What are some German customs and habits that seem weird to foreigners?

 

James Johnson

Owner of FreelanceWritersSchool.com

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I teach regular people how to start freelance writing even if they failed English at school and have no experience in business. I’m also an Expat living in Germany.

Freelance Writers School and Deutschified

I’m going to come at this from a British perspective, based on my experience of living in Germany and having a long term relationship with a German.

(Please remember this is all tongue-in-cheek and I love the Germans a lot :) )

01: Schultüte (School Cone)

The first time I went to meet my girlfriend's parents in Bad Dürkheim we took part in the socially awkward tradition of going through family photo albums. You know the kind, where you smile and nod and go, "Oh yeah....wow. Really? Cool." and try to figure out what expression you should have on your face.

As we were going through childhood photos I stumbled across a picture of the first day of school, where every child was stood holding a strange large cone (almost as big as the child themselves) covered in decorations.

Nobody else looking at the album seemed to react to the photo, but before they turned the page, I had to ask them to hold on and explain this weird phenomenon to me.

Apparently on the first day of school it's normal to give your child a three kilogram cone filled with stationery, sweets and treats. They must then proceed to walk around the school on their first day holding said cone. And, then, they're allowed to open to the cone once they get back home after the first day of school (they very thing the items in the cone were created for).

Nope. Still don't get it.

02: Polterabend (Smashing Porcelain Before You Get Married)

Before getting married, a couple will post the date of their Polterabend in a local newspaper, much like a classified advert.

People in the surrounding village or area (read: total strangers) can then turn up to your event - seemingly hosted in a car park or wide open space - with their unwanted porcelain products such as toilets, sinks and cups, and donate them to you.

You then, as a couple, process to smash all of the porcelain into tiny pieces for the amusement of your friends, family and total strangers as they watch.

Once all of the porcelain has been broken, the onlooking masses get drunk and eat food while you and your partner spend the rest of the evening sweeping up the porcelain and tidying up the mess that you've made.

03: Being Naked

It’s incredibly un-British how often German people are naked.

Not long ago I was on Skype with my Girlfriend while she in the bath (not for that reason). And, in the 10 minutes we were on the call her: sister-in-law, brother, mother, nephew and other brother all came into the room and had a shower.

People love to be naked in local saunas and, well… just in general, really.

I’ve seen more German penises in my life than I’d care to admit.

04: Directness

I’d like to admit I’m rather English: I talk around specific subjects, if someone is clearly enjoying an awful new outfit I don’t mention it, and unless it’s one of my really close friends I don’t tend to speak my mind.

I’m a regular ol’ Hugh Grant in Mancunian clothing.

In Germany, they haven’t gotten their heads quite around that concept.

• Wearing an awful t-shirt? They’ll tell you.
• Been a bit of a dick? Oh, they’ll tell you.
• Put on a little bit of weight? Yeah, they’ll god damn well tell you.

In one respect it’s quite nice because you always know where you stand. But, in other cases, you’ll come away with a crushed soul.

05: Wanting All Their Money Back

In England, if I lent my mate £5, I’d be quite happy if he bought me a beer and we called it quits. If I lend someone £1 and the only have 50p to give me back, then, okay, that’s fine by me.

But Germans have a way of being incredibly precise with their money and how much they want it back.

“Have you got that 2 Euro 38 I lent you for the S-Bahn the other day, James?”

“Erm, I’ve got 3 Euro.”

“Let me just see if I have 62 cents to give you in return”

What scary is that’s not an unusual conversation to have! Take my extra 62 cents and be done with you.

06: Stopping At Every Pedestrian Crossing

I met my girlfriend when we were both on the Camino de Santiago. (That’s a big hike across Spain.) Which meant we’d do a lot of walking through villages, cities and the countryside.

What always confused me is why she had to stop at every street crossing and wait for light to turn green. The Spaniards, and every other tourist, would just saunter across when there were no cars coming. But she insisted on waiting.

Then I got to Germany and found out that’s what everyone does. You get the German stare, which is the equivalent of an English tutting noise, whenever you cross on a red light.

I was later told a story by her father when he was in Paris for work. It was late at night, there was no traffic, and he stood waiting at a red light. He was then accompanied by another man who also stood waiting for the light to change. He turned to him and said, “So, you’re German too?”.

There was never a truer word spoken.

07: Not Talking About Money

Unless they’re asking you for the 71 cents back, it’s a taboo to talk about money in Germany. Especially with people of an older generation, or even of my generation.

I used to joke with my girlfriend that she was rich because of where her family lived. And, it was always met with a brief, “Heh…yeah” and then shrugged off. Then, when I found out one of her friends was given a stupidly expensive car for his 18th birthday, I also made a joke met with the same response.

People don’t like to admit they have money. They could be sitting in a mansion on the side of a hill overlooking wine country, while their butler cleans their Bentley, and still be adamant they’re not well off.

I learned from a Podcast, and later from some friends here, that it’s not unusual for people to lie about their income on official documents!

Edit: I updated and expanded this answer over on my Blog because I had so much fun writing it. You can check it out here

[1]

 if you really want to :)

Footnotes

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10 Weird German Cultural Differences That Confuse British People

DEUTSCH-PHILIPPINISCHE BEZIEHUNGEN (X) - German-Philippine Relations (X)

A side path to the cultural history  of the Philippines

1521

Mit Magellan kommen deutsche Kanoniere auf die Philippinen.

1673

Deutsche Jesuiten gelangen zur Mission auf die spanischen Philippinen.

1689

Der Botaniker Georg Joseph Kamel kommt in Manila an. Er gilt als erster Europäer, der Tagalog zu wissenschaftlichen Zwecken einsetzt.

1708

Bei Rohrlach in Leipzig erscheint unter dem Titel Neue Reise um die Welt William Dampiers Reisebericht, der auch die Philippinen einschließt.

1835

Der hamburgische Kaufmann Johannes Andreas Zobel eröffnet als erster eine Apotheke in Manila.

1836

13.10.: Die Bremer Reederei Heineken & Co. importiert zum ersten Mal philippinische Waren.

1845

In Hamburg erscheint die anonyme Schrift Einige Worte über China, die Philippinen und den Malagischen Archipel in ihren Handelsbeziehungen zu Deutschland.

1849

Hamburg errichtet ein Konsulat in Manila.

1852

Bremen eröffnet ein Konsulat.

1860

Der deutsche Kaufmann Leopold Schück erreicht mit einem havarierten Schiff Jolo, dessen Sultan er für Handelsbeziehungen gewinnt. Insbesondere Gewehre sollen importiert werden.

1867

Der Norddeutsche Bund richtet ein Konsulat auf den Philippinen ein.

1869

Karl Semper veröffentlicht in Würzburg Die Philippinen und ihre Bewohner: Sechs Skizzen; nach einem im Frankfurter geographischen Verein 1868 gehaltenen Cyclus von Vorträgen.

1873

Bei Weidmann in Berlin erscheint Fedor Jagors Reisen in den Philippinen.

1875

12.2.: Als Tochter des Apothekers Gruppe kommt die Schriftstellerin Erica Grupe-Lörcher in Manila zur Welt. Sie veröffentlicht 1922 Sylvias Ehe: Roman von den Philippinen.

1876

Leopold Schück ersucht Bismarck um Schutz für seine philippinischen Ländereien, die dieser ihm verweigert.

1879

Ferdinand Blumentritt veröffentlicht Die Chinesen auf den Philippinen. 1882 erscheint zudem Versuch einer Ethnographie der Philippinen, 1896 folgt bei Teubner in Leipzig Der Aufstand auf den Philippinen.

1884

Hugo Schuchardts Studie Über das Malaiospanische der Philippinen erscheint bei Gerold in Wien.

1885

Das Deutsche Reich bietet Spanien an, die Philippinen zu erwerben.

1886

Der philippinische Arzt und Autor José Rizal erhält seine Fachausbildung an der Universitätsaugenklinik des Ophthalmologen Otto Becker in Heidelberg. Dort erscheint sein Roman Noli Me Tangere.

1890

Der Zoologe Adolf Bernhard Meyer und Alexander Schadenberg veröffentlichen im Dresdener Verlag Stengel & Markert den landeskundlichen Band Die Philippinen. Bereits seit 1873 waren zahlreiche Forschungsbeiträge Meyers zu den Philippinen erschienen.

1898

Vor Manila zieht trotz entsprechender Warnungen der USA ein deutsches Flottenkontingent auf unter Admiral Diederich.

1900

Alfred Bredow veröffentlicht in Reutlingen Der Aufstand in Manila als „Erzählung aus der Zeit des Aufstandes auf den Philippinen“.

1906

Der Deutsche Klub in Manila wird gegründet. --- Missionsbenediktinerinnen aus Tutzing kommen auf die Philippinen.

1909

Steyler Missionare lassen sich in der Region Abra nieder.

1912

Die Steyler Schwestern beginnen mit der Missionsarbeit auf den Philippinen.

1917

Deutsche Handelsschiffe werden in Manila von den Amerikanern festgesetzt.

1918

Ernst Schultze veröffentlicht bei Reimer in Berlin Die amerikanische Gewaltherrschaft auf den Philippinen.

1931

Johannes Thauren berichtet für die Steyler Mission in Die Missionen der Gesellschaft des Göttlichen Wortes in den Heidenländern über die „Missionen auf den Philippinen, in den Prov. Abra, Mindoro und Zambales“.

1932

Siegfried Lenks Studie Die Bevölkerung der Philippinen: Eine anthropogeographische Untersuchung erscheint im Leipziger Verlag Frommhold & Wendler.

1937

Philip, Alex, Morris und Herbert Frieder gründen in Manila das Jewish Refugee Committee of Manila (JRC), das zunächst die Rettung deutschstämmiger Juden aus Shanghai und später auch aus Europa zum Ziel hat.

1942

Albert Kolb veröffentlicht bei Koehler in Leipzig Die Philippinen.

1954

8.10.: Die BRD und die Philippinen nehmen diplomatische Beziehungen auf.

1956

9.2.: Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland eröffnet eine Gesandtschaft in Manila, die am 7. März 1958 in eine Botschaft umgewandelt wird. Erster Botschafter der BRD auf den Philippinen ist Friedrich Leopold Freiherr von Fürstenberg.

1961

Das Goethe-Institut in Manila wird eröffnet.

1963

7.10.: Gustaf Gründgens stirbt in Manila.

1964

Das Auslandsbüro der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Manila wird gegründet. Auch die Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung nimmt ihre Arbeit auf. --- Die Pfarrgasse in Wilhemsfeld (Odenwald) wird in José-Rizal-Straße umbenannt.

1965

Günther Birkenfeld und Pura Santillan Castrence veröffentlichen bei Erdmann in der Anthologie Reiswein Erzählungen zeitgenössischer philippinischer Autoren.

1968

Karl Semper Forschungsbericht Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen erscheint im Wiesbadener Verlag Kreidel. Weitere Bände erscheinen 1870 bis 1894. Zur selben Zeit forscht der Malakologe Rudolph Bergh auf den Philippinen.

1973

21.9.: Die Philippinen nehmen diplomatische Beziehungen zur Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (DDR) auf.

1977

Ritterhude und Sagay begründen eine Städtepartnerschaft.

1978

Die DDR eröffnet eine Botschaft in Manila. --- Ulrich Makosch veröffentlicht bei Brockhaus in Leipzig Das Gebet in der Zitadelle: Reisen auf den Philippinen.

1978

Jozef Genzor publiziert bei Dausien in Hanau den Sammelband Philippinische Märchen.

1979

Die Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung wird auf den Philippinen aktiv.

1980

Harry Thürk veröffentlicht Nachts weint die Sampaguita – Kampf und Niederlage der Huk auf den Philippinen. --- Unter dem Namen Jose Rizal-Schule wird die Deutsche Europäische Schule Manila gegründet. --- 12.-26.11.: Die Galerie Bonn zeigt Malerei der Philippinen.

1982

Das Niederrheinische Museum in Duisburg zeigt die Ausstellung Die Igorot, Bergvölker in den Philippinen heute.

1983

Deutschland und die Philippinen unterzeichnen ein bilaterales Kulturabkommen. --- Marylou Hardillo veröffentlicht im Münsteraner Wurf-Verlag unter dem Titel Mabuhay: Einladung zum philippinischen Essen das erste deutschsprachige Kochbuch zur Küche der Philippinen.

1985

Die Bayerisch-Philippinische Gesellschaft in Herbertshausen gibt erstmals die Bavarian Philippine News heraus. --- 21.6. bis 31.12.: Das Staatliche Museum für Völkerkunde München zeigt die Ausstellung Die Philippinen: Perle im östlichen Meer. --- 18.10.-9.11.: Die ifa-Galerie Bonn zeigt Grafik der Philippinen.

1986

3.8.: Der deutsche Ökonom Otmar Emminger stirbt in Manila.

1987

Katharina Regenhardt veröffentlicht den Sammelband Frauen auf den Philippinen: Erzählungen, Gedichte und Berichte. --- Hans-Martin Große-Oetringhaus veröffentlicht bei Rowohlt Unter den Füßen die Glut: Kinder auf den Philippinen.

1988

Heinz Kotte veröffentlicht im Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag Das Parlament der Straße: Berichte von d. Philippinen 1983 – 1987. --- Das Bonner Philippinen-Büro gibt das Philippinen-Forum heraus.

1989

24.9.: In Stuttgart kommt die deutsch-philippinische Schauspielerin Pia Wutzbach zur Welt. Ebenfalls philippinische Wurzeln haben der Fußballspieler Stephan Schröck, die Sängerin Vanessa Struhler, die Pianistin Maria Pia De Vito und der Rapper Kenneth Glöckler.

1990

In Kerstin Spechts Drama Lila gerät eine Philippinin als Ehefrau eines Schiffskochs in die Enge eines oberfränkischen Dorfs.

1991

Langenfeld (Rheinland) und Batangas City gehen eine Städtepartnerschaft ein.

1994

Marlies Roth gibt im Kölner Volksblatt-Verlag den Sammelband Manila - Frankfurt und zurück: Ein philippinisch-deutsches Lesebuch heraus.

1995

Bodo Kirchhoffs Roman Infanta erscheint bei Suhrkamp in Frankfurt am Main.

1998

Die Tatort-Folge Manila wird ausgestrahlt. --- Mit Peter Miñozas Von Kali zu Eskrima erscheint bei AFRA in Butzbach die erste deutsche Darstellung der philippinischen Kampfkünste.

2008

Die Deutsch-Philippinische Industrie- und Handelskammer wird gegründet.

2010

Für sein Werk José Rizal. Der Nationalheld der Filipinos wird der Historiker Bernhard Dahm 2010 mit dem deutsch-philippinischen Kulturpreis in Berlin ausgezeichnet.

2011

Thilo Thielkes Reisebericht Philippinen: Unterwegs im Land der 7000 Inseln erscheint im Frankfurter Verlag Brandes & Apsel.

2014

12.5.: Der Bildgestalter, Maler und Performancekünstler Martin Heine stirbt in Manila. --- Die deutschen Segler Henrike Dielen und Stefan Okonek werden in philippinischen Gewässern von Abu Sayyaf entführt.

2015

Die Botschaft der Philippinen am Kurfürstendamm 194 in Berlin wird eröffnet.

2016

In dem deutschen Fernsehfilm Entführung in Manila von Franziska Meletzky geht es um die Entführung deutscher Urlauber auf den Philippinen. --- Annette Hug veröffentlicht bei Wunderhorn in Heidelberg den Roman Wilhelm Tell in Manila. ---Ebhausen und Lubang begründen eine Projektpartnerschaft.

2018

Der deutsche Dokumentarfilm The Cleaners (Im Schatten der Netzwelt) handelt von Content-Moderatoren auf den Philippinen.

1521

German gunners come to the Philippines with Magellan.

1673

German Jesuits arrive on mission in the Spanish Philippines.

1689

The botanist Georg Joseph Kamel arrives in Manila. He is considered the first European to use Tagalog for scientific purposes.

1708

William Dampier's travel report, which also includes the Philippines, is published by Rohrlach in Leipzig under the title New Journey Around the World.

1835

The Hamburg merchant Johannes Andreas Zobel was the first to open a pharmacy in Manila.

1836

October 13th: The Bremen shipping company Heineken & Co. imports Filipino goods for the first time.

1845

The anonymous text Some Words about China, the Philippines and the Malaga Archipelago in their trade relations with Germany appears in Hamburg.

1849

Hamburg sets up a consulate in Manila.

1852

Bremen opens a consulate.

1860

The German merchant Leopold Schück reaches Jolo in a wrecked ship, where he wins over its sultan for trade relations. Guns in particular are to be imported.

1867

The North German Confederation sets up a consulate in the Philippines.

1869

Karl Semper published in Würzburg The Philippines and its Inhabitants: Six Sketches; based on a series of lectures given at the Frankfurt Geographical Association in 1868.

1873

Fedor Jagor's Travels in the Philippines is published by Weidmann in Berlin.

1875

February 12: The writer Erica Grupe-Lörcher is born in Manila as the daughter of the pharmacist Gruppe. In 1922 she published Sylvia's Marriage: Novel from the Philippines.

1876

Leopold Schück asks Bismarck for protection for his Philippine lands, which Bismarck refuses to give him.

1879

Ferdinand Blumentritt publishes The Chinese in the Philippines. An attempt at an ethnography of the Philippines was also published in 1882, followed in 1896 by Teubner in Leipzig, The Uprising in the Philippines.

1884

Hugo Schuchardt's study On the Malay Spanish of the Philippines is published by Gerold in Vienna.

1885

The German Empire offers Spain to acquire the Philippines.

1886

The Filipino doctor and author José Rizal received his specialist training at the ophthalmologist Otto Becker's University Eye Clinic in Heidelberg. His novel Noli Me Tangere is published there.

1890

The zoologist Adolf Bernhard Meyer and Alexander Schadenberg publish the regional volume The Philippines with the Dresden publishing house Stengel & Markert. Since 1873, Meyer's numerous research articles on the Philippines had appeared.

1898

Despite appropriate warnings from the USA, a German fleet contingent under Admiral Diederich moves up to Manila.

1900

Alfred Bredow published The Uprising in Manila in Reutlingen as a “story from the time of the uprising in the Philippines”.

1906

The German Club in Manila is founded. --- Missionary Benedictine sisters from Tutzing come to the Philippines.

1909

Steyler missionaries settle in the Abra region.

1912

The Steyler Sisters begin missionary work in the Philippines.

1917

German merchant ships are detained by the Americans in Manila.

1918

Ernst Schultze publishes American tyranny in the Philippines with Reimer in Berlin.

1931

Johannes Thauren reports for the Steyler Mission in The Missions of the Society of the Divine Word in the Heathen Countries about the “Missions in the Philippines, in the Prov. Abra, Mindoro and Zambales”.

1932

Siegfried Lenk's study The Population of the Philippines: An Anthropogeographical Study is published by the Leipzig publishing house Frommhold & Wendler.

1937

Philip, Alex, Morris and Herbert Frieder founded the Jewish Refugee Committee of Manila (JRC) in Manila, which initially aimed to rescue Jews of German origin from Shanghai and later also from Europe.

1942

Albert Kolb publishes The Philippines with Koehler in Leipzig.

1954

October 8th: The Federal Republic of Germany and the Philippines establish diplomatic relations.

1956

February 9: The Federal Republic of Germany opens a legation in Manila, which is converted into an embassy on March 7, 1958. The first ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Philippines is Friedrich Leopold Freiherr von Fürstenberg.

1961

The Goethe Institute in Manila opens.

1963

October 7th: Gustaf Gründgens dies in Manila.

1964

The Konrad Adenauer Foundation's foreign office in Manila is founded. The Friedrich Ebert Foundation also begins its work. --- Pfarrgasse in Wilhemsfeld (Odenwald) is renamed José-Rizal-Straße.

1965

Günther Birkenfeld and Pura Santillan Castrence publish stories by contemporary Filipino authors in the anthology Reiswein at Erdmann.

1968

Karl Semper research report Traveling in the Archipelago of the Philippines is published by the Wiesbaden publishing house Kreidel. Further volumes appeared from 1870 to 1894. At the same time, the malacologist Rudolph Bergh was conducting research in the Philippines.

1890

The zoologist Adolf Bernhard Meyer and Alexander Schadenberg publish the regional volume The Philippines with the Dresden publishing house Stengel & Markert. Since 1873, Meyer's numerous research articles on the Philippines had appeared.

1898

Despite appropriate warnings from the USA, a German fleet contingent under Admiral Diederich moves up to Manila.

1900

Alfred Bredow published The Uprising in Manila in Reutlingen as a “story from the time of the uprising in the Philippines”.

1906

The German Club in Manila is founded. --- Missionary Benedictine sisters from Tutzing come to the Philippines.

1909

Steyler missionaries settle in the Abra region.

1912

The Steyler Sisters begin missionary work in the Philippines.

1917

German merchant ships are detained by the Americans in Manila.

1918

Ernst Schultze publishes American tyranny in the Philippines with Reimer in Berlin.

1931

Johannes Thauren reports for the Steyler Mission in The Missions of the Society of the Divine Word in the Heathen Countries about the “Missions in the Philippines, in the Prov. Abra, Mindoro and Zambales”.

1932

Siegfried Lenk's study The Population of the Philippines: An Anthropogeographical Study is published by the Leipzig publishing house Frommhold & Wendler.

1937

Philip, Alex, Morris and Herbert Frieder founded the Jewish Refugee Committee of Manila (JRC) in Manila, which initially aimed to rescue Jews of German origin from Shanghai and later also from Europe.

1942

Albert Kolb publishes The Philippines with Koehler in Leipzig.

1954

October 8th: The Federal Republic of Germany and the Philippines establish diplomatic relations.

1956

February 9: The Federal Republic of Germany opens a legation in Manila, which is converted into an embassy on March 7, 1958. The first ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Philippines is Friedrich Leopold Freiherr von Fürstenberg.

1961

The Goethe Institute in Manila opens.

1963

October 7th: Gustaf Gründgens dies in Manila.

1964

The Konrad Adenauer Foundation's foreign office in Manila is founded. The Friedrich Ebert Foundation also begins its work. --- Pfarrgasse in Wilhemsfeld (Odenwald) is renamed José-Rizal-Straße.

1965

Günther Birkenfeld and Pura Santillan Castrence publish stories by contemporary Filipino authors in the anthology Reiswein at Erdmann.

1968

Karl Semper research report Traveling in the Archipelago of the Philippines is published by the Wiesbaden publishing house Kreidel. Further volumes appeared from 1870 to 1894. At the same time, the malacologist Rudolph Bergh was conducting research in the Philippines.

BIBLIOGRAPHIE

Bacareza, Hermógenes E.: A history of Philippine-German relations. Quezon City: NEDA, 1980

Baumgärtel, Tilman: Kino-Sine: Philippine-German cinema relations. Manila: Goethe-Institut Manila, 2007

Beer, Bettina: Deutsch-philippinische Ehen: Interethnische Heiraten und Migration von Frauen. Berlin: Reimer, 1996

Castañeda, Arlene D. (Hg.): Common Diversities: Junge Filipins im deutschsprachigen Raum. Berlin: regiospectra, 2022

Domingo, Benjamin B.: Philippine-German Relations. Bonn: Wegener, 1979

Ertl, Josef; Otzen, Uwe; Peters, Richard: Landwirtschaftliche Kooperation mit den Philippinen. Berlin: Dt. Inst. für Entwicklungspolitik, 1986

Hommel, Birgit: Literatur über die Philippinen aus den Beständen der Bibliothek des Instituts für Auslandsbeziehungen. Stuttgart: IfA, 1966

Müller, Uwe; Zehender, Wolfgang: Wirtschaftliche Kooperation mit den Philippinen: Chancen u. Beschränkungen. Berlin: Dt. Inst. für Entwicklungspolitik, 1986

Parreñas, Julius Caesar (Hrsg.): Philippine-German economic relations in the context of Asian and European regionalism. Manila: CRCFI, ca. 1997

Schult, Volker: Wunsch und Wirklichkeit: Deutsch-philippinische Beziehungen im Kontext globaler Verflechtungen 1860 – 1945. Berlin: Logos-Verlag, 2008 (Berliner Südostasien-Studien; 8)

Werning, Rainer: Krone, Kreuz und Krieger: Europäische Vermächtnisse in den Philippinen. Essen: Verlag Neuer Weg, 2011

Wionzek, Karl-Heinz (Hrsg.): Germany, the Philippines and the Spanish-American War: Four accounts by officers of the Imperial German Navy. Manila, Philippines: National Historical Institute, 2000

PH may experience first storm in Feb, to be named 'Aghon' – Pagasa

By Arlie O. Calalo, Manila Times

February 1, 2024 

MANILA, Philippines: The country may experience its first storm of the year in February, that is if the low pressure rea (LPA) spotted in the vicinity of General Santos City would intensify into a tropical depression as it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the state-run weather bureau said on Thursday.

Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja said that once the tropical cyclone enters the country, it will be named "Aghon."

As of posting time, the LPA is some 195 southwest of General Santos City. Estareja said, however, that the LPA has a "very slim chance of intensifying into a tropical depression and entering PAR in the coming days." However, its trough or extension is affecting areas in Mindanao and Visayas where scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms would be likely over the next 24 hours, the state weather bureau said in its 5 a.m. advisory.

The northeast monsoon or "amihan" is bringing partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated light rains over Luzon, including Metro Manila, Estareja said.

"It would still be generally fair weather in most parts of Luzon except for scattered downpours and thunderstorms in the afternoon or at night," Estareja said.

Toughness needed to face life’s challenges

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprises (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

THAT’S what the readings of the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, reminds us of. From the Book of Job, we are already warned that our life here on earth is some kind of warfare. (cfr. 7,1) And St. Paul in the Second Reading also tells us that we have to learn to be “all things to all men to save all.” (1 Cor 9,22) That’s definitely a tall order, given the way we are.

And Christ himself showed us how our life—with all its challenges, difficulties and dangers—can and should be. In spite of the many good things he already was doing, many more people with great needs came to him asking for help. (cfr. Mk 1,29-39) That he had a very complicated life is indeed an understatement.

All of us, but especially priests and others in similar positions, should be tough and strong. We need to be tough because aside from bearing our own personal burdens, from contending with our own personal demons, we also have to bear the burdens of others. It is no joke to serve like the receptacle of the problems of others and to find ways to help them.

Since we priests, for example, usually hear confessions and give counseling and spiritual direction to others, we cannot help but be affected somehow by what we hear. And the problems of some people can be so heavy and heart-wrenching that we end up exhausted, practically emptied of any strength and energy. 

The worst part is what to say as advice and how to say it. It indeed is a big challenge to be able to present the mercy and love of God when the people’s problems seem to have no human solution or when their miseries and weaknesses seem to be persistent and insurmountable despite their efforts.

In these cases, the challenge is how to present God’s love in such a way that his love and mercy is seen as soothing, acceptable and meaningful. The challenge is how to present God’s love such that even if pain and suffering are unavoidable, people can see that God’s love takes care of everything. They would realize that what they cannot solve, God will always solve it for them in his own mysterious ways.

There is no doubt that a lot of spiritual and supernatural means are needed here. We have to pray that the people’s faith gets stirred and enlivened, that their hope gets reaffirmed and strengthened, that their love for God gets enkindled.

Aside from prayer, a lot of sacrifices are also needed. Prayer and sacrifices vitally unite and identify us with Christ who is the one to give us all the strength and light we need. Let’s remember what St. Paul said in this regard: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4,13)

Yes, it’s only with Christ and in him that we priests can truly be tough and strong as we should be as we carry out our ministry of helping people in their spiritual and moral life that can be filled with all sorts of problems and challenges.

Our toughness should be the toughness of Christ who was and continues to be willing to bear all the problems of men, and goes all the way to offer his life for the salvation of men.

Tropical Disturbance continues in Mindanao, Westpacwx Philippine Update

Flash flood, landslide warnings up in parts of VisMin due to trough of LPA

BY LIZST TORRES ABELLO

Jan 31, 2024 10:03 AM

  

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned the public about potential flash floods and landslides in parts of Visayas and Mindanao as the trough of the low pressure area (LPA) will affect these areas within the next 24 hours.

(Photo credit to MB Visual Content Group)

PAGASA weather specialist Grace Castañeda said on Wednesday morning, Jan. 31 that the LPA has a slim chance of intensifying into a tropical depression or entering the Philippine area of responsibility but its trough or extension will still bring significant rains.

Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be felt in Northern Mindanao, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos, Caraga, Davao Region, Central Visayas, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Southern Leyte.

PAGASA warned that moderate to heavy rains may cause flash floods or landslides in these areas.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon, locally known as "amihan," may bring cloudy skies with light rains to Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, and Northern Samar.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be felt throughout Metro Manila, Western Visayas, and the rest of Luzon.

The rest of Mindanao will also have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms caused by the trough of the LPA  T he public was also warned that severe thunderstorms may cause flash floods or landslides in the affected areas.

GMA claims dominance in airwaves, online

 

BY JAMES A. LOYOLA

  

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Amid challenges faced by traditional media and competition from web-based services, local media giant GMA Network remains the undisputed leader on air and online for the full year 2023. 

Nielsen TV Audience Measurement (TAM) ratings data from January to December 2023 show that GMA – together with GTV and digital channels I Heart Movies, Heart of Asia, Pinoy Hits, and Hallypop – tallied a combined people net reach of 94 percent or a projected total of 73 million viewers in Total Philippines. 

The network’s main channel, GMA 7, remained the most dominant channel in Total Philippines, with a 93 percent net reach, or a projected total of 72 million viewers nationwide.

Meanwhile, GMA Network's flagship AM and FM radio stations maintained their top-ranking positions in 2023.

Super Radyo DZBB 594 recorded an audience share of 29.9 percent last year based on Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) data, while closest competitor DZRH 666 tallied 28.9 percent. 

The AM station’s successful performance extended beyond Mega Manila, with Super Radyo Iloilo emerging as the number one AM station in 2023 with a total audience share of 46.9 percent. 

Barangay LS 97.1 Forever led other FM stations by a wide margin, averaging a 42.5 percent audience share against Love Radio 95.1’s 15.5 percent.

GMA’s FM stations ruled the airwaves outside Mega Manila as well. In Baguio, Barangay 92.7 (DWRA) recorded an audience share of 38 percent. 

Listeners to Barangay FM 93.5 (DWTL) in Dagupan likewise tallied an audience of 44.5 percent. In Western Visayas, Barangay 93.5 (DYMK) Iloilo drew a 70.5 percent audience share.

GMA currently operates 108 TV stations and 21 radio stations throughout the Philippines, with more to come in 2024. Further strengthening its presence across different regions in the country through GMA Regional TV, the Network launched GMA Ilocos Norte, its 12th regional station, in March 2023. 

Besides analog broadcast stations, the Network has also ventured into more digital and online platforms with the aim of making information even more accessible. 

Based on Tubular Labs data, social media video views for all GMA online properties drew billions of views from January to December 2023. 

Consolidated online viewership numbers reached 26.9 billion on Facebook and 8.9 billion on TikTok, as opposed to ABS-CBN’s pages, which got 20.8 billion views on Facebook and 7.9 billion on TikTok.

GMA Integrated News and GMA Public Affairs' social media pages drew billions of views from the same period. Online viewership numbers for these properties reached a total 21.9 billion views.

The umbrella account of GMA Integrated News alone drew 5.3 billion views, versus ABS-CBN News' 2.2 billion views. Meanwhile, GMA Public Affairs’ online platforms generated 13.9 billion views across popular social media platforms: 9.7 billion from Facebook, 2.5 billion from TikTok, and 1.7 billion from YouTube.

In total, GMA Integrated News and GMA Public Affairs properties boast a staggering following of over 220 million across social media platforms.

Sprinters Hoffman, Frank break PH records

BY MARK REY MONTEJO

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Filipina sprinters Lauren Hoffman and Angel Frank broke Philippine indoor records in their respective events in the 2024 Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational in South Carolina over the weekend.

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Filipina sprinters Lauren Hoffman and Angel Frank broke Philippine indoor records in their respective events in the 2024 Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational in South Carolina over the weekend.

 Lauren Hoffman (left) and Angel Frank (Lauren Hoffman's Facebook post)

Hoffman, 24, clocked 53.91 seconds for a third-place finish in the women’s 400m category which shattered Kayla Richardson’s 54.94 mark in 2018 in Albuquerque, USA.

“My teammates and I intend to make that record even faster but I’m still gonna celebrate this achievement for now! All season long I’ll be celebrating small wins, big wins, and everything in between,” Hoffman posted on her Facebook. 

The Virginia-native sprinter was behind Maya Singletary (52.34) and Clemson’s Ken’naria Gadson (53.69) who eventually sealed first and second places, respectively.

Recently, Hoffman also set the women's 600m record in the Hokie Invitational by registering 1 minute and 30.33 seconds which was enough to smash Daniel Quintero’s (1:36.93) in a Santa Barbara tilt in 2020.

On the other hand, Frank settled for 8th place in her stint but her 23.86-second performance eclipsed Zion Corrales-Nelson's 23.90 in the 200-meter race.

Hoffman and Frank bannered the Nationals in the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games last September alongside Robyn Brown and Maureen Schrijvers. 

MTRCB prohibits airing of show for alleged explicit sexual discussion

BY NEIL RAMOS

  

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The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is seemingly on a roll.

After recently suspending for 28 airing days two shows on the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), it has now prohibited the airing of "Private Convos with Doc Rica" on the One News Cable Channel, this, for supposedly appealing to the “prurient interest of the average person.”

Beyond that, the MTRCB is also prohibiting the “exportation, copying, distribution, sale, lease, exhibition” of the show in all media platforms within its jurisdiction.

In a statement, the MTRCB related how the decision came about, starting with their Monitoring and Inspection Unit (MIU) having been receiving numerous complaints relating the show, going on to flag in particular an episode that aired September 6 last year wherein show host Doc Rica allegedly discussed "sexual awakening" with her guest, during which explicit terms such as "self-masturbation, anal sex, and oral sex" were used.

In adherence to due process, those behind the show were immediately asked to appear before the MTRCB the same month to explain their position on the matter.

They supposedly asserted that the program is imbued with “educational and social value.” 

The MTRCB demurred. 

It maintained that the show’s use of explicit terms, coupled with the totality of actions and expressions of the host and her guest/s, “fall within materials which appeal to the prurient interest of the average person.”

The Board also raised concerns over the appropriateness of the show’s time slot considering its content.

“The Respondents are remiss for broadcasting the mentioned television program during Child-Viewing Hours, despite asserting that the Subject Episodes were merely used as fillers in the afternoon time slot,” it said. 

“Additionally, the Respondents failed to implement the necessary MTRCB rating for the Television Program despite being aware that the subject matter is unsuitable for very young televiewers,” it added.

MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Lala Sotto, maintained, "We unequivocally denounce any blatant disregard for the law. With the freedom to broadcast content comes a responsibility. We implore broadcasters and content providers to be circumspect and responsible in their creative processes, acknowledging the profound influence that on-screen content holds.”

Multi-hazard platform empowers Filipinos to report disasters in real-time

 

Gaea Katreena Cabico - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos can now report and share information about floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and cyclones in their communities directly from their mobile phones with the launch of a multi-hazard platform. 

MapaKalamidad.ph is a crowd-based platform that provides real-time hazard information. The tool aims to enhance disaster preparedness and response efforts in the Philippines by empowering citizens to share critical information in the face of hazards. 

The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including cyclones and floods. It is also highly exposed to geologic hazards, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

MapaKalamidad.ph harnesses the power of social media to gather disaster information from residents on the ground, who often have the most up-to-date information in their area. This real-time information, like a flood report, is then displayed on a web-based map.

The data can be used by authorities to coordinate response efforts.

“MapaKalamidad allows everyone access to this information on their mobile phones, which means every single resident can participate in this cooperative process to share what’s going on around them, to understand what’s going on around them,” Nashin Mahtani, director of Yayasan Peta Bencana (Disaster Map Foundation), told reporters during the platform’s launch Monday. 

“That allows people to make critical decisions about safety and navigation during disasters instead of concentrating decision making tools in a small group of people sitting in a control room,” she added. 

A pilot version of the platform was launched in 2020, covering only Quezon City and Pampanga. The reach of the tool was expanded nationwide in 2022, but was only limited to flood reports. 

“Establishing and developing initiatives in the area of information sharing support the various aspects of our work in disaster risk reduction,” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Operations Service Director Cesar Idio said. 

How to report using the MapaKalamidad.ph

Social media users can search for @kalamidadbot on Telegram or @mapakalamidad on Facebook Messenger to report hazards in their communities. 

A one-time link prompts them to input location, upload a photo, and describe the hazard. Then, users will receive links to their reports on the map. 

“What makes MapaKalamidad stand out is that it’s not an app, and it plugs into existing social media channels. That’s what allows us to reach millions of users every day,” Mahtani said.

She added the platform was designed to encourage people to submit detailed information, minimizing the risk of false reports. 

Government agencies like the OCD and local government units also help validate reports sent by users. 

“Through those factors, we’re able to ensure that all of the reports come in real-time, but they’re all verified,” Mahtani said.

The MapaKalamidad.ph team is working on integrating SMS and radio services to allow residents without internet access to report hazards.

The multi-hazard platform has an Indonesian counterpart—PetaBencana.id—which was launched in 2013.