Germany, US envoys enjoy friendly rivalry at FIBA World Cup semifinals

BY RAYMUND ANTONIO

Sep 9, 2023 02:33 PM

  

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The ambassadors of Germany and the United States enjoyed the friendly rivalry between their countries’ respective national basketball teams as they watched the Germans beat the Americans for the first time in FIBA World Cup history.

(From left) US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke of Germany shake hands after Germany defeated the US in the FIBA World Cup semifinals on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo from Amb. Pfaffernoschke)

German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke celebrated his country’s victory on a post on X (formerly Twitter) after watching the game with US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson.  

“A pleasure to meet #TeamGermany after the sensational win against Team (USA),” he captioned a photo of him with some of Germany players inside their locker room at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

“Good luck for the #FIBAWC2023  finals tomorrow!,” he added as Germany will face Serbia on a final battle on Sunday, Sept. 10.

The German envoy thanked Carlson for watching the game as well, and even posted a selfie of them.

“And thanks to my (USA) colleague for watching this thrilling and exciting match together. Compliments to @_BasketballUSA - what a team!,” Pfaffernoschke added.

The teams met on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Mall of Asia Arena where Germany booked their first time to the championship game after the thrilling 113-111 victory.

Carlson reposted the German ambassador’s tweet and congratulated Germany for the semifinal win.

“I congratulated my colleague, German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke, on his team's win in tonight’s #FIBAWC semifinal match. Great game, right down to the final buzzer! Proud of our @USABasketball team for giving their all,” she wrote on X.

Grandparents are ‘givers’ now living ‘new lives’ for others

BY JANE KINGSU-CHENG

Sep 10, 2023 00:06 AM

  

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There are millions of “givers” among us and they are doing that while living the “best new lives” for others. They are known as “grandparents,” or the lolos and lolas, who now give most of their time to their families (especially to their apos or grandchildren), community, and church.

There are approximately nine million senior citizens in the country, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA, 2020).  Of that number, 3.3 million are still working, while 5.7 million have committed themselves to non-gainful occupations, according to the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) qouting from a PSA report. The non-gainful occupations include taking care of apos, volunteering for church or community work, or engaging in regular leisure activities such as travel.

In the Filipino culture, all senior citizens are considered lolo or lola for the strong bond that ties families together, long after children, nephews and nieces included, become adults and have children of their own. 

In an interview with Manila Bulletin, NCSC chairman lawyer Franklin M. Quijano explained that it is “embedded in us to be caring, nurturing, and giving, which is why grandparents are known to be ‘givers’ of their precious time, knowledge, and experiences.”

In this context, “non-gainful occupation” is a stepping stone to being more involved in family day-to-day matters, one of them, caring for the little children.
“There’s a new ministry that you go into. We call that ‘apo-stolate.’ When you take care of your apos (grandchildren), you become even more valuable to the parents, and you also leave a mark on your grandchildren,” he said, noting that child care is a ”job” that most grandparents will gladly take on.

Eighty-eight-year-old Elisa Salayon, a retiree from San Juan City who has seven grandchildren (now adults), agrees that her role as a grandmother is to give what the parents cannot afford to give, which is time since most parents with young children spend most of their time working to make ends meet.
Now that all her grandchildren are capable of taking care of themselves, Salayon continues to be a doting grandmother, still sharing words of wisdom, “I give them advice about the reality of life, that success and failure are part of growing up. They have to choose how they want to live their lives.”

Sixty-six-year-old Angelita Pineda, makes sure to pray and play with her grandchildren, all 14 of them, ages two to 23 years old. “I teach them to pray, especially the Holy Rosary. These will help them have a better relationship with God, and to become good people.” 

President of the senior citizens group in her barangay, 77-year-old Leonora Nicolas Ramos, a retired grade school teacher, bonds with her grandchildren over food, especially local delicacies. “They always ask me how to make puto, kutsinta, and other kakanin. They love to eat.” She has 14 grandchildren whose ages range from five months to 28 years old. The heirloom recipes are proof that grandparents hold so many treasures, waiting to be shared with the younger ones.

“If these grandparents are able to sustain the values, skills, wisdom, experiences, and share them with the next generation, it will strengthen a culture that other people will also value,” Quijano said.

“Senior citizens should start to think of how their lives are connected with society and family governance. They have skills which they learned from their grandparents. We should challenge them to be pillars in nation building—to still be heroes by sharing their skills with the next generation,” he said.
Belinda D. Cruz, 62, enjoys taking care of her two grandchildren who are left with her while their parents work. She also serves her community as a barangay employee. She is considered by people who know her as a true “giver” who dedicates this phase in her life to both her family and the community where she resides.

Seventy-five-year-old Manolo B. Mercado dedicated 18 years of his life to working as a section head of Net Const department of PLDT. “I was the one in charge of outside plant operations, visiting almost all the provinces in the Philippines,” he said. Now at 75 years old, contributing to the community is on his mind, having been recently elected as the president of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines San Juan Chapter, and concurrently the senior association president of Barangay Pedro Cruz San Juan.

In his free time, Mercado enjoys looking after eight grandchildren. “I bring them out and attend worship at our church. We play together and watch movies. They enjoy being together with their lolo and lola,” he said.

To provide more opportunities for grandparents and senior citizens, NCSC continues to encourage LGUs (local government units) to create programs that the national organization can support. “The senior citizens will be more appreciative if the local government can really be on their side,” Quijano said.
He cited a project with District Six of Manila City. Quijano reveals that the senior citizens from that district have been creating during their free time beaded products for selling. “They started with beads, and are now in diamond painting. I called their attention—nasa gilid lang kayo ng Pasig River. Alam mo may dumadaan dyan na kaya niyong kunin at gamitin (You’re just beside the Pasig River. Do you know that there is something that floats by which you can use)?” 

Now, they are producing water lily items such handcrafted woven baskets, he said.

Grandparents, indeed, are living their best “new” life not only as wonderful caregivers to the next generation of citizens but still contributing to society and their respective communities – through selfless actions that will leave lasting impressions, words of wisdom, and good citizens. 

Caring for our mental health

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

IN the gospel, many instances are recorded where some leading Jews would make many rash judgments on Christ and his disciples. One such instance was when Christ cured a man with a withered hand. (cfr. Lk 6,6-11) 

These leading Jews were quick to observe if Christ would heal that man on a Sabbath, which to them was a no-no, according to their rigid and self-righteous laws. And when finally Christ cured the man, they were enraged and discussed among themselves about what to do with Christ.

This, to me, is an example of what we can consider, at the very least, as a mental health issue. The whole affair certainly is more serious than that, involving as it does matters of faith and spiritual life, but the mental health aspect, I would say, plays a crucial role in it.

We have to give due concern to this aspect of our life because nowadays we can observe increasing cases of mental health issues. Many people are falling into anxiety, depression, burn-out, addiction, psychosis, delirium, bipolar disorder, etc. The increasing pressures and complexities in today’s life can easily give rise to these disorders.

The ideal mental health, I imagine, is when one is at peace with everyone, first with God, and then with everybody and everything else. Despite the unavoidable differences, conflicts, difficulties and challenges in life, one manages to be at peace and confident in tackling whatever situation one may be in, certain of where he is going. He has a clear vision of the real purpose of life, and does everything to be on track.

Obviously, this ideal mental health can only be achieved when one is with God who, in Christ, offers us the “way, the truth and the life” proper to us. Thus, to develop good mental health, we really should go to Christ who makes himself available to us all the time through the many instrumentalities he himself has provided us.

The significance of our mental health lies in the fact that it is there where we can have greater control of our own selves, enabling us to direct our thoughts, desires, feelings, etc. to their proper objective.

If we make the effort to develop our mental health in Christ, we can manage to understand many things and to cope with any situation we may find ourselves in. We can avoid making rash judgments, negative thoughts, and having a critical spirit, always looking for faults in others. More than these, we would always feel driven to do good, whatever may be the circumstances.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. We have to realize that to develop a good mental health, we need to do certain things—praying, developing the virtues like humility, prudence, order, fortitude, etc. In a sense, there is a certain regimen to follow also, one that is fitted to one’s concrete conditions. 

This is where the value of piety comes in, playing a crucial role in keeping us healthy mentally, emotionally, psychologically and even physically. Piety is our relationship with God. It is nourished by God’s gifts of faith, hope and charity to which we have to correspond knowingly, freely and lovingly.

We have to realize more deeply our need to have a genuine life of piety to be truly healthy, first in the spirit and then in the body. We have to spread this Good News widely. It hardly involves money or some material things. What only is needed is an act of faith, which is something spiritual, a matter of our will and intelligence.

Why do tourists visit the Philippines?

 

Travelerszones

Travel Lovers | Luxurious Place | Reservation Information

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Hello, fellow travelers! My name is Marlon Mcleod, and I'm a passionate explorer who loves to discover new cultures, cuisines, and experiences around the world. I've been traveling for years, and I've accumulated a wealth of knowledge and insights that I'm excited to share with the Quora community.

Introduction

The Philippines, a captivating archipelago in Southeast Asia, is a land of stunning beauty, diverse culture, and warm-hearted people. Nestled in the Western Pacific Ocean, this tropical paradise lures travelers from across the globe to its shores year-round. From pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs to lush jungles and centuries-old historical sites, the Philippines offers an unparalleled array of experiences that leave tourists enchanted and eager to return. In this article, we will explore the top reasons why tourists visit the Philippines and why this magical destination continues to captivate travelers from all walks of life.

1. Tropical Beaches and Island Hopping

The Philippines is synonymous with postcard-perfect beaches and crystal-clear waters. From the iconic White Beach in Boracay to the secluded beauty of Palawan's El Nido, each island offers a unique beach experience. Tourists are drawn to the Philippines for its excellent opportunities for island hopping, exploring hidden coves, and snorkeling in vibrant coral gardens.

2. Scuba Diving and Marine Biodiversity

As one of the world's most biodiverse marine regions, the Philippines is a mecca for scuba diving enthusiasts. The country's numerous dive sites, such as Apo Reef and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, are teeming with colorful marine life, including majestic whale sharks and vibrant coral reefs. The Philippines' underwater wonders offer a mesmerizing experience for divers of all levels.

3. Warm Hospitality and Culture

Filipinos are renowned for their warm hospitality and genuine friendliness towards visitors. Tourists are welcomed with open arms and embraced into the vibrant local culture. Whether participating in traditional festivities, tasting local delicacies, or learning about ancient rituals, tourists find a deep connection with the heart and soul of the Filipino people.

4. Breathtaking Landscapes and Nature Escapes

The Philippines boasts an array of breathtaking landscapes, from the terraced rice fields of Banaue to the chocolate hills of Bohol. Nature lovers can explore the mystical underground river of Puerto Princesa, hike to hidden waterfalls like Kawasan Falls, or traverse the picturesque Batad Rice Terraces. These natural wonders make the Philippines an adventurer's dream come true.

5. Unique Festivals and Celebrations

The Philippines is a nation of festivals and celebrations, with each region having its own distinct traditions and festivities. Tourists flock to witness iconic festivals like the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Sinulog in Cebu, and the lively MassKara Festival in Bacolod. These vibrant events offer an immersive experience into the country's rich cultural heritage.

6. Historical Landmarks and Heritage Sites

Steeped in history, the Philippines is home to numerous historical landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tourists can explore the centuries-old Spanish-era churches in Vigan and Paoay, discover the ancient rice terraces of the Cordilleras, and learn about the country's colonial past at Intramuros in Manila.

7. Adventure Sports and Outdoor Activities

For adrenaline seekers, the Philippines offers an abundance of adventure sports and outdoor activities. From surfing the waves of Siargao and wakeboarding in CamSur to spelunking in Sagada's caves and zip-lining across lush forests, tourists can indulge in thrilling experiences amidst the country's stunning landscapes.

Conclusion

The Philippines, with its tropical charm, rich cultural heritage, and captivating natural wonders, stands as an irresistible destination for tourists seeking an unforgettable travel experience. Whether relaxing on pristine beaches, immersing in the country's warm hospitality, or exploring the diverse marine life underwater, the Philippines offers a cornucopia of experiences that cater to every traveler's desires. From breathtaking landscapes and vibrant festivals to heartwarming encounters with the locals, a journey to the Philippines promises a transformative experience that leaves tourists with lasting memories and a longing to return. Discover the beauty and magic of the Philippines, and be captivated by the allure of this tropical paradise that has enchanted travelers for generations.

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