During the Israel Independence Day reception in Makati City, the government of the Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen its multifaceted partnership with Israel, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine government reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthen its partnership with Israel, spanning key areas, such as agriculture and security.
Speaking at the Israel Independence Day reception in Makati on Thursday night, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jesus Domingo said Manila is eager to “further strengthen” this multifaceted partnership with the Jewish state.
Domingo said the two states share a deep and unique friendship rooted in history when the Philippines opened its door to Jewish people fleeing the Holocaust and voted in favor of a United Nations resolution to establish the State of Israel.
“These historical cornerstones form the bedrock of our strong bilateral ties over the decades, our relationship continues to expand,” he said, citing the dynamic Philippine-Israel cooperation on agriculture, technology and innovation, and security.
People-to-people connections, he added, have grown through tourism, culture exchanges, and the two nations’ shared democratic values.
“We are confident that by continuing to work together, we can achieve greater prosperity and security for both our nations and contribute positively to the global community,” he said.
Outgoing Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss, meanwhile, conveyed similar hopes for stronger Philippine-Israel relations as he noted the new depth in the two states’ partnership over the past years.
This newest development shows the continuing growth of Israel-Philippines ties through the high level officials during the event in Makati. Even as anti-Semitism intensifies and Islamo-Leftists forces (including their mainstream news media partners-in-crime) around the world keep on condemning Israel, the government of the Philippines still recognizes the Jewish state and values Israel-Philippines ties. Pray to the Lord that President Bongbong Marcos will make moves for better engagement with Israel.
Overseas, Israel is making notable progress against the remaining forces of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza, while keeping a close watch on the terrorist state Iran which itself is negotiating with Trump-led America. Watch closely what will happen next and never lose sight on the deceptive moves of the sinister leaders of Qatar who openly support Palestinian terrorists, hate Israel and shamelessly propagate Islamic terrorism through Al Jazeera.
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 without hesitation. 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. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray to Him so that Israel-Philippines ties and cooperation will keep growing stronger and more resilient no matter what happens around the world.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. 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, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 10th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel). To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this twisted world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!
In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when our pilgrimage tour group visited the Southern Steps (also referred to as the Southern Stairs and Rabbi Stairs) located at the lower part of the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Thanks to our dedicated local tourist guide, our tour group had a meaningful visit there and we spent several minutes observing the place. Our time at the steps concluded with a bible teaching led by New Life Philippines Pastor Edwin Tugano. In my personal experience, I felt something from the Lord there as I realized the biblical relevance of the holy site as well as insight regarding what the place was like thousands of years ago.
This is me at the Southern Steps in Jerusalem, Israel.
The site is very significant as it is the place that served as one of the main entrances from the south to the Temple Mount during the time of Lord Jesus. In fact, people coming from the City of David going north to the Temple Mount used the Southern Steps very long ago. Also, the Southern Steps became a useful place where rabbis and their disciples gathered for faith lessons and this explains why the said steps are also called the Rabbi Stairs. Physically, the steps were hundreds of feet wide which provided abundant space for congregating and teaching.
As many centuries had passed since Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven, there were physical changes that happened at the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount and this is evident as visitors today cannot access the mentioned sacred site above (where the Jewish temples used to be) using the Southern Steps. This is because there is noticeable expansion of the Southern Wall blocking the steps’ upward access to the Temple Mount. I myself had touched that wall and noticed how its stone quality and colors differed from the rest of the Southern Wall.
I brought the Passion Translation Holy Bible with me at the Southern Steps. After taking this image, I climbed up the steps, reached the Southern Wall and touched it.
Regardless, the step themselves – composed of the original stones from Jesus’ time (those steps with the rougher stones) plus newer ones (added to fill the gaps) leading to the Southern Wall – are still there and climbing them required methodical walking. The Southern Steps today are widely visited by faithful Christians from around the world as it is a holy site and it is very likely that Lord Jesus Himself climbed the steps going to the Temple Mount. There is no doubt that Lord Jesus and His disciples also gathered at the steps for teachings. The holy site should remind you about the significance of Lord Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem.
In my experience there at the Southern Steps with my tour companions, I felt the holiness of the place and that became more evident as I opened the Holy Bible during the bible teaching led by our pastor right there. During our time there, I noticed another pilgrimage tour group was present with us several feet away.
Did Pentecost happen at the Southern Steps?
Our pilgrimage tour group in the foreground, and another group in the background. The Southern Steps is an essential place for Christians to visit in Israel.
By reading the biblical reference of Pentecost and connecting it with my observations of the holy site, I can say that the Southern Steps is a possible place where Pentecost may have happened. I can even say that it is a more suitable place – where about three thousand Jews got baptized after the apostle Peter preached the good news – than the Upper Room (itself a popular location in many paintings and artworks dramatizing Pentecost).
Take a close look at the biblical record of Pentecost below…
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted [j]to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 2:1-41 (NKJV)
Take note that verse 2 of Chapter 2 in the Book of Acts specifically mentioned “house” which is not limited to houses. In fact, in the Old Testament of the Bible, the Jewish temple is referred to as the house – as in the house of the Lord. The place of worship of the Lord!
Still within biblical context, “house” – as seen in verse 36 with “house of Israel” – also symbolizes family and lineage in the Holy Bible. “House of Israel” refers to the entire nation descended from Abraham through Jacob and Isaac and that includes the Jewish people (descendants) who were present in Jerusalem during Pentecost. For relevance of the house of Israel, read 2 Kings 7:1-16 in the Holy Bible – God’s words for King David passed through the prophet Nathan.
In the foreground are the Southern Steps and the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount. In the background is more of Jerusalem. (source – screenshot taken from the Instagram video of Hananya Naftali)
As it was an essential form of access into the Temple Mount, the Southern Steps also served as a natural place of gathering, spacious enough to accommodate thousands of Jews. As mentioned earlier, these wide and spacious holy stairs are a more suitable place than the Upper Room for Pentecost to happen.
Also take note that verse 41 of Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts mentions that there were around three thousand Jews who got baptized and helped the church of Lord Jesus grow a lot on the day of Pentecost itself (for relevance, read John 3:3 in the Holy Bible). This also means that there were between fifteen thousand to thirty thousand people in Jerusalem who witnessed Pentecost happen. Having been at the Southern Steps myself, I can easily visualize the whole place – from the steps themselves and the space between them and the City of David in the south, plus the whole stretch of the Southern Wall – being filled with lots of people on that very day. Having attended the bible teaching led by our pastor who stood at the steps facing us south, I can visualize the apostle Peter preaching to thousands of Jewish people there long ago.
Our pastor Edwin Tugano (standing on the ancient steps facing us) led the bible teaching for me and my pilgrimage group companions.
There is absolutely no way that the 3,000 people who received Christ and got baptized would fit inside the Upper Room at the time of Pentecost. When the apostle Peter preached, he was not surrounded by only a tiny group of people but by a huge crowd who listened. The other apostles were with Peter back then. This should remind you that the artists responsible for the paintings and artworks portraying Pentecost happening inside the Upper Room or within an indoor place with walls and a roof did not fully understand the biblical record of Pentecost. In other words, those artists got it wrong and the Bible proves they are wrong. This should remind you to maintain faith in God’s Word, not in man-made artworks.
Once again, the Southern Steps is a possible site of Pentecost. It may not be definitive but it definitely is more suitable than the Upper Room for congregating and preaching in front of thousands. The other possible places where Pentecost may have happened include the Royal Stoa (which was intact at the Southern Wall covering its length and was located high above the Southern Steps) and at the Jewish Temple itself.
While the exact location of Pentecost remains unresolved, I encourage you all to always keep faith in the Lord and His Word knowing that Pentecost truly happened as it was an anointed by the Lord to happen. Location is one thing, but the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit are always essential to our faith in Lord Jesus.
Conclusion
It was destiny from the Lord for me and my pilgrimage tour group to visit the Southern Steps. I felt the unction from the Holy Spirit to capture this very moment upon arrival there.
I can say that me and my pilgrimage tour group companions were blessed by the Lord during our time at the Southern Steps. Simply thinking about Lord Jesus teaching His followers at the steps is uplifting There clearly is a lot to learn and discover by being at the holy site and having the Bible for reference. I thank Lord Jesus for blessing us, for our pastors and our local tour guide, and for the anointed experience at the Southern Steps. I definitely will revisit those steps when I return to Israel.
Israel is a great and holy place to visit! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come!
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers, fellow faithful believers of Lord Jesus and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
For this edition of the series, we will focus on Christian videos on YouTube remembering our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as this week is Holy Week. May the selected videos below deepen your faith in Lord Jesus, the Hope of ALL nations!
#1 Planetshakers’ The Greatest Name music video featuring Darlene Zschech – I blogged about this recently and it truly is relevant for Holy Week. Planetshakers recently published their music video of The Greatest Name and they have Pastor Darlene Zschech (formerly with Hillsong Church) singing and honoring the Lord with them. This worship music video must be seen as it can truly lift up the faithful person to worship and honor the Lord.
#2 HolyLandSite’s Israel videos – When it comes to learning about the Holy Land in Israel and their connections with the Holy Bible (the Word of God), YouTube channel HolyLandSite is easily the best producer of Holy Land videos. For your faith in the Lord and for your pursuit of biblical relevance, I posted below the selected videos from HolyLandSite. Prepare yourselves with the Bible and watch these videos.
#3 New Life Music’s Testimony worship music video – In June of 2023, New Life Music (the worship music team of New Life Philippines) posted the official video (backstage sessions) of their original worship song Testimony. Co-written by Nash Soliven, Camille Cuna, Erican Reyes, Timothy Mena, Charity Patricio, Josiah Patricio and Sam Mokamad, Testimony will not only uplift the faithful spiritually but also remind them how God moved in their lives. If you have not seen it yet, do it now without hesitation.
#4 Teaching by Pastor Darlene Zschech – If you seek biblical teaching, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and ways to receive the Lord’s commands better, I recommend watching this teaching of God’s Word led by Pastor Darlene Zschech. This teaching is from Hope Unlimited Church’s (HopeUC) Hearing from God series.
#5 Teaching by Pastor Mylene Evangelista – Without the Word of God, a lot more people today would have declined as worldliness and twisted forces always surround everyone. If you are feeling down or intimidated right now, you can learn how to handle your world with God’s Word by watching this teaching by Pastor Mylene Evangelista of New Life Philippines.
In ending this post, I share with you the following scriptures from the Holy Bible.
Jesus answered him,
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 (AMPC)
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NKJV)
“I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.
“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. 6If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!
John 15:1-8 (TPT)
Thank you for your time. Always move forward with uncompromising faith in the Lord. Always remember that Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations as He is God’s son as well as the Anointed Mediator between the Heavenly Father and men (1 Timothy 2:5). Also pray to the Lord to support Israel, its people and for the peace of Jerusalem.
Recently, Planetshakersreleased via YouTube their newest music video of the worship song The Greatest Name and they have Pastor Darlene Zschech singing with them. It is a very uplifting work of worship music and you can watch it right now.
The Greatest Name refers to the name of Lord Jesus, the Savior and Redeemer of all. The worship song and the music video itself are lively reminders that God the Heavenly Father sent His son Jesus to us to redeem us and pave the way for a genuine union with Him. As such, this worship music collaboration between Planetshakers and Darlene Zschech more than wonderful…it is anointed by the Lord.
For the newcomers reading this, Planetshakers is a Christian church based in Melbourne, Australia and their music team is a very blessed group which produced a whole lot of worship songs the resonated with faithful Christians around the world. I myself attended a Planetshakers worship event here in the Philippines in September 2022. Pastor Darlene Zschech is with Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) and was previously with Hillsong Church and its worship music team Hillsong Worship.
Going back to the worship song The Greatest Name, I encourage you all to pay close attention to two translations of Philippians 2:9-11 in the Holy Bible and they are displayed below for your reference and faith in Lord Jesus. I also added a few other relevant verses.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)
Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names!
The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, his Father!
Philippians 2:9-11 (TPT)
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
John 14:13-14 (NKJV)
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38 (NKJV)
If you want to discover and learn more about Planetshakers, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram), here (Twitter) and here (YouTube). To know more about Planetshakers itself, visit https://www.planetshakers.com/
In closing this, posted below are the otherworship music videos of The Greatest Name from Planetshakers’ YouTube channel. Jesus is our Lord and Savior and He is also the hope of ALL nations! Move forward with unbreakable and uncompromising faith in Him! Seek Him first and always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
The selling of tickets for the worship event will commence online at SM Tickets as well as at SM Ticket outlets on April 3, 2025. This new worship events are part of the 2025 Planetshakers Abundance Tour.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Planeshakers official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Planetshakers is so excited to visit Manila once again in July 2025!
Jesus came to give us a life of ABUNDANCE, opening the way to His kingdom and removing every obstacle in our path.
At Planetshakers ABUNDANCE Tour in Manila, we invite you to experience this abundance, grow in faith, and encounter God’s power as we gather for a powerful night of praise and worship.
For those who intend to attend any of the two worship events at SM MOA Arena, the ticket prices have been declared as follows:
To those who intend to attend the worship event, the ticket prices have been confirmed as follows: VIP for P1,600, Patron for P1,600, Lower Box Premium for P1,600, Lower Box for P1,200, Upper Box for P1,200, and General Admission for P600. These are the same prices as Planetshakers’ 2023 worship event in the same place.
The official seat layout as published by Planetshakers via their Facebook page.
To prepare yourselves to purchase tickets online, I encourage you all to prepare your credit cards and be early to log-in at SMTickets.com because in my experience, there was long virtual line of over 2,600 ahead of me before I got my turn to purchase my tickets and choose my seat. If you prefer to buy tickets over-the-counter at SM Tickets outlets, better start searching for them using Google Maps now.
If you believe in Lord Jesus, I encourage you to attend the upcoming Planetshakers worship events. I attended their Philippines worship event in September 2022 and you can read all about it by clicking here.
Planetshakers is great in leading the worship of the Lord and their worship music is always powerfully played. It is also wonderful to receive the blessing of the Lord when I personally witnessed Planetshakers co-founder and Senior Pastor Sam Evans lead the prayer. She is truly a prayer powerhouse. That being said, personally attending a Planetshakers worship event is an anointed experience and you will be blessed because the Lord loves the faithful.
Others out there could only see a Planetshakers event as just a music, feel good event. In reality, such an event is always a blessing from the Lord. I know because I personally experienced it all! Be very thankful to God that He is blessing the Philippines a lot again through Planetshakers.
For your refence, posted below are video clips of the September 2022 Planetshakers worship event I attended.
If you are thinking about this July’s Planetshakers worship events, I encourage you to seek the Lord’s Kingdom and praising Him with all your heart and passion. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)
“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.”
Matthew 6:33 (TPT)
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV)
If you want to discover and learn more about Planetshakers, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram), here (Twitter) and here (YouTube). To know more about Planetshakers itself, visit https://www.planetshakers.com/
In closing this, posted below are some Planetshakers worship music videos for your faith in the Lord and viewing pleasure. Jesus is our Lord and Savior and He is also the hope of ALL nations! Move forward with unbreakable and uncompromising faith in Him! Be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
Recently Israeli aid agency MASHAV head Eynat Shlein and Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss met with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla and discussed strategies for local development, innovation and sustainable growth, according to the social media post of Israel in the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the social media post. Some parts in boldface…
The meeting between H.E. Eynat Shlein, H.E. Ilan Fluss, and Secretary Jonvic Remulla, discussed the training opportunities offered by MASHAV for Filipinos in the field of disaster management, agriculture, innovation, food security, health, municipality management, and more.
The Filipino alumni of these programs return with invaluable firsthand knowledge of Israel’s best practices, which they apply to their roles, driving positive change in the Philippine economy. The discussion also explored ways to further leverage these learnings to benefit society at large, expanding the impact across the nation.
The Head of MASHAV, H.E. Eynat Shlein, together with head of Internship in Agriculture Administration, Ms. Tamar Yarden, visited the Philipppines from February 18 to February 20.
This newest development shows the continuing growth of Israel-Philippines ties through aid from MASHAV and the cooperation that comes with it. For the newcomers reading this, MASHAV is the Jewish State’s Agency for International Development Cooperation at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was established in 1958 following the vision of then Foreign Minister Golda Meir and Prime Minister David Ben Gurion to assist fellow nations overcome development challenges by sharing knowhow and technologies, which provided the basis of Israel’s own development.
MASHAV is responsible for the design, coordination and implementation of the Sate of Israel’s development cooperation programs and humanitarian assistance efforts. By placing people at the heart of development, the agency focus its development activities on human capacity building and on the ‘training of trainers’ approach, sharing with other countries Israel’s own development experience and expertise as well as innovative technologies and tested methodologies. That being said, MASHAV is a very valuable and strategic partner for the Philippines.
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 without hesitation. 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. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray to Him so that Israel-Philippines ties and cooperation will keep growing stronger in the years to come.
As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is very connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. I keep on praying to Him for Israel to overwhelm its enemies, rescue the hostages and recover from the effects of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas which is sponsored by terrorist state Iran. I can assure all of you that nobody from the evil Islamo-Leftist mob, nobody from the pro-Palestine radicals, nobody from the political correctness extremists, and nobody from evil societies would stop me from supporting and loving Israel.
Now, on with the news…
In another move of generosity for the Philippines, Israeli aid agency MASHAV donated a new learning center for the benefit of the students of Urusan Elementary School (UES) in Taguig City, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. MASHAV Head Ambassador Eynat Shlein, Mayor Lani Cayetano and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss were present during the turnover.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Israel’s aid agency MASHAV on Wednesday turned over a new learning center to the students of Ususan Elementary School (UES).
MASHAV Head Ambassador Eynat Shlein and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss, who led the unveiling ceremony in Taguig City, said this center signals Tel Aviv’s interest to continue and increase its development cooperation with the country.
The Nir Oz Resource Learning Center, named after one of the Israeli kibbutz attacked by the Hamas in October 2023, is complete with reading materials and equipment procured by the MASHAV.
“The learning center is one of the building stones of the joint quest between Israel and the Philippines for sustainable development. And if we want to get to development, we need to start from the beginning,” Shlein said.
“The beginning are the seeds and the seeds of the future are the children —we need to look after them,” she added.
On top of inspiring students to read more books, Shlein also hoped this center would promote friendship, understanding, and open-mindedness among them.
“The fact that we helped establish this refuge for children from daily teachings where they could sit and think and reconnect, for us, that is a building block for sustainable education,” she said.
“Education is a core beacon in our work, and as we have worked already in 140 countries and trained hundreds of thousands of people, out of which many thousands are Filipinos, we are happy to continue on this joyful bilateral track.“
In a separate interview, Fluss said Israel is also planning to partner with more stakeholders to finance similar centers in other areas outside Metro Manila.
“It’s very humble but that’s the Israeli approach —we believe in the development of human resources, even in other programs, we always look at capacity building,” he said.
This newest development shows the continuing growth of Israel-Philippines ties through education. Israel can keep contributing to improve the standards of education and help elementary students learn better. Thank the Lord for this breakthrough as well as the continuing cooperation between Israel and the Philippines.
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 without hesitation. 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. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray to Him so that Israel-Philippines ties and cooperation will keep growing stronger in the many years ahead.
New Life Community Care Foundation International, Inc. (NLCOM) – the compassion arm of New Life Philippines located inside Alabang Hills Village in Muntinlupa City – presented its official report for the year 2024 during the February 9, 2025 worship service in Alabang.
In 2024, NLCOM did the following for the many victims and the affected communities: serving 598,833 hot meals, distributed 5,457 relief goods, rebuilt 1,200 homes, reached 49 communities and trained 447 individuals.
Compassion knows no boundaries, and our mission has no limits. In 2024, we witnessed this truth once again as NLCOM’s reach expanded even further, and the unwavering support and contributions of our donors, partners, and volunteers have been pivotal to that success. Thanks to their supply, we’ve been able to bring light, hope, and transformation to even more lives, making a profound impact on our community.
NLCOM presented its 2024 report on February 9, 2025, at New Life Alabang.
Beyond immediate relief, NLCOM remains committed to fostering long-term community resilience. In 2024, they conducted onsite and online resilience training and Psychological First Aid (PFA) workshops for city employees, volunteers and network churches in Manila and Catbalogan, Samar.
NLCOM also revealed that it has partnered with New Life Kathmandu to support 350 families in Nepal who were devastated by landslides on September 28, 2024.
In his message to the partners and friends, NLCOM Executive Director and Pastor Paul Giague stated:
As we reflect on the past year, we’re reminded of the numerous challenges we faced together – from devastating fires to powerful typhoons. Yet through every disaster, our collective resilience shone even brighter. We stood united, responding with compassion, reaching out with kindness, and rebuilding hope. We’re deeply grateful for your unwavering support, which has been instrumental in our efforts. Our Community Ready campaign embodies this spirt of unity and action, empowering everyone to make a lasting difference.
Through your contributions, we’ve been able to provide hot meals, distribute relief, and equip communities with vital resilience training. These tangible expressions of God’s love have brought comfort to those in need. Togther, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, ensuring that no one faces hardship alone by providing aid, training and community support. We invite you to continue partnering with us, and if you’re new, we welcome you to join us. Let’s build stronger, more resilient communities through Community Ready.
Because of you, lives are being changed. Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and commitment to serving others.
For the newcomers reading this, I previously blogged about NLCOM back in 2020 which you can read by clicking here and my recent blog posts can viewed by clicking here, here, here, here and here. NLCOM has an established record of providing relief to disaster victims and helping them rebuild their lives and communities as they recover.
NLCOM is committed to organizing activities from disaster preparedness trainings, relief goods distribution, mobile kitchen feeding operations, Psychological First Aid to kids and adults traumatized by a disaster, and rebuilding of damaged houses. To get to know NLCOM better, I recommend you watch their official YouTube video below…
If you have decided to help people through NLCOM, be aware that New Life’s compassion arm is accepting donations. You may send your monetary donations to:
For more information about NLCOM, visit https://nlcom.org.ph/ or visit their office at 2 Don Manolo Boulevard, Alabang Hills Village, Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Contact them at landline 88091542 extension 426.
In ending post, let me share with you a few holy scriptures that should remind you that God is our source, our provider and the blessedness of giving is absolutely true. Be remind that Lord Jesus is the hope of all nations.
Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.
Proverbs 19:17 (MSG)
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
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
There are still many hostages held by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. For each hostage released under the current ceasefire (a very fragile one), Israel releases a lot of Palestinian prisoners. No matter what deception Hamas pulls off that gets magnified by the corrupted mainstream news media, Hamas cannot be trusted. Hamas can always harm the hostages secretly before deciding to release them. Remember that Hamas (which is supported by terrorist state Iran and Qatar) is guilty of murder and genocide when they committed the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel.
That being said, I encourage you all to keep praying the Lord Jesus to support Israel (which now has Trump-led America as its main ally) and to support the remaining hostages still under captivity. As for the hostages who released already, pray for them as they are struggling to recover and reconstruct their respective private lives.
Don’t let Hamas’ propaganda and the mainstream news media distract you! Keep having unwavering faith in the Lord and rely on His Word (the Holy Bible). Be uncompromising with your faith in the Lord.
Author Carlo Carrasco 