4.5-magnitude quake hits Bukidnon province

Published December 6, 2022, 10:29 AM

by Mike Crismundo

BUTUAN CITY — A 4.5-magnitude earthquake hit the agricultural-rich province of Bukidnon in Northern Mindanao region on Tuesday morning, Dec. 6, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the earthquake was recorded at 7:54 a.m. The epicenter was plotted four kilometers away from northwest of Kalilangan town in Bukidnon, the state agency said.

The tremor had a shallow depth of only one km, Phivolcs said. In its instrumental intensities, the state agency said that intensity IV was recorded at the town proper of Kalilangan, intensity II at nearby Talakag town, and intensity I in the region’s capital city of Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and Malaybalay City. 

Earlier on the same day, a 4.4-magnitude tectonic earthquake also hit in the nearby town of Pangantucan, also of Bukidnon.

The two tremors were tectonic in origin.

The Bukidnon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported no damage or injury.

CAAP: Airports ready for holiday surge

by Emmie V. Abadilla

All 42 commercial operating airports under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) are now ready for the expected surge of passengers for the

Christmas and New Year holidays, the agency announced Monday, December 5. 

Due to travel bans imposed in the last two years brought by COVID-19, CAAP- operated airports are experiencing surges in passenger traffic this year due to pent-up demand for tourism. 

In 2019, CAAP airports welcomed a total 29,258,258 passengers from January to December 2019, with 2,537,774 passengers who travelled during the month of December.

In 2020, a significant decrease was seen, as only 6,659,113 passengers travelled from January to December 2020, with only 245,141 passengers travelled in December 2020.

Last year, passenger volume reached 1,007,842 in December, while 5,136,075 passengers were recorded from January to December 2021. 

So far, this year, around 16 million passengers traveled in CAAP airports from January to October alone, and more are expected to travel during the holiday rush.

Based on pre-pandemic historical data, CAAP estimates around 7-10 percent increase in the number of passengers annually.

At present, CAAP is coordinating with airline operators and concerned government agencies operating at the airports, including the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) and the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP).

The agency advises travelers not to bring prohibited items to the airport and to stow all belongings in their carry-on baggage for faster processing at the screening checkpoints.

On the matter of rest

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11,28-30)

Words of Christ that clearly tell us where we can find true rest, as well as the kind of things we need to do and bear if we want these things to be light and easy. These are words that are most relevant these days, since we are often confused and lost as to where we can find true rest and the kind of things that should properly engage us.

With how things are now in the world of rest, recreation and entertainment, there is a great need to develop in ourselves a sharp discerning sense of what is truly helpful and healthy.

Our need for rest just cannot and should not be met merely by earthly solutions. Our rest should involve our whole being that is not only material and natural, but also, and most especially, spiritual and supernatural. 

Unless our rest covers these latter dimensions, we can never find true rest. We may have some degree of physical relief which, if not related to the spiritual and the supernatural, can only poise us to greater dangers sooner or later.

To be sure, our true and proper rest can only be found in Christ. He gives us the rest that is not only physical. It is a rest that includes all the aspects of our life—emotional, psychological, mental, moral and spiritual. We need to broaden our understanding of rest to go beyond the physical dimension. 

Christ offers us the due rest for our soul that can be harassed by the problems of this world and the requirements of our lifelong pursuit for holiness and apostolate. (cfr. Mt 11,29) This is the real rest that is indeed meant for us. Short of this, our rest would be at best only apparent, and cannot cope with the over-all demands and pressures of our life.

For this he advises us to learn from him, particularly in his meekness and humility. I imagine that these virtues were highlighted because they are the ones that would open the gates of our soul to receive God’s grace, to be guided by faith rather than simply by our senses and emotions and even by our intellectual powers.

We have to see to it that our search for rest should not get stuck in the level of our physical, emotional and intellectual conditions. This is a crucial point because the entry point in our process of knowing is through our senses, instincts and emotions, before things get processed by our intellect, and later inspired by our faith. We should avoid letting our rest get trapped only in the world of the senses, instincts and emotions.

Our Christian faith has to enlighten us as to what kind of rest is proper to us. This faith is a God-given view of all the truths that we need to know. It is God revealing and sharing his knowledge of things with us. It is God sharing his powers with us. We just should not be guided by our own lights and faculties, but by the light God gives us through the gift of faith.

To be sure, our faith is not just an intellectual affair, limited to the world of ideas. It involves our whole person and requires that our correspondence to it should precisely involve our whole person. Our search for true rest should be guided by our Christian faith.  

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

WHEN BOREDOM STRIKES

Surely, there can never be an instant cure for boredom unless you make an effort to beat it. Boredom strikes without a definite time at all, even if you think that sitting and watching could be relaxing, but a few minutes later you’ll start to think of other things to do. Beating boredom does not need to be too complicated, there are actually ways on how you can deal with it with or without spending too much. It’s just a matter of how it will make you feel satisfied to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling.

1. Spend time cleaning

Too bored that you don’t know what to do at all? Cleaning can be a good start in that case. Whether you clean or reinvent your room, organizing some stuff can be one of the best ways to kill time.

2. Reading books

Time flies very fast when you read, this is something that I do when I get tired with my usual routine. This is best when you are reading an interesting book because you would love to stick and finish it in no time.

3. Marathon movies

Some may think that doing some movie marathon is too boring, but still, it can be one of the cheapest and convenient ways to kill time. You watch movies that you like or missed for quite some time and just when you feel that you’ve had enough. It’s simple and you have nothing to worry about since you can do it at home.

4. Doodle away your boredom

If you possess that creative side, and even if you don’t, doodling can be the best way to release some stress. This is most especially when you are at work or at home and you are tired of doing the usual stuff. I have to admit that I want to try to doodle, but I’m afraid to do so. I am always amazed whenever I see the doodles that were done by my friend out of boredom. I have to say that I am a frustrated artist, but still I want to give it a try.

5. Work Out For a Few Minutes

One of the effective and healthy ways to beat the weariness that anyone can feel. Working out does not need to be too complicated as it can be done even for a few minutes until you can say that you are fine.

6. Quick Getaway

The best getaway can be more fun if you do it without making some plans beforehand. You can escape for a moment when you feel like you need it the most. With or without a company. The important thing is you go home feeling content.

7. Be Resourceful Through Baking/Cooking

Just two of the simple things that can be done at home and will surely make you satisfied. It might look difficult for some who haven’t tried it, but believe me you will surely enjoy it.

8. Eat and Eat and Eat

There is no room for a diet when you are too bored. Most of the time dealing with food can have that exceptional and unique way to make you feel better at all times.

9. Take a Nap

Probably the easiest and simplest thing you can do is to just sleep it off. And when you’re still bored after a 5-hour nap, then you can try the other things on this list.

Tick tock tick tock, time seems so slow when we are doing nothing or even waiting for someone or something. Looking back and forth at your clock or watch, one minute feels like forever and it feels like time is not running that really makes us frustrated. Especially when you have finished a movie or series or even when waiting for a new series or episode to be available on our screens. Boredom always comes in our way.

 When you are done with your school work or finished a task, you are probably thinking of what you should do next. Now that we are spending most of our time at home, we tend to find something fun to brighten up our mood. Being in this kind of setting, almost everything eventually leads to boredom since we are in a limited space and area to be at. It is disappointing to notice that the fun-o-meter gradually decreases as the time passes by.

 Being bored always kills our vibe, especially on a good day. Also, we tend to overthink things that make us feel anxious. Now that we are experiencing the summer season in the Philippines, the hot blow coming out of our electric fans and restrictions causes uneasy feelings. Restrictions bring limitless ideas to spend free time in a limited area.

Get up and it is time to turn your frown upside down. We can beat the heavy feeling brought by boredom, by doing something fun and entertaining. We can always kill dull moments by doing these enjoyable activities at home and take note that these things only require imagination and creativity: Listen to music on the radio, your phone or maybe on an instrument.

 With the right playlist and music, this will hype us up to become productive. Listening to music improves our mood from a very low energy to surprisingly high energy. We are now singing and dancing as if we have a mini concert at our house. Also, music relieves stress in our body and lessens anxiety.

Organizing will lead to finding things that we do not use anymore and find it hard to put it in the trash because for some reason, there are some attached memories with it. Now you realize that you are not just organizing, but you are also going on a trip to memory lane.

 What is stopping you from calling or sending a message to someone? It is not bad to catch up with a friend, best friend, family, or a special someone. There are many online platforms to connect with them virtually and recreate again those good old days. You can still get that tea even if you are in a different hometown.

Many people are now hopping into this trend to share their insights and experiences. In this way, not only you are able to share knowledge but also a way of documenting and telling your story online so that in the future, you can rewatch your videos and reminisce happy memories you made through time.

While being a columnist of "Tinig ng Bayan" (published in Abra) during the 1980s, I remember our Taiwanese coordinator Cristina Lising-Geronga, who expressed herself in innumerable write ups about the topic loneliness. Sure, "Tinig ng Bayan" has been a publication for Filipinos abroad. Loneliness, borne by Filipinos living abroad while missing their families in the Philippines, became a very "normal" expression.

During that time, my Philippine mentor, the late Monsignor Professor Dr. Dr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, Chaplain of the Philippine Community in Berlin, started together with me publishing "Ang Mabuhay". Believe me, "loneliness" became a main topic in many write-ups.

Nowadays, loneliness and boredom seem to be the splitting image of each other - so to speak, being as like two peas in a pod. While browsing in social networks like Facebook, one can find more and more comments as in "When Boredom Strikes" or so. Boredom, ending up in loneliness - or vice versus?

How comes that loneliness and/or boredom are still a general topic in our society today's society? 

Loneliness has been called one of the main diseases even during the last century. It really doesn't strike not only the Filipinos abroad and their loved ones back home. Too often loneliness is being followed by alcoholism, drug abuse and even suicide. Yes, loneliness becomes a modern day plague.  I observed several people trying to surround themselves with so-called "friends" only to find that such relationships are often shallow and unsatisfying.

Loneliness can be painful but being lonely or alone at that is not always a bad thing. Ask yourself, how do  you use your time, if you are really alone? Do you simply let the time pass without doing anything  at all? Why not use such time productively? There are many worthwhile activities to engage in, even if you are alone, such as reading, writing, listening to good (light) music, playing an (forgotten?) instrument, gardening... .

Reading the bible can be also very particularly beneficial.  The Word of God is "alive and exerts power" and can take our minds off ourselves. 

To break the cycle of loneliness, one must be a giver. Let's keep an eye, not only and always on our personal interests but also on the interests of others. Look around and watch out who needs help, or who needs a real friend or good listener. Once you have spotted such a person, act! Thus, in order to have friends, you must act like a friend. Luke 6:38 says, "Give to others, and God will give to you!" Besides, "There is more happiness (and less loneliness) in giving than receiving", says Acts 20:35.

Feast of Santa Claus on Dec. 6

by Christina Hermoso, MB

Roman Catholics will celebrate on Tuesday, Dec. 6, the feast day of one of the primary figures of Christmas –Saint Nicholas – more popularly known worldwide as Santa Claus.

St. Nicholas (Catholic Online)

Also known as Father Christmas, the fat, jolly, bearded old man in a red suit, St. Nicholas remains venerated to this day in many parts of the world as the patron protector of children, sailors, bakers, pawnbrokers, and voyagers. 

Born during the Third Century (March 15, 270) in Patara, Lycia (Turkey), St. Nicholas served as bishop of Myra, now Demre, on the coast of modern-day Turkey, where he was loved and admired for his extraordinary piety, zeal, generosity, and genuine concern for the poor.

St. Nicholas dedicated his life to serving God and doing charity work. He was also known as a wonder worker because of the many miracles that he performed in his lifetime and even after his death in the year 343.

Remembered and honored for many ages, St. Nicholas is one of only a few Catholic saints who became a prominent part of Christmas. As the generous gift-giver, children eagerly await his arrival at midnight on Christmas Eve every year.

The Roman Catholic Church also considers him an Advent saint since his feast day falls during the Advent Season. 

“As a faithful follower of Christ, St. Nicholas’ life clearly reflected the way each one of us is called to show God’s enormous love for others, especially to those in need. St. Nicholas helps us remember that Christmas is a feast of love, hope, sharing, giving, kindness, and generosity,” Church officials said.

Every year, on his feast day, pilgrims traditionally gather at his major shrine, at the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy where his sacred relics are kept, as well as in numerous churches dedicated in his memory in many parts of the world. The number of altars and churches are testimonials of his popularity and holiness.

In many European nations, as well as in Canada and the United States, gift-giving traditionally starts on Dec. 6, inspired by the generous and thoughtful nature of Santa Claus.

 

DepED asks schools, offices to hold ‘simple yet meaningful’ Christmas parties

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot

The Department of Education (DepED) reminded schools and offices to ensure that Christmas parties will be held in a “simple yet meaningful” manner.

Photo from Unsplash

In DepED Order No. 52 series of 2022 signed by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte dated Nov. 2, the department issued guidelines for the celebration of Christmas within the DepED. 

DepED urged its community to “strive for a genuine celebration of hope, unity, and service for others” every Christmas season.

Given this, public schools as well as DepED Central and field offices were directed to ensure that celebrations related to Christmas should be “simple yet meaningful.”

This, DepED said, can be done by keeping in mind the “true spirit of the season” and the “austerity called for by the difficult economic times.”

Voluntary, practicable

In its latest issuance, DepED urged all concerned to ensure that all Christmas parties, themes, costumes, decorations, and exchange gifts remain voluntary.

“No learner or DepED personnel should be forced to contribute participate or use their money for the celebration,” the department said.

DepED also stressed that contributions for celebrations in schools or offices, whether in cash or kind, “should be strictly voluntary.”

Likewise, the department added that “no learner shall be excluded from joining the Christmas celebration by reason of their failure to give the voluntary contribution or absence of a prepared of a prepared gift.”

To help ensure that celebrations in schools and offices are “practicable,” DepEd said that “Christmas party themes should not result to expenses that will become a burden on parents, students and DepED personnel.”

Likewise, DepED enjoined schools and offices to use or recycle old Christmas decorations. The purchase of new decor was also discouraged. Furthermore, DepED said that no learner or personnel should be “required to make decors specifically for a party.” 

Christmas parties in schools, DepED added, may also be organized within class hours “so long as it does not interfere with the scheduled lesson plans intended to be taught to the students.”

DepED offices, however, were reminded that the conduct of Christmas get-togethers and other similar year-end activities “should not compromise the provision of departmental services.”

When it comes to gift-giving, DepED said that this should be “guided by the spirit and of sharing and should not lead to extravagant spending.”

DepED personnel were also reminded that solicitations, whether in cash or in-kind, are not allowed for Christmas parties or holiday celebrations.

The provisions of this order, DepED said, cover all that schools and offices in the country.

Schools Division Offices (SDOs) were also allowed to issue additional guidelines based on their local customs and traditions, subject to the issued guidelines.

For private schools, community learning centers, as well as state or local universities and colleges, DepED said that they may “choose to adopt the provisions” of the newly-issued order as a basis in the conduct of their own Christmas parties or celebration.

Beware of the critical spirit

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THAT gospel story of the paralytic brought by his friends with great effort to Christ for healing, (cfr. Lk 5,17-26) can tell us a number of things. One is that we need a strong faith when we need to ask God for some special favor. 

Another would be that miracles are meant more to forgive sins than just curing some physical ailment. That’s because spiritual health is more important than our bodily health. After all, it is our spiritual soul when animated by the Holy Spirit that gives life. (cfr. Jn 6,63) The body’s life and health ultimately depends on our soul, the principle of life.

Still another lesson we can get from that gospel story would be that we have to be wary of our tendency to have a critical spirit. That’s because in that gospel story, Christ first forgave the sins of the paralytic for which some of the Pharisees around accused him of blasphemy, convinced that Christ was already overstepping his authority and power. That was when Christ proceeded to cure the paralytic to show he had the power to forgive sins since he indeed was the expected Messiah from God.

Let’s be wary of our tendency to be fault-finders, negative thinkers, incorrigible critics, etc. This tendency usually springs from a brand of righteousness that is not properly rooted on the real source of righteousness who can only be God, as shown to us by Christ and inspired in us by the Holy Spirit. It is more self-righteousness.

We have to be most wary of this spiritual anomaly that can come to us anytime. It usually takes advantage of our natural inclination to seek the truth, the good and the beautiful in life—in short, what is right—and corrupts that inclination because it is not properly rooted on the ultimate source of righteousness, which is God himself. It’s so blinding that it can even assume the appearance of holiness.

Most prone to this illness are those with some special endowments in life, be it intelligence, talents, wealth, fame, power, health, beauty, etc. When all these gifts are not clearly grounded and oriented toward God, the source of all righteousness, the problem starts.

This is the irony of ironies because one can earnestly pursue the path of holiness and does practically everything to be good and holy, and yet ends up the opposite of what is intended. That’s when one practically has the trappings of goodness and holiness and yet misses the real root of righteousness who is God.

To deal with this tendency properly, we have to see to it that in whatever we do, we should always have purity of intention. And that can only happen when everything we do, from our thoughts, desires to our words and deeds, is done for the glory of God and for none other.

Also, we have to learn how to react properly when we see the defects, mistakes and sins of others. That we see them does not entitle us to be critical and uncharitable. Rather, we should try our best to help them in any way we can. And the most basic thing we can do is to pray for them, even offering sacrifices for them, so that they can be transformed or converted by God’s grace.

We should never be critical-minded for long. While we cannot avoid being critical of our spontaneous reaction, we should try our best to overcome it as soon as possible.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

EmMANUEL: A Christmas Feast, gilunsad sa LGU Monkayo

MONKAYO, Davao de Oro - Pormal na nga giabrehan sa Lokal nga Panggamhanan sa Lungsod sa Monkayo ang "EmMANUEL: A Christmas Feast" — ang selebrasyon sa munisipyo alang sa kapaskuhan.

Nahisama sa usa ka Christmas Village ang palibot sa Government Center human napuno kini sa kahayag sa mga suga nga maoy usa sa mga simbolo sa pasko. Napuno usab og mga dekorasyon ang palibot niini sama sa Belen, Parol ug Christmas Lights nga nagdungag og kanindot sa Christmas Village.

Adunay 21 ka mga parol ug 11 ka mga Belen ang opisyal nga gipasundayag ngadto sa publiko ug giatangan sab sa katawhan ang pagpasiga sa dako nga Christmas Tree nga adunay katas-on nga 12 metros nga masayran kutob Disyembre 25 ug ang Fireworks Display.

Sumala pa ni First District Congresswoman Maricar Zamora, “Ang tinood nga diwa sa pasko dili makita sa dekorasyon apan makita sa sulod sa kasing-kasing. Karong gabhiona, atong masaksihan ang pagpasiga sa pinakataas nga Christmas Tree nga atong nahimo sa lungsod sa Monkayo sukad pa sauna” Subay sa paglunsad, gi-abrihan sab ang Christmas Bazaar diin mga barato lamang ang baligya niini sama sa mga sinina, sapatos ug uban pa.

Anaa sab ang lamiang mga pagkaon sa Christmas StrEAT diin nahimong konsesyonaryo ang mga lokal food vendors.

Sa samang seremonya, gipakita usab ngadto sa katawhan ang usa ka presentasyon nga gitawag og “A Decade of Hope and Thanksgiving: Emmanuel (God is with Us)” isip paghinumdom sa ika- 10 nga anibersaryo sa Bagyong Pablo.

“Napulo ka tuig sukad nga ang lungsod sa Monkayo ug ang kinatibuk-ang probinsya nakangkon og usa ka dako nga pagsulay pinaagi sa Bagyong Pablo. Dinha sa napulo ka tuig, atong napamatud-an nga kaya diay natong mubangon tungod kay ang Ginoo kauban nato. Emmanuel, God is with us.” matod pa ni Congresswoman Zamora.

Anaa ang presensya sa tibook LGU Monkayo gipanguluhan ni Mayor Manuel "Way Kurat" Zamora kauban si Congresswoman Maricar Zamora, Vice Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, Senior Board Member Herv Martelle Zamora-Apsay, Vice Mayor Manuel "Junjun" Brillantes, Jr., kauban ang Sangguniang Bayan Members Hon. Manuel "JayR" Zamora, Jr., Hon. Allen Cabag, Hon. Jocelyn Cabag-Burgos, Hon. Maria Ceniza, Hon. Bienvenido Esguerra, Hon. Kimberly Benazir May Codilla-Amad, Hon. Crison Martesio, Hon. Domingo Estrada, Hon. Ivan Jello Cajes, Hon. Carlos Duron, Hon. Moises Bacolod ug ang 21 ka mga Barangay Kapitan sa lungsod.

Gilingaw usab sa bandang Muses ang katawhan human nagpasundayag sa ilahang nindot nga mga sonata. Mulungtad ang EmMANUEL: A Christmas Feast hangtod Disyembre 25, 2022 ug sa matag adlaw niini adunay mga pakulo nag giandam ang Lokal nga Panggamhanan sama sa Live Band, Children Film Viewing, ug uban pa matag gabii.

Nakigduyog usab sila Board Member Renato Basañes, Board Member Eutropio Jayectin, Mayor Levi Ebdao, Mayor Gerald Ford Balbin, Vice Mayor Larry Pagalan, Vice Mayor Ricky Hechanova, Vice Mayor Joey Lungtad inubanan sa mga SK members sa matag munisipyo. 

Municipal Information Office Local Government of Monkayo

December 4, 2022

Pre-Christmas family movie ‘Puss In Boots: The Last Wish’ opens Dec. 7

by Manila Bulletin Entertainment

This holiday season, everyone’s favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns. For the first time in more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation presents a new adventure in the Shrek universe as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. A hero to some, an outlaw to others…everyone agrees that this swashbuckling cat has style to spare. Known for his iconic (and beautifully cobbled) boots, Puss is a skilled swordsman, charming, fearless, determined and a crazy-good dancer.

Puss is a legend who has lived all these lives. He goes from town to town and party to party. He’s the life and soul of everywhere he goes. But just like the rock star who plays the concert every night and is in top form, he goes back to his hotel by himself every night—lies in bed and doesn’t have anyone around. That’s the story of Puss. He’s never let anyone in. Along the journey, he’s starting to question that choice.

The long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish stars Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas who returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. The last time we saw Puss in Boots, in his 2011 solo outing as a movie star, he was purring about his cunning ability to save the world and be adulated for it. Now  with only one life left, the devil-may-care feline is wondering if he’s forever lost his mojo…and with it, the very essence of what makes him Puss in Boots. 

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” features an all-star voice cast that includes Oscar® nominee Salma Hayek Pinault as Kitty Softpaws, Harvey Guillen as Perrito the mutt, Oscar® nominee Florence Pugh as Goldi, Oscar® winner Olivia Colman as Momma Bear, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Emmy winner John Mulaney as Jack Horner and Wagner Moura as Wolf.

The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in 2004’s Oscar®-nominated Shrek 2 and instantly became a global, scene-stealing sensation. Puss then co-starred in two other Shrek sequels and his solo film, as well as in multiple DreamWorks Animation videos and a TV series. The Shrek and Puss in Boots films have collectively earned more than $3.5 billion worldwide.

Antonio Banderas has lived with (and brought life to) Puss in Boots for almost two decades, and he has seen the impact of the character first-hand in every area of the globe. “I have had interviewers from all around the world and thought, ‘Wow. When that person saw Shrek 2, they were seven, eight years old,’” Banderas says. “Now, they are interviewing me about this character they saw years ago, and now they are 28 or 29. It’s beautiful that younger people have grown up with this character that produced such a strong impact in their lives. It seems like the time to pick up Puss and throw him back to the biggest screen, the place where he belongs.”

“Coming back to voice this memorable hero has been a remarkable experience,” Banderas says. “I felt like I was visiting a very dear, clever friend that I hadn’t heard from for a few years. We both have greyer whiskers and are no longer the brash, young players we used to be. What I love most about playing Puss is that deep down inside, he has a strong sense of honor and loyalty—as well as a mischievous and funny side, which endears him to audiences of all ages,” concludes Banderas. 

A DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures feature, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” breaks into local cinemas starting Dec. 7. 

New wave of oil price rollback due next week

by Myrna M. Velasco

Consumers can enjoy continued financial relief on their fuel budgets next week, as domestic pump prices will be on another round of significant price rollbacks on Tuesday, Dec. 6 based on the calculation of the industry players.

Gasoline prices may be trimmed by P1.90 to P2.30 per liter while diesel prices will be reduced by P1.80 to P2.20 per liter. 

For kerosene, a commodity essential for the aviation industry and for heating fuel and cooking needs of some households, the price cut was calculated at P1.35 to P1.65 per liter.

Despite the series of price downtrends in recent weeks though, a monitoring report of the Department of Energy (DOE) showed that cost movements since the start of the year still registered net increases of P33.85 per liter for diesel; P17.75 per liter for gasoline; and P27.85 per liter for kerosene products. 

Global oil prices nosedived to as low as $81 per barrel for international benchmark Brent crude last week, but regained strength to the level of $85 per barrel as of Friday, Dec. 2, trading.

According to industry experts, the escalation in prices toward the end-week trading had been due to clearer signals from China that it may relax its Covid restrictions soon, a move that could drive up fuel demand moving forward.

Market watchers are also raising assumptions that if China will re-open, even the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its ally-producers (collectively known as OPEC+) may no longer pursue planned production cutbacks.  

Global oil producers, which will meet Sunday, Dec. 4, are expected to tackle the main agenda on proposed price capping of Russian oil by the European Union-member countries apart from the supply-demand trajectory to be weighed by China.

EU economies had tentatively decided on $60 per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil to take effect immediately on Monday, Dec. 5.

The OPEC+ meeting next week is seen as one of the key developments that will influence global price movements in the days ahead, especially if they will come up with major pronouncement on any new output quota.