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Maynilad’s new water treatment plant in Muntinlupa City more than 50% complete, additional water supply of 50 MLD expected by year-end

January 31, 2023January 25, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently, water concessionaire Maynilad announced that it is more than half-way through with its construction of a new water treatment plant in Barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa City and additional water supply be the end of the year is expected, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.

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

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. said on Tuesday that it is now more than halfway through the construction of its Poblacion water treatment plant in Muntinlupa.

“Once fully operational by the first half of 2024, this facility will have the capacity to produce 150 MLD (million liters per day) of potable water for the southern portion of Maynilad’s concession area, particularly Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Cavite,” the west zone water concessionaire said.

The Poblacion water treatment plant, now 53% complete, is expected to produce 50 MLD of additional water supply by yearend. It will be Maynilad’s third facility to tap Laguna Lake as an alternative raw source of water.

Currently, Maynilad has two treatment plants in Putatan, which provide 300 MLD to around 1.7 million customers.

“Our production of 300 MLD is stretched to meet the current requirements of our customers in the south. Hence, whenever extreme conditions necessitate reduced production, there is no extra supply so some of our customers experience service disruption. The additional output that we will get from the Poblacion WTP will help to address that,” said Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado.

The Poblacion water treatment plant is part of Maynilad’s P220 billion service enhancement program for 2023 to 2027.

Separately on Tuesday, Lee Robert M. Britanico, deputy administrator for customer service regulation of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), said that the agency’s corporate office continues to look for a new water source.

“If we fail to look for an additional source the existing water supply can no longer meet the demand and the increasing population,” he said in a virtual press briefing.

He also said that the MWSS is now coordinating with Maynilad and Manila Water Co., Inc. to ensure adequate and uninterrupted water supply for the summer months.

“We have a supply deficit now not just in southern Metro Manila,” Mr. Britanico said, referring to the Philippine capital and parts of Cavite and Rizal provinces.

“[Because] the population in these areas continued to grow and the water supply is not coming from Metro Manila, our corporate office is looking for another source to augment that deficit, and we encourage everyone to conserve water and encourage Maynilad and Manila Water to be efficient,” he said.

Mr. Britanico said the MWSS is now preparing for the summer months when it expects a supply deficit due to high temperatures and the lack of rainfall.

“Rest assured as of now, we are okay but we encourage the public to conserve water, let us not take that for granted,” he said.

Mr. Britanico added that if population growth continues amid a lack of new water sources, a significant supply deficit might happen by 2024.

“Right now, if we will base the projection on the population, most likely next year we will have a problem but if we can find a new water source for Metro Manila, Cavite and Rizal, then that will address the issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, the MWSS regulatory office on Tuesday directed Maynilad to rebate P27.48 million to customers affected by the water services interruptions in areas served by the concessionaire’s Putatan water treatment plants.

“MWSS has determined the final rebate amount for Maynilad customers. Maynilad shall rebate a total of P27.477 million as reasonably determined by this office,” Mr. Britanico said.

The decision came after the recurring service interruptions from December 2022 until January this year in areas covered by the Putatan plants such as the southern part of Metro Manila.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? As a local resident, do you think that Maynilad will be able to complete its Poblacion water treatment plant and improve the local water supply? Do you manage a business that got negatively affected by the most recent water service interruptions?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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

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 engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

COMELEC confirms over 1.5 million voters registered for 2023 Barangay and SK polls as of January 21

January 31, 2023January 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that over 1.5 million voters nationwide have registered for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections as of January 21, according to a GMA Network news report. Take note that the registration process will officially end today.

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

Over 1.5 million voters have registered for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) as of January 21, data from the Commission on Elections showed.

Based on the latest figures released by Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco, there are 1,530,317 who have processed their registration through the regular process, while there are 8,651 who registered through the Registration Anywhere Project.

The latest figures bring the total number of registrants to 1,538,968 for the 2023 BSKE. Of this, 931,256 are new registrants.

Most of the new registrants are 15 to 17 years old with 442,330; 18 to 30 years old with 397,323; and 31 and above with 86,818. The voter registration will end on January 31.

In an interview with reporters, Comelec Chairman George Garcia reiterated that there will be no extension of registration period for the 2023 BSKE.

However, they will accommodate those who will be lining up to the Comelec registration sites until 5 p.m. on January 31.

“Kung pagdating ng alas singko sa bawat registration sites ay may nakapila pa, kukunin po lahat ng pangalan ng nakapila, at sila ay patuloy pa ring irerehistro,” he said.

(Those who are in queue by 5 p.m. will still be accommodated in all registration sites.)

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Are there lots of people in your local community who wanted to get registered for this year’s Barangay-SK elections but still have not yet registered for some reason?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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

A Look Back at What If #40 (1992)

January 30, 2023January 25, 2023carlocarrasco

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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1992 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.

For this particular retro comic book review, we look at a What If tale that is related with the X-Men, specifically through one of their major characters – Storm. For the newcomers reading, Storm is the black X-Men member whose mutation allows her to manipulate the weather. As seen in X-Men comic books decades ago, Storm was portrayed to be tough and brave, and she became a highly valuable learner under Professor X (Charles Xavier). In the 1990s, Storm rose in prominence among the X-Men, she became leader of their Gold Team. Storm was portrayed in the live-action movies by Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp. It’s just too bad Storm’s role in X-Men: Days of Future Past (note: for me, it is the best X-Men live-action movie ever) was minimal.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #40, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Ann Nocenti and drawn by Steve Carr and Deryl Skeleton.

Early story

The story begins with the Watcher recalling scenes from the life of Ororo who was born to a mother (a tribal princess in Kenya) and a photojournalist father. After moving from America to Egypt, Ororo loses her mother and became an orphan. Along the way, she experienced severe claustrophobia as a result of being buried under tons of rock. Having survived, she became a thief in Cairo and eventually traveled into Africa by chance. There she discovered her true nature as a walking idol. She eventually meets Charles Xavier.

The Watcher then explores another thread of scenarios of Ororo’s life in which she never stepped on the eventual boat, never sailed for Africa and never met the tribe that worshipped her.

In Cairo, Ororo is a very young thief who made herself look like a male. She uses deceptive tactics on a foreigner who walked by. A short time later, Ororo goes to New York City identified as Jack serving an old man who teaches her to work hard, to gain respect from his friends and immerse herself in a world of grifters and hobos. Ororo lives and works as a thief in the city targeting people who have more than enough…

Quality

*A look at Storm as the super-powered thief. It’s also a portrayal of her as a super villain on the rise.*

Among the many What If tales related to the X-Men that I have read so far, this is one of the most well-written and most intriguing alternate universe stories I have read thanks to Ann Nocenti. This was also released at a time when Storm was already established as a brave X-Men team leader and a potential successor to Professor X. In this comic book, there is this strong twist to the established legacy of Storm as a youth and the exploration of what would happen had she remained a thief (a super-powered thief no less) and never followed Charles Xavier turned out to be very compelling in my experience. For one thing, Storm definitely would have given police officers – who clearly are inferior to the powered heroes and villains – a hard time and even help the crime wave overwhelm society’s defenders. It is also quite striking to see Storm to follow and serve a principled yet theft-oriented superior. In fact, this story shows the popular X-Men team leader as a super villain on the rise.

More on storm, Ann Nocenti’s script literally dissected notable traits of Storm’s personality that are connected to the established comic book legacy which creatively created something new that fits in well in this alternate universe story. Through Storm, the story also sheds light on how thieves view life believing that theft is a necessity and their so-called principles justify it. No matter what the thieves and criminals in general think, nothing justifies theft and crime at all and those who commit such acts must be punished accordingly Without spoiling the details, I can say that there are some grey areas within Storm that were nicely emphasized.

Conclusion

*Storm as a male-looking teenager behind bars with the ladies who got apprehended. Scenes like this should remind you NOT to vote for political candidates who are soft and sympathetic towards crime.*

What If #40 (1990) is indeed a great alternate universe portrayal of one of the X-Men’s most prominent characters of the time. The story is very well structured and the characterization of Storm was clearly organized by Ann Nocenti to be powerful and intriguing to read. This comic book also has a twist that you must see for yourselves as well as an ending that will either surprise or satisfy you depending on what you anticipated. Ultimately, this comic book should remind you all to avoid committing crime and the truth is that poverty is a curse and it NEVER justifies theft. Always remember that the Lord is watching you. For enlightenment, read Exodus 22:1-4, Exodus 22:10-15, Leviticus 6:2-7 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 in the Holy Bible.

Overall, What If #40 (1990) is highly recommended!

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Muntinlupa City uses Japanese technology to clean up Laguna Lake

January 30, 2023January 24, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, the City Government started using Japanese technology in the form of “bokashi balls” to clean up Laguna Lake, 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…

The Muntinlupa City government is using Japanese technology to improve the overall quality of the Laguna Lake.

The city government’s Lake Management Office (LMO), in partnership with the Rotary Club of Muntinlupa City Central and Rotaract Club of Alabang Bagong Paraiso, launched “Project ADBOKASHI” on Jan. 22 that aims to improve bodies of water in Muntinlupa and across the country.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon welcomed the cooperation of the city government, Rotary and Rotaract that focuses on improving water quality in Laguna Lake for the long-term as part of his administration’s 7K Agenda for the environment.

More than 1,000 bokashi balls were released into the lake as part of a two-year experiment to see if the water quality would improve and to counteract the effects of rapid urbanization around the lake.

The project will involve releasing bokashi into Laguna de Bay at least every six months with periodic water quality testing to be conducted by the LMO.

Bokashi balls are made of organic materials such as garden soil, effective microorganisms (EM1), molasses and rice hulls that break down toxins and bad bacteria in water.

Dubbed locally as “mabuhay balls,” bokashi were also proven in Japan to deodorize bodies of water and reduce siltation.

Recently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) used these to improve the water quality in Boracay’s wetlands as part of the rehabilitation of its beaches.

The organic “deodorizer” balls were introduced into the country by the Asian National Institute in Angono, Rizal, in 2008.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the bokashi balls will be effective?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines achieves 7.6% economic growth in 2022

January 30, 2023January 26, 2023carlocarrasco

The Philippines’ recovery from the downturn of the COVID-19 crisis continued strongly as it has been confirmed that the national economy expanded by 7.6% for the entire year of 2022 which includes a 7.2% 4^th quarter economic growth, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Take note that the Philippines is expected to grow between 6.5% and 7% in 2023 according to the national authorities while there are signs that the United States economy will fall into a recession this year. Regardless, the Philippines ended 2022 competitively in terms of economic expansion among its Asian neighbors.

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

The Philippine economy expanded by 7.2 percent in the last quarter of 2022, bringing full-year growth to 7.6 percent, driven by increased economic activity mainly from pent-up demand as it fully reopened amid elevated inflation rate.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said among the major emerging economies in the region that have released their fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the Philippines grew the fastest, followed by Vietnam at 5.9 percent and China at 2.9 percent.  

“Our improved Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) risk management and the easing of mobility restrictions have created a positive economic outlook, boosting economic activity and creating more jobs despite external headwinds,” he said in a briefing on Thursday.

Balisacan said measures being implemented by the government to further buoy the economy’s recovery are working.

“Our strong economic growth performance for 2022 proves that our calibrated policies and strategies have helped put us on the path to recovery and on track to achieving our aspiration for an inclusive, prosperous, and resilient society by 2028,” he said.

Balisacan said pent-up demand drove growth in the fourth quarter as the economy was fully reopened during the period, with household consumption accounting for around three-fourths of domestic output, and investments contributing around a fifth.

“The improvements in labor market conditions, increased tourism, revenge and holiday spending, and resumption of face-to-face classes supported growth in the quarter, further reflecting a solid rebound in consumer and investor confidence in the economy,” he said.

Balisacan said had it not been for the elevated inflation rate, which rose to its highest since November 2008 last December when it accelerated to 8.1 percent, “growth could have been higher by another perhaps 1 to 2 percentage points.”

“It shows how overall demand is sensitive to inflation,” he added.

In terms of the volume of economic activities, Balisacan said domestic growth has recovered for many sectors, except for others such as tourism.

“(But) in so far as per capital income… we haven’t fully recovered yet,” he said.

Balisacan said the government is firm on ensuring that quality jobs will be available to Filipinos to lessen their need to work abroad.

“Inclusive growth across the archipelago will be our vehicle for reducing poverty incidence from 18 percent of the population in 2021 to a single-digit level by 2028,” he said.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa said 2022 full year GDP growth of 7.6 percent exceeded the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth assumption for the year and the highest after the 8.8 percent in 1976.

Mapa said the fourth-quarter growth, slower than the 7.6 percent in the previous quarter, was driven by the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, financial and insurance activities and retail estate and ownership of dwellings boosted domestic growth.

He said domestic demand remained strong, with the household final consumption expenditure (HFCE) rising by 2.1 percent quarter-on-quarter, led by the restaurants and hotels, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and miscellaneous goods and services. Year-on-year expansion of HFCE stood at 7 percent.

Among the major economic industries, Mapa said agriculture, forestry, and fishing contracted by 1.7 percent because of the lower output of sugarcane, palay (rice), and poultry and egg production.

Meanwhile, Balisacan said the government is doing pro-active assessment of the current situation to address the elevated inflation rate in the country, which is expected to go back to within the government’s 2 to 4 percent target band by the second half of this year.

He said the government continues to allow the importation of several food items to boost domestic supply, adding that not doing so will hurt both the consumers and domestic growth.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Do you believe that the economy of the Philippine economy will grow between 6.5% to 7% this year? Do you think that more foreign tourists coming into the country will be able to help the nation achieve its economic growth targets this year? Apart from what was already mentioned, what do you think the national government should do to combat inflation? Do you think that the lower income tax for middle income earners will make a positive contribution to economic growth?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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35-year-old woman killed in Parañaque City

January 27, 2023January 23, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, a 35-year-old woman was shot dead by an unidentified armed assailant, the Manila Bulletin reported. Already the local police trying to figure out who is responsible and what is the motive behind the killing which happened within Barangay Baclaran.

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

A 35-year-old woman was shot dead by unidentified assailant in Parañaque City, Sunday night, Jan. 21.

Col. Renato Ocampo, city police chief, identified the victim as Manilyn Acuesta Guinto, a resident of Bagong Ilog St., Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque City.

Ocampo said Guinto died on the spot from a gunshot wound in the head.

He said the incident happened around 8:10 p.m. at Dimasalang Extension, Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque City.

The city police chief said members of the Baclaran Police Sub-Station immediately responded after receiving a call from concerned citizens about the shooting incident.

Responding policemen recovered from the crime scene two fired cartridges of a .45-caliber gun and a deformed slug.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? What could be the motive behind the killing?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines Finance Secretary Diokno says the national economy is resilient enough to face post-pandemic world

January 27, 2023January 26, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in a high-level economic meeting in Germany, Philippines Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno declared that the national economy is resilient enough for the post-pandemic world and that the national government has been making adjustments, according to a news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

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

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Monday told foreign investors and business leaders that the Philippine economy is resilient enough and that the government is doing its best to address post-pandemic challenges.

Diokno made the remarks during the Philippine economic briefing attended by the economic managers in Frankfurt, Germany that was streamed through various government agency Facebook pages.

The Finance chief noted that inflation is also a concern in the Philippines just like in other countries, but measures are being undertaken by the government to address the issue, such as managing prices by ensuring adequate supplies of agricultural products, and boosting the agriculture sector’s capacity and productivity to help address the rising commodity prices, among others.

“We also are continuing the importation of necessary commodities to ease inflation,” he said.

The government has allowed the continued importation of rice, sugar, and meat, which are among the primary factor for the elevated food prices due to supply issues.

Relatively, Diokno assured investors that the government has put in place a fiscal consolidation program to address the uptick in government liabilities, due in part to the increased borrowing to finance pandemic-related programs.

He identified three factors that will support the government’s fiscal consolidation and one of this is the fact that “only a small fraction of our outstanding debt is exposed to interest rate resetting.”

This, as bulk of the government liabilities are sourced from domestic fund sources, with around 75 percent of the borrowing program allocated to the domestic market.

“We already have anticipated the tightening monetary policy conditions when we formulated the interest rate payments in the 2023 budget,” Diokno said.

He added that “government securities market is dominated by local players that are bank-centric and homogeneous in investment governance.”

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Do you believe that the economy of the Philippines is resilient enough for the post-pandemic age even as there are concerns about high inflation and economic slowdown around the world? Do you believe that the national government has what it takes to make key adjustments to unforeseen developments that could happen anytime? Are you convinced that foreign investors as well as foreign tourists will come into the Philippines in great numbers over the next eighteen months? How is your local government doing when it comes to economic developments like livelihood, jobs training and other related activities?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Lounge for OFWs at NAIA Terminal 3 will be built

January 27, 2023January 21, 2023carlocarrasco

For the many Filipinos working overseas and supporting their families back home, a lounge at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 will be built and eventually opened specifically benefiting the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), the Manila Bulletin reported.

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

A dedicated lounge for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will soon be built at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

Cesar Chiong, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) that operates NAIA, shared this development to congressmen during a recent briefing of the House Committee on Transportation.

Chiong said that the Overseas Filipino Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) have already come to an agreement on the matter.

“We met with the OWWA representatives, we’ve already identified the area sir and we’re working on the project so matutuloy na po yun sir (so this will push through),” Chiong said during the interpellation of Zamboanga Sibguay 1st district Rep. Wilter Palma in the briefing Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Palma, in a previous panel briefing, asked the MIAA to set up amenities that OFWs–our so-called “modern-day heroes”–could use whenever they have to wait for flights, or if their flights get cancelled.

The Mindanao lawmaker welcomed the development and asked Chiong for a timetable on the OFW lounge.

“Magsa-submit po kami ng more detailed timeline sir (We will submit a more detailed timeline sir) after the detailed discussions with OWWA,” the MIAA chief told Palma.

“Inuna lang po namin sir is yung area pati ho yung location (We just prioritized the area and the location) because we’ve identified the location to be near the government center,” Chiong added. He said the lounge will be on the left side of Terminal 3, when one is facing the terminal.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are an OFW reading this, what do you think about the planned Terminal 3 lounge?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Las Piñas City chosen by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), dredging technology test on local river to follow

January 26, 2023January 22, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently it was announced that the City of Las Piñas has been selected by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as the site where they will test the floating amphibious excavator of Kochi Marutaka which means dredging on Las Piñas river, according to a Manila Standard news report.

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

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has chosen Las Piñas city for its pilot test of Kochi Marutaka’s floating amphibious excavator.

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar noted that this technology to be used in cleaning the Las Piñas-Zapote River and waterways in Las Piñas is new. The technology, Villar said, can do extensive dredging while floating in shallow waters of the river due to its remarkable buoyancy.

“There is no doubt that you have chosen well. In Las Piñas, under my guidance, we are serious and very persistent in our river clean-up and rehabilitation,” Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said.

The senator, along with her daughter, Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, joined JICA Rep. Takuya Hashizume, DPWH- NCR Director Loreta Malaluan and DPWH-Bureau of Equipment Dir. Toribio Noel Ilao and Las Piñas- Muntinlupa District Engr. Isabelo Baleros, in the launching of JICA’s Verification Survey for the “Utilization of Floating Amphibious Excavator for the Construction Works On Disaster Management and Disaster Restoration in the Philippines.”

The project brief was given by Toru Asakura of CTI Engineering International Co., Ltd. and Hiroshige Takano , chairman of Kochi Marutaka Corporation, while Mikako Shimizu from JICA Philippine office and Tomohiro Matsubara from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines gave their keynote speeches during the launch.

“I welcome events like this that cultivate solutions to the challenges we face to tackle disasters and mitigate its effects. As you know, the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to disasters, it is frequented by around 20 typhoons per year,” Villar said.

She also pointed out the use of a floating amphibious excavator is also very much in consonance with her lifelong advocacies of cleaning our city’s rivers and waterways and of efficient waste management.

Prior to the project, the Japanese group approached the Las Pinas city government, seeing the efforts of Sen. Villar in cleaning the Las Piñas- Zapote River which bagged an international environment award given by the United Nations.

The initiative to clean the said river and rid it of waterlilies that triggered floodings was under the so-called “Sagip Ilog Para Sa Kinabukasan.”

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 over the news that the JICA chose Las Piñas City for testing the mentioned dredging technology? Do you think the dredging along the Las Piñas-Zapote river will reduce potential flooding?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993)

January 26, 2023February 4, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the first-ever limited comic book series featuring one of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains – Venom.

In my previous retro review, the core concept of the Lethal Protector limited series started to really take shape as issue #3’s plot got more intriguing and interesting to read while emphasizing other powerful forces Venom himself simply could not easily overwhelm. It is also the issue in which Venom’s past act of a certain murder comes to haunt him. The problem I had with that comic book was the creative team’s dramatization of Eddie Brock’s personal history which essentially ruined whatever mystery Venom had. Eventually, the comic book ended with Venom getting into trouble again.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #4 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins inside a high-tech facility in the Mojave Desert. Inside, Venom is in captivity floating off the floor with high-tech machines keeping him prisoner. He is a captive of the Life Foundation and they have successfully extracted another spawn from Venom’s symbiote which causes tremendous pain on the part of Eddie Brock. It turns out, a total of five “seeds” have been extracted and the organization has big plans with them.

Over at Sta. Cruz in California, Spider-Man spends some of his precious time to stop some local criminals from causing anymore danger to the people. During his telephone talk with Mary Jane, he admits that has not been able to track Venom down but he has a new lead about weird creatures that have been spotted locally. A short time later, Spider-Man arrives at a shopping mall where tremendous damage of property have happened. As soon as he catches a lady and prevents her from hitting the pavement, he is shocked to see a long-haired woman wearing a living alien costume with features that are so similar to that of Venom. The symbiote-wearing woman (Scream) tells Spider-Man directly that breaking him in half will make the “little exercise” a complete success…

Quality

*Spider-Man takes on the “female Venom”*

To start with what is very obvious and clear, this story has Spider-Man overshadowing Venom in terms of literary presence as the plot has the titular character limited to captivity under the tight grasp of the Life Foundation. Given Spider-Man’s previous appearances in this limited series serving as a convenient tool for exposition, you will easily feel the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series’ vibes taking over this comic book’s narrative as Marvel’s icon became the protagonist of the story complete with spectacle and problem solving that drive the plot forward. This is not surprising as David Michelinie was already the lead writer of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series and it only makes sense to shift the focus on the famous webslinger since his deadliest enemy (who has this very distorted belief about protecting the innocent and keep on murdering people he finds antagonistic) could not contribute much to the story while in captivity.

As reflected in the nice cover of this comic book, it is also Spider-Man who faces off with the “female Venom” herself Scream which leads to yet another Spidey-versus-symbiote villain battle but with a catch – Scream is simply inexperienced in battle and does not have any real strategy to deal with New York’s webslinger. That battle noticeably does not last very long and the short amount of superhero spectacle here paved the way for the creative team to make Spider-Man sneak into enemy territory and closer to Venom.

In terms of visual quality, I can say that things went way down as Ron Lim replaced Mark Bagley here. Lim’s art style of drawing people has this generic aesthetic on the characters’ faces – Mary Jane and Eddie Brock are barely recognizable. While Lim’s artistic take on Venom is clearly a big letdown compared to Bagley’s Venom (note: always looking menacing and unique), he ironically did a decent job visualizing Scream. Lim’s most dynamic shots of superhero action lacked impact. Regardless, Lim’s art is not so appealing compared to Bagley’s. Also it is quite noticeable that Lim drew Venom to be much bulkier with exaggerated muscles.

Conclusion

*The most notable concept in this comic book.*

Considering all the details I mentioned above, Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) is technically an Amazing Spider-Man comic book that just so happens to have Venom much less significant in this particular part of his own limited series. There really was not much room for the creative team use as far as Venom is concerned. Of course, this is all part of a build-up heading into the final two parts of this limited series and it is obvious that Venom would become prominent again. This comic book’s most notable feature was its concept about the Life Foundation extracting seeds from Venom’s living costume but considering what happened, there was not much room to really build-up on the idea that more symbiote-wearing people will emerge. Scream was essentially a warm-up. Ultimately, Spider-Man fans will have a lot to enjoy here while Venom fans will not have much to enjoy.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) is serviceable.

+++++

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