Metro Manila – Page 75 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Christmas tree at Las Piñas City Hall lighted

December 12, 2023December 8, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government officially lighted the Christmas tree at City Hall which was attended by several people, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) article. The event marked the launch of their special program titled “Love Las Piñas Christmas.”

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

The festive spirit of the holiday season shone brightly in Las Piñas City as the local government, led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar, held its much-anticipated tree lighting ceremony, and the launch of “Love Las Piñas Christmas.”

The event, held on Thursday night at the City Hall Quadrangle, marked a significant moment for the city, symbolizing not only the joy of the season but also the unity and resilience of the Las Piñas community.

*City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar (front row) and many others posed with the Christmas tree and decorations at City Hall (in the background). (photo source – Las Piñas PIO)*

The ceremony was attended by several city hall officials, alongside a large gathering of residents, all eager to partake in the festive cheer.

The mayor, in her address, emphasized the importance of unity and community spirit, especially during the festive season despite the recent pandemic.

The ceremony featured a spectacle of lights and music, beginning with a chorale performance from the students of the Dr. Filemon C. Aguilar Memorial College of Las Piñas and a duet performance from Las Piñas City’s Monterozo twins that showcased local talent, adding to the evening’s entertainment and festive atmosphere.

*The Christmas tree at City Hall. (photo source – Las Piñas PIO)*

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Were you able to visit City Hall at night and see the Christmas tree and decorations around? Do you think Christmas in the city will be happier than last year?

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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Muntinlupa City Mayor congratulates local athletes and aspiring engineers for excellence

December 12, 2023December 9, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, local athletes and aspiring engineers who excelled in competitions and examinations were congratulated by Mayor Ruffy Biazon, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Athletes and aspiring engineers from the City of Muntinlupa showed excellence again in various fields and contests, from the national civil engineers’ board exam to the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and competitions in the Asian level.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon congratulated the athletes and students for excelling in their various fields, saying “It is our hope that your success will continue to inspire and bring honor to our city.“

Among these achievements, the Colegio de Muntinlupa (CDM) logged a 75 percent passing rate in the recent Civil Engineer Licensure Examination by the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC), almost twice the national average passing rate of 33 percent.

Flix Mowry Cambahe, Kathleen De Guzman, Via Cris Echavez, Francisco Tan, Ericka Valdisimo, and Christian John Yabillo are the newly minted civil engineers from CDM.

In addition, the city has the honor of producing the latest UAAP Most Valuable Player, Karl Kevin Argana Quiambao of De La Salle University, who hails from Barangay Bayanan.

The city also recently added to its stable of elite athletes Aidanreed Mercado and Sophia Kyra Capistrano who captured gold in the Sprint Men Junior Elite and silver in the Junior Elite Women Category, respectively, in the recent 2023 Asia Triathlon Duathlon Championship.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted with the recent achievements made by local athletes and students?

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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Muntinlupa City Government opens Christmas bazaar at renovated Alabang Central Market (ACM)

December 11, 2023December 7, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government formally opened a Christmas bazaar at the renovated Alabang Central Market (ACM) and the bazaar will last until January 1, 2024, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The bazaar’s operating schedule is 4PM to 10PM.

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

The Muntinlupa City government opened a Christmas bazaar at the renovated Alabang Central Market (ACM), giving shoppers more options this holiday season.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon presided over the reopening of the newly renovated Building B of the ACM and invited shoppers to enjoy the bazaar at the refurbished market.

The new building features 357 stalls for general merchandise, salon services, and dry goods. Building A, which was reopened earlier, is the wet section of the market.

The renovated ACM now has more updated service facilities such as individual power supply, air handling system,️ fire protection system, fire detection and alarm system, and rainwater collection system.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa, are you delighted with this new Christmas bazaar located in the renovated ACM? Have you been to this specific bazaar recently? Do you consider Alabang the best place for Christmas bazaars in the entire south of Metro Manila?

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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Two alleged members of a gang that robbed P134 million from Skyway motorists apprehended by police

December 8, 2023December 6, 2023carlocarrasco

If you have been traveling along the Metro Manila Skyway, did you notice gang-related activities along the way? I had to ask that question because it turns out a certain gang composed of people who wore hoodies and bonnets and wielded axes had committed acts of robbery along the Skyway more than once and reportedly robbed P134 million from motorists. Very recently, two alleged members of the gang were arrested by the police, according to a GMA Network news report.

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

Police arrested two suspects from a group of ax-wielding men preying on motorists in the Skyway who have stolen over P134 million from their victims.

According to a report by John Consulta on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, two suspects have been arrested in separate police operations.

Last August 22, dashcam footage showed the suspects robbing a car along the Skyway ramp at 5:30 p.m. in broad daylight. Armed with axes and wearing bonnets and hoodies, the men used their vehicle to block another car and robbed its occupants of P10 million.

On March 12, another video showed a car suddenly stop in front of the victim’s car while another vehicle blocked it from behind. Four armed men emerged and stole a bag containing P7 million from the Korean victim.

“Dito sa Entertainment City (sa Paranaque City) nanggagaling, aabangan nila, pagpasok ng Skyway mismo, iipitin nila yung sasakyan. Passenger side na salamin pinalakol nila then nabuksan nila yung pinto, nakuha nila yung pera,” said Police Colonel Mendez, NCRPO Regional Intelligence Division Chief.

Police traced one of the suspects behind the attack in Malate, Manila. During the operation on Tuesday, suspect Anjo Sardoma tried to escape by jumping from the third floor of a building.

Police seized a revolver and a hand grenade from Sardoma,.who was identified as the driver of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) outside a casino hotel where one of the victims came from. The SUV was one of the vehicles involved in a robbery on the Skyway.

Armed with a search warrant, a team from Police Regional Office-4-A arrested another suspect, Joland Cabotaje, in Cavite. A gun was confiscated from Cabotaje.

The NCRPO said Cabotaje and Sardoma are cousins who are said to be members of the “Skyway Robbery Holdup Group” that has staged eight robberies that yielded P134 million in loot.

Mendez said their intelligence efforts managed to identify the group whose vehicle license plates matched those on the CCTV of the cars that were used in the previous robberies.

Both men denied the accusations against them.

For more insight, posted below is the related GMA Network news video…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Do you think the police will be able to find and arrest the other members of the Skyway Robbery Holdup Group who are still at large? Do you think it is time for more police patrol operations to happen along the Skyway so that robberies could be prevented? Are you concerned that the Skyway Robbery Holdup Group could harm more motorists and rob them of their valuables? Do you know anyone who got robbed by the Skyway Robbery Holdup Group? How do you think the gang knew that their victims carried lots of money or valuables with them?

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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Muntinlupa City Government receives Seal of Good Local Governance Award 2023

December 7, 2023December 6, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government added another major achievement to its list of accomplishments as it received from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) the Seal of Good Local Governance Award 2023, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

The Muntinlupa City government received the Seal of Good Local Governance Award 2023 from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Muntinlupa is one of the 493 local government unit awardees including 11 from the National Capital Region (NCR).

Awardees from the NCR are Muntinlupa, Caloocan, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, San Juan, Valenzuela, and Quezon City.

LGUs were assessed based on 10 governance areas. These were financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection and sensitivity, health compliance and responsiveness, sustainable education, business-friendliness and competitiveness, safety, peace and order, environmental management, tourism, heritage development, culture and the arts, and youth development.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon said Muntinlupa was also an awardee in 2022, 2019 and 2015.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted with this newest award the City Government received?

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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Chinese national (alleged POGO operator) convicted by Las Piñas City court, sentenced to 20 years prison and P1 million fine for human trafficking

December 4, 2023November 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Human trafficking is a very serious crime here in the Philippines and this was strongly reflected in the decision of a regional trial court (RTC) in Las Piñas City when it convicted a Chinese national and sentenced him to twenty years imprisonment along with a fine of P1 million, according to a Philippine Star news report. The said suspect was reportedly the operator of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) located in Las Piñas City which got raided.

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

A Las Piñas court has convicted a Chinese man, reported to be a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), for human trafficking.

In a decision dated Oct. 27, Judge Phoeve Meer of Regional Trial Court Branch 275 found Andy Chen guilty of violating Republic Act 9208 as amended by RA 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Meer sentenced Chen to 20 years imprisonment and slapped him with a fine of P1 million.

The court also ordered Chen to pay his victim, a Chinese woman, P400,000 in moral and exemplary damages.

The victim, a POGO worker, was rescued by operatives of the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) during a raid on XinChuang Network Technology on Alabang-Zapote Road in Barangay Almanza Uno on Dec. 1, 2021.

WCPC director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad assured the public that perpetrators of human trafficking will face the full force of the police.

In June, 2,724 people, many of them foreigners, were rescued from XinChuang’s compound during a police raid.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, are you satisfied with the RTC’s decision on the suspected POGO operator? Are you concerned that other POGOs in the city could be hot spots for criminal activity? Is the POGO in your local community causing more crime?

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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Vietnamese national arrested in Parañaque City for illegal drugs

November 30, 2023November 27, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, a man from Vietnam was arrested by police officers as a result of a successful buy-bust operation, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

A Vietnamese national was arrested by members of the Parañaque City Police Station Drug and Enforcement Unit (SDEU) in a buy-bust operation on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

The Southern Police District (SPD) said the suspect was identified as a certain Le. He was arrested at around 8:85 p.m. along Macapagal Boulevard, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

Recovered from him were five grams of shabu worth P34,000; three plastic sachets containing 18 tablets suspected to be ecstasy worth P30,000, and three grams of powdered ketamine worth P15,000.

The recovered drugs were turned over to the SPD Forensic Unit for quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more foreigners engaging in illegal drugs within your local community?

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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Las Piñas City’s indigent senior citizens benefit from social pension cash pay-out

November 30, 2023November 27, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, indigent senior citizens benefited from the cash pay-out organized by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the City Government announced via social media. The cash pay-out happened in Barangay Pilar Village and was attended by Vice Mayor April Aguilar.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…

In an event dedicated to the welfare of its elderly residents, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) of Las Piñas conducted another Social Pension Cash Pay-out for indigent senior citizens on Tuesday, November 21st. The event, held at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Barangay Pilar Village, was a part of the city’s ongoing commitment to support and honor its senior community.

The occasion was graced by City Vice Mayor April Aguilar, reflecting the local government’s dedication to the welfare of its elderly population. Vice Mayor Aguilar’s presence underscored the importance the city places on its senior citizens, acknowledging their contributions and ensuring their comfort in their later years.

The pay-out event was organized efficiently, ensuring that the process was smooth and respectful for the elderly beneficiaries. A significant number of senior citizens from various parts of Las Piñas attended the event, adhering to health and safety protocols.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you delighted with what the City Government and the CSWDO continued to support local senior citizens? Did any senior citizens in your local community benefited from the recent cash pay-out?

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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Where to deposit your excess Peso coins while you are in Alabang

November 29, 2023November 27, 2023carlocarrasco

If you are constantly present here in Alabang in Muntinlupa City, and if you have an excess number of Peso coins that you want to have deposited for safekeeping or for personal use, then you should visit the coin deposit machine (CoDM) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) located inside Festival Mall in Filinvest City.

To be more specific, the BSP CoDM inside the said shopping mall is located on ground floor very near the escalators which itself is in close proximity to the following ground floor businesses: SM Savemore grocery, Saibachi Japanese Restaurant and Café BLK & BRWN (this one is just steps away from the machine).

*This is the BSP coin deposit machine inside Festival Mall in Alabang.*

Before you join the line for depositing your coins at the BSP’s coin deposit machine, you must have a valid GCash account (to receive the value of the coins successfully deposited). If you don’t have a GCash account, you can still have the value of the deposited coins converted into SM shopping vouchers (accepted by The SM Store). There is also a Maya option available.

Still before joining the line, you must make sure that your Peso coins are not dented/damaged, and each coin is loose (meaning not taped together as a bundle). Obviously, foreign coins, tokens and demonetized Peso coins (Peso coins that are outdated) will be rejected. These tips are to ensure that the coins will be counted by the machine once deposited. To learn more, watch the video below and pay close attention to the details…

Once you join the line, you will need to be patient not simply because there could be several customers ahead of you but also because there will most likely be other customers ahead of you who brought at least one large container of coins with them for depositing which can take some minutes to be deposited into the CoDM (note: there is always a BSP assistant who will help and occasionally troubleshoot the machine whenever it malfunctions).

Do not be surprised to see other customers ahead of you who brought multiple plastic containers of coins to be deposited. Based on my personal experience depositing coins at the machine inside Festival Mall, I noticed that more families and local businesses are having their idle coins put into the CoDM. There was a time when one customer ahead of me deposited coins from four large containers and it took several minutes for the machine to count them all and this includes moments when the machine malfunctioned and the BSP assistant had to do some fixing on the spot.

Once you start your turn to deposit at the CoDM, let the BSP assistant guide you. There will be buttons on the machine for you to press before you start putting your coins into the receiving mechanism. From time to time as coins get counted, there will be a few coins that the machine will reject and will instead fall into the lower part where you can reach into and collect. You can try depositing the uncounted coins until it gets counted. As mentioned earlier, foreign coins, tokens and demonetized Peso coins will be rejected.

Once your deposit is successful, you can decide whether to have the counted value transferred into your active GCash account or into an SM shopping voucher. Receipts will be issued from the machine which you must always keep to yourself. Do not throw away the receipts.

*Another look at the BSO CoDM inside Festival Mall located near the escalators at the ground floor..*

I hope this post will be helpful to you and your effort to deposit excess Peso coins into the BSP DoCM inside Festival Mall. In my experience, the lines range from very short (1 or 2 customers ahead of me) to long (8 customers ahead of me). There will be customers who will be depositing a small amount and there are others who brought so much coins as the BSP coin deposit project has attracted a lot of attention locally. You will need to be patient and manage your time when you join the line for the CoDM. To learn more about the coin deposit project, click https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Pages/CoinsAndNotes/CDM.aspx

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, have you deposited your idle Peso coins into the BSP CoDM inside Festival Mall? If you were able successfully deposit your coins, how long did you wait before your turn happened?

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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Foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines about to reach 2023 target

November 28, 2023November 26, 2023carlocarrasco

Philippine tourism is back in the spotlight once again as the Department of Tourism (DOT) headed by its secretary Cristina Frasco announced that the 2023 foreign tourist arrivals target of 4.8 million is about to reached and the tourism sector has contributed more than P400 billion to the national economy, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

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

The tourism sector is the second highest driver for economic growth during the first half of the year, a result of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s focus on the industry.

Department of Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco said on Saturday that tourism has so far contributed PHP404 billion to the economy and has reached 99 percent of its goal of 4.8 million international arrivals for 2023.

The improving employment rate is the top contributor to the economy while the increase in investment registration activities and students coming back to school follow tourism.

“I am also here to deliver the good news under the President’s focus of prioritizing tourism. Tourism has emerged as one of the strongest pillars of our economy. According to our national economic managers, tourism is the second top highest driver for economic growth in the first six months of this year,” Frasco said during the opening of the 2nd North Luzon Tourism Expo at Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

She said for Marcos, tourism is a priority “and for that very reason, we have seen the strides we have accomplished in a year.”

Among the government support for the tourism industry are at least 158 kilometers of roads rehabilitated and in 2024, there will be more improvements in airports, Frasco said.

“The flight portfolio of our major international gateways is gradually recovering and we have increased the tourism experience across the country by building tourist rest areas (TRA) across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” Frasco said.

She said the TRA is one of the ways the government wants to extend its welcome to tourists by giving them a special experience.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that the DOT has done a good job making tourism a more vibrant and more economic sector this year? Has the increase of foreign tourist arrivals this year benefited your business? Do you think that the foreign tourist arrivals will reach 5,000,000 by the end of 2023?

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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