Be guarded against self-righteousness

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

GIVEN our strong tendency to fall into self-righteousness, everyday we should devise some kind of plan or strategy to protect ourselves from it. That effort that definitely requires a lot of sacrifice and self-denial, would always be worth it.

Self-righteousness is a danger most common among the so-called ‘good’ or ‘pious’ people. The descriptive words are in quotations since the goodness and piety of those afflicted with this vicious spiritual disease is only apparent, since it lacks the real substance of the real righteousness.

And that’s because their idea of goodness and piety, their idea of righteousness is not properly based or grounded, nor is it properly oriented. Instead of having God as principle and end of their life and actions, as shown and taught by Christ and actualized  through the abiding action of the Holy Spirit, they only rely on their own ideas that can be developed through some complicated and attractive ideology and philosophy, or some tradition and culture that are not properly inspired.

This spiritual anomaly of self-righteousness can show itself in many ways, like being quick to judge, to brand, stereotype and condemn people, slow to understand others and to forgive, not wanting to be corrected, being highly opinionated and wanting to have the last word always, to dominate others, etc. It is notoriously impatient.

That’s why, we should never let go of our duty to be humble and to find ways to make humility always grow and deepen, because that’s the antidote to pride and conceit, the very virus of self-righteousness. All our thoughts and intentions, our words and deeds should have God as the beginning and end. Thus, we have to continually devise ways of keeping God always in mind, and of referring everything to him.

St. Paul, for example, keenly aware of his high dignity and responsibility as an apostle, highlighted the indispensability of humility. “My speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the showing of the Spirit and power.” (1 Cor 2,3)

And in another instance, he said that he preached Christ crucified, “a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” (cfr. 1 Cor 1,23), to emphasize the fact that the real righteousness that comes from God is never triumphalism according to worldly standards.

That’s why St. Paul gloried in his weakness. “It’s when I’m weak that I am strong.” And, “If I must glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.” (2 Cor 11,30) We should never think we are something, since everything good that we have comes from God. Let’s always remember that the only thing we can contribute on our own—without God—is evil, is sin.

We have to be most careful when we start to use our reasoning. Reason without faith and charity—in short, reason without God—is very dangerous. We can deftly use reason by citing all sorts of proofs, arguments, evidence, examples, doctrine and principles, stats, but if it is not inspired by faith and charity and delivered in humility, then it easily becomes a tool of pride, envy, hatred, revenge, deceit, etc.

Reason and truth should always be given in charity—“veritas in caritate,” as we have been reminded in an encyclical of Pope Benedict quoting St. Paul. It’s actually charity, the very essence of God (Deus caritas est), that gives reason and truth their true life and purpose, their living substance. 

The real righteousness has charity, as shown by Christ, as its very soul!

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Citizen Duterte flies home to Davao City

LAST SALUTE AS PRESIDENT President Rodrigo Duterte and his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on June 30, 2022. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

By Catherine S. Valente, Manila Times

AFTER six years as the country's president, Rodrigo Duterte returned to his hometown as a private citizen.

After departure ceremonies in Malacañang on Thursday, Duterte flew to Davao City.

"Mag-commercial flight siya (He will take a commercial flight)," outgoing National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said in an interview on the sidelines of the event in Malacañang.

Duterte capped his presidency on Thursday by welcoming Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at the Palace before Marcos' inauguration at the National Museum.

Marcos arrived at Malacañang Palace past 10 a.m. and was greeted by Duterte at the top of the grand staircase.

He signed the guestbook before spending a few more moments with Duterte.

Duterte skipped the traditional car ride that would have brought him and Marcos to the National Museum.

The country's first president from Mindanao had contemplated seeking another electoral post after his term.

He initially accepted the nomination of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party to become its candidate for vice president, only to change his mind and announce his retirement from politics in October last year.

A month later, Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy for senator but backed out of the Senate race in December.

In a public address earlier this month, he urged Filipinos to "come to terms with reality" and support the country's new leaders.

Duterte had said the country's next leader should be "compassionate and decisive."

"President-elect Marcos would need the cooperation and help of everybody. We must give it to him," he said.

Immer mehr Rentner zieht es ins Ausland – aus einem einfachen Grund

Von: Lisa Mayerhofer

Die Zahl der Renten-Auszahlungen ins Ausland ist in den vergangenen Jahren stark gestiegen. Das ist vor allem eine Folge des deutschen Wirtschaftswunders.

Freiburg – Sommer, Sonne, Steuervorteile – oder einfach zurück in die Heimat: Immer mehr Rentner wollen ihren Ruhestand im Ausland verbringen. Vor allem ehemalige Gastarbeiter zieht es zurück in ihr Herkunftsland. Darüber hinaus locken beliebte Urlaubsziele wie Griechenland mit Steuervorteilen für Rentner.

Deutsche Rentenversicherung: Immer mehr Ruheständler zieht es ins Ausland

So ist die Zahl der ins Ausland gezahlten Renten in den vergangenen 20 Jahren um rund 37 Prozent gestiegen. Das geht aus einer Statistik der Deutschen Rentenversicherung hervor, die der Deutschen Presse-Agentur vorliegt. Demnach sind im vergangenen Jahr rund 1,72 Millionen Renten ins Ausland ausgezahlt worden. Im Jahr 2001 lag der Wert noch bei 1,26 Millionen.

Arbeiten in Deutschland – und zur Rente zurück in die Heimat

Ein Grund dafür sei, dass Ausländer, die früher in Deutschland gearbeitet haben, nun vermehrt ins Rentenalter kommen und in ihr Heimatland zurückgekehrt sind, sagte der Vorsitzende der Bundesvertreterversammlung der Rentenversicherung, Jens Dirk Wohlfeil. Die meisten dieser Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer kommen aus Ländern wie Italien, Spanien, Griechenland, dem ehemaligen Jugoslawien sowie der Türkei. Viele von ihnen seien in den 60er und 70er Jahren nach Deutschland gezogen, sagte Wohlfeil.

Die deutschen Rentner zieht es vor allem nach Österreich

Rund 13 Prozent der Auslandsrenten werden an Deutsche ausgezahlt, die im Ausland wohnen. Ihr Anteil stieg binnen zwanzig Jahren um knapp zwei Prozentpunkte. Die meisten der Betroffenen beziehen ihre Rente in Österreich (über 26.000), gefolgt von der Schweiz (etwas weniger als 26.000) und den USA (rund 22.000).

Dabei erinnert die Deutsche Rentenversicherung Auswanderer daran, die Änderung ihrer Adresse beim Umzug postalisch mitzuteilen. Entsprechende Formulare gibt es im Downloadcenter des Renten Service. Die Adresse des zuständigen Renten Service finden Ruheständler in ihrem Rentenbescheid oder ihrer jährlichen Rentenanpassungsmitteilung. (lma/dpa)

LTFRB okays P2 jeepney fare hike

By Franco Jose C. Baroña, Manila Times

BEGINNING July 1, the minimum fare for public utility jeepneys (PUJs) nationwide will be at P11 and P13 for modern jeepneys.

This development came after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) granted on Wednesday the petition filed by transport groups to increase the minimum fare for all PUJs amid the continuous rise in the prices of fuel products.

In its seven-page order, the LTFRB granted the petition to expand nationwide the P1 provisional increase in minimum fare it approved on June 8 for PUJs operating in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Region 4 which includes both Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).

On top of this, the LTFRB also granted an additional P1 provisional increase for all PUJs operating nationwide.

With the LTFRB's latest order, the minimum fare for traditional PUJs will be at P11 nationwide while P13 for modern jeepneys.

The order also emphasized that there will be no increase in the succeeding kilometers after the four-kilometer distance covered by the minimum fare.

Other conditions that the latest LTFRB order cited were for all PUJs to still grant 20 percent discount to senior citizens, students and persons with disabilities; that all PUJs must post the notice of increase inside the vehicles; and that no fare matrix revision will be allowed and posted that details increase in succeeding kilometers after the four kilometers covered by the minimum fare.

The petitions for a fare hike was filed by 1-United Transport Koalisyon, Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide, Inc., Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization on June 25

The petitioners noted that while LTFRB granted June 8 a P1 provisional increase to the minimum fare for jeepneys in three regions, including the National Capital Region, bringing it to P10 from P9 for the first four kilometers, the cost of diesel has since risen, offsetting any relief the fare hike might have provided.

They said the increase is "grossly insufficient" and can "hardly be felt" by jeepney operators.

Pope Francis sends good wishes to BBM

By Franco Jose C. Baroña, Manila Times

POPE Francis extended his congratulations to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for his upcoming inauguration as the 17th President of the Philippines.

"I send my congratulations and cordial wishes to your excellency as you begin your mandate as the president of the republic," Pope Francis said in his message shared by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles Brown.

The pope said he is praying for Marcos as he takes over the mantle of leadership of more than 100 million Filipinos.

"In assuring you of my prayers that you will be sustained in wisdom and strength, I invoke the Almighty God's blessings of peace and prosperity upon the nation," the pope added.

Marcos will be formally sworn in as president on June 30 after being elected by the majority of Filipinos in the May 2022 elections.

His inauguration will be held at the National Museum of the Philippines at 12 p.m. He will be sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

Archbishop Brown earlier revealed the positive conversation he had with Marcos when he made a courtesy call on June 10. Their discussion centered on strengthening the relationship between the church and government.

The Vatican representative in the Philippines said Marcos expressed his willingness to cooperate with the church.

"We had a very productive, encouraging and positive discussion. The president-elect has assured me of his desire to collaborate and cooperate closely with the church and the Holy See," Archbishop Brown added.

Pope Francis conveys 'solidarity' with 'Agaton' victims

The Catholic Church in the Philippines already assured continued engagement with the incoming government for the benefit of Filipinos.

According to Caritas Philippines national director, Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, they will work with the new administration on programs that will address the rights and dignity of the people as well as promote truth and honest governance.

Toni Gonzaga to sing national anthem in BBM's inauguration

 MARCOS SUPPORTER Actress-host Toni Gonzaga (second from left) will sing the National Anthem at the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the National Museum. With Gonzaga in this photo are Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte and husband and director Paul Soriano. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/CELESTINEGONZAGA

By Iza Iglesias

(UPDATE) ACTRESS-HOST Toni Gonzaga will sing the Philippine national anthem in the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. or BBM on June 30, 2022 at the National Museum in Manila.

The news was confirmed on Tuesday by Franz Imperial, a member of the preparation committee.

Gonzaga was among the prominent personalities who campaigned for the UniTeam led by Marcos and running mate and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio.

She has joined and performed in the tandem's nationwide campaign rallies while her husband, award-winning director Paul Soriano, directed the political advertisements of Marcos.

The president-elect, who happens to be their wedding godfather, earlier applauded Gonzaga and Soriano despite being criticized by netizens on social media platforms.

"We should congratulate them for the fine work that they did. In front of me is Miss Toni Gonzaga. Sabi ko nga kanina na siya ang nag-start ng kampanya na ito. Noong pumutok 'yung interview sa akin at kriniticize siya, ang tapang-tapang nito. I didn't expect that this elegant lady would be able to withstand these criticisms (As I had said, she started the campaign, When her interview with me came out, and she was criticized for it, she stood her ground, she was brave)," Marcos said, referring to Gonzaga's one-on-one YouTube interview with him, in a Facebook video shared by director Darryl Yap on May 15.

"Sinundan pa ni Paul (Paul followed suit), who did our ads. Sa aking palagay (In my opinion), nobody can contest at malayung-malayo (the ads and they were exceptional). Ginagaya nga, eh (They were being imitated). 'Di ba 'yung isa o dalawang ads natin ginagaya (Isn't it that one or two of our ads were being copied)? They were that good, and we kept the momentum going and the message alive," he added.

Movie and TV actress Cris Villonco will sing the inauguration song titled "Pilipinas Kong Mahal" with the Young Voices of the Philippines choir.

Meanwhile, National Commission for Culture and the Arts head Nick Lizaso confirmed that the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, pianist Cecille Licad, and singers Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez have been tapped to perform at the reception dinner in Malacañang.

Next press secretary sees herself as a 'problem solver'

By Kristina Maralit, Manila Times

PRESS secretary-designate Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles will lean on her years of experience as a lawyer in performing her job as the incoming administration's chief communicator.

Describing herself as a "problem solver," the next chief of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said one of her priorities will be plugging the holes in the PCOO and its attached agencies.

"As a lawyer, when you handle a case, you solve the problem that a client has. Coming into the PCOO, what I want to do is help and that help comes in the form of solving certain problems," Cruz-Angeles told The Manila Times.

Her main job still is helping the president. "That is the main reason I'm here," she said.

"I'm also in charge of several attached agencies that come with their own unique challenges. I'd like to solve those challenges. I'm not saying that I'm going to succeed, but I like the idea of being able to come in and say, 'OK, let me do this for you. Ayusin natin 'yan (Let's fix that). That's my idea of public service," she said.

Cruz-Angeles had said she has started reviewing the existing projects of the agency as well as those in the pipeline to determine which will continue, and which will be shelved for the meantime.

Among the projects is the upgrading of the state-owned network PTV-4 and IBC-13 to give the government a wider reach in conveying its programs and achievements. To do this, the PCOO must first secure the needed funding, one problem the lawyer-turned-vlogger hopes to solve.

Still, Cruz-Angeles remains confident she and the rest of the Marcos administration's communications team will have few problems in making the public take notice and digest messages they will convey.

Because President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is "very personable," Cruz-Angeles sees "no issues" in communicating with the public.

Why the president-elect will be his ownspokesman on certain issues and questions

"Like he's very popular on social media, so we would like to hear and see him more on radio, other platforms. It's [about] bringing the presidency and his unique brand of leadership to where it is seen and appreciated. I want it to be more consistent, and now that he's going to be the leader of the entire country, he will now be directly talking to people and I'd like them to see how he is," she said.

Cruz-Angeles said Marcos "doesn't need to be interpreted, he's clear." The only thing she needs to do is find out Marcos' message. "I just want it to be like, 'OK, sir, I'll take this, and I will bring it to the people, more people.'"

She gave assurances that under a Marcos leadership, the rights of media workers will be protected and press freedom respected.

"There's never been an issue about dissent. The president-elect doesn't even answer his critics. You're free to talk. We're not changing anything. Whatever freedoms we have now will always be our freedom. Our Constitution guarantees that," she said.

Whatever happens, trust God always

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

“WHY are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. (Mt 8,26)

These words of Christ, addressed to his apostles who were terrified when their boat was buffeted by big waves, should remind us that we should always go and trust God, especially in our difficult moments. He takes care of everything, even if his ways may not be in accord with what we want. His way of resolving our problems will always be what is best for us.

We have to realize firmly that nothing happens in our life without the knowledge and permission of God. And if he allows certain difficulties, calamities, predicaments to come to us, it is simply to give a trial and a chance to prepare ourselves for the end of our life. He always knows how to derive good from evil.

So, let us never be afraid of anything. We should just learn how to react spiritually and supernaturally, avoiding being trapped in our merely earthly estimation of things. Only then, can we see God’s ever-wise and merciful designs for us in every predicament we can find ourselves in. God’s providence never fails.

With all the things that we have to contend with in this life, we certainly need to have a healthy sense of trust in God’s loving and wise providence, abandoning ourselves in his will and ways that often are mysterious to us and can appear to be contrary to what we would like to have.

A healthy spirit of abandonment in God’s hands is necessary even as we exhaust all possible human means to achieve our goals or simply to tackle all the challenges, trials and predicaments of our life. We should never forget this truth of our faith.

Let us quote some words of Christ that form the basis for this belief:

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Mt 6,26-34)

We need to engrave these words in our heart so that whatever difficulty we encounter in our life, we will know how to react. Very often, we tend to face things simply on our own, relying only on our own powers that no matter how impressive can only do so much.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Covid positivity rates climb – OCTA

THE number of Covid-19-positive tests in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila and eight other areas has exceeded the threshold set by the World Health Organization. File Photo

By Franco Jose C. Baroña, Manila Times

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the positivity rate in the NCR climbed to 5.9 percent on June 25 from 3.9 percent on June 18.

The WHO recommends a rate of 5 percent or lower to ensure that the coronavirus is under control.

The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were positive for Covid-19 among the total individuals that were tested for the virus.

Other areas with rates above the WHO threshold are Batangas (from 1.2 percent to 5.6 percent), Cagayan (from 1.9 percent to 5.8 percent), Cavite (from 3.6 percent to 6 percent), Iloilo (from 4.4 percent to 5.7 percent), Laguna (from 3.1 percent to 7.5 percent), Pampanga (from 3.3 percent to 5.9 percent) and South Cotabato (from 6.3 percent to 7.4 percent).

Rizal province recorded the highest rate, jumping from 6.3 percent on June 18 to 11.9 percent on June 25.

Amid the rising Covid-19 cases, Dr. Anthony "Tony" Leachon said the government should seriously consider administering second booster shots to economic frontliners and people with comorbidities.

For now, Leachon said, the priority must be to ramp up the first booster shots to the general public.

"I think, the first approach is to ramp up the first booster and consider also the expansion of the second booster or the fourth shot not only to the health care workers, senior citizens or immunocompromised individuals, but start and align with the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines to start it above 50 years old," the former special adviser to the National Task Force Against Covid-19 said.

"For the A3 (people with comorbidities) and economic frontliners, maybe we should also open it up, considering some of the vaccines will expire," he added.

The CDC recommends two booster shots for adults ages 50 and above as well as people ages 12 and older who are moderately and severely immunocompromised.

In the Philippines, the second booster is only available to 18-year-olds and above, workers in essential health services, senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals ages 18 years and above with an immunodeficiency state, HIV, active cancer or malignancy, transplant recipients, undergoing steroid treatment, patients with poor prognosis or bedridden patients, and other conditions of immunodeficiency as certified by a physician.

Leachon noted that catching a mild Covid-19 from someone infected with an Omicron subvariant could still have severe effects.

Covid positivity rates in NCR, 8 areas surpass WHO threshold

"This can actually also lead to long Covid-19 or post-Covid-19 patients, and that would affect the productivity of our economic frontliners. We should not increase the cases since it would affect not just hospitalization and death rate, but it will affect our quality of life and productivity of our economic frontliners," he said.

Vaccine Expert Panel Chairman Dr. Nina Gloriani favors second booster shots for those with comorbidities and economic frontliners, as well as a review of the definition of the term "immunocompromised" to cover people with other comorbidities.

Gloriani said only the Department of Health (DoH) can make the final decision, but the agency is still waiting for more data from the WHO.

Expand second booster shot rollout – Concepcion

The DoH has declared that the majority of the country's population is still not eligible for a second booster because there is insufficient evidence that it will be beneficial to the general public.

Experts help create Covid-19 road map

 Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion 3rd. File Photo

By Kristina Maralit, Manila Times

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd and a group of experts have analyzed the continued wearing of masks, hospitalization as a gauge for determining alert levels, and vaccination policies in assembling a road map for the country's post-Covid pandemic recovery.

Concepcion, who was joined by the Advisory Council of Experts (ACE) — composed of some of the country's foremost authorities on medicine, public health, economics, and research and data analytics — said the aim was to come up with guidelines for the private sector regarding matters of public health and the economy. "The country is faced with urgent problems on the economic front, but the fact is, Covid is still very much around," he said. "We need to find ways so that we save our livelihoods without unnecessarily losing our hard-won victories against the virus." The Philippines has recorded 3,700,000 Covid cases since the pandemic started in 2020. About 60,500 deaths have been attributed to the disease.

The ACE panelists said that while face coverings have been proven to reduce transmission, opinions clashed on whether it is time for the country to relax the mask mandate, especially in outdoor settings.

"It was recommended that the most prudent way forward is to keep wearing face masks for now," Concepcion said, stressing that the country has managed to keep critical indicators low because Filipinos have generally accepted the wearing of masks.

OCTA Research fellow Prof. Ranjit Rye said the group's survey last April showed that the majority of Filipinos will still choose to wear masks even after the end of the pandemic has been declared since "there is no demand for unmasking." Points were raised about the societal and economic costs of continued mask wearing, including questions about its effect on children and how it sends mixed signals on the end of the pandemic.

It was agreed, however, that the issue over mask wearing will be reviewed as the situation changes.

There is also the consensus that the government must at some point shift the responsibility of vaccinating the population to pharmaceutical companies, and that there should be a deadline to make the shift, preferably within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

The experts also agreed that hospitalization rates be made the primary criteria for setting alert levels. The metric was considered more accurate than the number of infections, and it also factors in how mobility restrictions affect the economy.

"We've seen over the past two years how important it is to have experts from all fields guiding us through the pandemic. Experts have credibility with our citizens and they give advice based on science and data," Concepcion said.

The panel of ACE experts include National Task Force Against Covid-19 special adviser Dr. Teddy Herbosa, Covid-19 Technical Working Group chairperson Dr. Nina Gloriani, Vaccine Expert Panel member Dr. Rontgene Solante, UP Manila Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology director Dr. Edsel Salvaña, Philippine College of Physicians president Dr. Maricar Limpin, health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon, OCTA Research fellows Dr. Michael Tee, Prof. Ranjit Rye, Dr. Guido David and Fr. Nic Austriaco, economist Romy Bernardo and Go Negosyo lead adviser Josephine Romero.

"It has been more than two years since our lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by this pandemic. I think it is now time to set a clear path for how the country must transition into a state of normalcy," Concepcion said.