Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers arrested a 21-year-old over the possession of marijuana kush, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. The estimated value of the seized marijuana is P280,000.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Police arrested a 21-year-old man for possession of 199 grams of marijuana kush during a buy-bust operation launched by the Parañaque City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit on Feb. 4.
The suspect, identified as Paolo, a resident of Pasay City, was apprehended around 8:55 a.m. at Queensway, Pascor Drive, Barangay Sto. Nino, Parañaque City.
The Southern Police District (SPD) said the suspect was held after selling one sachet of marijuana kush worth P1,400 to an undercover police operative.
Confiscated from the suspect were 199 grams of marijuana kush worth P280,000, one black belt bag, one black cellular phone, and the buy-bust money.
Paolo was detained at the Parañaque City Police custodial facility and charged with violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) under Article II of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more people possessing and transporting marijuana around?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
If you are very fond of the iconic Jackie Chan and if you enjoy adventures and 1980s entertainment, then you should watch out for the 4K Blu-ray of the 1986 film Armour of God which will be released later this year. A firm release date for June 2026 has yet to be announced and there is no listing of it on Amazon as of this writing.
One of the many movie posters of Armour of God. (source – IMDB.com)
The Armour of God 4K Blu-ray will be handled by 88 Films, the same company behind the 4K Blu-ray of Police Story 3: Supercop. To see what Armour of God has to offer, watch the YouTube clip below.
Posted below are the technical details of Armour of God 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio – TBA
Subtitles – English, English SDH
Discs– 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
Packaging – Slipbox, Reversible cover, Booklet, Figure/replica/props/memorabilia included
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region B
The first time I saw Armour of God was on home video sometime in 1987. Having seen some Jackie Chan films already at the time, I noticed that Armour of God was distinct as it has much stronger adventure elements clearly inspired by the Indiana Jones movies. The movie was also memorable for having extensive on-location shooting in different parts of Europe. As seen in the above YouTube video, dangerous stunts and action sequences were also filmed on-location with the involvement of many extras. That said, it was a notable change from seeing Jackie Chan in a movie with an urban setting or in an ancient Asian setting.
As it is filled with a lot of action, thrilling chases and dangerous stunts, Armour of God is widely remembered for the painful accident in which Jackie Chan fell down several meters from a tree (after grabbing a branch that broke) resulting in a cracked skull for the actor. This accident happened during the 2nd attempt of a risky stunt. The footage of the accident was actually shown during the end credits of the movie.
This is one of the many dangerous stunts of the movie.
Ultimately, I had a lot of fun watching Armour of God and even replayed the movie many years later on cable TV by chance. Believe it or not, Jackie Chan and Eric Tsang were the directors of the film and clearly their crew worked hard to deliver the thrills. This is the kind of movie that nobody in Hollywood can make!
If the 4K Blu-ray of Armour of God turns out with high quality, I just might consider it for a potential purchase. Here is hoping 88 Films will make a high-quality 4K Blu-ray of the movie.
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts from around the world and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers armed with a warrant of arrest apprehended a 20-year-old man who has been wanted for the charge of rape, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. The arrest happened within the premises of a shopping mall.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Police arrested a 20-year-old man ranked as the No. 2 most wanted person (station level) in Parañaque City on Jan. 28.
The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspect as Ckant, who was classified as a high-value fugitive. He was arrested at around 5:18 p.m. within the premises of SM City Sucat in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City.
The SPD said the arrest was carried out by members of the Parañaque City Police Warrant and Subpoena Section through the service of a warrant of arrest.
The warrant was issued on Jan. 22 by Judge Moises Domingo De Castro, presiding judge of the Parañaque Family Court Branch 10, with no bail recommended.
SPD Director Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo said the arrest of the suspect, who ranked second on the police priority list for February, demonstrates the district’s unwavering resolve to pursue those who commit crimes against the public.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more wanted criminal suspects within your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
This year will mark the 28th anniversary of Parañaque’s status as a city and recently a Malacañang declared February 13, 2026 a special non-working day in connection with it. Check out the copy of the official document below sourced from the Facebook page of Congressman Brian Yamsuan.
Proclamation Number 1158 declared February 13, 2026 a special non-working day in Parañaque City.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you believe the city is truly progressive or is still in need of vast improvements in terms of infrastructure, public services and flood control? Do you often attend the so-called special events held during the week of the cityhood in Parañaque? Do you consider Parañaque a hot spot of criminal activities involving Chinese nationals?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
In its latest economic analysis, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says that the economy of the Philippines could grow by about 6% in 2027 provided that investments – both public and private – would regain strength, according to a BusinessWorld news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY could return to around 6% growth by 2027 if public and private investments rebound, according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries.
“I think (the drivers are a) kind of a little of everything, but return to high investment, public and private, I think would be, to me, the key driver,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Jan. 23.
Last December, the ADB slashed its Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 5% for 2025, from 5.6% previously. For 2026, the ADB trimmed its GDP projection to 5.3% from 5.7% previously.
This comes after a corruption scandal dampened government spending, household consumption, investor confidence and economic activity last year.
The ADB will release its updated economic outlook in April, which will include a 2027 growth forecast.
Mr. Jeffries warned that the cut in Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) budget this year, could trigger a “big slowdown” in locally funded projects.
“I guess the main variable for 2026 was how fast does the public investment recover? We were thinking maybe two quarters, so it’ll start reviving,” he said.
In a meeting with Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” B. Dizon in December, Mr. Jeffries said they raised concerns about “paralysis,” where key projects risked getting stuck.
“What we’ve heard is they’re trying to make sure the priority projects are not stuck and keep moving forward quickly. I think it’s a twofold exercise,” he said. “It’s cleaning up the problem while full steam ahead on some of the other projects that weren’t a problem.”
Mr. Dizon earlier said the DPWH aims to boost spending while ensuring funds are used wisely and focus on prioritizing the “basics” such as road and bridge maintenance and unfinished projects. The agency’s target spend is set between P200 billion and P250 billion for the first quarter, he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jeffries said the Philippines must raise the share of exports in the economy to support long-term growth, as well as diversify its base, and boost resilience.
“It’s not something that happens overnight. It’ll be a combination of policies and attracting investment and improving the business environment and all of those things combined,” Mr. Jeffries said. “But neighbors have done it and the Philippines can do that.”
He noted the Philippines was shielded from external shocks, largely because exports remain a relatively small part of the economy.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the ADB’s analysis for the Philippines is correct? Do you think the economy of the Philippines has enough strength to grow by at least 6% in 2027?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the Ultraverse through the Elven mini-series.
When I grabbed a copy of Elven #1, I did not expect much entertainment and surprise. But as I started reading it and witnessed Elven’s interactions with Prime, the narrative became even more engaging to read. In addition, Len Strazewski’s writing clearly defined the personality of fantasy fanatic and confused girl Elvia Swanson and established Elven as a twisted female parallel to Prime. Along the way, Aaron Lopresti’s art showed a lot of details, emotions and dynamism (on the action).
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Elven #2, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Len Strazewski and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti (Sludge).
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside the office of a psychiatrist where Elven encounters a demon which just came out of the teenage boy Bruno. As the two fight each other violently, the psychiatrist watches them obsessively and writes down the notable details for a potential advancement in his career. Bruno, who carried the demon in him some time prior, watches the fight from a distance marveling at Elven while also observing how chaotic the demon is.
Elven fights the demon hard while maintaining a mindset of pride and even being superior. The demon reveals his link with Boneyard (for reference, click here) confirming he came from a distant world.
After getting hit by Elven’s elf-fire, the demon begins to laugh at her. Elven gets triggered and starts hitting the demon more…
Quality
By giving in to her impulses, Elven commits a very violent move on a man. This also shows her inability to restrain herself.
While issue #1 established Elvia Swenson personality and her super-powered, fantasy inspired Elven identity who has a genetic connection with Prime, this comic book emphasizes the deeper fantasy aspects of the Ultraverse while expanding the lore within Elven’s part of the shared comic book universe.
Similar to Prime (Kevin Green in disguise), Elven gets triggered emotionally which is the result of the youth and obvious lack of maturity of Elvia. That being said, the moments of Elven getting more violent and shedding a few tears after getting laughed at by the demon deserve any reader’s attention.
Len Strazewski’s writing is pretty rich here and he pulled of some clever moves with the narrative. As the battle between Elven and the demon intensified, there were signs that the conflict would turn into an even bigger and more destructive battle. Instead, there were these deep revelations that happened (note: for relevance, you will have to read Prime #5 which I reviewed some time ago) and even the arrogant boy Bruno has his own share of what has been going on. Even the psychiatrist turned out to be a pretty significant bystander during the battle which suggests a build-up for a sub-plot.
As such, Strazewski wrote the story to be very intriguing and the plot threads are not limited to Elven and the demon. The way I see it, something is being built up and to grasp the relevance, you will have to read some issues of the Prime and Mantra comic book series.
If there is any weakness in the storytelling, it is the fact that the psychiatrist and his office assistant very easily forgot the moments of Bruno turning evil during the late part of issue #1. The way they reacted in this comic book after the end of the battle between Elven and the demon, they did not make any moves to hold Bruno accountable nor did they question Elven’s way of handling matters (which includes the eventual ruining of the office).
Conclusion
After getting triggered (being laughed at by the demon), Elven acted move violently and impulsively.
While there were a few weak spots in certain parts of the story, Elven #2 (1995) is another solid read from the Strazewski-Lopresti duo. Elven got developed even more through conflict with the demon, and her own search for the truth about her origin. Aside from that, the fantasy elements implemented in the story expanded the lore of the Ultraverse in a very unique way. Ultimately, I am looking forward to reading the next chapter of this mini-series.
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers armed with a warrant of arrest arrested an electric bike (e-bike) driver who turned out to be wanted for robbery with homicide, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Police arrested an e-bike driver listed as the Top 3 Most Wanted Person in Parañaque City on Jan. 27.
Operatives from the Parañaque City Police Warrant and Subpoena Section, in coordination with Baclaran Police Substation 1, apprehended the suspect, identified as Abubakar, 39, at his residence in Barangay Baclaran.
The suspect was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest for robbery with homicide issued on January 14 by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 110, with no bail recommended.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more e-bike drivers who may have been involved in criminal activities like robbery and smuggling?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Discover Shiriyaki Onsen In Japan’s Kanto Region – Japan has a lot of wonderful sites and special places of nature that are worth visiting. Within the Kanto region (which contains Tokyo) is the wonderful place called Shiriyaki Onsen which stands out nicely among the hot springs there. Nippon TV recently produced a feature of the place and you can find out more by watching the video below.
#2 Disasters That Hit Cruise Ships And Troubled The Passengers –Spending days at sea on a cruise ship can be a nice way of having a vacation with momentum. However, bad weather conditions can ruin such vacations. Worse, the cruise could turn into bouts of danger and already there have been cruise ships that got hit hard with bad weather at sea which in turn placed the passengers in deep danger. Even as they are inside the cruise ship during powerful storms and big waves at sea, passengers and the crew have to deal with interior damage, falling debris and furniture that moved a lot. You can learn about what happened to the unfortunate ones at sea by watching the video below.
#3 You, Me and the Movies React To Orca: The Killer Whale – When Steven Spielberg and Universal Pictures struck box office gold with Jaws in 1975, it was not surprising that many filmmakers and producers scrambled to cash in on the “creature feature” trend of movies at that time. Indeed, there were imitations or “monster movies” that were inspired by Jaws released during the late 1970s. One of those films was Orca: The Killer Whale (AKA Orca) which had a lot of similarities with Spielberg’s massive blockbuster due to it featuring an aquatic monster and having the sea as the main environment. Still, Orca has certain creative elements that made it stand out in a very disturbing way and its cast has Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling and Bo Derek. To find out about Orca, watch the movie reaction video below.
#4 The Monster Squad Revisited – What can be said about The Monster Squad? The 1987 movie directed by Fred Dekker was a failure in the American box office and yet it still has a dedicated fan base. A lot of people who support the movie point to its monster lineup composed of horror movie icons like Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the mummy, the wolfman and the creature from the black lagoon. As such, it is not surprising to see YouTubers make retrospective features and reaction/review videos about The Monster Squad which have been posted below for your viewing.
#5 The Many Ports Of Final Fantasy IV – Since it was first released in Japan on the Super Famicom, Final Fantasy IV became a critical and commercial success. It was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America titled as “Final Fantasy II” which further expanded the game’s reach with many gamers who don’t understand Japanese. Furthermore, the classic Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) was ported to multiple systems through the decades and it even had a 3D polygonal remake on the Nintendo DS. To find out the many ports of Final Fantasy IV and which ones stood out technically and visually, watch and learn from the video below.
#6 Ranting For Vengeance Hits Woke Hijackers On Resident Evil – Let us be very clear here. The woke/socialist/LGBTQ/commie/SJW mob cannot help but be very loud with their twisted ideology and they simply cannot stop themselves from literally hijacking pop culture as we know it. In this case, the Leftists are trying to claim the Resident Evil games franchise for themselves and they are only getting worse as the release of Resident Evil Requiem moves closer. In response to this, Ranting For Vengeance posted three RE-related videos, slammed the woke mob and exposed who the fake fans are. You can find out more by watching his videos below.
This early, Malaysia is aiming at the top of the 34th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) which it will host in 2027, according to news report by VnExpress. Malaysia finished 4th place in the 2025 SEA Games held in Thailand with fifty-seven gold medals won.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has set the goal of the country being overall champions at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027, which will be hosted by Malaysia.
Newly appointed Youth and Sports Minister Mohd Taufiq Johari said after taking office on Jan. 16 that the ministry, together with the National Sports Council (NSC), will strengthen cooperation with national sports associations and others to work towards that goal.
He expressed confidence that Malaysia could emerge as the strongest team at the SEA Games 2027, and voiced optimism about repeating the overall championship the country secured when it last hosted the event in 2017.
Taufiq praised the dedication and fighting spirit displayed by Malaysian athletes at the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand, saying he hoped they will maintain the same qualities when Malaysia hosts the Games in 2027.
He added that the KBS, together with the NSC and relevant agencies, have already drawn up detailed plans and a clear timeline, including the organization of workshops, to ensure medal targets can be achieved.
Apart from being a highly competitive nation in the SEA Games, Malaysia itself is the 2nd most visited nation of Southeast Asia in 2025. Hosting the SEA Games in 2027 could help it attract more foreign tourists in the short term.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the preparations initiated by Malaysia will pay off nicely during the 2027 SEA Games? Being the host nation, what sports do you think Malaysia could add to or subtract from the 2027 SEA Games? Do you feel excited about the next Southeast Asian Games?
While the Philippines continues to endure difficulties on attracting foreign tourists (click here and here), statistics of the global travel platform Agoda revealed that a lot more Filipinos searched online for accommodations in Vietnam, according to a travel article by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the travel article of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Travelers from the Philippines showed the strongest interest in visiting Vietnam in 2025, with accommodation searches rising 86% year-on-year, according to travel platform Agoda.
The trend was consistent with official tourism data. The number of Filipino visitors to Vietnam reached 482,173 in 2025, up 81.3% from 2024, according to the General Statistics Office.
Air connectivity between the two countries has also improved, with several carriers launching new direct routes.
In July last year, Philippine Airlines began operating a Manila-Da Nang service with three flights a week. A month later, Vietjet opened the Ho Chi Minh City-Manila route, offering five round-trip flights per week.
“Growing international interest suggests Vietnam is consolidating its position as a leading regional destination, benefiting from improved connectivity, visa policies and diversified travel experiences,” said Vu Ngoc Lam, country director at Agoda Vietnam.
Vietnam welcomed a record 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest total on record.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think a lot more Filipinos will visit Vietnam this year as the direct flights continue? What is it about Vietnam that captures the interests of foreign travelers? If you have been to Vietnam as a tourist, how much did you spend per day there?
Author Carlo Carrasco 