Davao opens center for 'the abused'

By Ruth Palo, Manila Times

December 1, 2022 2

THE Davao City government opened a Tele-Women and Children Protection Unit (WCPU) center that houses a medical facility and two city government offices in seven villages here.

The project is in partnership with the Child Protection Network, United Nations Children's Fund, and the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

The Tele-WCPU centers will bring free comprehensive medical, psychosocial, and legal services closer to women and children who are victims of abuse with the use of modern technology.

 

The Tele-WCPU centers are located in Barangay Buhangin, Calinan, Marilog, Matina Crossing, Talomo, Tibungco, SPMC-Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Integrated Gender and Development Division, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

The Tele-WCPU centers will connect abuse victims to SPMC-WCPU — a multidisciplinary team of trained child protection doctors, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, developmental pediatric doctors, police officers, and lawyers that will render services such as medical follow-ups, mental health follow-ups, legal and social services, and a child helpline that provides consultation on child abuse.

The audio and video consultation at the Tele-WCPU centers are offered for free.

In a report from the City Information Office, Dr. Marie Aimee Hyacinth Bretaña, coordinator of the SPMC-WCPU, said that with the teleconsultation program, the abused women or children no longer need to go to SPMC for follow-up consultations.

"There are villages in Davao City that have high cases of abuse. Through this teleconsultation program the follow-up of cases can be done online but the first consultation still needs to be conducted here at WCPU. Our goal here is really to reach out to our communities," Bretaña said.

She added that after the first consultation at SPMC-WCPU, patients or victims of abuse opt not to return due to distance, financial difficulties, or fear of getting infected with Covid-19. This teleconsultation addresses these concerns.

"Through this teleconsultation program, they can do the teleconsultation in their villages where they are provided a designated room for the teleconsultation because we still need to exercise confidentiality for the patients," she said.

Gladys Manit, a kagawad (officer) of Barangay Buhangin Proper, said that the villages selected were provided with computers by the Unicef for the teleconsultation and as counterparts, they provided the designated venue where the teleconsultations are to be conducted.

"We provided the venue, which is very conducive for the clients for direct consultation," Manit said.

She said that the trained Gender and Development clerk of their village and the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children, Violence and Against Women and Children record officer will help entertain the clients.

She said that residents should not hesitate to go to their barangay to connect with SPMC-WCPU.

"This is very important to lessen cases of abused women and children and it could help in the intervention programs for the victims of abuse," she added.

This is what the future of modeling in the Philippines looks like

 Published December 1, 2022, 8:39 AM

by John Legaspi

The Professional Models Association of the Philippines celebrates 35 years of elevating, celebrating, and empowering Filipino models

Gone are the days when fashion models are seen as walking mannequins. They are no longer just muses donning designers’ latest visions. Models are now the face of the shift in today’s fashion industry. From the pages of magazines to ad campaigns online, people can of different sizes, ages, races, and gender can see themselves represented. And It is just right, because, as they say, beauty is not a one size fits all. While this change is definitely a step forward in the global modeling industry, there are more things to be done to help the modeling community thrive, especially in the Philippines. 

Phoemela Baranda, Angelita Agustin, Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez, Rissa Mananquil Trillo, Apples Aberin (Photo courtesy of @metrophotoforbrands)

Since its inception in 1987, the Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP) has been on a mission to elevate, celebrate, and empower Filipino models here and abroad. As it toasts its 35th anniversary this year, that goal remains the same, perhaps, bigger. Last Nov. 22, the local modeling organization welcomed the country’s fashion crowd to an event celebrating its legacy. It presented its iconic members and new faces all dressed in the stunning couture creations of Filipino fashion designer Mark Bumgarner. But the event wasn’t just a celebration of style, it is also a testament to the organization’s role in taking the local modeling scene to newer heights and in breaking more barriers.

“Run by models for models, we put our all into building a safe space where Filipino models can grow and thrive,” said its newly-elected president of Margarita Gutierrez. “We have never been the type of people to simply stagnate and rest on our laurels. Even though we’ve already reached amazing feats, we are not stopping.” 

Margarita Gutierrez (Photo courtesy of @metrophotoforbrands)

During the event, Margarita laid out her visions for PMAP, the dreams she cannot wait to fulfill with her army of Filipino models. During her leadership, she sees a modeling industry that is inclusive, an industry that is open to all types of models. While it is apparent now in the industry, she thinks that more is to be done to break industry norms and stereotypes.

“Modeling is about feeling confident and beautiful in your own skin,” she said. “I want every single person to be able to open a magazine or watch a fashion show and see someone to whom they can relate. Someone who makes them feel seen.”

The second thing on her agenda is to make it possible for Filipino models to work internationally. For them to be able to walk the runways of the fashion capitals of the world, star in global campaigns, and put the Philippine flag on the international modeling scene. Her plan is to foster collaborations with foreign partners in giving Filipino models the opportunity they truly deserve. 

Lastly, to make Filipino models more than just models. Using herself as an example, Margarita, a model and a public servant, believes that models can also pursue other dreams. She wants to see models also become doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and other roles they have been dreaming of. 

With all these on her to-do list, Margarita, together with her team in the PMAP, paints a future for models where their roles are not limited to just strutting and posing but being as catalysts for change. They deserve it, and as fashion consumers, we deserve it. 

“Gone are the days when models strictly fit a certain stereotype,” Margarita said. “The PMAP now will be our battle cry for a more inclusive, diverse, and compassionate modeling community. Now is the time to unite. Now is the time to evolve—to change.”

Doers of God’s will

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

“NOT everyone that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 7,21)

It’s very clear that with these words of Christ we should do everything to live by God’s will and ways. Given the many distractions we have these days, we really need to exert the appropriate effort to be able to do just that.

In this regard, it is indeed advisable that we pause from time to time to check on how we are taking things in general, on how things are developing and on how our intentions are. We know quite well that things can change in the process. What may be good at the beginning can start to stray somewhere along the way.

Indeed, we may start by looking for God in the things that we do, giving him glory and conforming ourselves to his will and ways. But along the way, we can start giving in to our own desires, our own will and ways. From loving God, we can easily slide to loving self. We are very notorious for this tendency. 

That’s why we really need to pause and check ourselves often. We have to see to it that we manage to keep our proper spiritual and supernatural bearing. In other words, we have to realize that whatever we do, whatever the situation is, we somehow would still be in contact with God. Somehow everything should be a form of prayer.

This will require us to develop the skill of knowing what truly comes from God and what simply is a matter of self-indulgence. We need to be very discerning and discriminating in this regard. Not everything that presents itself before our mind comes from God. It can come from other sources—our weakened flesh or concupiscence, the world and the devil himself.

We should not be naïve and just accept things as they come. We need to check if the spirit behind anything that involves us comes from God or not. We cannot deny that there are many things that can look good but actually are dangerous to us.

In this, we have received enough warnings from Sacred Scripture. “Beloved,” St. John, for example, in his first letter tells us, “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (4,1)

There are many kinds of spirits roaming around the world, and we have to learn how to discern them. There is the spirit of God, the spirit of Christ as opposed to the anti-christ. There is also the evil spirit, and the spirit of the world that is dominated by the evil one. There is also the spirit of the flesh.

For this to take place, we certainly need a kind of plan or program to keep our spiritual life alive and vibrant even as we go through the drudgery of routine things or the excitement of new and challenging things.

But we need to discipline ourselves to follow that plan, knowing that no matter how good that plan is, if we fail to deny ourselves and carry the cross, as Christ himself told us, (cfr. Mt 16,24) we cannot keep our proper spiritual and supernatural bearing, and thus become prone to a distraction that can lead us to our destruction!

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Christiane Hörbiger im Alter von 84 Jahren gestorben

Quelle: dpa-infocom GmbH

Wiener Burgtheater, Kinofilme, Fernsehserien: Christiane Hörbiger begeisterte im Laufe ihrer Karriere ein Millionenpublikum. Nun ist die österreichische Schauspielerin gestorben.

Die österreichische Schauspielerin Christiane Hörbiger ist tot. Die 84-Jährige starb am Mittwoch in Wien, wie ein Freund der Familie und eine langjährige Mitarbeiterin der Schauspielerin bestätigten. Zuerst hatte die Wiener Zeitung „Kurier“ berichtet.

Die Grimme-Preisträgerin stammte aus einer der bedeutendsten deutschsprachigen Schauspieler-Dynastien und war bis ins hohe Alter aktiv. Zwar war sie auch immer wieder auf Theaterbühnen zu sehen, ihre wahre Berufung fand sie aber vor der Kamera. Als „Grande Dame“ aus Film und Serien avancierte sie im Laufe ihrer jahrzehntelangen Karriere zum Publikumsliebling.

Geboren wurde Hörbiger 1938 als mittleres Kind des berühmten Schauspieler-Ehepaares Attila Hörbiger und Paula Wessely in Wien. Auch ihre beiden Schwestern Maressa Hörbiger (77) und Elisabeth Orth (86) haben sich erfolgreich der Schauspielerei verschrieben.

Ausbildung an Schauspielschule abgebrochen

Ihr Debüt vor der Fernsehkamera feierte Hörbiger mit nur 17 Jahren. Ihre Ausbildung am renommierten Max-Reinhardt-Seminar nach ihrem Schulabschluss brach sie wegen eines Filmangebots aber nach nur vier Wochen ab.

Wenig später stand Hörbiger als Recha in Lessings „Nathan der Weise“ das erste Mal auf der Bühne des Wiener Burgtheaters. Die Kritiken für ihren Auftritt fielen allerdings vernichtend aus.

An verschiedenen Theatern wie etwa in Heidelberg und Zürich erarbeitete sich Hörbiger danach einen Namen als ernstzunehmende Künstlerin. Schließlich kehrte sie sogar als Recha ins Burgtheater zurück und wurde für ihre Darstellung gefeiert.

In den 70er Jahren spielte sie mehrfach die Buhlschaft im „Jedermann“ der Salzburger Festspiele und verfestigte damit eine Familientradition. Sowohl ihre Eltern als auch die Schwester standen bereits am Domplatz in Salzburg auf der Bühne.

Große Bekanntheit als „Julia“

Ihr Durchbruch bei einem breiten Publikum gelang Hörbiger in den 80er Jahren mit der Fernsehserie „Das Erbe der Guldenburgs“, die derzeit wieder in der ZDF-Mediathek steht.

Als Richterin in der österreichisch-deutschen Serie „Julia – Eine ungewöhnliche Frau“ fesselte sie um die Jahrtausendwende fünf Staffeln lang ein Millionenpublikum.

Viel Lob erhielt sie für ihre Darstellung der Göring-Nichte Freya von Hepp in Helmut Dietls preisgekrönter Kultsatire „Schtonk“. Erfolge feierte Hörbiger auch mit dem Justizdrama „Die Geschworenen“, dem Thriller „Die Gottesanbeterin“ oder der Dürrenmatt-Literaturverfilmung „Der Besuch der alten Dame“.

Hörbiger wurde im Laufe ihrer Karriere unter anderem mit dem Bayerischen Fernsehpreis für ihr Lebenswerk, dem Karl-Valentin-Orden, dem Ernst-Lubitsch-Preis sowie dem Deutschen Fernsehpreis geehrt.

Hörbinger war in erster Ehe mit dem Regisseur Wolfgang Glück verheiratet. Ihr zweiter Mann und Vater ihres Sohnes Sascha, der Schweizer Journalist Rolf R. Bigler, starb 1978. Einen neuen Lebensgefährten fand die Schauspielerin im Wiener Regisseur und Autor Gerhard Tötschinger, der 2016 starb.

Die Hundeliebhaberin lebte in den letzten Jahren in Baden bei Wien. 2019 erregte ein Video Aufsehen, in dem die zuvor als SPÖ-Sympathisantin bekannte Hörbiger für den inzwischen zurückgetretenen jungen ÖVP-Kanzler Sebastian Kurz ihre Stimme erhob.