PHILIPPINES HIGHEST MOUNTAIN - BecomingFilipino Mt. Apo Adventure Climbing

Mt. Apo. the highest mountain in the Philippines. This is the first day of our climb up into the bukid and forests of Davao Mindanao. Our trail is called the "Santa Cruz Circuit". It starts off in Barangay Kapatagan, where we ride a truck up to the jump off for the start of our trekking. From there, we walk through some local Sitios, and find ourselves in beautiful forest.... Including a GIANT FERN FOREST! It was so beautiful walking through this unique forest of fern's. This is just the beginning of what will be an epic adventure to the top of the Philippines! I really loved the vibes, and the awesome local porters. Mt. Apo. Mindanao.

Be prepared for more responsibilities

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

IT’S quite clear that when we do some good, we should expect that our life can get more complicated. We are reminded of this fact of life in that gospel episode where Christ went to Peter’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Because of that, many more sick people went to see Christ for a cure. (cfr. Mk 1,29-39) In fact, it is said that the whole town went to him. 

Try to imagine how it was with Christ! Of course, Christ is Christ. He never runs out of strength, compassion, patience, etc. Still, we could not deny that his life got complicated.

The same fact of life was also highlighted in that parable of the three servants who were given some amount of money and told to do business with it. The first two who made money of the initial amount were given the responsibility of taking care of cities. (cfr. Mt 25,13-40) Obviously, when we do something bad, we would also complicate our life. But that’s another story.

Well, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. And so, we should just be prepared for it. Anyway, God is always around and is all ready to provide the help needed. We should not worry too much and just try whatever we can to handle the unavoidable complications.

Just the same, in that gospel episode, in spite of the many cures Christ made, he did not forget to pray, even making the effort to go to some isolated place to do his prayer calmly. And neither did he forget to carry out the more important responsibility to go to the other towns to preach and continue doing good.

This is a lesson for us to know how to handle the competing goals we have to pursue in life. We need to have a good sense of priority, and learn how to properly orchestrate the many responsibilities we have without getting lost or confused.

The secret here, I think, is to always refer everything to Christ. First of all, because we need to ask for grace that would enable us to do things they way he does them. And we, of course, need to follow his example.

Such effort would surely involve a certain detachment, since we tend to get attached to our own way of doing things rather than Christ’s way. Quite often, we get sentimental in these affairs, our emotions getting the better of us, and so we tend to fall into some disorder, since our reason and much more, our faith, that are supposed give us the better light, would be set aside.

Given this condition in our life, we should see to it that we live order in the best way we can. We need to be clear about the goals to pursue, and the different tasks we need to carry out. We have to be most careful with the use of our time. There are only 24 hours in a day, and we need to attend to more than a hundred things daily, including the rest that is due to us. We cannot afford to be wasteful of our time.

To be sure, we need to constantly examine and rectify our intentions, because with all the distractions that we are exposed to these days, we can easily stray from the right path dictated by our prudence. Thus, a lot of pit stops during the day are needed to see if we are still on track.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

𝗗𝗱𝗢 𝗘-𝗚𝗼𝘃 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗖𝗦𝗖 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗔𝗚-𝗔𝗦𝗔 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱

Another winning streak of the province stands out at the national level after the e-Gov Technical Team of the Provincial Information and Communication Technology Office (PICTO) bagged the 2022 Honor Awards Program’s Search for Outstanding Government Workers under the CSC PagAsa Award (Group Category).

On January 9, 2023, Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga personally handed over the certificate of commendation to the team right after the regular flag-raising ceremony at the Capitol Grounds. 

Gov Gonzaga congratulated the team headed by PICTO PG Head Joyzel R. Odi and expressed her gratitude and gladness for the feats of the province. 

Since 2015, the team has developed multiple information and communication technology (ICT) computer systems that foster the delivery of public service at various levels: Government to Government (G2G), Government to Citizens (G2C), Government to Business (G2B), Government to Internal Processes (G2I), and Government to Pandemic Response (G2P). 

Among the ICT solutions established and duly recognized nationally were the following: DDO iPortal, Document Management System, Blood Distribution Management System, Funds Utilization Management System, CallDdoc, 1DdO Helpline, and Household Profiling and Needs Assessment System. 

In addition, aside from the cash incentive worth P60K given by the province, the CSC also grants P100K for each group members. 

It is worth noting that the eGov Technical Team laid a vital cornerstone for digital literacy and governance in the province for employees and the Davaoeños as a whole. 

HAP is the highest annual recognition rite conducted by the CSC that recognizes government offices, officials, and employees who have excelled and shown great dedication and commitment to public service. 

(R. Hortizano, Photos by Jonie Cadiz)

ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH YOUR LIFE?

Sometimes, we feel our life is turning miserably. Our negativism doesn't allow us to keep our eyes, ears - and, most important! - our minds, hearts and souls opened. We're reaching our breaking point.

This breaking point can be the prelude to our strongest moment. Can be! Must not! But if yes, then it is when we reach our breaking point,  we discover our real strength. Allow me to ask you, my dear readers: "What happens to you or with you when you reach your breaking point?" Do you face it or do you run away? I'll be giving you a very simple answer: If you face it - you break it. If you run away (and/or close your ears, eyes and mouth) - it breaks you!

Are you in love with life? 

Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that, at the same time, seemed especially desolating and painful with a particular satisfaction. Indeed, everything I have learned, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness.

If it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from your earthly existence, the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal and trivial to be endurable.

By observation, we can feel that many of us need help to manage our everyday life. We need something that would keep us going as we journey through life. Many times we can also learn from other people and their experiences.

And here is one more thing: Affection is the humblest love - it gives itself no airs. It lives with humble and private things: soft slippers, old clothes, old jokes, and the thump of a sleepy dog's tail on the kitchen floor. The glory of affection, the disposition of mind, the good will and tender attachment, that can unite those who are not "made for one and another"! .

The love of your life is the person you are most comfortable with, who you naturally feel that you can be yourself around. This is someone who makes you feel loved for who you most essentially are. When you are loved at this level, you transform into the best possible version of yourself you can be.

Too often we stop ourselves from dreaming and fantasising about the future for fear of disappointment. Yes, life doesn’t always deliver what we hope and we must understand this. But to progress and have goals, we first need to dream and imagine what could be. When we dream we learn about what we truly value in life.

Listen to some ambient music in bed before you fall asleep and just see where your mind goes. Think about what happiness means to you and notice what that involves. And then think about what action steps you need to take to move closer to reaching your dreams.

For me life has been a thing of ups and downs in approximately equal measure. I don't have something sensational to report every day about my progress. Often, I wonder if fulfillment in life is necessarily tied to change for the better. But one thing is for sure: I keep staying in love with life.

PhilHealth extends accreditation deadline for health facilities

by Analou de Vera, MB

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) (MANILA BULLETIN)

Health facilities can still file their application for renewal of accreditation with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) until the end of this month.

“Please be informed that PhilHealth will extend the period of filing of application for renewal of accreditation for CY 2023 of health facilities until Jan. 31, 2023,” PhilHealth said in a statement on Monday, Jan. 9. 

This move is aimed at ensuring “continuous access to quality health services by all Filipinos,” it said.

“Only applications with the complete documentary requirements submitted to the respective PhilHealth Regional Offices on or before the said period shall be accepted,” it noted.

“Applications received for renewal of accreditation beyond this period shall result into a gap in accreditation,” it added.

The state health insurer said that health facilities may coordinate with PhilHealth regional offices if they have clarifications.

First Metro Manila Summer Film Festival to be held in April

by Robert Requintina

Award-winning actress Laurice Guillen, head jury of the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival; Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and MMFF Over-all Chairman Atty. Romando Artes; and MOWELFUND Chairman Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo (MMDA Photo)

Following the success of the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Monday, Jan. 9, that it will hold the first Metro Manila Summer Festival (MMSF) this year.

Atty. Romando Artes, MMDA and MMFF Over-all Chairman said the inaugural film fest will kick off in partnership with Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP).

The MMSF will run for an 11-day period, from April 8 (Black Saturday) to April 18, in cinemas nationwide. 

The Parade of Stars for the MMFF Summer Edition will be held on April 1, while the Awards Night will take place on April 11.

Award-winning actress Laurice Guillen, who head the 2022 MMFF jury, said that this is the best time to launch a summer film festival.

“As mentioned earlier, two years ago pa dapat ito ginawa pero inabutan nga ng pandemic. But we fell that the people are ready to go back to the theaters now as proven by the success of the MMFF 2022. Yung summer festival is the time na naka-break talaga and halos lahat ng kabataan nasa bakasyon. So it’s really a time for celebration. At the same time walang ibang foreign films na kalaban. So we really need to jumpstart again our local movies. Kailangan natin ang mga ganun para bumalik sa dating sigla ang film industry.”

(As mentioned earlier, it should have been done two years ago but the pandemic overtook it. But we felt that the people are ready to go back to the theaters now as proven by the success of the MMFF 2022. The summer festival is the time when almost all the young people are on vacation. So it’s really a time for celebration. Also, there are no other foreign films to compete with. So we really need to jumpstart again our local movies. We need those to return to the film industry that used to be vibrant.)

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On some sectors that questioned the results of the MMFF 2022 Gabi ng Parangral, Guillen said: “Iba-iba ang perspective ng the jury. Pero kahit na galing kami sa iba’t ibang perspective, meron naman kaming napagkasunduan. I can say that then choices were collegial. Hindi lahat ng choices ko ang nanalo. We had a general agreement after discussions. So based on that, any of those films could have won. Lahat ng jurors nag-attend ng deliberations and then bawa’t isa nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na sabihin kung ano ang tingin niya sa pelikula.”

(The perspective of the jury was different. But even though we came from different perspectives, we agreed on something. I can say that the choices were collegial. Not all of my choices won. We had a general agreement after discussions. So based on that, any of those films could have won. All the jurors attended the deliberations and then everyone had a chance to say what they thought of the film.)

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Metro Manila Film Festival Over-all Chairman Atty. Romando Artes (MMDA Facebook)

Artes also said that films which failed to enter the top 8 of the 2022 MMFF may still qualify for the summer film fest.

The schedule of activities for the MMFF Summer Edition:

Deadline for submission of finished film and other required documents – Not later than 5 pm of Jan. 31, 2023 (early bird) and Feb. 17, 2023 (Friday).

Screening of the Selection Committee – Feb. 17-23, 2023 

Announcement of the eight official entries – Feb. 24, 2023 (Friday)

For official entries:

Submission of P300,000 bond and official trailer – March 16, 2023 (Thursday)

Submission of certificate from cinema that the required movie trailers have been submitted – March 16, 2023 (Thursday)

Board of jurors screening of the finished products – March 17-24, 2023

Submission of certification that DCP films for theaters are available – April 3, 2023 (Monday)

Parade of Stars – April 1, 2023 (Saturday)

Showing of official entries in all MM theaters and participating provincial theaters – April 8 (Black Saturday – 18 (Tuesday) 2023

Awards Night – April 11, 2023 (Tuesday)

* Success

Also, the MMFF officially announced that it has reached its P500-million target gross sales.

“We are delighted to announce that we were able to reach our target gross sales amounting to ₱500-million considering that we are still recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, the 2022 MMFF is a certified box-office hit,” said Artes, during a press conference at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City.

With the theme “Balik Saya,” all the eight films were shown in cinemas nationwide from Dec. 25, 2022 up to January 7, 2023, and now being extended until Jan. 13, 2023.

Artes also mentioned the Top 4 MMFF 2022 official entries, based on the gross sales receipts, in alphabetical order, which are the following: Deleter, Family Matters, Labyu with an Accent, and Partners in Crime.

“Rest assured that the MMFF will exert all efforts by encouraging our stakeholders, especially the local entertainment industry, to create quality films. I urge each and every one of you to patronize Filipino films,” Artes said.

The 2022 MMFF Parade of Stars, which featured the floats of the eight ( entries carrying the celebrities of the film festival’s official entries, was held on Dec. 21, 2022, hosted by the local government of Quezon City.

The 2022 MMFF Awards Night, which was held on Dec. 27, 2022 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, was likewise successfully conducted.

Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, chairman of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (MOWELFUND), thanked the MMDA for its full support to the film institute.

“We are thankful for the MMFF which supports the MOWELFUND as one of its beneficiaries,” said Roa Rodrigo.

Artes also said that the MMFF will assist the thriller flick “Deleter” as it participates in an international festival soon. “We will support the winner of best picture in their chosen international film festival.”

“Deleter,” starring Nadine Lustre, was the big winner at the 2022 MMFF Awards Night in December, receiving seven trophies, including best picture, best actress and best director.

Peso nears P54:$1; PSEi rebounds

By Ed Paolo Salting  and Eireene Jairee Gomez

THE peso neared the P54:$1 mark on Monday while the stock market also rebounded to post a strong start to the week.

The currency gained 53 centavos to close at P55.11 to the US dollar, gaining for a third straight trading day.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), meanwhile, recovered from Friday's 1.38-percent drop by gaining 122.27 points, or 1.83 percent, for a 6,790.24 close.

The broader All Shares followed with a 55.90-point, or 1.59-percent rise, to 3,568.97.

Rastine Mercado, China Bank Securities head of research, said positive sentiment abroad had spilled over to local markets.

"Optimism continued to run high given expectations of a slowdown in rate hikes from the US Fed and an improving outlook for China and Asia," Mercado said.

"The market is now within striking distance of the 6,800-6,850 resistance, which coincides with the threshold for bull market territory (20 percent up from recent lows of around 5,700 in early October 2022)."

Philstocks Financial Inc. research associate Claire Alviar, meanwhile, said, "Investors in the US reacted positively after the US non-manufacturing PMI (purchasing managers' index) contracted, tempering rate hikes expectation this year."

Locally, "foreigners also helped lift the market as it registered a net inflow of P283.83 million."

LIST: Miss Universe 2022 Top 20 prediction

Earl D.C. Bracamonte - Philstar.com

Among the ladies predicted to enter the Miss Universe 2022 Top 20 are (from left) Ashley Cariño (Puerto Rico), Celeste Cortesi (Philippines) and María Fernanda Aristizabal (Colombia). The Miss Universe 2022 coronation night will be held on January 14 (January 15 Manila time) in New Orleans, Louisiana.

MANILA, Philippines — On January 14 (January 15, Manila time), the 71st Miss Universe titleholder will be proclaimed through a live telecast from the Ernest N. Moral Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The new winner, a "transformational woman," will wear Mouawad's new Force for Good crown.

With the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) under a new ownership, the new queen's reign includes the unveiling of the soon-to-be launched Miss Universe bottled water (priced at 12 baht) in Thailand. This only means that she will not only be a champion from the pageant, but also an influential face for the new MUO's universal campaigns.

So, it's quite difficult to determine in which mold the new winner should come from. Will she have the presence of the titleholders from the Catalina swimwear years? Will she be like those from the Trump era? Or will she be more like the queens from the IMG era? The answer remains to be seen.

Even with those considerations, frontrunners and dark horses have their sights on winning the elusive crown. The USA is working on its ninth, Venezuela on its eighth, Puerto Rico on its sixth, and the Philippines on its fifth.

At this point, it's still everybody's game. Join us in a little guessing game by whittling down the 84 entrants — yes, Miss Kazakhstan Diana Tashimbetova has pulled out of the race — to the semifinal round of lucky Top 20 placers.

Here are the countries we strongly feel have a chance to make it to the semifinal round. We present them in alphabetical order. They are:

- Monique Riley (Australia)

- Mia Mamede (Brazil)

- Maria Fernanda Aristizabal (Colombia)

- Floriane Bascou (France)

- Ivana Batchelor (Guatemala)

- Divita Rai (India)

- Virginia Stablum (Italy)

- Laksmi De-Neefe Suardana (Indonesia)

- Hannah Iribhogbe (Nigeria)

- Alessia Rovegno (Peru)

- Celeste Rabimbi Cortesi (Philippines)

- Telma Madeira (Portugal)

- Ashley Cariño (Puerto Rico)

- Ndavi Nokeri (South Africa)

- Alicia Faubel (Spain)

- Anna Sueangam-iam (Thailand)

- Viktoria Apanasenko (Ukraine)

- R'bonney Gabriel (USA)

- Amanda Dudamel (Venezuela)

- Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau (Vietnam)

There's one other candidate we hope would get well from her COVID-19 confinement, Gabriela dos Santos of Curacao. Should she make it to the preliminaries, we feel that, like last year's Clemence Botino of France, she'll have a strong chance of making it to the semifinal round.

This list, however, may stay the same or vary slightly after the preliminaries. A lot can happen by then.

The Miss Universe 2022 preliminary competition is slated to unfold on January 11 (January 12 in the Philippines), while the National Costume presentation happens the following day. Stay tuned!