Pulse Asia: Most Filipinos facing 2024 with hope

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 22, 2023 12:54 PM

  

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(Photo by Arnold Quizol/Manila Bulletin)

Even with all the difficulties Filipinos encounter every day, majority of them—92 percent—remain optimistic, saying they will face the new year with hope, a Pulse Asia survey showed.

“This is the prevailing sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping (84 percent to 95 percent and 90 percent to 92 percent, respectively),” Pulse Asia said in its report released on Friday, Dec. 22.

The survey, which was fielded through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents, was conducted nationwide from Dec. 3 to 7. 

“Only 1 percent will face 2024 without hope, while 7 percent are ambivalent on the matter. These figures do not differ significantly from those recorded by Pulse Asia Research in November 2022,” it said.

Christmas expectation

The survey also found that 41 percent of Filipinos expect this year’s holiday celebrations to be just as prosperous as last year.

“This sentiment is echoed by sizeable pluralities to small majorities in Metro Manila (62 percent), the rest of Luzon (48 percent), Class D (41 percent), and Class E (34 percent),” Pulse Asia said.  

“In the Visayas and Class ABC, nearly the same percentages expect this year’s holiday celebration to be either more prosperous or as prosperous as the one they experienced in December 2022 (30 percent to 42 percent versus 34 percent to 47 percent),” it added.

Meanwhile, in Mindanao, there is a four-way split, with 31 percent expecting a more prosperous celebration this year, 30 percent expecting the opposite, 20 percent expecting their celebration to be as prosperous as last year, and another 20 percent expecting the same as last year, which was not prosperous.

“The percentages of those expecting their upcoming holiday celebration to be either the same as last year that was not prosperous or less prosperous than a year ago increase during this period [November 2022 to December 2023] (+6 and +7 percentage points, respectively),” Pulse Asia said.

“Similarly, the percentage of Mindanawons saying this year’s holiday celebration will be the same as last year that was not prosperous goes up (+16 percentage points) while the percentage of those expecting a less prosperous celebration this year rise in the Visayas (+16 percentage points), Mindanao (+28 percentage points), and Class E (+19 percentage points),” it added.

However, it pointed out that there is a decline in the percentage of Filipino adults who anticipate this year’s holiday celebrations to be more prosperous than the one they had a year ago (-13 percentage points).

“The same movement takes places in Metro Manila (-14 percentage points), the Visayas (-24 percentage points), Mindanao (-15 percentage points), Class D (-12 percentage points), and Class E (-19 percentage points),” Pulse Asia said.

“Aside from these changes, the only other significant change between November 2022 and December 2023 is the drop in the percentage of Mindanawons expecting their holiday celebration this year to be as prosperous as last year (-28 percentage points),” it said.

What's your favorite German dessert, and do you know how to make it?

 

Volker Eichener

Here is my self-developed recipe for a Black Forest Cake, simplified:

Take glasses for portions. Crumble a bit of a brownie into each glass. Sprinkle with kirsch schnapps and press slightly. Add a layer of cherry sauce. Then whip cream with a little sugar and a generous shot of kirsch schnaps. Put the cream on top. Sprinkle with grated dark chocolate.

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Around The World At Christmas Time, arr. Bruce Chase - PYCO Symphony Orchestra

Performance of the PYCO Symphony Orchestra at the Holiday Concert "Caroling We Go" on December 10, 2023 at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Perrysville, PA. Pablo Ardiles, conductor.

Vulkanausbruch auf Island

Um 22.17 Uhr am Montagabend ist der Vulkan auf der Halbinsel Reykjanes im Südwesten Islands ausgebrochen

Foto: Halldór Björnsson/Icelandic Met Office

Wochenlang brodelte es im Untergrund. Tausende Erdbeben gab es in den vergangene Wochen in der Region. Auf eine weitere Serie am Montagabend folgte der lange befürchtete Ausbruch!

Ab 22.17 Uhr schleuderte der Vulkan auf der Halbinsel Reykjanes im Südwesten Islands Lava und Geröll in die Luft, so das isländische Wetteramt. Rauch stieg kilometerweit am Nachthimmel auf, tauchte ihn in leuchtendes Orange. Auf Video ist zu sehen, wie Lava aus einem kilometerbreiten Riss sprudelt.

Der Spalt vergrößerte sich im Laufe der Nacht und wuchs bis zum frühen Morgen auf etwa vier Kilometer an, wie ein Vulkanologe sagte. Der Riss ist Experten zufolge um ein Vielfaches länger als bei den Ausbrüchen der vergangenen Jahre auf der Halbinsel Reykjanes.

Auch der Lavastrom sei viel größer, etwa 100 bis 200 Kubikmeter Lava pro Sekunde strömten aus dem Spalt heraus. Der Zivilschutz rief die Notfallstufe aus.

Der Vulkanologe Ármann Höskuldsson sagte, der Riss erstrecke sich Richtung Grindavík. Glücklicherweise fließe keine Lava in Richtung der dortigen Kraftwerke. Gebäude seien derzeit nicht gefährdet, hieß es. Die Eruption könnte seiner Einschätzung nach eine Woche bis zehn Tage andauern, sagte Höskuldsson dem isländischen Rundfunksender RÚV.

Der Ausbruch tauchte den Nachthimmel in gleißend orangefarbenes Licht

Der Geophysiker Benedikt Ofeigsson von der isländischen Wetterbehörde sagte örtlichen Medienberichten zufolge, die Eruption sei am Sundhnjúka-Krater lokalisiert worden. Derzeit sei es schwer zu sagen, ob Infrastruktur oder der Ort Grindavík in Gefahr seien. Islands Präsident Gudni Jóhannesson schrieb auf Facebook, es sei noch unklar, welchen Schaden der Ausbruch anrichten könnte. Er bat die Menschen vor Ort, „in diesem gefährlichen Moment“ allen Empfehlungen der Rettungsdienste zu folgen. Der Bürgermeister von Grindavík, Fannar Jónasson, sagte, er sei vom Zeitpunkt des Ausbruchs etwas überrascht gewesen, da sich die Erdbeben in den letzten Tagen etwas beruhigt hätten.

Regierungschefin Katrin Jakobsdottir erklärte, sie sei in Gedanken bei der Bevölkerung der Gegend. „Wir hoffen das Beste, aber es ist klar, dass es sich um einen bedeutsamen Ausbruch handelt.“

Wochenlange Erdbeben-Serie

Im November evakuierte die Polizei die Stadt Grindavik, nachdem starke seismische Aktivitäten in der Gegend Häuser beschädigt und Befürchtungen über einen bevorstehenden Ausbruch geweckt hatten. In den vergangenen zwei Monaten hatte es in der Region Tausende von Erdbeben gegeben.

Grindavik, ein Fischerdorf mit 3400 Einwohnern, liegt auf der Halbinsel Reykjanes, etwa 50 Kilometer südwestlich der Hauptstadt Reykjavik und unweit des Flughafens Keflavik, dem wichtigsten isländischen Flughafen für internationale Flüge. Die nur wenige Kilometer vom Ort entfernt liegende Touristenattraktion Blaue Lagune war nach einer vorübergehenden Schließung erst am Wochenende wieder eröffnet worden. Sie liegt nur rund 40 Kilometer südwestlich von der Hauptstadt Reykjavík. Zum Zeitpunkt der Eruption befand sich den Berichten zufolge kein Gast dort.

Für die Luftfahrt wurde vorübergehend die rote Warnstufe ausgerufen, diese wurde dann aber wieder auf Orange herabgestuft. Der Flughafenbetreiber Isavia erklärte auf seiner Website, derzeit gebe es bei Starts und Landungen am internationalen Hauptstadtflughafen Keflavik keinerlei Behinderungen.

Der jetzige Vulkanausbruch ist der vierte auf Island innerhalb von zwei Jahren. Island ist mit mehr als 30 aktiven Vulkansystemen die größte und aktivste Vulkanregion Europas. Island liegt zwischen der eurasischen und der nordamerikanischen Erdplatte. Da sich die Platten in entgegengesetzte Richtungen bewegen, kommt es in dem Inselstaat immer wieder zu Erdbeben und Vulkanausbrüchen. Im Jahr 2010 hatte der Ausbruch des Vulkans Eyjafjallajokull hunderte Isländer aus ihren Häusern vertrieben. Rund 10 000 Flüge mussten gestrichen werden.

Proactive measures needed to address impending El Niño

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Dec 19, 2023 07:17 AM

  

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The recent warning from Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum about the anticipated impact of a strong El Niño, “affecting around 65 provinces with drought and six provinces facing a dry spell by the end of May (of 2024),” is a call for swift and proactive action.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the necessity for “closer collaboration” between the government and the private sector to address the potential consequences of El Niño.  

“I do not mean to frighten anyone… but it is a serious problem. We are familiar with the capabilities of both the private sector and public sector. Put us together and there's much that we can do,” the President said. “Let us continue to work together so that we can provide our people with the best quality services that they truly deserve.” 

In light of El Niño's projected persistence until the second quarter of 2024, Marcos stressed the need to prioritize the repair of water pipes to prevent leakages and complete ongoing water supply projects. He also called for intensified vigilance from concerned government agencies overseeing the construction of water supply facilities, particularly in regions grappling with water scarcity.

“What we need to do is to prepare, further capacitate …so that should the El Niño extend to the second quarter of next year, we are still at the very least able to supply potable water, especially in the urban areas; (and) we are able to supply our agriculture,” he said. “We also have to be thinking about our hospitals. Hospitals cannot operate without water and with the onset of a drought, that will become more important as it goes on.”

Aside from calling on the support of the private sector, the President also reported that the El Niño Task Force has been reorganized, as part of the extensive efforts to ensure food, water, and power security amid the weather phenomenon. 

“I have created under the Office of the President a Task Force El Niño. There already exists one… but we will change its structure,” Marcos said. “I think [of] a more serious and a more extensive effort because we really have to get everybody involved to be able to prepare, to make sure we can minimize, alleviate, and adapt to climate change.”

The El Niño Task Force was reconstituted in May this year, in response to the President’s call for a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-nation” approach to address El Niño. He emphasized the importance of public awareness and education on El Niño, encouraging an info campaign to inform people about the situation. He also called for collective action at the household, farm, and industrial levels, urging citizens to contribute to water conservation efforts.

“I call on the Department of Agriculture, the NIA (National Irrigation Administration) to assess the farmers’ needs to accelerate the construction of irrigation facilities from existing water sources. We must be prepared to address the effects of El Niño,” Marcos said.

This early call for preparedness is a crucial step to mitigate the potential disastrous consequences of El Niño. History has shown that lack of preparation can risk lives, livelihoods, and food security. In an era where technology provides the tools to anticipate challenges and there is enough data to assess the situation accurately, there are no excuses for being unprepared, such as acting “wet behind the ears” when the dry spell starts.

What is one food that only Germans eat?

Lou Coury

Music fan, chemist

454 followers

983 following

Chemist and progressive rock fan

Name one food that only the Germans eat?

The last time I visited Hamburg, I ordered the "typical Hamburg" dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.

The entree was white fish with bacon and mustard gravy served over steamed pickles.

This combination is not something I have encountered elsewhere (Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic). So while I am not qualified to say this is something only eaten in Germany, it is what I think of when I think of northern Germany. And let me just say, this meal was delicious.

For dessert, I had Rote Grütze, a northern German dessert dish made from red currants and served with quark cheese or vanilla sauce. It was originally made with groats (hence the name), but is sometimes made with potato starch instead.

I am aware that there is a similar Danish dessert called Rødgrød, so this dish probably does not qualify as “something only Germans eat.” But I believe the version typically found in Hamburg has some unique aspects. There are also apparently blue and green versions, as well, made from blackberries and gooseberries/kiwi.

If it is true that only Germans eat these dishes, that’s a shame! The rest of us are missing out!

Sports as preparation for Christmas

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS being the birth of Christ our Redeemer, we should be properly prepared for it in both body and soul. The spiritual preparation, of course, takes precedence over the bodily preparation, but the latter also needs to be given due attention, otherwise our spiritual readiness to receive Christ on Christmas Day would be undermined.

One good way to make ourselves bodily prepared for Christmas is through sports. If its true purpose is understood and lived well, sports can give us a tremendous help in properly welcoming Christ into our lives.

We have to understand that sports should not just be a matter of winning in a game or in a race. While that is the immediate intention of anyone who plays, we should go beyond that level and capture the more important purpose of sports.

Sports should train our body and all its faculties—the senses, emotions, passions, imagination, memory, etc.—to be properly aligned to the true dignity of man which is that of being the image and likeness of God, children of his, sharers of his divine life and nature. 

In short, sports should make us like Christ, the pattern of our humanity and the savior of our damaged humanity. How? By seeing to it that we regard our life here on earth like a sport too, where we have to train ourselves, submitting ourselves to a certain discipline, etc.

We should echo what St. Paul once said: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly. I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.” (1 Cor 9,25-27)

This discipline required in sports and in our life is somehow indicated in the readings of the Mass of December 19 where we are told about Samson whose hair should not be cut (cfr. Judges 13,2-7.24-25), and about John the Baptist who would not take strong drinks. (cfr. Lk 1,15)

The real victory that our sports should give us is not so much a matter of winning a particular game, or of making a lot of points, etc., as in making us more a child of God, filled with love for God and for everybody else, whether we win or lose in a game.

Aside from a strong sense of self-discipline and submitting ourselves in a continuing training program, an indispensable ingredient of this healthy sporting spirit is the sense of acceptance and abandonment that we need to deliberately cultivate. This does not come automatically, as if it’s part of our genes. We have to develop them.

We have to be sport and adventurous in facing the different conditions of our life. And it would greatly help if we too can have an abiding sense of humor. Otherwise, we would just fall into states of sadness, pessimism and despair which actually are unnecessary and are avoidable.

This we can do if first of all we have a strong and deep faith in God, our Creator and Father. If we have that faith, we know that God holds everything in order through his providence. He takes care of everything, irrespective of how things go. Ours is simply to relate everything to him and to go back to him everytime we go astray, especially at the end of the day.

Tropical cyclone ‘Kabayan’ tracker

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Dec 18, 2023 11:51 AM

  

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Tropical depression Kabayan’s track and intensity forecast (PAGASA)

11 a.m., Dec. 18

“Kabayan” weakened into a tropical depression after its landfall over Manay, Davao Oriental.

Based on the 11 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, Kabayan was almost stationary near the vicinity of Caraga, Davao Oriental. 

It is expected to continue to traverse the rough terrain of Mindanao and emerge over the Sulu Sea between Monday afternoon and evening.

9:30 a.m., Dec. 18

Tropical storm Kabayan has made landfall over Manay, Davao Oriental.

8 a.m., Dec. 18 

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over six provinces in Mindanao as tropical storm “Kabayan” (international name: Jelawat) is about to make landfall over Davao Oriental on Monday morning, Dec. 18.

PAGASA located the center of the tropical storm over the coastal waters of Manay, Davao Oriental.

It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

5 a.m., Dec. 18

Tropical storm Kabayan was over the coastal waters of Caraga, Davao Oriental.

It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph, while moving west-northwestward at 15 kph. 

Longing for more Pinoy book-to-screen adaptation titles

Philippine literature deserves to be seen in all audio-visual forms

BY RICA AREVALO

Dec 18, 2023 08:34 AM

  

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Our goal for 2023 was to attend film festivals and film markets from Europe to Asia and look for partnerships to aid our young filmmakers and creative talents in their cinematic development.

From these film markets, we have learned that there was one untapped opportunity that local producers and publishers should take notice—the book-to-screen adaptation market.

Book Adaptation Rights Market in Venice Production Bridge copy

There are a lot of Filipino films that was adapted from comics, novels, and even short stories. The House of Zapote Street by Quijano de Manila (Nick Joaquin) was the inspiration of Mike de Leon’s iconic film, Kisapmata. 

Lualhati Bautista’s feminist novels Dekada ’70 and Bata, Bata, Pa’no ka Ginawa? were commercial box-office hits in the theaters.

The comic series, Trese, by Budgette Tan and Kaio Baldismo produced by BASE Entertainment, a film production company in Indonesia, had a global-wide release
on Netflix.

'Trese'

Wattpad, an online platform where users can publish and read stories was a favorite site among production companies. Among the Wattpad titles produced into film were She’s Dating the Gangster, Diary ng Panget, Just the Way You Are, and Ex with Benefits. 

We believe there is a growing demand from the producers who are on the lookout for original intellectual properties (IP). 

'She's Dating The Gangster'

Last May at the Cannes Film Festival, they organized Shoot the Book! which was “a collaborative initiative, bringing together French and European publishers and agencies with international producers seeking future projects.”

The “stars” of the 10th anniversary edition were the publishers. They presented their books to film and television producers who were seeking projects for screen adaptation. One-on-one meetings were also held to discuss strong, potential projects. 

Producers were not only interested in financing but investing in the material’s development. The owners of the adaptation rights play a crucial part in this partnership but there is always a global demand for rich content, looking for the right story, distributing with proper timing. Shoot the Book! fostered this adaptation business.

'Ang Panday'

At the 80th Venice International Film Festival, the 8th  edition of the Book Adaptation Rights Market was held last September. A branch of the Venice Production Bridge, 34 international publishing houses and literary agencies were selected to participate in the market. Sadly, there was no representation from any Philippine publishing house.

We did meet writer Geraldine Solon, who was trying to sell her book, Indigo, to the foreign publishers. Geraldine is known for her debut novel, Love Letters which reached the overall Top 100 Amazon Bestseller List. She writes romance, women’s fiction, mystery, suspense, fantasy, and psychological thriller.

Indigo was published in 2019. It is the story of two soulmates in heaven brought to Earth unexpectedly. Grace must bring Michael back to Heaven, but Michael has lost his memory. On Earth, he is a married family man. Will Grace be successful with her quest?

'Darna'

In a study, films based on books comprise 70 percent of the top grossing film worldwide. Fiction titles as part of a series are most likely to become the most successful adaptation. Also, publishers can anticipate additional income from the books once the movie is released in cinemas.

Think of Jurassic Park, Twilight, The Hunger Games, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Fantastic Beasts, The Da Vinci Code, and Fifty Shades of Grey—all were the highest-grossing film adaptations in history.

The works of our National Artists F. Sionil Jose, Cirilo Bautista, Virgilio Almario, Bienvenido Lumbera, and N.V.M Gonzalez, among others, deserve to be produced and watched by the young generation in cinemas, television and streaming services.

We hope that in the future, our local publishers will be able to present their entire collection or catalogue for film adaptations of novels, dramas, short stories, children’s literature, biographies, comics, graphic novels, and even essays to a foreign film adaptation market. 

Darna or Ang Panday invading Hollywood or the European market? That is our wishful thinking. Let us push our homegrown stories and talents to world!