Always give God priority

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

WE can never overemphasize this need. When our relation with God is not strong, deep and abiding, there would be no other way than for us to get into some trouble sooner or later. We have to be wary of the clear and present danger of letting something else to replace God as the Number One priority in our life.

We have to do everything to fuel our need to put God always on top. The ideal that we should always try to pursue is that in our every thought, intention, word and deed, God should be the primary and ultimate object. This definitely will not be an exercise of fanaticism or rigidity as some people may suspect. Rather this how we would attain all the good that is meant for us.

We are reminded of this truth of our faith in the readings of the Mass for Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent. (cfr. Dan 3,14-20.91-92.95 / Dan 3,5.53.54.55.56 / Jn 8,31-42) The first reading talks about how a king mocked the God of 3 young men who refused to worship his god, and threw them into a burning furnace only to observe that these young men were not burned. That was when the king realized their God was the true God.

The responsorial psalm presents a series of praises we ought to give God. We should make time to develop the habit of praising God because only then would we put ourselves in the proper frame of mind with respect to our abiding relationship with God. Let’s be wary of taking these exercises for granted.

The gospel simply reiterates the fact that only in God through Christ can we have the whole truth that brings us the real freedom and all the other good things meant for us. So, we should make no mistake about this. Only in Christ can we find true freedom. Everything else can only give us, at best, apparent freedom that in the end can only put us into some bondage, if not destroy us.

The reason for this is that Christ, as the son of God and the pattern of our humanity, is the fullness of everything that is objectively true, good and beautiful for us. He is also the one that provides us with the power to do what is good for us, since freedom is mainly about freedom to do what is good.

And since freedom is not only about freedom to do what is good but also freedom from whatever evil can hound and tie us down, Christ also perfectly fits that requirement because as our redeemer, Christ liberates us from all evil that can come to us, namely, our natural limitations, our weaknesses, temptations, sins and death itself.

We need to understand this truth of our faith well, because nowadays it is very easy to be confused about where to find freedom and how freedom should be. That’s because all sorts of ideas promoted by all kinds of ideologies and spread by powerful groups have been flooding the world.

We need to promote the real freedom that is offered to us by Christ. We have to preach about it, in season and out of season, and explain it thoroughly, using arguments that are adapted to the different mentalities and cultures of the people.

We need to make everyone understand that true freedom broadens our mind, expands our heart so as to accommodate everyone the way he is, without forgetting how he ought to be, as well as everything else in life. True freedom is what love is all about.

Renten steigen zum 1. Juli 2024

 

Ab Juli steigen die Renten (Archivbild). © Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

Gute Nachrichten für die rund 21 Millionen Rentnerinnen und Rentner in Deutschland: Ihre Bezüge werden spürbar steigen.

Berlin - Die Renten in Deutschland steigen zum 1. Juli um 4,57 Prozent. Das teilte das Bundessozialministerium in Berlin mit. Die Rentenanpassung beruhe auf den jüngsten Daten des Statistischen Bundesamtes und der Deutschen Rentenversicherung. Eine Rente von 1000 Euro steigt damit um 45,70 Euro. 

Die Renten steigen in den alten und neuen Ländern erstmals gleichermaßen. Die Rentenanpassung liege damit im dritten Jahr in Folge oberhalb von vier Prozent, betonte das Sozialministerium. In den neuen Ländern habe der Rentenwert Ost aufgrund höherer Lohnsteigerung bereits vergangenes Jahr den West-Wert erreicht. 

Bundesarbeitsminister Hubertus Heil (SPD) sprach von einer „guten Nachricht“ für die Rentnerinnen und Rentner. „Der starke Arbeitsmarkt und gute Lohnabschlüsse machen das möglich“, sagte Heil. Die Rentenanpassung liege deutlich über der Inflationsrate. 34 Jahre nach der Deutschen Einheit sei die einheitliche Anpassung in West und Ost ein Meilenstein für das Land. „Arbeit ist in Ost und West mit Blick auf die Rente gleich viel wert.“

Heil verwies auf die Rentenpläne der Koalition. Mit dem Rentenpaket stabilisiere die Regierung die gesetzliche Rente dauerhaft, gleichzeitig entlaste sie mit dem Generationenkapital die zukünftigen Beitragszahler.

Die für die Rentenanpassung relevante Lohnsteigerung beträgt 4,72 Prozent. Sie basiert auf der vom Statistischen Bundesamt gemeldeten Lohnentwicklung nach den Volkswirtschaftlichen Gesamtrechnungen. Zudem wird die beitragspflichtige Entgeltentwicklung der Versicherten berücksichtigt, die für die Einnahmesituation der gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung entscheidend ist. dpa

1.000.000 page views cracked!

Heute morgen erreichte mein Stand der Webseitenbesucher die magische Zahl von

1.001.444.

Herzlichen Dank an alle meine Leser und Leserinnen.

This morning my website visitor count reached the magic number of

1,001,444.

Many thanks to all my readers.

BINI reigns as top P-Pop group in number of monthly Spotify listeners

They are also the first P-pop girl group to surpass the one-million mark on Spotify, a milestone achieved during Women’s History Month

By: Hans Carbonilla - @inquirerdotnet

@bini_ph/Instagram

Despite BINI’s lyrical reminder that “buhay ay ‘di karera,” the Rolling Stone-featured P-Pop group is clearly setting their pace with the highest monthly Spotify listenership.

Known by many names, from being the Star Hunt Academy (SHA) girl trainees and the “Coconut girls” to being the “Pantropiko summer queens,” the eight-member girl group from ABS-CBN is most certain about cementing their reputation as the one and only “nation’s girl group.”

Reaffirming this distinction, they’ve once again seized the spotlight by becoming the P-Pop group with the largest audience on Spotify, soaring to 1.4 million monthly listeners, as announced by label Star Music on Sunday.

BINI’s Mikha took to X (formerly Twitter) to express gratitude to Blooms (their fandom), reposting, “We are so grateful and blessed. Thank you for all your support and manifestations for BINI. Here’s to more blessings and achievements! PPOP Rise.”

Currently, the octet maintains their dominance atop the charts, followed closely by multi-awarded P-Pop sensation SB19, with 1.3 million monthly listeners.

This milestone not only solidifies BINI’s position but also marks a historic achievement as the first P-pop girl group to surpass the one-million mark on Spotify.

Their ascent comes hot on the heels of the release of their latest extended play (EP) titled “Talaarawan,” with their key track “Salamin, Salamin” already climbing up the charts.

Celebrating this triumph, ABS-CBN’s Head of TV Production, Laurenti Dyogi, extended his congratulations on Instagram, affirming, “Congratulations BINI and Blooms for this new milestone! The girls will continue to work hard to make our nation proud!”

Further accolades await BINI as they are set to receive the Rising Star honor at the Billboard Philippines’ Women in Music Awards on March 22.

As BINI continues to make “HERstory” in P-pop, their impact is sure to endure for generations to come.

Cayetano joins support for BEZA bill, will explain reservations

 

PRESS RELEASE

March 18, 2024

 Cayetano joins support for BEZA bill, will explain reservations

 Senator Alan Peter Cayetano joined the chamber on Monday in showing support to the creation of the Bulacan Special Economic Zone and Freeport Act (BEZA), a measure that seeks to establish a special ecozone to host the new airport being built in Bulacan, albeit with reservations.

This after the Senate passed on third reading Senate Bill No. 2572 or the BEZA Bill on March 18, 2024 with 22 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions.

Cayetano voted yes to the measure but said he will submit an explanation of his reservation.

Last week, he took to the floor to ask a number of clarificatory questions to Senator Grace Poe, sponsor of the Bulacan Ecozone bill.

Top of his inquiry was on the importance of having comprehensive studies and cost-benefit analyses provided by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

"I want Bulacan to develop… Ang simpleng tanong ko lang, kung walang study na scientific, [ibig sabihin] nanghuhula lang tayo. Ang problema ng Pilipinas, marami tayong shortcuts," the independent senator said during the plenary session on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Cayetano said the measure cannot assert that the Bulacan Ecozone will benefit the country without a proper study.

“I'm really curious and excited for Bulacan to have a super economic zone. On the other hand, it's the first time na y’ung buong province will be part of an economic zone so I'm a little bit concerned about the feasibility and how it will work," he explained.

Other topics that Cayetano also touched on concerned the boundary limitations of the ecozone, a balanced composition of the BEZA board, land conversions being conducted through law, and the importance of BEZA being gambling-free.

The discussion took almost three hours. Senator Francis Escudero, who joined the back and forth with Senators Poe and Cayetano, conveyed his appreciation to Cayetano at the end of their discussion.

“My sincere thanks and appreciation to the gentleman from Taguig and Pateros for his genuine concern in protecting the Filipino people and our country in preventing abuse and learning from the experiences of the past. I thank him as well because I learned a lot,” Escudero said in his closing statement on the bill last March 13, 2024.

On Monday, March 18, after the measure’s passage on the floor, Senator Grace Poe and Majority Leader Senator Joel Villanueva thanked Cayetano for his invaluable contribution in refining the measure.

“I would like to convey my gratitude to Senators Escudero, Gatchalian, and Cayetano. Special mention to Senator Cayetano for refining the bill in making sure that we read the bill not just once, twice, or three times, and adhered to many constitutional provisions,” Poe said as bill sponsor on Monday afternoon.

Villanueva, who hails from Bulacan, also thanked Cayetano for “making this bill even more responsive to the needs of our constituents.” ###

The 34 Very Best German Sayings…EVER! (XIII): Mit der Tür ins Haus fallen

Welcome, Linguaholics! Today we will take a deep dive into German sayings…and there is definitely a lot to be explored here! If your native language is English, some of these sayings might sound familiar while others most certainly won’t ring a bell.

So, without further ado, let’s get right to the point! We will start with German saying No. 1….and will end this roller coaster ride when we arrived at German saying  No. 34! Fasten your seat  belt and let’s goooo!

By Marcel Iseli

13. Mit der Tür ins Haus fallen

It is unclear where this saying actually comes from. But it certainly makes for a great saying that is easy to understand. The door (Türe) in the German saying “Mit der Tür ins Haus fallen” represents the separator of the public sphere and the private sphere. 

You could also say that it separates what happens outside (the public world) and inside (behind doors, at home, etc.). 

That said,  “Mit der Tür ins Haus fallen” signifies that somebody is not respecting that barrier between the outside and the inside world and is, therefore, going like a bull at a gate (is, for instance, asking something too private or intimate, before actually establishing a formal relationship, all by respecting the general rules of conversation.)  

 

Example: Sorry, dass ich gerade so mit der Tür ins Haus falle, aber möchtest du mit mir ins Kino gehen?  

 

Translation:

Sorry to drop in on you like this, but would you like to go to a movie with me?  

+++

Ich habe Linguaholic im Jahr 2013 gegründet, weil mich Sprache schon immer fasziniert hat.

Alles begann, als ich mein Übersetzungsstudium (Deutsch, Französisch, Englisch) in Winterthur, Schweiz, begann.

Als ich etwas später einen Urlaub in Asien machte und schließlich (per Zufall oder nennen wir es Schicksal) in China landete, war ich von der chinesischen Sprache und den chinesischen Schriftzeichen im Besonderen sehr fasziniert.

Diese Besessenheit von chinesischen Schriftzeichen und die Unmöglichkeit, mit den Menschen in China zu kommunizieren, veranlassten mich schließlich, ein weiteres Studium zu beginnen und schließlich Sinologie (Nebenfach: Linguistik) an der Universität Zürich zu studieren.

Für mich ist die Liebe zur Sprache und Linguistik eine ewige Liebe.

Und deshalb habe ich schließlich Linguaholic ins Leben gerufen: Eine Plattform, auf der Linguaholics miteinander reden, über Sprache philosophieren und ihre sprachlichen Fragen einbringen können.

Linguaholic besteht heute aus einem Sprachforum und einem Blog.

Auf dem Linguaholic-Blog schreiben mein Team und ich über Themen aus dem Bereich Sprachenlernen, mit den Schwerpunkten Englisch, Deutsch, Japanisch und Spanisch.

Linguaholic ist mir eine Herzensangelegenheit. Nicht mehr und nicht weniger.

Vielen Dank euch allen, dass ihr Teil dieser Bewegung seid!

I started Linguaholic back in 2013 because language had always fascinated me.

It all started when I began my Translation Studies (German, French, English) in Winterthur, Switzerland.

A bit later, when I went on a holiday in Asia and ultimately ended up in China (by coincidence or let’s call it destiny), I was highly fascinated by the Chinese language and Chinese characters in specific.

This obsession with Chinese characters and the impossibility to communicate with the people in China finally led me to start yet another degree and to eventually major in Sinology (Minor: Linguistics) at the University of Zurich.

For me, the love of language and linguistics is an eternal love.

And that’s why I ultimately called Linguaholic into being: A platform where Linguaholics could talk to each other, philosophize about language and bring their linguistic questions to the table.

Linguaholic as of today consists of a language forum and a blog.

On the Linguaholic blog, my team and I write about topics in the field of language learning, with a focus on English, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Linguaholic is a matter close to my heart. No more, no less.

Thank you all very much for being part of this movement!

8 Philippine sites added to UNESCO World Heritage tentative list

STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines — Eight sites were submitted by the Philippine delegation to be included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s tentative list of World Heritage sites.

Marc Jayson Cayabyab - The Philippine Star 

The prospective sites are the sugar cultural landscape of Negros and Panay, the historic towns and landscape of Taal volcano and its caldera lake, the colonial urban plan and fortifications of the Walled City of Manila, the Agusan Marsh wildlife sanctuary, the Kitanglad and Kalatungan Mountain Ranges: Sacred Sites of Bukidnon, the Samar Island natural park, the extension of the Cordillera rice terraces and the extension of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary-Pujada Bay.

According to UNESCO, world heritage sites are “places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”

The Philippines sought the inclusion of the potential heritage sites on Feb. 2.

There are 16 more pending Philippine sites included in the list in 2015, 2006 and 1993.

One pending site is the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument, a declared UNESCO geopark, where controversy has arisen due to the construction of cottages and a swimming pool on its foothills.

The others are the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape, Mayon Volcano natural park, Turtle Islands wildlife sanctuary, Tabon cave complex, Cagayan Valley paleolithic archaeological sites, Butuan archeological sites, extension of the Philippine Baroque churches, Mt. Malindang Range natural park, Mt. Pulag national park, Apo Reef natural park, El-Nido-Taytay managed resource protected area, Coron island natural biotic area, Mt. Iglit-Baco national park, Northern Sierra Madre natural park and Batanes protected landscapes and seascapes.

The Philippines has six properties inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list – the Baroque churches of the Philippines, the historic city of Vigan, the Cordillera rice terraces, the Mt. Hamiguitan Range wildlife sanctuary, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and the Tubbataha Reefs natural park.

There are 1,199 properties worldwide inscribed in UNESCO’s heritage list.

Walled City

The historic walls and forts of Intramuros in Manila have a chance to be recognized as a World Heritage Site.

The 67-hectare Walled City was erected using primarily volcanic tuff and brick through a plan in 1571 during the term of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Philippines’ first Spanish governor-general, according to Intramuros’ entry posted on the UNESCO World Heritage Convention website.

The area within the walls of the current Intramuros district was the city of Manila during the Spanish colonial period.

SB19 Pablo collaborates with WWF-Philippines as Earth Hour 2024 music ambassador

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Mar 18, 2024 01:11 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The annual Earth Hour celebration will be held at the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Manila City for its 16th anniversary. 

SB19 leader Pablo is WWF-Philippine's new Earth Hour Music Ambassador who will be the main guest of the annual switch-off event in Manila City on March 23, 2024.

“Pablo, for us, represents the passion and resilience of Filipinos, and we want these qualities to be front and center for the annual Earth Hour celebration, which will be the 16th anniversary in the Philippines,” Earth Hour Philippines National Director Atty. Angela Consuelo Ibay said. 

“As SB19’s songwriter, creative director, and CEO of their label, Pablo has masterfully infused his music with Filipino culture, flavor, and style. Earth Hour is a global grassroots movement for the environment and we celebrate it in our own unique Filipino way. Pablo is the perfect ambassador for Earth Hour,” Ibay said.

The annual Earth Hour celebration will be held at the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Manila City for its 16th anniversary. Earth Hour Philippines was celebrated for the first time in the Philippines back in 2008 at the CCP Complex grounds.

This yearly global switching off of lights will be observed from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, local time. Over 190 countries and territories around the world will also follow suit as part of this one-of-a-kind global grassroots movement for nature. Since the first Earth Hour in Australia in 2007, millions of people worldwide participate every year in Earth Hour with the partnership of governments, businesses, civil-society groups, making it an authentic movement of humanity for the environment.

In partnership with the Manila City Local Government, the program will be held at the Kartilya ng Katipunan beside the city hall building, with the iconic Manila Clock Tower as the backdrop. Aside from Pablo, performers include Ched and Lirah Bermudez.

"All of us Filipinos are going to feel the impact of climate change through extreme storms, flooding, heatwaves, and droughts,” Ibay said. “Such a complex and multi-sectoral problem will likewise require solutions from all levels of society.”

“This is why Earth Hour is such a great platform to convene government, businesses, civil-society organizations, the academe, and of course, the very vocal and influential youth,” Ibay said. “Bringing everyone together for us to tackle and solve plastic waste pollution and environmental degradation is Earth Hour 2024’s main theme.”

Prior to the ceremonial switch-off at 8:30 pm, there will be a solutions fair for partner non-government organizations and social enterprises. The event will also mark the official start of the Earth Hour virtual run organized by Pinoy Fitness.

Visit www.earthhour.org to learn more about events happening this Earth Hour around the world. Follow WWF-Philippines on social media for updates and events related to Earth Hour Philippines 2024. Lend your support to the environment with the official Earth Hour hashtags #EarthHour2024 and #BiggestHourForEarth.

The 34 Very Best German Sayings…EVER! (XII): Butter bei die Fische

  

By: 

Marcel Iseli

12. Butter bei die Fische

This German saying sounds a little off. In fact, it sounds ungrammatical to a speaker of modern high German. Butter BEI DIE FISCHE?

Why is it DIE and not something like BEI DEN Fischen? or maybe Butter ZUM Fisch? Well, to be honest, I don’t know. But I will investigate that, and if something comes up, I will make sure to share it with all of you guys here.

Now, let’s get to the meaning of Butter bei die Fische, though. This German saying simply means that one should get to the point. So, one should not (anymore) beat around the bush.

Oh, and by the way, earlier in this article, we have seen that we do have a neat German saying for “to beat around the bush,” which is “um den heißen Brei reden,” remember?

But how the hell would you go about using “Butter bei die Fische” in an actual German sentence, then? Don’t worry. I will clear things up for you. NOW.  

 

Example:

A: Kannst du mir 30 Euro leihen?

B: Wozu brauchst du das denn?

A: Ich muss mir nen neuen Pullover kaufen! Geht das also in Ordnung?

B: Ich hab eben selbst nicht so viel Geld, hmm……lass mich mal überlegen….

A: Aber jetzt mal Butter bei die Fische! 30 Euro ist doch nicht viel, das kannst du mir doch ohne Probleme geben!

B: Ja, du hast eigentlich recht. Ok, hier hast du sie.   

 

Translation:

A: Can you lend me 30 euros? B: What do you need it for? A: I have to buy a new sweater! So is that okay?

B: I don’t have that much money myself, you know…let me think about it for a while…uhmm….

A: Come on, man. Let’s be real! 30 Euro is not that much, I am sure you can afford it!

B: Yes, you are actually right. Ok, here you go!    

BI urges public to exercise 'extreme caution' in online travel arrangements

BY JEFFREY DAMICOG

Mar 17, 2024 05:25 PM

  

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The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has urged the public to exercise extreme caution in making online travel arrangements.

“By raising awareness and promoting vigilance among travelers, we can effectively counter cybercrime and ensure a safer online environment,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

Tansingco said prospective travellers should verify the legitimacy of websites and service providers before providing any personal or financial information. 

He urged the public to report suspicious websites and online activities to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

He reminded the public of  the existence of fake eTravel websites and other online scams.

He said that eTravel, which was launched earlier this year, “abolished the paper-based arrival and departure cards, as well as the quarantine form” and “serves as the single data collection platform for arriving and departing passengers” as well as “establishes an integrated border control, health surveillance, and economic data analysis.”

Last March 123, the CICC launched the "Online Bantay Lakbay” that was made in partnership with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Scam Watch Pilipinas. 

Tansingco said the “Online Bantay Lakbay” aims “to raise public awareness and combat travel scams, particularly those conducted online.”

“The Bureau of Immigration fully supports the 'Online Bantay Lakbay' initiative, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding the public against fraudulent travel schemes,” he also said.