COVID variant 'tsunami' as world cases hit record

Published December 30, 2021, 6:30 AM by Agence-France-Presse

PARIS, France — A COVID variant-driven “tsunami” threatens to overwhelm healthcare systems, the WHO said Wednesday as AFP data showed cases have surged across the world in the past week to levels never seen before.

Highly transmissible Omicron propelled the United States, France and Denmark to fresh records on Wednesday, with AFP’s tally of 6.55 million infections reported globally for seven days through Tuesday showing the unprecedented spread.

They were the highest figures since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020, underscoring the blistering pace of Omicron transmission, with tens of millions of people facing a second consecutive year of restrictions dampening New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“I am highly concerned that Omicron, being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference.

“This is and will continue to put immense pressure on exhausted health workers, and health systems on the brink of collapse,” he added.

The surge, currently worst in Europe, is forcing governments to walk a tightrope between imposing restrictions designed to stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed and the need to keep economies and societies open two years after the virus first emerged in late 2019.

The United States, where Omicron is already overwhelming hospitals, recorded its highest-ever seven-day average of new cases at 265,427, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University.

Harvard epidemiologist and immunologist Michael Mina tweeted that the count was likely the “tip of the iceberg” with the true number of cases likely far higher, because of a shortage of tests.

But the country also appears to be experiencing a decoupling between infections and severe outcomes compared to previous waves, officials noted, as evidence accumulates of milder outcomes under the new variant.

France on Wednesday registered a new daily record of more than 200,000 cases — more than double the number recorded on Christmas Day — and extended into January the closure of nightclubs.

Denmark, which currently has the world’s highest rate of infection per person, recorded a fresh record of 23,228 new infections, which authorities attributed in part to the large numbers of tests carried out after Christmas celebrations.

Portugal also saw a record with nearly 27,000 cases reported in 24 hours, while Lebanon had 3,150 new infections — its highest daily tally since vaccines rolled out earlier this year.

– No music in Greek bars –

Studies suggest Omicron, now the dominant strain in some countries, carries a reduced risk of being admitted to hospital, but the World Health Organization still urged caution.

More than 5.4 million people around the world have died from Covid-19, but over the last week the number of deaths averaged 6,450 a day, the AFP tally said, the lowest since October 2020.

In Europe, where more than 3.5 million cases have been recorded in the last seven days, Greece banned music in bars and restaurants until January 16, including on New Year’s Eve.

French lawmakers were to start debating a new law that will only allow those vaccinated to enter restaurants, cinemas, museums and other public venues — no longer those showing proof of a negative Covid test.

Germany has put restrictions on sports competitions and shut nightclubs, limiting private gatherings to 10 vaccinated people — or two households where any unvaccinated people are present.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 90 percent of coronavirus patients in intensive care units had not had a booster jab, defending his decision not to clamp down on festivities.

The high take-up of boosters in England “is allowing us to go ahead with New Year in the cautious way that we are,” he said despite new closures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

– New Year’s Eve cancelled –

In Asia, Vietnam — an export-reliant economy long seen as a success story — reported economic growth for 2021 at a 30-year low of just 2.58 percent, as the pandemic takes its toll.

Armed police in Jingxi in southern China, near the border with Vietnam, paraded four alleged violators of Covid rules through the streets, state media reported, a practice that was banned but which has resurfaced in the struggle to enforce a zero-Covid policy.

Mexico City’s mayor on Tuesday cancelled the capital’s massive New Year’s Eve celebrations as a preventative measure after a rise in Covid-19 cases.

In Ukraine, three people died after a candle lit by a hospital employee in memory of a patient who died of the virus, started a fire in an intensive care unit in the western town of Kosiv.

“Ignorance of the elementary laws of physics and disregard for safety rules have led to irreparable losses,” the emergencies services said, describing the incident as a “terrible mistake”.

Who can travel to Germany now that COVID restrictions are being tightened again?

 Author Felix Schlagwein, DW

Coronavirus infections are surging in Germany. What does this mean for tourists? Here are the answers to some of the most pressing questions.

The fourth coronavirus wave is currently resulting in record infections in many European countries — including Germany. In some places, the situation is so dramatic that public events and fairs have been canceled and contact restrictions introduced.

Tourist travel has also been banned in parts of Germany. In November, the US once more issued a warning against visiting Germany, although vaccinated tourists can still enter. What do these developments mean for anyone wishing to enter Germany? What quarantine rules apply? And what do German holidaymakers need to bear in mind when returning home? Here are answers to some of the most important questions.

Who can enter Germany?

Despite soaring infections, conditions for entering Germany are in some cases more relaxed than they were a year ago. Nevertheless, all arrivals from the age of 12 must present proof of vaccination, recovery, or an approved negative COVID-19 test, regardless of where they are coming from and by what means of transport. This requirement will remain in force until January 15, 2022. Entry is possible from all EU countries as well as the Schengen-associated states of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Before traveling to Germany, make sure to get an overview of the latest developments and rules. Travelers can find detailed information on the websites of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior and the Foreign Office.

Are people from third countries allowed to travel to Germany?

Entry from third countries is possible again, albeit only under certain conditions. Residents from a list of "safe" third countries, which includes Australia and Canada, may enter Germany for any purpose, subject to the above-mentioned documentation requirement. Travelers from other third countries, including the US, must either be fully vaccinated or put forward pressing grounds for their trip.

In an effort to contain the spread of the new omicron variant, along with other EU states, Germany on November 26 imposed a temporary ban on arrivals from Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa and several other African nations until further notice. Airlines are only allowed to transport German nationals and permanent residents from these countries. Arrivals must then quarantine for 14 days. The UK was added to this list of countries designated areas of variants concern on December 20.

Only vaccines approved by Germany's Paul Ehrlich Institute are recognized, which currently comprises vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Licensed foreign versions of these vaccines are recognized as equivalent. A person is considered fully vaccinated if 14 days have passed since the second shot. For those who have recovered from a coronavirus infection, a single dose is sufficient. Also, only one vaccination is required for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Who needs to quarantine?

All arrivals failing to present proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative COVID-19 test must self-isolate. Likewise, arrivals from high-risk and virus variant countries must quarantine in Germany.

Travelers from high-risk countries must spend ten days in self-isolation, whereas those from virus variant countries must self-isolate for two weeks.

Individuals from high-risk countries may cease self-isolating if they can present a negative test result on day five. This option is not available for people from virus variant destinations.

Germany's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, currently classifies a spate of EU member states high-risk countries, among them Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria and Croatia. Anyone wishing to travel to Germany from there must complete a digital passenger locator form. At the moment, Germany does not list any virus variant countries.

Before planning your journey, be sure to check whether Germany deems your country a high-risk and virus variant destination.

Do I need to take a coronavirus test before arriving?

Not necessarily. Provided travelers can prove they are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from a coronavirus infection, no test is needed. Some airlines and train operators, however, ask passengers to take an additional COVID-19 test.

In Germany, PCR tests are accepted only if taken within the past 72 hours, rapid tests may be no older than 48 hours.

I'm a German tourist and contracted the coronavirus on holiday. May I return to Germany?

The Ministry of Health urges anyone who has fallen ill with COVID-19 to quarantine abroad, instead of returning home and potentially infecting others. Even so, authorities may not refuse entry to Germany. If you do make your way back, be sure to self-isolate the moment to step foot on German soil.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is barred from air travel. Likewise, infected individuals from high-risk or virus variant destinations are also banned from traveling to Germany.

I want to travel to Germany with my children. Which rules apply?

The rules set out above apply to children aged 12 and above. Those below this age are exempt from proving they are vaccinated, have recovered, or tested negative. Moreover, they are required to quarantine only for five days when returning from a high-risk country.

I have a stopover at a German airport. Which rules apply to me?

Persons changing flights at a German airport without entering the country can disregard Germany's travel rules. The same applies to persons who are transiting through Germany without stopping. In this case, travelers are not required to go into quarantine, nor complete a passenger locator form. It is advisable, however, to become acquainted with the entry rules of your final destination. If en route to another EU country, be sure to consult Re-open EU, a platform with detailed information on travel rules and coronavirus rules in all EU member states.

May I travel freely inside Germany after my arrival?

In principle, yes. But as all 16 of Germany's federal states have the power to pass individual coronavirus regulations, you should carefully check where you are planning to go. Saxony, which has recorded a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases, has severely restricted public life to contain the outbreak. Tourists are temporarily banned from visiting the state. Business travelers, meanwhile, are still welcome. Bavaria has instituted similarly strict rules.

May tourists visit cinemas, museums and restaurants in Germany?

Rules can vary from state to state, and sometimes even by region. Many federal states such as Berlin, Hamburg, Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia have instituted the so-called "2G" ("geimpft oder genesen" — vaccinated or recovered) rule for many venues and public events. It means only persons who can prove they are vaccinated or have recovered may enter restaurants, museums and attend certain events. Unvaccinated guests will find it challenging to go about touristic activities.

Germany's epidemiological situation is in flux. States and regions may adapt or even intensify measures aimed at curbing the recent infection surge. Some have even called for the "2G" rule to be rolled out nationwide.

In any case, tourists are well-advised to research the latest rules applicable in the parts of Germany they wish to visit.

What must I do if I contract the coronavirus during my stay in Germany?

Go into quarantine as fast as possible and inform the health authority in question. To find out which agency to contact, consult this website. If you are having severe COVID-19 symptoms, call a doctor or ring the following number: 116 117. In an emergency, dial 112 or go to your nearest hospital.

Let’s be ready to be contradicted

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

IF we have to be consistent with our Christian identity, then we have to be ready to be a sign of contradiction, as Christ himself was and continues to be. Let’s not forget that prophecy made by Simeon when the child Jesus was presented in the temple. “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself (Mary) a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Lk 2,34-35)

We have to train ourselves to be tough with the toughness of Christ so we can take on any and all forms of contradictions that we can encounter in life. Yes, we can be misunderstood, slandered, mocked, persecuted and even martyred in this life. But we should not worry, because as Christ himself assured us, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (Jn 16,33)

Our toughness should be the toughness of Christ who was and continues to be willing to bear all the problems of men, and goes all the way to offer his life for the salvation of men.

With Christ and in him, our toughness would also know how to be tender and gentle, how to be understanding, compassionate and empathetic, as described in this passage from the gospel of St. Matthew: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish, till he leads justice to victory.” (12,20)

While our toughness will always be a fruit, first of all, of God’s grace, it will also depend on our proper attitude, skills and virtues. What we have to do first is to rein in but not suppress our emotions and passions, subjecting them to the tenets of our faith rather than just the impulses of our hormones.

We have to learn how not to over dramatize the pain and suffering involved in bearing the burdens of others. This is important because this will help us to think more objectively, and therefore enable us to make better judgments and assessments of things.

What can also be helpful is the consideration that when we exert the effort—sometimes the heroic effort—to bear the burdens of the others with Christ, we are actually already helping them greatly. It is the truth about the communion of saints that assures us that whatever we suffer for the others will always redound to their own good.

We need to remember that everything is under God’s control. If some bad things happen to us, it must be because there is a reason and a purpose behind it. We need to see the bigger picture that God provides us through our faith, hope and charity. We should not be guided simply by our own estimation of things. We have to go to God.

Let’s remember that as long as we are with God, as long as we believe and love him, everything will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28) He knows how to derive good from evil, since everything depends on him, he being the Creator of all things. No matter how a creature goes against him, that creature cannot overcome him.

We need to channel and assimilate this wonderful truth of our faith into our emotional and psychological systems which are where our useless worrying takes place.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Let’s be like St. John, the Apostle

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

ON the Feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, on December 27, let’s try to capture his youthful love for Christ that would truly help us in our spiritual life. Like him, we should be both most eager to look for Christ and yet restrained to observe what we may also consider as some legitimate earthly protocols.

Yes, let’s be forceful and eager in our love for God and yet know how to be discreet and natural about it, given our human and earthly conditions.

This was shown in that gospel episode where the apostles were told about the empty tomb of Christ, and Peter and John immediately proceeded to check on it, but it was John who arrived at the tomb first. And yet he waited for Peter, the head of the apostles, to arrive before entering into the tomb. (cfr. Jn 20,1-8)

Here we can clearly see how the youthful John is showing the vigor of his love and fidelity to Christ. It was also this kind of love and fidelity that enabled him to be the first one to recognize Christ in that episode where the risen Christ appeared in the shore where the apostles were fishing. (cfr. Jn 21,7)

When the risen Christ at the shore first asked the apostles whether they had caught some fish, they did not at first recognize him. It was John who, by his youthful love for Christ, immediately recognize him. “It is the Lord,” he said.

We have to see to it that our love for Christ is authentic and not just something that we profess but not supported by our deeds. If there is true love, there is some kind of forcefulness and eagerness to do things, even at great cost, that would be unavoidable.

It’s true that where there is love, there is also some kind of forcefulness, an abiding state of being driven despite the variations of our bodily and other earthly conditions. Where there is love, we can only echo what Christ himself said: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 12,49)

Where there is love, we would be clear about what the real and ultimate purpose of our life is, we would have a good sense of direction even if we are presented with many alternative options, we would not mind the many difficulties and challenges we can encounter as we go along. In fact, we would find great meaning in them.

This is the ideal condition for all of us. Even if we are endowed only with the most phlegmatic and melancholic temperaments, something must be burning inside our heart that cannot help but burst into a flame, a flame of love, of self-giving, of serving without expecting any return, without counting the cost. If it is not yet there, then let’s enkindle it.

For this Christian instinct to develop in us, we have to learn how to look for Him in everything that we do and handle so we can find him. And finding him, we can be drawn to serve him.  This, I believe, is what loving Christ actually entails.

This should be like a healthy obsession that we have to cultivate. This obviously goes beyond our natural powers. The grace of God is needed, but we should also do our part. Let’s ask the intercession of St. John the Apostle for this intention!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

“Giving back” this Christmas: DdO extends relief aid in Odette-hit areas

Davao de Oro Province---“Daghang tawo ang mitabang kanato kadtong panahon nga mi-atubang pod kita ug trahedya tuig 2012. Katungdanan nato nga tabangan usab ang atong mga igsoon nga nanginahanglan sa atong pag-alalay. Ang pagtabang mao’y tinuod nga diwa sa Pasko,” said Governor Tyron Uy referring to the time the province was hit by Typhoon Pablo on December 4, 2012.

After making landfall in Visayas and a large portion of Mindanao, Typhoon Odette caused extensive damage to life and properties, and placed survivors in a situation where access to primary needs is scarce.

Right after, the provincial government of Davao de Oro initiated a relief operations movement calling various sectors both public and private for in-kind donations such as food and other necessities for the survivors of Typhoon Odette. The province alone donated close to P3M worth of food and non-food items plus additional in-kind donations coming from various individuals, groups, and businesses who gave their donations at the Provincial Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

On December 23, 2021, Gov. Uy sent off the “Walang Iwanan” team led by PDRRMO head Joseph Randy Loy to give the assistance for the provinces of Dinagat Islands, local government units of Siargao, and Surigao del Norte. The team first arrived in Butuan City and checked in at the RDRRMC EOC and later at the DSWD Regional Office. DSWD Usec. Felicisimo Budiongan and DSWD OIC Regional Director Ramel F. Jam extended their thanks to the province for the assistance. From there, the team went to oversee the unloading of ten (10) heavy trucks carrying the relief goods.

In the afternoon, they arrived at Surigao City to hand in yet another set of donations at their Provincial EOC and proceeded to Brgy. Togbongon to personally visit and distribute the 350 relief goods to the affected families. “Wala gyud mi nagdahum makaabut mo diri, bisan pa sa kalayo sa among lugar. Maayo na lang makapamasko pa gihapon mi sa inyong tabang,” a teary-eyed elderly resident said.

Then and now, DdO’s “bayanihan” way of helping is not only bound for its people, but it also extends its service, and lives through the merit of “Walang Iwanan.”(JA, PAO-IPRD)

Between the years

Many times we are really in too much of a hurry while feeling uncomfortable if we notice how time flies. Yes, my late grandmother was right, when she said: The older you become, the faster time passes by. My late mother told us the same. Yes, I am 68 now. I can only strongly agree with them.

When I was still a teenager, I was longing to be an adult already. Later, I enjoyed listening to my late grandmother (born 1898!) stories such as "Once upon a time" or "When I was young" from her life yesterday's life... .

After a couple of years, especially while observing that time really flies like a racket to the moon, I also have the same question in mind: Are the present hours and days less valuable?

Of course, each day has its own set of happiness and trials. But it also holds very high possibilities of how we take the initiative to do or to move something, if ...! Yes, the luring term IF lets us look into the future  with an overblown "glistening" eye: IF I will finish my studies - IF my children become adults - IF I might become rich and win in the lottery, yes IF! And then?

Christmas is gone, if you might read this. The next turn of the year is just around the corner. For most of us it's time to come to our senses. The future prospects smile at us already. What might the New Year bring us? Is life in the future easier, nicer, more charming and more fulfilled compared to the present or the almost finished 2021? The thoughts fill me with horror, because tragicomic future visions can easily blur away our present day.

A possible topsy-turvy world of a golden youth tries to let us forget that also the past has had its shares of disappointments, pains, tears, darkness, tricky as well as desperate days... yes, lost days, irretrievable time... .We dream our impossible dreams from last year, this 2021 to the future and vice versa. We forget that between yesterday and tomorrow is our valuable presence. Well, now well then - if we know how to fulfill this period.

I will be taking a short break from many tasks and appointments. I will be trusting in God, because He takes care of me and my future.  Don't allow the daily hectic and stress of this season kill your senses. 

Why the long Christmas celebration?

We’ve been in a holiday mood since September, but now that we have about two more weeks to wrap up the party, we can ask ourselves why we celebrate this occasion so long.

By Edgar Timbungco *

ESSENCE OF YULETIDE Christmas Belen

Filipinos take pride in having the longest celebration of Christmas this side of Christendom. Now that that the long wait is over, though we can keep the décor and the Christmas tree up for two more weeks, what benefits has this months-long celebration given us?

A quick crowd sourcing from family members and friends in social media, yielded the following benefits:

Economic gains

The first set of benefits point to the apparent economic gains, now enjoyed by both traditional and online retail outlets. My daughter is quick to point out how the pandemic has prompted consumers to resort to e-commerce for purchasing food and other essential items for their household. This has become part of the “new normal,” a major vehicle for the Filipinos’ Christmas shopping.

A former colleague writes, “The long celebration provides more opportunities for these businesses, in the process stimulating economic activity on and boosting the local economy to go back to pre-pandemic levels.” Certainly, many of us joined the bandwagon in the 9/9, 10/10, 11/11, and the 12/12 sales promos!

The amount of spending is always expected to spike at Christmastime. This year, since the restrictions in some urban centers had been relaxed by government some weeks ago, the economy has been given the chance to take advantage of the Christmas boost.

Emotional boost

Another workmate says, “The four-month celebration gets people into the jolly and generous Christmas mood earlier. If you have kids, it would provide a good incentive to get them to behave themselves before Christmas time.” I am reminded of how my grandson perseveres to do good in school so he could get the Christmas gift he has been praying for.

Meanwhile, a co-teacher describes how “it sort of primes us up that Christmas is coming (as) we need to prepare financially, emotionally, even physically for the long parties and reunions come December.” A photographer friend adds that “it stretches the yearning for a good family holiday and puts one in the mood.”

The long celebration of Christmas in the Philippines will persist, as long as there are kids who are excited to open their presents under the Christmas tree and as long as there are adults who find joy in putting a smile on their loved ones’ faces.

Meanwhile, a friend mentions that “the long Christmas celebration (also) gives us time to plan and think about the gifts we could give to our loved ones or the charitable acts we would like to do.” This is reinforced by a friend who observes that “Pinoys tend to be more generous during Christmas.”

Another thing to plan for are the “get-togethers, reunions, and extended vacations.” These are driven by Pinoys’ love for celebrations, my wife adds, admitting that she is one of those who really get excited the moment the “ber” months begin.

Joyful anticipation

As a Christian nation, we are afforded “greater opportunity to enjoy the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ,” even if the misa de gallos, noche buenas, and kris kringles now have their virtual options because of safety concerns. A team lead says the long-celebration engenders hope as we anticipate the series of joyful events from September to January to see us through these uncertain times.

All these are good for our mental health, a friend states. “An extra opiate for the public (in a good way),” a nephew adds.

But there were also those who question the practice, suggesting that it should be cut short to two months, worried perhaps about the seeming impracticality of the overdrawn celebration. One couldn’t help but be cynical, “are there benefits, to begin with?”

These opposing views notwithstanding, I think the long celebration of Christmas in the Philippines will persist, as long as there are kids who are excited to open their presents under the Christmas tree and as long as there are adults who find joy in putting a smile on their loved ones’ faces when affirmations of love accompany the hearty food that they serve and partake of at the Noche Buena table.

ANALYZING BENEFITS The author, Ed Timbungco

The public relations manager of Mang Inasal, the author is also teaching corporate communication and organizational planning and development at the School of Management and Information Technology of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. He is an accredited public relations practitioner by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines and certified professional marketing educator by the Philippine Marketing Association. He was likewise granted with the crisis communication planner title by the International Consortium for Organizational Resilience.

Why are Filipinos in every corner of the globe?

Ryan Fernandez

History Geek based in Manila

Why shouldn't we be? It's a global marketplace after all. Filipinos like everyone else respond to the law of supply and demand. There's a nursing shortage in the UK? Someone's got to fill it up. Housekeeping vacancies in Italy? Filipinos show up. Skyscrapers being built in Dubai? It's Filipino engineers who lay the foundation. Singaporean or Hongkonger parents too busy to raise their kids? It's Filipina nannies and maids who run the upkeep of their households. Filipino executives work in Indoensian companies; Filipino English teachers work in Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean schools; and Filipino soldiers staff the United States Armed Forces.

With a population of 105 million that's on the young end, the Philippines has a large labor force, but as a developing nation, does not have enough employment opportunities. That's changing because of new industries like the outsourcing sector.

Filipinos going overseas is nothing new. Ilocano farmers were sent to Hawaii in the early 1900s to grow pineapples.

Even earlier, Filipino artists, political thinkers, and liberals were hobnobbing in France, Germany, and Spain the late 19th-century.

Even earlier, so-called Manila Men settled in Louisiana, and Chinos - a catch-all label for all Asians but mostly Filipinos - migrated to Mexico during Spain's 300-yearlong hold on the Philippines.

Even earlier than that, pre-Hispanic ‘Filipinos' were reportedly working as sailors and mercenaries all across Southeast Asia.

Even earlier, their Austronesian ancestors explored the islands of Southeast Asia, reaching as far west as Madagascar and as far east as Easter Island.

Simply put, we get around.

Anti-COVID pill

 

Coverage by Xave Gregorio, Philippine Star

Merck & Co.'s breakthrough antiviral drug has been approved for emergency use in the Philippines. The Food and Drug Administration's greenlight for molnupiravir allows its adoption across the health system, when only 89 hospitals were previously allowed to administer it.

What it does: The pill was found in phase 3 clinical trials to prevent hospitalization for COVID-19 by 50% among those who have been infected.

Source of funds

Source of funds

Coverage by Xave Gregorio and Bella Perez Rubio, Philippine Star

The government has "immensely" run out of disaster response funds—or at least that was President Duterte's version of the story. Officials dismissed the claim, pointing to several sources of financing to aid typhoon-battered regions.

A P2-billion calamity fund with NDRRMC. “We still have P1 billion, and then another billion given or allocated to local government units," an Office of the Civil Defense official said.

Duterte's contingent fund of P2 billion, according to the acting budget chief.

Rep. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list)'s own estimate, on the other hand, suggests there is still more than P4 billion to tap for both the president's contingent and the NDRRMC's funds.

P1.44 trillion in unused funds from stalled and idle infrastructure projects, which the Commission on Audit flagged. Sen. Franklin Drilon suggests government can dip into this massive pool through realignment.

"Our social and health services took a backseat precisely to fund these infrastructure projects that the COA found delayed and idle... [T]he government must examine its prioritization, once and for all," Drilon said.

God is a tremendous lover

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THAT “Benedictus” prayer that was said by Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, as an expression of a most profound sense of praise, thanksgiving and blessing for the great favor he received, highlights the reality of the tremendous love God has for all of us. (cfr. Lk 1,67-79)

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David…” And Zechariah went on, pouring his heart out, and in the process was actually making a most wonderful prophecy.

Why does God love us so much? It makes us wonder why. Just consider these points which I am sure are not complete. In fact, they are still very far from complete, even if we think they are already quite exhaustive and overwhelming.

First, He created us when there was no need for him to do so. More than that, He created us in his very own image and likeness, taking the risk that we can replace him ourselves. 

And when finally we, in Adam and Eve, fell to that temptation of replacing God, he continued to love by sending his own son to redeem us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3,16)

And the son assumed all our sins by dying on the cross and resurrecting. There can be no greater love than this.  God has done this because the Son, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, is the perfect image of God himself. And since we are the image and likeness of God, the Son has to repair that divine image of ours that has been deformed by our sin.

God in Christ continues to go through the process of redeeming us by dying and resurrecting all throughout time by sending the Holy Spirit, founding the Church and instituting the sacraments, especially that of the Holy Eucharist. St. Josemaria Escriva has described the Holy Eucharist as God’s madness of love for us.

And the list goes on and on. It will never end. Again, why does God love us so much? We can only repeat some words of the Psalms: “What is the man that you are mindful of, and the son of man that you care for him?” (8,4)

We can only wager some possible answers. One of them could be that it is precisely because we have been created in his image and likeness that God cannot leave us alone. In a way, we can say that he sees himself in us, no matter how much we deform that divine image in us.

In this regard, God is like the mother mentioned in the Book of Isaiah. “Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion for the son of her womb? Even these may be forgotten, but I will not forget you.” (49,15)

Besides, even in the natural plane, there is hardly any mother who will not clean her child no matter how dirty the child is. It’s instinctive of her to do whatever is needed to clean the child or to get him out of any predicament. 

That, at the very least, is how God sees and treats us. He of course does a lot more. 

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Military responders to celebrate Christmas with typhoon survivors

 

by Keith Bacongco, Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY – Like many of the responders, Cpl. Henry Baleña will celebrate Christmas with typhoon Odette survivors in Caraga region.

Baleña, who belongs to the Philippine Navy, is one of over a hundred personnel who joined the newly-activated Joint Task Force Sambisig of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command that departed for the typhoon-hit areas to conduct relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The task force is primarily composed of personnel from the Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, Medical Corps and Army Engineers.

Aside from from the soldiers under the Eastern Mindanao Command, personnel from the Office of Civil Defense and Philippine Coast Guard also joined the contingent that departed for Surigao City on Wednesday morning.

Baleña admitted that his hometown in Rosario, Agusan del Sur was also partially hit by the onslaught of the typhoon.

“Our town was partially hit by the typhoon but there’s not much damage, only some agricultural crops. Most important is that my family is safe,” he told Manila Bulletin shortly before their departure on Wednesday morning.

Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Maj. Alex Mindalano said the Joint Task Force Sambisig will serve in the typhoon-hit areas until the relief and rehabilitation efforts is completed and the situation is normalized.

“Some personnel are already in the area and there will be shifting of personnel because some will also need a break. So those who left today will be spending their Christmas with the typhoon survivors,” Mindalano explained.

He added that the contingent brought at least 10 truckloads of relief aid for the typhoon survivors.

The OCD provided what they call as ‘family packs’ that contain kitchen utensils, sleeping kit and hygiene kits, the military officer said.

On December 16, Typhoon Odette shredded the provinces of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros and Palawan.

The trail of destruction left hundreds of thousands of people homeless with just 10 days before Christmas.

Like Baleña, Army Pfc. Jay Recarro will also spend his Christmas helping the typhoon survivors.

Recarro, who hails from Tagum City, added that he is also glad to be a part of the contingent because he will also have the opportunity to check his relatives in Surigao City who were also affected by the onslaught of the typhoon.

“We will spend our Christmas in the area but it’s okay because that’s part of our job. But I will be home for New Year,” he said in the vernacular.

Davao de Oro chases target through National Vaccination Days Part 2

The second part of the National Vaccination Drive (NVD) officially started in Davao Oro from December 20 to 22, 2021 with an aim to ramp up the number of vaccinated dabawenyos province-wide.

The second part of the NVD was originally set from December 15 to 17, 2021, and was moved on a later date in Davao Region due to Typhoon Odette. On the first implementation of the NVD, DdO successfully jabbed around 14k individuals and will increase the coverage of the vaccines until everyone is safe.

 Rural health units all over the province will simultaneously conduct the mass vaccination drive to eligible individuals during the NVD and will also target areas that have low vaccine coverage.

On the first day of the mass vaccination drive, DdO jabbed 12k individuals and reached 52.49% of the daily target, way more to go for the remaining 2 days.

As of December 21, 2021, the province vaccinated around 484k dabawenyos reaching 39% out of the projected 70% target population for herd immunity.

Dr. Antonio Ybiernas, in his message, highlighted the importance of being inoculated with the vaccine against Covid-19 as this will not only provide protection for everyone but will also help businesses to re-open and the economy to push forward.

The kick-off ceremony of the NVD Part 2 was held at the Municipal Cultural Center of Maragusan, Davao de Oro and was also attended by Assistant Secretary of Health in Visayas and Mindanao, Dr. Roy B. Ferrer, Dr. Anabelle Yumang of DOH Region XI, DILG Provincial Director Noel Duarte, Mayor Maricel Vendiola and Vice Mayor Ceasar Colina. (JA PAO-IPRD, photos by J. Cadiz)

What does our soul magnify?

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

IT’S a question we have to ask ourselves, especially these days when we are hounded by a heavy wave of darkness, uncertainty and even pessimism, what with the pandemic and the spoiler Odette still gripping us in abnormal conditions. If what excites us the most are earthly and temporal things, then we would be very vulnerable to the predicaments of sadness and depression.

We should see to it that what should excite us the most, what our soul should magnify is God, our Creator, Father and Savior. We need to train our mind and heart, our feelings and all  our other faculties and powers we have to make God as the ultimate and constant source of our joy.

We are reminded of this truth about ourselves in that beautiful prayer, the Magnificat, that Mary said upon visiting her cousin, Elizabeth. (cfr. Lk 1,46-56) It’s a most wonderful prayer that simply drips with the highest aspirations and noblest sentiments any human being can and should have.

Yes, we have every reason to feel intense joy and thanksgiving and to feel blessed, regardless of whatever, because the Son of God, the very pattern of our humanity, has himself become man to bring us back to where we all come from and to whom we belong. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, good or bad, happy or sad, should always be infused by the spirit of the Magnificat.

We should repeat the words of the Magnificat daily, and, in fact, often during the day. We should repeat them from the heart, especially when we encounter difficulties and failures in life, because they remind us that God never fails to bless us. Yes, we should always feel blessed even amidst our problems and mistakes.

Feeling blessed is important and indispensable to us. Without it, we would be putting ourselves in great danger as we would simply stand on an unstable ground, totally dependent on the shifting world of chance, luck and fortune.

To us, the Magnificat should be the pledge that God loves and blesses us, no matter how undeserving we are, as well as the means to face all the vagaries of life, praising God, thanking him, asking for pardon and favors with confidence.

The Magnificat should remind us that even in our worst predicaments, God is always around and Mary is showing us how we can be united or reunited with her Son. She would infuse confidence into our heart especially at a time when we would be most vulnerable to lose that confidence and opt to become a fugitive from God.

The Magnificat is like a most precious and useful family treasure in a Christian’s life. It’s not meant to be kept in some secret vault. It has to be used frequently, for it has tremendous power to bring us back to a vibrant Christian life if we have slackened or to keep the fire of love burning, full of action and not just of desires.

Like Mary who quickly visited her cousin to help, we too can quickly involve ourselves in the lives of others. Let’s always remember that our relationship with God and with all the saints in heaven develops through our relationship with others in our present life. 

Loving God is inseparable from loving others. We should try our best that we truly involve ourselves in the lives of others, helping them in any way we can, since that involvement can only prove our love for them and for God.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Why is adobo popular in the Philippines?

Mark Kemkemian

Medical Scientist at NSW Department of Health, Australia.

Adobo is not just a dish, it is a cooking method which uses a lot of souring agents to prevent meats from spoiling or decaying.

It is a very popular preservation method here in the Philippines because our climate is hot, and foods that are prepared on the table can become spoiled easily.

That's why our ancestors would marinate certain types of meat, like chicken, carabao, fish, beef and many others in a concoction of onions, garlics, peppers, salt and vinegar, so that the food can be stored for several weeks before its consumption date.

Then came the Chinese traders who introduced the use of soy sauce, which was later added to the Adobo dish that caused the darkening of the meat and sauce color.

Adobo is just one of the food preservation techniques here in the Philippines.

'Odette' claims 375 lives, 56 other people still missing– PNP

 

The devastation wrought by typhoon “Odette” to human lives has started to have a clear picture as more ground reports started to reach the Philippine National Police (PNP) when its communication lines were restored starting Sunday, Dec. 19.

Based on the latest data of the PNP from the reports filed by police units in areas affected by “Odette”, the death toll already reached 375 as of 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20.

by Aaron Recuenco , Manila Bulletin

The devastation wrought by typhoon “Odette” to human lives has started to have a clear picture as more ground reports started to reach the Philippine National Police (PNP) when its communication lines were restored starting Sunday, Dec. 19.

Based on the latest data of the PNP from the reports filed by police units in areas affected by “Odette”, the death toll already reached 375 as of 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20.

Photo: Keith Bacongco

Central Visayas has the most number of reported fatalities with 170, followed by the CARAGA region with 167. A total of 24 individuals were reported to have died in Western Visayas, seven in Northern Mindanao, six in Eastern Visayas and one from Zamboanga region.

On the other hand, a total of 56 individuals were reported missing, 47 of them are from Central Visayas, eight in CARAGA region and one in Eastern Visayas. A total of 500 people were also reported injured.

The PNP death toll is way higher than the fatality figure of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC) with 54 reported deaths only four of them were confirmed to be typhoon-related.

PNP spokesperson Col. Rhoderick Alba said the fatality figure is still for validation.

Field reports have started to flood the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame when the Information Technology experts from the police were able to restore the communication lines in areas affected by “Odette” on Sunday.

Based on the latest PNP data, the number of individuals still staying in various evacuation centers were 99,568 from some 30,000 families. Most of them lost their homes to the typhoon while some could not still go home due to flooding.

Most of the evacuees are from Central Visayas, CARAGA region and Western Visayas.

 

Born again in Christ

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT gospel story about the Archangel Gabriel visiting Mary

to tell her that she was going to be the mother of the son of God

(cfr. Lk 1,26-38) reminds us that like Mary, we too should say,

“Fiat,” (Be it done) to whatever the will of God is for us, so that

not only can we be born again in Christ but also become more and more

like Christ until we are made “another Christ” as God wants us to be.

          This is the will of God for us which we should be clear

about so that we would not be confused, much less, lost, as to the

real purpose of our life here on earth. We have to realize that we

have an active role to play in this “divine project.” While God is the

main agent of this project, we too have to be his co-agent.

          In a sense, we are his co-creator and co-redeemer,

understood properly in that it is only God who creates and redeems us,

but we need to cooperate and to correspond to his creative and

redemptive work on us. That’s how we have to understand these

expressions.

          The secret, of course, is that we obey God’s will for us,

whatever it is and whatever it takes. We should expect some difficult

and even impossible things to tackle, since this divine project is

eminently spiritual and supernatural in nature.

          But with God, we would also be given the grace so that what

we cannot do through our natural powers, given our weaknesses and

limitations, his power can do it for us as long as we go along with

him.

          It is our spiritual powers of intelligence and will that

would enable us to receive the supernatural power of God’s grace.

These spiritual powers of ours have what is called as the obediential

potency to receive the supernatural grace of God.

          This is what it means to be born again in Christ and to live

our life with him, in him and through him. We should always be aware

of this basic truth about ourselves and learn to act on it daily,

making use of some practices of piety, like prayer and recourse to the

sacraments, and always undertaking the ascetical struggle so that our

mind and heart would always be with God.

          Let us always keep in mind that our life here on earth is

the time God uses in his eternity to create and redeem us. He is still

shaping and directing us, helping and cleaning us of our sins, mainly

through the ordinary events of our life. Yes, we have to be keenly

aware of this reality of our ordinary daily life. God is actively

intervening in our life through these events, regardless of whether

they are humanly good or bad.

          We have to understand that this is the ideal way to live. We

need to be with Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life for us, not

only from time to time, but all the time. To put it bluntly, we cannot

be in the right way, we cannot find the truth about ourselves and

everything else, we cannot have true eternal life, without him.

          We need to be clear about the abiding presence and love of

Christ for us. “Remember, I am with you each and every day until the

end of the age,” he assured his apostles who can include all of us if

we choose to believe and follow him. (Mt 28,20)

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

mail: roycimagala@gmail.com

Have You Ever Been in Love?

"Have You Ever Been in Love" is a song by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion, recorded first for her seventh English studio album A New Day Has Come (2002) and was later included on her eight English studio album One Heart (2003). The song is a power ballad, written by Anders Bagge, Peer Åström, Tom Nichols, Daryl Hall and Laila Bagge, while production was handled by Bagge & Peer. This song inspired me for today's column. Far from typhoons, pandemics and other bad news. 

Falling in love with someone can feel exciting, even exhilarating. But over time, these feelings may settle into something that feels a little different. This love might seem mellow or calm. You might find yourself thinking “I love them” instead of “I’m in love with them.”

This transformation doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with your relationship.

Loving someone instead of feeling “in love” with them simply illustrates how feelings of love evolve over the course of a relationship, especially a long-term relationship.

Love - a real life drama sometimes that unfolds anytime, yet no one can explain. Ask yourself how or why love happens and you might get plenty of ideas but seldom a satisfying explanation. You might get a nervous giggle or a quick chuckle, a sleepless night or a never-ending palpitation of the heart, a red face, and appetitlessness. Worldwide innumerable lyricists wrote and are still writing being inspired by this phenomenon of love. And yes, back to Celine Delon: almost every composition tells us about love. 

Love, the inexplicable emotion that overpowers kings and queens and turns people either into philanthropists or misanthropes. Love, the first state of passionate affairs, that told us love stories like "Romeo and Juliet", Antony and Cleopatra" or "King Edward and Mrs. Simpson".

Naranasan mo na bang umibig?  The former Archbishop Fulton Sheet said a long time ago, "Love is the perfection of justice". Aristoteles, the Greek philosopher added, "Even there is  justice you also need friendship". Saint Augustus remarked in those days, "Do what you like. If you love God, you'll do nothing wrong".

Well, I guess there is something more than romance, changing kisses or gilic tasks or giving a bouquet of roses. There should be something more than looking for "the best way to win a man's heart through his stomach" - and out come only the empty dishes.

Love is in between two but also in the midst of many taking responsibility for a child, for a family, for a company or for an institution, for a public task or a new planted tree.

Love can destroy agonizing bitterness which we easily develop against our enemies or people, who liked to be close to us but being disrespectful at the same time.

As frustrated and hopeful as you may feel right now, with God's love your life can be happier than you dreamed possible. The time after the coming of Jesus Christ is not a time of fear but of love. If you realize this, you'll be able to experience all kinds of love that life has in store. Hopefully, maybe one day in future, you'll be able to love even your enemy or adversary of your fellow creature who tries to squander your last respect. 

Have you ever been in love - You could touch the moonlight  - When your heart's shooting stars  -You're holding heaven in your arms - Have you ever been so in love?

Noche Buena: How to live it up at a time like this

by Pao Vergara, Manila Bulletin

SIMPLENG HANDAAN The essence of Christmas is being together and celebrating new life (Rhes Victorio)

Given the times we live in, an economy in recession, a future that’s ever uncertain, a virus that’s finishing the alphabet, it might be impractical or downright insulting to even consider pursuing luxury.

“Check your privilege,” the young and woke will tell you, and rightfully, agreeably so. Even Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, when pressed by a rival for something along the lines of “removing the Christmas spirit” for not decorating the city with the usual embellishments, simply said that there were more pressing concerns, all as residents came to his defense posting about the Noche Buena packages they had received.

And yet luxury lifestyle continues to be an aspiration. Haute jewelry, cuisine, travel, experiences, and the channels that feed that aspiration toward these thunder on despite all the uncertainty around.

Elite. Luxury. Rich. Words that were once aspirational in decades past are now seen with wariness, condescension, and even dismissal by a majority whose salaries are still stuck in 1990.

There was a time religious puritanism shunned luxury, and this was followed by the promise of industrial secularization and wealth and comfort for more, which saw the above as old-fashioned. Now, a different social consciousness is permeating—It’s critical of excess, doubtful of trickle-down economics, but led more by social scientists, bloggers, and pundits than by clergy.

Is there still space for luxury? Can your space be luxurious? Maybe luxury won’t disappear, but maybe we can rethink and redefine it.

Luxury is about more, it is about decadence, but that more, that decadence, isn’t necessarily bling, it isn’t necessarily about being crazy, filthy rich. Perhaps it’s about that effort to be extra, that effort to dazzle with what’s available, that effort to make not just a campfire but a lightshow with the kindle on-hand.

Luxury isn’t exclusively based on economic class, although, true to its nature, only a few attain it. But this this time, it’s dependent on effort, not birthright. Luxury is reached by those brave enough to be creative, to make more with what little is there.

It’s exclusive to those who, despite whatever hardships, still choose to celebrate life. Luxury is creativity. In the absence of Moet, it’s milk tea built from scratch. In the absence Cebu spring pig lechon, it’s Pinoy samgyeop put together from the palengke. It’s celebrating with who’s there while grieving for those who aren’t.

It’s going the extra mile to add flavor within one’s means. This kind of luxury can be captured in the Filipino word ginhawa, which evokes coziness, safety, a space in which to relax and enjoy oneself. You’re not just surviving, you’re thriving. Our tribal ancestors chose their leaders not based on who had the most resources, but who brought the most ginhawa to the community. As the Baguio heritage museum puts it, it was elitism, but consensual elitism.

The years 2020 and 2021 have been stressful enough for us collectively. This year looks to be a pivotal time for the nation. We may have been diligent in washing our hands and wearing masks, but too much soap causes dryness and “behind the mask,” TWICE sings, “I wonder if you’re smiling?”

Already, The New York Times has reported the rising incidence of COVID-related anxiety and depression, but we know that already. As the economy reopens and people tentatively come together, each of us is (re)discovering what it means to be among others, with all the hiccups that may entail.

Are we to shame people or, worse, ourselves for trying to add spice, color, and flavor to life?

So! Luxury. Yeah. That word. That experience. You’ve been fighting hard, and you’ve been fighting good, and you’ve been fighting the good fight.

So treat yourself. Treat those you love. Savor that Noche Buena, even if the queso de bola is improvised. You don’t just deserve it. You’ve earned it. Even Jesus turned water into wine.

Nothing can ever cancel Christmas in this country

by AA Patawaran, Manila Bulletin

Whatever happened to Father Christmas in England in 1647 would never happen in the Philippines, no matter how dire the circumstances get—poverty, disaster, a bank run, a civil war, or a revolution.

In 1647, right after the English Civil War and the Church of England gave way to a Presbytarian system, the English parliament passed an ordinance declaring festivities over Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun a taboo, outlawing decorations, celebrations both public and private, and even shops closing up in observance of holy days.

As a result, though all of the kingdoms of England, which at the time included Wales and Ireland, were up in arms, Father Christmas who, as the Paris Review described him, was once “rotund from indulgence,” embodying “Christmas as an open-hearted festival of feasts and frolics,” grew “skinny, mournful, and lonely, depressed by the grim fate that had befallen the most magical time of year.”

…hens and chickens were saying noisy farewells amid the rapid clatter of knives and chopping blocks and the sputtering of lard in frying pans. There was a promise of good eating in the succulent smells of stews and sweetmeats that reached out to the streets. —El Filibusterismo, Jose Rizal

Or he might have migrated to the Philippine islands, whose Christianization by their Spanish colonizers in the 1700s was well under way. Noche Buena (Nochebuena back in the day, one word, as it still is, referring to the Christmas Eve dinner, in Spain) is Spanish for “a night of goodness,” but Noche Buena traces its roots to the early mornings, shortly after midnight, when the Filipinos broke their Christmas Eve fast.

Back then, as ordered by the Spanish friars, it was customary—if not mandatory—to go on a fast the whole day on Christmas Eve. In this writer’s humble opinion, it was in honor of the struggles of the Holy Family to look for a suitable place for the Christ Child to be born in. Alas, there was no room at the inn, so Jesus was born in a manger filled with hay, a long, open trough for horses or cattle to eat from in the cold, smelly stables.

Before they could break their fast, the Filipinos under over 300 years of Spanish occupation, would end the day at the Misa de Gallo, and you can imagine how famished they must have been that even the sacramental bread must have tasted to them like manna from heaven or like cake from Marie Antoinette. But then the mass would be over, and the fast was ended, and it was time to eat at last.

Hence, the Noche Buena. And maybe this is why, just outside the church, anywhere across the Philippines, where a Catholic stone church stood, which then—as now—meant every town, the churchgoers, emerging from the midnight mass, or even the early morning masses of Simbang Gabi, and keen on satiating their day-long hunger and their enormous appetites, would expect stalls and kiosks peddling bibingka, puto bumbong, puto with tsokolate, kutsinta, biko, palitaw, and suman.

These rice cakes, although they carry traces of our foreign interactions on the trade routes of our pre-colonial past, whether in terms of techniques or transplanted ingredients, are our very own contribution to the celebration of Christmas steeped in tradition and cultural significance. All the carbs waiting on the churchyards after the night masses of Yuletide in the Philippines would have been enough to keep Father Christmas happy-plump and rosy-cheeked despite the Puritan revolution of the 17th century, not to mention less depressed because, you know, carbs boost the brain’s release of serotonin, the chemical that keeps us calm and satisfied.

But there is more to the Philippine Christmas feast than the stuffed turkey, Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and sage, and roast potatoes Father Christmas was familiar with in the United Kingdom, of which we might have had a taste in the 20 months the British occupied the Philippines from 1762 to 1764.

Ours is a hodgepodge of influences drawn from over three centuries of Spanish rule, the hold the Americans have had—still do?—over us since 1898, when Spain sold us to them for only $120 million, and, long before we were named the Philippines after Spain’s King Philip II, centuries worth of trade and cultural exchanges with the Arabs, the Chinese, the Indians, the Javanese, the Japanese, and more. 

Mementos of our major colonial experiences with the Spanish and the Americans still find their way to our Christmas celebrations. From Spain, the Filipinos have incorporated the likes of jamon de bola, stuffings like relleno, embutido, galantina, and morcon, lechon or cochinillo, lengua, callos, chorizo, paella, and the ubiquitous queso de bola or Dutch Edam cheese, a staple on vessels sailing on world expeditions across uncharted waters, such as the Magellan flotilla and the Spanish galleon. The Americans, in turn, threw in pies, Spam, Vienna sausage, and fruitcake.  The Noche Buena table on every Filipino home is a journey across the world, packed with history and the forging and cutting of ties between nations.

But there are also regional variations within the Philippines. Bibingka, for instance, has many variants, such as bibingkang Mandaue that, unique to Mandaue, Cebu, was traditionally made with tuba to give it a kick. In Cavite, it is called bibingkoy, which comes with a filling of sweetened mongo and served with langka, sago, and coconut cream. In Davao, there is durian bibingka and, in Eastern Samar, what they call salukara is bibingka in the shape of a pancake.

There are many kinds of suman too, such as black rice suman from Baler, Aurora, suman sa lihiya in Laguna, suman moron in Leyte, and suman budbud in Dumaguete. In Pangasinan, it’s called tupig and in Bulacan pinipig and, in Cebu, it is best eaten with ripe mangoes.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,641 islands and many regions boasting of their own unique cultures, geophysical traits, and resources. Coupled with the influx of colonial influences as well as the yields of the Filipino diaspora scattered all over the planet, all that find expression not only in Fiipinos’ day-to-day living, but especially in occasions important to us, like Christmas.

Father Christmas should have learned an important lesson in 1647. Although it had been a dismal failure, they did cancel Christmas in the UK and they can attempt to do so again, as they have in other places in the world.

In the Philippines, however, nothing can stop Christmas, not a pandemic like this one that we have been grappling with for two years, not even all the health bulletins warning against obesity and excessive eating.

Nothing at all can ever cancel Christmas in the Philippines.