Traffic jams back in Manila as restrictions ease

MANILA. People walk as traffic builds up as the government places the capital on the lowest rung of a five-step pandemic alert system on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP)

TRAFFIC jams and outdoor crowds are back in the Philippine capital and 38 other cities and provinces Tuesday, March 1, 2022, after officials allowed businesses and public transport, including shopping malls, movie houses and restaurants, to operate at full capacity as Covid-19 cases continued to drop with more vaccinations, officials said.

In a bid to further boost the pandemic-battered economy, authorities placed metropolitan Manila and 38 other regions under the lowest rung of a five-step pandemic alert system from Tuesday, March 1, to March 15 and lifted most health restrictions, but still required the full vaccination of residents 18 and older against the coronavirus and the wearing of face masks outdoors and in indoor establishments.

Social distancing is no longer required in Manila and the other specified areas, restaurants can now remove plastic barriers on tables, and public gatherings — such as birthday parties, weddings, sport events and family reunions — can fully resume. All government employees have been ordered to return to office for work.

“Now everything is open,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said. “We’re happy seeing the traffic again, it means there’s really economic activity and people are going out.”

The Philippines imposed one of the longest lockdowns and police-enforced quarantines two years ago when successive Covid-19 outbreaks hit and sparked the worst economic recession in 2020 and pushed unemployment and hunger to record levels.

Economic growth has resumed since then and could return to pre-pandemic levels this year unless external turbulence like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine worsens, Lopez said.

Daily Covid-19 cases dropped from over 37,000 during the most recent peak in January to below 1,000. The 951 cases reported Monday bring the total number of confirmed infections to more than 3.6 million with 56,451 deaths, the second-highest totals in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. (AP)

Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THANK God, for a good number of reasons, Ash Wednesday is celebrated in our country in a very popular way. Even if it exudes a dire, gloomy air, what with all the liturgical protocols on fasting, abstinence and other forms of self-denial, it continues to enjoy a large following among us. Even those who are not very faithful in their Sunday obligation would exert the effort to have their foreheads marked with ash on that day.

Obviously, we should continue to clarify the true significance of this day. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent which is meant to prepare us for the culmination of Christ’s redemptive mission that is liturgically celebrated in Easter. It somehow encourages us to have another renewal of our baptismal commitments or to have another conversion.

In the gospel of that day, we are reminded of having purity of intention in all our deeds. We have to understand that intention plays a very crucial role in our life. That’s where we choose where we want to be—with God or with ourselves, to truly love God and neighbor or to indulge in self-love.

             With our intention, we can direct our acts to God, following what was once indicated by St. Paul, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31) That’s how our acts become good, or moral. Otherwise, they are bad, or at least dangerous.

       

             This is so, since God, being the Creator, is the standard for everything. And more than the standard, he is, in fact, the very substance of what is good, true and beautiful, what is fair and just, what is perfection itself.

             

             Nothing is good, true and beautiful, nothing is fair and just, nothing is perfect if it is not done with God and for God. In short, we need to refer all our acts to God. We have to make this affirmation very clear in our mind and do everything to make that ideal a reality.

             

             We need to realize then that we have to take utmost care of our intention, making it as explicit as possible, and honing it to get engaged with its proper and ultimate object, who is God. 

We should try our best to shun being simply casual or cavalier about this responsibility. We can easily play around with it, since intentions are almost invariably hidden from public knowledge. We are urged to be most sincere in directing our intentions properly.

We can easily fall into hypocrisy and deception, doing what can appear good externally but is not internally, since we could refuse giving glory to God, which is the proper intention to have, and instead feed and stir our vanity, pride, greed, lust, etc.

We need to actively purify our intentions, since we have to contend with many spoilers in this regard these days. In fact, we just have to look around and see how openly opposed many people are of directing their intentions to God.

To them, intentions are strictly personal and confidential matters that others do not have any right to meddle. While there is a certain truth to this claim, we have to remind ourselves that our intentions too are subject to a moral law.

That is why we have to pay serious attention to where our intention tilts, to who or what actually holds our heart, for it is the heart, the home of our intention, where we determine the morality of our acts and ultimately where we find our true identity.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

LOSING OUR FAITH?

A friend of mine started talking with me and mentioned the good old days. Yes, those were the days my friend! Well, we all know: times have changed. More natural disasters, more wars, more people all over the world who are losing their faith. 

Faith, like love, is an element that bonds together relationships. And we lose faith like we lose love — for many reasons. Loss comes from misunderstandings, personality conflicts, tragic circumstances, ill treatment and our own ignorance, to name a few.

Some may lose faith because they disagree with religious teachings on current issues, or because the doctrine lacks strong evidence, doesn’t make sense to them anymore, or because it simply does not add up. Others may become disillusioned following personal trauma; unanswered prayers; the existence of natural disasters, diseases and evil; the conflicts caused by religions; or the questionable morality of religious leaders and religious people.

Others say they dislike organized religion and want to make their own decisions rather than listening to somebody else. Still others become distracted by materialism, or find that they’re too busy to participate.

People who walk away from religion usually say, “I shall be just fine. Please do not worry about me.”

To be or not to be. Sein oder nicht sein. Shakespeare. To say it clearly: without faith, we’re really nothing.

Faith is belief; believe in us, in our works, talents and our personalities. We should also believe in our parents – or much better, in our whole family including the black sheep, which can be found everywhere. We should believe in our friends, even though it seems to become very difficult many times.

Please remember, my dear readers: without faith will we reach the rock bottom. Don’t say, it’s a likely story.

The German poet Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1815) has mentioned in his drama “Maria Stuart”: “Even the word might be dead, but faith keeps it alive!” Chapter I of Second Thessalonians gives encouragement to all Christians, who were undergoing persecution for or because of their faith. Yes, faith is really not everybody’s thing, or “not everyone has faith”.

“If I have faith, that can move mountains” (First Corinthians 13,2).

Faith is a tantamount to convincing and conviction. Richard Wagner (German classical composer and poet, 1813-1883) found the following lyric: “Blessed are those people, who know how to live their life in humility and faith.”

So, let’s even continue believing in our governments or the institution church. Faith means also a belief specially in a revealed religion. Faith is trust or reliance. Faith is indeed a pledged word. Yes, I know.

Faithful love is loyal, reliable, exact and honorable love. Faithful love means even to love your enemy.

Allow me to close this column with a Chinese proverb: “People without faith in themselves cannot or will never survive!” – Worth to think about it!

“𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐧”, 𝐃𝐝𝐎 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟒!

 

A golden season awaits Dabawenyos as the province will celebrate its 24th Founding Anniversary on March 5-8, 2022.

The past 2 years might be heavy, but Davao de Oro sees opportunities behind difficulties, and continuously turns towards greener sides and hope for its people. Depicted on this year’s founding anniversary theme, “Davao de Oro 24k: Walang Iwanan sa Tanang Panahon”, DdO will celebrate 24 years of golden victories which made significant changes in the lives of Dabawenyos.

As the province continues to rise and push forward in the new normal, the celebration is not only be intended for leisure. The celebration will commemorate DdO's years of unified strength and promote new openings to restore the losses brought by the pandemic. 

The fun-filled week-long celebration will open opportunities for all participants. On the first two (2) days, March 5 to 6, local athletes will shine for the Golden Football Tournament to be held on New Bataan Football field. The competition promotes local sports activity towards the goal of developing good leadership, discipline, and camaraderie for the athletes. Competing teams are required to be vaccinated as a protocol to participate in the tournament.

Also, on the first day is “Sikad ta Uy! PadyaKapayapaan,” the first-ever biking competition and fun ride for all bikers in the province that intends to advocate for peace and unity, and promote a healthy lifestyle for a sound mind and body amidst the pandemic.

The celebration will also be made much more engaging for the youth as the founding anniversary features the “Battle of the Legends-Mobile Legends Tournament.”  In the course of the pandemic, technology was used as a tool to continue essential services and provide leisure during lockdown periods widening social connections in the new normal.  As part of the celebration, the online tournament aims to develop teamwork among the youth and improve 21st-century skills as a pathway for industry jobs.

On the second day will be the “Al’law ng Kalumonan”, a celebration of diversity and rich culture of Davao de Oro’s six tribes namely: Mansaka, Mandaya, Manobo, Mangguangan, Dibabawon, and Kagan. “Al-law ng Kalumonan” is a day dedicated for the ICCs/IPs to be given the spotlight to showcase how culture depicts the original Filipino values (Customary Law), its relationship to nature (Ancestral Domain), and how it contributes to the economic (Indigenous Craftsmanship and Arts) gains in the province, especially in the tourism industry.

Davao de Oro will also lead to an opening of more than two thousand (2,000) job vacancies  which will recruit qualified applicants during the “Mega Jobs Fair.” Many have lost their jobs at the onset of the pandemic and as part of the celebration, the jobs fair will help alleviate unemployment incidence province-wide, promote entrepreneurial opportunities and strengthen the public-private partnership in the delivery of employment services.

Skills in performing arts of Davao de Oro’s youth will now be showcased through the “Dance for Gold: an Interpretative Dance Competition.” Stage performance has never been the same since the outbreak of the pandemic and through the competition, dancers and choreographers will again express their creative and expressive potentials, thereby enhancing personal, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical communication.

On the last day, March 8, Davao de Oro will celebrate “Babayinihan: Women's Day Celebration”, to recognize the countless achievements of women in various fields and uphold their significant contributions to society. The event will be participated by more than 3,000 women coming from the 11 Municipal Local Councils of Women and 9 women sectoral organizations in Davao de Oro. The event will also have 'ZumBayinihan', and the groundbreaking ceremony of the first-ever International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Peace Monument. The monument will be installed in Davao de Oro and will stand as a marker of the province’s desire for peace and harmony.

Finally, commencing the 24th Founding Anniversary celebration is the 24k Golden Concert and Fireworks Display, a celebration of unity and thanksgiving where for 24 years, the province remains steadfast in providing unfaltering services all for the people of Davao de Oro. (JA, PAO-IPRD)

Warm, humid weather to prevail across most of PH due to easterlies

Published March 2, 2022, 9:02 AM

by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz, Manila Bulletin

Most of the country will experience warm and humid weather due to the easterly winds originating from the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Wednesday, March 2.

In its 4 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Eastern Visayas and Caraga will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

Those in these areas were warned against possible flash floods or landslides due to occasional moderate to heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA also advised the public to remain vigilant as severe thunderstorms may sometimes trigger flash floods or landslides.

Weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said PAGASA has not monitored a low pressure area or tropical cyclone inside or near the country’s area of responsibility as of Wednesday.