Endure, persevere with faith and hope

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          GIVEN the fact that we have already been warned by Christ

that the world will end badly and that in our life, we will always

have some trouble, (cfr. Lk 21,12-19) we should be properly prepared

for this condition in our life by learning how to suffer with faith,

hope and optimism, how to endure and persevere in the drama of our

life.

          We have to remember that if Christ could not help but had to

offer his life to save us, how can we think that our life and the

world in general would take a different path? Remember Christ telling

his disciples, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they

persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (Jn 15,20) But let’s

always keep in mind his assurance, “In this world you will have

trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)

          Let’s just have to learn how to suffer, always with Christ,

that is, with faith, hope and optimism, convinced that all these

troubles will always be for the good. It would also help a lot if we

maintain a sporting spirit in life with a good and healthy sense of

humor.

          To be sure, we can manage to find joy in suffering only if

we identify ourselves with Christ. With Christ, suffering becomes an

act of selfless love that can take on anything. Only in him can we

find joy and meaning in suffering. With him, suffering loses its

purely negative and painful character, and assumes the happy salvific

character.

          We need to process this truth of our faith thoroughly,

always asking for God’s grace and training all our powers and

faculties to adapt to this reality. That’s why Christ told us clearly

that if we want to follow him, we simply have to deny ourselves, carry

the cross and follow him. There’s no other formula, given our wounded

human condition.

          This self-denial and carrying of Christ’s cross will enable

us to see that suffering is obviously the consequence of all our

sins—ours and those of others. Embracing suffering the way Christ

embraced his cross unites our suffering with that of Christ.

          For us to have this conviction, we really need to deepen and

strengthen our faith which will lead us to have an unwavering hope

that despite whatever, everything would just turn out right.

          With faith and hope, we can manage to endure anything and to

persevere, because as St. Paul told us once: “God, who began the good

work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished

on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phil 1,6)

          The Pauline words somehow tell us that the secret of

perseverance is our strong faith in God, in his omnipotent and

merciful providence that can always make do with whatever situation we

may find ourselves in any given moment.

          We have to see to it that we keep that faith alive and

burning. And to make that faith vibrant, we need to keep ourselves

always in love. It’s love that keeps our faith going. It should be a

love that goes beyond good intentions, sweet words and nice feelings.

It has to be expressed in deeds.

          One clear manifestation of an operative love that nourishes

our faith that in turn enables us to persevere and to be faithful to

the end is the practice of a daily examination of conscience. Such

practice will help us to be always vigilant and properly focused and

directed.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Christian poverty, generosity, self-giving

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THAT gospel story of the poor widow giving her two small

coins into the temple treasury (cfr. Lk 21,1-4) once again reminds us

about how true Christian poverty leads to generosity and total

self-giving which is the very essence of love that in turn is the very

essence of God, as St. John says it so explicitly, “Deus caritas est.”

(1 Jn 4,16)

          One lesson we can learn from that episode is that generosity

is not a matter of how much we give but rather of total detachment

from the things of this world so that our heart can only be for God.

We therefore have to be wary of our strong, if often subtle,

attachment to the things of this world such that our heart would at

best be a divided heart, which is actually an impossibility.

          We have to learn to let go of our possessions, our

preferences, our opinions, etc., until we can say that we are letting

go of our whole selves so as to give everything to God.

          This is what generosity is all about. Instead of feeling

emptied, we feel filled with peace and joy. No earthly happening can

add or diminish that peace and joy. It’s a peace and joy that can only

be the effect of having God with us. As St. Teresa once said, “Solo

Dios basta,” with God we have enough.

          Christian poverty is never a state of misery and pure

suffering and privation, even if in human eyes it can be seen that

way. It is always motivated by love of God and neighbor, and is filled

with all goodness, generosity and magnanimity.

          It is a spirit of total self-giving that goes beyond any

effort at quantification and measure. It’s never a matter of how much

we give and keep. It’s purely a matter of total self-giving that

identifies us with God of whom we are supposed to be his image and

likeness.

          We have to learn to develop and live this true spirit of

Christian poverty which first of all would need God’s grace which we

have to constantly beg and, of course, to exert our all-out effort. We

have to learn to continually conquer our tendency to be improperly

attached to earthly things, even as we know that the things of this

world are also important, but only as means, never as ends in

themselves.

          Yes, we have to continually rectify our intentions and give

ourselves concrete standards, criteria and goals to guide us in the

way we use the things of this world while living true Christian

poverty.

          We have to learn how to live Christian poverty while using

the things of this world. While it’s true that Christ told the rich

young man, and us, to “sell everything and give to the poor…and come,

follow me,” (Mk 10,21), we need to understand that the Christian

spirit of poverty and detachment does not prevent us from having the

things of this world, like money.

          But, yes, we need to be careful that our having the things

of this world does not undermine our love for God. If ever, the things

of this world should be pursued and used for the sole purpose of

loving God and everybody else. We are not angels. We are not pure

spirits. We need things to live and survive, and to give glory to God

and to help everybody else.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

COVID: Germany faces 'national emergency'

The hospitalization incidence will be the new benchmark for tougher COVID regulations in Germany.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn on Friday said that the pandemic situation has worsened over the past week and it's now "more serious than last week," adding that the country is facing "a national emergency." 

When asked about the possibility of imposing a new lockdown for everyone, he said: "We're in a situation where we can't rule anything out."

The comments came as Germany's upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, approved new restrictions to curb COVID, a day after the lower house passed the measures.

Spahn was talking at a press conference together with Lothar Wieler, the head of the country's infectious disease agency the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). 

Wieler painted a dramatic picture of the coronavirus situation, pointing out that in over a quarter of districts nationwide, the seven-day incidence rate is above 500 new infections per 100,000 people and that many hospitals are at breaking point. "We need to turn the tide. There's really no time to lose."

Wieler also stressed the importance of vaccinations. "Vaccinations are working very, very well," he said, adding: "We need to close the vaccination gaps now."

What is the current COVID situation in Germany?

In the past two weeks, the number of new cases has jumped by more than 60%.

On Friday, Germany recorded 52,970 daily new infections, a day after registering over 65,000 daily cases, a record since the start of the pandemic. Health officials are warning that the number is likely to at least double in the coming days.

Uwe Janssens, secretary-general of the German Society for Internal Intensive Care, told DW the numbers were "absolutely worrying."

He pointed out that patients who suffer severe disease after getting infected with the virus end up in the intensive care unit much later, "with a delay of up to 15 days."

"Currently, around 0.8% of infected people will have to be treated further in an intensive care unit during the course of an infection," he said. And if there are 50,000-60,000 new infections a day, "you can count how many people will reach the intensive care units in 7 to 10 to 12 days."

The situation is becoming "too much to handle," he stressed. 

What are the new rules?

As per the new rules, the so-called hospitalization incidence will be the new benchmark for introducing tougher COVID regulations in the country.

According to that metric, if more than three inhabitants per 100,000 in a region are hospitalized with COVID, the "2G" rule will apply for all public leisure activities in a given state — referring to the shorthand in Germany for a rule that allows freedoms like access to restaurants and hotels only to those who are either vaccinated or have recovered from COVID.

The "2G+" rule will kick in when the hospitalization incidence hits a value of six per 100,000, meaning even the vaccinated and recovered people will be required to produce an additional negative COVID test result. From a value of nine, further measures such as contact restrictions are to be implemented.

At present, all German states except Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Saarland are above the value of three. Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are above the value of nine.

What else has been agreed?

The plans include mandatory daily testing for employees and visitors of care homes, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not.

They also include "3G" rules (vaccinated, recovered, or tested) requiring people to show proof of full vaccination or recovery or a valid negative COVID test result for workplaces and on public transport.

Rapid antigen tests will remain free of charge for everyone. Work from home rules would also be reinstated. Nurses, especially those working in intensive care facilities, will receive a bonus.

Germany's 16 states will be also able to retain and introduce protective measures. This includes restricting or prohibiting recreational, cultural, and sporting events, banning entry to healthcare facilities and the sale and public consumption of alcohol, and closing universities.

Measures will not include school closures, blanket travel restrictions, or mandatory vaccination.

The new rules are likely to come into force next week.

What other steps can Germany take?

Talking to DW, German Green Party lawmaker and doctor Paula Piechotta said the country should only introduce a general lockdown as "the measure of last resort." However, Germany is already very close to this step, she added.

"If a lot of legislators and deciders don't act, a general lockdown will be necessary," Piechotta said.

Piechotta also warned of low levels of trust in vaccines in Germany and Europe.

"If we can't achieve sufficient vaccination rates on a non-mandatory basis," she said, "we have to talk about vaccine mandates, especially for people who work in vulnerable settings like nursing homes and hospitals."

Making vaccination mandatory would be less disruptive than another general lockdown, she added.

Bavaria imposes 'de facto lockdown' for the unvaccinated.

Bavaria announced on Friday that it's canceling all Christmas markets in the state. 

The state government has also imposed a lockdown on all districts that have a seven-day COVID incidence rate of over 1,000 per 100,000 people.

Premier Markus Söder said there will be a "de facto lockdown" for unvaccinated people by implementing the "2G" rule across the state. 

The unvaccinated will lose access to even places like hairdressers, universities or adult education centers. There will also be contact restrictions, with the unvaccinated allowed to meet with a maximum of five people from two households.

Even in areas with incidence rates lower than 1,000, there will be restrictions.

For sports and cultural events, the number of spectators will be limited to 25% of the venue's total capacity and the "2G+" rule will apply — meaning even the vaccinated and recovered people will be required to produce an additional negative COVID test result.

In retail stores, there will be a limit on the number of customers allowed inside: one customer per 10 square meters. All retail outlets and restaurants will also have to be closed by 10 p.m.

Saxony applies new restrictions

To the north of Bavaria, the eastern German state of Saxony on Friday announced widespread public restrictions to start Monday and remain in place at least until December 12 to combat a surge in COVID cases.

Christmas markets throughout the state, including one of Germany's largest in Dresden, are canceled.

Bars, nightclubs, gyms, museums and many other public venues must close. Retail stores and restaurants may remain open until 8 p.m. under the "2G" rule. Schools and daycares will remain open. Sporting events can continue, but without an audience.

There will also be a night curfew in place starting Monday from 10:00 p.m. to 6 a.m. in districts with seven-day incidence rates of 1,000 cases per 100,000 people, said Saxony's social affairs minister, Petra Köpping. There are currently two districts in Saxony with seven-day incidence rates topping 1,000/100,000.

Health officials say the COVID surge in Saxony can be attributed to the state's lagging vaccination rate, which with less than 58% of the population fully vaccinated, is the lowest in Germany.

Meanwhile, Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) on Thursday recommended booster shots for all adults. It said the boosters should be given six months after the last vaccine shot. However, that could be shortened to five months if there is enough capacity.

The committee recommend priority for booster shots be given to the immunocompromised, people over 70, residents and caregivers at elder care homes and staff in medical facilities.

Regardless of what vaccine was given previously, mRNA vaccines should be administered as booster shots. Pregnant women after the second trimester should also receive booster shots.

Nevertheless, Germany's vaccination rate has stagnated at under 70% in recent weeks, a relatively lower vaccine take-up compared to other parts of Western Europe.

"We have to intensify vaccinations as much as possible, but above all, the boost to vaccination and unfortunately, the vaccination centers were closed, even though the development was foreseeable. Now we are chasing after things," Janssens underlined.

Hospitals under severe strain

The latest COVID wave has put hospitals in parts of Germany under immense strain.

"In the south of Germany, in Bavaria, Saxony and Baden-Württemberg and other areas, the hospitals and even the intensive care units have such a high pressure, such a high load that in some regions there are zero free intensive care unit beds," Janssens said, adding: "So we have to postpone planned operations."

Hospitals are struggling to cope because of not only rising number of patients but also a shortage of trained personnel.

Long hours, low pay and stress during the pandemic have served to put people off a job in the health care sector.

wmr,sri/rt (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)

Philippines to allow entry of foreign tourists soon — DOT

 

This undated file photo shows immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism said the Philippines would welcome international tourists for leisure travels soon.

This development came after Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) “has approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions” upon the request of the agency.

She said the entry of foreign tourists would follow the guidelines that would be finalized and approved by the IATF-EID.

The DOT said a Special Technical Working Group on Travel has been tasked to craft the said guidelines for the final approval of the IATF.

It is composed of representatives from DOT, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Health, Finance, Trade and Industry, Transportation, Labor and Employment, Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Immigration and Board of Investment, according to Department of Justice Undersecretary Jon Paulo Salvahan, the deputy of the Small Working Group on Travel.

The proposed guidelines, according to Puyat, would also be based on strict conditions.

Under this proposal, the country would open leisure travel from the “green countries” classified by the Department of Health as low-risk countries to COVID-19.

Green list

Based on the latest IATF Resolution No. 148-A signed last November 11, the following countries are classified under the “green list” from November 16 until 30:

American Samoa

Bhutan

Chad

China (Mainland)

Comoros

Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

Federated States of Micronesia

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)

India

Indonesia

Japan

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Malawi

Mali

Marshall Islands

Montserrat

Morocco

Namibia

Niger

Northern Mariana Islands

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Paraguay

Rwanda

Saint Barthelemy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Sint Eustatius

South Africa

Sudan

Taiwan

Togo

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

Zambia

Zimbabwe

The tourism agency added that only fully vaccinated individuals with vaccines recognized by the country’s Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization or those authorized by the World Health Organization would be allowed entry to the country.

Puyat said the approval of the DOT’s proposal would help the country’s tourism industry get back on its feet.

"Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts--increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others. This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product or GDP growth," Puyat said.

In 2019, the Philippines recorded 8.26 million tourist arrivals, which dropped to just 1.48 million in 2020.

The tourism industry likewise contributed 12.7% to the country’s GDP in 2019 but the DOT noted a 61.2% decrease in 2020 with only 5.4% contribution to the GDP. This is reportedly the lowest in two decades.

“According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) dropped to P973.31 billion last year compared with the P2.51 trillion in 2019.,” the DOT said in June.

Strategies for tourism industry recovery

The DOT, however, then said it is “optimistic that this transient situation will soon be over and that with the collective effort of the private and public sectors, the Philippine tourism industry will emerge bigger, better, and more resilient in the new normal.”

It lodged the following three strategies to overcome the tourism setback which are also stated in its Tourism Response and Recovery Plans: 

Ensure protection of jobs and safety of tourism workers, visitors, and communities

 

Support the recovery of tourism enterprises

 

Rebuild confidence and grow demand in the domestic and foreign market

“The pivot towards domestic tourism that led to the gradual reopening of various local sites, the lobbying for the protection of tourism workers through their inoculation, and the marketing of destinations highlighting the safe travel campaign are among the many efforts of the department that aim to facilitate the slow but sure recovery of the tourism industry,” the DOT said. 

“For the next two years, the Philippines will be positioned as a ‘safe, fun, and competitive destination’ rooted in strong partnerships with communities and visitors. This will be achieved by developing and marketing portfolio of products that harness the natural and cultural endowments to benefit the present and future tourism generation,” it added.

Puyat also said the welcome development on looming entry of international travelers to the country also came as neighboring countries have already reopened their borders to international leisure travelers.

“Our ASEAN neighbors like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia also did the same. We believe that it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery,” Puyat said.

The DOT has been proposing the green lane that will facilitate the entry of foreign visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 since May in an effort to help the reopening of the economy.

It is also working with the Small Technical Working Group on Travel for another proposal "Vaccinated Travel Lanes or Bubbles" as a special program for vaccinated tourists coming from yellow list countries, who may be able to enter the country under certain restrictions and strict conditions.

As of writing, the IATF resolution classifies all other countries/territories/jurisdictions not listed on the green list and red list as part of the yellow list. So far, only Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are under the red list.

WHAT COULD BE A CHRISTMAS GIFT?

Gift giving and receiving and Christmas simply but surely go together. Many times it incurs our indignation. Many of us defer the most important decision during the most jolliest season of the year. What is the best Christmas gift for our loved ones??? Is it really an important decision, or does it delete the real meaning of Christmas? I am sure, many of us know the real answer.

The giving spirit of the holiday season seems to fade in the light of necessary obligations and finances, along the painful dilemma of giving gifts to those who want to buy for as opposed to those for whom you should buy!

Let’s think about it: To whom are we obligated at Christmas: our boss, our cousins, our parents, our partner or our children and friends as well? What about the children? Should they give presents to people either then family members? How about the innumerable large families especially in the Philippines, because of economics, resort to the name drawing process at Christmas.

For me firstly Christmas is spirit. You can always find ways to give gifts without expenses. The most well known and always remembered gift is to give to someone like giving time. In my family we do this mostly during the holiday season.
But if I look more closely, mmh, sad to say, that “time as gift” doesn’t satisfy most of all. Well, it’s okay. There are so many ways to use your mind in terms of giving someone other things than putting Peso or Dollar notes. I am sure you know that home made gifts can also be a very good idea… .

Sure, there is etiquette of gift giving at Christmas and also other occasions. Homemade gifts are most appropriate especially as Christmas gifts, according to Stuart E. Jacobson, book author of “The Art of Giving”. Allow me to quote Jacobson, “Homemade gifts are wonderful. A gift of imagination, a gift of creativity, a gift that shows (also!) time was put into it. A created time is a wonderful present.”

When considering a homemade gift, instead of tumbling through crowded shopping malls (as I tried again yesterday!) and getting a headache (I really got!)! While stumbling from one mall to the next, I found out again, that the real and whole essence of giving a gift is to bring pleasure to the person receiving it.Jacobson says in his book, “Homemade gifts are also ideal for children to give as presents. Kids can create things because they have a unique imagination. Children should feel free to give something to anyone they spend a lot of time with. No monetary value should be placed on what a child should give to someone.”

Very well said. I am just afraid that it seems more or less impossible nowadays in these modern times… .

The Solemnity of Christ the King

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THIS Solemnity marks the end of a liturgical year, somehow

reminding us that as long as we are still in this temporal world, we

have to go through a cycle of beginning and ending, until we spin off

to the world of eternity where our definitive life and home is.

          With this ending of the liturgical year, we are reminded

that we are presented year after year with the whole life and mystery

of Christ who is actually everything to us, for he is our “way, the

truth and the life.” We are given a chance not only to know him, but

also to love and serve him, which is what is most important to us, the

ultimate purpose of our life.

          Many things come to mind when we try to consider the

significance of the solemnity of Christ the King. Christ is our King

because in the first place we come from him and we belong to him in

the strictest sense of the words “come” and “belong.”

          As God the Son, the second person of the Blessed Trinity,

Christ is the very pattern of our humanity, which happens to be the

masterpiece of his creation. As God who became man, he is our Savior

who redeemed us after we spoiled our original creation. How Christ is

should also be how we should be. We are supposed to be “alter

Christus,” if not “ipse Christus.” That is actually our radical

identity.

          There could therefore be no greater king than him. His

kingship is not merely political or social. His kingship penetrates

the very core of our being and covers the whole range of our humanity

in all its aspects, conditions and circumstances. His kingship rules

us in our entirety, both body and soul. And He is king to each one of

us individually as well as to all of us collectively.

          His kingdom is already with us. That’s why at one time,

Christ said: “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Lk 17,21)

At the same time, it is still to be perfected in some other time,

place or, better said, state of life. Thus, he also said: “My kingship

is not of this world.” (Jn 18,36)

          The Solemnity of Christ the King should also remind us that

whatever we begin in life we should also end well, that ending well

ultimately means making Christ our king, the “all in all” in us, the

be-all and end-all of our life, and that the way to achieve it is to

learn to love the way Christ has loved us and continues to love us.

          Learning the art of ending well the things in general is not

a matter of solving all our problems and perfectly achieving all the

earthly goals we have set for ourselves. That will never happen. When

we die, there will still be unfinished businesses, let alone, problems

unsolved, challenges not yet tackled.

          Rather, ending things well is a matter of reconciling

ourselves with God and with everybody else. Thus, everyday, before we

go to bed, we should make sure that we ask forgiveness from God for

any weakness, fault or sin we may have committed during the day, as

well as asking forgiveness from anyone whom we may have wronged in

some way.

          We have to make sure that we end the day with Christ always,

and not just with some work accomplished and achieved. That’s how we

would really make Christ our King!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

What it's like staying in the Philippines for a week?

 

Bisaya

https://barokandtakya.com

It's so easy to get lost in the beauty of this country. You can't help but be astounded by how blended and different these people are, their culture, beliefs, tales of daily life. The kindness. The openness to welcome you into their lives with the recognition that your presence there will make theirs richer for it; no better way to find yourself than not only exploring the landscapes that paint themselves across kilometers and years at a time but to meet the inhabitants that call them home every day like they're doing us all a favor by existing. It's unusual because there isn't much difference between rural life here and urban life - people flow freely between both; neighborhoods morph quickly from one central hub into another without formal recognition of the change. Within a kilometer of being outside your resort, you're likely to be fishing under makeshift docks with local children, slurping on soft coconuts that have fallen from the palms overhead (with their adorable accompanying "hacks" to open them), sitting in someone's backyard or front porch sharing noodles and fruit juice or a packed lunch. You start to understand the value of a handshake in a country where it's prevalent for strangers passing on the street to stop, chat and exchange numbers for catching up later over dinner or coffee.

The food is one of the most incredible things to come home with you from this trip - every meal feels like an adventure into something you've never had before, like an argument with yourself over whether or not you'll be able to try it all. It feels like family here because there's so much flavor packed inside everything they cook, every meal made to order exactly how you want it. They love their fried things, their salty things, but I always find myself leaving satisfied and yet somehow still wanting more because it's just that good.

After spending a week in the Philippines, I can tell you that it's no wonder, so many tourists come to this country. The culture is vibrant, with beautiful natural scenery all around. There are some challenges here, too, of course- but they're worth overcoming if your goal is happiness or enjoying life more fully. If you ever get the chance to visit this place yourself, don't pass up on it!

What is the Philippines like?

By Geraldine Lorente

I travel to explore, most of the times to work. What keeps me sane is dancing.

I’ll instead show you what my country is like:

Blessed with more than 7000 islands, we do have some nice beaches making it a popular tourist destination.

Cebu:

Surigao:

We eat often, typically 5 times a day (snacks in between lunch and dinner), with rice as our staple food. Palette is more on the sweet side (who would put sugar in spaghetti, right?). However, we do have a lot of cuisines available (american, japanese, indian, italian, you name it!)

Cost of living is generally low. 1 USD can buy you a lunch at your nearest canteen, meal from a fast food would be around 3 USD, 10 USD when dining at a restaurant.

My 10 USD dinner as seen below. Our serving size is typically smaller as compared to western countries.

Religion is predominantly Roman Catholic, you can see a lot of churches everywhere. This was influenced by the Spaniards who conquered us for 300 years. Generally speaking, the country is still conservative and traditional.

(image c/o google)

Politics is often an interesting discussion because of current president, Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. There are also war on religion somtimes especially on the southern island of the country, Mindanao.

People are generally friendly and optimistic. Here is a picture I took last week when we had a typhoon, streets were flooded and yet these people are still smiling!

We have beautiful tan skin but most of us want to have whiter complexion. Glutathione and papaya soaps everywhere!

Family ties is strong so it is still common to have an extended family living in one roof.

There is such thing called “filipino time”. If the appointment time is at 12noon most of us will be there by 1230 or 1pm.

Traffic is bad, drivers are creative especially those who are driving jeepneys and motorcycles. The train and bus system is not that good as well,l. There is no regular schedule of trips as opposed to other countries, no defined stops as well for public transportation.

(image c/o google)

Most of us can speak english, which contributes to the growth of the shared services industry in our country.

Overall, a good mix of crazy yet awesome country!

www.quora.com

IATF green-lights limited face-to-face classes in colleges, universities under ALS

by Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has approved resolution no. 148-G, which adopts the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) proposed phased implementation of limited face-to-face classes for all programs under the Alert Levels System (ALS) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response.

This was announced in a statement by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Wednesday, Nov. 17, saying that the approval was handed down by IATF the previous day.

“Based under the guidelines on the nationwide implementation of [ALS] for COVID-19 response, limited face-to-face classes are now allowed under alert levels 1, 2 and 3, subject to certain conditions, such as (1) 50 percent indoor venue capacity, (2) no opposition from the local government unit (LGU) concerned, and (3) participation of fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching personnel and students only,” the statement read.

“Under the said proposal, the CHED is mandated to execute the phased implementation program to ensure the safe reopening of higher education campuses,” Nograles, who was recently named acting presidential spokesperson, also stated.

The phase 1 implementation period shall be from December 2021 onwards. During this phase, all higher education institutions (HEIs) in areas under alert level 2 may apply for limited face-to-face classes, Nograles said.

Meanwhile, the phase 2 implementation period shall be from January 2022 onwards. In this phase, all HEIs in areas under alert level 3 may apply for limited face-to-face classes.

The phased implementation of face-to-face classes in HEIs shall be done consistent with Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001, or the guidelines on the gradual reopening of campuses of higher education institutions (HEIs) for limited face-to-face classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, issued by CHED and the Department of Health (DOH).

This circular serves as a guide for HEIs that intend to hold limited face-to-face classes and are willing to assume the responsibilities for the reopening of their campuses based on the following: (1) their capability to comply with health and safety protocols, (2) to retrofit their facilities, and (3) to get the support of their stakeholders.

“The IATF would like to reiterate that the phased implementation of limited face-to-face classes in HEIs should be done alongside the continued implementation of proactive measures and restrictions that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and have contributed to the steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the country. These include the vaccination of all eligible individuals, the wearing of masks, social distancing, and hand-washing,” Nograles said.

“As we slowly and cautiously open our college classrooms, we urge all stakeholders involved to work together to ensure the safety of our students so that they may be able to return to their schools secure in the knowledge that every effort has been made to safeguard their health,” the Cabinet Secretary added.

On anger and preaching

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          WE cannot deny that there are moments when we find ourselves

angry, or even when we need to be angry. We just have to learn how to

handle this emotion that in itself is neither good or bad. It depends

on how we do it.

          In this regard, it might be good to take a look again at

that occasion when Christ got angry with those who turned the temple

area into a marketplace. (cfr. Lk 19,45-48) We can also take this

occasion to realize how we, especially priests, ought to preach so

that like Christ in this gospel episode, we can attract people to our

words.

          As noted in that occasion, people were hanging to Christ’s

words such that those who wanted to put Christ to death could not

carry out their plan.

          Yes, anger is one of our God-given emotions, locked into our

nature as persons. It has its legitimate use. But precisely because of

our precarious human condition here on earth, we have to be wary of

it. In fact, anger is also considered one of the capital sins, along

with pride, envy, greed, lust, gluttony, sloth, that can beget many

other sins.

          If ever we have to be angry, let’s try our best to be angry

in the spirit of Christ who showed anger over the self-righteous

Pharisees and scribes, and over those who turned the temple area into

a market place. Christ’s anger is what is called righteous anger, one

that is done always in charity and in the truth, and not just due to

opinions and biases. It’s an anger that is meant to correct, purify,

heal.

          Besides, Christ’s anger is only momentary. It does not last

long. As a psalm would put it, “his anger lasts only a moment, but his

favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing

comes in the morning.” (30,5) He is slow to anger, and quick to

forgive.

          We really have to learn how to hold our horses, especially

when we feel provoked or incited. We have to lengthen our patience,

our capacity to suffer. We have to broaden our mind so we can we can

quickly and easily capture the more important things in a given issue

rather than react immediately to things that are only incidental to

that issue.

          With respect to preaching, we have to understand that it is

a task entrusted to his apostles and shared by all of us in different

ways. The clergy take a leading role in this affair. It’s a serious

business that involves our whole being, and not just our talents and

powers.

          Obviously, to carry out this mission, we need to know our

Lord and his teachings. We have to go to him and read the Gospel.

Reading and meditating on it should be a regular practice for us, a

habit meant to keep us in touch with him.

          Thus, every time we read the Gospel, we have to understand

by our faith that we are engaging with our Lord in an actual and

living way. We are listening to him, and somehow seeing him. We can

use our imagination to make ourselves as one more character in any

scene depicted by the Gospel.

          For this, we need to look for the appropriate time and

place. We have to be wary of our tendency to be dominated by a

lifestyle of activism and pragmatism that would blunt our need for

recollection and immersion in the life of Christ.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com