To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…
The United States Department of State has flagged “pervasive” corruption in the Philippines as among the major barriers to foreign investment in the country.
In its 2025 Investment Climate report, the US State Department said “corruption is a pervasive and long-standing problem in both the public and private sector” in the Philippines.
It also cited the country’s rank of 114th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index and “remaining around that level since 2019.”
The State Department added that the World Economic Forum also flagged corruption as among the top problematic factors for doing business in the Philippines.
“The Philippines’ complex, slow, redundant, and sometimes corrupt judicial system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial disputes,” it said.
“Foreign investors describe the inefficiency and uncertainty of the judicial system as a significant barrier to investment. Investors often decline to file cases in court because of slow and complex litigation processes and fears of corruption. Stakeholders report an inexperienced judiciary when confronted with cases involving complex issues such as technology or science,” it added.
The State Department also said its embassy in Manila has received multiple reports from US businesses of overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges, and solicitations of “facilitation fees” (such as bribes) from some customs officials.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the US State Department’s 2025 Investment Climate report about the Philippines is true and accurate? Are you concerned that the perceived corruption as well as the shocking revelations about the flood control projects scandals are already discouraging foreign investors from investing in the country? Do you think the Trump tariffs will eventually bring down Philippine exports to the United States in the next few months? What do you think the Philippine government should do to wipe out corruption and regain the trust of foreign investors?
The movement towards a safe, nuclear-powered Philippines moved forward again recently when Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., signed into law the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act which formally created the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM), according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed a law promoting the safe utilization of nuclear energy by creating the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM).
Marcos on Sept. 18 signed Republic Act (RA) 12305 or the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, providing for a comprehensive legal framework for the peaceful, safe, and secure use of nuclear energy in the Philippines.
Under RA 12305, the PhilATOM is established as an independent and quasi-judicial body with sole and exclusive jurisdiction to exercise regulatory control for the safe uses of nuclear energy radiation sources in the country.
“The regulatory functions of all other government agencies with jurisdiction, functions, and authorities with respect to nuclear energy and radiation sources shall be transferred to the PhilATOM,” the law read.
The PhilATOM will be headed by a Director General who will be appointed by the President. According to the new law, the Director General of PhilATOM will serve a five-year term with a Salary Grade of 31 and may be reappointed for successive terms of the same duration.
“The DG shall be responsible for the overall management of the PhilATOM and shall exercise supervision of its administrative, technical, and financial operations,” RA 12305 said.
The PhilATOM is mandated to issue and periodically update regulations, standards, and guides to specify the principles, requirements, and associated criteria for its regulatory judgments, decisions, and actions.
It is directed to establish processes for developing and amending regulations, standards, and guides that include consultation with the public and other interested parties.
RA 12305 prohibits the unauthorized siting, construction, operation, commissioning, and decommissioning of a nuclear or radiation facility; acquisition, production, manufacture, import, export, distribution, sale, transfer, use, storage, or disposal of nuclear or other radioactive materials; use of testing of radiation generators; and radioactive waste management activities.
The law allows the PhilATOM to establish an inspection program and enforcement policy to ensure compliance by authorized parties.
The PhilATOM is mandated to enforce the implementing rules and regulations of RA 12305; assist the national government in the development of national policies and strategies for safe nuclear energy use; and review and assess applications for authorizations for nuclear and radiation facilities and associated activities.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the details behind the law creating PhilATOM is legally strong and clear? Do you think enough safety measures have already been assured within the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act? Do you think the establishment of PhilATOM will convince nuclear energy companies in America and France to invest in the Philippines and be part of the establishment of new nuclear power industry?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1970s to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Intellivision print ad
Were you able to play a game on the Intellivision long ago?
In 1979, Mattel launched their Intellivision game console in America which instantly placed them in competition with Atari’s 2600 console. In a bid to convince gain market share, Mattel daringly came up with a competitive print ad like the one above showing two TV sets (with an Atari 2600 baseball game and a similar game on Intellivision), descriptive text that explained why the intellivision and its games are better, and even mentioned Atari by name several times. Obviously the tactic did not lead Mattel to ultimate market victory but the above print ad showed it was okay for a newcomer to mention their competitor and aggressively attack it to gain customers (both newcomers and active gamers).
2. Popeye Japanese arcade flyer
The front of the flyer.
The rear.
In 1982, Nintendo released the Popeye arcade game which was incidentally the result of the success of their original Donkey Kong arcade game. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with an arcade flyer that had a very lively front (note: the characters were instantly recognizable thanks to the great art used) and the rear having easy-to-read instructions on how to play the game, what levels to expect and what must be done when playing. Popeye was an arcade hit in Japan, but an even bigger hit in America. This old arcade flyer still looks nice.
3. Time Gal arcade flyer
On face value, this one looks more like an anime promo since gameplay elements were missing.
Released in Japanese arcades in 1985, Time Gal is one of those games that used the expensive LaserDisc technology to stream pre-recorded animation (made by Toei) and challenged gamers to react quickly (using the joystick and button for commands) in order to progress in real-time. The arcade flyer has a very lively visual design making it clear to players and arcade operators that a lot of anime awaits those who play Time Gal. Technically, players watch anime cutscenes happen and react using the controls. Time Gal was an arcade hit and it made its way outside of Japan by getting ported for the Sega CD.
4. 3DO print ad
If you bought a 3DO long ago, was it for gaming or for home entertainment purposes?
Remember the 3DO? Developed by the 3DO Company and launched in 1993, the 3DO was designed to not only play video games but also function with multimedia features. In fact, the 3DO was initially marketed as a machine that allows users to watch videos, play music, browse digital photographs, and even immerse themselves with software focused on different topics. This is exactly what the above 3DO print ad emphasized. In retrospect, it was so odd for me to see the print ad inside video gaming magazines I read.
5. Atari Jaguar print ad
The strong focus on gaming was clear with Atari for the Jaguar.
Over a month after the launch of the 3DO, Atari launched its Jaguar console with a strong focus on video gaming. As console sales slowly grew in 1994, Atari came up with the above print ad – showing lots of games for the Jaguar – to lure in customers aggressively. If you look closely at the descriptive text of the ad, it mentions the Atari Jaguar as 64-bit system emphasizing that it is more powerful than other video game machines of the time. The bit count controversy harmed Atari and eventually the Jaguar failed.
6. NBA Action ’94 print ad
Remember when Sega made NBA basketball video games that were exclusive to the Genesis console?
Remember when there were a lot of basketball video games licensed by the NBA in the 1990s? Through its own sports games brand – Sega Sports – Sega was dedicated to making exclusive sports video games for its customers and their NBA games were under the NBA Action brand. In 1994, they released NBA Action ’94 for the Genesis console and this two-page print ad they came up with had a catchy visual design (a supposed basketball player showing his palm and message to the camera on one side of the ad). Looking closely at the descriptive text, the ad mentions “most realistic 16-bit pro basketball”, “digitized players” and having all 27 NBA teams and star players. Sega Sports is no more but it’s legacy still lives on among Sega fans.
7. X-Men Sega Game Gear print ad
For X-Men fans!
Similar to its approach with the Sega Sports brand, Sega developed exclusive games for the Game Gear. The company secured from Marvel the license to make an original X-Men game and to promote it, this 2-page print ad showcased original art of the established X-Men characters of the time while using the remaining spaces for the screenshots and descriptive text. This old print ad still looks attractive and will easily resonate with X-Men fans as well as 1990s superhero comics enthusiasts.
8. Liberty or Death print ad
American history is the core concept of this strategy game by Koei.
If there is anything notable about the Japanese company Koei, it is the fact that it released strategy and simulation games that tackled varied topics while making each game distinct and playable regardless of platform. In my experience, I had a lot of fun playing their business simulation Aerobiz Supersonic on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). In 1993, Koei released their turn-based strategy game Liberty or Death which tackled American history for its setting (note: Koei already established itself with historical simulations). To sell the game, Koei came up with a print ad that had a very eye-catching historical art (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin among the figures), a few selected screenshots and descriptive text that emphasized the essence of the game. This print ad is a reminder that no video game company today would make a historical simulation due to geopolitics (note: there are a lot of woke activists among video game employees today) and for business reasons.
During a high-level press conference in the White House, United States President Donald Trump revealed an ambitious new plan to achieve peace not only in the Gaza Strip but also in the Middle East, and already Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to it.
To get straight into what happened, watch the official video of the press conference from the White House below. Pay close attention to the details.
It should be noted that during the conference, Trump made it clear that if the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas (which has always been supported by terrorist state Iran and Qatar) rejects the plan, America will support Israel to eliminate the terrorists. Be aware that Hamas never cared for their fellow Palestinians in Gaza as they used them as human shields, and Hamas fed their greed and selfishness using humanitarian aid they snatched for a long time. Hamas, not Israel, is guilty of committing genocide and other crimes against humanity. There clearly is no justification for the Palestinian terrorists to exist the way they are. Hamas has a chance to stop their terrorism and we will find out soon if they will give in or not.
WHAT DID TRUMP SAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE? – Trump said that the US would be involved in Israel’s security after the ceasefire agreement.
The president said that if his deal were accepted by Hamas, all of the hostages, living and dead, would be released almost immediately.
Trump intends to end the war itself, and said that he was “hearing that Hamas wants to get this done.”
He also stated that during his meeting with Netanyahu, the Israeli PM clearly stated his opposition to a Palestinian state.
Trump slammed other countries that had “foolishly” recognized a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly last week.
He noted that if Hamas rejects the deal that Israel has agreed to, he would give Israel the backing to destroy Hamas.
“And if Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible, they’re the only one left. Everyone else has accepted it, but I have a feeling that we’re going to have a positive answer,” he said. “But if not, as you know, Bibi, you have our full backing to do what you would.“
In addition, he said Israel and others were “beyond very close” to reaching an agreement on ending the Israel-Hamas War in the Gaza Strip.
Trump, standing alongside Netanyahu, said the agreement would involve Arab countries and should help to achieve a broader peace in the Middle East.
“At least we’re at a minimum, very, very close. And I think we’re beyond very close,” Trump told reporters. “And I want to thank Bibi for really getting in there and doing a job.”
Trump affirmed that Israelis want a return to peace and want the hostages home. He also added that there were “many Palestinians who wish to live in peace,” adding that they had a “rough life under Hamas.
Trump stated that he believes Iran will one day become a member of the Abraham Accords.
He concluded his statement by again calling on Hamas to accept his plan, calling it an “extremely fair proposal.”
WHAT DID NETANYAHU SAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE? – Netanyahu stated that Trump was Israel’s greatest friend in Washington.
“You are the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” the prime minister said, adding that “it’s not even close.”
He also said that Trump’s plan achieves all of Israel’s war aims. Netanyahu outlined his cabinet’s “day after” plan for Gaza and the end of the war.
The objectives included: the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, the return of the hostages, Israel maintaining security parameters within the enclave, and the establishment of a peaceful civilian administration in the Gaza Strip.
The prime minister also said that there would be no role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza until it underwent major transformations.
Netanyahu said that Trump’s plan provides a “realistic path for Gaza.”
WHAT IS TRUMP’S PLAN? – Trump released his plan to end the Israel-Hamas War.
Notably, the statement said that within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
The released statement states that Gaza will be “a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors,” and that the enclave will be redeveloped for the citizens of Gaza, “who have suffered more than enough.”
If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
For additional insight about the press conference, watch the videos below.
Thank the Lord for this significant development on the part of Israel. President Trump and his team truly have a grand strategy to achieve peace in the Middle East and it involves Gaza (note: Trump previously revealed a Gaza plan) which has long been a hot bed of Islamic terrorists and literally the launch pad of terrorist attacks against Israel. Trump has been able to make peace agreements happen since he returned to the White House and in this year alone, many breakthroughs happened diplomatically, socially and economically.
That being said, it is a must for people to focus on what would happen next after the announcement of Trump’s bold peace plan for the Middle East. You can simply ignore the foolish acts of the corrupted United Nations (UN) and its many member nations who joined the wrong side of history by deciding to recognize a Palestinian state, getting close with terrorist state Iran and walking out of Netanyahu’s UN address. The Gaza and Middle East peace plan revealed by Trump and agreed to by Netanyahu is the one people of faith should focus on and pray to the Lord to make it happen.
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Thank the Lord for United States President Donald Trump as the State Department officially announced it will put an end to the anti-Christian practices that went into effect by the previous administration, according to a Newsmax report.
For the newcomers reading this, when Joe Biden took office in January 2021, the State Department became hostile towards Christians in various ways while favoring Satanic Leftist ideology and causes (example: LGBT). In other words, the State Department under Biden and the Democrats became discriminating towards Christians. Let us not forget the Democrats’ love for unholy causes like abortion, same-sex marriage, critical race theory (CRT), and more.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface.
The State Department said Friday that it will “eradicate” anti-Christian practices that were in place under the Biden administration, as directed by the Trump administration.
“Our nation was founded on the recognition that moral virtue and a steadfast faith in God are necessary preconditions of freedom,” the department said on its official X account. “Yet under the Biden Administration, U.S. foreign policy belittled Christianity and weaponized government against faith.
“That era has ended,” the post continued. “Under @POTUS’s leadership, the State Department will eradicate practices that devalue and demean the Christian faith.”
In its initial assessment, the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias found that under the Biden administration, the State Department “stigmatized employees for religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate” and cast “blame for disease on the unvaccinated.”
“The Department of State empowered employees to publicly shame and demean their colleagues with religious objections, even calling them ‘plague rats’ and ‘murderers,‘” the report said. “In one instance, an ambassador directly accused an unvaccinated subordinate of ‘wanting to kill’ the ambassador’s mother. The process used for determining religious exemptions involved an invasive questionnaire demanding highly personal information, reportedly far exceeding the legal requirements.
“Those who received religious accommodations were further shamed and humiliated as they were required to test for COVID weekly in view of others; disclose their accommodations to colleagues; and wear masks essentially marking them with a scarlet letter,” the document said.
In the State Department under Biden, Christian homeschool parents who were federal employees were harassed because of their religious beliefs, and their “commonsense parental choice” was likened to “child abuse.”
These parents were targeted with “Inspector General investigations, IRS referrals, and threats of criminal charges and disciplinary action,” according to the report.
The State Department’s foreign policy “disfavored Christians” and imposed “ideologically driven LGBT policies and programming on foreign governments” while offering “only muted responses to brutal attacks on, and the repression of, Christians overseas.”
The department also limited “humanitarian relief to Christians.”
According to the report, overseas leave policies under Biden “discriminatorily disfavored Christian State Department employees, instilling a culture of bias in which Catholics and other Christians reported being mocked for their religious beliefs by their colleagues.”
“In some cases, State Department employees were given leave for Muslim holidays, even as operations continued on Passover, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday and Monday,” the document stated.
Now, I want to share with you the following verses from the Holy Bible.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.
Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 24:9-13 (NKJV)
For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5 (AMPC)
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like the major changes being done in government under President Trump’s leadership? Were you a victim of discrimination by the Biden administration?
United States President Donald Trump really means business when it comes to protecting his nation and citizens as America eliminated a vessel from Venezuela operated by the Tren de Aragua gang carrying illegal drugs, according to a Newsmax news report. Already the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago praised the strike.
For the newcomers reading this, Tren de Aragua is a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela and its members has spread throughout Latin America and even in the United States. Tren de Aragua is officially a terrorist organization.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang.
The president said 11 were killed in the operation.
“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said in a social media posting. “No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier on X that the vessel was being operated by a “designated narco-terrorist organization.” He described the operation as a lethal strike.
Rubio addressed the strike on Tuesday shortly before he was scheduled to depart for Mexico and Ecuador for talks on drug cartels, security, tariffs and more.
The U.S. recently announced plans to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.
The U.S. has not signaled any planned land incursion by the thousands of personnel being deployed. Still, President Nicolás Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela’s coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia.
For clarity, posted below is the entire social media post by President Trump regarding the strike. Pay close attention to the details:
Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere. The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like what the Trump administration is doing with regards to combatting terrorists and the wave of illegal drugs coming from Latin America? What will it take to apprehend all the remaining Tren de Aragua members in the United States? Do you think bringing down the Maduro regime in Venezuela can be achieved during Trump’s 2nd term?
There is no doubt that United States President Donald Trump and his administration have successfully secured their borders as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed during a recent cabinet meeting that absolutely zero illegals entered their country over the past three months, according to a Newsmax news report.
Trump’s America not only succeeded in securing the borders, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants with criminal records, other illegal immigrants volunteered to be deported back to where they came from, the safety of the citizens has improved and more citizens have gotten employed this year. Homeland security is working in tandem with the other departments of the government such as Defense, Justice and Immigration. These developments are indeed change that Americans and Trump supports can believe in.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface.
The U.S. has gone three straight months without an illegal immigrant entering the country and 1.6 million inside the country have self-deported, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday.
Noem, speaking during a Cabinet meeting that aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform, thanked President Donald Trump for his support and said that her department is following through on his campaign promise to make America safe again.
“Today, the average family and individual that lives in this country is safer than they’ve been in years because of what you’ve done,” Noem said. “We’ve gone three months in a row now with zero illegal aliens coming into this country.“
Noem also thanked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for helping her agency with border enforcement.
“They’re down at the border with us, still helping us keep that border secure and make sure we know who’s coming into this country,” she said. “You’ve arrested and brought to justice hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, criminals that have perpetuated violence against American people. Sir, you’ve had 1.6 million people voluntarily go home to their home countries that were here in this country illegally. Because of your strong message and you enforcing the law, they decided to go home on their own so that they could come back the right way someday and be American citizens.
“But what I think is one of the most remarkable statistics is that under Joe Biden’s administration, 88% of new jobs went to foreign born individuals. Under your administration, 2.5 [million] Americans have jobs today that they didn’t under the previous administration. And they have those jobs because you created opportunities.
“You made this country safe. You opened up the economy. You enforced the law. Now people can get up and provide for their families and go to work every day and be confident in that.“
Noem also talked about the savings made on the president’s immigration crackdown, noting it cost American taxpayers between $8,000 and $9,000 to support each illegal immigrant “in what they were taking out of our social programs, out of Social Security.”
“You saved this country billions of dollars, about $15 billion just in what those illegal aliens were costing us in social programs,” Noem said. “I’ve cut over 450 different contracts at the Department of Homeland Security. We’re getting rid of corrupt ones, ones that were not efficient for taxpayers, weren’t focused on our mission of keeping us safe. And we’ve also renegotiated and brought in our biggest vendors and said, you have to do better.
“And we’ve saved the taxpayers over $13 billion doing that, as well. So, we’re continuing to be accountable with taxpayer dollars [and] focused on doing the mission of what you’ve committed, and that’s to keep us safe and to make sure we put Americans first.”
Trump appeared pleased to hear Noem’s report, thanking Noem, Hegseth and Tom Homan, his point man for mass deportations and border security.
Wow! What was revealed during the cabinet meeting was indeed a bunch of breakthroughs. The Trump administration is truly progressing with its immigration policies, economic efforts and putting Americans first. 2025 still has a few months left and already the United States is blossoming and has established itself as the shining example of solving the illegal immigration crisis and preventing foreigners from trespassing into the country.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like what the Trump administration is doing with regards to border security, illegal immigration, job creation and the wellbeing of American citizens? Are you still surrounded by people who love illegal immigrants while they keep on attacking the Trump administration for serving the American people? How many people in your local community still follow the Democrats and the Islamo-Leftists?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the 1996 movie 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 science fiction enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1996 to take a close look at one of the licensed comic books Marvel Comics published which was part of the release of the movie Independence Day (also referred to as ID4).
Back in 1996, there was a considerable amount of hype and anticipation for Independence Day’s release in cinemas not just in America but also in other parts of the world. Following the success they achieved together in Stargate (1994), producer Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich teamed up again to make Independence Day which was back then the most modern cinematic portrayal of aliens invading Earth causing the people to fight back. The film creatively was also a disaster movie of its own backed with science fiction concepts and the latest special effects of the era. Independence Day went on to gross almost $820 million worldwide and I myself saw it in a fully packed cinema here in the Philippines.
As I saw the movie, I noticed details about events that took place sometime in the past and they were presented not as flashbacks but only as spoken words. There is that verbal reference about Jeff Goldblum’s character punching Bill Pullman’s character some time before the latter became US President. There are also spoken words about Randy Quaid’s character being previously abducted by aliens. As part of the marketing and publicity of the movie, Marvel Comics was licensed to publish not only a 2-part comic book adaptation but also a prequel comic book.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Independence Day #0, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Phil Crain (based on ideas by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerih) and drawn by Terry Pallot, Steve Erwin, Rod Whigham and Gabriel Gecko.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins on July 4, 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico. A thunderstorm took place in the evening compelling residents to stay inside their respective homes. As the storm went on, an unidentified flying object (UFO) of alien origin got struck by thunder causing it to crash on the field of someone’s property with a huge impact that disturbed local residents. The alien ship opens and one of its passengers (alien) ventures out into the stormy night. Injured and still in shock, the passenger slowly moves away from the ship.
The next evening, the property owner arrives and finds several pieces of debris of the crashed ship scattered on the field. He notices the metal are lighter than anything he touched, and he could see the writings were not man-made. The property owner informed the local sheriff of what he found which led to the American army sending troops to the field. The American military plane flies over them and finds the crashed alien ship.
Quality
When Whitmore was still a US Senator and candidate for US President, he got punched by David Levinson who thought that he was having an affair with his wife Constance “Connie” Spano. This later led to the “You punched the President,” line in the movie.
As described above, this prequel comic book visually dramatizes the past events that were only mentioned in the movie particularly with regards to the Roswell UFO incident as well as Area 51 and how the government handled findings about aliens from outer space. In fact, the story here was scripted to move from one significant event to the next through the decades, and the good news here is that the exposition is not too heavy (when compared to Jurassic Park comic books of 1993) and the pacing moved at a medium pace. The result is a reading experience that is intriguing and entertaining.
The creators really went all in with their fictional portrayal of the movie’s aliens being involved in Roswell and Area 51, and the notable thing is that they really took the presentation seriously. It’s as if they were trying to tell a factual story which smoothly connects with the movie.
When it comes to the characters from the movie, you will find them in this comic book depending on the stage of the narrative and the time setting. While the characters of Pullman, Goldblum, Robert Loggia, Will Smith, Brent Spiner, James Rebhorn, Viveca A. Fox and Margaret Colin are dramatized in the 1990s scenes, you will see the younger versions of a few of them set in the 1960s scenes. The abduction scene of Randy Quaid’s character is set in the 1980s.
The Area 51 scene set in the 1960s.
As for the script written by Phil Crain, the narrative of this comic book surprisingly has a more serious and dramatic tone when compared to what was expressed in the movie. There were even a few horror elements and no comedic stuff at all. Again, this should not be surprising because this comic book was meant to dramatize past events to not only connect with the movie’s core concept but also show why certain characters acted the way they did in the film.
As this comic book involved multiple artists, it should not be a surprise that the result is of varying quality from one scene to another. In fairness, the illustrator (or illustrators) who drew the Area 51 scenes and the crashed alien ship did a good job with the details. As for the characters, pilot Steven Hiller resembled Will Smith enough, and the same can be said about Thomas Whitmore somewhat looking like Bill Pullman, David Levinson looking somewhat like Jeff Goldblum, and General Grey slightly looking like Robert Loggia. Meanwhile, Constance Pano resembled Margaret Colin more while the 1990s Dr. Okun resembled Brent Spiner in a few shots.
Conclusion
The creators went all-in to make the 1947 Roswell UFO incident a history of Independence Day.
To get straight to the point, Independence Day #0 (1996) succeeded with its main objective of establishing visually the past and emphasizing developments connecting with the blockbuster movie of 1996. It was made with a strong appeal to fans of Independence Day as well as people who simply are fond of UFOs and conspiracy theories regarding Roswell and Area 51. People who are not too interested in the movie and UFOs might not be impressed with this comic book. In my view, this prequel comic book has good enough qualities that make it worth reading and its serious narrative is both surprising and enjoyable. Ultimately, it is a worthy companion piece to the movie.
Overall, Independence Day #0 (1996)is recommended.
Nepal, a nation of more than 30 million people and with a Hindu majority, has a certain group of minority people whose reliance on the scandalous U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) ended months ago and they event went on to celebrate pride recently, according to a news report by the Leftist Associated Press (AP) magnified by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from AP story published through the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface.
Members of the Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community and supporters rallied in the capital Sunday in the annual pride rally, which was the first since a major cut in funding after the U.S. government ceased financial aid.
Hundreds of people took part in the rally through the heart of Kathmandu, playing music and dancing in the Gai Jatra festival, which is celebrated to remember family members who have passed away during the year. But it has long drawn colorful parades by bringing in sexual minorities to join in on the festivities.
Nepal’s LGBTQ+ campaign has been hit after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration began dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, which was responsible for humanitarian aid.
Most of the support centers for Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community have been closed because of a lack of funds.
In the past few years, Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community made rapid advancements in securing their rights. The nation became one of the first in Asia to allow same sex-sex marriage. The constitution adopted in 2015 explicitly stated there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The U.S. was among the biggest donors for the LGBTQ+ rights campaign.
Over the years, USAID and others stepped in and partnered with help centers to support initiatives like HIV prevention and care, and safe-sex counselling. The U.S. funds were vital for running the centers and clinics that helped with distributing free condoms, screenings and follow-up treatment for people with HIV. Now the USAID office in Nepal is closed.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you glad that the Trump administration ended USAID? Are you still upset over the fact that American taxpayers’ money funding LGBTQ projects, contraceptives, DEI (diversity-equity-inclusion) causes, and sex change procedures around the world through USAID? What do you wish to say to LGBTQ groups overseas who benefited from USAID support? Do you think that the LGBTQ projects funded by USAID might have involved bribery? Do you think US Congress should pass a proposal to prevent USAID from ever being revived?
As the Department of Tourism (DOT) gave the press updates about the state and direction of tourism, it was revealed that the international visitors who arrived in the Philippines this year reached less than 3.5 million as of July 30, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
By attracting 3.47 million international visitors as of July 30, 2025, it looks like the Philippines will barely reach the 6 million mark by the end of the year, and there is no denying the fact that not enough foreign tourists are visiting the country. Keep in mind that in the Philippine perspective, international visitors include both foreign tourists and overseas Filipinos.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine tourism sector has so far generated USD4.2 billion (PHP242 billion) in visitor receipts from Jan. 1 to June 18, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the figure is up 0.48 percent, year on year.
As of July 30, the agency recorded 3,473,726 international visitors – 3.15 million foreigners and 317,536 overseas Filipinos.
In a media briefing in Makati City, Frasco said the DOT is planning to recalibrate its targets for 2025 to take into consideration the challenges the sector is currently facing.
Despite this, aggressive promotions will continue in the Philippines’ top markets, including South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The DOT, Frasco said, would also increase Philippine exposure in Canada to capture more Canadian visitors with the recent launch of direct flights from Air Canada.
With recalibration underway, Manila is likewise looking at emerging markets to boost arrivals, among them Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and India, Frasco said.
“We’re taking a very close look at these exciting markets, especially India, which now has visa-free access and forthcoming direct flights to Manila,” she said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT right now cannot come up with effective solutions to make the Philippines a more attractive tourist destination? Do you think Congress should increase the annual budget of the DOT so that it can execute its tourism plans? Does the DOT need a new leader right now?
Author Carlo Carrasco 