German Honorary Consul in Davao City

Enlarge imageFrom left: Ambassador Dr. Gordon Kricke, Mr. Klaus Döring and Mrs. Rossana Balcom Döring(© German Embassy Manila)

A German Honorary Consul was appointed in Davao City, offering services to German citizens and promoting business, cultural and scientific activities in the region.

The office of the Honorary Consul may be contacted as follows:

Address:   University of Southeastern Philippines
Institute of Languages and Foreign Cultural Arts
Science Bldg., 2^nd Floor Room E 208,
Obrero Campus, Inigo Street
Davao City, 8000, Philippinen

Telephone: 0063-82-227-1761
Fax: 0063-82-227-1760
E-mail:davaocity@hk-diplo.de
                 
Head: Klaus Döring, Honorary Consul
Consular District:
Mindanao (with exception of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi)

Office Hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 a.m.to 9.15 a.m. by personal appointment

The Honorary Consul is not in charge of passport and visa matters.

I am the way

WED, JUNE 28, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINION

Klaus Doring

Many times we compare our life with a path. We talk about “the way”. We describe a determined man as, “He’s on the right track”. We go about our tracks, but we are reproved if we take a short cut and not the path across a rice field. We learn that there are many ways of solving problems.

We also don’t want to stand in other people’s way. Sometimes we prefer to keep put of someone’s way and plan to avoid getting in their way. Often we try to find the golden middle course….

Many different ways have been offered to us during our whole life. How can we be able to choose the right and correct one? Which signs at our way can be trusted blindly? These are urgent and vital questions for all of us, and, especially during this time, very important like never before.

In the past, traditions and customs are the paths, we took. Nowadays, we make decisions and long for the correct path – mostly on our own.

The German atom physician Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976) described it very impressively. The man of today is like a ship’s captain. This ship is made out of iron. The compass needle is no longer able to show the Northern direction, as expected, because of the ship’s iron inflexible body. You have one choice only: look up to the stars and study their guiding sup-port!”

We’re all happy and proud, when we have every need at our disposal. On the other hand, it only confuses our aims, goals, and objectives in life.

“I am the way” is NOT ONLY a traffic sign – or a shepherd without responsibility – or a religious founder, who thinks, that “only he is the right way, if one follows him”….

HIS way is the only right way. Only His deeds colored our fates. Let’s keep our eyes open for the important signs at our way, such as :

– Unselfish participation in the life of others;

– Courage to uncover prejudice;

– Ready to help the unprotected and defense-less;

– Struggle for freedom and justice;

– Commitment for peace.

Most of all: Love, which does not calculate and count. Love without measurements, boundaries and limits.

If you can share with others, you’ll know one day in future, that someone walked this way – earlier then you – and, and, FOR YOU!

Roxanne Barcelo - The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson Cover) for FHM Sessions

A child named "Peace"

Born amid Marawi conflict: A child named 'Peace'

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Jun 25 2017 05:16 PM

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Sahir closes his eyes as her mother lulls him to sleep inside a packed evacuation center in Iligan City. Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - In a packed evacuation center in Iligan City, Tarhata Mustari carries her month-old child she initially named Marcial as they try to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Sunday.

Mustari gave birth to her baby last May 23, the day Islamic State-inspired terrorists took over portions of their hometown, Marawi City.

She named her baby Marcial at first because it was the day President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the whole Mindanao island.

But later on, Mustari said she decided to change the name of her child to Sahir, the Maranao word for peace, hoping for good things to come for her baby boy.

"Sana lumaki siyang maging masigla, makapag-aral siya nang mabuti. Sana mahaba pa rin ang buhay naming lahat," the mother said.

Mustari said Sahari's name is not yet legal as they have yet to get and sign documents needed from the Marawi City Hall's registry due to the ongoing war.

There are over 3,000 displaced Marawi residents staying in five evacuation centers in Iligan City, while 45,604 stay are home-based evacuees, data from the local government show.

In Barangay Buru-un alone, there are already some 269 evacuees. The most crowded evacuation center in Iligan is the Santa Elena Gymnasium where around 1,198 uprooted residents stay.

Displaced Marawi residents are hoping and praying that the conflict ends as soon as possible so they can return to their homes.

But a military spokesman last week said military operations against the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups in Marawi may still take time.

As of latest count, the government said they have killed at least 280 suspected terrorists while there are already 69 deaths on the government side.

At least 26 civilians, meanwhile, have also died due to enemy fire, according to the military, who admitted having difficulty in forcing enemy snipers out of their hiding places. -- Report from Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News

BusinessWeek Mindanao: Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany

Filipinos remain among world's most emtional

By Jeremaiah Opiniano (philstar.com) 

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In this Nov. 23, 2016 file photo shows Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa turned emotional during the Senate probe into the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa. The STAR/Mong Pintolo, File photo

LIPA CITY, Philippines (The Filipino Connection) — Maricar Garcia got a small strip of paper near the police station here and thought it was a scented sheet. The two sentences on that strip gave a different "scent": positivity.

 

"PRAY until your SITUATION CHANGES. MIRACLES happen EVERYDAY," reads the strip.

 

I am just amazed, Garcia said in Filipino on her post to this city's biggest Facebook group "Lipa City Philippines." "It (the message) gives good vibes especially in this humid weather while I was walking," Garcia said.

 

This simple showcasing of positivity, at least through the Filipino social media universe, continues to make the Philippines among the world's most emotional societies.

 

The Philippines tied for third among 142 countries with the highest positive experiences, says an annual survey of people's emotions by the polling firm Gallup. This is while the Philippines, in Gallup's annual Global Emotions Report, remained as Asia's most emotional country for the third year in a row.

 

The 2017 GER's Positive Experiences Index showed that the Philippines' index score was at 82 percent, tied with Panama. Paraguay was the highest at 84 percent, followed by Costa Rica with 83 percent.

 

 

For this specific Index in the said Global Emotions Report, the Philippines is the highest among Asian countries.

 

The Philippines' 2017 mean score in the Positive Experiences Index was higher than the global mean of 70 percent.

 

Meanwhile, in the major finding for "Total Emotions," the Philippines was third with 58 percent. Ecuador topped here with 60 percent while El Salvador and Liberia each posted 59 percent.

 

 

The "Total Emotions" item of the Gallup Global Emotions survey featured ten questions that make up the survey's positive and negative experiences indices. This indicates which countries are the most and least emotional.

 

The Gallup's Global Emotions Report contains five questions each for positive and negative indices that help measure "life's intangibles" — pertaining to feelings and emotions — that traditional economic indicators such as gross domestic product cannot or never even intended to capture. 

 

Either the positive or negative experiences index, Gallup adds, "provides a real-time snapshot of people's daily experiences" so as to give indications on the health of societies that economic measures alone cannot capture. 

 

About 149,000 individuals from 142 countries were surveyed in this 2017 Global Emotions Report. 

 

The ten questions were part of the annual Gallup World Poll that annually tracks some of the most important issues like food access, employment, leaders' performances and well being. This Gallup World Poll includes more than a hundred global questions as well as region-specific questions, Gallup explains.

 

Gallup asks the same questions "every time, in the same way" that allows analysts to trend data annually, or even make direct country comparisons.

 

On the 149,000 people surveyed worldwide for the 2017 World Poll, and for results based on the total sample of national adults, the Gallup World Poll's margin of sampling error ranged from ±2.1 percentage points to ±5.3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

 

The Global Emotions Report's positive experiences set of questions asked questions such as:

 

• Did you feel well-rested yesterday? 

• Were you treated with respect all day yesterday? 

• Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday? 

• Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday? 

• Did you experience the following feelings during a lot of the day yesterday? How about enjoyment?

 

The scores for the Positive and Negative Experiences Indices are the mean (or average) scores of "all valid affirmative responses" — multiplied by 100 — for the five questions in each index, Gallup explains. 

 

The Philippines, in the 2016 edition of the Global Emotions Report, was among four countries — together with Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala — with the highest emotions worldwide. 

 

In the 2015 edition, the Philippines tied with Ecuador for second (58 percent) behind Bolivia and El Salvador (59 percent each) in terms of the most emotions.

 

But it was only in the 2017 edition of the Global Emotions Report that the Philippines broke into the top ten of the Positive Experiences Index.

 

In releasing the 2017 Global Emotions Report, the polling firm notes what it claims to be an important observation in the field of  behavioral economics: only 30 percent of an individual's behavior is "rational — (and) the other 70 percent is emotional," Gallup said.

 

"While organizations are starting to apply this (said) concept at a microlevel, governments have been slow to do it at a macro-level," Gallup wrote.

 

***

 

Jeremaiah Opiniano is the publisher of The Filipino Connection

Mindanao Daily Front Page June 19, 2017

Philippines Bet Breaks into top 4 of Asia's Next Top Model

PH bet breaks into top 4 of 'Asia's Next Top Model'

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Jun 15 2017 04:18 AM

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For someone who has been written off as a no-talent model by fellow contestants, Maureen Wroblewitz sure is killing it on the newest season of "Asia's Next Top Model." 

The Filipina made it to the top four after winning best photo in Wednesday's episode, with the judges praising the edginess she showed with her face during this week's challenge. 

All of the remaining five, Wroblewitz included, had to work on a tropical winter shoot while wearing ice skates. 

Maureen Wroblewitz nabbed best photo from this week's challenge. Asia's Next Top Model

Wroblewitz is the only Filipina left in the competition following the elimination of Jennica Sanchez and Anjelica Santillan early on. 

She wrote on Instagram moments after the episode aired: "I've learned a lot about myself throughout this competition. But the most important thing I've learned is that I never give up.

"I'll keep fighting no matter what and I'll be doing this for all of you. I also wanted to thank you all for the amazing support! You all mean the world to me!

"So many people have been telling me how proud they are of me and you have no idea how much those words mean to me. I hope I inspire every single one of you to go out there and do what you want to do." 

Joining Wroblewitz in the the top four is Indonesia's Clara Tan, who earlier labeled Wroblewitz as a "pretty face but with no skills."  

Malaysia's Shikin Gomez and Vietnam's Minh Tu Nguyen are also through to the next round. Taiwan's Cindy Chen was eliminated. 

A representative from the Philippines has yet to win an edition of "Asia's Next Top Model." 

President Duterte is well

Palace: President Duterte is well, still in Malacañang

By Rosette Adel (philstar.com) | Updated June 15, 2017 - 12:57pm

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President Rodrigo Duterte had skipped the Independence Day rites last Monday purportedly due to exhaustion from his previous engagement late Sunday at the Villamor Air Base and Fort Bonifacio where he witnessed the arrival of the remains of soldiers slain in Marawi and condoled with their families. He stayed at the Marine base at Fort Bonifacio until after midnight. File

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday dismissed speculations on President Rodrigo Duterte’s health amid his absence in the public eye.

“The president is well,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said when asked if Duterte is sick.

Abella reiterated that Duterte is just resting but refused to provide a definite time when the president would be seen in public again. He also denied social media reports that Duterte is currently in Davao.

The presidential spokesperson said Duterte is just taking his time in Malacañang.

“The president needs [rest]. You have to consider that he has been on the road for at least 23 days regarding fulfilling his martial law supervisions. It has been really brutal so we have to allow him this kind of rest,” Abella said.

“He's taking some time off to to rejuvenate,” he added.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Asked if the president has seen a doctor lately, Abella said he was not privy to the matter but he said he is sure that he has already consulted an expert.

Alejano slams Duterte's absence from public

Meanwhile, Duterte’s critic,  Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, urged Malacañang to issue a regular update on Duterte’s health as he cast doubts on the president’s absence from the public.

“The absence of the president from the public is very unusual especially there is still an ongoing crisis in Marawi. Much more to be absent for a week without explanation except to rest,” the solon said.

“People can not help but speculate about the status of president's health. Malacañang should be forthright in informing the public about this. President's health is a national security issue,” he concluded.

Article VII Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution also states that in case the president has a serious illness, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.

 

"The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall not be denied access to the Philippines during such illness,"

Abella previously said the president is in “excellent health” after he skipped the Philippine Independence Day rites last Monday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano last Monday said that the president did not attend the June 12 ceremonies since he is not feeling well.

Asked if this is the longest time the president has been away from the public, Abella said he is not sure but clarifies that the president usually has his own schedule. He also said the president may travel to Davao one of these days.

Last December, Duterte admitted that he has health issues including a migraine that he endures every day. 

I am in no laughing mood ...

I am in no laughing mood…

TUE, JUNE 13, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINION

A friend of mine contacted me recently. Another said, “This is hardly the time to do so.” Understandable, if I consider his very personal situation.

Anyway, it seems we have no more time and no reason for laughter if we look around. That can wait until tomorrow or better until the day after tomorrow. Anticipation is better… .

Our enemies laugh up their sleeves, and most of the time we miss to recognize the fortune still smiling at us. But hold on: he who laughs last laughs longest. Remember?

American neurologist Henri Rubenstein says, laughter lowers high blood pressure while aiding digestion and fostering sleep. Well, give me even a simple smile and believe in what  experts say: “Good humor can help the gravely or terminally ill to hear their ordeal”.

Of course, if we look around us these days, we might really don’t roar with laughter or split our sides laughing. Or even more then this! have you heard about the incident at the Danish Imperial Theatre in Copenhagen/Denmark sometime during the 1980s, when a spectator dropped dead of heart attack while watching the movie “A Fish Called Wanda” starring John Cheese of my favorite Great Britain’s Monty Python Comedy Team? Sure, a heart attack is indeed not funny, and honestly, I still love to watch this movie on VHS.

Well, even if we think we don’t have reasons to laugh, we should try to express mirth spontaneously, and we should try to be merry or gay. We still have reasons to start with the softest form of audible laughter – the vocalized smile. This is what I learned and experienced from the first moment on while travelling in Asia since 1978, and being an expat living in the Philippines since 1999 for good. Keep smiling – even you are overloaded with huge problems.

Experts also say good humor works because it helps people feel easier in mind. The French psychotherapist Sylvie Tenenbaum stressed, that, in her patients, laughter often signals the dawning of a wholesome awakening to reality. Gallow humor might be dubious in the eyes of others. But try to sing out loud, try to cry, but try to laugh!

As a devote Christian I love reading the bible. Ecclessiastes 3:1-4 say: “There is a time for everything … a time to be born and a time to die ,,, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh!”

Comval Holds Independence Day

Comval holds Independence day

by Fe F Maestre

Compostela Valley Province-- The province joins the nation in commemorating the 119th Philippine Independence Day celebration in a simple yet signifcant ceremony that started with a motorcade at the capital town of Nabunturan before proceeding at the provincial capitol early morning on June 12, 2017.

"Today, we commemorate our Independence. We remember our heroes who valiantly fought to reclaim our freedom--from the likes of Jose Rizal, the Katipuneros, the Moro warriors and the unsung men and women whose names are unknown. We owe them the freedom that we enjoy now. And it is only fitting that we extend our thanks and gratitude by celebrating their heroism," Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy said.

Delivering his message before local officials and employees, national government agencies and other sectors, the governor also took the opportunity to remind the public to "use freedom responsibly" such as in the use of social media to educate and influence other people.  "Do not share fake news, do not spread wrong information, " he said.

The governor also underscored one of the country's tradition in enhancing freedom which is the culture of Bayanihan. "We are free because we stood up together and we can only remain free by doing the same..let's start to be unifying rather than divisive. Let's continue to pracice bayanihan and to be "bayanis" in our own little ways," the governor added.

Incidentally, Comval culminated the National Gawad Kalinga Build on June 11 in Barangay Pasian, Monkayo where an initial  14 houses (7 duplex-type) were built through the GK way for the family-beneficiaries who were affected in the road widening project in the area.  

BGen. Macairog S. Alberto, 1001st Brigade Commanding Officer, 10th ID also shared his message as the guest speaker along with SP Member Vivencia Secuya, in behalf of Vice-Gov. Manuel Zamora, and Cong. Ruwell Peter Gonzaga, Dist. II  who gave their opening and closing message, respectively.

"Let us use this day to remind ourselves of the duty we need to fulfill as part of one free community. Sila tung-una, kita na pud karon. Kinahanglan natong ipahinumdum sa atong mga kaugalingon na angay natong panalipdan ang atong kagawasan,"  Gov. Uy said. (fe f. maestre, ids comval)   

Bridges

MON, JUNE 12, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

In 1982, I visited Davao City for the first time in my life. I learned about the awesome project of a bridge from Davao City to Samal Island. I can’t see this bridge till today.

We are all bridge builders during our whole life. I am not talking about the raised platform on a ship or a bridge mounting for false teeth or, as in the bony part of the nose. I am talking about spiritual bridges establishing connections between us and other people – or, between God and us.

Another elementary example is the “birthday bridge” or the turn to the year, that takes us from the old into a new period of life. A very important bridge in life takes people to me and me to people. It matters not if our skin is black or white, if we are rich or or poor, man or woman, being sad or happy.

So obvious our daily life is that we might even forget simple things easily. Self-esteem, respect and freedom from anxiety are the necessary and conclusive foundations for this kind of bridge.

Small but important bridges every day – how easily are they to be built: gestures of love – like a medicine; a handshake together with commen-dation and praise, encouraging words, a warm smile, instead of a superficial “How are you?” and the expected “Fine” or “OKAY LANG!”.

Allow me to say it clearly and direct to the point: Separations result from crumbled or fit for demolition bridges. Destroyed spiritual bridges can be found at any corner. Look into your neigh-borhood or, don’t drive away and repress this topic in your family. Insignificant trifling matters, minor arguing, misinterpretations, results in silence – and after the des-troyed bridge follows an in invincible wall not only between estates but also in the hearts and minds of stubborn human beings.

I was born and grew up together with my parents in a parish house. Up to the time of my active performances – among many other things – I did learn this:

“Build your own bridge to God and never doubt in Him. Always remember His promise. When a rainbow appears, it confirms His proximity and neighborhood and His faith. God’s unique bridge, a rainbow, is always there and durable, long lasting and solid. The main bridge, which afford passage to God, is the institution “church”.

National Science and Technology Week in Davao

DOST XI to celebrate National Science and Technology Week on July 3-5

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the region is set to conduct its annual National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) on July 3-5, 2017 at the NCCC Mall of Davao. In line with the directives of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to bring science and technology services to the region, this year’s theme would be “Science for the People”.

The three-day celebration will also coincide with the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit (RICE) 2017. This nationwide activity is conducted in every region to recognize the ingenuity of local researchers and inventors. There are six (6) categories for the competition, namely: Invention (Tuklas Award), Utility Model, Industrial Design, Creative Research (Likha Award), Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for High School and College. Winners will receive cash prizes and will have the chance to represent Davao Region in the National Invention Contest and Exhibit (NICE) in 2018.

As initiated by DOST Region XI, a new category will be added, the Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for Elementary Students. This is to encourage young students to create innovative researches and models. In this category, however, students will be competing only here in the region.

Meanwhile, all projects and programs of the DOST in the region will be featured and will have a space during the NSTW. The Scholarship programs, Davao Food Safety Team, OneLab, Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC), and Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) among others will be showcased. There would also be a scientific fora and lectures on topics that are related to science and technology.

To submit entries to the RICE 2017, you may download the contest rules, criteria, and entry forms at region11.dost.gov.ph/downloads. Deadline of submission is on June 26, 2017, 5:00 PM For more information regarding the NSTW 2017 celebration, you may visit region11.dost.gov.ph and or contact us at (082) 227-1313 or info.dost11@gmail.com.

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