as I went to Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church. There, I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life at the many sites in the Holy Land. As such, I am grateful to the Lord and will always be faithful to Him.
On another significant matter, February 2023 also marked the 65th year of Israel-Philippines friendship which was celebrated a few weeks back according to a news article by the Philippines News Agency (PNA). For the newcomers reading this, Israel and the Philippines have a deep relationship with each other and lots of cooperation has been done.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines and Israel celebrated 65 years of friendship on Sunday, marking an already warm and historic relations with increased interactions in the areas of agriculture, commerce, and development.
In the past 12 months alone, the two nations signed various deals — from a memorandum of understanding to initiate joint activities on trade and investment to a cooperation agreement in technological innovation, research, and development.
The “milestone” Philippine-Israel Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement was also concluded in June 2022, signaling the two nations commitment to create environment for investments in water management, agriculture, cybersecurity, defense industry, smart transportation, manufacturing, and diamond industry development, among others.
Envisioning an even closer economic relations in the years beyond, Israel Ambassador to Manila Ilan Fluss sees the field of innovation as an area the two countries could further develop.
“My vision is that we will establish bridges of innovation in technology between Israel and the Philippines,” he told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.
“For this, we’re working a lot on both on two levels, one on the startup community and how we can get an exchange between startups and to get Philippine startups enter into Israel,” he added.
As an innovation hub, Fluss believes Israel could support the Philippines in building a stronger startup industry through training and guidance in “internationalizing” Filipino startups.
In 2022, there were over 6,000 startups active in Israel, making the country a world leader in startups per capita.
Israeli firms, on the other hand, could enter the Philippines and provide solutions that address challenges unique to the country.
“[The Philippines] could help Israeli startups who are usually focused more on the developed markets, enter into the Philippines, adjusting what they’re doing to the challenges in the Philippines which are different than Europe and the United States,” Fluss said.
“So we want to help them diversify and enter the Philippine markets. So this is a very major effort that we are doing in the embassy,” he added.
Israel and the Philippines’ friendship is founded on deep historical and moral connections, with Manila opening its doors to 1,300 Holocaust refugees in late 1930s even before Israel became a state.
The Philippines was one of the 33 countries to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution in 1947 that created the State of Israel.
65 years of not only friendship but strong cooperation and commitments between Israel and the Philippines clearly shows that the two nations were chosen by God to be together. Be thankful to God for all the breakthroughs and the continuing progress of Israel-Philippines ties. Israel-Philippines ties are essential!
To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed by all. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel.
In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment. I encourage you all to watch them.
The Philippines has very delicious mangoes which can be availed in their basic fruit forms as well as other forms such as dried mango snacks, candies, juices and shakes. For mangoes to remain available for domestic and overseas consumption, the farming and production of the fruits must be maintained in good conditions in the long run and this is where the State of Israel comes in.
This past September, the State of Israel confirmed its support for farmers in the Ilocos Region as Ambassador Ilan Fluss formally visited the province of Ilocos Norte and stated they are looking forward to more cooperation specifically on mangoes, as reported by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To say the least, mango farmers in the Ilocos Region need Israel’s expertise as they have been dealing with problems for some time now. The Ilocos Region itself is a major source of mangoes here in the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the article of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Israel government has vowed to assist Ilocos farmers to boost their productivity by sharing their innovative solutions to modern agriculture.
In his first visit to Ilocos Norte province, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said one of the big areas they are looking at for stronger support and longer cooperation is battling emerging diseases in mangoes and other promising crops in the region by tapping mango experts from Israel.
“We have lots of expertise in the approach. See what we can offer if I can identify good experts that can come and help in identifying the disease and solution which is not always on more and more pesticides but try different approaches to look into it and come back to the governor,” he said.
As a junior diplomat to the Philippines back in the 90s, Fluss recalled that the Israel government had introduced a training program in Guimaras then to help in exporting its mangoes to Japan.
Since 2012, the mango industry in the province has been suffering from low yield due to erratic weather patterns and disease infestation.
Ricardo Tolentino, president of the Mango Growers Association in Ilocos Norte, said a lot of mango growers continue to suffer losses due to the El Niño or the prolonged dry spell and the oversupply from other mango-producing provinces that drove prices down.
As a high-value commercial crop in the province, the Ilocos Norte government has been helping farmers rehabilitate their fruit-bearing trees and apply organic conditioners to give time for the soil to “heal.”
Grafted mango seedlings, organic fertilizers, and fruit-fly attractants are, likewise, being distributed to farmers to help boost the industry.
Based on the quarterly bulletin report of the Philippine Statistics Authority from April to June 2022, the Philippines’ mango production decreased by 3.8 percent, from 556,820 metric tons in the same quarter of 2021 to 535,430 metric tons this period.
The above article ended stating that the Ilocos Region contributed 22.5% to the total production and was the top mango producer during the 2nd quarter with more than 120 metric tons registered.
Be thankful to the Lord for this recent development of the strong ties between the Philippines and Israel. Israel itself is a world leader on agriculture and their assistance for mango farmers in Ilocos Norte comes at a very crucial time as the entire Philippines continues to gradually recover economically and socially from the COVID-19 crisis. What is at stake here are livelihood, food production, food supply and the maintenance of mangoes in the country. Mangoes are a major product of export of the Philippines and we should be thankful to the State of Israel for their attention and support.
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.
Recently, the Manila Times had a virtual interview with Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss. Content of that interview was published online by the newspaper and it sure contains lots of details about the strong ties between Israel and the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the article of the Manila Times. Some parts in boldface…
The Manila Times (TMT): Could you give us an overview of Philippine-Israeli bilateral relations? What is the direction of our bilateral relations?
Ambassador Fluss: I would like first to say that I want to congratulate The Manila Times for its anniversary — 124 years is long, many years. So, congratulations.
Generally speaking, the relations are, I would say, very good and warm. Historically, we always remember 1928, the Philippines giving a safe haven to 1,300 Jewish refugees trying to escape Nazi rule where most countries, not all countries, closed the borders for refugees.
And the Philippines during the time of President [Manuel] Quezon showed the gesture of giving the message of helping those who are in need. And it is something that we appreciate very much.
And the second thing I would mention, which is very important to us historically, is 1947 when the Philippines voted in support of the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel, voted in the United Nations. This gives the foundation for the political foundation for the establishment of the State of Israel.
For this reason, until today, Filipinos do not need a visa to enter Israel and I think this is one of the reasons why we are seeing a really very good flow of people, movement of people between our two countries because it is easier with no visa.
Hopefully, when we see direct flights between our two countries, and I am very optimistic it will happen sometime next year, I think Manila-Tel Aviv will be a very busy line.
First of all, there is always a very good sense of people feeling very comfortable, very interested, very warm to each other I think it comes from similar values — the importance of family, value of family, value of charity, of helping each other, the community, I think these are the issues that we share between our societies, our two countries.
Today, we just had a JCM, the joint committee meeting, which is an annual political meeting between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel and the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) here. We did an overview of the relations.
And generally, things are going well between our two countries — friendly, warm, open discussions.
TMT: In terms of trade and commerce, are there new avenues that we can explore to further enhance our economic cooperation?
Ambassador Fluss: I’ll say my vision as the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines is to create bridges of innovation and technology between our two countries, which means one side to transfer the knowledge, what we’re doing in Israel.
Because Israel is known as a global hub of innovation. I want to share this experience and to help the Philippines in creating its own system of innovation where you can have local innovation, entrepreneurship. And to support that, I’m working on both government-level and private sector, academia, and also introducing relevant Israeli technologies that can support the development process here in the Philippines.
In this regard, we had a delegation in the Philippines last week of companies in the agricultural sector who came to a big agricultural expo in Davao, which is the “food basket of the Philippines.” We participated there. I was there in Davao last week.
There is a lot of interest in Israeli technologies and this is also part of the vision and one of the main goals of the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) is enhancing agricultural productivity and food security, and we are trying to support these efforts. The State of Israel is a leader in agriculture technologies.
So, for one side the economy and trade, so more business delegations. We are also looking at another delegation coming to the Philippines on the area of water. We are also planning to have an exhibition on Israeli innovation in the Philippines, which will be presented here. We have Israeli experts to talk about Israeli innovations.
During the pandemic two years ago, the Israeli Embassy expanded and we opened a trade and economic office in the embassy which shows Israel is now investing more in promoting the relations between our two countries in this sector.
Ambassador Fluss confirmed that Israel-Philippines ties are in a really good state not just diplomatically but also socially and economically. This past September, it has been confirmed that the State of Israel will assist farmers in the Ilocos Region by sharing their solutions to modern agriculture which should boost the local productivity. Ambassador Fluss visited the province of Ilocos Norte for the first time and met with the officials there.
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to grow stronger. As such, I encourage you all to not just read Manila Times’ interview with Ambassador Fluss but also pay close attention to the many details recorded in the interview so you can have a clear view about the state of Israel-Philippines relations. That interview is a blessing from our Lord. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations rise high strongly and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed on opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
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.
Since August 9 of 1957, Israel and the Philippines had been friends and the diplomatic ties between them prospered through the decades. In 2018, then President Rodrigo Duterte and a contingent of officials visited Israel. There, then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Duterte. During the COVID-19 crisis, Israel assisted the Philippines in varied such as having Filipinos in Israel vaccinated and by also sending their health experts to the Philippines.
Indeed, the ties between the Philippines and Israel are essential. The celebration of 65 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations is real and the Manila Bulletin reported about it recently.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines and Israel are celebrating their 65th year of diplomatic relationship this year.
On August 9, 1957, the two nations started fostering their relations, with Israel providing capacity building programs for Filipinos in the agriculture sector.
Israel has been providing assistance to Filipinos in advanced farming practices and data-driven agricultural management systems, as part of the Philippines’ campaign to stabilize the price of commodities and strengthen long-term food security.
As of 2021, the Philippines and Israel recorded a total of $354,349,790 in trade, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Israel also exported $268,096,401 worth of products to the Philippines, DFA added.
In July, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss met with Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles of the new Marcos administration to discuss possible collaboration and ways to strengthen the embassy’s connection with the Office of the Press Secretary in sharing the initiatives and partnerships between Israel and the Philippines.
Fluss said Israel’s expertise in cybersecurity, digital diplomacy, and media tech could be deployed for faster and more comprehensive delivery of news and information in the remote areas in the Philippines.
Responding to President Marcos’ first State of the Nation Address, Fluss also said Israel is looking forward to achieving the chief executives’ vision, “especially in the fields of agriculture, innovation & technology, and more.”
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to create opportunities, prosperity and new forms of friendship between the Filipinos and the Israelites. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations to rise high and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed while opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
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.
In recent times, Ambassador Fluss officially interacted with the Marcos administration by meeting with Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles and discussed matters related to Israel-Philippines ties, according to a recent article by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin article. Some parts in boldface…
Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss and Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles met to discuss possible collaboration projects, including the sharing of Israel’s knowledge in delivering news and information to remote areas in the Philippines.
In their meeting held on Friday, July 8, Fluss talked about their efforts in delivering news and information to far-flung areas in Israel.
The ambassador presented to Angeles and her team Israel’s expertise in cybersecurity, digital diplomacy, and media tech for faster and more comprehensive delivery of news and information in the remote areas in the Philippines.
“As a global hub of innovation, Israel is committed to building bridges of innovation between our nations,” it said.
The two officials, according to the embassy, also “discussed possible collaboration and ways to strengthen the embassy’s connection with the office (of press secretary) in sharing the initiatives and partnerships between Israel and the Philippines.”
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently reverted the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and its attached agencies to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).
Part of its functions is to develop and implement necessary guidelines and mechanisms for delivering and disseminating information on policies, programs, official activities, and achievements of the President and the Executive Branch.
This recent development is only the beginning of a new chapter of Israel-Philippines ties with President Marcos and his administration who will be governing until mid-2028. Ambassador Fluss’ meeting with the Press Secretary is something we must be thankful to God for.
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.
The Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is looking to companies in Israel for a potential partnership to meet the nation’s emergency preparedness needs, according to a recent report by BusinessWorld. The report has details related to what Israel’s ambassador Ilan Fluss stated to the local media lately. This is a clear sign that more cooperation and exploration of opportunities are happening under the ties between Israel and the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
THE PHILIPPINES is looking to partner with Israeli companies to help address the country’s emergency preparedness needs.
“Israel is also facing challenges in climate change and manmade disasters, and for that we have a lot of knowledge and know-how in dealing with emergency situations,” said Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss in a May 30 event organized by the Israel Embassy in Manila and the Philippine Office of Civil Defense (OCD). “Today is an opportunity to share… how the national and regional agencies can confront [these] challenges.”
Emergency solutions offered by four Israeli companies were presented: ImageSat International, which provides space-based, geospatial intelligence solutions for defense and security; ELPAM Electronics Ltd., which designs and implements siren systems and trapped people locators; Cinten, which improves emergency response capabilities through the data-driven, real-time simulations in its SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform; and GALMOBILE, which offers a mobile, plug-and-play solution for purifying any water source into potable water within thirty minutes.
“These four items are the technologies we really need at the OCD,” said Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, OCD assistant secretary and deputy administrator for operations. “We can engage them further through the DoST [Department of Science and Technology] to check on these tools.”
“In the shopping list of [natural] hazards, we have it all: typhoons, floods, storm surges, earthquakes, tsunamis …,” added Joe-Mar S. Perez, chief of the 24/7 operations center of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. “Because of these risk factors, the Philippine government has a proactive approach to risk management.”
Included in this approach is a response protocol adopted from the US for on-scene, all-hazard incident management, as well as PhilAWARE, a system created by the Pacific Disaster Center that visualizes disaster situations through layers of maps.
The government plans to establish alternate government command and control centers, in addition to the one in Central Luzon, according to Mr. Perez.
THREATS VERSUS GOALS
In Israel, identifying the gaps between its national goals and its benchmarked threats has helped the country manage disasters at the national and municipal level, per an emergency management expert.
“If the goal is fresh water and food … it’s not enough to say, ‘I’m going to supply food,’” said Joseph David Shapiro, deputy director of Israel’s national emergency management authority. “You have to explain at what service level [you’re going to] supply that.”
Governance during an emergency starts with identifying the different agencies that are a part of a particular goal, and then dividing responsibilities into missions to be carried out by the different offices, he said at the same event.
“If I am in the ministry of energy, how do I supply fuel and energy to the industries that package and supply food? Or, how do I supply fuel to the different trucks that move food from one place to another?” he said.
Israel’s national goals are grouped into three categories: continuous functionality goals (like transport and security); life texture goals (like shelter and hygiene); and vital goals (like water and medicine).
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. With regards to the incoming President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, I urge you all to pray for them. Pray that they will open their hearts to the Lord, look up to Him and follow His guiding light as they govern the entire Philippines in the years to come.
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.
“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!
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Tomorrow, November 30, 2021, almost 540,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the government of South Korea will arrive here in the Philippines according to a recent report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). This early, we Filipinos should express our thanks to our friends in South Korea for not just for the mentioned incoming vaccines but also for other forms of help they provided for our nation’s fight against COVID-19.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA report. Some parts in boldface…
The South Korean government is augmenting its pandemic assistance to the Philippines with the upcoming donation of539,430 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine this month.
The Korean Embassy in Manila said the donations are expected to arrive on November 30.
“The Embassy of the Republic of Korea is happy to support the Philippine government as it seeks to inoculate 15 million Filipinos during the National Covid-19 Vaccination Days from November 29 to December 1, 2021,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The donation is part of the joint efforts made by Korea and the Philippines to protect public health and support the local response to Covid-19 in the Philippines by vaccinating Filipino people.“
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) last year, the embassy has worked closely with partners from the Philippines, both to help protect the front-liners and reduce the crisis’ impact on the livelihood of affected Filipino families.
The upcoming donation brings to USD210.7 million or approximately PHP10.67 billion Korea’s Covid-19 assistance to the Philippines.
About USD200 million of the amount is in the form of concessional loans to help the Philippines procure enough vaccines in 2021 and support government efforts in scaling up its Covid-19 response.
Korea’s grant element in its concessional loan is at least 88.4 percent, based on the 2018 data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“It implies that the Philippines need(s) to repay only 12.6 percent and 88.4 percent will not be repaid by the Philippines. Thus, Korea’s concessional loan provides very, very good terms to the Philippines,” the embassy said.
Apart from the loans, Korea has donated 530,000 swab test kits, seven walk-through booths, two extraction equipment, six isolation beds, 970,000 masks, 167,000 hygiene kits, and 1,200 units of personal protective equipment.
It also distributed rice pouches to help about 365,000 Filipinos who are among the country’s most vulnerable cope during the pandemic.
The Korean Embassy said at least 34 refrigerated trucks for transporting Covid-19 vaccines and four trucks for transporting vaccine-related goods are likewise scheduled for delivery in January 2022.
This year marks 30 years of the Philippines’ and Korea’s development partnership, with the latter’s contribution to the country reaching USD2.1 billion in total.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this new development? Are you thankful to South Korea for the donations and assistance they provided to our country? Do you value the ties between the Philippines and South Korea?
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/
To put things in perspective about the Israel-Philippines exchange of scientists, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
Israel and the Philippines will be sending scientists to each other’s countries as part of capacity building and trainings, an official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said on Tuesday.
“The specifics such as the number of the experts, duration and date of the visit will still have to be further discussed. While we want to proceed with the activity as soon as possible, we also need to consider the current situation, including travel advisories both in the Philippines and Israel,” DOST Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation Leah Buendia told the Philippine News Agency.
She said the Filipino experts going to Israel will be trained on drip irrigation, medicinal chemistry, Israel’s drug discovery, and artificial intelligence (AI).
On the other hand, the Israeli scientists going to the Philippines will meet with Filipino researchers.
“One of the agreements during the (Philippines-Israel joint committee meeting on science and technology) is to conduct a workshop which will serve as a platform for Filipino and Israeli experts to discuss their works, and identify potential collaboration. During the meeting, our Israeli counterparts said that they want to visit the Philippines,” she said.
DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said the meeting with Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) chief scientist, Avi Domb, and other officials of both agencies was held virtually last June 30.
He said they talked about the potential joint initiatives to be implemented on the identified priority areas that include agriculture (water management); AI (robotics); and health (biomedical engineering and drug discovery).
The discussed priorities were guided by the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Scientific Cooperation signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during his official visit to Israel in 2018, he added.
“Israel is a valuable partner for us. It is part of our 20 priority partners for STI (science, technology, innovation) international cooperation, recognizing their strengths in STI and considering the pronouncements of engaging with non-traditional partners,” Buendia said.
She added that the DOST officials are happy that they finally had the meeting to lay out their plans for the collaboration.
De la Peña earlier reported that capacity building activities include scholarships, visiting professors, and trainings.
The conduct of joint conferences to discuss the respective researches and projects of experts shall also be expected, eyeing the development of AI applications for government/public service and emergency response, among others.
And here are some videos to help you know Israel better…
The latest exchange between Israel and the Philippines regarding scientists is a reflection of the stronger ties between the two nations. We Filipinos should be grateful to the State of Israel, no matter what happens and no matter who are leading as national authorities both here and there. We Filipinos can also give back by supporting Israel in more ways than one. We can pray for Israelites and provide varied support for them (note: refer to the Christians United for Israel reference near the very end of this article below) knowing that there are still terrorists (sponsored by Iran) and other forces of evil that are obsessed in destroying Israel.
Before I end this, here is a holy scripture for you all…
Now, this is what Yahweh says:
“Listen, Jacob, to the One who created you,
Israel, to the one who shaped who you are.
Do not fear,
for I, your Kinsman-Redeemer, will rescue you.
I have called you by name, and you are mine.
When you pass through the deep, stormy sea,
you can count on me to be there with you.
When you pass through raging rivers,
You will not drown.
When you walk through persecution like fiery flames,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm you,
for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God,
the Holy One of Israel!
I give up Egypt as the price to set you free,
Cush and Seba in exchange to bring you back.
Since you are cherished and precious in my eyes,
and because I love you dearly and want to honor you,
I willingly give up nations in exchange for you—
a man to save your life.
I am with you now, even close to you,
so never yield to fear.
I will bring your children from the east;
from the west I will gather you.
I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold them back!’
Bring me my sons from far away,
my daughters from the ends of the earth!
Bring me everyone who is called by my name,
the ones I created to experience my glory.
I myself formed them to be who they are
and made them for my glory.”
Isaiah 43:1-7 (TPT)
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.
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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
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The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ Members Networking Night
Varied executives and professionals interact during the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Members Networking Night on July 29, 2019.
Let me share to you all that I had a grand time meeting with varied business people and professionals. On the evening of July 29 at Manila Elks Club in Makati City, I attended the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Members Networking Night organized by the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. The result was a lot of enlightenment on my part and satisfaction now that I have brand new connections with many professionals.
I also had a grand experience learning about the strengthening ties between the Philippines and Israel. Since a miracle happened to me last year, I moved forward personally, socially and professionally. Along the way, I gained tremendous interest on Israel which I hope to visit someday.
As a nation, Israel is highly significant. It is one of the most innovative nations in the whole world as confirmed by a recent study. In addition to establishing ties with other professionals, my passion for Israel was a key factor behind my participation in the Networking Night event.
During the event, there was a program with a nice presentation to the members and the guests. Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President Sagiv Massad warmly welcomed us with his remarks followed by a short speech delivered by Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov who is the Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy of Israel.
Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President Sagiv Massad. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)
Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov of the Embassy of Israel gave useful updates about Philippines-Israel relations.
The Deputy Chief of Mission confirmed that bilateral ties between the Philippines and Israel are indeed getting stronger.
“The job that Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has been doing is very much appreciated by the embassy. It is a great contribution to our bilateral relations,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov. “I am very pleased to mention that we have very positive developments in the relations between Israel and the Philippines recently.”
While emphasizing the positive developments, she mentioned President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to Israel in 2018 which is a milestone as it marked the first time a Philippine President visited the country. Duterte had a big delegation with him to Israel and a lot of agreements were signed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Duterte.
The Deputy Chief of Mission mentioned that one of the signed agreements was related to the employment of caregivers and that fees on them would be reduced. Already there are 35,000 Filipino caregivers working in Israel who contributed a lot to the local society. The other agreement mentioned was about the employment of Filipino workers in the tourism industry of Israel. As a nation, Israel has a population of nine million and attracts four million tourists yearly. The Philippines was the first nation approached by Israel for its tourism needs.
After the update about Philippines-Israel relations, networking followed and it was during this time I met with varied professionals and business executives. We introduced ourselves, exchanged business cards and talked business. Along the way, I learned a lot from the professionals I met whose expertise include marketing, logistics, tax law, travel, sales, the airline industry, business solution development, events organizing, fruit processing, career development, real estate, etc.
Guests smile during the networking. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)
That’s me on the foreground talking with Bayani Liwanag, Jr., the sales manager of Salton Travel and Tours. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)
As the event went on, some prizes were raffled off to very lucky winners (including myself).
By the end of the Networking Night, I went home very enlightened, delighted and satisfied. There is nothing like making a whole lot of connections with varied professionals in just a few hours’ time. In the world of business, having connections is essential and they can add a lot to your business performance as well as its development.
Lastly, I should say that during my previous career as a community newspaper reporter, I attended and reported about the activities of the Parañaque City chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI). Privately I also attended some conferences that attracted varied industry professionals. The Chamber’s Networking Night is the most significant corporate event I attended yet. Now that I’m working in industry and attended this memorable July 29 event, I certainly will watch out for the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ next event and eventually learn more about Israel and its ties with the Philippines.
What is the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines?
You must be wondering – what exactly is the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and how significant are they? Let me explain.
The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines was established with a purpose to foster, enable, facilitate and ensure the success of its members’ businesses while promoting business-to-business networking between Israel and the Philippines. The Chamber aims to collaborate with Philippine government officials, agencies and bureaus, as well as business and community leaders in dealing with important and critical issues affecting business and industries in both countries, while contributing to their civic, social and economic development.
With regards to the benefits of being a member of the Chamber, the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines represents and further the interests of each member. Through General Membership meetings, Business Forums and other events, Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines members receive assistance in promoting their companies and individual interests, keeping them abreast and ahead of business trends both in the country and in Israel.
The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has a well established network with varied foreign and local chambers. They have ties with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI), other industry group-focused trade and business organizations as well. The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines constantly strives to be the premiere comprehensive resource and vehicle for the achievement of a strong and meaningful bilateral trade relationship between Israel and the Philippines that would be mutually beneficial to both countries.
The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines is currently open for local businesses who wish to join them as a member.
If you wish to learn more about the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, visit their website at ICCP.ph and follow their official Facebook page.
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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
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