Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit

 

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published May 24, 2026 12:05 am | Updated May 23, 2026 04:10 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

First Reading • Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, [the disciples] were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

Responsorial Psalm • Ps 104

“Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” or “Alleluia.”

Second Reading • 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Gospel • Jn 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

Mary as Mother of the Church

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

IT is no surprise that Our Lady is given a lot of titles and invocations, since among all men and women, she is the one who most closely identified herself in the life and mission of Christ as the Redeemer of Mankind. Since Christ is her son and is the Head of the Church, it should be very logical to call Mary also as Mother of the Church.

This has Scriptural basis on that gospel episode where Christ, already moments before his death on the cross, entrusted her to St. John, and through St. John, to all of us. That’s when Christ said: “Woman, behold your son…Behold your mother.” (Jn 19,26-27)

Thus, among the titles and invocations mentioned in the Litany of Loreto or the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the title of Mary as Mother of the Church had been added relatively recently by Pope Paul at the Second Vatican Council. 

It’s a title based on her divine motherhood of Christ, her close cooperation in Christ’s work of redemption, and her continuing spiritual motherhood toward all the members of the Church which is referred to as the People of God and the Mystical Body of Christ, highlighting the unity and interconnectedness of believers with Christ as the head.

As Mother of the Church, she is regarded as the one who closely cooperates in the birth and development of divine life in the souls of the redeemed. Though not considered as above the Church, she is nonetheless seen as the Church’s pre-eminent and singular member and an excellent exemplar in the faith and charity.

Her maternal care and concern for all the believers of Christ persist in heaven, always supporting the unique mediation of Christ, the only mediator between God and man. (cfr. 1 Tim 2,5) She is actively interceding for all the Church faithful who are still in their pilgrim journey toward our definitive home in heaven.

In the encyclical of St. John Paul II, entitled “Redemptoris mater,” Mary is regarded as “present in the Church as the Mother of the Redeemer who takes part as a mother in that monumental struggle against the powers of darkness.”

Besides, Mary is also considered as exemplifying the Church. As virgin and mother, she preserves the faith purely while generating new life through Baptism and preaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes this aspect in the following words: “At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect realization of the Church.” (507)

Our devotion to Mary as Mother of the Church should lead us toward filial veneration and imitation of her virtues. It should be expressed through prayer and service, developed via liturgy, popular piety, and theological study. It should always be Christ-centered for the Church’s growth in holiness. It should avoid isolating Mary from Christ or the Church. Rather, she should guide us toward the Eucharist and communal solidarity.

Like any Marian devotion, it must be developed in “harmonious subordination” to Christ-worship that reflects God’s plan where Mary occupies a singular place. We should consider her always in relation to the Church as the Family of God, the People of God and the Mystical Body of Christ. In other words, our love for Mary should be inseparably united with our love for the Church.

Like any devotion, it should foster both personal and communal exercises, interiorizing piety amid modern changes.

Why Italianni's still hits the spot for comfort dining

 By Feliciano Rodriguez III

Published May 23, 2026 09:45 am

My very first Facebook video, circa 2009, is of me with my older sister’s barkada, eating at Italianni's BGC. But my memory of that place goes well beyond their BGC branch. I have memories with my dearly departed mother, ordering and ordering extra bread, to savor their yummy olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. Mom and I would ask for grated Parmesan cheese, and we would sprinkle it liberally onto the dip to add a bit of salty-savory flavor to it.

My go-to dish there is the Spaghetti Vongole and the pasta with giant meatballs. Safe to say, I have a lot of great memories at Italianni’s. And I’m sure many Filipinos do, too. In the succeeding years, admittedly, I grew away from Italianni’s, discovering new restos, and going through different foodie phases—from a Japanese ramen craze, to Korean barbecue, and then a steakhouse phase.

But their “All Yours All Day” promo has reinvigorated my love for Italianni’s, with me realizing that I’ve been eating there more often now. The campaign, now on its fourth season, is perfect for solo dining, treating friends, nephews, and nieces, or simply for those on the go who need a quality, hearty meal quickly. It’s supremely affordable, too. Some of the combo meals are priced below P500, complete with drinks and their beloved complimentary bread. Carb overload.

CLASSIC COMBO Side Caesar Salad, Chicken Parmigiana, and a drink make for an easy, hearty meal set. (Photo: Italianni's)

This May, the casual dining chain rolled out season four of its “All Yours All Day” offering, with meals starting at P385 for a complete set that includes an appetizer, entrée, and drink. The promo continues Italianni’s push to make casual dining more accessible without sacrificing the hearty Italian-American dishes many diners have come to associate with the brand.

I recently added the season four media preview of the new dishes. I love how they keep on calling it seasons. It’s like waiting for new episodes, but with food.

The meal begins with complimentary Tuscan and focaccia bread, still one of the restaurant’s strongest draws for longtime patrons like me. Guests can then choose from appetizers such as the Side Caesar Salad, Pepperoni Pizzetta, Carrot Soup, or Chicken Fingers & Chips with honey mustard for an additional charge.

For mains, diners can choose among Pork Adobo Rice, Grilled Porkloin, Seafood Vegetables and Rice, or Chicken Parmigiana, depending on their appetite and budget. Drinks include a House Blend Iced Tea, while the Blushing Fizzy Tea is available for an added fee. Dessert add-ons such as Affogato and Double Espresso are also available for those wanting to extend the meal a little longer. Now, more bread please!

The promo is available for dine-in customers across all Italianni’s branches nationwide and cannot be combined with other discounts or promotional offers.

SWEET FINISH Affogato caps off the meal with a comforting mix of espresso and ice cream. (Photo: Italianni's)

Is Bela Padilla becoming a problem on the set of 'Blood vs. Duty'? Shocking allegations surface

 

By Neil Ramos

Published May 23, 2026 10:41 am

At A Glance

• Citing a source, Ogie Diaz said Bela Padilla is allegedly becoming difficult to work with on set, supposedly interfering with decisions involving the script, production flow, and scene distribution.

Actress Bela Padilla is currently at the center of controversy after rumors surfaced claiming that she has allegedly become a “headache” for the production team of her ongoing series “Blood vs. Duty.”

The issue was recently discussed by comedian and talent manager Ogie Diaz in his “Showbiz Update” vlog, where he shared several behind-the-scenes allegations reportedly circulating within the production.

Ogie first brought up Bela’s cryptic Instagram Story post, which read: “When you give it your all pero di man lang pala siya day ender.”   

The talent manager explained that in television production, a “day ender” refers to the episode’s final or cliffhanger scene and that it is usually the most important moment meant to hook viewers into watching the next episode.

According to Ogie, Bela was allegedly disappointed after expecting her scene to become the episode’s “day ender,” only for it not to happen despite allegedly giving her all during filming.

The veteran showbiz personality questioned why the matter became an issue in the first place, saying actors typically do not interfere with decisions regarding which scenes become the highlight of an episode.

Aside from the alleged complaint, Ogie claimed that more stories regarding Bela’s supposed attitude on the set of “Blood vs. Duty” had reached him.  

“Totoo ba na ikaw ay sakit ng ulo ng production?” Ogie asked in his vlog, while also mentioning alleged reports that Bela supposedly brought some of her concerns directly to top management instead of first addressing them with the production staff.

The talent manager also brought up rumors involving actor Baron Geisler, claiming there were whispers on set that Bela allegedly had issues with him.

The vlogger also mentioned rumors that the actress previously encountered issues with fellow celebrities including Carlo Aquino, Ria Atayde, and even her close friend Angelica Panganiban.

Despite the explosive claims, Ogie clarified that he is not keen on believing the rumors and that he would rather wait to hear Bela’s side before passing judgement.

But he ended his commentary with a blunt remark: “Kung feeling mo napakahusay mong artista… dapat ikaw na mag-produce.”

Ouch.

As of writing, Bela has yet to publicly address the allegations.

Temporary shutdown of Davao dump eyed

BY JOSELLE R. BADILLA

MAY 23, 2026

UNSAFE SLOPE A view of the sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen, Davao City, where a massive waste mound collapsed on Wednesday, May 20, triggering a trash slide that left one dead, two injured and two missing. —SCREENGRAB FROM RMN-DXDC VIDEO

DAVAO CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday said it is considering the suspension of a sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen here, which collapsed on Wednesday, burying one person, injuring two, and leaving two others missing.

In a statement, the DENR called on the city government to “accelerate stabilization measures at the site,” where a mountain of trash slid past 1 p.m. on Wednesday following days of rain that also submerged parts of the downtown area.

As of Friday, search and rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, 911 Urban Search and Rescue, the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), and barangay responders were deployed, but their efforts were hampered by unstable ground conditions.

The CEO’s declaration of the area as “unsafe for full entry” prompted a temporary suspension of waste disposal operations at the landfill. It has also sent technical teams to assess the extent of the waste movement to guide remediation measures for the facility.

According to the DENR, the landfill has been under close monitoring by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in the Davao region since January.

In March this year, a notice of violation was issued against the facility “for operating without a discharge permit, failing effluent standards, and maintaining an inadequate leachate treatment system,” the DENR said.

Last month, the city government committed to drafting a pollution control program for the landfill.

The DENR said earlier inspections “documented steep slopes, a collapsed leachate pond, and the presence of informal waste pickers and makeshift dwellings near the landfill perimeter.”

“These findings formed the basis of DENR recommendations for slope stabilization, partial closure of certain sections, and relocation of households within the 200-meter buffer zone,” the agency said.

Corrective measures

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the trash slide underscores the urgency of completing corrective measures.

“Every life lost is unacceptable. The DENR and the local government have been working together on the technical and regulatory requirements for months. This incident reinforces the need to accelerate slope stabilization and the safe closure plan,” he said.

An average of 786 tons of waste is dumped into the landfill daily, and the sheer volume has brought it close to full capacity. A new landfill site being developed nearby is still halfway completed.

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Cuna said that once suspended, operations at the landfill will not resume until the site is declared safe.

“This is a moment for collaboration. We are committed to ensuring that Davao City’s waste facilities are safe, compliant and resilient,” he said.

According to Barangay New Carmen chief Jerry Ceballos, residents living near the landfill had long been urged to relocate due to the rising danger posed by the accumulating trash.

A city government report said 15 houses were destroyed, mostly buried under the debris, while 11 others were damaged. Several motorcycles were also buried.

Ceballos said more than a hundred families, or at least 500 individuals, have been evacuated to gymnasiums in the village and the health center.

The Office of the Vice President has mobilized a food truck to provide meals for evacuees and rescuers, who continue to slowly dig through the collapsed garbage mound in hopes of finding two missing elderly women.

What are some unwritten rules of everyday life?

Lukas Schwekendiek

 · 

Life Coach, Speaker, Writer. Published on TIME, INC & Huffington Post.

1. Let people know if you are late. It only takes you 15 seconds to write a message that can save them minutes of waiting. Do this as soon as you know.
2. Never hold back a Laugh. No matter how obnoxious or weird your laugh might be. The world needs more joy.
3. Don’t force your Beliefs on others. You may certainly talk about them and try your best to convince them of your beliefs. But if they say ‘No’ respect that.
4. You can disagree without fighting. The other person is not suddenly a villain for having a single belief that contradicts your own.
5. When a child shows you something you have to act amazed. Even if it is the most mundane thing in the world, you must show excitement.
6. On that note: Tea Time is a requirement. I do not care how manly you are. You will sit down in a chair that’s WAY too small and will enjoy some fake tea.
7. Always ask before Petting a Dog. Some dogs are in training and should not be petted. It is not your animal or your responsibility. Be respectful.
8. Pick up after your pets. At least if it is somewhere where people walk.
9. When you see someone needing help, Help them. There is such a thing as the ‘Bystander Effect’ in which people will walk right by those in need. Be the one that takes responsibility. Everybody else may just ignore them.
10. Hold the Door Open for Others. Especially those that are older or are carrying too much.
11. Don’t be mean to people for following their jobs. If people have a crappy job they are allowed to not be all smiles and joy. Everybody has bad days.
12. Everything is bad when uncontrolled. And vice versa everything can be good if done in a controlled manner.
13. Remember that you only see the Highlight-Reel of others. There’s an entire life they live that you do not know. Remember that everyone else also has 24 hours in the day.
14. Always try to be Nice. You never know what the other person may be going through. Be the bigger person.
15. No one is coming to do it for you - For some reason we all wait for that magic moment when everything falls into place. It will never happen that way. You have to do it yourself.
16. People are not Against you. They are just for themselves.

Do Filipinos express their love differently than other nationalities? If so, how?

 

Filipino Relationship and Dating

 · 

Answered by 

Ronna Lou

 

We have our own culture, so it’s natural for us to have our own ways of expressing love.

For example, Filipinos are VERY family oriented, so our idea of love is tied to our familial roles and relationships. Dating is practically the first step to meeting your spouse and starting your future family. When you’re in a relationship with someone, it’s also kind of expected that you should be on good terms with their parents and siblings.

When we love you, we ask about your family. How is your mother? Is your tatay still working abroad? Are your siblings still in school? In the Philippines, love means working hard for your family and making your parents proud.

We’re also predominantly Catholic, so love can be very religious. When you love someone, you pray for them. You invite them to go to church with you. You give them a rosary as a gift.

Filipino love is also tied to labor and acts of service. In fact, there was a survey

[1]

 last year that showed 67% of people in the Philippines show their love through acts of service.

If a Filipina loves you, she will cook for you.

If a Filipino loves you, he will spend the night with a pamaypay (a hand-held fan) to make sure you’re comfortable while sleeping when there’s a brownout (power outage).

If a Filipino family loves you, you will always be invited to all the fiestas.

When people in the Philippines love you, not a day will go by without you laughing over something silly. You will also never go hungry. They will put a roof over your head during a storm, they will carry your house (This is literal. Look up Bayanihan.), and they will walk on their knees from the church doors to the altar to pray for your eternal soul.

Footnotes

[1] https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2034563/most-pinoys-show-love-thru-acts-of-service

Cebu Pacific Air

 

Klaus DÖRING wrote a review

May 21

Happy over the clouds

The most important:P Being on time. And: very friendly staff.

Date of travel: April 2026

Cebu Pacific Air

2.5

(4,698)

To teach is to bleed

 

Meingel Damayon 

I woke up choking on blood.

I barely made it out of bed; a thick, watery clump just poured out of my mouth. Red. So much red. My head spun hard, legs shaking, scared I’d collapse right there on the floor with my own blood staring back at me. I’m scared of seeing my own blood. I glanced at the wall clock: past 1 a.m.

Two hours until I had to leave for practice teaching.

Suddenly, the blood didn’t scare me anymore. What scared me was the thought of standing in front of class half-sleep, voice cracking, dizzy, blanking out while students watched. I was more afraid of being late, teaching ineffectively, than the fact that I just puked a scary amount of blood.

I know I’m not sick. I feel no pain anywhere else. But at that moment, my body spoke in a language my mind had been refusing to hear. There’s no time to be tired, no time to be broken, I don’t have time to fall apart. So I wiped my mouth, rinsed the sink, and went back to bed as if nothing had happened.

That morning, I learned the first real lesson of teaching: sometimes the blood comes out of your mouth, and you still have to smile by 5:50 a.m. and pretend you are whole.

I’m still learning the same lesson, in slower, quieter ways. Not a single day has passed that I haven’t asked myself: What does it truly mean to teach?

Is it just ticking boxes on a curriculum guide? Marching through lesson plans like a soldier on parade? Is greatness measured in titles, ranks, extra duties, the dryness of your throat from back-to-back classes, and exhaustion in your bones? These questions will not leave me alone. Some nights I beg them to stop.

I am sick of teachers being called heroes, of the profession dressed up in gold stars and martyrdom quotes. I am tired of pretending the exhaustion is holy. I am sick of hearing “This is just how teaching is” when everyone knows the pay is pitiful, the classrooms are ovens, the paperwork is endless, and the system could be fixed but isn’t—because it counts on our patience, on our guilt, on the fact that we will keep showing up anyway.

Teaching demands pieces of your body and soul, and the system knows exactly how to take them. We hate ourselves for still walking through the gate every morning, because somewhere inside, we still believe one child might be worth the cost. I know one person cannot fix a broken system, cannot rewrite policies written, cannot carry every child across every finish line. And still, I bleed.

Three months of practice teaching felt like three lifetimes. Before they pinned the “Pre-Service Teacher” badge on me, I sat through the seminar like a convict waiting for the sentence. I had fought this degree for years, convinced teaching had chosen the wrong heart. I was tired, broke, just trying to survive the program. Deep inside, I was desperately and quietly begging the universe to change my heart and mind. I was pleading, or at least to make this path make sense, to let me feel, for once, that I belonged here. That, maybe, this is my calling after all.

I walked into those classrooms carrying that fragile hope like a lit candle in a storm. Every day I taught, I bled a little more—quietly, willingly, hopelessly—praying at least one student absorbed something from the lesson I had lost sleep preparing. The raw, burning dryness in my throat after five straight periods, the nights my mind raced while I prepared every slide, the dread that it still wouldn’t be enough.

My professor once said, “A learner must learn from their teacher, but a teacher must also learn from their learners.” This idea resonated deeply with me, becoming a personal mantra for the educator I aspire to be. I once asked each class about their dreams. I’ll never forget how their eyes lit up as they told me what they wanted to be and why. In those moments, I saw my younger self in them—full of color, hope, and a wide-open view of the world. Yet every time they spoke, a quiet part of me ached, knowing that in this broken system, many of those dreams would fade or become almost impossible to chase. The old battle between passion and practicality waits for them, too. Still, in that classroom, I let them dream.

And there were days it physically pained me because I couldn’t protect them enough. I’m only one person, and I’m not nearly enough. Some nights, I wished I were selfless enough to dedicate my entire life to them. I would, if I could. I’m not selfless enough to sacrifice everything this path demands.

To teach is to be wounded every day by a system that piles on impossible workloads; to teach is to stay passionate and dedicated enough to make sure real learning happens. It demands the sacrifice of your very soul—your time, your sanity, your identity. Teaching isn’t just exhaustion; it’s a slow, agonizing bleed—your mind, your emotions, your spirit dripping away.

And the final, rotten truth I learned: to teach is to bleed, it’s inevitable.