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!

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Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Alas Women succumb to Vietnam, settle for silver in AVC Nations Cup


 The Nationals put up a gallant stand against defending champion Vietnam but still succumbed, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14, to settle for the silver medal in the 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup at the Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam Friday evening, June 14.  Alas Pilipinas (AVC)


By Mark Rey Montejo

Published Jun 14, 2025 11:45 pm


Alas Pilipinas may have fallen short of making it on top, but it still showed a glimpse of a brighter future.

The Nationals put up a gallant stand against defending champion Vietnam but still succumbed, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14, to settle for the silver medal in the 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup at the Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam Friday evening, June 14.


The Filipina spikers dug deep into their bag of tricks but still couldn’t topple a powerhouse squad like Vietnam, which banked on the lethal duo of Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Thi Bich Tuyen Nguyen in securing their third straight title.

Despite the defeat, the Philippines copped its highest finish in an AVC-sanctioned competition, surpassing its bronze-medal performance in the 2024 edition that the country hosted.

Prior to the runner-up honors, the Nationals ended the preliminaries as the No. 1 seed in Pool B before beating Chinese Taipei, 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-13, in a nerve-wracking semifinal clash.

“We’re happy for second place, we’re on the way … it’s a process,” said Brazilian head coach Jorge Souza De Brito minutes after that loss to Vietnam, a team ranked 31 rungs higher than the Philippines at No. 25 in the world.

Thanh Thúy starred for the crowd favorites by erupting for 20 points on 16 attacks, two blocks and two aces, while Nguyen, who named as tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite Hitter, posted 17 points. Backing them up were Thi Uyen Nguyen and Thuy Tran Thi Bich, who combined for 19 points.

Alyssa Solomon led the Nationals with eight points, while Shai Nitura chipped in six points. Fifi Sharma and Angel Canino had four points apiece.

Jia De Guzman and Canino took home individual awards by snaring the Best Setter and Outside Hitter plums for the second consecutive year. Canino, meanwhile, shared the award with Vietnam's Thanh Thúy, while Dell Palomata was named as Best Middle Blocker alongside Chinese Taipei's Kan Ko-hui.

“This silver medal is amazing, it means everything,” said de Guzman. “It’s hard to see the growth of the sport [in the country] without this result achieved by the team.”

“We had to give it our best because after getting the bronze last year and the silver this time, we’re inspired to go back to training and keep working together as a team and to keep going for this long term program,” she added.



Unite, prepare to cushion impact of rainy season


 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is joining preparations to help cushion the impact of the rainy season—the floods, the landslides and, at worst, the tragedy and massive displacement that usually come with it.

In fact, the military is now in close coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to ensure prompt disaster response as part of its civil defense duties. This a welcome development coming from the military which is preoccupied with its duty to defend the country from external forces.


The past few days, we have witnessed the impact of the rains. Sporadic as they come, the rains have caused immediate flooding in low-lying areas and disrupted travel, affecting work and businesses. What more if it becomes more frequent.

As the rainy season brings the country once again on the brink of vulnerability and in this age where climate change amplifies the volatility of natural events, preparedness is a necessity.

Every drop of rain should serve as a wake-up call. The government, private sector, and each Filipino must act—not out of fear, but out of responsibility. Because behind every flooded street is a child unable to go to school, an employee and an executive unable to report for work. Behind every landslide is a family whose home has vanished in an instant. Behind every casualty is a life that could have been saved.

The government must be proactive, and not reactive. Budget allocations for disaster preparedness should be increased, not just during or after disasters, but long before the rains arrive. We hope these were submitted in the budget proposals for 2026. Infrastructure such as drainage systems, floodways, and slope protection must be upgraded and maintained. Local government units (LGUs) must strictly enforce zoning laws to prevent settlements in danger zones, while barangays should be equipped with real-time warning systems and evacuation protocols tailored to their communities.

Moreover, the Department of Education should roll out school-based disaster preparedness programs, teaching students the value of readiness. Agencies like the NDRRMC must maintain constant coordination with LGUs and ensure that emergency supplies, rescue equipment, and trained personnel are always ready.

Companies must see themselves not just as businesses, but as pillars of national resilience. Corporate social responsibility should go beyond token relief efforts. Telecommunications companies must ensure stable lines of communication before, during, and after storms. Construction and real estate developers must uphold—and be held accountable for—resilient design standards.

Beyond infrastructure, the private sector can offer logistical support, fund local community-based disaster education, and provide employees with flexible work arrangements during severe weather, minimizing travel risks and ensuring safety without sacrificing productivity.

And finally, the role of the individual cannot be overstated. Each Filipino must embrace a culture of preparedness. We are all stakeholders here. Households should have go-bags ready, know their nearest evacuation centers, and follow advisories from trusted sources. Community participation is crucial—neighbors helping neighbors, especially the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those living alone.

Social media should not only be used to share photos of floods, but to spread timely information and coordinate aid.

To cushion the impact of the rains, the government, private industry, and the public must work in harmony. Information must flow freely. Resources must be shared efficiently. Trust must be built continuously.

We cannot stop the rain, but we can stop the tragedies that come with it. Now is the time to act—not when the waters have already risen, not when the damage is already done. Let our unity and preparedness be stronger than any storm.

The rains have come. So must our resolve.

G-Force celebrates 20 years of purposeful and creative dancing

 


By Robert Requintina

Published Jun 16, 2025 08:32 pm


G-Force, the dance group founded by celebrity choreographer Georcelle “Teacher Georcelle” Dapat-Sy, celebrated its 20th anniversary this month. The highlight of their celebration was the “G-Force Project 2025” concert, recently held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Hundreds of performers danced on stage in a spectacular show that close to 2,000 attendees witnessed. The performers included celebrities Maja Salvador and Cassy Legaspi (mentees of Teacher Georcelle), international choreographers/dancers Ben Tovale and Laurence Kaiwai, and G-Force teachers, Teacher Georcelle herself, and over 700 students of the G-Force Dance Center in their schools in Shangri-La Plaza, Quezon City, Alabang, and BGC-Blanco. There were over 30 dance production numbers spanning various genres, ranging from hip-hop, K-pop, OPM, and sexy.


The youngest student-dancers were four years old, and the oldest was 71. The concert culminated with all the performers dancing to the song “I’m G,” while the members of the audience followed the choreography in their places.


Spotted in the audience were news anchor Iya Villania and her husband, TV host Drew Arellano, and social media sensation Niana Guerrero.

Maja, who was a teenager when Teacher Georcelle first taught her dance moves, was thrilled to be part of the exhilarating show. “I am happy na kapag may ganitong G-Force Project ay naiimbitahan tayo. I can’t say ‘no’ to them,” said Maja.

Georcelle was extremely happy with the show and the people’s response. The support is a testament to the creative movement she has been advocating these past two decades.


“It’s a humbling and deeply fulfilling experience,” she said. “What started as a movement has become a national force—not just in dance, but also in culture. I’ve realized that consistency in passion and purpose creates a legacy. G-Force has become a platform for the transformation of lives, careers, and mindsets.”

G-Force will continue to promote expression, discipline, and confidence through their dance workshops. Additionally, they are planning several special initiatives, including a dance retreat, a workshop series in Canada, and another dance concert at The Theatre at Solaire on July 20.


Visionary Teacher Georcelle assured, “G-Force will continue to be a cultural movement—integrating more technology, wellness, and global collaborations. But at its core, we will always be about people—helping the next generation move not just with rhythm, but with purpose.”

For more information about G-Force, visit their website gforcedancecenter.com and their official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted

 Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted on June 17, 2025, sending ash 10 km high and prompting Indonesia to issue the highest aviation alert. Authorities restricted activity within 7–8 km of the crater.

Mt. Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, triggers top-level aviation alert in Indonesia
SUNSTAR.COM.PH
Mt. Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, triggers top-level aviation alert in Indonesia

Natural Pest Control with Baking Soda: A Step-by-Step Guide

 Natural Pest Control with Baking Soda: A Step-by-Step Guide

🪳 1. Kill Cockroaches
What you need:
Baking soda
Sugar
Shallow dish
How to use:
Mix equal parts baking soda and sugar. Place in dishes near cockroach hiding spots. Sugar attracts them, baking soda kills them.
🐜 2. Repel Ants
What you need:
Baking soda
Powdered sugar
How to use:
Mix 1:1 ratio and sprinkle along trails or entry points.
🌿 3. Prevent Garden Fungus
What you need:
1 tbsp baking soda
1 gallon water
A few drops dish soap
Spray bottle
How to use:
Spray on plants weekly to stop mildew. Avoid hot sunny days.
🐭 4. Deter Mice
What you need:
Baking soda
Sugar
Flour
How to use:
Mix equal parts. Place small amounts in corners and behind appliances.
🪰 5. Freshen Carpets & Repel Bugs
What you need:
Baking soda
(Optional) Peppermint or lavender oil
How to use:
Sprinkle on carpet, let sit 15–20 mins, then vacuum.
⚠️ Safety Tips
Keep away from kids & pets
Don’t use in large amounts
Test plant sprays on a small area first
✅ Eco-Friendly Bonus
Baking soda is cheap, safe, and reduces toxic chemical use. A win for your home and the planet.
May be an image of text that says 'BAKING SODA पद メラズ Flea Ladybug Caterpillar RM ษ HANIA HIA MLUWEAND OP អនាធ Grub Baking Pure Soda® America's 1 Irusted Baking Soda Hundreds fuses like: Scratchiess Cleaning: ing: NET Ant B BOZ OZ(115) 454g Rabbt t Rabbit'
All reactions:
462

New album 'bomb' showcases K-pop girl group ILLIT's growth as singers



By Jonathan Hicap

Published Jun 16, 2025 10:10 pm


Composed of Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee and Iroha, ILLIT debuted in the music scene in March last year with the album “Super Real Me.”

“Bomb” marked an evolution from the introspective themes of their earlier albums to a focus on interactive emotions, capturing the excitement and uncertainty of a blossoming relationship.

Yunah said, I'm proud that we've already released three albums. I'm most looking forward to the reactions of our fans who have been waiting for a long time.

On the other hand, Wonhee said, I'm very excited to show you a new side of us. The third mini-album ‘bomb’ is an album where you can see ILLIT’s confident charm and further growth.”

For every song in the album, ILLIT conveyed the message “be bold in ambiguity, follow your heart in doubt.”

They said the biggest appeal of their music is the relatable messages.

I think many people relate to our story, which makes them feel closer and more comfortable. Our music is a story about people our age, but at the same time, it evokes relatability because it's a story that everyone has experienced at least once,” said Yunah.

The main track, “Billyeoon Goyangi (Do the Dance),” a French house-inspired track, captures the giddy tension of a first date.

Highlighted by its romantic and whimsical string arrangement—sampling “優雅なる脱走(Yuga Naru Dasso),” the original soundtrack from Japanese anime “The Five Star Stories”—the song delivers ILLIT’s unique flair with an addictive hook, catchy phrases like “Wiggle Meow” and a sprinkle of French lyrics—reminiscent of a magic spell.

*Billyeoon Goyangi,” meaning “a borrowed cat in English, is a Korean proverb commonly used to describe the feeling of being lost or out of place.

ILLIT also released a music video for the song in which they embark on a magical journey, diving headfirst into a blossoming love.

In the music video, after a chance encounter with a mysterious boy, the girls set off across small towns and bustling cities to find him, culminating in a heart-fluttering reunion at an amusement park. The video’s vibrant animation-like visuals and growth-themed symbolism reinforce the song’s magical vibe.

ILLIT showed their signature “cat stretch dance”—a purr-fectly cheeky combo of nimble paws and bold charm.

“Bomb” contains five songs: “Billyeoon Goyangi (Do the Dance),” “little monster,” “jellyous,” “oops!,” and “bamsopoong.”

Their decision to unveil snippets and highlight medleys prior to release reflects their strong artistic confidence.


Why is the German language so complex?

 

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Robert Todd
Earnestly seeking the letters beyond Z ...
2,076 followers
192 following


If the German gang here doesn’t know the funny essay by Mark Twain “The Awful German Language,” allow me to introduce you: The Awful German Language

Here are a couple of excerpts. You’ll get the gist.

Every noun has a gender, and there is no sense or system in the distribution; so the gender of each must be learned separately and by heart. There is no other way. To do this one has to have a memory like a memorandum-book. In German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has. Think what overwrought reverence that shows for the turnip, and what callous disrespect for the girl. See how it looks in print -- I translate this from a conversation in one of the best of the German Sunday-school books:

"Gretchen.

Wilhelm, where is the turnip?

Wilhelm.

She has gone to the kitchen.

Gretchen.

Where is the accomplished and beautiful English maiden?

Wilhelm.

It has gone to the opera."

A portion of Twain’s translation of “Tale of the Fishwife and Its Sad Fate:”

It is a bleak Day. Hear the Rain, how he pours, and the Hail, how he rattles; and see the Snow, how he drifts along, and of the Mud, how deep he is! Ah the poor Fishwife, it is stuck fast in the Mire; it has dropped its Basket of Fishes; and its Hands have been cut by the Scales as it seized some of the falling Creatures; and one Scale has even got into its Eye, and it cannot get her out. It opens its Mouth to cry for Help; but if any Sound comes out of him, alas he is drowned by the raging of the Storm. And now a Tomcat has got one of the Fishes and she will surely escape with him. No, she bites off a Fin, she holds her in her Mouth -- will she swallow her?

We’ll leave the cat, the fish and the rest, but you get the idea.

Obviously, this is tongue-very-much-in-cheek. But it expresses a common concern for English speakers, the apparently less than logical use of grammatical gender. Of course, there’s more. Frequently, the sheer length of words (“Generalstaatsverordnetenversammlungen” and the like tasked with being “alphabetical processions”) and comparatively rigid German syntax may induce fits.

But these are the complaints, joking or not, of someone who wants German to be … English. It’s not, and there is no reason it should be.

From the German perspective, I imagine English words must seem like logographs, with each carrying a rather arbitrary pronunciation that must be learned one at a time. And while English speakers tease that German verbs pop up at the end of sentences like actors making a stage call, Germans must certainly feel there is something odd about the willy-nilly placement of past participles and verbs in dependent clauses. I mean, are there no rules! Chaos, man, chaos!

All of this to say - German is its own creature. Yes, the grammar rules will likely seem complex and difficult to monoglot English speakers. And perhaps to others. But it has its own sonorities and lovely features, and those in abundance. Need a compound noun? Try, oh, Abendsonnenschein. There’s a reason philosophers and poets dip into German rather liberally.

And one gentle, practical hint. If the gender of nouns is troubling you, while you are learning, turn them into plurals when possible. I once forgot if Bier was a “das” or not, so I simply ordered more. Plurals make for a nice “die.”

Update: A treat for those who have enjoyed and commented upon this response.

Christian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern (6 May 1871 – 31 March 1914) provided a memorable send-up of German grammar in his poem Der Werwolf. A native German response, in some ways, to the original question. Tongue firmly in cheek. Rather like Twain and Ambrose Bierce in the U.S., nothing was safe from his pen. This piece made me laugh out loud; who said Germans have no sense of humor!

Der Werwolf

Ein Werwolf eines Nachts entwich
von Weib und Kind und sich begab
an eines Dorfschullehrers Grab
und bat ihn: »Bitte, beuge mich!«

Der Dorfschulmeister stieg hinauf
auf seines Blechschilds Messingknauf
und sprach zum Wolf, der seine Pfoten
geduldig kreuzte vor dem Toten:

»Der Werwolf«, sprach der gute Mann,
»des Weswolfs, Genitiv sodann,
dem Wemwolf, Dativ, wie mans nennt,
den Wenwolf, — damit hats ein End.«

Dem Werwolf schmeichelten die Fälle,
er rollte seine Augenbälle.
»Indessen«, bat er, »füge doch
zur Einzahl auch die Mehrzahl noch!«

Der Dorfschulmeister aber mußte
gestehn, dass er von ihr nichts wußte.
Zwar Wölfe gäbs in grosser Schar,
doch »Wer« gäbs nur im Singular.

Der Wolf erhob sich tränenblind–
er hatte ja doch Weib und Kind!
Doch da er kein Gelehrter eben,
so schied er dankend und ergeben.

For the learners in the crowd, like me:

Usually considered untranslatable, Alexander Gross at least made an amusing effort:

The Werewolf

A Werewolf, troubled by his name,
Left wife and brood one night and came
To a hidden graveyard to enlist
The aid of a long-dead philologist.

“Oh sage, wake up, please don’t berate me,”
He howled sadly, “Just conjugate me.”
The seer arose a bit unsteady
Yawned twice, wheezed once, and then was ready.

“Well, ‘Werewolf’ is your plural past,
While ‘Waswolf’ is singularly cast:
There’s ‘Amwolf’ too, the present tense,
And ‘Iswolf,’ ‘Arewolf’ in this same sense.”

“I know that–I’m no mental cripple–
The future form and participle
Are what I crave,” the beast replied.
The scholar paused–again he tried:

“A ‘Will-be-wolf?’ It’s just too long:
‘Shall-be-wolf?’ ‘Has-been-wolf?’ Utterly wrong!
Such words are wounds beyond all suture–
I’m sorry, but you have no future.”

The Werewolf knew better–his sons still slept
At home, and homewards now he crept,
Happy, humble, without apology
For such folly of philology.

Tschüss!