DEUTSCH-PHILIPPINISCHE BEZIEHUNGEN (XIII) - German-Philippine Relations (XIII): Die ersten deutschen SVD Missionare - The Frist German SVD Missionaries The First German SVD Missionaries

He was my mentor. I learned much about German-Philippine Relationships.  

Msgr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, SVD, was born on July 12, 1930 in Maribojoc, Bohol, Philippines. He made his first vows as a Divine Word Missionary in 1952 and was ordained to the priesthood on October 18, 1959 by the Apostolic Nun-cio Archbishop Salvatore Siino, DD in the newly built Sacred Heart Parish Church in Kamuning, Quezon City. He obtained his MA in Histoiy at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. and his Ph.D at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila with his dissertation, entitled A History of Philippine-German Relations from 1836 until 1970 with a grade of Meriissimus. 

Later he pursued his postgraduate studies in History and English at Harvard University in Cam-bridge, Massachussets, USA. He obtained his JCD at the UST Central Seminary in 1998 with his doctoral dissertation on Psychological Incapacity to Assume the Essential Obligations of Marriage, Magna cum Laude. In between, he was awarded the Anthony Aguirre Professorial Chair in History by the UST Graduate School in recognition of his academic excellence and meritorious service in the field of teaching and research. Almost at the same month, he was awarded the Fr. Silvestre Sancho, OP Service Award for his unselfish service for many years of teaching, his sense of academic leadership and his willingness to share generously with others. Later in 2000 - 2002 he made his postgraduate studies in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University with another degree in Eccle-siastical Jurisprudence, Summa Cum Laude. Finally, he made his doctorate in Sacred Theology with his controversial work on the Catholic Church in Nazi Germany, focusing on the Jewish Question. 

He has written several books and published learned articles in the UST Journal of Graduate Research, Ad Veritatem, Philippine Trade Development, Southeast Asia and the Germans and in the Informationsspiegel.

 His book on Philippine-German relations was serialized in the Philippine Times in Mainz, Germany. He was for many years the editor-in-chief of the Berlin-Philippine monthly news magazine, The Mabuhay and for sometime the editor of the Informationsspiegel, a publication of the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft Philippines. He also works as the Judicial Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Presiding Judge at the National Appellate Tribunal and Canon Lawyer of the SVD Central Province. Besides, he teaches Canon Law in the Faculty of Canon Law at the UST Central University. He also teaches Modern European History of Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Austria at the UST Graduate School. In 2003, the German highest award, the "Grosses Bundesverdienstkreuz" was bestowed on him by the President of the Republic of Germany, Dr. Johannes Rau, through Ambassa­dor Herbert D. Jess at the UST Tanghalang Teresita Quirino in the presence of his students, fellow professors, the German Embassy officials, the German Cultural Center authorities in Makati and the German Community in Manila. 

In 2006, he was appointed National Chairman of the Philippine-German Cultural Association, the Dr. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Cultural Society in the Philippines. Finally, on March 29, 2008 he was bestowed the title of Monsignor (honorary prelate) by Bishop Antonio P. Palang, SVD, in nine Romani Pontificis, Pope Benedict XVI, for his long and faithful service as Judicial Vicar in the diocese and Presiding Judge at the National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal of the Catholic Bish-ops' Conference in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines.

He died on April 24, 2011 in Metro Manila.

The second batch of German missionaries to request to the urgent appeal of Pope Leo XIII to rescue the Philippines from religious turmoil were the German SVD missionaries, popular know in Germany as the Steyler Missionaries.

(To be continued!)

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Msgr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, SVD, wurde am 12. Juli 1930 in Maribojoc, Bohol, Philippinen geboren. Er legte 1952 sein erstes Gelübde als Missionar des Heiligen Wortes ab und wurde am 18. Oktober 1959 vom Apostolischen Nuncio Erzbischof Salvatore Siino, DD, in der neu erbauten Sacred Heart Parish Church in Kamuning, Quezon City, zum Priester geweiht. Er erwarb seinen MA in Geschichte an der Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. und seinen Ph.D. an der University of Santo Tomas, Manila mit seiner Dissertation mit dem Titel „Eine Geschichte der philippinisch-deutschen Beziehungen von 1836 bis 1970“ mit der Note Meriissimus .

Später absolvierte er ein Aufbaustudium in Geschichte und Englisch an der Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Er erhielt seinen JCD 1998 am UST Central Seminary mit seiner Doktorarbeit über die psychologische Unfähigkeit, die wesentlichen Pflichten der Ehe zu übernehmen, Magna cum Laude. Dazwischen wurde ihm von der UST Graduate School der Anthony Aguirre Professorial Chair in History in Anerkennung seiner akademischen Exzellenz und seiner verdienstvollen Verdienste im Bereich Lehre und Forschung verliehen. Fast im selben Monat wurde ihm der Pater verliehen. Silvestre Sancho, OP Service Award für seinen selbstlosen Dienst in vielen Jahren seiner Lehrtätigkeit, sein Gespür für akademische Führung und seine Bereitschaft, großzügig mit anderen zu teilen. Später in den Jahren 2000 und 2002 absolvierte er sein Aufbaustudium in Kirchenrecht an der Päpstlichen Universität Gregoriana mit einem weiteren Abschluss in kirchlicher Rechtswissenschaft, Summa Cum Laude. Schließlich promovierte er in Heiliger Theologie mit seinem kontroversen Werk über die katholische Kirche im nationalsozialistischen Deutschland mit Schwerpunkt auf der Judenfrage.

Er hat mehrere Bücher geschrieben und Fachartikel im UST Journal of Graduate Research, Ad Veritatem, Philippine Trade Development, Southeast Asia and the Germans und im Informationsspiegel veröffentlicht.

 Sein Buch über die philippinisch-deutschen Beziehungen wurde in der Philippine Times in Mainz veröffentlicht. Er war viele Jahre Chefredakteur des berlin-philippinischen monatlichen Nachrichtenmagazins The Mabuhay und zeitweise Herausgeber des Informationsspiegels, einer Publikation der Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft Philippines. Er arbeitet außerdem als Gerichtsvikar des Apostolischen Vikariats von San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Vorsitzender Richter am Nationalen Berufungsgericht und kanonischer Anwalt der SVD-Zentralprovinz. Außerdem unterrichtet er Kirchenrecht an der Fakultät für Kirchenrecht der UST Central University. Außerdem unterrichtet er moderne europäische Geschichte Deutschlands, Frankreichs, Italiens, Großbritanniens und Österreichs an der UST Graduate School. Im Jahr 2003 wurde ihm vom Präsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Dr. Johannes Rau, durch Botschafter Herbert D. Jess an der UST Tanghalang Teresita Quirino im Beisein seiner Studierenden die höchste deutsche Auszeichnung, das „Große Bundesverdienstkreuz“, verliehen. Mitprofessoren, die Beamten der Deutschen Botschaft, die Behörden des Deutschen Kulturzentrums in Makati und die Deutsche Gemeinschaft in Manila.

Im Jahr 2006 wurde er zum nationalen Vorsitzenden der Philippinisch-Deutschen Kulturvereinigung, der Dr. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Kulturgesellschaft auf den Philippinen, ernannt. Schließlich wurde ihm am 29. März 2008 von Bischof Antonio P. Palang, SVD, in neun Romani Pontificis, Papst Benedikt XVI., der Titel eines Monsignore (Ehrenprälat) für seinen langen und treuen Dienst als Gerichtsvikar in der Diözese und als Vorsitzender verliehen Richter am National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal der Katholischen Bischofskonferenz in Intramuros, Manila, Philippinen.

Er starb am 24. April 2011 in Metro Manila.

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

Typical Filipino (XLIII) - Typisch Philippinisch (XLIII): The Filipino as a product of its history - Der Filipino als Produket seiner Geschichte

The Filipino as a product of its history - Der Filipino als Produkt seiner Geschichte

Die Geschichte formt den Charakter einer Nation. Das reiche Erbe der Filipinos beweist ihre Schaffenskraft und positive Qualitäten, die keinen Zweifel daran lassen, daß die Menschen auf lange Sicht die Deformationen überwinden werden. Auf kurze Sicht vermag die Geschichte uns die gegenwärtige Werteverwirrung zu erklären. Die weniger schöne Seite, die dem Fremden heute auf den Philippinen begegnet, entstand während zweier kolonialem Phasen, in denen die aus dem Land selbst entstandenen und mit ihnen verwachsenen Führer, die natürliche Ernte idealistischer und prinzipiengeleiterer Filipinos vernichtet wurden.

Die Filipinos sind sich selbst oftmals nicht einig, welche Werte und Tugenden, welches Verhalten und welche Etikette heute noch Gültigkeit haben. Gelehrte und Künstler suchen in der Vergangenheit in allen Winkeln des Archipels und in ihren eigenen Herzens nach der philippinischen Identität.

Die Gegenwart ist immer noch eine Übergangsphase, in der die Filipinos  nach einem geeigneten Weg suchen aus einer Situation, die entstand durch das gewaltsame Eindringen verschiedener Kulturen, von der sich die Nation bis heute nicht richtig erholt hat.

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

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History shapes the character of a nation. The rich heritage of the Filipinos proves their creativity and positive qualities that leave no doubt that people will overcome deformities in the long run. In the short term, history can explain the current confusion of values. The less beautiful side that the stranger encounters in the Philippines today emerged during two colonial phases in which the leaders who emerged from the country itself and grew up with it, the natural harvest of idealistic and principled Filipinos, were destroyed.

The Filipinos themselves often do not agree on which values ​​and virtues, which behavior and which etiquette are still valid today. Scholars and artists have historically searched for Filipino identity in every corner of the archipelago and in their own hearts.

The present is still a transitional period in which Filipinos are looking for a suitable way out of a situation that arose from the violent intrusion of different cultures from which the nation has not yet fully recovered.

(To be continued!)

Philippine Fairy Tales (XXIII) - Philippinische Märchen (XXIII): Sogsogot

 

Sogsogot 

One day, a long time ago, some men went to the mountains to hunt deer and wild pig, and among them was one named Sogsogot.

They all went into the thick forest to look for game, but after a while Sogsogot called his dog and withdrew to an open spot near by, where he waited for the deer to come out.

While he stood there eagerly watching, a big bird swooped down, caught him in its claws, and carried him away. Far off over the mountains the bird soared, until finally it came to a big tree where it had its nest, and here it left the man and flew away.

Sogsogot’s first thought was to make his escape, but he found that the tree was so tall that he could not get down, and after a time he ceased his attempts to get away and began to look over his companions in the nest—two young birds and three little pigs.

By and by he became hungry, so he cut up the three little pigs, and after he had eaten all he wished he fed the two birds. When this meat was gone the mother bird brought more pigs and deer, and the man had all he could eat. Then he fed the little birds, which grew very fast and soon were able to fly. One day when they were standing on the edge of the nest Sogsogot caught hold of the birds’ legs, and they fluttered down and carried him safely to the ground.

He hastened home as fast as he could go and told the people of his wonderful trip. They made a ceremony for the spirits, and all the people rejoiced that the lost man had returned.

Some time after this Sogsogot went to a hostile town to fight, and while he was gone his wife died. On the way back to his town he met the spirit of his wife driving a cow and two pigs, and not knowing that she was a spirit he asked her where she was going.

“I am not a person any more,” she answered him; “I am dead.” And when he wanted to touch her hand, she gave him only her shortest finger. He begged to go with her so she said, “Go first to our home and get a white chicken; then follow the footmarks of the cow and pigs.”

He did as she commanded him, and after a while he came to a place where she was bathing in the river. She said to him:

“Now you may come with me to our spirit town. I shall hide you in the rice-bin and shall bring food to you every day. But at night the people in the town will want to eat you, and when they come to the bin you must take some of the feathers of the white chicken and throw at them.”

The man went with her, and when they arrived at the spirit town she hid him in the rice-bin. At night the people came to eat him, as she had said they would; but when he threw the chicken feathers at them they were frightened away.

For two weeks Sogsogot lived in this place, but when the feathers were nearly gone he was afraid to stay any longer, for every night the spirits came to eat him. He begged his wife to allow him to go, and finally she showed him the way home, giving him rice to eat on his journey.

As soon as the man arrived home and inquired for his wife, the people told him that she had died and they had buried her under the house. Then he knew that it was her spirit that had taken him to the strange town.

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Sie gingen alle in den dichten Wald, um nach Wild zu suchen, aber nach einer Weile rief Sogsogot seinen Hund und zog sich auf eine offene Stelle in der Nähe zurück, wo er darauf wartete, dass das Reh herauskam.

Während er da stand und gespannt zusah, flog ein großer Vogel herab, fing ihn mit seinen Klauen und trug ihn fort. Weit weg über den Bergen schwebte der Vogel, bis er schließlich zu einem großen Baum kam, wo er sein Nest hatte, und hier verließ er den Mann und flog davon.

Sogsogots erster Gedanke war, zu fliehen, aber er stellte fest, dass der Baum so hoch war, dass er nicht herunterkommen konnte, und nach einer Weile gab er seine Fluchtversuche auf und begann, nach seinen Gefährten im Nest zu blicken – zwei jungen Vögeln und drei kleine Schweinchen.

Mit der Zeit wurde er hungrig, also zerlegte er die drei kleinen Schweinchen, und nachdem er alles gegessen hatte, was er wollte, fütterte er die beiden Vögel. Als dieses Fleisch aufgebraucht war, brachte die Vogelmutter weitere Schweine und Hirsche und der Mann hatte alles, was er essen konnte. Dann fütterte er die kleinen Vögel, die sehr schnell wuchsen und bald fliegen konnten. Eines Tages, als sie am Rand des Nestes standen, ergriff Sogsogot die Beine der Vögel, und sie flatterten herab und trugen ihn sicher zu Boden.

Er eilte so schnell er konnte nach Hause und erzählte den Leuten von seiner wunderbaren Reise. Sie machten eine Zeremonie für die Geister und alle Menschen freuten sich, dass der verlorene Mann zurückgekehrt war.

Einige Zeit später ging Sogsogot in eine feindliche Stadt, um zu kämpfen, und während seiner Abwesenheit starb seine Frau. Auf dem Rückweg in seine Stadt traf er den Geist seiner Frau, die eine Kuh und zwei Schweine trieb, und ohne zu wissen, dass sie ein Geist war, fragte er sie, wohin sie wollte.

„Ich bin kein Mensch mehr“, antwortete sie ihm; "Ich bin tot." Und als er ihre Hand berühren wollte, reichte sie ihm nur ihren kürzesten Finger. Er bettelte darum, mit ihr gehen zu dürfen, also sagte sie: „Geh zuerst zu uns nach Hause und hol dir ein weißes Huhn; dann folgen Sie den Fußspuren der Kühe und Schweine.“

Er tat, was sie ihm befohlen hatte, und kam nach einer Weile an eine Stelle, wo sie im Fluss badete. Sie sagte zu ihm:

„Jetzt kannst du mit mir in unsere Geisterstadt kommen. Ich werde dich in der Reiskiste verstecken und dir jeden Tag Essen bringen. Aber nachts werden die Leute in der Stadt dich fressen wollen, und wenn sie zur Mülltonne kommen, musst du ein paar Federn des weißen Huhns nehmen und nach ihnen werfen.“

Der Mann begleitete sie, und als sie in der Geisterstadt ankamen, versteckte sie ihn im Reisbehälter. Nachts kamen die Leute, um ihn zu essen, wie sie es gesagt hatte; aber als er die Hühnerfedern nach ihnen warf, verscheuchten sie sie.

Zwei Wochen lang lebte Sogsogot an diesem Ort, aber als die Federn fast verschwunden waren, hatte er Angst, noch länger zu bleiben, denn jede Nacht kamen die Geister, um ihn zu fressen. Er flehte seine Frau an, ihn gehen zu lassen, und schließlich zeigte sie ihm den Weg nach Hause und gab ihm Reis zum Essen für die Reise.

Sobald der Mann nach Hause kam und sich nach seiner Frau erkundigte, sagten ihm die Leute, dass sie gestorben sei und dass sie sie unter dem Haus begraben hätten. Dann wusste er, dass es ihr Geist war, der ihn in die fremde Stadt gebracht hatte.  

Beyonce becomes first Black woman to helm top country songs chart

BY AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Feb 23, 2024 10:28 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Her song "Texas Hold 'Em" dropped smack in the middle of the Super Bowl earlier this month, and has debuted on the Billboard charts on the number one slot of "Hot Country Songs."

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Beyonce (AFP) 

NEW YORK (AFP) - Ahead of the release of her album that's set to take the country music scene by storm, Beyonce this week became the first Black woman to top the US charts in that genre.

Her song "Texas Hold 'Em" dropped smack in the middle of the Super Bowl earlier this month, and has debuted on the Billboard charts on the number one slot of "Hot Country Songs."

A second single, "16 Carriages," is also on that chart, clocking in at number nine.

"Prior to the triumph for 'Texas Hold 'Em,' no Black woman, or female known to be biracial, had previously topped" that chart, said industry tracker Billboard.

Country is a quintessentially American style of music with influences from Africa: the banjo notably grew out of instruments brought to the United States by enslaved people in the 1600s and 1700s.

And yet on the surface contemporary country has developed an overwhelmingly white image.

The issue came to a head in recent years when Lil Nas X soared to viral fame with his infectious, record-breaking "Old Town Road," a single that mashed banjo twangs with thumping bass and dominated the industry's most closely watched singles chart in 2019. 

Controversy famously stoked the artist's rise to fame after Billboard removed the fusion novelty song from the country charts but left it on the rap list, triggering accusations that the Atlanta musician's work was pigeonholed purely because he is Black.

The tension simultaneously offered a moment to spotlight the vast contributions of Black artists to country both past and present, including today's stars like Mickey Guyton and Brittney Spencer.

Beyonce's new studio album, her eighth, is for release March 29, and as of now is characterized simply as "Act II."

"Act I" refers to the 42-year-old's album "Renaissance," an ode to disco and house which reigned over the summer of 2022 as it paid homage to the Black, queer and working-class communities that molded the electronic dance genre, which first developed in Chicago in the 1980s.

She now appears primed to take a similar approach to country, reclaiming it as an emblem of Black American history. 

THE STANDS: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

February 23, 2024

Tim Cone begins his tour of duty as full-time head coach of Gilas Pilipinas.  (DENISON REY A. DALUPANG)

Hey there sports fan, Did you know there's an age imit imposed on boxers who want to compete in the Olympics? Do you know what it is? Clue: It's the reason Manny Pacquiao was denied a special exemption to suit up for the country in the Paris Games   Make a guess. We'll give the answer later (If you're curious, yes, Pacquiao has accepted that his Olympic dream is over). Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas began its Tim Cone era on the right foot, pounding out a 94-64 victory over host Hong Kong in a Fiba Asia Cup qualifying window. The win was pretty much guaranteed.  Even Cone said so: “[Hong Kong is] a team that we should handle. If we don’t, then we probably shouldn’t be here. It’s going to be a terrible shock for all of us if we don’t. The bottom line is that this isn’t the level of teams that we’ll be playing all the time.” We have a guy on the ground in Hong Kong, Mr. Denison Rey A. Dalupang, and if you want to catch up on his relentless reporting of the national squad there, all you need is this link. The Filipinos play Chinese Taipei next to cap this window and all you ever need to know about how to watch that game, from tickets to streaming, you can find here.

The Tigresses opened their UAAP campaign with a scintillating upset.  (CONTRIBUTED)

Meanwhile... It's probably starting to get on the nerves of National University's women's sports program: The last time the Lady Bulldogs watched a University of Santo Tomas squad celebrate on the court was when the Tigresses pulled of a title shocker to end NU's dynastic reign of UAAP women's hoops. Well, the Tigresses were celebrating another NU-upset again, this time dealing the Lady Bulldogs a shock opening defeat in volleyball a weekend ago. And as if to prove they are no fluke, the relatively small Tigresses strung up a second straight victory, this time against Casiey Dongallo and the University of the East Lady Warriors   The Tigers, meanwhile, shocked men's volleyball powerhouse and defending champion NU, in their opening match.   The Premier Volleyball League lifted the curtains on its new season with the All-Filipino Conference. Teams trotted out their fresh acquisitions in one of the busiest offseasons the league has ever seen. While it's still too early to determine a trend, here's something that might pique your interest and also help you understand what's happening on the court when teams call out plays. What we're up to next: We will release the nominees for the Inquirer Sports Awards next week! Keep tabs on that. We will also continue running features from Gilas Pilipinas' Hong Kong victory and provide you a little roadmap of Tim Cone's vision. There is also the national team's game against Chinese Taipei coming up. We will also continue our in-depth coverages of the PVL and the UAAP so follow us across all our platforms. Number of the Week: 3 Margin of victory during the "Battle of the Sexes" three-point shootout during the NBA ALl-Star weekend. Steph Curry beat Sabrina Ionescu, 29-26, but needed to make his last four shots to do so.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “A night like tonight shows a lot of young girls and young boys that if you can shoot, you can shoot. It doesn’t matter if you’re a girl or a boy.” —Sabrina Ionescu, after challenging, and nearly beating, Steph Curry in a three-point shootout contest during the NBA All-Stars.

The answer to our trivia question? 40. If you think you can ace our weekly Friday sports quiz, and if you want more sports updates, join our Viber community.  Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).

Is currywurst considered a traditional German dish or an Americanized version of it?

Volker Eichener

Professor at Hochschule Düsseldorf

Studied Political Science & Sociology at Ruhr University Bochum. Graduated 1999.

\

Interesting story. The Currywurst was invented by Hertha Heuwer who operated a bratwurst and fast food stand in Berlin-Charlottenburg in September 1949. Hertha’s husband worked with American officers and noticed that they put huge amounts of ketchup on their steaks and told his wife.

Once, on a rainy day, when she had no custumors, Hertha cut a bratwurst in slices and played around with sauces and spices, however without much success. But the butcher Frank Friedrich who delivered bratwursts without casings to Hertha helped her to improve the sauce which finally was made up from tomato paste, bell pepper, paprika powder, spices and especially curry powder. Hence, the wurst was named Currywurst.

In the post-war era, this “exotic” version of traditional bratwurst was a huge success. Hertha’s recipe was immediately imitated by other operators of bratwurst stands and quickly Currywurst was sold all over Germany.

There are variations how to make the sauce. The simplest version is to take just commercial ketchup and curry powder. More elaborate versions use onions, fresh tomatoes and fruit to make the sauce.

The typical Berlin-style Currywurst uses a bratwurst without casing. After the war, casings were in short supply, and Frank Friedrich’s partner had developed a procedure to make sausages without casings. In other parts of Germany, however, ordinary bratwursts with casings are used for Currywurst.

The recipe is simple: Just take a bratwurst, sear or grill it, cut it into pieces and put the sauce on it. Sprinkle with curry powder. Recently, some wurst stand operators have started to add ultra-hot chili sauces. One operator in my hometown boasts that he makes “the world’s hottest Currywurst” because, for his number ten, he uses pure capsaicin. But this is a different story.

So, Currywurst is a kind of fusion. The sausage is traditional German. The curry powder came from England, with roots in Indian masala. The tomato-based sauce was inspired by American ketchup.

Baguio, Benguet forest fires worsened by strong winds

 

By: Kimberlie Quitasol - Correspondent

MOUNTAIN BURNING The dry condition in the Cordillera region has contributed to forest fires that have so far hit more than 200 hectares in Mountain Province and Benguet since last

BAGUIO CITY—Forest fires continued to spread across different areas in this city and nearby Tuba town in Benguet province on Wednesday, threatening residential areas as firefighters struggled to extinguish the flames due to strong winds.

According to the Baguio City Fire Station, a forest fire broke out near an army detachment of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) compound and razed a portion of the nearby mountain in Barangay Loakan.

The fire that hit parts of the mountain terrain beside the PMA area began on Tuesday and was still raging as of Wednesday morning, affecting about 20 hectares.

PMA officials were on alert as to the possibility of the fire reaching the military school’s premises, the Inquirer learned.

Although there were no reported injuries, fire investigators warned residents near the area of the potential danger to properties and lives.

Firefighters from the PMA Fire Station, the nearby Camp John Hay Fire Department and Sunshine Fire Volunteers helped put out the fire.

Residential area

Another incident of forest fire engulfed Mt. Sto. Tomas Forest Reserve in Tuba, sparking concern among residents as the flames were seen approaching their homes in the villages of Camp 4 and Camp 6 on Wednesday.

Firefighters from Baguio and Tuba responded to put out the blaze but authorities have yet to determine if the fire could be immediately contained, citing the possibility of reigniting.

Investigators said they were still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Residents reported that the intense fire resulted in a widespread layer of ash fallout and a thick haze covering Tuba and this city.

On Feb. 8, a forest fire, lasting for more than 24 hours, also struck Mt. Sto. Tomas within Sitio Cabuyao.

Since last month, more than 200 ha of forested areas in the Cordillera region have been destroyed by fires, data from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Cordillera showed.

The BFP also reported at least 13 incidents of forest and grass fires in Mountain Province and in Benguet’s mining town of Itogon since January.

Firefighters have been employing both aerial and ground-based “suppression strategies” to prevent the flames from spreading and causing massive damage.

Abby Clutario explores love's many expressions in new album Lambing

 

Jerry Donato - The Philippine Star 

February 22, 2024 | 12:00am

Singer-songwriter Abby Clutario treats fans and music aficionados to an album titled Lambing under AltG Records. The latter is composed of two originals Laho and Naglalambing and three cover songs that speak about the different facets and forms of love.

Kapuso multi-instrumentalist and singer, Abby Clutario, will drop her first album titled Lambing with AltG Records tomorrow, Feb. 23, on all streaming platforms worldwide.

The concept behind it, as Abby shared in a recent virtual interview, “is very close to us (or to our hearts). That’s love.”

Regarding its title, she added that lambing is one of the many expressions of love, and is associated with being nice and sweet to the significant other or special someone, if one may add.

“When we say in Filipino lambing, maglalambing, palambing naman and try to translate any of it in English, there’s no English word that will encapsulate its meaning,” Abby reflected. “The five songs that are here in the album have all forms of love in them.” So, the two originals and three cover songs are perhaps Abby’s take on lambing (fondness) and love.

“The carrier single is Laho, followed by Naglalambing and our favorite songs, which I released last year, they’re included in it, Chichi Wo Motomete (the “Voltes V” theme song). There’s Tadhana (by Up Dharma Down) and the original theme song of ‘Mulawin,’ Ikaw Nga,” said she.

The songs demonstrate the how-tos of showing love, like when one is shy about it, deals with a feeling of fear, wishes to reconnect with a former lover, or expresses it to a parent.

“So iba-iba at mahuhuli naman nila yun (the expression of love is different and varied, but the listeners will understand each expression) once they listen to the album as a whole,” shared she.

As for composing the originals, Laho and Naglalambing, Abby had music partners and guest artists who helped her put them together. However, she was in charge of the main instrument on each track. It’s a good thing that her previously released covers complement each other and the new singles. They all support the theme of love.

“I wanted to release an album in the love month,” said she. “We, Filipinos, when it comes to love and love songs, we’re really game for it.”

Asked what musical instruments are being highlighted in the songs, Abby answered, “With the cover songs (that I’ve released) before, the chapman stick is highlighted. You will still hear it in Chichi Wo and Tadhana. But for all the other songs, they are mostly keyboard-based, either with a piano sound or a synth sound. I also worked with awesome artists on this album, you will also hear (guitar), especially in Laho. It is a guitar-driven song, meron din kayong maririnig na ganun.”

As a music artist, Abby is wearing different hats — from being a composer, singer to instrumentalist and arranger. She knows that choosing the right set of musical instruments plays a key role in setting the mood of any song.

“When you’re choosing instruments or you’re already choosing instruments to represent your whole song, it’s usually called areglo or arrangement. Yes, I take that into consideration because I’m an arranger myself,” said she.

“When we compose, we already think of, let’s say, ito yung magandang tunog para dyan (this is the good sound for this) or this will complement these instruments.”

Being a multi-faceted talent is something Abby aspires to.

“Yun din yung gusto ko na makilala ako. Kumbaga, I’m a singer-songwriter. I get to play and I can make my own songs, but at the same time, I can support somebody.”

She was referring to another aspect of her music career, which Abby described as the “session world.”

“That’s where I just play keyboards for somebody (or fellow artists) to support them in their own kind of music,” said the singer.

To further introduce Lambing to the public, Abby will embark on an album tour as her publicity team informed this paper. The first stop is at 88 Fryer on Feb. 22, today. Joining her in the musical treat are Plume, Pido, and Charlene Ong as guest performers. She will grace 70s Bistro and 19 East on March 2 and 12, respectively. Abby concludes the tour on March 22 at Tago Jazz Bar.

(For details, visit www.gmanetwork.com.)