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Kalingang Munti Action Center (KMAC) formally inaugurated at Muntinlupa City Hall

October 13, 2022October 11, 2022carlocarrasco

In the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the Kalingang Munti Action Center (KMAC) was formally launched recently at City Hall with the presence of Mayor Ruffy Biazon and many other local officials, the Manila Bulletin reported. The KMAC was described as a one-stop shop for the public in availing of frontline services and it was the fulfillment of the first executive order signed by the Mayor.

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

*Several local officials led by Mayor Ruffy Biazon attended the inauguration of the KMAC at City Hall. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)*

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon launched on Monday, Oct. 10, the Kalingang Munti Action Center (KMAC), a one-stop shop for the public in availing of frontline services.

On his first day in office on July 1, Biazon signed his first executive order creating the KMAC.

The center will serve people who are availing of medical, financial, and burial assistance.

A total of 106 persons were served by the center on the first day of operations.

Biazon said through KMAC, people no longer need to go from one city hall department to another for services.

“Mas pinadali ang proseso para mas mabilis ding matatanggap ng ating kababayan ang tulong (The process has been simplified so our citizens can receive help faster),” said the mayor.

He added that with KMAC, the city government will have information and a database on indigents in Muntinlupa that will result in the efficient use of resources.

“Matiyak natin na yung talagang nangangailangan ay nabibigyan (This will ensure that those who are in need will be given assistance),” he added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? If you need to avail of assistance at Muntinlupa City Hall, would you plan to visit the KMAC first?

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

Have you subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) yet? I encourage you to do it!

October 12, 2022October 10, 2022carlocarrasco

There is no doubt that Xbox Game Pass (XGP), a subscription service that allows customers access to lots of games for their enjoyment in return for paying a flat monthly fee, is here to stay. I myself have been subscribing to XGP since I started playing my Xbox Series X console and I can confirm to you readers that I’ve been playing a whole lot of games while saving myself a lot of money.

Along the way, I am constantly having a whole lot of fun as an XGP subscriber and I am look forward to playing highly anticipated new games like Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Starfield (Xbox-exclusive) and Forza Motorsport (2023) (Xbox-exclusive) through the service in 2023! And then there are many, many other games from other game publishers – including the small and independent game makers – who signed up with Team Xbox to add their games for XGP subscribers to enjoy!

This week alone, several games will debut on Xbox Game Pass which should interest gamers who love adventure, first-person shooters, narrative gaming, mysteries, puzzles, tactical gaming, golf, ice hockey and more! Check out the new XGP additions in the Xbox.com article and also be reminded that enjoyable games such as As Dusk Falls, Deathloop and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered are now available in the service.

*Watch out for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on XGP in 2023.*

*Starfield alone should attract a lot more people to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.*

*Have you played this acclaimed JRPG yet? It’s now available on XGP!*

*As Dusk Falls is a great narrative-driven game to play on Xbox Game Pass.*

As I mentioned earlier, Xbox Game Pass is here to stay and its credibility as a stable and growing form of business cannot be dismissed. To understand the business aspect of XGP, there is this in-depth article published by Windows Central. Posted below is an excerpt from the article with some parts in boldface…

Flying in the face of traditional gaming revenue models, with Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft is offering thousands upon thousands of dollars’ worth of content for $10 dollars a month. It’s potentially even cheaper if you factor in the upcoming Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family accounts as well.

In any case, Xbox Game Pass isn’t going anywhere. I’ve seen analysts and pundits rally around the idea that the service must be burning through cash hand over fist in order to offer the value it does, and that may still be true. But as noticed by Tweaktown, we now have a glimpse at roughly how much revenue Xbox Game Pass is actually generating.

Microsoft is currently trying to get its massive Xbox Activision Blizzard merger through regulatory bodies around the globe. In order to make its legal arguments, certain data points Microsoft typically doesn’t share with its shareholders publicly is making its way into the public domain, as a result of these discussions. It turns out that Xbox Game Pass is making a fair bit of dosh.

According to Brazil’s regulatory body CADE, Xbox Game Pass’ revenue from subscriptions stands at $2.9 billion dollars in the fiscal period ending January 2021. Tweaktown noted that it accounts for 18% of Microsoft’s revenue from gaming for that fiscal year, which would have put Xbox Game Pass subscribers at around the 18-19 million mark. The last official figure we got on Xbox Game Pass subscribers came last January, where Redmond revealed it had hit 25 million users.

It should be noted, however, that this figure only includes users on the console versions of Xbox Game Pass, with PC Game Pass figures omitted. It’s also hard to know the exact breakdown of this revenue figure. Does it include purchases of games in the post-Game Pass discount period? Does it include microtransactional sales and in-game content sales for titles that are in Xbox Game Pass? Or is it representative purely of the subscriber figures across Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which are $10 and $15 apiece?

No matter how loud and emotional the Xbox-hating gamers out there get, it cannot be denied that Xbox Game Pass is a tremendous value-for-money subscription service for those who own Xbox consoles, Windows PC and – by extension – mobile devices. Already, several games from Xbox-controlled Bethesda have been added into XGP (and sibling PC Game Pass) which is the positive result of the publisher’s integration into Microsoft’s gaming division. For these factors alone, it is sensible and right to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass now.

XGP will become even greater once Microsoft’s seismic acquisition of Activision Blizzard finally closes! Recently the regulators of Brazil approved the deal without restrictions and that alone should make the arrogant PlayStation executives at Sony desperate and worried. The Brazilian regulators declared that Sony can compete without Call of Duty (COD) games from Activision.

Even though they have great 1^st party game studios that produced several exclusive blockbusters, Team PlayStation under Jim Ryan is very worried about the acquisition because their business benefited so much by depending on Activision’s Call of Duty games (note: remember the last time you played a new Killzone game from Sony?). Ryan and the PlayStation executives know their current contracts with Activision will eventually expire and certainly there will be no more extensions under Microsoft-controlled Activision Blizzard. It is also clear to me that Team PlayStation is very afraid of the idea that Call of Duty games and other Activision Blizzard games will come to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Simply put, Team PlayStation is way, way behind competing with XGP on the subscription service model of business.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

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Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirms September 21 arrest of Korean telecommunication fraud suspect in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City

October 12, 2022October 10, 2022carlocarrasco

The arrest of foreign fugitives in Parañaque City (for reference, click here, here and here) has been going on for some time now. Recently, a fugitive from South Korea was arrested in Barangay BF Homes in Parañaque which, according to a Manila Standard news report, happened on September 21, 2022 and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) only confirmed it and talked about it lately. The report described the place of arrest as “BF Tahanan Village” which is a loose reference to Tahanan Village.

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

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday announced the arrest of a South Korean fugitive wanted by authorities in Seoul for involvement in a multi-million telecommunications fraud case.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) identified the fugitive as 33-year-old Lee Won Ho, who was arrested last Sept. 21 at his residence in BF Tahanan Village, Parañaque City.

The FSU operatives who arrested Lee were armed with a warrant of deportation issued pursuant to a summary deportation order that the bureau’s board of commissioners issued against the Korean in four years ago.

Tansingco said Lee will be deported immediately and that the latter was already placed in the immigration blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the country.

“He is an undesirable alien whose presence here poses a serious risk to public interest,” Tansingco said. “Thus, he should be perpetually barred from entering the Philippines.”

BI-FSU acting chief Rendell Ryan Sy said the Korean was issued an arrest warrant by the Incheon district court in Seoul, Korea where he was indicted for Fraud and that the latter’s passport was already revoked.

Lee was tagged as a high-ranking member of the so-called Minju Family, a big-time telecom fraud syndicate allegedly operating in Manila.

Sy said the syndicate is suspected of having defrauded over USD21 million from their Korean victims based overseas.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Parañaque City resident, what can you say about this latest crime-related news? Do you think that Parañaque still has lots of foreign fugitives living somewhere among the many villages or private subdivisions? Are you concerned that a foreign fugitive could be living next door to you?

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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Reward for information on person-of-interest behind Las Piñas City killing of radio broadcaster now at P6.5 million

October 11, 2022October 10, 2022carlocarrasco

In the City of Las Piñas, the City Government announced through its official Facebook page that the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) set a new and much bigger reward for those who could provide information needed to identify and apprehend a person-of-interest (note: the gunman) wanted by the local authorities for the tragic killing of a radio broadcaster that happened on October 3 in the city. Previously the reward was set at P1.5 million.

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

The National Capital Region Police Office has announced a new reward of P6.5 million on any information that will lead to the identification and eventual arrest of the alleged gunman in the murder case of radio journalist Percy Lapid.

Any information concerning the case’s person of interest may be reported to the following contact details:

Cellphone: 0947 462 2859 or 0998 598 7928

Landline: 8808 7935 or 8525 8403

For added insight, posted below is the digital copy of the wanted poster…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? With the reward now much bigger than before, are you more motivated to help the local authorities find the alleged gunman?

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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

Additional Speed Bumps inside Alabang Hills Village installed

October 11, 2022October 10, 2022carlocarrasco

Whatever residential community you travel in, always watch your speed, follow the local traffic rules and always be mindful of the pedestrians and vehicles near you. This is an old lesson that needs to be remembered again as the Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) announced recently that it has started the installation of additional speed bumps inside their village with safety in mind.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the AHVA’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…

Today we have begun to install additional speed bumps in an effort to make our roads safer for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Since we took over in mid-March this year, we have noticed that many motorists, both residents and non-residents, do not slow down at certain intersections and instead barrel down the road endangering not only themselves but other motorists as well. They particularly endanger cyclists and pedestrians, most especially children. We have personally observed many near-misses. This has to stop. We ask all motorists to observe all the speed bumps and all road and traffic signs. VIOLATORS WILL BE APPREHENDED AND FINED.

We also request all cyclists to also slow down at intersections and blind curves. By not doing so, you are not only endangering your lives but also the lives of those that you may hit. Many near-misses have also been reported to us.

The new/additional speed bumps installed today are at the following intersections:
• Angeles St. corner Angeles St.
• Toledo St. corner Tagaytay St.
• Doña Ines St. corner Tacloban St.

For the newcomers reading this, Alabang Hills Village in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City is not just a major residential community but also home to churches, San Beda College Alabang and a cluster of town homes as well. It is also an essential place to pass through for residents of Barangay BF Homes and BF Homes subdivision (who have valid vehicular stickers and bicycle/motorcycle stickers issued by the AHVA) who wish to reach the Alabang area without traveling along Concha Cruz Drive.

For the non-residents reading this, If you don’t have a non-resident AHVA vehicular and you really need one right now, then you better apply online immediately by clicking https://alabanghillsvillage.com/sticker/. Also be aware of the enforcement of the “No sticker, no entry” policy towards non-residents.

For inquiries about this new development, visit https://alabanghillsvillage.com/ or call them at 88508254. You can visit their office at 1 Don Jesus Boulevard inside Alabang Hills Village from Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM. Always remember to follow their rules and speed limits whenever you are in the village. Be aware also of the recent in-village traffic adjustments.

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A Look Back at Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992)

October 11, 2022October 9, 2022carlocarrasco

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a key chapter in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics through a Superman comic book – the first full appearance of Doomsday!

To those of you who read my retro review of Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) – which was the opening chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline – you might be wondering why I decided to revisit the Death of Superman storyline so suddenly. It all comes down to context related to Superman’s eventual death and what killed him. Not only did Doomsday become a very important part of DC Comics’ gallery of super villains having achieved the killing of the Man of Steel, the oversized monster became part of DC’s further comic book universe reboots as well as part of multimedia adaptations of DC Comics stories specifically in the Smallville TV series as well as in 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Indeed, Doomsday’s place in American pop culture is sealed and that shows how much of an impact was made by the unstoppable super villain co-created by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson and Roger Stern. Doomsday was conceived way back in 1991 during the brainstorming session of the Superman comics writers and editors of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman: The Man of Steel #18, published in 1992 by DC Comics with a story written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove. This comic book marked the beginning of the Death of Superman saga.

Early story

The story begins deep underground as the left fist of a covered, large being keeps punching the metallic wall to get out of containment. As the punches keep on pounding the wall, the glove gets torn revealing a fist with gray skin and sharp bones protruding through the knuckles. After making its way out of containment, the earth shakes and the animals got disturbed as the creature – mostly covered with an alien body suit with only the left arm freed – makes its way from deep underground.

Miles away within the city of Metropolis, a young black boy buys a spray paint container (which has a fluorescent yellow paint that glows in the dark) inside a hardware store. In response to the curiosity of the store owner, the boy denies that he would use the glow-in-the-dark pain on a subway wall. The boy has a very tough task ahead of him as he will be going after monsters.

At a power station, a group of intelligent creatures make their way to steal electricity for their war machines…

Quality

*Even with only his left arm free, Doomsday still caused massive destruction causing injuries and deaths to others.*

To make things clear, this comic book tells two stories that moved in parallel together. The first story involving Superman, Lois Lane and the affairs that involved the mentioned young black boy is the typical good-versus-evil superhero tale. What made that story standout was Lois Lane’s involvement as she got into trouble facing the opposition before Superman came in to save the day. As before, seeing Lois Lane talk to Superman in the presence of others while keeping his identity secret remains engaging to read. This tale was good enough to read.

The other story that follows the sudden appearance and the early rampage of Doomsday is the more engaging one to read. This was clearly a build-up for the Death of Superman concept but it was highly effective, well-paced and clearly defined by the creative team. Not only will you see Doomsday’s unstoppable power of destruction, you will witness his complete disregard of life – animals and humans – which strongly hints the an immense danger that Superman, the Justice League America (JLA) and the people of Metropolis are not prepared for. Like the Terminator, Doomsday cannot be reasoned with as massive destruction and death are his core elements. Within the pages of this comic book, it can be viewed that Doomsday was designed for endless waves of destroying life and anything that gets in the way.

Lastly, I should state that Simonson and Bogdanove presented Doomsday not only to be destructive but also as a frightening force that people in real life would not want to see realized.

Conclusion

*The other tale that involved Lois Lane and the young black boy.*

Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992) remains a very powerful read. Yes, it is a build-up of Doomsday and the Death of Superman saga but it remains highly significant as it kicked-off the creative change of direction of DC’s Superman creative teams going towards tragedies that Superman and his allies cannot easily stop. This one marked start of Doomsday’s eventual high rise not only in comics but also in pop culture in general. That being said, this comic book is a must-have in your collection.

Overall, Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993)

October 10, 2022August 26, 2024carlocarrasco

Previously, I reviewed Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) which marked the first chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline and dramatized the impact left behind by the death of Superman. That particular comic book had strong writing and succeeded in dramatizing how Superman’s friends, associates and other characters coped with his death with the future looking uncertain to them.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman: The Man of Steel #20, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove. This comic book marked the third chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline.

Early story

The story begins with people in Metropolis struggling to move forward not only because their hero Superman died but also because of the tremendous damage left behind by Doomsday. In his headquarters, Lex Luthor is talking with the telephone surrounded by several people with Supergirl watching. The matter being discussed was the burial of Superman at Centennial Park particularly in a structure Luthor himself donated. While he has to live on with the fact that he failed to kill Superman, Luthor tells himself he can still bury him.

At the Kent farm far away from Metropolis, Jonathan and Martha Kent are agonizing not only because of the death of their beloved son but also because they realized they cannot even get near him at his funeral as it will be organized as a major event with only the important people allowed to attend…

Quality

It seems like destiny to have the super villain Lex Luthor in the presence of a fictionalized Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton during the funeral of Superman. By today’s standards, the Clintons made it normal for America to bow to terrorists and make deals with them. That being said, their inclusion in this comic book is just wrong.

To go straight to the point, like Adventures of Superman #498 (1993), this comic book continues to dramatize the impact of Superman’s death on Metropolis and its people in a very engaging manner. It shows that DC’s creative teams in charge of Superman comic book at the time were really organized and coordinated with each other on crafting the Funeral for a Friend storyline. What makes this comic book stand out is the funeral itself which was organized as a public event (with the burial itself done in the presence of important people – including a very evil couple from the Democrats who love abortion and terrorism) and this includes the presence of many other DC Comics superheroes like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Maxima, Shazam (AKA Captain Marvel) and others. The burial had its own share of intriguing and dramatic moments emphasizing the people’s struggle to adjust themselves knowing they don’t have Superman anymore to help them.

*Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Robin help out as the huge crowd became rowdy.*

More on the post-death dramatization, the creative team managed to keep Superman’s associates Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the other Daily Planet people feeling uneasy over the Man of Steel’s death which makes their work covering the funeral professionally a challenge. Unsurprisingly, Lois Lane gets her own fine share of the spotlight agonizing over the fact that she lost her beloved Clark (Superman to the public) whom she was supposed to get married with. The emotional struggle within her intensified as she experiences difficulty of informing the elderly Kent couple about what happened. This is rich writing prepared by the creators.

Not only that, the creative team also went all-out with dramatizing the impact of Superman’s good deeds on the people. You will see several people from Metropolis’ general population talk about how Superman helped them or inspired them. There are certain lines of dialogue that are quite touching to read.

Conclusion

*A pretty powerful portrayal of Lois Lane’s struggle on dealing with the new reality that she lost her beloved Superman.*

Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is another solid, post-death story emphasizing the new normal that Metropolis people and Superman’s friends are having difficulty adjusting to…a world without the Man of Steel. Based on the high quality of the storytelling and character development, it is easy to tell that the Superman titles’ creative teams planned ahead and prepared themselves for telling a post-death saga which was pretty risky given the iconic status of Superman and his decades-long legacy in comics and pop culture. This comic book really made Superman’s absence feel powerful and undeniable.

Overall, Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is recommended.

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Gamer arrested by PNP Anti-Cybercrime team

October 10, 2022October 7, 2022carlocarrasco

There is a need for us to behave ourselves and watch out backs not only in the real world but also online. I say this because the Philippine News Agency (PNA) recently reported the news of a gamer who got arrested by the Anti-Cybercrime team of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for violating key parts of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The arrest happened in Quezon City.

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

A man was arrested for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl whom he met while playing an online game, the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) reported on Friday.

In a statement, ACG chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said 35-year-old suspect Estelito Gibaga Jr. was nabbed by members of the Quezon City District Anti-Cybercrime Team (QCDACT) inside a motel located at West Point Street, E. Rodriguez Avenue on Thursday.

Based on the report submitted by QCDACT officer in charge Lt. Michael Bernardo, Gibaga met the victim, a Grade 9 student, in a public chat of an online game where both of them were players.

After a series of conversations, they shifted the conversation to “Snap Chat” and Facebook Messenger wherein they subsequently had a “virtual” romantic relationship.

During this time, the suspect allegedly sent the victim obscene photos of “himself” and asked the victim to do the same.

Bernardo said on September 6, the mother of the victim saw her daughter chatting with the suspect in the middle of the night.

When she saw the exchange of conversations between the two, she was shocked and confronted her daughter. This was when the minor admitted to her that she is being lured by the suspect into doing obscene things.

Bernardo said on September 16, the victim and her mother appeared at the office of QCDACT to lodge a complaint against the suspect, which resulted in the planning of an entrapment operation to catch him.

On Thursday, the mother and the victim reported back to QCDACT and informed the office that the suspect and the minor would meet up to watch a movie at a mall.

This prompted the Anti-Cybercrime Team to prepare an entrapment operation.

“When the suspect and the victim met at the Gateway entrance, they went to McDonald’s to take out snacks and headed to Guess Hotel. After entering the room, we lost no time in apprehending the suspect,” Bernardo said.

Doria, meanwhile, advised parents to keep a tight watch on the online activities of their children.

“Sexual predators are everywhere, even on online games,” he said.

The above article ended stating that the suspect will be charged for violating the following provisions of Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012: Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, and Article 286 (Grave Coercion).

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Are you convinced that there are a lot of sexual predators and undesirable elements among the many users of the Internet and social media?

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 as well as 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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

2023 season opener of National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series set for January 29, 2023 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone; online registration ongoing

October 7, 2022October 6, 2022carlocarrasco

For the triathletes and multisport enthusiasts based in the Philippines reading this, the 2023 season opener of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series is all set to happen on January 29, 2023 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and the good news is that you can register online right now by clicking here.

This sports event is a joint project of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) supported by Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Inc. (ACIP) and Standard Insurance.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt of key race details posted at the event page at RaceYaya.fit

2023 National Age Group Triathlon Subic Leg (part of SEATA Series)

Race Date & Time: 29 January 2023 (Sunday) at 6:00am
Event Venue: Start & Finish at The Boardwalk, Subic Bay Freeport

Highlights:
• This is part of the Southeast Asian Triathlon Association (SEATA) Series and the 2023 National Triathlon Trials.
• A qualifying/selection race for the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, Cambodia.
• A talent identification for the Philippine Triathlon Team.

Race Distances:

1. Standard Distance: 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run (Individual and Team Relay)
2. Sprint Distance: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
3. Super Sprint Distance: 500m swim, 13km bike, 2.5km run

Participants’ Categories (Top 3):

Super Sprint Distance:

13-15 Boys & Girls Only

Sprint Distance:

Elite Men
Elite Women
Jr. Elite Men 16-19 y.o.
Jr. Elite Women 16-19 y.o.
Age Group Men and Women: 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50 – over

Standard Distance:

Elite Men
Elite Women
Age Group Men:
- 18-24
- 25-29
- 30-34
- 35-39
- 40- 44
- 45-49
- 50-54
- 55 & over

Age Group Women:
- 18-24
- 25-29
- 30-34
- 35-39
- 40-44
- 45-49
- 50 & over

Team Relay (Standard Distance):

All Male
All Female
Mixed Team

Registration fees are set at P3,500/US$62.50 plus processing fee for Super Sprint Distance, P4,000/US72 plus processing fee for Sprint Distance, and P4,500/US$81 plus processing fee for Standard Distance. The entry fees cover the cost of participation, swim cap, timing chip rental, race bib, bike & helmet stickers, finisher’s medal, event shirt and post-race take-away snacks. The fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-creditable for future races of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP).

For the complete race schedule of activities and other key details, click https://register.raceya.fit/event/nagt2023

To follow or contact the TRAP, visit http://www.triathlon.org.ph/ and follow their official Facebook page.

To those who will really be traveling to Subic Bay for the January 29, 2023 triathlon, there are good places where you can have good meals and beverages at – Gourmet Garage Subic and Xtreme Xpresso Café. Read my feature articles of them.

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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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Adventures of Superman #498 (1993)

October 6, 2022October 7, 2022carlocarrasco

To put things in perspective, the Death of Superman which climaxed in Superman #75 (1993) was a major comic book event published by DC Comics and it sure involved a whole lot of risks taken by the creative teams. To put the storyline’s concept short, Superman was beaten by an overwhelming, deformed alien humanoid from outer space who caused massive destruction around. Having no real choice and knowing that his fellow super-powered allies could not stand a chance against the alien called Doomsday, Superman went all-in fighting and stood up against him while defending Metropolis and its people. Superman #75 went on to sell many millions of copies and became an instant collector’s item.

Of course, just because Superman died does not mean that the shared DC universe at that time would come to an end and DC Comics had to keep on telling what happened afterwards.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Adventures of Superman #498, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Jerry Ordway and drawn by Tom Grummett. This comic book marked the first chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline.

Early story

The story begins just moments after the Superman passed away in Lois Lane’s arms. Jimmy Olsen, the body of Doomsday and a few of Superman’s allies were near them. Bloodwynd and Dubbilex shared their respective findings that there is no life left in Superman. As emergency personnel slowly approach Doomsday’s body, Lois Lane turns emotional stating that someone has to do something for Superman. More emergency personnel arrive and attempt to revive the Man of Steel who remains lifeless.

Nearby, a man spots an unrecognizable human-like body among the rubble which turns out to be alive. Suddenly the red-headed tycoon Lex Luthor arrives to take care of the ruined being and walks away carrying it. Luthor refers to the being as a female…

Quality

*The Ordway-Grummett team should be recommended for this simple yet very dramatic look at the elderly Kent couple reacting to the death of their adopted son from Krypton.*

As a post-death Superman story, it is clear that the creative team carefully explored how the many people of Metropolis would react to the sudden death of the Man of Steal while also leaving some room to set the stage to develop Lois Lane – who at this stage knew Superman’s true identity and kept it all secret – in a new way. There were also sub-plots started here particularly with Lex Luthor and Supergirl, the people working for the Daily Planet and the Kents (Clark’s earthly mother and father). The way all the dialogue and character expressions were crafted, there is an undeniable tone of discomfort and uncertainty which dominated the narrative as I read from start to finish.

What I liked the most about this story was how the creative team showed the heavy toll of Superman’s death on Lois Lane who not only has to deal with the loss of her beloved Clark (perceived by her peers to be missing as a possible victim of Doomsday’s rampage) but also do her best to keep working professionally as a journalist of the Daily Planet. I felt Lane’s pain a lot as I read on.

Conclusion

*Tension and emotions turned high in relation to Superman’s sudden death.*

In my view, Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) is a really gripping and highly dramatic post-disaster superhero tale to read. The way it was made, it strongly kicked off the Funeral for a Friend storyline with high emotions as well as an understandable amount of uncertainty that can be seen in the characters. Understandably, there is no good-versus-evil conflict in the story nor any superhero spectacle to watch out for but the sub-plots implemented added some depth which made this post-death tale worth reading. More notably, the creative team succeeded in making the people – both in the story and the reading public – start missing Superman.

Overall, Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

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