P5/kilo increase in rice price seen

By Janine Alexis Miguel

April 8, 2023 

THE retail price of rice could go up by P5 a kilo in the next few weeks because of a lower import volume and high farm production costs, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has projected.

DA deputy spokesman Rex Estoperez said in a briefing Thursday he is hoping the price increase will not be as high as forecast since the government has stepped in.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported that a kilo of well-milled rice was selling at between 19 centavos and P2.13 higher in six trading centers toward the end of last March.

Last year, rice imports reached 3.7 million metric tons (MMT), almost 1 MMT higher than the 2.77 MMT last year, making the Philippines the world's second biggest rice importer.

But according to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the volume of imported rice fell 16.20 percent year on year, translating to 3.6 MMT as of last March.

Estoperez is puzzled why rice inventories have dropped despite the increase in rice imports from the previous year.

"We are also wondering why, because we had imports of 3.8 million metric tons last year. What happened to those stocks?" Estoperez said.

Chief economist of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Michael Ricafort attributed the lower inventory to the rising price of the staple in the world market.

Ricafort predicts that "for the coming months, better weather conditions into the dry or summer season would help increase planting, harvests, and supplies of rice."

He also said the one-year extension of lower tariffs for rice, corn, and other agricultural products could help boost local supplies and help bring down prices.

Last month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his campaign promise of rice sold at P20 per kilo will soon become a reality.

He said that rice was already down to P25 a kilo.

Red tide warning up in 5 coastal areas

By Janine Alexis Miguel

April 8, 2023 

SHELLFISH and acetes shrimp or "alamang" collected from the coastal areas in Bohol, Samar, Surigao del Sur and Zamboanga del Sur have tested positive for red tide toxins.

The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) released a bulletin which showed that samples gathered from Daquis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, San Pedro Bay in Samar, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur are positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) and are not safe for human consumption.

Based on the BFAR's administrative order on safety and quality control standards for PSP, the maximum regulatory limit of toxins is 60 micrograms for every 100 grams of shellfish meat for both domestic and foreign markets.

According to BFAR, shellfish are particularly prone to toxin contamination as they feed by filtering microscopic food out of the water.

"Eating distressed or dead fish and other aquatic animals in areas affected by red tide is discouraged because the reason for the animal's strange behavior or death cannot be absolutely known," the fisheries bureau said.

DA-BFAR, meanwhile, noted that fishes, squids, shrimps, and crabs from the mentioned areas are safe to consume, "provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking."

The red tide phenomenon is caused by a bloom of algae that produce toxins that make shellfish dangerous to eat and make the water red.

The bureau also released a warning against buying, selling, catching, and eating of shellfish from the said areas as red tide could cause headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tingling sensation on lips and tongue, and in extreme cases, could lead to death.

Shellfish that are unsafe to eat from red tide-affected coastal areas include clams, cockles, oyster, mussels and scallops.

Foreigners 1st Holy Week In The Philippines UNBELIEVABLE!

6,038 views Apr 8, 2023

In This Video Foreigners 1st Holy Week In The Philippines UNBELIEVABLE! Nothing Bigger Than This we check out Good Friday Cross of Jesus procession, in the Philippines the catholic religion is most of the population, you can imagine its a big deal, Join this channel to get access to Bonus Videos, Shout Outs and Highlighted Comments:    / @thatphilippineslife   About Us, Two years ago we made a plan we Sold Everything & Now Living In The Philippines On A Budget in 2023, we had paid our debts, sold everything and made a budget. Its been a crazy journey from Cambodia to Albania then in Boracay before moving to Iloilo City, check out why we moved to the Philippines and specifically why Iloilo City.

AIRLINE ADVISORIES & 5 NEW FEATURES of E-TRAVEL for DEPARTING PAX | PHILIPPINEN

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Latest updates and advisories for Philippine travel Updated Travel Guide to the Philippines ✨ For Filipinos (Filipino):    • UPDATED TRAVEL GU...   ✨ For Balikbayans (Former Filipinos and their Families):    • FEBRUARY 2023: UP...   ✨ For Foreign Nationals:    • Latest Travel Gui...   🔴 All passengers entering or leaving the Philippines are required to register with E-TRAVEL: https://etravel.gov.ph/ 📍ARRIVAL Tutorial Guide for E-TRAVEL (ENGLISH):    • E-TRAVEL UPDATE: ...   Tutorial Guide for E-TRAVEL (FILIPINO):    • GAWIN MO TO BAGO ...   Source of Info: https://iatf.doh.gov.ph/wp-content/up... 👉🏽Philippine Exit Requirements for Foreign Tourists, Balikbayans, Duals, and Filipino Residents Abroad:    • AUGUST 2022: THIN...   👉🏽Filipino Tourists departing the Philippines may be required by Philippine Immigration to secure travel medical insurance. For this, you may check out Safetywing: https://www.safetywing.com/a/24818256 👉🏽Foreign Tourists, except those covered by Balikbayan Privilege, may be required by airlines and immigration to show an exit ticket. You may rent a ticket here to satisfy this requirement for just $14: https://onwardticket.com/jennifer

Rebirth of music and culture: Manila Cathedral to host historical Easter concert

By

 Jeline Malasig 

Facade of the Manila Cathedral in this photo posted on its Facebook page on Feb. 7, 2023 (themanilacathedral/Facebook)

Catholics can experience a historical moment at the Premier Church of the Philippines as it is set to host the first youth orchestra endorsed to perform a concert on its site.

The Philippine Suzuki Youth Orchestra (PSYO) will take center stage on April 13, 6:30 p.m. inside one of Manila’s most iconic and blessed locations — the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion Manila Metropolitan Cathedral.

They will perform a special Easter concert called “Risen” on the eve of the installation of Msgr. Rolando R. dela Cruz as Manila Cathedral’s new Rector. 

The installation ceremony will be presided over by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula. 

PSYO is a training orchestra for young string instrumentalists aged nine and above. It has a wide repertoire that includes favorite pieces from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods, as well as hits from contemporary music.

The Easter concert will bring together some of the most talented young musicians in the country to perform a selection of timeless classics and create their versions of “old” sounds, from pipe organ music to vocals and string orchestral music.

Concertmaster Theodore Julius Tan, the first-prize winner of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Foundation in 2022, will lead them as they perform Mozart pieces and other familiar staples of the classical repertoire by Bach and Handel.

The concert will also feature special performances by PSYO’s principal musicians, the Spectrum Cello Quartet, and young vocalist Jamie Rose Ong.

Early concertgoers will additionally have the privilege to be serenaded by the orchestra’s pianists through pipe organ music as they enter the Manila Cathedral.

The upcoming concert seeks to honor dela Cruz’s vision for the premier basilica — that it would become not only a place of worship, but a center of music and culture as it brings more people into its walls with beautiful melodies and inspirational performances from world-class musicians.

“Music has always been an integral part of our faith,” he said.

“It is my vision to create a vibrant cultural atmosphere in our church where young minds can come together to appreciate music and faith,” dela Cruz added.

The upcoming Rector said that the music of the young talented musicians will take the public “on a journey of hope, renewal, and joy.”

Those interested to watch the youth orchestra perform may inquire about tickets by messaging 0906-431-1407 on Viber.

They can also read the following guidelines on this website link or scan the event QR code found at the bottom of the Facebook post of the Manila Cathedral below.

The PSYO was launched in 2011 and has evolved from a small children’s ensemble into a training string orchestra with an eclectic repertoire that includes favorite pieces from different musical periods.

Under the baton of Herrick Ortiz of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the group provides a platform for violinists, violists, and cellists as young as nine to develop musical brilliance through group instruction.

Christ’s resurrection our supreme joy

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THAT’S right! With the resurrection of Christ, we have our greatest joy since we are now assured of our own redemption as long as we also do our part of the deal. Christ has given us everything to recover us from our self-inflicted alienation from God. The only thing that can stand in the way is when we obstinately refuse to believe this truth of our faith.

With his resurrection, Christ has finally conquered death itself and with it all the malice of sin and evil. It’s the victory that recovers our original dignity as image and likeness of God and nothing less than God’s children in Christ, the dignity we lost because of sin.

This ultimate victory even enhances that dignity, since it involves God becoming like us so that we can be like him! It’s this very sublime exchange and sharing that comprises the supreme good that can happen to us. Yes, we are meant to be one with God, sharing his very life and nature, since we are his image and likeness, children of his.

Some people have considered it a Pyrrhic victory since it involves quite a tremendous cost. It’s like saying that the resurrection of Christ has given us only a zero-sum triumph, since what we gain with it is almost the same as what we lose.

This is, of course, a very poor understanding of this truth of faith. While it’s true that this culmination of the redemptive work of Christ on us entailed nothing less than his life, it’s also true that that death has been converted into a gateway to our salvation with his resurrection. What matters is what happens in the end, with an effect that will be for always.

If we believe this truth and live it ourselves, identifying everything in our life with the life and the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, then we too can partake of this ultimate victory.

We should not forget that it will involve nothing less than the offering of our life. Before that, it obviously will entail a lot of suffering—the cross, in other words—which Christ already warned us about when he said that if we want to follow him, then we should deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.

It would be nice if we can quit wasting time by fussing about this truth, and simply proceed to live it, acquiring the relevant attitude and skills to put it into practice. Yes, with this truth about our assured ultimate victory in Christ, we ought to have the confidence and serenity in going about the affairs of our life. Plus, a driving sense of responsibility that should push us to do things for others without counting the cost.

We just have to deepen our belief that with Christ’s resurrection, sin and death have been definitively conquered, and a new life in God is given to us. We are now a new creation, with the power of Christ to conquer sin and death and everything else that stands in the way of our becoming true children of God.

And so, we have every reason to think that we can live forever in Christ over whom death no longer has dominion. In spite of whatever, we have every reason to be happy and confident, as long as we are faithful to Christ.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

VP Sara seeks Filipinos' solidarity in Lenten message

BY BETHEENA UNITE

  

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On Good Friday, Vice President Sara Duterte expressed hopes that the Lenten season would guide Catholic faithful to set aside differences and uphold solidarity in building a just and humane society.

"These recent years, our strong faith as a nation has allowed us to display resiliency despite the global crises affecting our nation and the challenges in our personal and professional lives," Duterte said in a video message on April 7.

"Let the way of the Cross guide us in upholding solidarity, setting aside our differences to build a just and humane society, and fostering equitable governance that will ease the plight of our kababayans (fellowmen)," she added.

The Vice President said the Lenten season is a time when the "entire Christian community unites in the solemn observance of our deep faith founded on Christ’s blood-brought sacrifice at the cross."

She, therefore, enjoined the faithful to use their faith in fighting local communism, corruption, criminality, and the proliferation of illegal drugs.
Duterte also expressed hopes that the Lenten season would inspire Filipinos to unite for a peaceful and progressive Philippines.

"Sa ating pananalangin, pasasalamat at pananampalataya, nawa'y ipakita natin ang walang hanggang pag-asa ng ating pananampalatayang Kristiyano kasabay ng determinasyong mangampanya laban sa lokal na komunismo, katiwalian, kriminalidad, at ilegal na droga na nagbabanta sa ating mga demokratikong mithiin at sumisira sa buhay ng marami (I our prayers, thanksgiving and faith, may you show our endless hope in our Christian faith while we show determination in the campaign against local communism, corruption, criminality, and illegal drugs that threatens our democratic goal and the lives of many)," Duterte said.

Ako ay umaasa, na ang diwa ng Kuwaresma at muling pagkabuhay ni Hesus ay magbibigay-inspirasyon sa mga Pilipino na magsama-sama at makibahagi sa pagbuong muli ng ating bansa--isang Pilipinas na mapayapa, matatag, inklusibo at progresibo para sa ikabubuti ng bawat mamamayan (I am hoping that the spirit of Lent and the resurrection of Jesus would bring inspiration to Filipinos to unite and join in building a peaceful, strong, inclusive, and progressive Philippines for the benefit of every Filipino)," Duterte added.