Thousands of fans flocked 'FPJ's Batang Quiapo' stars Coco and Ivana at Kapamilya Karavan in Bacolod

KD and Alexa share a sweet moment on stage at the Masskara Festival

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Oct 25, 2023 07:08 AM

  

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Coco Martin and Ivana Alawi

The stars of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” led by Coco Martin and Ivana Alawi, drew ten thousand fans during their Kapamilya Karavan mall show for the Masskara Festival 2023 last Saturday (Oct. 21).

Coco and Ivana, who were first time Masskara Festival attendees, expressed their excitement in joining the festivities in Bacolod.

The King of Primetime thanked the viewers for supporting “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” which is the number TV show nationwide. “Sulit yung paghihirap. Kapag nakikita mo gabi-gabi na nandyan sila, tinatangkilik nila yung pinaghihirapan niyo, at nararamdaman mo yung pagmamahal ng mga Pilipino, napakasarap sa pakiramdam,” he said in an interview with TV Patrol.

Ivana also addressed her recent viral action scenes in the series.  “Hindi siya madali pero I’m very thankful kasi I’m supported by such a strong team. Tsaka may training talaga. Hindi naman nila ako sinabak nang ganon lang,” she shared.

The cast of 'FPJ's Batang Quiapo' in Bacolod

Coco entertained the audience with his song and dance performance of Pinoy medley hits, while Ivana serenaded the audience with her rendition of “Torete.”

Coco and Ivana were joined by their “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” co-actors Lorna Tolentino, Lito Lapid, Bassilyo, and Smugglaz. 

Meanwhile, “Pira-Pirasong Paraiso” stars KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad charmed fans with their sweet performance of “Please Be Careful With My Heart.” Charlie Dizon and Joseph Marco also delighted the audience with their production numbers. 

Catch the action-packed scenes of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” and the thrilling plot twists of “Pira-Pirasong Paraiso” on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, iWantTFC, TFC IPTV, and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. 

The Masskara Festival Kapamilya Karavan is made possible by the efforts of ABS-CBN Regional, ABS-CBN Events, Kapamilya Channel Regional, MOR, and A2Z Regional.

Schools shift online as DOH monitors spike in flu-like cases

BY RAYMUND ANTONIO

Oct 24, 2023 02:16 PM 

Noting the rise of flu-like cases in the Philippines, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Tuesday, Oct. 24, said some schools have shifted to online or blended learning to stop the spread of the virus among their students.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa replies to questions from the media during a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (RTVM screenshot)

In a Palace press briefing, the official confirmed that the Department of Health’s (DOH) epidemiology bureau is currently monitoring the increasing cases of “influenza-like illness.” 

“Parang tumaas nga (It looked like it really increased). There are some schools that converted to online blended learning because of the number of students,” he told reporters.

The rainy season has contributed to the spike on respiratory illnesses because people are in “closed spaces” and they can really get infected.

Herbosa reminded the general public to remember “self-protection” or the “things we learn(ed) during Covid,” which were to wear a mask if “you have a cough, colds or respiratory illness.”

He also asked the public, especially those in the “high-risk” category, such as the elderly or the senior citizens, to get their flu shot at the health office. 

“And then, kung kayo ay may sakit, respiratory illness, ubo, sipon (if you are sick with respiratory illness, cough, colds), sore throat, it’s better to stay at home than infect all other colleagues in the office or in the school,” Herbosa said.

Last week, DOH data showed that there were 151,375 cases of influenza-like illness cases reported so far this year.

This was 45 percent higher compared to 104,613 cases reported during the same period last year.

From Sept. 3 to 16, 2023 alone, ILI cases increased by 26 percent compared to the reported cases two weeks prior, the DOH added.

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much”

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

CHRIST clearly said this. In that gospel parable where he told his disciples to be always prepared for judgment, (cfr. Lk 12,39-48) Christ clearly admonished his disciples to be ready to face the Lord, able to account for all the things that have been entrusted to them. If they are given much, much will also be expected from them.

The lesson Christ wanted to impart to his disciples, and to us, is that whatever blessing, gift or privilege given to us should never lead us to feel entitled. Rather, we should feel that a greater responsibility is actually given to us, for which we have to do some accounting on Judgment Day.

That gospel parable somehow reminds us that we are just stewards, not owners, of the things of this world. Thus, we have to be responsible and accountable for how we use the things of this world. In this regard, we have to see to it that we be as fruitful and generous in the use of the things of this world, not wasteful and prodigal. We need to distinguish between generosity and prodigality.

We have to learn to distinguish between the two since both can look the same and can involve more or less the same amount of money, time, effort, etc. Generosity is, of course, not prodigality, though it is never sparing of the resources that may be needed to pursue a real good. 

Prodigality is simply a matter of wastefulness, oftentimes of the thoughtless and selfish kind, as dramatized in that parable of the prodigal son. (cfr. Lk 15,11-32) It is an irresponsible way of using one’s resources, endowments and blessings that are made to respond simply to one’s whims and caprices.

It’s always good that whatever service we do for others, we should be as generous as possible without spoiling them. And whatever attention we give to ourselves, we should try to be as sparing as possible without, of course, harming us or jeopardizing our health, etc.

Pertinent to this point, Christ said: “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” (Lk 6,38)

In other words, the more we give, the more we actually will receive. Christ promised as much when he said: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children of fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19,29)

We have to realize then that any privilege, honor or praise given to us is a call for us to be more generous in our self-giving to such an extent that we would not run away from making the supreme sacrifice of giving our life for God and the others, just like what Christ did. Our attitude should be to sharpen even more our desire to serve and not to be served. 

We should never feel entitled. Christ himself was the first one to live by this principle. Being God, he emptied himself to become man and to bear all the sins of men by dying on the cross, all for the purpose of saving mankind. (cfr. Phil 2,7)

He reiterated this point when he lamented about the domineering sense of entitlement of some of the leading Jews of his time while praising the poor widow who put all that she had into the temple treasury. (cfr. Mk 12,38-44)