Tag: Israel

I Love Israel: Philippine Army receives 15 armored mortar carriers (AMCs) from Israeli firm Elbit Systems

I Love Israel: Philippine Army receives 15 armored mortar carriers (AMCs) from Israeli firm Elbit Systems

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I am delighted over the news that the Army here in the Philippines acquired high-tech military equipment in the form of armored mortar carriers (AMC) which were made by the Israel-based company Elbit Systems, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Elbit Systems is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world, primarily in the defense and homeland security arenas. They develop and supply a broad portfolio of airborne, land and naval systems and products for defense, homeland security and commercial applications. The company’s systems and products are installed on new platforms, and they also perform comprehensive platform modernization programs. A range of support services are also provided.

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

The Philippine Army’s (PA) Armor Division got a much-needed firepower boost with the delivery of 15 M125A2 armored mortar carriers (AMCs), which are equipped with 120mm mounted mortar systems (MMS).

PA spokesperson, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said the AMCs were delivered on December 29 and were sourced from the Israeli firm Elbit Systems.

“The newly delivered 15 AMCs are for inspection within the first quarter of the year by the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee before acceptance and (deployment) to the Army’s field units,” Trinidad said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday night.

The AMCs are under Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program and acquired under the Army’s mounted mortar acquisition project.

“The new AMCs are part of the PA’s modernization project that will capacitate the country’s land force’s credible defense posture from various threats, local and international,” he said.

The Cardom 120mm recoil mortar system mounted on the M125A2 AMC is an autonomous, computerized system that has a range of 7,000 meters and a maximum fire rate of 16 rounds per minute operated by four crewmen.

The AMCs with MMS are used by the US Army, Israeli Defense Force, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries.

Meanwhile, PA chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., welcomed the arrival of the AMCs as he waits for its formal acceptance, noting that these deliveries are in line with the Army’s thrusts on enhancing the capabilities of its ground forces.

“These new armor assets will bolster the Army’s capability to deal with constantly evolving threats. With the realization of upcoming big-ticket modernization projects, the Philippine Army is on track to becoming a formidable and adaptive force capable of responding to a multitude of conventional and unconventional threats,” he said.

Armor Division commander, Maj. Gen. Efren Baluyot, said the new assets would provide close and immediate indirect fire support for maneuver units while quickly deploying in tactical situations.

Once those AMCs get cleared and start getting operated officially, they will surely enhance the Philippine Army’s (PA) operations especially in battles against the Leftist rebels and terrorists within the country.

We should all be thankful to God that our nation has a very essential partner and close friend in Israel which has helped Filipinos a lot in different ways such as the sharing expertise on COVID-19, cooperating on defense, having Filipinos in Israel vaccinated for COVID-19 and providing essential relief to typhoon victims. More on this particular development, it is great to see the Philippine Army acquiring military hardware from Elbit Systems which itself is highly credible not only with its business record and advanced military technologies, but also because they provided military hardware to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other nations. I should also state that Israel is home to many high-tech companies which is something that the mainstream media does not even care to cover.

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

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

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

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

New Year Message (2022)

New Year Message (2022)

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Happy New Year to all of you my readers wherever you are! The year is now twenty twenty-two (2022). During the past year, the pandemic of COVID-19 still impacted everyone around the world but thanks to our Lord, breakthroughs happened and humanity (no matter how divided) moved on.

2021 is notable with the release of COVID-19 vaccines which were injected into many people globally and along the way there were signs of economic growth confirming socio-economic recovery is real and going on right now. Along the way, more venues of churches reopened and even though there were specific limits on capacity, more people returned to those said venues to worship God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit together. As I mentioned last year, no matter what happens, we must never lose faith in the Lord. It is only He who can protect us, lift us up, restore us and bless us. Also do not forget to thank God for the blessings and breakthroughs that happened in your lives. With God, nothing is impossible!

For this website, which has lasted almost three years now, I am delighted to share to you all that for the calendar year of 2021, www.CarloCarrasco.com registered around 285,000 hits (page views) and was visited by more than 205,000 users! Both figures are improvements over the 2020 numbers! More on the 2021 website hits, the single biggest source among nations is my native Philippines with more than 104,000 followed by India with over 76,000, Brazil with almost 16,000, the United States with more than 12,000 and Egypt with over 11,000. In terms of lifetime statistics (since January 4, 2019), this website has registered more than 645,000 hits worldwide!

2021 is also the record year of publishing new posts through this website with 594 which had a mix of faith articles, Christian Music Appreciation pieces, retro entertainment reviews, press releases, news-related pieces and more. I should state that two new series of articles composed of “Better than Streaming” and “I Love Israel” were notable additions not just for the variety of posts of this website but also for the enlightenment of the readers.

Considering all the website achievements and other blessings of 2021, I am very thankful to the Lord and I also declare my deep thanks to you my readers, to my business partners who kept trusting me and my publishing outfit, to the stakeholders among the different units of authority (from local government units to the homeowners associations), to the pastors and preachers of different churches of Lord Jesus, to the special people and organizations who agreed to be featured on my website in exclusive articles, and to others who trusted me.

In ending this piece, I invite all of you to join me in praying to our Lord with the following holy scriptures from the Bible. Let us all look forward to the new year living on with unwavering faith in the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit!

For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NASB)

The Lord is my shepherd,

I will not be in need.

He lets me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For the sake of His name.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,

And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:1-6 (NASB)

Delight yourself also in the Lord,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 15:7 (NKJV)

Once again, Happy New Year to all of you and always remember that you are loved by the Lord!

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Note: Cover photo of this article was sourced from Parade.com

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/

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

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines discussing long-term response over Typhoon Odette devastation

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines discussing long-term response over Typhoon Odette devastation

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The ties between Israel and the Philippines continued to strengthen as the Jewish State provided very valuable assistance to victims of Typhoon Odette. The Typhoon Odette-related matters between the two nations did not end there, however, as Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that discussions are being made with regards to providing long-term response connected to the ongoing relief operations, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss announced that his group is now “in discussion” with the Philippine government on how to provide a “long-term response” amid the ongoing relief operations after the devastation of typhoon Odette.

“Now we are in discussions with the government here – what should be long term response?” Fluss said during a televised interview on Monday, Dec. 27.

The Israeli diplomat also said that the Israeli Embassy has joined hands with Israeli civil society, which has already seen the devastation, to help in the relief efforts in heavily-affected areas in the country.

“There are already some Israeli NGOs (non-government organizations) that have started working here and then will stay here also for the long run and we are supporting them and we’re doing this in coordination between us at the embassy and the Israeli government and Israeli NGOs and civil society so we’ll be here to stay,” Fluss said.

When the Philippine government was racing to reach out to affected areas after the onslaught of the deadly typhoon, Israel was among the foreign countries that immediately sent help to typhoon victims.

Fluss said they sent some food, hygiene kits, rice and solar panels to create energy, water purification systems to Cebu, Bohol and Siargao.

“This was very important for us to show the sympathy and the close relations and we care about the Philippines and what is happening here,” the ambassador said. “We are now looking how to continue for the longer run we are going to continue working.”

On the medical side, Fluss further said that they are working with Philippine hospitals in rebuilding some of the medical facilities that were damaged by the typhoon.

He also encouraged Filipinos to “keep the spirit, keep strong and still mark-up challenging times in front of us” in dealing with the impacts of both the typhoon and the coronavirus pandemic.

While enemies like Iran and Palestine have not given anything to help the typhoon victims as of this writing, Israel’s dedication to help Filipinos is transparent, genuine and solid. The ambassador also announced that all Filipinos staying in Israel got vaccinated for COVID-19. We should give thanks and praise to our Lord for these very important developments involving the Jewish State and we Filipinos can return the favor by helping the Israelites wholeheartedly. We can stand with Israel and protect it from its enemies.

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

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

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

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

I Love Israel: Philippines thanks Israel for providing much-needed assistance to typhoon victims

I Love Israel: Philippines thanks Israel for providing much-needed assistance to typhoon victims

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In case you missed the news, the powerful Typhoon Odette (international reference: Typhoon Rai) ravaged many places and residents in different parts of the Philippines causing many billions of Pesos of damage as well as disrupting the lives of many families.

Fortunately for the victims who lost a lot, the State of Israel went ahead in providing much-needed assistance and already they got recognized for it. Recently it was reported by the Manila Bulletin that the national authorities expressed its gratitude to Israel for donating a variety of items which are truly essential to the victims.

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

Malacañang thanked the Embassy of Israel after it sent donations of food and water to families in Visayas and Mindanao that were affected by typhoon “Odette”.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), the Philippine Air Force, and the Embassy of Israel conducted a ceremonial turnover of donations at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar bared in a statement Friday, Dec. 24.


The donations included a water purifier, four solar panels, more than 2,000 kilos of rice, and 500 food and hygiene packs are intended for residents of Siargao.

In his message, Andanar said the celebration of Christmas 2021 is different from the previous years due to the recent calamity that was Odette, which caused massive destruction in several province.

But the government has been able to roll out relief operations thanks to the help of donors like Israel.

“It is usually spent with so much merrymaking but this Christmas Eve (Friday) will not be the same in the few areas of Visayas and Mindanao. We want to thank Ambassador Ilan Fluss and the State of Israel for your generosity,” he said.


Fluss said that Israel is willing to share and support the country’s recovery from the typhoon.

He said they have already extended help to affected communities in Cebu and Bohol. Now, they are expanding their efforts to help Siargao.


“The State of Israel has witnessed the devastating result of typhoon Odette and the impact it had on the people. It destroyed infrastructure and homes, and claimed lives. We, as friends of the Philippines, cannot stay indifferent,” he said.

The above report ended quoting the Israeli ambassador stating that they are looking for long-term aid to see what they could do in the rehabilitation of medical centers together with other organizations.

We should all be thankful to God that our nation has a very essential partner and close friend in Israel which did not hesitate in helping the typhoon victims. Israel continues to bless our nation and we Filipinos can bless them in return in a variety of helpful ways. Also take note that, as of this writing, Israel’s enemies Iran and Palestine so far provided NOTHING to the Typhoon Odette victims. As for the “Free Palestine” fanatics, they are just wasting their lives condemning Israel and they do not even care about the typhoon victims.

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

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

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

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

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines drafting Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines drafting Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation

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The ties between Israel and the Philippines continued to gain strength as it was revealed through social media and the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the two nations are negotiating on Defense Cooperation and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being drafted.

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

The country is looking at Israel as a partner in boosting its response to terrorism and improving the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Negotiation is ongoing for a “broad-ranging” Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation, which shall serve as the primary framework of Israel and the Philippines on military ties, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Macairog Alberto told Israeli social media personality Hananya Naftali in a recent interview.

As of this posting, the two nations are working on the agreement’s draft.

“We consider Israel as one that we are looking at in response to terrorism and also on how we can improve the AFP for its capability not only against terrorism but also on how to have a good external defense capability,” Alberto said.

The Philippine Navy is also expected to acquire eight units of fast attack interdiction craft-missile (FAIC-M) from Israel under a government-to-government procurement scheme.

The acquisition of the FAIC-M is among the 2019 projects approved by President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

Aside from defense, Alberto said the two nations are also engaging on ways to battle the coronavirus disease 2019.

He extended anew the government’s gratitude to Israel for sending two medical teams early this year to share their best practices on Covid-19 management and effective vaccine rollout.

“We are very grateful for the people of Israel and the Israeli government for sending us help during the times that we are in trouble,” he said.

Alberto noted that Israel had always been ready to lend help even before the pandemic.

I really love it when Israel and my native Philippines keep on cooperating and moving forward together. In my view, Israel-Philippines ties are essential and not enough people here realize it. Israel has been generous in assisting Filipinos and very recently – through Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss – they sponsored a hospital-in-a-bike project and donated a water purifier to benefit indigenous people. We should be thankful to our Lord for these wonderful developments with Israel and we Filipinos can return the favor by helping the Israelites wholeheartedly.

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

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

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

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

COVID-19 Crisis: Panic and the closing of borders related to the Omicron variant

COVID-19 Crisis: Panic and the closing of borders related to the Omicron variant

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As a growing number of nations closed their borders to foreign travelers due to the fear over the Omicron variant (coronavirus variant B.1.1.529) magnified by secular and liberal news media organizations, CBN News published a related news report highlighting the statement of the head of the South African Medical Association that Western nations are panicking unnecessarily over the said new variant.

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

The World Health Organization calls Omicron “a variant of concern,” but admits more needs to be learned about it. 

Initial reports describe it as having very mild symptoms.

But the virus may also be highly transmissible. Two new cases have just been confirmed in Canada, the first known to have reached North America. 

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, said preliminary evidence shows that it is more transmissible. “We don’t know for sure. We really have no data on severity, whether it’s more severe, milder, or more significant,” Jha said.

The United States has decided to ban travelers from South Africa and seven other countries in the region.

Israel has closed its borders to noncitizens for two weeks and has authorized cell phone surveillance of anyone confirmed to be carrying the variant. 

Japan also suspended entry to foreign visitors.

But the head of the South African Medical Association, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, said Western nations are panicking unnecessarily. 

“There’s body aches and pain with a bit of a headache, not really sore throat, more of a scratchy type of description and no cough and no loss of smell or taste. And that’s what I call ‘mild symptoms.‘”

South Africa’s Health Minister, Joe Phaala, slammed what he called the ‘draconian’ travel bans.

“The reaction of some of the countries in terms of imposing travel bans and such measures are completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organization.” 

Here in the Philippines, the Omicron variant news reports sparked calls for ramping up COVID-19 vaccination just as the 3-day nationwide vaccination drive resulted 2.5 million shots administered on the first day. Omicron also brought local stocks down by a little over 1% on November 29 and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the required wearing of face shields (which are unpopular and are really inconvenient to use as they distort vision and make verbal communication more problematic). These local developments show how much of a negative impact Omicron has made through the news and also shows how concerned or panicky people could get.

Anyone who follows Jesus as Lord and Savior should know that no matter what the situation and no matter how much fear and negativity the global new media spreads, they should NOT panic at all and should maintain unwavering faith in Him for protection and lifting.

To all the faithful as well as all others who have not yet accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior reading this…the Lord will not abandon us nor forsake us. Trust in the Lord wholeheartedly and eternally. Submit to the Lord and be led by the Holy Spirit. Learn from the following scriptures below…

Do not yield to fear, for I am always near.
    Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God.
    I will infuse you with my strength
    and help you in every situation.
    I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.’
“All who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced.
    All who contend with you will perish and disappear.
 You will look for your enemies in vain;
    those who war against you will vanish without a trace!

Isaiah 41:10-12 (TPT)

Fear and intimidation is a trap that holds you back.
    But when you place your confidence in the Lord,
    you will be seated in the high place.

Proverbs 29:25 (TPT)

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

Deuteronomy 31:6-9 (NKJV)

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

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

COVID-19 Crisis: No evidence on higher transmissibility of Omicron variant according to WHO

COVID-19 Crisis: No evidence on higher transmissibility of Omicron variant according to WHO

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By the time you are reading this, you must have seen a ton of international, national and local news reports related to the Omicron variant (variant B.1.1.529) as it is feared to be more infectious and overwhelm the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide. To cut through all the noise and the paranoia, it is important to take a look at what the global health authority said about Omicron according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report.

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

There is no evidence so far concerning the transmissibility or severity of the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday.

“It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (e.g., more easily spread from person to person) compared to other variants, including Delta,” the organization said in a statement.

The WHO said the increasing number of people testing positive and the rate of hospitalization in South Africa, where the new variant was first reported and thought to have originated, do not necessarily mean higher transmissibility or severity rates of the strain, noting “this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected rather than a result of specific infection with Omicron.“

“There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants,” the statement added.

Based on limited information, the WHO also warned that people who have previously had Covid-19 could become re-infected more easily with Omicron as compared to other variants of concern, pointing out the need for more studies on the strain to better understand it.

Omicron is really impacting nations as I write this. Here in the Philippines, the government targeted January 2022 as the time to formally start vaccinating minors aged 5 to 11-years-old. In Israel, where a 2nd Omicron case was detected, travelers from overseas will not be allowed to use public transportation serving the airport. In the Netherlands, 13 cases of Omicron were detected among passengers on two flights that came from South Africa.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this new development? Do all the news about Omicron make you feel scared or worried? Has everyone in your household been fully vaccinated (injected with two doses of most vaccine brands) already?

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

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below 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/

I Love Israel: Israeli Ambassador Ilan Flus confirms commitment on collaborating with the Philippines on technology, innovation and medicine

I Love Israel: Israeli Ambassador Ilan Flus confirms commitment on collaborating with the Philippines on technology, innovation and medicine

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The ties between the Philippines and Israel continued to get stronger as the new Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss confirmed that the State of Israel is committed to collaborate with the Filipino nation on important fields, the Manila Bulletin reported.

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

Israel is committed to pursue collaboration with the Philippines in the areas of technology, innovation and medicine, according to its new ambassador to Manila.

Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed at the “Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery Café” that lots of cooperation are going on between the two countries.

In agriculture, the ambassador said that cooperation in agriculture technology is being discussed and is handled by its economic section. He mentioned of an Israeli initiative for an irrigation project in the country using solar technology to help Philippine agriculture.

Fluss also said that he met recently with Defense Secretary Eduardo Año to discuss cooperation in defense and military training.

On medicines, the ambassador explained that Israel is not yet into COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, but they are going into that. He said that Israel is still in the second stage in their clinical research for COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are open to discuss partnership with the Philippines,” he said. In fact, he said, that an Israeli firm is already looking into the manufacture of medicines in the Philippines, but may not be necessarily COVID-19 vaccines.

Meantime, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority announced the approval of Israeli-Filipino joint venture Savepoint Biotek for its proposal to manufacture oral COVID-19 vaccines.

According to PEZA, Savepoint is investing P83 million initially for the project to be located in the Pampanga Economic Zone. The joint venture even projected annual sales of $180 million from the Philippines and export markets.

A source privy to the project application said the company has projected annual sales of $180 million of which 70 percent is expected to come from its export markets Asia Pacific and Africa. The project is also expected to employ 425 workers upon full commercial operation.

Sources said that partners, the Filipino and the Israel pharmaceutical firm, are still finalizing their equity structure. While waiting, the source said, the project would be represented by the Filipino group.

It is always great to learn of the cooperation and unity between Israelis and Filipinos, and as always, we must thank the Lord! Apart from the diplomatic developments, the establishment of Savepoint Biotek by Israelis and Filipinos is significant especially with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

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

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

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

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

I Love Israel: Israel welcoming fully vaccinated travelers from the Philippines

I Love Israel: Israel welcoming fully vaccinated travelers from the Philippines

carlocarrasco

Good news for Filipinos who wish to visit Israel and the Holy Land! According to the recent report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Filipino travelers who have been fully vaccinated (with the 2nd dose received within the previous six months or 180 days) can final visit Israel, take the swab test there, go through the mandatory quarantine and once the result shows a negative reading, visitors will be able to enter and start touring.

As we are all living in this ongoing pandemic, there are lots of requirements to be made before even booking a flight to Israel. Those who wish to travel there should also be aware as to what brands of COVID-19 vaccines are acceptable to them.

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

Israel is accepting Filipino and other foreign tourists as long as they are fully vaccinated and their second dose had been administered within the last six months, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Wednesday.

“On the 1st of November this week, we opened for vaccinated tourists so anybody who is vaccinated can visit Israel. Filipinos are now welcome to visit Israel,” he told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

Tourists may travel to Israel “individually or as a group” but are advised to check first the specific entry guidelines and requirements before booking their flight and tour packages.

The envoy said travelers will have to present a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result taken 72 hours prior to departure and take another swab upon arrival at the airport.

After the test, the tourist will undergo mandatory quarantine until the result is out.

Fluss noted that Israel is only allowing foreigners who had been vaccinated with a jab recognized by the World Health Organization, such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac, and Sinopharm.

Among others, the second dose must be administered within the past six months and supported by a vaccination certificate.

“If (the last shot) is more than six months, you are considered unvaccinated. So either you take the booster and then you can visit or you can’t,” he said.

Filipinos are allowed visa-free entry to Israel but Fluss said they must secure a “special entry permit”, which had been required from all foreign nationals following the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘Tourism exchanges’

As Israel looks forward to welcoming Filipino tourists to the Holy Land, Fluss said Israeli travelers are likewise waiting to visit the Philippines, popular for its picturesque beaches and world-class dive spots.

“The Philippines, for Israelis, is a very interesting attraction. Israelis have been to Thailand but they like to always find new and exciting destinations and in the last few years they found the Philippines. So I want to see more of the Israeli exchanges,” he said.

In the meantime, he invited Filipinos to visit their religious sites and churches that had been closed to foreigners since March 2020.

“The Philippines is a Christian country and I think people are very keen to travel to the Holy Land and we would be very happy to see more tourists to come and visit,” he said.

“Israel is an interesting country with the combination of the Holy Land, history, religion, culture; and Tel Aviv is a city of fun and is one of those cosmopolitan cities that goes 24 hours. It’s a combination of modern and traditional,” he added.

Fluss is also hoping the Philippine Airlines could finally mount its direct flights between Manila and Tel Aviv in April 2022 after the target launch last October 2021 was postponed “due to issues with the routes”.

Whew! That was a heavy load of information posted above. To make your dreams of visiting Israel come through, you will have to meet all the requirements related to vaccination (note: always have your records ready), COVID-19 testing, getting the special entry permit, booking and more. It’s challenging to meet the requirements but it’s not impossible and ultimately Israel is always a great place to visit filled with wonders of discovery. Visiting the Holy Land with deep faith in the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be tremendous.

Let me remind you about the growing strength of ties between the Philippines and Israel. The State of Israel sent experts here in the Philippines to share their expertise on dealing with COVID-19. Scientists from the Philippines will be hosted by Israel for COVID-19 matters. Months ago, Filipino students and caregivers were vaccinated for free in Israel.

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

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

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos.

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

I Love Israel: Israel to host Filipino experts and share to them technologies and strategies to deal with COVID-19 more effectively

I Love Israel: Israel to host Filipino experts and share to them technologies and strategies to deal with COVID-19 more effectively

carlocarrasco

This past July, I blogged about the confirmation of the exchange of scientists between the Philippines and Israel which itself is related to the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and the development of ways to recover from the pandemic with regards to public health, society and the economy.

Very recently, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the State of Israel will push through with hosting Filipino experts and orient them with the ways and means on tackling COVID-19.

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

The Israeli government is looking forward to hosting a group of Filipino experts to share firsthand its strategies and technologies in effectively dealing with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The planned visit was revealed by Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss on Thursday during the “Dealing with Delta and other Pandemic Challenges Lessons” forum organized by the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

“Israel has innovations and quite a lot of new developments and we’d like to share (these) with the Philippines and this delegation, who we hope will visit this November. (They) would be able to see with their own eyes what are the opportunities and we’d be happy to share them,” he said.

Last July, a team of Israeli medical experts also visited Manila to share their success in the national vaccination campaign, which was followed by another group in August.

The second delegation gave their recommendations on ways to further improve systems and procedures in handling Covid-19 patients, including infection control protocols and hospital management.

Israel has been hailed for its rapid vaccination drive, successfully inoculating 70.7 percent of its population as of October 19.

It was also among the first countries to rollout booster shots after experiencing a dramatic increase in its Covid-19 cases last June and July despite the number of its fully vaccinated citizens.

Although the Delta outbreak is still not over, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett earlier said Israel is now starting to overcome this wave, giving credit to the country’s pandemic management strategies including the aggressive booster campaign and introduction of “green pass” for fully inoculated individuals to access events and facilities like cinemas, hotels, etc.

In the Thursday forum, infectious diseases and Covid-19 specialist Guy Chosen noted that booster shots have now become Israel’s “main mitigation tool” against the Delta variant.

“[W]e could continue and operate our commercial life, our cultural life, sports events, education system during the fourth Delta wave thanks to the rollout and effectiveness of the third dose, the booster campaign,” he said.

Citing a research published on medRxiv this October, Chosen said the rate of coronavirus infection and severe illness across all age groups was “substantially lower among those who received a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine.”

The above details are wonderful. Filipinos need all the help and expertise they can get from their Israeli counterparts. Take note that these past few months, things were hard for millions of residents of Metro Manila as they struggled under the decisions and tactics of the local, metropolitan and national authorities. I’m talking about the most recent enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila (favored by the Metro Manila mayors who even set terms for the national government to provide assistance) that took effect shortly after the general community quarantine (GCQ) was declared. There was also the sudden ban on outdoor exercise approved by Metro Manila’s mayors as well as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) flip-flop that affected many in the metropolis which caused the mayor of Marikina City to react.

Since the sudden Metro Manila ECQ of August and the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) that followed, economic damage happened once again as people lost their jobs and income, and businesses struggled with the added difficulty as a result of the restrictions on capacity of customers and on their operations. Fortunately, a revision of the community quarantine and management happened using the alert levels approach which came into effect this past September.

Since October 16, 2021, the restrictions on Metro Manila were downgraded to Alert Level 3 and the result was more customers flocking to businesses which I personally witnessed in Muntinlupa City. Similar boost of economic activities, vehicular traffic and people moving around were also seen in other parts of the metropolis. As of this writing, things are looking better as the daily number of new COVID-19 infections went below 10,000 and more people got vaccinated. In recent times, the mayor of Las Piñas City stated that herd immunity is within reach based on their statistics on COVID-19 vaccination.

Going back to Israel, I am thankful to our Lord for their generosity and willingness to help the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19 as well as developing ways to recover from the effects of the pandemic. I hope that the authorities there in Israel will take a closer look at the situation of Metro Manila and examine how the top officials of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) think and act when it comes to COVID-19. These local government and metropolitan authorities can use the help of Israel on managing people, their communities better than before.

As for the Filipino scientists who will be hosted by the State of Israel, our entire nation’s health is at stake and what they will learn will be crucial. For those reading this, I urge you to support Israel-Philippines relations.

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

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

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos.

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