Recently in the city of Parañaque, P1 million worth of the illegal substance shabu was recovered by local police officers as they arrested two suspects, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Members of the Parañaque City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) recovered P1 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation on Sunday, August 11.
The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspects as “Marvin,” 28, and tagged by the police as a high value individual (HVI), and “Eduard,” 20. The two were arrested at around 11:40 a.m. in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City.
The duo yielded 150 grams of shabu worth P1,020,000, P500 used as buy-bust money, black sling bag, and a green coin purse.
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 thankful to the local police for conducting the successful buy-bust operation which resulted in the arrests of the suspects and the seizure of the shabu?
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
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 enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1980 to examine an alternate story of the Marvel Comics shared universe chronicled through the What If monthly series.
Spider-Man is clearly Marvel Comics’ greatest icon. He is the one Marvel superhero who is easily recognized around the world through the many comic books published, the animated TV shows and the big-budget Hollywood movies released. Given Spider-Man’s real-life fame as a pop culture and American icon, one has to wonder what would it be like had the webslinger decided to have a career in showbiz instead of fighting bad guys. How can Spidey realize that with great power comes great responsibility if he is so focused on being an entertainer?
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #19, published in 1980 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter Gillis and drawn by Pat Broderick.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins far into Spider-Man’s past when he started as an entertainer. Spider-Man sees a police man chasing a thief down the hallway (note: this was a key moment in the life of Peter Parker who went to become a crime fighter as Spider-Man). Instead of letting the thief get away, Spidey uses his web to stop him which enabled the police officer to apprehend him.
The next day, the Daily Globe published a front page story showing Spider-Man (described as a TV star) stopped the crook which established him as a heroic entertainer. The story bothered J. Jonah Jameson (The Daily Bugle) so much not only because the rival newspaper reported it but also because he perceived it as a glorification of so-called superheroes.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man and a famous film producer talk about making a movie about him that can really entertain a lot of people…
Quality
As Spider-Man makes waves on television as an entertainer and endorser, J. Jonah Jameson tells the media the difference between real heroes and the costumed ones with super powers.
Considering the history of Spider-Man, it is both difficult and risky to come up with a new reality that diverged from the key moment of the icon’s past (letting a crook get away from the chasing cop) resulting in a completely new version of him – Spider-Man as an entertainer. The good news here is that Peter Gillis’ script is solid and its scenes were nicely arranged to make this new version of the icon believable.
As shown on the cover of this comic book, the tale shows Spider-Man as a celebrity who found success and wealth in showbiz. Along the way, the classic Peter Parker gradually transforms into a new version who is not only focused on entertaining people but also engaging in publicity wars without ever becoming journalist. Since Marvel’s most famous icon does not fight crime, you will see him as an entertainment entrepreneur, a fighter through publicity, and as someone who enjoys the high life that most Americans don’t have.
In relation to the concept of the story, J. Jonah Jameson and Daredevil became the next important players to Spider-Man. Jameson is the rival of the webslinger but not necessarily the villain. Through Jameson, you will not only witness how he misuses his power at The Daily Bugle but also his interactions with criminal elements as he searches for ways to deal with Spidey. When it comes to Daredevil’s role, I encourage you to read the comic book to find out.
The story by Gillis moved at a medium-to-fast pace and for each build-up done, pay-offs were satisfying to read. When it comes to the scope of the story, this alternate reality is actually captivating to follow from start to finish.
Conclusion
Can you just imagine how different superhero comics would have been in real life had Marvel actually depicted Spider-Man as a showbiz figure?
What If #19 (1980) is a very solid and captivating comic book to read. The creative duo of Peter Gillis and Pat Broderick succeeded in selling the concept of what would happen had Spider-Man became an entertainer instead of fighting evil figures that hound society. Apart from showing a drastically different version of Spidey, the story will compel you to think about the relevance of superheroes in society, why becoming a major player in showbiz is chaotic, and how could Peter Parker be responsible with the power (related to showbiz) he has without combating evil.
Every day here in the Philippines, either someone got scammed or someone is secretly organizing a scam to steal money from others. Recently in the City of Manila, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended twelve Chinese nationals who were caught in the act of scamming and also for illegally detaining and assaulting a man who refused to work as a scammer, according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The National Bureau of Investigation-Special Task Force (NBI-STF) has arrested 12 Chinese nationals for alleged online scamming and assaulting and detaining an individual who refused to work as a scammer, it said Friday.
In a statement, the NBI said the victim filed a complaint for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, serious physical injuries, and serious illegal detention.
The complainant said he was forced to work as an online scammer in a building in Manila and was beaten and assaulted when he refused.
He said the suspects then demanded him to pay the P500,000 ransom, but he was only able to give P300,000. After this, he was released and threatened to be killed if he will report the incident to authorities.
This led the NBI-STF, in coordination with the Manila Police District, to conduct an operation on August 6.
They arrested 12 Chinese nationals caught in the act of committing online scamming activities. Four of them were positively identified by the complainant as the ones who assaulted him.
The suspects were presented for inquest proceedings for violation of 4(b)(2) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and Article 263 and 267 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there could be a lot more Chinese nationals committing crime and harming people here in the Philippines? Have you been scammed before? Do you think the Chinese nationals currently living in your local community could be secretly scamming others online?
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, an elderly woman received a P100,000 cash gift from the City Government as she turned 100-years-old and Mayor Ruffy Biazon paid a visit, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Mom Teodula Pesigan celebrated her 100th birthday with a P100,000 cash gift from the Muntinlupa City government.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon personally visited Pesigan at her house in Barangay Putatan to hand over the P100,000 gift, a program of the city government through its Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affairs.
“At her age, very sharp pa ang kanyang isip (At her age, her mind is still very sharp),” said Biazon.
When he asked about her secret to long life, her family responded that she likes to eat lechon and liempo.
“It was a great and fun experience na makilala at makausap si Nanay Dulay (It was a great and fun experience to meet and talk to Nanay Dulay),” the mayor added.
All centenarian residents of Muntinlupa get P100,000 cash gift under City Ordinance No. 2018-147.
Under Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016, all Filipinos aged 100 and above will be given cash gifts to recognize their contribution to the country, added Biazon.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted to learn about the existence of the local ordinance that ensures cash gifts to centenarians? Is anyone in your local community about to reach the age of 100?
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
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday filed tax evasion charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and two others before the Department of Justice.
Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. filed the charges against Guo, and Jack L. Uy and Rachelle Carreon of Baofu Land Development, Inc., which arose from Guo’s admission that she transferred her shares in Baofu to Uy.
“Upon investigation, the BIR discovered that no capital gains tax (CGT) and documentary stamp tax (DST) returns were filed and paid in relation to this transfer,” the BIR said in its statement.
The three were charged with “attempt to evade or defeat tax, failure to file CGT and DST returns, and failure to file/ supply certain information.”
Lumagui noted that while the parties to the transfer are Guo and Uy, Carreon, as the corporate secretary of Baofu, would also be charged with the same criminal case for tax evasion due to her “deliberate failure to report” the non-payment and non-filing of CGT and DST returns to the BIR.
“She even verified under oath the General Information Sheet reflecting the transfer even if no taxes were paid and no returns were filed,” he said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this development will compel Alice Guo to escape abroad from the authorities?
Recently in the city of Parañaque, the local police arrested three Chinese nationals who allegedly robbed and abducted a 23-year-old Vietnamese woman who managed to escape from her captors, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The suspects have been charged with robbery, grave coercion, illegal detention, possession of illegal drugs, and illegal possession of firearms.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A female Vietnamese national who was robbed and abducted by three Chinese men was rescued by members of the Parañaque City Police on Tuesday, August 6.
The victim was identified as “Lang,” 23 and is said to be working in a money exchange services business in Manila. Meanwhile, the suspects were identified as “Jun,” 31, “Hao,” 27, and “Zhang,” 26.
The police said Lang was rescued after she managed to escape from one of her abductors who fell asleep while guarding her and sought assistance from a lobby security guard of a condominium building located in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City. The police immediately responded to the report of the security guard and rescued the victim.
Lang said her workplace caters to several Chinese nationals and foreigners seeking to exchange currencies.
At around 12:20 a.m. on August 6, one of the suspects contacted her through Telegram for a meeting to exchange Vietnamese dong to Philippine peso.
Upon arrival at the condominium unit, Lang said she was threatened by Hao with a knife and forcibly took her cellphone. The suspects transported her to an unknown location on board a Ford Ranger pickup.
The suspects forcibly obtained her cellphone password including her facial ID to access her online bank account where they were able to transfer her money to an unknown account amounting to 8,940,000,000 Vietnamese dong from Vietcombank, P1,000,000 worth of jewelry, and P300,000 cash.
Police recovered from the arrested suspects two .9mm pistols; a North American Ans Black Widow 22 Magnum revolver; various ammunitions; P236,000 cash; several electronic devices such as an Apple iPad, Apple MacBook Air, and seven iPhones; a Chinese passport in the name of “Liu”; and a Vietnamese passport under the name of “Dong.”
They also yielded a set of vehicle license plates; one matte black Ford Ranger Sport; 76 ecstasy tablets with an estimated value of P129,200; and 5 grams of suspected shabu worth P34,000.
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 Chinese nationals committing crime, accumulating guns and stealing money from others?
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 case you missed the news – bad ones actually – be aware that the release of fantasy role-playing game Avowed has officially been delayed to February 18, 2025, according to a Windows Central news report. It was previously announced that Avowed was supposed to be released sometime in late-2024 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (XGP).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Windows Central news report. Some parts in boldface…
Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios’ upcoming fantasy role-playing game Avowed is being delayed out of the year, as confirmed via the official Xbox X (Twitter) account.
“So many games coming! As such, we’re moving Avowed to Feb 18, 2025 to give players’ backlogs some breathing room,” the message reads. “Stay tuned for more from our games across Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda & Xbox Game Studios at gamescom, including our Aug 23 livestream for a look at Avowed.”
This comes hot on the heels of a report from The Verge indicating that Avowed would be delayed, which Windows Central was able to corroborate. By all accounts, this move is to allow Avowed more breathing room outside of what is shaping up to be an extremely busy fall and holiday period, with multiple Xbox first-party launches and third-party titles including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
While Avowed won’t be playable at Gamescom 2024, Xbox is hosting theater presentations revealing more of the game, alongside similar presentations for Indiana Jones and Starfield’s Shattered Space expansion.
When it arrives, Avowed will be launching across Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PC, as well as being included day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
As a long-time Xbox gamer, the delay of Avowed is disappointing and adding more to the disappointment is the fact that an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (note: the most expensive XGP option) is required to play it on launch day. This effectively locks out (temporarily) many Xbox Game Pass subscribers who could not afford to upgrade their current subscriptions and they have no choice but to wait first before the game becomes available to them.
Ever since it was first announced, I was looking forward to playing Avowed and it was one of the main reasons I bought the Xbox Series X console. I am also a fan of Obsidian Entertainment’s role-playing games such as Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. In fairness, Team Xbox announced that they will do a livestream presentation of Avowed during Gamescom 2024 on August 23. Hopefully we will see the latest about the game. To ease the pain of waiting, check out the most recent video of Avowed below.
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government received two awards from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for compliance with Republic Act Number 9003 as well as its engagement in the proper implementation of solid waste management practices, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The local government of Las Piñas received two awards from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for its compliance with the Ecological Solid Waste Act of 2000 and active engagement in the proper implementation of solid waste management practices.
Las Piñas Vice Mayor April Aguilar said the city was awarded after being included as one of the top five local government units (LGUs) who displayed outstanding performance in complying with the Republic Act 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.”
The agency recognized the city government for its efforts during the 2023 LGU-Compliance Assessment and its contributions to the Manila Bay clean-up rehabilitation and preservation program.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you delighted with the newest awards the City Government received from the DENR?
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
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for grave misconduct.
In an order dated Aug. 12, the Ombudsman also ordered the forfeiture of Guo’s retirement benefits and perpetually banned her from holding public office.
Guo’s involvement in operations of raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in her area bared a “willful intent on her part to violate the law or disregard established rules,” the anti-graft office said.
“The series of acts are interconnected, leaving no other conclusion than that they were committed by Guo with ulterior motive or self-interest.”
Meanwhile, government lawyers said they may opt to pursue the quo warranto case they had already filed against Guo.
“The quo warranto petition will proceed for two reasons: Mayor Alice Guo may still appeal the OMB (Ombudsman) dismissal order. The quo warranto petition, if successful, will make Guo Hua Ping (a.k.a. Alice Guo) ineligible to run for any elective public position in the future,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said in a message to reporters.
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman also found 12 other Bamban officials guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service and were ordered suspended for three months.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this development will somehow compel Alice Guo to finally come out of hiding and face the government to clear her name?
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government approved an ordinance establishing a moratorium on the collection of the amusement tax on Filipino films (note: movies produced by Philippine companies/organizations) within the city for the next three years, as reported by the Manila Bulletin. The ordinance was signed into law by Mayor Ruffy Biazon.
In short, local companies here in the Philippines whose films are shown in theaters within the jurisdiction of Muntinlupa City could earn more as the amusement tax won’t be imposed for most of the year for the next three years while the cinema operators themselves can benefit along the way.
I say most of the year because the moratorium does not cover the time period of December 25 to January 7 which is precisely the time when the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) happens.
To put things in perspective, read the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report posted below. Some parts in boldface…
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon and the City Council approved an ordinance granting a three-year moratorium on the collection of amusement tax from Filipino films in the next three years.
The Muntinlupa City Council passed and Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2024-229 “Declaring Moratorium on the Collection of Amusement Tax for Filipino Films in the City of Muntinlupa from January 08 to December 24 of every year for the next three (3) years.“
Under the existing Local Government Code, “The province may levy an amusement tax to be collected from the proprietors, lessees, or operators of theaters, cinemas, concert halls, circuses, boxing stadia, and other places of amusement at a rate of not more than ten percent (10%) of the gross receipts from the admissions fees.”
In February, the Metro Manila Council adopted the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Resolution No. 24-11 “Declaring a Moratorium on the Collection of Amusement Tax for Filipino Films in Metro Manila from January 08 to December 24 of Every Year for the Next Three Years.”
In the Muntinlupa ordinance, it was stated that the MMDA resolution “was adopted to recognize the importance of the local film industry in promoting cultural and economic development and in response to the appeal of the local filmmakers to boost the film industry after the impact of the COVID-i9 Pandemic on the production and exhibition of Filipino Films, and the dominance of foreign films.”
Under the ordinance, all cinemas in Muntinlupa can avail of the moratorium on the collection of amusement taxes for Filipino films from Jan. 8 to Dec. 24 of every year for the next three years.
When it comes to the state of cinemas within Muntinlupa City, Commercenter has four screens and I noticed over the past two months that only 2 or 3 were operating during my visits there. Over at Festival Mall, their 4-screen modern cinemas are fully operating but their original cinemas (located several feet away by foot on the same floor) are still dark and depressing as only 2 or 3 screens (out of ten screens) were operating almost all the time.
As for the cinemas in Alabang Town Center, they seem to be operating normally and continue to attract a steady amount of moviegoers.
Going back to the approved moratorium, it remains to be seen if it could lead to a potential reduction of ticket prices in relation to Filipino movies within Muntinlupa. Even if ticket prices get reduced, would it be enough to convince people to come to the Muntinlupa cinemas and buy tickets for the cinematic experience. There is also the factor of the quality of Filipino movies showing in Muntinlupa movie theaters plus the factor of foreign movies.
As a resident of Alabang who saw lots of movies in the local cinemas, I noticed that Muntinlupa City is lacking when it comes to hosting film festivals (note: the annual MMFF does NOT count). Special events about movies focusing on variety, quality and artistry being held in Muntinlupa can help cinema operators attract moviegoers as well as the enthusiastic film buffs.
Perhaps the City Government or barangays could someday organize a special event of short films made by Muntinlupa-based filmmakers and have such films screened in local cinemas. Organizing another film festival showcasing films by independent filmmakers from around the country and having them screened in theaters within the city could help too.
Still on the topic of Filipino movies, when will the time come when the major local movie producers will have premieres of their new movies held in cinemas here in Muntinlupa and give locals the chance to see their favorite movie stars in person?
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about the 3-year moratorium approved by the City Government of Muntinlupa? Do you think that cinemas in Muntinlupa are losing money? Do you think the newly approved moratorium could be disadvantageous to the City Government in terms of revenue?
Author Carlo Carrasco 