Tag: Parañaque City

By accepting Lord Jesus, the youth will be protected from suicide

By accepting Lord Jesus, the youth will be protected from suicide

carlocarrasco

Suicide is defined as the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally (source – Merriam Webster Dictionary). For so long has suicide affected societies worldwide and left a lot of families very hurt.

If the World Health Organization (WHO) is to be believed, roughly eight hundred thousand people die worldwide due to suicide every year.

What is disturbing in the survey of the WHO on the said topic is that the age-group of 15-29 years saw suicide as the 2nd leading cause of deaths in 2016. To break down the 2016 statistics, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for people aged 15-29 among both genders and the females. Among the males, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death.

While varied organizations and researchers have their own definition of the age group for youth, the Jesus Global Youth Day organizers defined it verbally as below the age of thirty, which I personally witnessed during the 2019 Jesus Global Youth Day held here in the Philippines. As such, the 15-29 age group would be counted as youth at least in this article.

Back to the topic at hand, the menace of suicide affecting youth right down to the local level of Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City made its presence felt when I interviewed Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairwoman Mariel Tumang twice in 2019.

During the first interview (published here), she told me that suicide among the youth in the local community was present not just in the form of committed suicide (confirmed death) but also in the form of thoughts (suicidal thoughts or suicidal thinking) inside the minds of young people.

Then, months later, in another interview Tumang confirmed to me that a tragedy happened when a 21-year-old man living in the depressed community of Masville hanged himself to death because he broke up with his girlfriend (click here). The victim was a loss not only to his family, his friends and the neighborhood, but also for the economy (note: he was already working in the private sector). Tumang stated that their definition of youth is 15 to 30-years-old.

Along the way, Tumang and her SK kagawads (Youth Councilors) attended seminars on dealing with suicide through the aspect of psychology and behavior. Whatever topics and skills they learned, they made ways to make their community youth aware of it by holding seminars locally.

The sad trail of youth suicide also goes a long way back in the form of archived news reports. In January 2014, a 16-year-old boy killed himself inside his house in Cebu City because of his failure in school (click here) and his school adviser confirmed to his mother that he would not be going to fourth year high school.

On April 2016, a 15-year-old girl was found dead hanging from a mango tree (click here) in Talisay City, Cebu. According to the archived news report, a suicide note was left behind by the victim (a stay-in student of a school) and she reportedly told one of her superiors she wanted to kill herself and no reason was given. Before the tragedy happened, her superiors at school found it disturbing that she (the victim) was very silent. Included in the news report was a police officer who revealed that the victim lost her father to insurgents while her mother (who was then linked to another man) was later killed in a vehicular accident with her live-in partner.

What cause young people to commit suicide? There are several factors related to society, economics and psychology. Here are the factors I narrowed down.

Failure to deal with fear early in life

Depression

Physical abuse

Loss of purpose

Peer pressure

Gender confusion

Lack of parental guidance or counseling 

Being misled by pop culture or online trends

Internet addiction

Being misled by fake news or distorted news

Getting bullied

Being misled by rumors

Living with negative vibes in his/her local environment (note: in the Philippines, most barangay youth councils have presence in economically depressed communities dubbed as developing communities)

Shame or embarrassment

Being misled by those living with unbelief 

Temptations

Obsession with people, images and things they idolized

Becoming addicted to something dangerous

Being trapped by religious traditions, rituals and other restrictions

Having selfish desires or very high expectations

Lack of focus on the Lord

While taxpayers’ money is being spent by government bodies of different levels to develop the youth and help prevent suicide, I honestly believe that the menace of suicide can be solved more effectively by having the youth realize their true purpose as creations of God. It is by having faith in the Lord that young people can truly become strong, stable and more knowledgeable with their lives. It is by having a personal relationship with the Lord that the youth can truly move forward with. If the youth can be educated to reject all forms of hindrances that prevent them from truly establishing faith in the Lord, they would be better off and youth suicide would be reduced dramatically.

Sadly, government programs for youth development remain insufficient to bring the youth to God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

What I noticed is that the Christian faith and spiritual approach to solving and preventing youth suicide is missing among the key development programs of barangay youth councils.

Ironically in 2019, in the city of Parañaque specifically, there were barangay youth councils that organized their own beauty pageants featuring local homosexuals as candidates which most likely added to the suicide factor of gender confusion. This is sad because not only was taxpayers’ money most likely used to fund such events, it gave the youth the false message that homosexuality is legitimate. In truth, homosexuality is an abomination and certainly Satan loves it when people are fooled into believing that homosexuality is good and accepted as normal in society. Let’s read a holy scripture confirming that homosexuality is wrong and evil.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 (NKJV)

As a whole, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 made clear that people trapped by sin will never make it in God’s kingdom. As such, the youth today still have time and opportunities to turn away from sinful behavior, submit themselves to Lord Jesus for forgiveness, accept Him as their Lord and Savior to start a new life with dedication to live under His holiness. This is the good news that the youth, whether they are still trapped by the darkness of unbelief (read: atheism and secularism) or religion (read: idolatry, wrong theology, traditions and rituals) should know.

To help the youth understand their true purpose in life as God’s creations, they should be taught with the following holy scriptures (apart from teaching them they need to be born again as written in John 3: 3):

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, will all your mind, and with all your strength.

Mark 12: 30 (NKJV)

If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3: 1-2 (NKJV)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 (NKJV)

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Colossians 3: 5-7 (NKJV)

By becoming Christian, the young one can start a new life free from the sins and youthful lusts of the past. As part of getting reformed by Lord Jesus, the new life youth should learn to strongly reject the many form of lust like gratifying sensual cravings (example: losing his or her virginity in exchange for sexual pleasure), desiring the forbidden (example: taking illegal substances), longing for evil (example: bringing down other youth to bring yourself up just to feel good and proud), and engaging in experiences that are contrary to God’s will. These are emphasized in the holy scripture below.

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2: 22 (NKJV)

The Christian youth living the new life should learn to conduct himself or herself in an exemplary manner. This is expected because once someone gets born again, he/she is under the Lord and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit. Because really, under the watch and care of God, age does not matter and this also means being youthful as a Christian is NOT a disadvantage. It also does not matter if people will find Christians a peculiar people because this is expected. Learn from the next holy scriptures.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4: 12 (NKJV)

The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.

Psalm 118: 18 (NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special peope, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2: 9-10 (NKJV)

Conclusion

I believe that involving Lord Jesus in the lives of the youth will spare them from suicide and all other factors that lead to self-destruction. I honestly believe that no amount of taxpayers’ money spent and no sophisticated government program can be more effective on preventing youth suicide (and suicide in general) than emphasizing faith in the Lord, believing in His Word (with the Holy Bible as the main reference) and applying biblical lessons in life.

Please take note that the dreaded presence of secularism is still in the minds of many government officials (note: there is a so-called separation of church and state in the 1987 Constitution).

If the youth realize their true purpose as creations of God, then it would be great not only for the local community but also the whole world. An enlightened youth, as children of God, definitely would not even think about suicide nor give the devil any room into their lives. The youth should realize how essential it is for them to study the Word of God (the Holy Bible) and prioritize it as their ultimate authority among all reading materials. With the Lord on the youth’s side, the menace of suicide and Satan can be defeated and the youth can grow in holiness as they grow into adulthood. Christianity, not feelings or earthly matters, should be embedded into the minds and hearts of the youth. Because really, everybody needs Lord Jesus and the youth need Him. With more youth believing and trusting in Jesus, cases of youth suicide will be much smaller!

As such, I highly recommend that Christian teaching (complete with studying the Holy Bible) should be included more in youth development programs and suicide prevention programs of youth councils. The youth who are spiritually unsaved must be taught the truth that they need Lord Jesus and have faith (not religion) in Him.

At this point, I’d like to reach out to the unsaved youth reading this…if you seek salvation and are ready to submit yourselves to the Lord, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:

Dear God,

I believe that Jesus is Your Son, and that He died on the cross to pay the penalty of my sins. I believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead and that He is alive! Right now, I call on the name of Jesus. Jesus, come into my heart. I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me by the power of Your blood. Thank You for saving me and giving me eternal life! Help me now to follow Your plan for my life. Amen.

Congratulations! You are now a child of God! Praise the Lord and always be faithful to Him! No more darkness in your life caused by unbelief or religion (and the idolatry, traditions and rituals that come with it). Your new life under the Lord has truly begun!

From this point on, acquire for yourself a copy of the Holy Bible (New King James Version is recommended), study it and apply its many lessons in your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a church of born again Christians near you and find your place in the spiritual family. Worship the Lord together with them and remember that each of you has a personal relationship with Him. That personal relationship with God is strictly off-limits to everyone, even to your family.

The Holy Spirit is in you and you are now a new creation! You are a youthful Christian right now, and you can keep growing spiritually for the rest of your life. Remember that God loves you and He is definitely happy over your conversion.

As a new and young Christian with the Holy Spirit in your heart, never allow yourself to get involved in youth movements that involve unbelief, religion, idolatry, traditions and rituals because those are not holy. The only youth you need to get involved with are your fellow Christians (those who got born again like you), and the only reference of authority you need is the Holy Bible. Once you get involved in a new Christian church, you can always ask the pastor if they have a youth ministry you can join in.

Remember to overcome fear, never let your feelings (and the feelings of others) weaken your faith in the Lord and now that you have been born again, your sins have been forgiven and your past is way behind you. As a Christian, you must always be fearless and aggressive for you are now part of the Body of Christ (the church). We Christians are the church of Lord Jesus!

In ending this piece, feel free to enjoy these Christian praise-and-worship YouTube videos plus a few ones featuring the model Christian youth herself, Sadie Robertson! Hallelujah!!!

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. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved souls out there.

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

My Observations: Even during quarantine, the Chinese connection still caused problems in Parañaque City

My Observations: Even during quarantine, the Chinese connection still caused problems in Parañaque City

carlocarrasco

Months ago, I wrote that the City of Parañaque became a hot spot for crime incidents involving Chinese nationals and that the said city had more of such incidents than its neighboring cities here in South Metro Manila.

And then the coronavirus disease COVID-19 struck the world and this resulted community quarantine here in the Philippines which was recently extended into mid-May. Under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), most businesses were halted, mass gatherings were prohibited and people were told to stay at home so that the risk of infection would be reduced. The authorities have been struggling with testing people for COVID-19 while local government units (LGUs), including barangays, have been working to manage their respective communities and perform services like distributing relief goods to families, implementing curfew, etc.

Even though the ECQ has been implemented for over a month now, there were still problems in Parañaque City caused by Chinese nationals. I’m talking about the illegal online gaming operation involving 44 Chinese nationals (with 23 Filipinos) and illegal clinics and a stockroom filled with medicine from China.

Let’s start first with the illegal online gaming operation that was found in Mayuga Compound, Barangay Tambo with details from the Manila Bulletin report.

Excerpt: Forty-four (44) foreign nationals and twenty-three (23) Filipinos (fourteen female and nine male) engaged in an illegal online gaming operation were arrested by the combined team of the Regional Special Operation Unit, Southern Police District, and the Parañaque City police Friday night.

Police said that the suspects were arrested at about 7:30p.m. along Mayuga Compound, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

The police said that prior to the arrest of the suspects, members of the RSOU received a telephone call from a concerned citizen who reported that a group of armed foreign nationals were seen outside their residence violating the curfew hours imposed by the city government while the country is under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Upon receiving the information, members of the RSOU immediately coordinated with the SPD and the Parañaque City police for the arrest of the suspects.

The police said that verification was made and they found the group of foreign nationals with firearms visibly tucked in their waists loitering around the said place.

The suspects, upon seeing the approaching policemen, immediately ran inside their house. A chase ensued that led to the discovery of the illegal online gaming operation of the suspects.

Police recovered cash amounting to more than P1.3-million, 255 Chinese Yuan; 73 Chinese passports; two .45 caliber pistols; two .9mm pistols; nine internet modems, 40 cellular phones; 17 pairs of keyboard and mouse; 36 different brands of laptop computers and assorted computer cables.

Wow. That’s such an operation. How exactly was it set up so discreetly? Was the apartment owner aware that the rented place was turned by the foreigners into an illegal business operation? Also when exactly did the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) of Parañaque City discover the first details about the illegal online gaming operation? Was Barangay Tambo even aware of the illegal operation?

As a result of the arrest done by the law enforcers, the ball is now up to the Bureau of Immigration to decide whether to deport the 44 Chinese nationals or not. Whatever their decision and no matter how long the investigation will take, it is clear that this incident made the City of Parañaque look bad.

To put things in perspective, Parañaque is the hot spot of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Metro Manila with 414 cases as of April 26 and the City Government and the barangays have been struggling to prevent the spread of infection while managing the communities. As seen many times on social media, pictures of many people crowding the public wet markets (palengke) in the city showed clear violations of social distancing. As such, the fear of a possible COVID-19 outbreak in Parañaque is entering more people’s minds.

Next, let’s take a look at the illegal clinics and the stockroom filled with Chinese medicine with details from CNN Philippines’ report.

Excerpt 1: Authorities raided two illegal clinics and a medicine stockroom in Parañaque City on Sunday night.

Among those seized in the stockroom in Barangay Baclaran in Parañaque was a large shipment of medicine for respiratory illnesses allegedly being used as a possible treatment for the coronavirus disease. There is no confirmed cure yet for COVID-19.

They found many more boxes of medicine and medical supplies from China in the stockroom, such as boxes of dextrose and medicine ranging from antibiotics, anti-viral drugs, and medicine used for treating sexually transmitted diseases.

“They have all kinds of medicines. Na-amaze ako kasi puro injectables silang lahat,” says Paranaque City Health Officer Dr. Olga Virtusio. She adds, “Kakaunti ‘yung oral meds, madami ding through IV (intravenous) fluid.”

[Translation: I was amazed because most of the medicines I saw were injectables. There were a few oral meds, but there were a lot of IV fluids.]

Meanwhile, some types of medicine sold by the two illegal clinics are a herbal supplement is used as a traditional Chinese treatment for colds, fever, cough, and sore throat and a non-prescription drug for flu and respiratory illnesses.

“The team is thinking na most probably they are really catering to the POGOs around, especially noong nagkaroon tayo ng massive routing of the different clubs at madaming nakitang prostitution. Mostly chinese ang nahuhuli,” the doctor added.

Authorities said they acted on a tip from a disgruntled worker from one of the illegal clinics. The owner of one of the clinics allegedly took her quarantine pass. As a result, the helper informed officials of what she called a “hospital” catering to mostly Chinese patients.

Excerpt 2: After the city government closed down the place, authorities found another similar clinic just a few blocks away.

Police found a Chinese man claiming to be a doctor in the second clinic. He did not speak on camera but presented what he claimed to be his doctor’s license in China.

The local government said they are finding out who owns this clinics and the stockroom.

Charges will be filed against the owners for violating quarantine laws, medical regulations, and for operating without necessary permits. The confiscated boxes of medicine will be turned over to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing.

Two illegal clinics that most likely served Chinese nationals located just a few blocks away from each other…could those two be connected with each other? As for the medicine imported from China, I wonder if they were cleared by the officials of customs. When exactly did the City Health Office led by Dr. Virtusio become aware of the illegal clinics? Did anyone from Barangay Baclaran notice the anomalies within their territory?

With these cases combined – the illegal gaming operation and the illegal clinics – I wonder if there was any bribery involved in establishing the illegal operations, how much the local authorities knew about their existence, and how exactly are Parañaque officials dealing with Chinese nationals who really had no intention to follow local laws.

It is fortunate for law enforcers that a disgruntled worker from one of the illegal clinics tipped them while a concerned citizen did the right thing by calling them about the presence of foreigners who were armed with guns. What exactly were those guns for, personal protection or as a means to threaten the local community’s members?

Whatever is happening behind the scenes with these two recent developments, what is clear is that Parañaque is still a hot spot for illegal activities involving Chinese nationals and the connection with mainland China. How the local authorities will deal with them is a big question mark.

You the reader might want to ask yourself: Are Chinese nationals already setting up Parañaque to be a key location for a future military invasion by mainland China?

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Thanks for reading!

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the Our Home Tahanan coffee table book, inquiring with Florencia Umali and doing research. 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.

Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village

If you want to discover and study the history of a well-established village such as Tahanan Village in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City, don’t rely on a pretentious, so-called independent local community print media publication. Instead, pursue such information recorded in the official documents or an official publication of the village produced by the villagers.

As many of us here in South Metro Manila are confined into our homes with the ongoing quarantine on communities (which is part of the COVID-19 Crisis), I found time to read the official Tahanan Village coffee table book titled Our Home Tahanan.

20200407_230422.jpg
The coffee table book itself.

Published in 2006, Our Home Tahanan is a commemorative publication that emphasizes the past, the present and the future of Tahanan Village which in 2005 celebrated what was back then its 30th Foundation Day. It has a collection of stories and testimonies from the pioneering residents and the later residents who contributed to the development of the Tahanan community in more ways than one. I myself enjoy reading it and examining the photos which clearly showed how much Tahanan Village developed through the decades.

A special project of the 2005 Board of Directors of the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA),  Our Home Tahanan has an extensive look at the history of the village starting even before it was founded in the 1970s. It also offers readers a look at the many organizations that not only organized several in-village activities and events, but also emphasized how lively Tahanan’s community really has been.

Let’s take a look at how Our Home Tahanan was conceptualized and turned into an actual coffee table book.

From concept to a published work

The idea of developing an official coffee table book about Tahanan Village was raised in a meeting that was held on June 10, 2005. The Committee composed of Tess Arriola, Florencia Umali, Corly Vergara, Peter Olivares, Reno and Malou Araneta, Nene Sandico and then THA president Milton Lalisan had a thorough discussion about the elements and topics for a souvenir program in relation to the 30th Foundation Day of the village.

20200407_230359.jpg
A group photo of the yearbook committee members. 
20200407_230224.jpg
An article and a full page image.

The idea of a coffee table book alone was perceived to be challenging at first and there were expressions of skepticism and incredulity. The mood eventually turned into optimism and determination.

According to then THA president Milton Lalisan, the Committee came to a decision to develop the coffee table book project.

Below is an excerpt with words of Lalisan…

It was agreed that we would develop a really nice, glossy book, semi-hard cover, with lots of colored and black/white pictures. The book should appeal to different types of readers:

+ Residents who have grown with the village, who were here when Tahanan was still on its pioneering stage. 

+ Residents who have built their houses at a later stage but who quickly managed to acclimatize to the environment around them.

+ Sons and daughters of residents who had their childhood in Tahanan Village, some who may now be in their teens, young adulthood or are parents themselves.

+ and those who have personal interests in Tahanan Village, the lot owners who have not built their houses, the prospective homeowners who are considering living in the village.

Afterwards, several forms of preparation followed: writing articles, researching, organizing an in-village photo contest, financing, editing and finally, publishing it.

According to Florencia Umali (now the incumbent president of the Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. or CCTI), she and her fellow members of the Committee worked long and hard to make the project a reality.

“We coordinated with the different clubs and organizations, and the previous Tahanan Board (of Directors),” Umali recalled. “We also coordinated with the first homeowners of Tahanan Village. We also worked on collating their old pictures and memories.”

After much hard work as well as editing done by a local resident, Our Home Tahanan got published.

The history of Tahanan Village and its origin

As mentioned earlier, this coffee table book also has the official history of Tahanan Village and what happened behind the scenes that led to its foundation way back in the 1970s.

Here’s an excerpt from the article Tahanan Village: How It All Began written by Digoy Fernandez.

I guess the Tahanan story really began with the friendship of Dominador “Bandoc” Mercado with both the Rufino and the Campillo families. According to youngest Campillo son Lito, Bandoc had a special way with his father, Sostenes Sr. Bandoc even had a free place to stay in the Campillo managed Shellbourne Hotel located strategically at the Luneta. I remember my group of friends, which included Charlie Rufino, going to watch movies for free in the Rufino theaters, and then dropping by the hotel to meet up with Bandoc and middle Campillo son, Jun, on many an occasion during our high school and college years.

One day, Bandoc approached the Rufino family with a proposition to develop 60 hectares of the Campillo rice farm in Parañaque into a subdivision. At that time, the heirs of the eldest Rufino patriarch, Vicente, wanted to try their hand in horizontal development. Their past experience in real estate was mostly in vertical development. At that time, BF Homes had already started and proved that a housing development beyond the Merville area could be a success. The Rufino family agreed provided that Bandoc take the helm of the management of the project.

Youngest son Charlie and youngest daughter Pixie were assigned to the project and were mentored directly by Bandoc. The latter drew up a joint venture agreement with the Campillo family, and thus, Tahanan Development Corporation had its beginning. The eldest Rufino daughter, Ditas, thought up the name “Tahanan” Village and also the use of flowers to denominate streets.

The definitive book about Tahanan Village

Our Home Tahanan also contains articles about how the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) started, what were the facilities and organizations in the village, how the village’s very own tennis club began, who were the pioneers and notable residents, and more. Special attention was also paid to the THA’s relationship with contracted security agencies as well as the breakthroughs on securing the village that were realized when the association formed their Security Committee.

20200407_230314.jpg
A few of the many congratulatory pages.
20200407_230251.jpg
Another villager-written article. 

There are also many literary pieces written by village residents who shared their experiences and what living in the village truly is like. Adding depth to these articles are the many, many photographs of the times, the events, and the people involved with the village.

In my experience, Our Home Tahanan is not only a great published work to discover and research about Tahanan Village…it is the definitive published work complete with the contributions and involvement of the villagers.

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

Special thanks to Augusto Tejada of Tahanan Village.

COVID 19 Crisis: OSCA Cares beneficiaries in Parañaque to receive gift certificates soon

COVID 19 Crisis: OSCA Cares beneficiaries in Parañaque to receive gift certificates soon

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced directly from Dante Pacheco, the officer-in-charge of the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs of Parañaque (OSCA-Parañaque). 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.

With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the recent move by the national government to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine all over Luzon until April 30, people have no choice but to keep staying at home and continue to limiting their moves outside to the essential matters like banking and groceries.

Parañaque, a city with over one hundred fifty confirmed cases of COVID-19 (as of April 5, 2020), has something coming for its senior citizens who are legitimate members of the OSCA Cares program under the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs of Parañaque (OSCA-Parañaque).

Today OSCA-Parañaque officer-in-charge Dante Pacheco confirmed to me that an estimated fifty-seven thousand (57,000) members of OSCA Cares in the city will soon be receiving from the City Government gift certificates of SM Hypermarket.

Each SM Hypermarket gift certificate is worth P1,000. Do the math, the value for the declared number of OSCA Cares beneficiaries is worth at least P57,000,000. Based on the current foreign exchange rate with the United States Dollar, that is worth over $1,000,000.

Pacheco further said that each gift certificate will be delivered to the homes of the beneficiaries via Air21. He also stated that this move is the brainchild of mayor Edwin Olivarez.

If you are a senior citizen in Parañaque (or if you live with a senior citizen in the same city) and you have something to say about this breaking development, please reply to me via the comments below.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of interviewing a top official of the Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan. 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.

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

FB_IMG_1584707073722.jpg
Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia (left, wearing black t-shirt) and her companions hand out free items to local residents to help them protect themselves from coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (photo approved for publishing by Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia)

With the enhanced community quarantine in effect here in the Philippines as a result of the ongoing corona virus disease (COVID-19) crisis, life is now much different. Most businesses have been halted, people are required to stay at home and others have no choice but to make hard adjustments just as the national authorities work on preventing an outbreak of COVID-19.

When it comes to the authorities of each city, the local government unit (LGU) as well as the barangay units are mandated to govern and manage their respective communities. This includes enforcing curfew, the ban on liquor, traffic management, implementing awareness campaigns about COVID-19 and distributing useful items to the constituents.

Two days ago, I wrote about the community assistance and information campaign done by the Barangay BF Homes Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay BF Homes) in . This time, the focus shifts to the Barangay Baclaran Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan ng Baclaran) which performed community service (partnered with the Katipunan ng Kabataan) of the same nature.

FB_IMG_1584707058056.jpg
A man assisted by Baclaran’s SK chairwoman herself. (photo approved for publishing by Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia)

According to Baclaran SK chairwoman Rachel Garcia, her team and the KK prepared a total of 3,000 units of alcohol (with free refilling), 3,000 units of hand sanitizer and 2,000 units of soap. Those said items, which are meant for prevention of COVID-19 from spreading, were distributed by the Baclaran SK and the KK around the local community for free. Garcia and her companions endured the heat of the day visiting residents in Barangay Baclaran from one house to another house.

In addition, the group also organized an awareness campaign so that Baclaran residents will know what they can do to avoid infection, how to avoid infecting others and why they should follow the quarantine by staying at home.

Like their counterparts in BF Homes, the Baclaran SK has a tough task and a huge responsibility to fulfill with regards to the COVID-19 crisis. If you think about it very carefully, it’s just mind-boggling that very tiny microbes like COVID-19 could cause a tremendous, negative impact on the whole world. Look at the many people getting infected as well as those who died.

Overseas, several teams of scientists are working hard to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. In the United Kingdom, clinical testing for a vaccine will start soon. In Israel, biopharmaceutical company Kamada announced that it is working on a blood-plasma treatment for coronavirus. Until medical breakthroughs against COVID-19 materialize, local authorities will have to keep performing with their current duties.

Going back to the publicly elected officials of Barangay Baclaran and its youth council, Garcia and her SK kagawads have more than two years of service left before the next barangay and SK elections will take place. Previously the barangay-SK elections were scheduled to happen this coming May but that all changed when President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act Number 11462 (titled “Postponement of the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections Act”).

To learn more about the Baclaran SK, read my January 1 article and visit their Facebook page.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Tahanan Village Playground Being Redeveloped

Tahanan Village Playground Being Redeveloped

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of interviewing people of the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) and those connected with them. 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.

This morning I visited Tahanan Village in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City to meet some of my friends and check on the latest with their homeowners’ association, the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA).

And then I noticed something at the village park, specifically at the corner of Chrysanthemum street and Jasmin street…..the children’s playground (identified as Tahanan Children’s Park on Google Maps) was being redeveloped and there were several personnel working under the heat of the sun.

20200314_092936.jpg
A view of the work going on at the playground at the Tahanan Village park.

According to former THA president and current village administrator Augusto Tejada, the playground was being redeveloped and it will involve digging and, most notably, fill the gaps with brand new garden soil. The intention was to make the playground a better, safer and cleaner place for children to play at.

A THA maintenance worker at the playground confirmed to me what Tejada said. He added that in order to get the job done, he and his fellow workers had to collect the many stones as well as all the volcanic ash that came from Taal Volcano which erupted this past January. Around the park were these piles of volcanic ash and garden soil.

20200314_093126.jpg
A THA maintenance worker pounds something.

Once the redevelopment of the children’s playground has been completed, it should become much more suitable for the kids to spend time at.

Coronavirus impact on THA

Going back to Tejada, he confirmed to me that their association had to postpone several planned activities due to the impact of the spreading coronavirus or COVID-19. Some meetings that were planned did not push through, and organizing new meetings as well as getting lots of villagers together have gotten more challenging as mass gatherings have been prohibited as part of the Metro Manila community quarantine related to the national government’s effort to prevent COVID-19 from infecting anymore Filipinos.

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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

2020 Tahanan Village Vehicular Sticker Process Ongoing

2020 Tahanan Village Vehicular Sticker Process Ongoing

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) by means of inquiry and research. 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.

Hey everyone!

Going to and from Tahanan Village in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City is more challenging nowadays as the still incomplete diggings related to a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) drainage project along Presidents Avenue struggles towards completion leaving motorists no choice but to be stuck in traffic as a result of the reduced road space located near the corner of Don Rufino street.

After enduring a long wait myself, I finally entered Tahanan Village, visited the clubhouse and learned that the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) is currently processing applications (both brand new and renewal) for the 2020 edition of their village sticker. As long as there is a supply, stickers get released to the applicant and have it placed on the windshield of the vehicle (with assistance by THA personnel).

How to apply for a 2020 Tahanan Village sticker

20200307_132727.jpg
From the application form.

To begin with, an applicant must obtain from the THA an official registration form which is to be filled up with details (including the vehicle). Of course, the required documents such as the certificate of registration (CR), the latest official receipt (OR) and cash for paying the corresponding fee should be prepared.

If the vehicle is under the applicant’s or homeowner’s name, the OR and CR must be submitted. If the vehicle is not under the applicant’s name, a notarized deed of sale must be submitted along with the OR and CR. If the vehicle is under the name of the company, the Company Certification (with the company letterhead) must be submitted along with the OR and CR. If the vehicle has been recently acquired and has no license plate yet, the sales invoice and the delivery receipt  must be submitted.

Applicants who are not residents of Tahanan Village (therefore applying for the non-resident sticker) should obtain an endorsement from a village resident.

Now for the fees….

The cost of the 2020 Tahanan Village sticker

The fees for the 2020 THA sticker for applications made on or before March 31, 2020 are P100 for residents, P150 for non-residents and P700 for commercial vehicles and school buses. Effective April 1, 2020, the fees will be P150 for residents, P300 for non-residents and still P700 for commercial vehicles and school buses.

When it comes to statistics as of this writing, the THA confirmed to me that already 69 non-residents, 2,185 residents, 124 motorcycle operators and 5 commercial vehicles/school bus operators applied for their 2020 stickers.

If you are interested to secure a 2020 THA sticker, visit the Tahanan Village clubhouse now or call 88425955.

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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

 

Drainage Improvement Project inside BF NorthWest Ongoing

Drainage Improvement Project inside BF NorthWest Ongoing

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association, Inc. by means of an interview and research. 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.

Hey everyone! How is your life right now here in South Metro Manila? I bet you were one of many commuters or motorists who had to endure the painful long wait in the middle of the heavy traffic congestion along the South Luzon Expressway’s (SLEX) northbound lane leading to Alabang. Any way, here is my latest South Metro Manila update for you related to BF Homes subdivision in Paranaque City.

Recently I visited BF NorthWest inside BF Homes subdivision, to personally check out the ongoing drainage project that made some buzz via social media.

After driving for a while, I finally saw the drainage operation at the corner of Cairo street and Canton street. Here’s a video I recorded for you.

There was a sign stating “Sorry for the Inconvenience. On going construction of new drainage system installation of flood lights and convex traffic mirror”

The sign had logos of the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association, Inc., Bagong Paranaque (why not the city’s logo?) and City Councilor Wahoo Sotto.

20200229_104624.jpg
A look down.

Nearby was a large machine designed to dig along a key stretch of Cairo street, and there were a few personnel working. I witnessed one of them rolling a large drainage pipe. The portions of the street that got dug up and had new drainage pipes installed were pretty deep. And then along a key stretch of Dacca Extension were many more new drainage pipes placed there for eventual usage.

With the ongoing drainage operations by the City Government, one-way traffic schemes were temporarily implemented along the affected streets of the village.

20200229_104610.jpg
At the corner of Canton and Cairo street.

According to BF NorthWest HOA President Manny Nubla, the project is badly needed because their residents along the affected streets have been suffering a lot from deep and persistent flooding whenever it rains. If you thought the flooding along D. Jakarta street near the village clubhouse was bad, it’s even worse on the other streets (Cebu, Dacca, Canton, Cairo) where the drainage is no longer sufficient.

For more on BF NorthWest and other updates about the BF Homes communities, come back here.

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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

325 Avail of Health Services in Tahanan Village

325 Avail of Health Services in Tahanan Village

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from the Century Club of Tahanan, Inc., by means of an interview, witnessing their event and doing research. 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.

325 Avail of Health Services in Tahanan Village

20200222_062302.jpg
Patients sitting in line for their turn to be served in the Tahanan Village clinic at the clubhouse.

No surprise about it. The Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. (CCTI) headed by its president Flor Umali organized another successful health-check activity this morning at the poolside of their village clubhouse in Tahanan Village (Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City) attracting three hundred and twenty-five residents and homeowner association employees. That is twenty-five more than the patients who attended CCTI’s previous health-check activity of September 2019.

As before, their medical mission supported by Barangay BF Homes, the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) and some corporate sponsors, started at 6AM and already a lot of people lined up to be the first to avail of health services. Take a look at the pictures I took.

20200222_062318.jpg
Patients at the registration table.
20200222_063201.jpg
Patients getting examined and treated.
20200222_062507.jpg
The table with prescription medicine.

A lot of the patients previously paid P350 to avail of the health-check package that includes good and bad cholesterol check, Triglycerides, Creatinine, SGOT, ECG, blood sugar count, total cholesterol count, BUN, Urice Acid, SGPT, CBC and urinalysis. There were also many who arrived for eye check-up, PSA, Hba1c, T3, T4, TSH and Na, K and Ci (electrolytes).

Those who had themselves tested will receive the results soon.

20200222_062239.jpg
Century Club of Tahanan president Florencia Umali.

This health-check activity is a project of the CCTI in coordination with the THA which is the main authority of the village. Also present during the activity were CCTI’s Vice President Vivian Villegas and Treasurer Herminia Salgado.

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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Alabang Hills Village Implements New Schedule For Passing Through Their Village

Alabang Hills Village Implements New Schedule For Passing Through Their Village

carlocarrasco

Yesterday, the Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) implemented the new schedule for passing through their village in Muntinlupa City in relation to the traffic re-routing along the West Service Road by the Skyway.

To put things in perspective, the new schedule is now set at 5AM to 12 midnight daily from February 16 up to April 16. The said schedule specifically applies to non-resident motorists who already secured vehicular stickers from the AHVA. For the newcomers reading this, Alabang Hills Village has gates connecting to the Alabang-Zapote Road, to BF Homes subdivision and the long road leading to the West Service Road.

Going back to the new schedule, the 12 midnight deadline is notable because previously passing through the village (using a vehicle with a valid Alabang Hills sticker) was prohibited by 10PM.

As the Skyway project involving parts of the West Service Road is ongoing, we will see in due time how many vehicles (with valid AHVA stickers) will pass through Alabang Hills Village.

Before closing this, those of you who will visit the village should know that there is a new community store that recently opened at one end of the renovated village facility (where the AHVA office used to be). Here’s a picture of the new store below.

20200215_095718.jpg
The new AHV Convenience Store. The store keeper clarified to me that they don’t work on a 24/7 schedule.

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

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.