Celebrate Father's Day with live orchestral music

For the first time after a two-year hiatus, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO), the MSO Junior Orchestra and the MSO Music Academy will be officially coming back to one stage, for a live concert in time for a Father's Day celebration.

Be captivated once again by the beauty of live orchestral music on June 19, 5 p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.

Papa Mia, a MSO Family Concert will highlight piano and violin ensemble pieces to be performed by the students of the MSO Music Academy.

This will be followed by favorite classical pieces from Mozart and Handel and Filipino folk songs performed by the MSO Junior Orchestra.

The highlight of the evening will be an awe-inspiring performance of popular movie theme pieces from "Themes from 007," "Mission Impossible," "The Avengers," "Mamma Mia" with modern classical tunes by the MSO, Asia's longest performing orchestra.

OFW remittances fall to 11-month low

By Mayvelin U. Caraballo, Manila Times

THE amount of money sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) fell to its lowest level in 11 months in April, according to data released on Wednesday by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Personal remittances, or cash or kind transfers between families, totaled $2.67 billion in the fourth month of 2022, down 7.51 percent from $2.88 billion in March of this year, but up 3.76 percent from $2.57 billion in April 2021. It's the smallest amount sent since $2.65 billion was sent in May last year.

The year-on-year gain in April was attributed to a 4.7-percent increase in remittances from land-based workers on one year or longer contracts, which inched up to $2.02 billion from $2.93 billion a year ago, the central bank noted. Meanwhile, remittances from sea- and land-based workers on short-term contracts saw an uptick of 1.4 percent to $581 million in April 2022, up from $609 million a year earlier.

Total remittances for the first four months of the year totaled $11.31 billion, picking up 2.6 percent from $11.02 billion in January to April 2021, according to the latest numbers. In the meantime, cash remittances were $2.39 billion in April, plunging 7.67 percent from the previous month, but accelerating 3.90 percent from $2.30 billion a year ago.

The BSP said revenues from land-based and sea-based workers soared by 4.7 percent to $1.86 billion from $1.77 billion and 1.4 percent to $533 million from $526 million, respectively, fueling the annual increase in cash remittances in April.

Cash remittances surged by 2.7 percent from January to April 2022 to $10.16 billion, rising from $9.89 billion a year earlier. "The growth in cash remittances from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore contributed largely to the increase in remittances in January-April of 2022," the Bangko Sentral reported.

In the four months ending April this year, the United States had the greatest share of overall remittances, accounting for 41.2 percent. Next were Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, South Korea and Taiwan. Remittances from these 10 countries accounted for 79.2 percent of all cash remittances for the four-month period.

The BSP forecasts a 4-percent increase in cash remittances this year, citing "projected improvements in global growth prospects and further opening of economies along with the continued mass use of vaccines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 are also expected to continue to lend support to the growth prospects for OFW remittances."

The model prayer

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

“IN praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.” (Mt 6,7) With these words, Christ is telling us to be wary of the dangers of the way we pray. And he immediately tells us how to pray. Thus, we now have what is known as the Lord’s Prayer, or the “Our Father.”

We need to realize that this is the model prayer that shows us what dispositions we ought to have when we pray, how we ought to address God our Father, what we have to ask, etc. Thus, we have to assume the spirit with which the prayer is given to us by Christ.

In the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are told that “the Lord’s Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us.” (2783) 

In other words, we are told who we really are and who God is to us. Thus, no matter how our life here on earth goes, we should never forget that we are children of God who will do everything to bring us back to him. Psalm 129 reinforces this truth of our faith: “With the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption.”

We just have to make sure also that, as expressed in this prayer, we also have to be merciful to everyone just as God is merciful to us. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

We have to understand that forgiveness or mercy is the ultimate expression of love which is the very essence of God and which is also meant to be the essence of our humanity since we are God’s image and likeness, children of his.

And as if to underscore the importance of this point, Christ reiterated: “For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you for your offences.” (Mt 6,14-15) It’s clear therefore that we can only be forgiven if we also forgive others.

We have to be clear that this injunction is meant for everyone, and not only for a few whom we may consider to be religiously inclined. That’s why when asked how many times we should forgive, he said not only seven times, but seventy times seven, meaning always.

That’s also why he easily forgave the woman caught in adultery. And to those whom he cured of their illnesses, it was actually the forgiveness of their sins that he was more interested in.

To top it all, Christ allowed himself to die on the cross as a way to forgive all of our sins, and to convert our sins through his resurrection as a way to our own redemption. What he did for us he also expects, nay, commands that we also do for everybody else. 

Thus that indication that if we want to follow him, we have to deny ourselves, carry the cross and follow him.

It is presumed that all of us sin one way or another. That’s why St. John said: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn 1,8) I am sure that our personal experience can bear that out easily.

We really need to live the spirit behind this model prayer!

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

IS LIFE REALLY JUST A LOAN?

“My life is on loan, like money borrowed from a bank. God is the lender, and He retains the right to call in the loan any time. Though I am responsible for taking care of it, I do not own this life; it is borrowed. Why should I fear its loss or the loss of anything else in this world when I must surrender it all anyway?” I love this quotation by James Dillehay,  author of the book "Overcoming the 7 Devils That Ruin Success".

Can you borrow against life? You can typically take out loans against permanent life insurance policies, but not term life insurance policies. Life insurance loans use cash value accounts as collateral. Term life insurance policies do not come with a cash value account, so policyholders can't borrow money from their insurer against these policies.

Sweet words are easy to say; nice things are easy to buy; but good people are different to find. Life ends, when you stop dreaming; hope ends, when you stop believing; friendship stops, when you stop sharing. A good friend of mine sent me this quotation. I commented back: So very true and very well said!

Our life is borrowed - from God. No rental charges are collected from us. Many of us have forgotten this and live life to the fullest. Our life is equal to a book from a library that lends one. But how insatiable and unbearable are we in disdainful acting towards life and therefore to ourselves?

Life seems to be nothing, just being ready to riddle one with bullets. Life seems to be nothing, just being broken through indifference and unreliable and immoral behavior. Life seems to be nothing for those people who don't understand cries from the heart of other people around them - cries for their hearts and families, for justice and for many other things.

Life with all its ups and downs, is just a loan, but for many of our fellow creatures it just seems to be nonsense to be littered like a dump. And, if people try to survive, especially during these days, and if they just experienced (once more!) indifference, arrogance, ignorance or cheating by whomever - they will give up!

I can assure you that every one of us can at first help in prayers and in reading the bible. "Proverbs" is the probably most down-to-earth book in the bible. Its teachings prepare you for daily life, the street and the market place. The book offers warm pieces of advice you get; practical guidance for making your way on earth. 

Proverbs covers any kinds of questions you might have right now. Anybody can relate to the generalities of Proverbs, because this book simply tells how life works most of the time.

Closed season seen to increase prices of fish in Davao Region

by Antonio Colina IV, Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY – Prices of fish in the Davao Region will likely increase due to the implementation of the three-month closed fishing season at Davao Gulf, an official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Davao said.BFAR-Davao Region Director Raul Millana said that the prohibited fishing activities would affect the local supply of fish that would result in higher prices.

He added that aquaculture might help cushion the inflationary effect of the fishing ban, prompting the agency to support small fisherfolk in setting up marine fish cages, including even the inland waters.

Millana said production of fresh water fish, including tilapia and catfish, would help abate the increase in the prices of fish.

The implementation of the ban, which is now in its ninth year, must be enforced to allow pelagic fish to reproduce since the period from June 1 to August 31 has been established as their spawning season, according to Millana.

The Departments of Agriculture (DA) and Interior and Local Government (DILG)-issued Joint Administrative Circular No. 2 in 2014 established a three-month closed fishing season in the Davao Gulf to “conserve marine resources, to secure the spawning period of pelagic fishes in the Gulf, and continuously implement measures to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.”

The order bans small-scale to large-scale commercial fishing vessels from 3.1 to 150 gross tons and the use of bag nets and ring nets in the Gulf, which the BFAR identified as a spawning ground for tuna and other fish species and one of the 10 major fishing grounds in the Philippines. The protected species include big-eyed scad, mackerel, and moonfish.

He said the ban gives small pelagic fish time to regrow its population, emphasizing that extractive fishing activities would have long-term effect on the supply of fish.

Davao villages monitored for chikungunya virus

By Ruth Palo, Manila Times

THE Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit (TDPCU) of the Davao City Health Office is closely monitoring the signs and symptoms of the chikungunya virus in two villages in the city.

Chikungunya virus is caused by Aedes mosquitoes, the same mosquito family spreading dengue fever.

Melodina Babante, pest control worker at TDPCU, said Davaoeños should not only be cautioned about the dengue virus-carrying mosquitoes since Aedes mosquitoes can also spread the chikungunya virus.

Babante said these villages include Panacan and Ilang.

"We need to explain the diseases caused by Aedes mosquitoes. It has not been confirmed yet but in Panacan and Ilang, our team found signs and symptoms that are still being confirmed if it's chikungunya," she said.

The public must be aware that chikungunya is unlike dengue that you would only have a fever.

"With chikungunya, aside from fever, you would experience joint pains and rashes. Rashes that seem like measles. If you have symptoms such as these, report immediately to your health centers," she said.

She said that Barangay Ilang experienced a chikungunya outbreak before. This is why confirmatory tests are currently being done to determine the new symptoms found in the barangay (village), as well as in Panacan, to properly address the problem.

Babante underscored the need for Davaoeños to observe the 4S campaign, which stands for "search and destroy" mosquito breeding places, "secure self-protection" from a mosquito bite, "seek early consultation" when signs and symptoms of dengue occur, and "say yes to fogging" as a last resort when there is an impending outbreak.

Dengue cases rise in CAR

Virus-carrying mosquitoes, according to her, have a peak biting time from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., that's why she urged parents not to let their children leave the house at this time without protection.

"Don't let them wear shorts but let them wear pajamas or long pants. They should wear long sleeves. Apply mosquito repellent. Don't let them wear dark colors like black which is attractive to mosquitoes," she said.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus infection.

Lorenzana faints during Rizal Park rites

By Kristina Maralit  and Francis Earl Cueto, Manila Times

(UPDATED) DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was rushed to hospital after he collapsed during the Independence Day rites at Rizal Park on Sunday.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, who was at the flag-raising ceremony, told reporters he heard what he believed was Lorenzana's head hitting the pavement.

"When we talked to him, he said he got dizzy," the senator said.

An ambulance took Lorenzana to an undisclosed hospital.

Go said the Defense chief was able to talk.

"I hope he's stable. I think he lacks sleep; he just came from a trip. It's really difficult when you haven't slept and the weather is quite hot," he said.

The 73-year-old outgoing secretary was among the top government officials who joined President Rodrigo Duterte during the flag-raising and wreath-laying at Rizal Park. Defense department spokesman Arsenio Andolong later said in a statement that Lorenzana fainted but is in "stable condition." Lorenzana "has been advised to rest" by his doctors, Andolong added.

He said that during the past weeks, the secretary went through a "hectic schedule," and was made to endure the hot weather on Sunday morning.

Lorenzana arrived from Singapore early Sunday where he attended a dialogue with his regional counterparts, he said.

"The Secretary also traveled recently to South Korea and other parts of the Philippines, while overseeing the defense operations of the country and transition to a new administration," Andolong said.

Lorenzana is now back in high spirits and is able to talk, Andolong said.

The Defense chief wanted to go home, but his doctors urged him to stay in the hospital for further observation, he said.

Another phreatic eruption detected in Bulusan

By Kaithreen Cruz, Manila Times

THE Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon in the Bicol Region had another phreatic eruption on Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

The eruption occurred at 3:37 a.m. and lasted 18 minutes based on seismic records.

Phivolcs, however, said the eruption plume was not visible on its camera monitors.

Bulusan remained at Alert Level 1 or low-level unrest, meaning that it is currently in an abnormal condition.

In its 24-hour observation from 5 a.m. on June 11 to 5 a.m. on June 12, Phivolcs recorded 136 volcanic earthquakes, with plumes 150 meters high in moderate emissions drifting west-northwest and northwest.

As of June 10, the recorded sulfur dioxide flux in the volcano was at 613 tons per day.

Phivolcs reminded concerned local government units and the public that entry into the 4-kilometer radius permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited and that vigilance in the 2-kilometer extended danger zone on the southeast sector should be exercised because of increased possibility of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.

"People living within valleys and along river/stream channels, especially on the southeast, southwest and northwest sectors of the edifice should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall should [a] phreatic eruption occur," the agency said.

It also advised civil aviation authorities to avoid flying close to the volcano's summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to an aircraft.

Last week, June 5, Bulusan also had a phreatic eruption that lasted 17 minutes, which placed the volcano from Alert Level 0 (normal) to Alert Level 1.

SHOPPING OR LOVE AND CARE?

Plastic money (or better known as credit cards), loneliness, and advertising - that's a dangerous mixture, owing to more and more people falling straight into shopping ecstasy.

Yesterday was Thursday again, the sunbeam touched us too much outside, the heat maybe too much too.  We were on the way to a shopping mall. Yes, they are really tempting us with their offers. The credit cards of many people glowed - everyone is all right for the money.

We don't need decent clothes any more! Our shoes make us a laughing-stock. Top stylish or even the latest fashion for a few pesos, sure, we can afford it!

Women especially (really?) arrange to meet very often for substantial shopping sprees. It's just fun, but sometimes it becomes a competition: Who gets hold of the most stylish and best special offers? It's paradoxical; actually they are not able to afford it. In spite of their strained financial situation, many people do unnecessary free-living shopping. They feel happy, content, satisfied, and relaxed.

Is shopping a substitutive or vicarious satisfaction because of less love and care? Yes, for a short moment shopping satisfies and eases mostly unfulfilled longings for love, appreciation, receiving attention and affection.

The shopping ecstasy will be followed by a happiness-intoxication. The new dress becomes a four-leaf clover and a lucky break. But, we became addicted... .

Disastrous, unlucky and awkward in shopping is that the special offers are not really needed. That's the point: it's just a kick-down which can be felt while shopping for useless things. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, or cosmetics will be used just once or once in a while, they will be cleared or concealed and hidden from other people. Our conscience is pricking us. Depression follows, an empty inwardness causes pain - up to the next ecstasy!

It's a dangerous vicious circle, which can bring us to a financial precipice. For a long time experts have warned: "The limits between pleasure, desire, frustration, and ecstasy shopping are fluent and fluid." I remember the lady yesterday "trying" to pay an amazing amount with three credit cards - always getting the cashier's "Excuse Ma-am, there is a problem with your credit card!". The lady went away by saying the wonderful sentence: "Okay lang, actually I don't need all this stuff!". Wow... .

Let me anticipate this: I don't want to mess up anybody's  shopping mall stroll. Not everybody buys a lot and is at the same time shopping-addicted. Boisterous and superfluous "reward-shopping" can be absolutely normal. Only a permanent recurring irresistible shopping compulsion needs an immediate action.

By the way: Love and care are emotions inherent in human beings. They are crucial in every relationship.  Care refers to a feeling of concern or interest or the act of attending to someone or something. Love, on the other hand, bears broader meaning.

The pursuit for truth

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE have to realize that the pursuit for truth is a very tricky one. To be sure, truth is not just a matter of citing facts and data. Though these are important and even indispensable, they are useless unless they are animated by the true spirit of truth.

We need to be familiar with the Spirit of Truth. He is the one who will show us the whole truth and not just some aspects of it. If we really want to be in the truth and not confused and lost in the many appearances of truth, we need to get in touch with the Spirit of Truth.

Christ himself said: “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (Jn 16,13)

We have to take note that this business of getting to the whole truth involves a process. It’s not a one-shot deal. It involves some kind of journey. No one can ever say he has the whole truth until he reaches where the Spirit of truth would finally lead him, and that is when God becomes “all in all.” (cfr. 1 Cor 15,28)

We have to remember that everything that exists has something of the truth, since by merely existing, that something is already true. But as to whether it has the whole truth, it would depend whether it has the Spirit of truth or not.

The most important thing is to see if something that we consider to be true is in conformity with the Spirit of truth. Otherwise, we will be deceived and trapped by the many appearances of truth that do not bring us to the real thing which, in the end, can only be God.

Thus, we can say that even the devil, who is a liar and is the father of lies (cfr. Jn 8,44), has some truth in him. That he exists is already an indication that he is true and real. And everything that he says to tempt us certainly contains a lot of truth, otherwise we would not be tempted.

We really need to know what the truth is. That was the question Pilate asked Christ. (cfr Jn 18,38) But Christ already answered that question before it was asked. “Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice,” he said.

There we have a clear answer as to what the truth is. It’s when we hear the voice of Christ, this time in the Holy Spirit. It’s a voice that is full of charity, understanding and compassion on others, patience and mercy. It’s also a voice that knows how to be strong and implement the requirements of justice.

Truth therefore is not just cold facts that we observe, nor some objective data that we derive from our studies and researches. Much less is it simply a matter of political opinion or some ideological bias or things of that sort. While giving us some aspects of truth, these do not have the last word. And as such, they are incomplete and can easily be manipulated.

That is why right now with everyone trying to say the truth without God, we are practically sinking in an ocean of fake news, hoaxes, disinformation, urban legends, propaganda, inane trivias, superstitions, biased opinions that seek to absolutize the relative and relativize the absolute, etc. As a consequence, we generate a very toxic atmosphere where conflicts, anger and hatred dominate.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Why does the Tagalog language use 'Mahal' which means 'expensive' or 'precious' to say 'love'?

 

Dayang Marikit

5,221 followers

370 following

My Quora account is mainly focused on promoting and educating people about the pre-colonial period

Because when you love something, it's of high value, it’s precious and priceless… (Mahal) originated in Arabic meaning “abode”, it got adopted in Persian and Indian languages and became the word for (Palace). Then in Southeast Asia it got adopted as the word for “expensive”. Lastly in the Philippines, (Mahal) took on several meanings… expensive, love, and also as a honorific for royals.

• (Mahal) pertaining to something expensive was adopted from Malay.
• (Mahal) pertaining to love is to express that someone is very precious to you.
• (Mahal and Kamahalan) in the context of being royal honorifics are similar to “your highness” when conversing with a rajah/ruler... again, to express that this person is precious.

Lastly the original Tagalog word for (Love) is (Sinta), similar to (Cinta) in Indonesian.

GenSan fishers reeling from oil price increases

By Franz R. Sumangil, Manila Times

A GROUP of 300 fisherfolk in General Santos City has appealed to the government to help them through subsidies amid increases in oil prices.

Ruel Libawan, a member of the Minanga Buayan Fishermen Association, on Monday said his expenses for fuel had increased from P500 a day to P700.

"We went fishing early Monday morning on our motorized bancas but returned with only a small catch. It could not even pay for our gasoline expenses," Libawan noted.

Another member, Guillermo Libawan, said his gasoline expenses for a day were usually an average of P500 but now would amount to P1,000.

"We have no catch yet as we are afraid to go far into the sea as we might run out of gasoline. We hope the government can help us," Libawan added.

He said he has not yet heard of any government subsidy that could help them.

Dominic Salazar, president of the Soccsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Inc. (SFFAII), called for the incoming Marcos administration to suspend the implementation of value-added tax and excise tax.

Salazar said fishing companies and other local fisherfolk have been suffering from spikes in operation costs as a result of continuing increases in oil prices.

He said the SFFAII has been meeting with the city government and other national agencies for possible remedies.

PH petroleum group backs government-run crude oil reserve

Salazar, also the president of the tuna fishing group South Cotabato Purse-Seiners Association, also said they might be able to sustain operations if the value-added and excise taxes are temporarily suspended.

During the 20th National Tuna Congress in 2018 hosted by the SFFAII, industry players passed a resolution urging the Office of the President to revisit the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Law.

In particular, they called for removal of the "excise tax on petroleum products that are directly used by the masses, otherwise, exempt such products from being subjected to excise tax, provided the same [products] are used for fishing and fishery activities."

Magnitude 5.2 quake strikes offshore of Davao Oriental — Phivolcs

by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz, Manila Bulletin

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake offshore of Davao Oriental occurred at around 4:37 a.m., Wednesday, June 8, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs traced the epicenter of the earthquake at 103 kilometers (km) southeast of Tarragona, Davao Oriental, and was shallow at a depth of 62 km.

It was initially measured as a magnitude 5.1 quake but Phivolcs later revised it to magnitude 5.2.

The tremor was “moderately strong” at Intensity IV in Tarragona and Caraga, Davao Oriental.

Meanwhile, it was felt as a “weak” tremor at Intensity III in Manay, Davao Occidental.

Phivolcs’ instruments also recorded the quake at Intensity II in Malungon, Sarangani and Intensity I in Tupi, South Cotabato and Nabunturan, Davao de Oro.

It said the earthquake was tectonic, which means it was caused by the movement of an active fault near the area.

Phivolcs advised the public to stay vigilant as aftershocks may occur due to this earthquake.

True charity surpasses our human systems

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

“I TELL you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (Jn 5,20) Words of Christ that warn us of the danger of self-righteousness as exemplified by the scribes and Pharisees of his time and that undermine the true charity that comes from God who is the very essence of love as fully manifested by Christ.

We have to understand that this charity surpasses whatever human standard we have about love. This charity is a love without measure, given without calculation, without expecting any return. It just gives and gives, even if along the way it encounters difficulties, rejection, suffering. It embraces them, not flee from them. By its nature, it is given gratuitously. 

Love engenders generosity and its relatives: magnanimity, magnificence, compassion, patience, pity, etc. This is the language of love, the currencies it uses. It thinks big, even if the matter involved is small according to human standards. In fact, it’s love that makes small, ordinary things big and special.  

    

      That’s in theory. In practice, though, there can be elements that put limits and conditions to that love. This can be due to a number of reasons. One of them is because man grows by stages, and his capacity to love also develops in stages. It goes through a development timeline, much like one’s growth timeline from childhood to adulthood and maturity.      

We have to understand that to be able to love, we need to be with God, for God is love. He is the source, pattern and end of love. All our loves here on earth, to be real, have to be inspired by that love that is in God. Otherwise, they are fake.   

It stands to reason then that we need to go to him, to pray and meditate on his love—how he created us and endowed us with the best things in life, making us his image and likeness, and in fact children of his.      

 

We need to realize deeply that his love goes to the extent of forgiving us for our sins and stupidities, and not only by decreeing things, but by assuming even our sinfulness and dying to it.     

We need to feel that love in a very direct and immediate way, which can only be achieved first of all with his grace, but also with our effort. We need to feel that such love is the one that inspires, directs and energizes our loves here on earth. 

So, we really need to spend time entering into this reality, first of all, by praying, by meditating, then by studying the doctrine of our faith, since God’s love is not mere sentiments. It involves truth whose substance is passed on to us through the doctrine revealed and lived by Christ, and now authoritatively taught by the Church.    

We need to outgrow our tendency to fall for an unrealistic and sugary understanding of love, so common these days, especially among the young, or worse, associating love with the purely carnal and selfish. Unfortunately, there are many caught in this kind of predicament.   

   

      When we have this kind of love, we will spring into action, always with joy and peace. Sadness, feeling lazy and the like are dregs and signs of self-love. God’s love, on the other hand, makes us very alive even in the midst of so much trials and suffering.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Why is Sinigang so popular among Filipinos?

Bisaya

Proud Bisaya Ko

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

Sinigang is a famous super sabaw[1] among Filipinos for its sour and savoury flavour. The sourness of the soup comes from tamarind, which is a fruit that is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. Tamarind gives the soup its distinctive tart flavour, which is balanced out by the savoury taste of the meat or seafood that is used in the dish.

 Sinigang[2] is also unique because it can be made with meat or seafood, including chicken, pork, shrimp, and fish. This flexibility makes it a popular choice for home cooks and professional chefs. In addition, Sinigang is relatively easy to make, and it can be tailored to individual taste preferences. For these reasons, Sinigang remains a popular dish in the Philippines.

Footnotes

[1] Filipino Soups You Need to Try: SUPER SABAW Edition

[2] 6 Best Sinigang Dishes You Can Make at Home

Marcos vows rules-based order in West PH Sea

By Catherine S. Valente, Manila Times

 

COURTESY CALLS President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. meets Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany, Ambassador Mohammed Ride El Fassi of Morocco and Ambassador Jorge Moragas of Spain in his headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Marcos was elected president in the May 2022 elections and will take his oath on June 30. PHOTOS FROM BBM MEDIA BUREAU

PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has agreed to promote international rules-based order and the rule of law to maintain peace and stability in the disputed West Philippine Sea.

The commitment was made during his meeting with German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel at his headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, where they discussed the bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and Germany.

Speaking to reporters, Reiffenstuel said she and Marcos discussed their interest in protecting the maritime sector through enforcing the rule of law.

"We exchanged and we explored our joint interest our common interest in protecting international rules based order and the rule of law that needs to be applied also in the maritime sector," Reiffenstuel said in a press briefing after her private meeting with Marcos.

"We didn't go into details, but we realized that we have a common interest to continue with our cooperation," she added.

Apart from enhancing maritime cooperation between their two countries, Reiffenstuel said she and Marcos also discussed global challenges, including climate change.

"We exchanged [views] about the ongoing bilateral cooperation and the cooperation in the international frame in the multilateral formats. We also discussed potentials for furthering cooperation not only on mutual interests but also on addressing global challenges like climate change," she said.

The envoy said that she informed Marcos about the ongoing programs of Germany to help the Philippines in addressing climate change, including their €25 million donation for climate change-related projects.

The two also talked about global food security, which has been greatly affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

"I informed him about the upcoming international ministerial conference on global food security. This is also [set] against the background of the impact of the Russian war against Ukraine, with regard to the challenges on global food security," she said.

Reiffenstuel said that they also tackled the safeguarding of the rule of law and protecting human rights and  also underlined the importance Germany attaches to the rule of law and safeguarding human rights, and of our continued commitment to the same," the ambassador said.

"In this context that I also mentioned, German support, contribution and funding for the United Nations joint program on human rights here in the Philippines continues," she added.

The ambassador said that they also focused their discussion on renewable energy. Among Marcos' campaign promises was the provision of lower power rates to the people.

"Renewable energies, of course, are of great importance to us, to Germany. We exchanged ideas about the experiences and the commitment, the distribution and the share of renewable energies in our two countries," she said.

Reiffenstuel said that Marcos illustrated his early commitment to renewable energy by mentioning the wind farm in Ilocos Norte, and they agreed that there is a need to continue deepening the discussions, since this is an area of mutual interest.

Aside from the German ambassador, Ambassador Jorge Moragas of Spain and Ambassador Mohammed Ride El Fassi of Morocco also paid courtesy calls on Marcos.

Inflation, rate woes drag shares anew

By Agence France-Presse and Manila Times

HONG KONG: Stock markets struggled on Tuesday on long-running worries over surging inflation and rising interest rates, which overshadowed hopes that China would ease off its regulatory drive against its beleaguered technology giants.

A spike in United States Treasury yields took the wind out of the proverbial sails for Wall Street, with the focus now on the release of US and Chinese inflation data at the end of the week.

Analysts are betting that the Federal Reserve (Fed) would lift borrowing costs by half a point at its next three meetings as officials try to get a grip on runaway consumer prices.

But that is causing discomfort on trading floors as investors fret over the impact on economic growth and firms' bottom lines.

"Inflation concerns are not going anywhere fast," Fiona Cincotta of City Index said. "Rising crude oil prices and a strong labor report have lifted bets that the Fed may need to act aggressively to rein in inflation."

      

SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes said "investors are hyper-focused on inflation, economic growth and future Fed policy."

Most, he added, "assume the worst and think a financial tsunami [would] hit the US and global markets, thanks to the quorum of US-based bank CEOs (chief executive officers) that have given the gloomy growth narrative their imprimatur. Anything less than that outcome is going to surprise a lot of folks."

Equity markets were mixed in Asia and Europe.

Tokyo rose, helped by a softening of the yen to a two-year low owing to expectations that the Bank of Japan would not tighten monetary policy just as US rates climb.

Shares mixed as chances for rate increases grow

Manila and Jakarta also edged up, but there were losses in Seoul, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangkok, Wellington and Taipei.

Sydney dropped more than 1 percent after the Australian central bank announced a bigger-than-forecast half-point rate hike to quell inflation.

Hong Kong fell and Shanghai ticked slightly higher, even as heavyweights Alibaba and JD.com led a rally among tech firms following a report that China was close to ending a painful crackdown on ride-hailing app Didi Global and restoring its main apps this week. Didi's US-listed notes soared more than 20 percent.

The Wall Street Journal said probes into two other firms — Full Truck Alliance and recruitment platform Kanzhun — were fanning optimism for the sector's outlook after a long period of hefty selling pressure.

Stocks mixed as inflation, rate woes temper rally

"This was seen as a signal that the regulatory crackdown on Chinese tech firms was starting to end... as China focuses on stabilizing the economy following Covid restrictions," National Australia Bank's Tapas Strickland said.

London was flat in early trade, but Paris and Frankfurt fell.

Markets have seen some leveling out in recent weeks as the easing of restrictions in China helps to offset some of the worries about higher rates and the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US tech rout, China data drag markets

But market-watcher Louis Navellier warned there was still plenty more volatility to come.

"If history repeats, we could be down tomorrow, then up on Wednesday, then down on Thursday and possibly up on Friday," he said in a commentary.

"So just get used to these up-down, up-down oscillations because they are going to continue," he added.

"I want to remind investors to not get too excited when the market rallies because it is going to continue to oscillate. There is just too much uncertainty out there."

More foreign envoys visit Marcos; find out who they are

National flags of Spain, Germany, and Morocco (Unsplash)

by Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin

Ambassadors from these countries will be visiting President-elect Bongbong Marcos at his headquarters Tuesday morning, June 7 in another series of courtesy calls.

Specifically, the ones who will be meeting in Marcos are Ambassador Jorge Moragas of Spain, Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany, and Ambassador Mohammed Ride El Fassi of Morocco.

The courtesy calls from the envoys will take place at the BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

On Monday, June 6, the incoming Philippine leader hosted ambassadors from Italy and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in separate courtesy calls.

Why the beatitudes?

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

I BELIEVE we are all familiar with the beatitudes, those Christ-defined formulations of how we can be considered blessed. (cfr. Mt 5,1-12) They intriguingly convert what we usually consider as human disasters or clear disadvantages and inconveniences according to worldly standards into a source of joy, a means of our redemption, a path to heaven, narrow and difficult though they may be. 

They expand our understanding of what should comprise our true happiness by including those situations which we normally regard as unsavory and therefore to be avoided as much as possible and hated even.

They portray the way love, which is the essence of God and is what is also meant for us, can be lived in the confusing condition of our earthly life where good and evil are mixed up.

That is why the Catechism teaches us that the beatitudes are considered as depicting “the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection, they shed light on the actions and the attitudes characteristic of the Christian life,” it says.

And it adds, “They are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations, they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ’s disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.” (1717)

The beatitudes are so articulated by Christ in order to serve as a profound and most effective antidote to our strong, almost invincibly strong tendency to self-love, to self-indulgence.

Yes, we need to declare an unrelenting war against our self-indulgence which has become a very formidable problem we all have. Yes, this has always been a problem to us, but these days it is much more so.

With the many new wonderful things that can instantly give us convenience, comfort, pleasure and satisfaction, many of us are trapped into the very sticky web of obsessions, addictions and the many other forms of self-indulgence that feed on our weaknesses, like lust, pride, conceit, gluttony, unhinged curiosities, envy, etc., etc.

We just have to give a cursory look around to see how bad this problem is. Many people are just looking at their cellphones most of the time. There are reports saying that many young people often forget their meals and lose sleep because of what they do on the Internet. It’s clear they are terribly hooked there and it seems it’s now next to the impossible to get them out of there.

As a result, many duties and responsibilities are left unattended. Disorder and chaos are fast gaining ground as priorities are skewed. Superficiality has now become a mainstream lifestyle, reinforcing the trend toward consumerism, materialism and what Pope Francis refers to as the “throw-away culture” where ethical and moral considerations are ignored or even flouted, i.e., regarded with contempt.

 

In short, the beatitudes detach us from our own selves so that we can truly identify ourselves with Christ who is the very pattern of our humanity and the savior of our sin-damaged humanity. They are actually a way to our liberation from our own self-inflicted bondage to merely earthly and bodily urges. They purify us from any stain caused by our worldly attachments.

They have to be understood from the point of view of our faith and never just from our own estimations of things, no matter how impressive these estimations may be due to our philosophies, ideologies, cultures, etc.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com