Here in the Philippines, Taal Volcano erupted on January 12 pushing a massive amount of volcanic ash high up into the air. A short time later, the ash spread around and reached parts of Metro Manila.
The next morning, I went out for my usual hike here in Muntinlupa City going to Filinvest City. Along the way while inside our village, the volcanic ash were around me – on the side of the roads, the sidewalks, on top the leaves of some trees and over the surfaces of vehicles parked nearby. There was also collected ash that got wet as it rained the previous night.
Then I visited the local village park and saw the following…
At the park.Volcanic ash still somewhat wet on this slide.Look at all that wet ash.
I hiked on to Filinvest City. As light from the sun was bright enough, the ash on the road and the sidewalk became clearer. There were also prints of shoes, slippers and tire tracks spotted. I took the opportunity to photograph them.
Lots of ash on the surface of the road in Filinvest City, Alabang.The view outside Commercenter.This guy was the first Filinvest City cleaner (he wore a Filinvest City uniform) I saw along Commerce Avenue.
I went further to Festival Mall. Unsurprisingly their roads and parking lots had lots of ash around. As I walked on, I wondered how many people with equipment they will deploy to clean up their parking spaces.
At one of the parking lots of Festival Mall.
So I saw a lot about the volcanic ash in Alabang that morning. Certain things I saw during my morning hike reminded me a bit of what I saw back in 1991 regarding the volcanic ash Mount Pinatubo released. Metro Manila was not spared back then.
Still nothing prepared me for the volcanic ash that I saw as I drove from Alabang to our office in Laguna via the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). As many vehicles moved both ways along the highway, there as a lot of Taal Volcano’s ash the view became less visible on certain stretches.
Then I took a short stopover at one of the gas stations along the SLEX. Here is what I saw.
So much volcanic ash on the open space.A maintenance worker struggles to collect the volcanic ash.
The gas station was dirty with the volcanic ash. Many cars that were there were also dirty and people, including the maintenance workers, were seen wearing face masks. I witnessed one maintenance worker near me doing clean-up work by moving the volcanic ash into a pile and then collecting them and storing them into a black garbage bag.
More of the ash collected at the place.
Seeing him work like that made me pray that he and all other personnel assigned to do cleaning will get compensated well by their respective employers. There is so much Taal Volcano ash around, it will take quite some time and effort before achieving cleanliness.
I also pray that the victims – those who live in close proximity to Taal Volcano – will receive sufficient assistance from the local authorities as well as private donors or groups doing charity work. This is because those victims’ lives got disrupted and many of them had to leave their homes temporarily.
One credible organization to donate to is Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines which announced already its campaign to help Taal Volcano victims. Visit their website right here. Another worthy organization accepting donations is New Life Community Care.
The victims of the natural disaster need our help and prayers. Remember that.
So that’s it. January 13, 2020 will be remembered as one of the most unusual Mondays I had in many years. Given the tremendous amount of volcanic ash spotted EVERYWHERE I went that day, it is fitting for me to call the day as Ash Monday.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Hey everyone! Have you shopped at a Duty Free Philippines yet? Me? I have not been to a Duty Free Philippines outlet or shopping center for quite some time now.
Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) announced today that it grew 4% in 2019 in terms of year-on-year sales growth. Notably, the achieved growth was a clear improvement over the 2% growth it achieved in 2018.
To put things in perspective, the consolidated sales reached a total of $226 million in 2019 compared with $217 million the previous year.
In relation to the latest statistics, DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said the Philippines’ hosting of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the opening of Duty Free Luxe have significantly contributed to the upswing.
He said the growing number of tourists visiting the newly-rehabilitated Boracay Island via Kalibo Airport has been beneficial to DFPC sales.
When it comes to the top source markets, 85% came from Filipino tourists, balikbayans (visiting Filipinos who live overseas) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Confectionery is still the major growth driver, with 31 percent share of the total sales, followed by liquor (21 percent), fragrance and cosmetics (18 percent), and fashion merchandise (10 percent).
The DFPC claimed it has met a number of significant milestones last year, including the opening of “Go Lokal’s” Marahuyo this past November.
“In line with the directive of Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), we have augmented our product portfolio which now includes more local artisans,” Angala said.
With the agency’s strong commitment to giving top local products a global audience, DFPC was recognized as “Highly Commended CSR Initiative of the Year “at the 2019 Frontier Awards in Cannes, France for supporting The Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The DFPC has expanded the list of exclusive brands that it carries which now includes: Gucci Beauty, Armani Beauty, Hogan, and MCM. Last year, it also embarked on the renovation of the Fiestamall and NAIA Terminal 1 Arrival stores.
DFPC is expected to maintain the momentum in 2020 with the opening of Duty Free store at the Hilton Sun Valley Resort inside Clark Freeport Zone by the first quarter of this year.
For everyone’s reference, the DFPC is the country’s sole operator of the duty-and tax-free merchandising system, and a vital component of the DOT as it contributes to the efforts in the development of the country’s tourism infrastructure, programs, and projects through revenue remittances. There are Duty Free Philippines outlets and shopping centers around the Philippines including Parañaque City (Fiestamall shopping center), Cebu province, and Clark International Airport to name a few.
For further learning, posted below is the official FAQ of Duty Free Philippines.
The City Government of Muntinlupa announced yesterday the schedule of payment of real property tax in their city for 2020 and also launched its incentives program for RPT payers who will pay on or before quarterly deadline.
Muntinlupa City Treasurer’s Office released the deadline of payment of real property tax on the following dates: March 1, 2020 (1st Installment, Q1), June 30, 2020 (2nd Installment, Q2), September 30, 2020 (3rd Installment, Q3), and December 31, 2020 (4th Installment, Q4).
Taxpayers with no delinquency who shall pay their real property taxes on or before deadlines of payment are entitled to a ten percent (10%) discount.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi lauded this incentive system as it will boost tax revenues for the city to be utilized in various programs and services for the city residents. The mayor said the City Government shifts in being more customer-driven which accelerates public services, bringing ease transactions for the public.
RPT payers in Muntinlupa can also pay their taxes at Muntinlupa Online Real-Property Payment System (MORPS) through the electronic banking system of the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The RPT e-Payment system, first of its kind in Metro Manila, aims to course transaction of its major taxpayers through electronic channels to provide them with efficient and less-time consuming delivery of services.
An interface with MORPS will handle real-time property tax payment and can process transactions in less than 15 minutes. An easy and taxpayer-friendly application for every Muntinlupenos, it targets to speed up the transaction for the convenience of taxpayers and the reduction of red-tape and under-the-table propositions.
Fresnedi encouraged Muntinlupeños to pay their respective bills ahead of time to avoid penalties.
While MCTO introduced the incentive program, it also noted that upon expiration of the periods given, an interest of two percent (2%) per month not exceeding 36 months or 72% shall be imposed upon delinquent properties for failure to pay the basic real property tax or any other tax levied under the Revenue Code.
For more information, RPT payers can log-in to http://www.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/RPT/ or visit the City Treasurer’s Office located at Ground Floor, Main Building, Muntinlupa City Hall with tel nos. 8862-2525 loc. 120 or 8862-1491.
It’s been almost a month since the 2019 edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) hosted by the Philippines ended with resounding success. The Philippines won a total of three hundred and eighty-seven medals to finish #1 among all Southeast Asian nations. The 387 medals won are composed of 149 gold medals, 117 silver medals and 121 bronze medals.
Here in South Metro Manila (composed mainly of the cities of Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas) there were indeed Philippine team athletes who won medals at the SEA Games who reside locally.
Shortly after the end of the premier sports event of the Southeast Asian region, the City of Las Piñas honored the SEA Games medalists among its residents by showcasing them in a special ceremony at City Hall in the presence of Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar, Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery, City Councilors and more.
The Las Piñas-based Philippine athletes who won at the SEA Games appeared in their respective sports uniforms and showed their medals and certificates of appreciation with the City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar. (source – City of Las Piñas Facebook page)
The local resident athletes honored were Joseph Arcilla (Gold Medalist – Soft Tennis), Anna Alicia Katrina Castillo (Gold Medalist Women’s Basketball), Mikoff Manduriao (Gold Medalist – Soft Tennis), Russ Ashley Monville (Gold Medalist – Arnis), Erdilyn Peralta (Bronze Medalist – Soft Tennis), and Aljon Salonga (Silver Medalist – Water Polo). Not only did they attend the special ceremony at City Hall with their sports uniforms, they also brought the SEA Games medals they won. They received certificates from the City Government.
Over at the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi did its part doing the same and their SEA Games medalists attended a special ceremony – which was mainly about the City’s 102nd anniversary celebration – held at the Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan.
Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (3rd from right) awarded plaques of recognition to Muntinlupa athletes who snagged medals in the 2019 SEA Games last December 19 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan. Shown in the photo: (L-R) Congressman Ruffy Biazon, Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo), Vice-mayor Temy Simundac, and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela. (photo released by City Government of Muntinlupa – PIO)
The Muntinlupa-based SEA Games medalists who received honors and shared the stage with the Mayor, Vice Mayor Temy Simundac, Congressman Ruffy Biazon and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela were Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), and Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo). Incentives for the said achievers were promised by the City Government.
Meanwhile in Parañaque City, there have been no signs so far that there were any Parañaque residents among the many Philippine athletes who won 2019 SEA Games medals.
Twice, I inquired about this to City Administrator Fernando “Ding” Soriano plus my other contact at the City Government. It was only yesterday that I finally received a reply from City Admin Soriano. Below is his response.
Soriano: The moment there (are) residents from (Parañaque), we will certainly give recognition and awards.
Has the City Government of Parañaque approached the 2019 SEA Games organizers for a list of Philippine Team athletes (who won medals specifically) with city addresses?
If there are indeed any 2019 SEA Games medalist living in Parañaque City who just learned about the promised rewards and recognition from the City Government, which specific office should he or she go to? Who should he or she look for?
Does mayor Edwin Olivarez have time to meet Parañaque-based SEA Games medalists?
If any new updates come up, I’ll post them right 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 Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Are they revising the script to accommodate De Leon’s talent? Are they rendering the visual effects with computers ahead of time? Is the production team having trouble scheduling filming with the many actors they hired? Are the filmmakers consulting with local comic book artists and writers to find ways to make the Darna movie fun and engaging?
So far, nothing could be confirmed. And this leads me to the next point – what will be the best Darna costume design for Jane de Leon?
In this ABS-CBN news video posted on November 27, 2019, De Leon confirmed that she has been working out for the role, read the script and stated the costume was being arranged. No details about the design of the costume were revealed.
For starters, it is easy to imagine De Leon wear the traditional Darna costume which has always been a two-piece swimsuit with a head dress (in recent times, a helmet), superhero boots, arm braces and a frontal cloth. Check out the photo I took of a Darna statuette during the 2019 Toycon below.
I took this during last year’s Toycon.
If the filmmakers prefer to show the cinematic Darna with a new look of much less skin exposed while still maintaining the feminine figure, the lady’s armor design could be a useful alternative. Take a look at the armor of Faora in Man of Steel.
The armored Faora in Man of Steel. (photo sourced from IMDB.com)
An armored Darna just might work in modernizing the look of the Philippine superhero icon with the 21st century in mind. While it can cover a lot of De Leon’s skin, it could use a little less metallic parts (compared to Faora’s armor in Man of Steel) to show more of the actress’ figure. Having the armor painted red with some parts in gold can help maintain the Darna look.
As of this writing, we don’t know yet what the filmmakers have in mind with the Darna costume for Jane de Leon. But once new updates about the costume and the film itself have been released, I’ll share and discuss them right here.
For the meantime, visit the Darna (2020) movie page right here.
For those of you who read this, what do you think is the best Darna costume design for Jane de Leon? How should it look? Feel free to post your answers with the comment tool below.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Top Ten “Early Bird” Taxpayers in the 2020 Muntinlupa Business Permit Renewal receive cerficates of recognition and grocery packages from the City Government. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi meets early taxpayers and extended his gratitude to the business owners for renewing their businesses in the city on January 2. The business renewal event will run from January 2- 20 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
The City Government of Muntinlupa awarded early taxpayers with incentives and grocery packages for being the first of many who applied and settled their dues in the 2020 Muntinlupa Business Permit Renewal which will run until January 20.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi awarded certificates of recognition and grocery packages to the Top Ten Early Taxpayers in this year’s Business Permit Renewal on January 2. The Top Ten Early Taxpayers were the following: Abraham Tiro (Mama Nene Store), Lani Santos (Lito and Lani Food House), Josielyn Delez (E.J.D. Mini Store), Josephine Dejan (FDA Dejan Construction Services), Cesar Bronola Lastrilla (Mercy Salon), Milagros Salvador (Mila and Noli Scrap Woods), Elizabeth Sabalboro (Beth Sari-Sari Store), Ma. Pinky Lynsey (MPLG Begona Trading), Cynthia Olaes (Cynthia’s Sari-Sari Store), and Cherrie Flores (Mini-Mini Store).
The mayor thanked the business owners for their punctuality in paying their dues and renewing their businesses in the city. Fresnedi also urged other locators to avoid penalties and skip “rush days” of registration nearing the deadline.
The 2020 Business Permit Renewal officially started on the morning of January 2 and will conclude on January 20. Currently, there are 15,708 registered business in the city. The Muntinlupa Business Permits and Licensing Office recorded a significant increase of over 187% in business tax collection over the past seven years.
For the convenience of the taxpayers, a One-Stop Shop arrangement in the Business Permit Renewal Hub has been installed at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan. Requirements from Barangay Halls and Regulatory Offices can be acquired in the location of the Renewal as representatives of said agencies will be rendering service simultaneously.
Taxpayers can pay using Debit Cards in the renewal event. Mobile ATMs as well as a Closed-Circuit Television System were also installed across the venue. Business owners registering in the renewal may also access the internet through a free wi-fi connection.
Making matters even more convenient is the shuttle service provided for clients going to the venue. The pick-up points are located at Muntinlupa City Hall Quadrangle in Putatan and Muntinlupa City Public Market in Alabang.
The list of requirements is posted in Muntinlupa BPLO Facebook page at fb.com/bplo.muntinlupa. For inquiries, you may call the department’s hotline at 8317-9964 or email at bplo.muntinlupa@yahoo.com.
Write About Love is the first new Metro Manila Film Festival movie I saw in the theater in many years and I should say it was surprisingly good.
Here’s my review of Write About Love directed by Crisanto Aquino and released by TBA Studios.
Early story
The story begins when a lady (Miles Ocampo) succeeded in selling her story to executives of a movie studio. A short time later, the executives found her story looking “too mainstream” and was very similar to that of another movie. This results an order on revising the story and she has to do the rewriting assignment with the involvement of a seasoned indie screenwriter (Rocco Nacino). They have only thirty days to revise and improve the script and the state of the film project was at stake.
Together the screenwriters work and discuss in detail how to establish the situations, how to develop each character through trials and emotional rides, what to do to make the story deeper and the like.
As the film’s narrative and the screenwriters work on, the respective lives of the in-story characters transpire.
Quality
To put things in perspective, Write About Love is a character-driven movie about screenwriters who are challenged to craft a much-improved screenplay for the movie studio while dealing with matters of their respective lives. Miles Ocampo is clearly the protagonist of the film and through her, you will relate with the pressure of work she goes through, the creative challenges of writing stories (and developing the characters), and the fractured parts of her personal life (hint: she lives with her mother but maintains contact with her father). When it comes to acting, Ocampo delivered the emotions needed in each scene that required heavy drama. You will see her cry a lot and you’ll even feel her pain.
Her co-star Rocco Nacino (the other screenwriter) has comparable screen time as hers but with much less dramatic scenes. Nacino does excel, however, with the more creative side of screen writing.
What really stood out with the dramatic performances are the supporting players Yeng Constantino and Joem Bascon as the screenplay characters of Joyce and Marco. Joyce and Marco are lovers living-in together but their relationship got hampered by their respective careers. Joyce is a musician and Marco is a corporate executive. When things get rough between them, crying scenes happen along with convincing moments of depression. Constantino herself stands out as her in-depth talent in singing blends nicely with the dramatics of her character.
Constantino and Bascon are not the only supporting players in the film. There was also Romnick Sarmienta (himself a star in many romantic comedies in the 1980s) and Che Ramos, and each contributed nicely into the film.
When it comes to storytelling and visual presentation, Write About Love was very nicely done. The story moved at a steady pace and there was a good amount of interesting dialogue. In my experience, nothing felt padded. Even the slowest scenes did not bore me. The drama was heavy and there were several moments of clever humor executed.
I also really enjoyed the filmmakers’ smart of use of visuals in which screenplay scenes showing the lives of Joyce and Marco happening while the screenwriters appear near them as if they are watching (actually they were imagining and structuring the scenes which were part of their work for the movie studio). The shots of Joyce and Marco interacting were in full color while the shots showing the screenwriters had desaturated colors.
While it was clear that the filmmakers got great performances from the actors, this movie should be recommended for some very memorable cinematography that took place in the 2nd half. I’m talking about the location shots of North Luzon locations like Baguio City and Sagada. The most visually striking scene was the sunrise scene and if you ever see it, do your best to feast your eyes on it.
Conclusion
Write About Love is a pretty good film to watch and definitely it is one of the better movies released here in the Philippines for the past decade. It does not have an epic concept but rather a small and simple concept that was nicely executed with fine cinematic artistry. The performances are very good (without going into over-acting), the characters are worth caring and following, and the film offers a very unique look at what goes on behind the scenes in the local movie industry.
Also the theme about love is nicely expressed through the trials and emotions of the characters. In relation to its title, this movie shows that writing about love will never be easy because love itself is complicated and unpredictable. In short, realizing the true meaning of love is an everlasting struggle.
Overall, Write About Love is recommended.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Rather, it’s about crime turning rampant within the jurisdiction of Parañaque, more specifically the high number of crimes involving Chinese nationals.
According to a December 27, 2019 Philippine Star report, Parañaque has the 3rd highest number of crimes involving Chinese nationals among the southern cities of Metro Manila. The number is 140 crime incidents recorded as per the statistics of the Southern Police District (SPD) as of December 25, 2019. Ahead of Parañaque were Pasay City (201 crime incidents) and Makati City (163 crime incidents).
Specifically on South Metro Manila, Las Piñas City had 54 crime incidents while Muntinlupa City had 19 crime incidents. Combine those numbers with Parañaque’s 140 crime incidents, then that’s a total of 213 crime incidents for South Metro Manila.
You must be wondering why is it that the city that is home to a significant portion of BF Homes subdivision attracted a great majority of of the 213 crime incidents involving Chinese nationals for South Metro Manila?
For one thing, there is a high number of Chinese nationals who took residence in Parañaque and got involved in the local commerce. Speaking of commerce, a lot of these POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) opened up and operated within the city. The City Government recently considered filing charges against the owners of buildings housing Chinese nationals who are working at these POGOs. The housing of many Chinese nationals caused a social disruption in the community of Multinational Village for the past two years. This caused Multinational residents to write letters of complaints regarding diminishing water supply, power transformer blowouts, eroded roads and rising security risks that allegedly were connected with the Chinese nationals residing in their local community as well as the construction of new POGO housing facilities.
By the way, there are casinos and hotels operating in the Entertainment City which is within the jurisdiction of Parañaque. Those facilities are known to attract a lot of Chinese nationals along with other foreigners.
Here’s an excerpt from the CNN Philippines report:
The raid in Diamond Tower in Baclaran also led to the arrest of 13 alleged den maintainers or recruiters of sex workers, nine of whom are male and four who are women, plus 18 male Chinese customers.
The Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) rescued a Chinese national and arrested two kidnapping suspects during a police operation in Parañaque City.
PNP-AKG Director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo identified the victim as tourist Wang Hong, alias Lee, 29, married, native of Chongqing, China, and who is temporarily residing at Strata Gold Condominium, Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila.
The suspects, on the other hand, were identified as Wan Rehong, 32, native of Qingshanhu District, Nanchang City, China, and Wan Liang, 36, native of Jiangxi, China. Both suspects are tourists.
Estomo said that in the sworn statement of Wang, the victim went to Solaire Resort and Casino on December 4 and gambled. When he lost all his money, a group of Chinese men offered him a loan of P1 million, which he accepted.
The group lent him another P1 million as capital, but he lost again, prompting the group to take the key of the car that he borrowed from a friend and asked him to go with the suspects.
The two suspects took him to Okada Hotel and Casino, and while inside a room, they forced him to make a letter stating that he borrowed from them P2 million and forced him to sign the letter.
On December 8, at around 2 p.m., Wang and the two suspects boarded a taxi wherein he managed to send a message to a friend that they are billeted at Room 505 of Baymont Hotel in Parañaque City.
While inside the room, the kidnappers instructed him to ask money from his family or friends for him to pay the P2 million because, if not, “they will kill him and be thrown at cemetery.”
The victim’s friend notified the PNP-AKG about the incident that prompted operatives to launch a rescue operation which resulted in the arrest the two suspects.
As mentioned earlier, Parañaque City is a hot spot of crime incidents involving Chinese nationals and clearly this is bad. Nobody wants to live in a city with rampant crime (kidnapping, extortion, prostitution and the like) nor does anyone want to see their community turn bad because a lot of foreigners from China working in POGOs were allowed to take residence.
The hot questions to ask here:
1) Is the City Government really tough against crime in general?
2) Are POGOs and other businesses that target Chinese nationals as employees and consumers too tempting for the City Government to reject and were allowed to be part of the local economy and communities?
3) Were the business permit applications of those POGOs and businesses targeting Chinese nationals carefully reviewed by the Parañaque Business Permit & Licensing Office (BPLO) before being approved?
4) Are there any police officers in Parañaque who accepted bribes from Chinese nationals and the POGOs to look the other way and let them do their illegal activities?
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.
Christmas is always truly about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. He was born thousands of years ago and His earthly mother Mary served as God’s chosen instrument to conceive and carry Him. As we the faithful already know, Jesus went on to spread God’s message to others, taught many meaningful and holy lessons, provided the best guidance and, ultimately, He suffered and died to redeem humanity entirely. Jesus came back from the dead and made His presence felt to many witnesses before finally ascending to Heaven with a promise that He will return.
As I personally witnessed and experienced in life, the celebration of Christmas, at least here in the Philippines, is not too focused on Jesus Himself. This is because others are distracted by earthly developments, social trends, the Internet, selfishness, materialism, covetousness and other factors.
For one thing, idolatry, which I previously explained is a sin as recorded in the Holy Bible, continues to keep people away from Jesus when celebrating Christmas. There are still a lot of people out there who instantly think of Santa Claus instead of Lord Jesus whenever Christmas is discussed. Look at all those paintings, drawings, decorations, statues and other visual forms of Santa Claus, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, the elves and the like which many believe in. Idolatry’s menace is still present during the Christmas season. Christmas is all about Lord Jesus who is real and alive above us, high up in Heaven. Santa Claus and the related characters are all just pieces of fantasy!
There is also the distraction that comes with financial bonuses, the free meals and drinks served during Christmas parties, the dancing, the music, the gifts (which are often linked with Santa Claus), the Christmas-themed movies, the video games, the out-of-town vacations and the like. All those enjoyable elements should not be viewed as the main purpose of Christmas but rather as blessings from God who is the source of blessings, happiness, prosperity and opportunities. It’s okay to enjoy gifts and riches but always remember the Lord and thank Him for them.
Making the celebration of Christmas meaningless, hollow and complicated is secularism. Already secularism distorted many people’s ways of celebrating the season of Christ by excluding Him, by brainwashing people to express “Xmas” (or “X’mas”) instead of “Christmas”, and by making people focus on gift-giving as the main purpose of the Lord’s season instead of celebrating His birth. Be mindful that secularism, atheism and other forms of resistance or denial towards the Lord lead to unbelief.
And then there is also the presence of religion which really hinders people from being faithful to the Lord by deceiving them into practicing idolatry (true Christianity means worshiping God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit mainly and directly), practicing religious traditions (which take people away from the Holy Bible), being burdened by the many man-made rules of religion, and doing things that involve little or nothing about God’s Word (the Holy Bible) at all! As if these were not bad enough, the so-called leaders of the hierarchy of religion-driven churches wield tremendous power over the people who don’t realize they have been trapped by religion (and were even manipulated to worship those so-called leaders). Lastly, religion also hinders people from easily realizing the truth about celebrating Christmas.
With these things expressed, I would like to help you realize that Christmas is truly all about Lord Jesus, nothing else and nobody else! Please pay close attention to the following scriptures from the Holy Bible.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
Isaiah 9:6 emphasizes peace and Christlikeness. Peace comes from God (read Romans 1: 7) and is evidence of the rule of the Messiah whose character as the Prince of Peace waits to instill the settledness of His own rule in our souls. To be faithful to the Lord requires repentance, submission and becoming born again (refer to Jesus’ own words in John 3: 3) which includes living in holiness with Lord Jesus as the one to follow. Christianity involves faithfulness, absorbing and understanding God’s Word (the Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close), doing God’s Word (applying it in our lives) and living the Christian way no matter how chaotic our world is and matter how many people will challenge or harm us (all the more reason to remain faithful with the Lord).
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)
2 Corinthians 8:9 emphasizes that the greatest and most inspiring example of generosity is the grace of Lord Jesus. His richness does not refer to material wealth during His time living in the flesh, rather it is recognition of His eternal status as Lord of both Heaven and Earth. Lord Jesus became poor through the total giving of Himself in the incarnation and the Crucifixion (refer to Philippians 2:5-8). That scripture shows how much Jesus would give and how far He went to lift people up. Contrary to the teachings of some practitioners of religion (who were even worshipped by people trapped by religion), the Lord does not want His faithful children to be trapped with poverty while living in the flesh. Continuing further, 2 Corinthians 9: 8 is about God’s ability to meet all the faithful children’s needs (spiritual, financial, and others) and increase their resources so that they can meet their needs. As mentioned earlier, God is the definitive source we the faithful must always look up to and continue to thank and honor Him in return. It is the Lord (not those idols and not people) who rewards the faithful abundantly!
This brings me to the next holy scripture with the words of Lord Jesus Himself. This one is very true and undeniable!
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Revelations 22:12 (NKJV)
I love those words from Lord Jesus who truly loves us. We the faithful each have a personal relationship with God and that relationship is strictly off-limits to everyone else (not even the head of any over-sized religion-driven church has the right to intervene in a Christian’s personal relationship with God). At the same time, God made plans for each and every one of us and that includes assignments or tasks that He will assign to you and me. After doing the assigned tasks we got, the Lord will reward us according to the work we each fulfilled. Don’t expect the exact same reward, expect the proportionate reward and only the Lord knows the values of each task He assigns to us. The Lord knows best! Remember this whenever you think of Christmas – that Jesus was born to not only save us from sin but also to reward each and every faithful Christian who performed the assigned tasks from Him.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)
1 Corinthians 1:30 is about righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Righteousness is God’s judicial determination to right every wrong and His gift to the guilty which removes all condemnation and puts them in a state of justification (including full acquittal from all charges made against them). Sanctification is about the need for cleansing from pollution and this includes renewal by the power of the Holy Spirit which allows acceptable living before God, and points to our ultimate perfection in His presence. Redemption speaks of freedom and final deliverance from all aspects of sin, including the resurrection of the body.
Are you still a sinner? Do you believe that the real-world justice system has been corrupted and blind to you? Look up to God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit instead! It is never too late for sinners to become born again (to be saved), dedicate themselves to the Lord and live not only a new life but a holier life. Never forget that true redemption is from the Lord! Jesus was born into our world as the Redeemer! Jesus defeated Satan and He also saved humanity which suffered a lot since Adam rebelled towards God.
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.”
Isaiah 48:17 (NKJV)
Not only is Jesus the Redeemer, He is also God in the flesh! Instead of making our own plans (which lead to selfishness, covetousness and other unholy elements in life) thinking of pulling God to make them come true, we should do instead is submit to the Lord and repent, let the Holy Spirit come into our hearts (this is part of becoming born again) and let the Lord guide us and lead us. We in turn must follow the plan God made for each and every one of us. Those plans were made by Him even before we each got created.
Speaking of plans from Him, we each need the Holy Spirit. Take note of the following scriptures.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go to pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NKJV)
Verse 11 emphasizes that God indeed punishes His people in order to restore them to a proper relationship with Him. While there is hope for sinners to reform themselves to be good (righteousness and holiness), the sinners who are truly wicked and always deliberately sin for their own agenda (or keep doing the work for Satan) and satisfaction (examples: covetousness, greed, murder, destruction, lying, idolatry) will truly be punished by the Lord (refer to Psalm 94:23, Psalm 83:17, 1 Timothy 6:9, Jude 1:10, Psalm 28:5 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). All the more reason to be repent, submit to God and become born again (John 3: 3). Verses 12, 13 and 14 are about seeking the Lord who truly listens and responds (with action) to the prayers of those who are faithful to Him. To realize Jeremiah 29: 11-14 in your life, you need to have the Holy Spirit (receive Jesus in you) and live in holiness. Being born again means leaving your old sinful life behind and live on as a new creation of the Lord. Live in holiness with faith, not religion and not unbelief. Going back to remembering Lord Jesus for Christmas, always also remember His Holiness.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be gloried in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwels with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
John 14:12-18 (NKJV)
Those words from Lord Jesus are truly powerful and undeniable. Verse 12 refers to His earthly ministry that lasted only a few years. However, after the Resurrection and Pentecost, Jesus’ ministry was and continues to be multiplied through Spirit-empowered believers. We the faithful have work to do that includes preaching the gospel, resulting the blessings of justification, reconciliation, and the gift of the Holy Spirit coming to humankind. These are post-Resurrection manifestations of the reign of Lord Jesus. Verse 13 is about prayer offered in Jesus’ name in accordance with His revealed nature and purpose, complete with the full weight of His authority backing it. Verse 15 and 16 clearly shows that our love for Him should always come with following His commandments, and Jesus will pray to God the Father who will respond by sending another Helper (the Holy Spirit, also referred to in John 14: 26) to us as we, who live here on Earth, wait for His return. Verse 17 is a reminder that there are a whole lot of people who do not believe nor understand the Lord, and therefore they cannot relate with the beliefs of faithful Christians. This is about the many unsaved souls and lost souls who dwell all over the Earth, the many who don’t realize their true purposes under God. Verse 18 is about Jesus referring to His coming and in the Person of the Holy Spirit. For as long as we believe in Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit, we the faithful will not be abandoned.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
John 14:26 (NKJV)
Those words by Lord Jesus goes back to Verse 16 of John chapter 14 with regards to the Helper from God which is the Holy Spirit. This particular verse goes further explaining that the Holy Spirit will teach the faithful Christian what to say yes to (acceptance) and what to say no to (denial). Instead of relying on our own thinking, we the faithful should allow the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us, and remember to always enforce the boundaries that the Lord gave us. With the Lord as our ultimate teacher and guide, nothing and nobody else comes close! Don’t be misled by the idolaters and other sinners, always follow the Holy Spirit in you! Pray for the unsaved souls and lost souls that they will realize their true purpose under God and willingly decide to return to Him with repentance and submission. The unsaved and the lost don’t realize it yet but they really need the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, and they also need to be born again. Religion, idolatry and unbelief have kept them away from the Lord for so long.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)
Jeremiah 33:3 reminds us that God is open to anyone who seeks Him and His guidance. As such, with all the many activities happening during the Christmas holiday (partying, feasting, shopping spree, out-of-town vacations and the like), we must always make time for the Holy Spirit. This also means making time to pray to the Lord, reading the Holy Bible and continue to implement the many holy lessons into our respective lives. This is about living in holiness in a world that has been screwed up and divided.
In concluding this, I embedded below videos of Christian praise-and-worship songs that strongly emphasize the Lord. They are not exactly Christmas-themed songs but they are still great to worship the Lord with.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas! Remember that no matter what happens around you, always make time for the Holy Spirit. Enjoy the Christmas holidays but never leave and never forget about Lord Jesus. Remember to always praise, honor and thank the Lord forever.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
On the afternoon of December 19, the City Government of Muntinlupa celebrated the 102nd Founding Anniversary of Muntinlupa with special activities at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan.
Among the most notable activities was Mayor Jaime Fresnedi’s awarding of plaques of recognition to outstanding citizens who made an impact on the fields of public service, academics and sports.
For sports, it turned out that Muntinlupa is home to nine Philippine Team members who won medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (2019 SEA Games) which our nation hosted to much success. It is also notable that Muntinlupa hosted the SEA Games badminton tournaments while the SEA Games obstacle course race events were held at Filinvest City.
In celebration of Muntinlupa’s 102nd Founding Anniversary, the local government fetes Muntinlupa 2019 SEA Games medalists along with other outstanding citizens. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (3rd from right) awarded plaques of recognition to Muntinlupa athletes who snagged medals in the 2019 SEA Games last December 19 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan. Shown in the photo: (L-R) Congressman Ruffy Biazon, Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo), Vice-mayor Temy Simundac, and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela. (photo released by City Government of Muntinlupa – PIO)
The Muntinlupa-based SEA Games medalists who received honors and shared the stage with the Mayor, Vice Mayor Temy Simundac, Congressman Ruffy Biazon and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela were Kodo Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Keisei Nakano (Bronze, Judo), Shugen Nakano (Gold Medalist, Judo), Daryl Mercado (Bronze, Judo), Ryssa Jezzel Sanchez (Silver, Arnis), and Rick Jayson Constantino Senales (Bronze, Kurash and Judo).
The other city athletes who made the honor list were Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon (Gold, Tennis Doubles) Jaime Delange (Gold, Skateboarding) and Jeson Patrombon (Bronze, Tennis Singles).
The above SEA Games medalists will soon receive incentives from the City Government.
On the field of public service, those who were honored were National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines Outstanding Scientist Dr. Nathaniel P. Hermosa II, IdeasxMachina CEO and Malaking Muntinlupa Foundation founder Clemente C. Domingo III, Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Lt. Gen. Emmanuel B. Salamat (ret.), former Muntinlupa Mayor Ignacio R. Bunye, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr. (represented by Maura Dakila), and Department of Transportation (DOTR) Sec. Arthur P. Tugade.
For academics, the Muntinlupa residents who were honored for being ranked as top-notchers in various board and bar examinations were Coun. Jun Metong Sevilla representing Atty. Patricia Sevilla (Top 7, 2018 Bar Examinations), Mrs. Gail Turner Diaz representing Engr. James Christian Turner Diaz (Top 4, 2019 Electrical Engineer Board Exam) and Atty. Sean James Borja (Top 1, 2018 Bar examinations).
Apart from being the home city of tremendous achievers, Muntinlupa also had more reasons to celebrate big time. The city is also one of the nation’s leading investment hubs. Mayor Fresnedi emphasized the town’s progress to its people which called as Muntinlupa’s greatest resource. Also highlighted were the City Government’s sustainability initiatives and commitment to prioritize programs for education.
“As we journey through the second century of Muntinlupa, the local government will continue to invest in sustainable programs, focusing on the education of Muntinlupeños, to position the city and its people to greater heights,” Fresnedi said.
For historical perspective, Muntinlupa gained its independent status as a municipality in the year 1917 through Executive Order 108 issued by Governor General Francis Burton Harrison. Today, it has transformed as a Highly Urbanized City with nine equally progressive barangays and a population of 504,509.
Muntinlupa has been recognized as a model LGU (local government unit) in the country and garnered several awards and citations from various governing bodies including the Seal of Good Governance from DILG in 2015 and 2019, Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance from Regional Committee for Welfare of Children in 2017-2019, Red Orchid Award in 2018 and 2019, Jose Rizal Award in 2017-2019, Most Business-Friendly City Award in 2001, 2002, 2017, and 2018, Green Banner Award and Outstanding LGU in Nutrition Program Management in 2018, MERALCO Luminaries Award in 2018, Government Efficiency and Resilience Award (3rd Place) from National Competitiveness Council in 2017 and 2018, respectively; and Union Internationale des Transports Publics Awards in 2017, among others.
With the way things are going, Muntinlupa’s strong progressive drive as a highly competitive city of the Philippines (and arguably as the leading city of progress of South Metro Manila) will only keep on moving forward.
Author Carlo Carrasco 