Uncommon Sense

As I ponder the back and forth and up and down in my surroundings and the whole world, a book from my library falls into my hand: Peter Cochrane's Uncommon Sense with the subtitle Out of the box thinking for an in the box world.

"Peter Cochrane is one of our most far-sighted visionaries, and brings brilliant clarity and focus to our understanding of ourselves and our technologies, and of how profoundly each is transforming the other." describes Douglas Adams, author of  The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

In Uncommon Sense, Peter Cochrane's follow up to the radical 108 Tips for Time Traveller.  Peter explains how very simple analysis allows the prediction of such debacles as the 3G auction and the subsequent collapse of an industry, whilst simple-minded thinking is dangerous in the context of a world that is predominantly chaotic and out of control.

People balked when Peter suggested a wholesale move to eWorking, the rise of email and text messaging, and the dotcom regime mirroring the boom and bust cycle of the industrial revolution. His predictions of the use and growth of mobile devices and communication, or use of chip implants for humans to replace ID cards, passports, and medical records, or iris scanners and fingerprint readers - were all seen as unlikely. Today they are a reality.

I don't know how you feel nowadays, my dear readers. As christian the bible -and here especially Proverbs help me a lot. As I mentioned in one of my previous write ups, Proverbs is probably the most down-to-earth book in the bible. Its education prepares you for the street and the market place - somehow out of the box thinking for an in the box world, too.

Proverbs offers the warm advice you get by growing up in a good family and for successfully making your way in the world. It covers small questions as well as large: talking too much, visiting friends and neighbors too often or being unbearably cheerful too early  in the morning. Proverbs simply tells how life works most of the time.

People, and count me in, love to quote Proverbs, which often express truth about life in an elegant, witty kernel. You'll find more humor in Proverbs than anywhere else in the bible. And humor often seems to have passed in these days and age.

Typical Filipino (XIV) - Typisch Philippinisch (IV): Numbers - Zahlen

 

Einige Filipinos gehen vorsichtig mit der Zahl 13 um und werden bei Einladungen darauf achten, daß nicht 13 Personen am Tisch versammelt sind, da dies wahrscheinlich Unglück bringen würde. Die Anzahl der Stufen zum Haupteingang des Hauses sollte nicht durch drei teilbar sein. Zählen Sie ORO, PLATA, MATA (Gold, Silber, Tod), während Sie die Stufen hinabgehen, Ihr letzter Schritt sollte nicht MATA enden.

Some Filipinos are careful with the numbers 13 and will make sure when invitations are not 13 people around the table, as this would likely bring bad luck. The number of steps to the main entrance of the house should not be divisible by three. Just count ORO, PLATA, MATA = gold, silver, death, while your are going down. Your last step should not end up with DEATH.

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (XIV)

 

Chapter XIV: Many unbelievable surprises but also a sad one 

"Immediately leave the territory of the German Democratic Republic!" The tone of the border guards was very perched. We had spread our picnic basket and blanket on a meadow and were just about to start eating. "Don't see that our state border is meters away from the wall?" The voices were getting louder and louder. We quickly packed up our things and were allowed to leave. 

From now on we always had big problems when we were on the transit highways from West Berlin to West Germany. There were hours of waiting for us at the East German  checkpoints. There was no other choice for us, after all, we wanted to visit my mother in West Germany - ca. 500 km away from Berlin.

Another very well known visitor arrived in the Philippine Community in Berlin: Cardinal Jaime Sin -  instrumental in the People’s Revolution. Jaime L. Sin (born 1928) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served in the Philippines. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Marcos regime in 1986 (during the EDSA Revolution, aka People Power Revolution).  Jaime L. Sin, was born in the town of New Washington, Aklan, in the Visayan Islands of the Philippines on August 21, 1928. 

Rossana had meanwhile passed her C2-German Language Test. We decided that she should apply for German citizenship. We loved to travel. But it meant that she had to apply for a visa for every country we wanted to travel for. So we found ourselves again at the Spanish Embassy for our vacation trip to our favorite island: Gran Canaria.

We were astonished how many Filipinas and Filipinos lived on this wonderful Spanish island in front of the West African coast. We got to know Luzviminda - star dancer in a Filipino ethnic dance group. There were indescribable moments. Luzviminda and Rossana knew only one topic that they talked: dancing. 

In the meantime we were able to build up our own dance group: the New Manisan Dancegroup Berlin. 

Countless stage appearances followed - including our first TV show "Mabuhay" with me as a somewhat stuttering and bumby host. Thank goodness it wasn't a live broadcast.

Then came the very sad event: Rossana, three months pregnant, lost our first child. "If I'm not allowed to dance at the moment, I'll help you with your work", she replied with a few tears in her eyes. Said and done: layouting and proofreading - she really was a tremendous help.

Ant then, the next Filipino statesman and later president Fidel V. Ramos and his wife came and visited the Philippine Community Berlin. Rossana and I met him six times - especially later during our numerous stays in Manila.

 During Ramos' stay in Berlin, we heard another awesome piece of news. President Cory Aquino had been invited by our chaplain Father Gene Bacareza to visit Berlin - and?

(To be continued!)

Senior Citizens vaccinated with Sinovac in DdO

The Provincial Government of Davao de Oro through the Provincial Health Office (PHO) started to roll out its vaccination program to the elderly on May 10, 2021.

 The four(4)-day vaccination roll-out successfully started and inoculated 38 senior citizens on its first day.

Among the group of elderly who was vaccinated this Tuesday is Adriano Juntilla, a senior citizen employee of the provincial government.

The 60-year-old said that he was thankful to be vaccinated as this will add protection for him at work and will prevent him from getting the Covid-19 virus.

 “Wala koy nabati nga lain human ko nabakunahan. Kani karun nga nabakunahan nako, dipensa na ni nako sa panahon ug unsa may mahitabo. Aduna pod koy mga higala nga akong danihon nga magpabakuna tungod kay dipensa ni daan sa atung kaugalingon ug dili napod magtakod takod sa lain ang virus.” said Adriano Juntilla.

 Each senior citizen underwent a medical screening and counseling prior to the vaccination. Inoculated individuals were also monitored in the post vaccination area for any adverse events after getting the shot of the vaccine.

 PHO targets 100 individuals to be vaccinated today, not only limited to the elderly, but also to medical front-liners who will have their second dose of the Sinovac Vaccine. (Jasteen Abella, Information Division, Davao de Oro, photos by Joeffrey Mamayabay)

WHEN OUR LIFE SEEMS SENSELESS

"In this world there are only two tragedies," said Oscar Wilde. "one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." This paradoxical proverb has often proved true.

Many people think that if they only had more money they would be happy. Howard Hughes was the world's richest man when he was only 45 years old. Twenty years later, at sixty five, he still had all his money but was probably the world's most miserable man. He had retreated from society, living in small dark rooms in different hotels and keeping all the sun out. He was dirty , his beard grew down to his waist, and his hair fell down his back. His fingernails were two inches long. His huge body had shrunk to nothing.

In today's pandemic times many people are also asking themselves about the meaning of life. I don't need to go into that any further here. Everyone knows. Everyone may experience it themselves or find it in their families and surroundings. Yes, the pandemic is far from over, even if there are the first openings and losses here and there.

"What is the point of life?" people are asking. You work hard, and many times someone else gets the credit. You struggle to be good, and evil people take advantage of you. You are in a great situation and accumulate money, and it just goes to spoiled fellow men and women. You seek pleasure, but it turns sour on you. And everyone - rich or poor, good or evil, meets the same end. We all die. 

I found Ecclesiastes in my bible. A book for our time. Ecclesiastes strikes a responsive chord. No century has seen so much progress, and yet such despair. What is the purpose of life anyway? Is there any ultimate meaning? I even asked myself all these questions, since some people around me passed away during the last weeks. 

A key phrase in this book, "under the sun", describes the world lived on one level, apart from God and without any belief in the afterlife. If you live on that level, you may well conclude that life is meaningless. 

Ecclesiastes attracts extreme reactions. Novelist Thomas Wolfe said of it, "Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound."

It's really true. Please check it out and try to read it. And find out for yourself if life really seems so meaningless!

Scammers now target intelligent users

 

by Art Samaniego, Manila Bulletin

The number of social media users recently scammed, hacked, and even harassed online is alarming. While cyber crime victims before were the clueless titos and titas, now, journalists, doctors, teachers, and even those in the religious communities have fallen to the more sophisticated forms of scams. We could see now the impact of cyber crime across all ages and spectrum of society.

My job as the Tech Editor and Information and Communications Technology head of Manila Bulletin has made me the unofficial 24/7 tech support guy for my friends. Just last week, I got urgent messages from five of my friends asking about different cyber security issues.

I always tell my friends to be careful when clicking links from emails. Scammers could convincingly copy websites to look the same as the real ones. Check the URL before clicking, hover the cursor on top of the link, check the lower-left corner of your browser. If you don’t recognize the URL, don’t proceed.

Never trust Facebook-sponsored posts immediately. Facebook allows scammers to target you using its platform. If a sponsored post asks you to log in to your account, it’s a scam. Don’t proceed. If you see these scam ads, it means the scammers target you. Using the Facebook algorithm, the scammers know that you are more likely to click their sponsored post.

These are the messages I got from my friends. With the help of some members of the Phillippine Hacking University (PHU) group, we recovered three Facebook and one Instagram accounts. Read on and learn how not to be a victim of cyber scams.

Scammers are out there waiting for your to make that mistake of clicking and engaging with them.

Question: I got a private message asking me to post an article through an instant Facebook article. He will pay 60 dollars per published article and 120 dollars for videos. Is this legit?

Answer: That’s a scam. It happened before. A struggling Facebook page immediately grabbed what seems to be an opportunity. Instead of getting that 60-dollars for the article and 120-dollars for the video, the scammers took over the page. If you agree, the scammers will then ask you to give them access to your Business Manager Account, don’t!. Giving permission will provide them with authority to kick you out as owner/admin of your page.

Question: I got a message that says my Facebook account would be verified and have that blue check after my name. I need to follow the instruction and install an app from someone who claims to be from Facebook.

Answer: That’s a scam. Facebook will never ask you to install an app to verify your account. Be careful. Third-party apps you would install could not only compromise your social media account but also take over your computer.

Question: I got a message from a friend that says I won a government agency raffle. I need first to send PhP 28,500.50 for a tax clearance fee to get the one million-peso prize.

Answer: That’s a scam. Never believe a message like this or its variants. Sometimes, scammers would use your friend’s account to ask for money from you. Never send anything. Verify first if it is really from your friend or that agency who said that you won something.

Question: I think hackers compromised my Facebook account. Someone is accessing it without asking permission. What would I do?

Answer: If you’re worried about the security of your FB account, go to

 https://www.facebook.com/hacked. Facebook will walk you through how to change your password if you think your account is compromised. After following all the instructions, immediately activate the 2FA feature to add an extra layer of protection to your account.

Question: I got a message saying that he has access to my email. As proof, he gave me the old password that I used for my account. He told me that he would forward my incriminating messages and photos to my friends and family if I won’t pay US$100 using bitcoin.

Answer: This is a scam. These criminals usually get email addresses from compromised databases. A breach like this is not your fault. To secure your email, you need to change your password regularly. It would be best to use a password that you could easily remember but difficult for hackers to guess. Don’t worry. A message like this is a scam, and the sender has no access to your email.

Remember, always think before you click.

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (XIII): Philippines, we are coming!

 Chapter XIII: Philippines, we are coming!

"Do you actually know that we will be flying in two weeks?" My question to Rossana caused an unbelievable hectic. A little later I was also very nervous. But where are our tickets? An express letter with our tickets reached us two days before our departure. A big stone fell from our hearts ... .

Berlin - Frankfurt, Frankfurt - Singapore, Singapore - Manila with Singapore Airlines, and finally Manila - Davao with Philippine Airlines. Finally, after four weeks, we were on our way to Rossana's home. And it was our fourth wedding anniversary. That had "fatal consequences". A stewardess had noticed that we were toasting each other over a glass of champagne. "Sir, Ma-am, is it okay for you, if you transfer to the First-Class-Section?", she asked. "We would like to prepare you a particularly pleasant flight from Singapore to Manila on your very special occasion!" We felt on cloud 9 again... .

Six wonderful weeks with Rossana's family followed. The negative news from previous letters quickly dissipated. The first time the thought occurred to me what it would be like to be able to live forever in the Philippines. I started to love typical Filipino dishes. Yes, even "balut"!

During that vacation, I met journalist, columnist, and book author Antonio "Tony" Figueroa. An amazing writer. I didn't know then that Toni and I would both be columnists in Mindanao Times starting in 2003.

At the farewell party many tears flowed again. We had to promise our family to come back after two years at the latest. That happened in 1989 together with four of our best German friends.

Back in Berlin I got to know another Filipino tradition: car blessing. Father Hermogenes "Gene" E. Bacareza blessed our new car, our Sunny. 

During that time, Father Gene told me about his plan to publish two magazines for Filipinos - one in English (Ang Mabuhay) and one in German (Deutsch-Philippinischer Informationsspiegel Berlin). I was very excited and loved to work with him. His book about German-Filipino Relations greatly guided me in my work.

Rossana loved the nature of Berlin and its surroundings more and more, even if our excursions by bike often reached their limits. The Berlin Wall, which enclosed the entire city of West Berlin, stopped us several times. 

Often, the exact boundary course between West Berlin and the German Democratic Republic was not identified for us. We were with our bikes on a dark forest path in the north of West Berlin, the so-called "Eiskeller" (Ice Cave). Suddenly uniformed and armed border guards were standing in front of us.

(To be continued!)

Typical Filipino (XIII) - Typisch Philippinisch (XIII): Filipino Time oder "Höfliche Verspätung" - Polite Delay

Sie werden zu einer Party in einem privaten Haus eingeladen. Da das Fest um sieben Uhr abends beginnen soll, kommen Sie auf die Minute genau an - nur um die Gastgeberin mit Lockenwicklern und im Bademantel anzutreffen - peinlich berührt von Ihrer buchstäblichen Pünktlichkeit. Sie haben die Gastgeber im wörtlichen Sinne "im Hemd stehend" überrascht.

Auf die Minute pünktlich der Tür stehen, läßt den Gast gierig und lechzend nach dem verlockenden Essen erscheinen. Es ist üblich, immer später zu kommen - vielleicht 15 bis 30 Minuten später. Andererseits ist übliches Erscheinen angebracht bei geschäftlichen oder offiziellen Terminen, wenn auch in etwas lockerem Zeitrahmen als in Europa.

Have you ever had an appointment set at 10:00 in the morning, and as you hurry your way so as not to be late, you find out that the one you’re meeting with wouldn’t be there for an hour or so? Isn’t it infuriating?

In other countries, that’s simply called “late.” In the Philippines, it’s called “Filipino time.”

Filipino time means being minutes to hours late compared to the standard time. It’s like having our own clock, albeit aware that the right time is the World Standard Time.

In our defense, not all Filipinos are usually late. (Promise!) There are still people who arrive in meetings punctually, although ‘being late’ has become a stereotype to Filipinos already. Historians say that this attitude recounts back to the idea of siesta by the Spaniards that is still present today.

 

 

Many factors are attributed to being late in the Philippines. The number one perennial problem is traffic. In this lifetime, about thousands of people may have reasoned out traffic as an excuse for being late as it has always been an everyday dilemma for both commuters and car owners. However, it’s still not an acceptable reason because one can always estimate the travel time and leave earlier than usual. But then again, there may still be other factors to consider such as vehicular accidents or emergencies.

Aside from being late because of traffic, some people choose to be late. And that’s called “fashionably late.” It is not (and never will be) an acceptable reason if it is for an appointment, but it’s somehow acceptable to events such as parties. Imagine having a dramatic entrance at a party with your chic clothes only to find out there’s no one to appreciate it—because you were there before everyone else arrived. Sad, right?

Being late is not a nice trait. And it’s even sadder that it’s being named ‘Filipino time’ even if people from other countries are late just like everybody else. But instead of conforming to the ‘”Filipino Time,” why not change the system? Be there on time, and be strict when you set a schedule. This way, you can help destroy the concept of lateness in the Philippines and be the first one to exemplify punctuality in your office. Let everyone follow because now’s the right time to be on time—not after thirty minutes, and definitely not later than that.

What's better than a community pantry?

NOT YOUR ORDINARY COMMUNITY PANTRY — A moving pantry in Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan delivers food to families using a “kareta” pulled by a carabao. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture)

Tuguegarao's 'moving pantry', that's what

by Betheena Unite

Manila Bulletin

In a village up north, a community pantry literally goes out of its way to reach more vulnerable families. Using a “kareta”–a traditional cart pulled by a carabao–a group of youth leaders in Cataggaman Nuevo, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan delivers at their doorstep food and other goods to families who cannot go outdoors due to community lockdowns.

Enteng Zingapan, chairperson of the Sanggunian Kabataan (SK or Youth Council) of Cataggaman Nuevo, decided to convert the stationary community pantry he set up on April 20 into a moving pantry after realizing that residents who lived far from him weren’t benefitting from the food drive.

“Actually, since it was stationary (pantry) only those who are near from us benefits. What about those who live from far the pantry,” he said.

Zingapan said he and his fellow youth leaders eventually came up with the idea of a “moving pantry” using the kareta as the mode of transportation. Now they can deliver fruits, vegetables and other food supplies to the most underserved families in their city.

The federation has purchased vegetables from the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita in Carig Sur in Tuguegarao City.

“Bumili kami ng (We bought) sayote, ampalaya, talong, puso ng saging, sitaw, dahon ng kamote, bawang,” Zingapan said, adding that they expect to reach a total of 152 families.

The moving pantry also aims to curb the possible transmission of the coronavirus disease when flocking to a stationary community pantry, Zingapan stressed.

Meanwhile, the DA’s Agribusiness Assistance and Marketing Division(AMAD) has linked Zingapan’s group to local farmers’ cooperatives and associations in order to facilitate bulk orders of vegetables that would end up on their pantry.

“It is necessary to link them to our local farmers, as we assure that both parties will benefit from our Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita. Our campaign still exists as it will boost collaboration,” said AMAD Chief Ma. Rosario Paccarangan.

THE WORRIER TAKES IT ALL

Really? Do you let the worrier take over your life and your present situation? A pessimist, a worrier, an alarmist, a license dodger, name it whomever you like. Call some, they are all between us. Maybe her or she or even you?

We hardly count our blessings. We enjoy counting our crosses. Instead of gains, we count our losses. We don't have to do all that counting - computers do it for us. Information is easily had. Especially during these terrible times of pandemic.

Just remember this: Opportunity doesn't just knock - it jiggles the door-knob. and "your friend" - the worrier, is with you day and night, at every corner, following your every step. Complaining and grumbling are good excuses, right? We have time and opportunities to do almost anything. So why haven't we done it? We have the freedom of bondage or restraint, every one of us in his or her very special unique way - but, we're still our old inferior selves.

The job is boring. Even at the present home office. I don't get a good job. The house is an unpleasant mixture of tidy and dirty things. It's a mess. I'm not in the mood to arrange my garden. I can't afford a gardener. That's life. How sad. No, it's not my fault; or course not.

The whole world is an awful place filled with dreadful and horrible negativism. Right now because of the pandemic. Yes, I confess, I'm also surrounded by many worriers who put their fears into me. Politicians, i.e., many times love to search for some grave alarm that will cause individuals to abandon their separate concerns and act in concert, so that politicians can wield the baton. Calls to fatal struggles and fights are forever being sounded.

The overbearing person, who tyrannizes the weak, who wants to dominate and to bluster, is simply nothing else than a worrier, who claims to be a friend. But he or she isn't. Really not! The bullying of fellow citizens by means of dread and fright has been going on since Paleolithic times. The night wolf is eating the moon. Give me silver and I'll make him spit out.

Well, when will we start counting our courage and not our fears, or enjoy instead of our woe? Worrying itself is pointless. Of course, no society has achieved perfectly rules of law, never-ending education or unique responsible governments. Let's seek out the worries but avoid the warriors, because they try to avoid liberty.

If you are still worrying right now about something, try to read Jeremiah 29:10-14 or Revelation 21:1-8, just to mention these two. It works. And in my opinion: Let Jesus take over. 

No, I don't give up... .And you shouldn't give up too!

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (XII): Special Visitors

Chapter XII: Special Visitors

The time just flew by. Rossana's culture shock was gone. I wondered why she never talked about homesickness. The first year of her stay in German was over. We spent our first vacation in the Canarian Islands - one of my favorite places before. Sun, sand beaches, the ocean, blue sky, and pleasant temperature. 

The editors' conferences of my law magazines made it possible to travel more and more: by plane or by car. Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Bayreuth, and then Cologne. My publisher just let Rossana come with us. "At least that's how she gets to know Germany", he replied when he saw my incredulous looks.

"I feel so insanely small", she was amazed when we visited and inspected the Cologne Cathedral.

Back in Berlin, we visited one of the largest trade fairs in the city - the International Tourism Exchange. "There is sure to be a Filipino stand there too?" Rossana asked me. "I'm pretty sure, there is", I replied. It was the first time she'd speak to Filipino compatriots. Eva was one of the first. She invited us to join the Filipino Community in Berlin.

 

The community became her second home in Berlin. Cultural events as well as Filipino customs like the Santacruzan or Flores de Mayo took place. Santacruzan is a religious-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns and even small villages throughout the Philippines during the month of May. Flores de Mayo (or “flowers of May” in Spanish) is a month-long festivity held in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Santacruzan (that's “holy cross” in Spanish), on the other hand, is a colorful procession that recalls Queen Helena's search for the holy cross.  

The regular Filipino Sunday mass with Father Gene Bacareza and happy get-togethers: well, Rossana's homesickness didn't exist anymore. Letters from her family asked more and more often, when we would visit the Philippines again.

And then came the big day of a private visit of vice-president Laurel and family. Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel (November 18, 1928 – January 27, 2004), also known as Doy Laurel, was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the vice-president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under President Corazon Aquino and briefly served as the last prime minister. Rossana had so many questions for entertainer son Kokoy.

Then finally Rossana and I sat down and discussed how we could book our flight to the Philippines because the news from home wasn't all positive.

(To be continued!)

PH allows entry of foreign nationals beginning May 1

MANILA. An almost empty Welcome Rotonda roundabout is seen as the government implements a strict lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on Good Friday, April 2, 2021 in Manila, Philippines. (AP)

FOREIGN nationals, except those coming from India, are again allowed entry to the Philippines beginning May 1, 2021, Malacañang said Friday, April 30.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved the entry of foreign nationals in a meeting Thursday, April 29, but subject to the following conditions.

* They have valid and existing visa at the time of entry, except for those qualified under the Balikbayan program under Republic Act 6768, or the Act Instituting the Balikbayan Program.

* With pre-booked accommodation for at least seven nights in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility.

* ubject to Covid-19 testing at the quarantine hotel/facility on the sixth day from date of arrival.

* Subject to maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

The IATF clarified, however, that travel restrictions imposed under Resolution 112, which was issued on April 27, 2021, will continue to be in force.

"Travel restrictions, however, shall continue to be in effect for those coming from India or those with travel history to India," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a statement.

The Philippine government banned the entry of travelers from India and those with travel history to India within the last 14 days preceding arrival for two weeks, from April 29 to May 14, 2021.

The ban was issued due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in India, Malacañang said.

The restriction also applies to Filipino travelers.

"The foregoing is without prejudice to immigration laws, rules and regulations such that the Commissioner of Immigration shall have the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion order for foreign nationals, including other foreign nationals who have entered the Philippines by virtue of IATF resolutions, subject to regular reporting to the IATF Secretariat at the end of each calendar month," said the IATF.

The task force has ordered the Bureau of Immigration to formulate the necessary guidelines to ensure the smooth implementation of the resolution.

Resolution 113 was released Friday, April 30. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)

Typical Filipino (XII) - Typisch Philippinisch (XII): "Suki" - eine besondere Beziehung

 

Auch in eigentlich rein geschäftlichen Angelegenheiten zählen die persönlichen Beziehungen. Beim Einkauf auf dem Markt zieht der Käufer Läden vor, wo man ihn freundlich behandelt, bevorzugt bedient, ihm nur Waren bester Qualität anbietet, besondere Preise macht und der Stammkundschaft eventuell sogar Kredit ("utang") einräumt. Diese zwischen Kunden und Marktverkäufern weitverbreitete Beziehung wird "suki" genannt. Ich habe dies bei meinen Marktbesuchen von Anfang an schätzen gelernt.

Personal relationships also count in purely business matters. When shopping at the market, the buyer looks for shops where he/she is treated in a friendly manner, preferably served, only offers goods of the best quality, makes special prices and possibly even gives credit ("utang")to the regular customer. This widespread relationship between customers and market vendors is the so-called "suki". I learned to appreciate this from the very beginning when I visited my market after moving to the Philippines for good.

The word palengke is a local variant of the Spanish word palenque, literally meaning "(wooden) palisade or stockade" and by extension the area enclosed by such a structure for defense, public festivals or some other purpose. The Spanish word is also used to describe a pathway or cluster of tables set up at some place of gathering such as a theatre, tournament or market, and it is from this latter sense that palengke likely derives its usage in the Filipino context.

A palengke is usually composed of several dozen stalls arranged in rows under a shared roof. Management is usually by the local governmental units whose jurisdiction encompasses the physical location of the markets. Certain pieces of legislation, however, such as the Cooperatives Code (RA 7160) and the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (RA 8435) have prescribed that management of the markets be accomplished through cooperatives. There is little control over the day-to-day management of individual stalls, including commodity pricing. This has resulted in what has been called "palengke mechanics". A cited example would be the price of chicken during the local 2007 holiday season; lack of demand for the product resulted in prices going up rather than down. It was stated that this was the result of local retailers raising prices to recover financial losses from low demand. The Philippine government retains some control over the price of some commodities sold in palengkes, especially critical foods such as rice. The National Food Authority calls this regulation campaign (specifically for rice), Palengke Watch.

Covid-19’s far-reaching effect on a turtle sanctuary

 

Green turtle (Credit: Gerald Nowak/Getty Images)

By Hope Ngo, BBC London

Apo Island in the Philippines once depended on tourism to help its efforts to save rare local turtles. So what happened when the pandemic brought tourism to a standstill?

It may be at the apex of the Coral Triangle, but the Philippines isn't exactly on top of mind when it comes to global marine resource protection efforts. While it boasts thousands of different species of fish, coral, and other forms of marine life, it is also the world's third-worst plastic polluter after China and Indonesia. The environmental group Ocean Conservancy says the country is responsible for generating and adding as much as 2.7 million metric tonnes of plastic waste to the environment each year.

Yet it is here, in this environmentally beleaguered archipelago, that the endangered green turtle and its reptilian cousin, the hawksbill turtle, have managed to find a niche where they are given proper sanctuary. The area, located in central Philippines, is just 70 hectares (172 acres) in size, with a coral reef of just over 100 hectares (247 acres), a modest 15% of which is a marine reserve. Apo Island isn't only remarkable because it has been able to sustain a small, steady population of green and hawksbill turtles – the reef is also home to as many as 385 different species of fish, and several species of dolphins.

Hilconida Calumpong, who served as a board member of the Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Protected Area Management Board, says the turtles – mostly juveniles and subadults – are drawn to the verdant coral reefs now found in the area. "The green turtles feed mainly on algae and sponges while the hawksbills feed mainly on sponges and invertebrates," she says. "Apo Island has large coral reefs which host many species of algae and invertebrates. [We also have] seagrass meadows and coral reefs, [which] line the coast of mainland Negros Islands, and also host populations of turtles, which come from the Indopacific, Indonesia and Malaysia."

To help the hawksbill turtles further, Calumpong notes that a specific nesting area was set up some years back.  

Apo Island and its modest, but thriving green turtle population, is a rare success story for a country whose reefs are no longer seen to be in "excellent" condition. Some 90% of the more than 16,800 square kilometres (10,000 sq miles) considered to be in fair condition at best, or poor at worst. At one point, the area was plagued with the same problems seen in most parts of the country – there were tourists (plenty of them) and fishermen were using the same destructive methods that had been in use since the 1960s. These included the use of dynamite, cyanide, and bottom trawling in an attempt to catch a dwindling number of fish.

The success of Apo Island comes on the back of an earlier experiment which saw researchers, headed by marine biologist Angel Alcala from the central Philippine Silliman University, launch a conservation project on a nearby island.  This area was known as a haven for whale sharks. It was there that the university tested a pilot scheme that involved the establishment of marine sanctuaries in the Philippines. "At that time, it was just the concept of marine sanctuary, setting aside a portion of the waters, about one-third of the coastal waters, and designating that as a 'no-take' fishery, with the hopes that fishery stocks would go up and eventually spill out over the protected area," says former Silliman University President Ben Malayang, who worked on the early stages of the project.

Alcala understands the project is not easily replicated, even in coastal marine areas where it is needed the most

While the nascent marine reserve was an economic success, a change in policy meant that control over the area reverted to the local government. It was then that Alcala and his team decided to set up a different marine reserve on Apo Island.

But by this time, the conservation group's approach had changed. "The tack in Sumilon was: science first, then convince people of the science, rather than to convince people of the utility of the science to them. In Apo, Silliman researchers organised the people first, before they established the protected area," Malayang says.

Alcala and his team enlisted the local fishing community, which had about 500-600 fishermen, so they could act as partners to protect and manage the area that would later become the Apo Island sanctuary. He says the biggest challenge in establishing the "no-take" area involved convincing the local community that it would be in their best interest to stop fishing in the most abundant part of the reef.

"I remember that in the early years of our work in Apo some fishermen and the barangay captain [local community leader] refused to accept the proposal to create a protected area on the most productive part of the reef," says Alcala. "Their reason was that fishermen would not be able to fish at this site if it became the no-take Marine Protected Area. So they suggested that the sanctuary be set up at another site which was less productive. Our team had to agree to hasten the process of setting up the sanctuary."

Covid-19 has proven to be a mixed blessing for the endangered turtles struggling at Apo Island and in other protected reefs around the country

Even as he acknowledges that the project's greatest successes resulted in the recovery of Apo's green turtle population, as well as prosperity for the island’s residents, Alcala understands the project is not easily replicated, even in coastal marine areas where it is needed the most. "One main issue in replicating the Apo project is the empowerment of local communities so that people responsible for management will remain faithful to their commitment to conserve marine resources. This requires the process of community organising, which appears to be rarely practiced in the country. There is a need for social scientists to participate in all conservation projects in the country," he says.

Covid-19 has proven to be a mixed blessing for the endangered turtles struggling at Apo Island and in other protected reefs around the country. Krystal Dayne Villananda, the protected area superintendent of the much larger, and separate Apo Reef Natural Park 500km (310 miles), away and in the province of Occidental Mindoro, says the drastic fall in tourist numbers has led to greatly diminished incomes. This sharp fall has in turn hurt budgets for the conservation and protection of national parks.

But even as Villananda is concerned about the impact of climate change on the turtles' habitat, "we noticed the increasing number of sea turtles crawling to the island, even in places intended for tourists before Covid", she says. "The undisturbed ecosystem is one of the major factors for the increase in the number of crawls." The number of crown-of-thorns starfish, which feed on coral, also dropped in the area she manages, adds Villananda.

There should be a new way of requiring visitors to register before coming to the island – Angel Alcala

Where the Apo Island Protected Seascape and Landscape area is concerned at least, fewer tourists might be less of an issue for marine biologists like Alcala, who is worried about what the tourism, water pollution, and typhoons triggered by climate change will eventually do to the delicate reef area. "There should be a new way of requiring visitors to register before coming to the island," says Alcala. "There have also been reports of water pollution, which need immediate attention. The high frequency of occurrence of typhoons these days make it necessary for the Apo community to extend the no-take zone to the western part of the island, where typhoons could cause the least damage to the coral reef."

But Malayang is slightly more optimistic, noting that there are certain physical factors that limit the presence of tourists on Apo Island, most notably a lack of fresh water supplies. He also believes that education has shown the island's inhabitants that sustainable living practices must continue in order for the area’s economy and ecology to continue to thrive. 

700 Malibago Trees planted in celebration of the Earth Day.

 

Davao de Oro Province--- 700 seedlings of Malibago Trees were planted by the employees of PLGU Davao de Oro, LGU Nabunturan, Philippine National Police, officials and functionaries of Brgy. Antequera and other participating agencies and organizations during the recently conducted tree planting activity in celebration of the Earth Day.

 

This year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth” reminds everyone to focus and work on innovations that could revitalize ecosystems that plays a role in every biome in the planet.

The activity was successfully conducted through the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in partnership with MENRO of LGU-Nabunturan.

 

“Atong dipinsahan ang atung kinaiyahan kay adunay ginaingun nga ang Ginoo makapasaylo kanato, pero kung ang kinaiyahan na ang mutawag sa pagbalik sa atung gipanghimo lisod gyud nato kining mapugngan ug usa sa solusyon arun ato kining mapugngan ang pagtanom ug daghang kahoy." said Jessie Teody Tagalog, Brgy Captain of Antequera.

The tree planting activity was conducted at the Tumbaling Creek of Brgy. Antequera. The native Malibago tree is suited to areas near river banks or estuaries as its roots firmly holds soil and prevents erosion during heavy rains and flashfloods. 

(Jasteen Abella, Information Division Davao de Oro, photos by Reynaldo Renoblas)

Typical Filipino (XI) - Typisch Philippinisch (XI): Car Blessing - Autosegnung

 

By Andrea Nicole

It’s legitimate. Car blessing is a thing practiced here in the Philippines. Well, in other places around the globe actually, especially those believing in Christian or Catholic teachings. The Catholic Church even devoted a chapter on how to administer the blessing on inanimate objects that serve man’s needs. Found in the Roman Ritual (Rituale Romanum), ordinary things can receive liturgical blessings — bridges, wells, and yes, including cars.

What is a Car Blessing?

A blessing rite refers to a ceremonial act where a person of authority in church will offer a prayer to something or someone. In this case, a car. Usually, pastors, priests, or deacons handle this ceremony. House blessings might be more familiar to some, but car blessings work just the same way as the former.

In some practices, especially with the Catholics, cars are sprinkled with holy water. While others involve laying off hands as a physical act of blessing.

Why Do People Get Their Cars Blessed?

Custom or tradition: For some, it’s just something they were used to doing. Blessing ordinary items, for instance, might be normal for those who grew up with a religious family. Many believe that nothing bad will possibly come out of it. So, why not do it anyway?

A form of offering: Having the car blessed is one way of saying that the owner offers it to whoever eternal being one believes in. Besides, there is a notion that every blessing received comes from God. Therefore, it should be offered back to him as well. When the car is dedicated to God, it also becomes sacred as people believe.

A declaration of freedom: This is probably the most practical reason why people want their cars to be blessed. This is believed to cast away evil influences over the property. When a prayer is uttered, the people gathered agree in asking for the safety and protection of those who’ll use it. 

A declaration of success: The ceremony is also like claiming success for the car's intended purpose. May it be for personal transportation, business, or others.

[Photo Courtesy: Klaus Döring, Car blessing in Berlin 1988]

Es ist legitim. Hier auf den Philippinen wird das Segen von Autos praktiziert. Nun ja, eigentlich auch an anderen Orten auf der Welt, vor allem dort, wo man an christliche oder katholische Lehren glaubt. Die katholische Kirche hat sogar ein Kapitel darüber gewidmet, wie man den Segen auf unbelebte Objekte verteilt, die den Bedürfnissen des Menschen dienen. Im römischen Ritual (Rituale Romanum) können gewöhnliche Dinge liturgische Segnungen erhalten – Brücken, Brunnen und ja, auch Autos.

Was ist eine Autosegnung?

Ein Segensritus bezieht sich auf einen zeremoniellen Akt, bei dem eine Autoritätsperson in der Kirche ein Gebet für etwas oder jemanden spricht. In diesem Fall ein Auto. Normalerweise wird diese Zeremonie von Pastoren, Priestern oder Diakonen durchgeführt. Haussegnungen mögen einigen vertrauter sein, aber Autosegnungen funktionieren genauso wie erstere.

In einigen Praktiken, insbesondere bei den Katholiken, werden Autos mit Weihwasser besprengt. Bei anderen handelt es sich um einen körperlichen Segensakt, bei dem man die Hände ablegt.

Warum lassen Menschen ihre Autos segnen?

Brauchtum oder Tradition: Für manche ist es einfach etwas, was sie gewohnt sind. Für diejenigen, die in einer religiösen Familie aufgewachsen sind, kann es zum Beispiel normal sein, gewöhnliche Gegenstände zu segnen. Viele glauben, dass daraus möglicherweise nichts Schlimmes entstehen wird. Warum also nicht trotzdem tun?

Eine Form der Gabe: Die Segnung des Autos ist eine Möglichkeit zu sagen, dass der Besitzer es dem ewigen Wesen schenkt, an das man glaubt. Außerdem gibt es die Vorstellung, dass jede Segnung, die man erhält, von Gott kommt. Deshalb sollte es ihm auch zurückgegeben werden. Wenn das Auto Gott geweiht wird, wird es nach dem Glauben der Menschen auch heilig.

Eine Freiheitserklärung: Dies ist wahrscheinlich der praktischste Grund, warum Menschen wollen, dass ihre Autos gesegnet werden. Es wird angenommen, dass dadurch böse Einflüsse auf das Eigentum beseitigt werden. Wenn ein Gebet gesprochen wird, sind sich die versammelten Menschen darin einig, um die Sicherheit und den Schutz derjenigen zu bitten, die es sprechen. 

Eine Erfolgserklärung: Die Zeremonie ist auch wie eine Erfolgserklärung für den beabsichtigten Zweck des Autos. Sei es für den persönlichen Transport, geschäftlich oder für andere Zwecke.

[Foto mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Klaus Döring, Autosegnung in Berlin 1988]

PEF, AUSTRALIA AND BUKIDNON LGU RELEASE PHILIPPINE EAGLE INTO THE WILD

 

By: Ian Ray Garcia, Davao City

On Earth Day 2021, a rescued and rehabilitated Philippine Eagle was released back to its forest home. Tagoyaman Fernando is among the seven Philippine Eagles that were rescued last year - the highest rescue rate recorded in the history of Philippine Eagle conservation - and the first to be released back to the wild this year. 

Tagoyaman’s release was made possible through the support of the Australian Government, Whitley Fund for Nature, Jurong Bird Park, DENR Region X, and the local government of San Fernando and Bukidnon. 

“Rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing Philippine Eagles in the middle of a pandemic is very challenging. It’s difficult to mobilize field operations when travel restrictions are imposed and sources of funds are shut down. Still, we are able to persevere, thanks to the support of the Australian Government and other conservation partners,” said Philippine Eagle Foundation executive director Dennis Salvador. 

The short program in honor of Tagoyaman’s release was attended by the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson AO, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, San Fernando Vice Mayor Norberto Catalan, and Philippine Eagle Foundation trustee Francis Ledesma. 

“The Australian Embassy is proud to continue our support to the Philippine Eagle Foundation for the protection and preservation of the Philippine Eagle. |I travelled to Bukidnon to witness Tagoyaman’s release because it is an important milestone in the Philippines’ efforts in conserving local wildlife biodiversity. Australia stands with our friends in the Philippines as they protect their natural resources, in their lands or seas. This initiative reinforces our deep and expanding relationship as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Ambassador Robinson said. 

Tagoyaman was retrieved on October 2020 in San Fernando, Bukidnon, after getting accidentally caught in a native trap intended for other animals. The bird was then brought to the Philippine Eagle Center for further check-up and rehabilitation. 

“We hope to see Tagoyaman successfully breed and contribute to his species’ wild population in the future. His release on Earth Day is also our resounding call for long-term solutions to our problematic relationship with nature and wildlife. We believe that by conserving the Philippine Eagle and the biodiversity it represents, we can avoid another disease outbreak,” Salvador said. 

The PEF, through the support of its conservation partners has also taken measures for Tagoyaman’s survival in the wild. An education campaign targeting communities surrounding the release site was conducted and Indigenous forest guards were trained to perform voluntary forest patrols and monitor Tagoyaman’s movements using the GPS transmitter attached to its back, for the next six months. 

“Collaborations and partnerships play a big role in Philippine Eagle conservation. The PEF can’t save the eagles alone. We need the help of our local communities, government agencies, the private sector, and the Filipino people so that one day Philippine Eagles will thrive in the wild,” Salvador added.

ACCEPTANCE

 When my brother-in-law Archie was torn from the center of his and our life by a heart attack a few days ago, I was in shock. Not only me. The whole family. He was just 59. Minutes before his death, we kept on joking. The whole family had to accept it his sudden death,

Have you ever wanted something so badly but you felt like you couldn’t do anything about it? How would you describe your state during those times? Archie is in heaven now. Sure. Thank you Lord.

Chances are that you experienced one or more of these emotions: frustration, neediness, helplessness, powerlessness, irritation, desperation, anxiousness, nervousness, anxiety, and possibly depression.

Before you beat yourself up for feeling this way, you should know that your feelings are perfectly normal. Most people experience inner turbulence whenever they feel unable to control an outcome that’s important to them. That’s because we dislike the unknown. We perceive the unknown as a threat to our survival. We tend to associate control with security and even power.

Currently, things are in flux, but our response to uncertainty hasn’t changed. We still have a need to try to control our environment. The possibility of losing a job or a business deal or being rejected by someone we fancy is not going to kill us, but we may feel as if it could.

Accepting what we don’t like may be one of the most difficult aspects of life. To solve challenges, we normally try to take positive action and change what we can, but inevitably there will be people, situations, and events we don’t like and that we aren’t able to change.

Do you find yourself trying to change things you have no control over? If so, you probably find it difficult to be satisfied and content with life. If we can’t change a situation or an outcome our best option is to learn how to accept it and deal with it.

Acceptance is not the same as resignation or passivity. We can continue to push forward despite accepting that there are things beyond our control. Here are a few tips to living with greater acceptance so you can have more joy and peace of mind.

 We all have baggage that we carry from our past, and this baggage gets heavier the longer we hold onto it. Many people have a hard time letting go of the past. We carry a mental reminder of our mistakes and losses with us everywhere we go, not realizing how much they steal from our present joy and contentment.

We can’t change the past. What happened in your past happened, so our only hope is to learn how to accept our past and move forward.

At one point or another life will present us with an unexpected turn of events. It may be a difficult loss or a failure of epic proportions that we aren’t prepared to deal with. Sometimes these events are beyond our current ability to cope. So, part of the acceptance process is learning new ways to cope with a crisis.

Keep your emotions in check so you can make a more conscious decision about how to deal with a difficult situation.

Sometimes the “worst” thing that happens to us ends up being the most fundamental part of our personal growth. It is easier to accept something when we explore the opportunities and possibilities that come out of it. What can you learn from your difficulty? How has your difficulty made you a stronger person?

We live in a world that tells us to want more, be more, and do more. This isn’t always a negative message, but it often gets in the way of our life satisfaction. When something doesn’t meet our expectations, we are disappointed and angry. Life can appear purposeless, unfair, and ruthless if our expectations are unrealistic.

So, instead of expecting something to happen, or expecting a person or event to act a certain way, try to focus on accepting and creating. Focus on what you want to create instead of what you expect to happen. Creation is motivating, expectation is demanding.

When we run into failure or setbacks it can feel like we are stuck with nowhere to turn. Life will take unexpected turns and when this happens our trajectory might have to change as well. There is a point where it is in our best interest to move on and let go of what we want. If something doesn’t work the way we planned, don’t get caught up in the outcome.

Instead of doing the same thing and expecting different results, accept things aren’t working the way you planned and do something different.

You may not be able change what you’re going through right now, but this doesn’t mean you can’t live a full and meaningful life. You can adapt and adjust to your present circumstances.

Stop avoiding difficult issues and only focusing on what you can’t change. Focus on what you can do about the situation, and if you can’t change something it’s time to accept this reality.

Ask yourself, “What do I need to accept so that I can be happier and more fulfilled?”

Adopting a spiritual outlook provides a psychological cushion to cope with our perceived lack of control. It comforts us with the notion that there is a divine order behind everything that occurs in life and that there’s a reason why things happen the way that they do. It’s reassuring to know that there’s a benevolent force that’s got our back and supports our personal evolution.

Nothing good has ever come from worrying. It induces anxiety and is a major energy drainer. Whenever you worry, you operate from the frequency of fear, which will immobilize you. If we’re not careful, we can go down a tailspin of “what if?” loops and scary visions of all the possible things that could go wrong.

The only way we can get out of this rabbit hole is by letting go of our fears and worries and replacing them with optimism, faith in the future, and probably learning better coping skills with a licensed therapist.

Anxiety caused by the excessive need to control circumstances will wear down your mental energy and focus. You can regain power by surrendering your control over a situation. You’ll realize that although you have no way of controlling the events or people involved in a certain situation, you do have control over how you feel and how you react.

Based on what you know, you can create a plan and proactively follow through with it. You’ll feel more empowered knowing that you’ve done the best you could and you’re open to all possible outcomes.

Letting go of control is, essentially, an act of faith whether spiritual or otherwise. Faith can get us through foggy times of uncertainty and help us navigate through the dark valleys where we can’t see where we’re heading. Faith will illuminate our path and lead us down to our destiny if we allow it to.

My neutral attitude toward the country, the Philippines I lived in gradually made me see a more balanced view of it and eventually, appreciate the positive aspects. I noticed, for example, that the town Davao City had beautiful parks and ponds, and that some people living there were interesting and kind. Developing understanding and acceptance opened the doors for a change.

As I became more open-minded and happier within the years, I started noticing and acting on new opportunities. For example, I came across information about how to start my own working life and thus acted on it.

This non-resisting attitude made me dissolve some of the limits of my mind and thus I became more intuitive. This intuition eventually led me to the country where I felt most at home - Philippines. If I had never learned this lesson of non-resistance, I would probably still be stuck somewhere somehow, cursing my situation to this day.

Wherever you are and whatever you experience, try to be at peace with it. If it’s hard to think positively about your situation, at least don’t focus on the negatives, and instead focus on something you’d like to experience.

It may help to make a list of things you’re grateful for and the positive aspects of whatever you resist. Focus on those aspects completely, and soon your mind will become more positive and more accepting of your present circumstances.

This shift in focus will eventually open the door to circumstances that are more empowering and positive. Even my eyes are full of tears remembering my brother-of-law who was a real brother for me during my life as an expat in the Philippines during the last 22 years.

Blackpink's Rosé looks stunning as Tiffany & Co.'s newest ambassador

 

by John Legaspi

Manila Bulletin

A new gem is added to the list of ambassadors of luxury label Tiffany & Co., and that is Rosé. The member of K-pop girl group Blackpink made it official through an Instagram post on April 21, 2021.

“I am so excited to finally announce to you that I have officially joined the Tiffany and Co. family with their stunning Hardware line,” the Korean-Australian singer posted. 

In Tiffany and Co.’s latest digital campaign, Rosé is modelling pieces from the brand’s Hardware line. Embodying the spirit of New York, the collection was “inspired by the ‘Ball and Chain’ bracelet from 1971.” It presents wrap bracelets, ball earrings, and chain link necklaces made of 18k gold and sterling silver. 

This is not the first time Rosé was seen wearing the piece. According to WWD, the singer previously donned jewelry from the collection during the promotion of her singles “On the Ground” and “Gone” months ago. Going even further than that, she revealed to Vogue that she’s been wearing Tiffany jewelry since she was in high school. 

“Growing up, Tiffany & Co. was always such an iconic jewelry brand and I’m proud to be working with them. This is a dream come true,” she said.

The Hardware campaign will be featured at Tiffany’s flagship store in Manhattan starting in May.