I Love Israel: Israel looking forward to stronger bilateral ties with the Philippines under the administration of incoming President Marcos and Vice President Duterte

This past May 25, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Sara Duterte were officially proclaimed the duly elected President and Vice President of the Philippines during the joint session of Congress. Marcos and Duterte, who won their respective contests in the May 9, 2022 national elections under their UniTeam banner, will officially take office on June 30, 2022 and will serve for six years. Marcos and Duterte are both majority winners in the separate contests for President and Vice President, and each had more than thirty million voters.

In relation to this, the Embassy of Israel posted through Facebook two picture posts dated May 25, 2022 congratulating Marcos for his proclamation, and a message addressed to Duterte (note: the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte) expressing optimism that the friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines will be boosted further under her leadership. For transparency, posted below are screenshots of the Facebook posts…

President-elect Bongbong Marcos with Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss. (photo source -Israel in the Philippines Facebook page)
Vice President-elect Sara Duterte. (photo source – Israel in the Philippines Facebook page)

Quite interestingly, the Manila Bulletin published on Thursday an article stating that Israel is confident of boosting ties with the Philippines under VP-elect Duterte’s leadership and it made a reference to the May 25, 2022 FB post (pictured above). It is quite a detailed article and it has references to the landmark 2018 Israel visit of President Rodrigo Duterte and the historical links between the Philippines and Israel.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of the Manila Bulletin article dated May 26, 2022. Some parts in boldface…

Israel has expressed confidence that its friendly ties with the Philippines will improve under the leadership of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio as the middle eastern nation congratulated her.

The Israel Embassy in the Philippines said this after Duterte’s proclamation as the duly elected vice president of the Philippines after a landslide victory in the 2022 polls.

In a Facebook post, the Embassy said it is looking forward to Duterte’s next visit to Israel in her new capacity.

Mazal Tov Vice President-elect Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio!” the post read.

We are optimistic that our friendly relations will boost further under your leadership. We look forward to your next visit to Israel… as the VP!

The Vice President-elect went to Israel in September 2018 with her father, President Duterte. The older Duterte’s four-day trip to Jerusalem was historic as he was the first Philippine president to visit the Holy Land officially.

President Duterte explained that he had brought the Davao City mayor with him because of her mother’s Jewish roots.

The father of Elizabeth Zimmerman — Duterte’s ex-wife and Sara’s mother — was a German Jew who escaped Nazi Germany and obtained a Philippine visa alone with around 1,300 other European Jews.

Former Foreign Affairs deputy director-general for Asia-Pacific Affairs Gilad Cohen described Sara’s visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem as a “closure.”

“Sara Duterte (Zimmerman) is Mayor, the . She is President Duterte’s daughter, and her grandfather found shelter in [the Philippines] before WWII when President Quezon opened the gates for Jews who fled Germany. A closure here in [Israel] at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum,” he wrote in 2018.

The Philippine Commonwealth government’s open-door policy accommodated Jews who fled Europe from 1935 to 1941.

The Holocaust was the state-sponsored persecution and murder of around 6 million Jews by the Nazis who came to power in Germany in January 1933.

During their visit, President Duterte wrote the words “Never again” when he signed the guest book of the Yad Vashem at the Children’s Memorial Hall, referring to the persecution and murder of six million Jews during World War II by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

“May the hearts of peoples around the world remain ever open. And may the minds of all men and women learn to work together towards providing a safe haven for all who are being persecuted,” he added.

While I find it strange that President-elect Marcos was not mentioned in Manila Bulletin’s article, I still am optimistic that Israel-Philippine ties will keep on growing stronger and there will be more cooperation and special projects between them. Truly this is something we should be thankful to the Lord for.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut. With regards to the incoming President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, I urge you all to pray for them. Pray that they will open their hearts to the Lord, look up to Him and follow His guiding light as they govern the entire Philippines in the years to come.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel! Help build the ties between the State of Israel and the Republic of the Philippines!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment. Also included is an extensive Philippine video about the Marcos-Duterte proclamation.

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

I Love Israel: Israel and the Philippines agree to speed up deployment of Filipino hotel workers

The essential ties between Israel and the Philippines continue to create positive results once again as the two nations formally agreed to speed up the deployment of Filipino hotel workers to Israel which recently reopened its borders to international visitors (including the unvaccinated), according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report in reference to an official announcement by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

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

Israel and the Philippines are working to fast-track the deployment of some 500 Filipino hotel workers as Israel reopens its tourism industry, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

The agency said Philippine Ambassador to Israel Macairog Alberto met the officials of the Israel Hotel Association (IHA) last March 14 in hopes to expedite the OFWs’ deployment by April 2022.

As Israel reopens its tourism industry, allows the entry of both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, and eases its travel and health restrictions, its hotel sector will require a full workforce to cater to the expected influx of tourists to the Holy Land,” the DFA said.

“The Philippines and Israel are thus working together to fast-track the arrival of the initial batch of 500 Filipino hotel workers in the first week of April, ahead of Passover and Holy Week, both peak holidays and tourist-draws for the country,” it added.

The project is under the 2018 Philippines-Israel labor agreement for a government-to-government arrangement for Filipino hotel workers in Israel.

During the March 14 meeting, IHA said its members may require up to 10,000 laborers and expressed readiness to hire 800 Filipino hotel workers, which will then be increased to 2,000 at the earliest opportunity.

IHA also praised the Filipino workers’ professionalism, English proficiency, and work.

Alberto, meanwhile, assured the association that the Embassy is working closely with the Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, as well as with Israeli labor and immigration authorities for the deployment.

It is indeed a blessing from the Lord that the essential ties and established agreements between Israel and the Philippines created many job opportunities for Filipino hotel workers as they are already needed to fill the labor needs of Israel’s tourism industry as lots of foreign travelers are already arriving there. Do not forget that here in the Philippines, a lot of Christians are eager to visit Israel to tour the Holy Land as pilgrims and already Behold Israel has scheduled Bible Experience Tours for June, September, November and December this year! Truly God is good, He is always watching us and we should be thankful to Him as both the Philippines and Israel are recovering from COVID-19 crisis.

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

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

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

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

I Love Israel: Philippines’ dairy sector to get boosted thanks to partnership with Israel

The generosity of Israel for the Philippines will soon be realized specifically in the dairy sector of the nation as a partnership between the two nations was formally signed, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. This is

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

In a signing ceremony on March 2, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss signed a joint declaration that would jumpstart technical and economic partnerships between Filipino stakeholders and Israeli agri-food industry players.

We aim to introduce smart and precision agriculture while using Israeli technology adjusted to local conditions to address the local challenges. Signing the joint declaration is a strong signal that MASHAV, Israel’s agency for development cooperation, will be happy to support the Philippines through technical assistance and capacity-building programs, especially in the dairy industry,” Fluss said.

In the proposed 2020-2025 Dairy Road Map, the government seeks to increase the country’s dairy input to provide milk for Filipino children and address malnutrition and poverty.

Israel is a model to us. The Philippine government is eager to learn from Israel’s best dairy practices, we want to know more about the technologies. We have also watched with great interest the progress of the joint-dairy projects between Israel and Vietnam, and we wish to learn as much in the Philippines,” Dar said.

“I trust the joint declaration is only the first step to continuing mutual relationship and assistance,” he added.

The signing was followed by a virtual event, which featured best practices from Israel’s dairy industry and leading technologies to increase farm productivity.

At the webinar, Dairy Fresh Asia’s chief dairy expert and co-founder Gonen Harel said his company plans to build a demo farm that can help change the dairy industry and its scale in the Philippines by training the local workforce and blending it with Israeli technologies that have proven its success in Vietnam.

Dr. William Medrano, DA Undersecretary for Livestock, for his part, acknowledged the need to attract more Israeli companies and utilize their technologies for the Philippine milk industry.

Ariane Blancia, commercial officer and sector lead for Agrotechnologies, said that about 1.5 billion liters of cow milk were produced in Israel last 2020 alone.

“There are many reasons why Israeli Holstein cow is a world leader in milk yields, but the real answer lies actually in the combination of the unique method of production and quotas, heat stress management, breeding among others that are used in Israel to manage and improve the dairy herd,” Blancia said.

The Philippines will soon have its dairy industry boosted thanks to this strategic and beneficial partnership with Israel. The State of Israel is very well known for its advancements in agriculture and dairy. Truly this latest development about the blossoming ties between Israel and the Philippines is something we all must be thankful to the Lord for.

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

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

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

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

I Love Israel: Foreigners – including the unvaccinated – can enter Israel starting March 1, 2022

Have you been clinging to hope to visit Israel? Here are the good news reported by CBN News – effective March 1, 2022, all foreigners are welcome to visit Israel and even the unvaccinated travelers will be welcomed. That being said, now is a good time to approach your local travel agent if you really want to visit Israel as soon as possible. Take note, however, that there are still certain requirements that need to be met before you even ride the plane to Israel.

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

Israel is opening its doors to all foreigners, including unvaccinated visitors, next month.

Beginning on March 1, tourists of all ages will be allowed to visit Israel, so long as they submit to a COVID test before they board their plane to Israel, and another as soon as they arrive at Ben Gurion airport.

Israeli citizens who return from travel abroad only have to take a PCR test upon arrivingUnvaccinated Israelis no longer have to undergo mandatory quarantine so long as they present a negative test upon landing in Israel.

“At the moment, the situation in Israel is good. This is the result of correct and dynamic management; therefore, we are now opening up,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement on Sunday. “At the same time, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and in the event of a new variant, we will again act quickly.”

The government also announced it is canceling mandatory weekly COVID tests at elementary and middle schools.

The new guidelines came after Israel’s Health Ministry recommended lifting more virus restrictions last week, citing the steep decline in Omicron cases. Initially, the ministry suggested requiring all tourists over 12-years-old to be vaccinated. However, Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov strongly opposed the idea.

Israel has also lifted its Green Pass restrictions, which required Israelis to present proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative COVID test before entering indoor venues like restaurants, gyms, and movie theatres.

For the past two years, the COVID-19 crisis really set the whole world back and in some places around the globe, government overreach happened which not only harmed people but also businesses which led to unemployment and loss of income. With regards to the State of Israel, things are indeed improving as the Omicron variant (highly infectious but often results mild symptoms) there has literally ran out of new people to infect.

The opening of borders to foreigners in Israel also means the new opportunities for faithful Christians to visit the Holy Land, the holy city of Jerusalem and places where Lord Jesus had been. Holy Land tours are a great reason to visit Israel and such tours have traditionally strengthened the local tourism industry and also helped strengthen the faith of Christians who arrived from other parts of the world. When it comes to security and safety, the State of Israel just pulled off a successful test of their latest defense system – a naval defense system based on their established Iron Dome defense system. Truly God is watching over Israel and continues to lift people up. The reopening of borders to foreign visitors is a big blessing from Him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Tourism exchanges’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

+++++

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