This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading!
Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!
MANILA, Philippines — Actress Jennylyn Mercado returned to GMA's 2024 Christmas Station ID after her absence last year, shutting down rumors of network transfer.
Jennylyn and husband Dennis Trillo were seen in the station ID doing a seasonal cheer.
Fans celebrated Jennylyn's inclusion in the station ID.
"Nasa Christmas Station ID ng GMA si Jennylyn Mercado!!! SA WAKAS!!!," an X user wrote.
Last July, Jennylyn revealed that she's a freelancer because she hasn't signed a new contract with GMA.
Jennylyn said that she still wanted to be a Kapuso.
"Sa GMA naman po siyempre, palagi naman akong Kapuso, ang daming nag-aantay ng sagot kung lilipat ba," she said.
"Ako naman, 20 years na po akong Kapuso and I am very thankful na hanggang ngayon po ay ako po ay Kapuso pa rin, mayroon pa rin mga nini-nego (negotiate), pero mabilis na lang po iyan, so we're just waiting for the contract pero happy pa rin naman ako maging Kapuso, basta gusto pa rin nila ako 'di ba?" she added.
Many people may have forgotten the country’s National Greening Program (NGP) launched in 2011, continued until 2016, and was extended until 2028. Recognized as one of the largest tree planting programs in the world, it was started by the administration of then-President Aquino as a reforestation program to plant 1.5 billion trees across 1.5 million hectares.
Recently, the NGP was recognized “not only for its environmental benefits but also for its ability to transform rural economies and reduce poverty.” The recognition came from Jeffrey Pagel who assessed the program in an article, “Rooting out poverty: The socioeconomic co-benefits of large-scale tree planting.”
“As global attention increasingly turns toward nature-based solutions for tackling climate change and poverty, large-scale tree planting initiatives like the Philippines’ National Greening Program (NGP) offers a powerful example of what is possible. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals call for aligning ecosystem services with development objectives, and the NGP stands as a model for achieving these twin goals,” he wrote in a study written with Lorenzo Sileci. Pagel is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Economics at the London School of Economics and an Associate at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
“Tree planting programs offer the potential to not only sequester carbon, but also create jobs and transfer productive forestry assets to receiving individuals or communities,” the study said. The municipalities that participated in the program were found to have experienced a six percentage point reduction in poverty. What the paper found as “remarkable” is that the effects of the greening program stayed on up to seven years after the NGP’s rollout, “with no reversal in trend.”
The paper said that the results “indicate that tree planting programs like the NGP can contribute to both immediate poverty alleviation and long-term economic development.”
The NGP, aside from planting trees, also paid local organizations to work on related activities to support the forest, from producing seedlings, to planting and maintaining the trees for three years. After that, the organizations manage the plantation and retain the proceeds from its produce.
The paper posted on the World Bank blog said this model “not only ensured economic buy-in but also enabled long-term poverty alleviation. From 2011 to 2016, the NGP implemented over 80,000 projects, planting hundreds of thousands of hectares, creating jobs, and empowering local communities.”
The environmental gains delivered by the NGP, which the paper lauded as significant, were measured. “Our estimates show that the NGP sequestered between 71.4 and 303 million metric tons of CO2 over 10 years. At the lower bound, this is equivalent to the emissions of 17 million gasoline-powered vehicles driven for one year or the CO2 output from 18 coal-fired power plants.” More specifically in monetary terms, it was calculated that NGP reduced emissions at a cost ranging from $2 to $10 per ton. It estimated that “the sequestered CO2 is valued between $163 million and $9.57 billion.”
The paper recommends that other countries study the effects of the NGP to address the interconnected challenges of climate change and development.
“As countries around the world look to scale up their climate actions in the coming years, programs like the NGP should be considered not only for their environmental benefits but also for their ability to transform rural economies and reduce poverty.”
The results of the study especially confirm the reason why tree planting is important, and since it was implemented decades ago, its effects are now measurable. Let us keep the tree planting movement going!
‘What you see or perceive, whether real or not, and allow to incubate in your mind, is conceived. What you conceive is ultimately what you receive.’
Julie Gil
Visual artist Julie Gil’s debut solo exhibit, “Palette of Allegory,” is a window to the human experience, rendered through the delicate medium of watercolor and mixed media. The show, currently on display at Art Lounge Manila at Molito until Nov. 29, showcases themes of freedom, transformation, hope, affirmation, and faith.
FIRM FOUNDATION, 28 x 40 inches, mixed media, 2024
Gil used storytelling in her allegorical imagery. “The main elements or ‘character’ in this exhibit are the flowers and insects, birds, or other small animals,” she explains. “Their interaction in the painting, and the clues provided by the title and the short captions, convey the theme.”
One such piece, See It, Have It, is about the power of belief and intention. “Here we see in the foreground three birds, looking for their provision for the day. Two aimlessly or anxiously look for the solution from different directions, one bird is fixated on its target. He sees it, he will have it. We experience what we see. We allow what catches our attention, whether grief or happiness,” says Gil. “What you see or perceive, whether real or not, and allow to incubate in your mind, is conceived. What you conceive is ultimately what you receive. It’s my visual definition of faith.”
BEAM OF LIGHT, 32 x 22 inches, mixed media, 2024
The artist’s inspiration for this body of work stems from her keen observation of nature. “I look at nature—flora and fauna in particular—and review their movements in my mind, and then I ask what’s the message here?” she says. “I paint those that have helped me in my journey through life, with the hope that viewers who have experienced or are currently experiencing the same will connect and be affirmed, edified, or pointed to a positive direction in their own journeys.”
FAITH SEE IT, HAVE IT, 32 x 22 inches, mixed media, 2024
Gil’s creative process is as fluid and intuitive as her art. “Sometimes I put order where there is chaos, other times I put chaos where there is order,” she reveals. “Even in terms of method, sometimes I start with watercolor, other times with the other media. While I have a picture in my mind, often it changes. Not the message but the visual interpretation of it. Even that is an allegory-in-the making. We can plan our lives all we want, but unplanned changes either destroy or lead us to perfection.”
BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS, 32 x 22 inches, mixed media, 2024
The artist’s dedication to her craft is evident in every brushstroke. “I’d say all my paintings have received my discriminating attention to detail from the concept to rendering to framing,” she says. “But there’s this one paining that not only challenged me artistically but spoke to my heart vividly. I called it Handiwork. While doing each petal of the flower and each wing of the dragonfly, I realized how intricately, individually thought of and wonderfully made each creation of God is, each one having a purpose, a passion, and a reason to exist. We are all God’s handiwork with our own unique roles. We all seem to work best at the intersection of our gifts and passions, individually. And as a race, as dragonflies play an important role in the pollination process, we humans also play an important role in each other’s lives.”
CONSTANT BY DAY, 23 x 23 inches, mixed media, 2024
As for the impact she hopes to have on viewers, Gil simply desires a connection. “The best scenario for me is when the viewers connect so much with the artwork and its main message. Or they can interpret the message for themselves—that they would want the piece permanently and buy them,” she says. “Seriously, not every viewer would connect with the painting as it connected with me during creation. So I let the painting interact with the viewers for their best benefit.”
HANDIWORK, 30 x 30 inches, mixed media, 2024IRON SHARPENS IRON, 30 x 30 inches, mixed media, 2024
Through “Palette of Allegory,” Julie Gil invites us to slow down, reflect, and find inspiration in the beauty of the natural world and the human spirit.
“Palette of Allegory” runs until Nov. 29 at Art Lounge Manila.
The Grand BINIverse concerts on Saturday (Nov. 16) and Monday (Nov. 18) will proceed as planned.
In light of the weather forecast for Typhoon Pepito making landfall on Sunday (Nov. 17), the Grand BINIverse concert scheduled on that day will be moved to Tuesday (Nov. 19) to ensure everyone’s safety.
All tickets for Sunday will be honored on Nov. 19 at the Araneta Coliseum. Ticket holders who will no longer be able to attend on Nov. 19 can contact Ticketnet for their refund.
For those who purchased iWantTFC passes to watch the concert on livestreaming, the passes will also be valid on Tuesday (Nov 19).
The Grand BINIverse concerts on Saturday (Nov. 16) and Monday (Nov. 18) will proceed as planned.
Part of the proceeds from the Grand BINIverse concert will be donated to the ABS-CBN Foundation to help those affected by the typhoon.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Stay safe, Kapamilya!
MANILA, Philippines—Typhoon Nika (international name: Toraji), the 14th storm to hit the Philippines in 2024, has not yet left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), or even the landmass of Luzon, when a new one was seen to enter and threaten the island’s northern region.
As the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on the day Nika made landfall in Dilasag, Aurora, Ofel (international name: Usagi) will enter PAR on Tuesday (November 12). It did and was seen at 1,125 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas at 3 a.m. on that day.
A few days later on Thursday (November 14), Ofel intensified into a super typhoon and made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan at 1:30 p.m., prompting the evacuation of thousands of individuals, most of them still reeling from the devastation left by Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing), which hit the province on Nov. 7.
But as Ofel weakened, a new storm, Pepito (international name: Many-yi), entered PAR, and is expected to make landfall “at peak intensity” over the eastern coast of Central and/or Southern Luzon on weekend. Pagasa said Pepito may intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours.
Half South African, half Austrian, with three years in Denmark in between. Live in Vienna, where I have spent most of my life. Bit of a language nerd who also likes to travel. Politically incorrect at times. Like meat and Heavy Metal. 1975-present.
That is most certainly in the ear of the beholder.
Being from Austria, I have heard on occasion that some more northern Germans take a liking to Austrian German as heard on TV because it is a bit softer-sounding and sing-songy. Then again I have also heard that Austrian German can come across as hillbilly in Germany. But since Austria itself also has a lot of regional dialects, that will greatly depend on the region. Both the source region of the Austrian dialect, and the region of the listener from Germany.
To me as a Viennese, Bavarian sounds most familiar and similar, but still distinct. Other German dialects differ widely, but on average, Germany German is a bit harsher-sounding and no-nonsense, compared to ours. Especially Northern Germans can sound very aloof. But they speak crisp and clear. And not one unnecessary word too many.
East German dialects are very recognizable. Berlinerisch is sorta cool, while Saxon is not very pleasant in my ear. Maybe it is also because of the GDR stereotype. But they just sound weird…to me they sound like they are placing Umlaute where they shouldn’t be. Mäine Größmütter instead of Meine Großmutter (my grandma).
But, apart from the obvious stereotypes, I have no in-deep knowledge of all the German dialects.
Within Austria itself, from a Viennese perspective:
the Styrians bark like dogs (dei Steiara böulln - die Steirer bellen)
Carinthians soften up each sentence (Dring a Woosa, wiad dia beesa! for Trink ein Wasser, dann wird dir besser! - Drink water, and you’ll feel better.)
the Tyroleans have laryngitis, and in Vorarlberg, they barely speak German.
Eastern Austrian dialects around Vienna are not that different, but an hour by car can already make quite a difference.
Salzburg and Upper Austria don’t have dialects that one could readily imitate - somewhere between Lower Austria and Bavaria - which they geographically are.
Switzerland is its own cup of tea…they have many regional dialects themselves, but from a Vienna perspective, they universally sound like they are stressing a different syllable in each word than we are, and their sound shifts can be challenging…
Health expert | Nutritionist | Weight loss & Diabetes Coach
268 followers
20 following
Passionate health expert. I offer practical advice and evidence-based strategies to help you achieve your wellness goals. Follow for insights on sustainable weight loss, personalized fitness routines, and effective blood sugar control. Empowering you to live a healthier, more balanced life.
Being a Health Expert, Nutritionist and Weight Loss & Diabetes Coach, and with the topic of Coconut Water coming up almost every other day — mostly questions around is coconut water good for kidney problems? Low BP? Is okay for Diabetes? Coconut water is one such natural drink, which is often linked with many health-related positives but the consequences of drinking it for different health abnormalities might surprise you.
Because it is high in potassium, magnesium and sodium, coconut water is an ideal way to help you get your electrolytes and keep you hydrated. But for renal health, coconut water also helps in moderation. High potassium content of squash could be useful in people with kidney issues, but more harmful to those with advanced kidney disease or impaired potassium regulation by the body. If you have kidney problems make sure to always visit your physician prior to making it an element of your regular diet.
Potassium in it can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels, which supports those with low blood pressure. Excessive consumption, however, reduces tension even more and should be avoided, or when measuring hypotension- consumed moderately under medical guidance.
Coconut water is a low calorie, low sugar option for diabetics in place of many delicious but high-carbohydrate drinks. It is good for hydration without causing any huge spikes in blood sugar, so it can be a drink that diabetics consume in moderation. Nonetheless those natural sugars should still be added to the overall carbohydrate count.
Of course, these are just a few of the benefits coconut water offers — as always, it is best to consider your health needs and discuss with an individualized health professional.
