From intention and words to deeds

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          “Not everyone that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into

the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is

in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 7,21)

          With these words of Christ, we are clearly reminded that we

should not only have good intentions and beautiful words of promise,

but rather the strong conviction to bring those intentions and words

into action. What is important is that we do the will of God, and not

just wish and promise to do it. This is what to be a true Christian

is, and not just a Christian in name.

          Let’s remember also that parable Christ said about the two

sons who were asked their father to work in the vineyard. (cfr. Mt

21,28-32) One said ‘yes’ but did not go, while the other said ‘no’ but

actually went. The conclusion of that parable, of course, was that the

one who initially said ‘no’ but went to the vineyard was the one who

did the will of his father.

          Obviously, the ideal is that what we intend, what we say and

promise, should be carried out into deeds. St. Paul has something very

relevant to say about this. “Not the hearers of the law are just

before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” (Rom 2,13)

St. James says something similar: “Be doers of the word, and not

hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (1,22)

          Christ himself lived by this principle, even at the expense

of his own life. “I do nothing of myself, but as the Father has taught

me...” (Jn 8,28) And in the agony in the garden, he expressed that

most eloquent submission to his Father’s will, “Not my will but yours

be done.” (Lk 22,42)

          We need to understand that our whole life is a matter of

conforming ourselves to God’s will, the very seat of our ultimate

identity as persons and children of God. This would involve the stages

of knowing that will, believing it, then professing it and putting it

into action. In short, receiving our faith, then turning it into life

itself.

          All saints and the parade of holy men and women all through

the ages have done nothing other than this. They had their ups and

downs, their wins and losses, but they always stood up after each fall

or loss, they repented, and went back to action again.

          Of course, the epitome among the saints is Our Lady, who was

praised by Christ himself to high heavens. When someone in the crowd

told him his mother was around, he said: “Behold my mother and my

brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in

heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12, 29-50)

          We should see to it that we are good not only in words and

in intentions, but also and most especially in deeds. Our usual

problem, given our human nature and the current condition of our

woundedness, is that we tend precisely to be very good in words and in

intentions but really poor in performance and consistency.

          We have to remember that what is truly important is that we

always live by God’s will. This is how we become truly human and

Christian, image and likeness of God as he wants us to be.

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

roycimagala@gmail.com

Reisehinweise für die Philippinen

 

Auswärtiges Amt

www.auswaertiges-amt.de
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Philippinen: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Teilreisewarnung und COVID-19-bedingte Reisewarnung)

29.11.2021

Lagen können sich schnell verändern und entwickeln. Wir empfehlen Ihnen:
- Verfolgen Sie Nachrichten und Wetterberichte
- Achten Sie auf einen ausreichenden Reisekrankenversicherungsschutz https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/reise-gesundheit/-/350944
- Abonnieren Sie unseren Newsletter https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/newsroom/newsletter/bestellen-node oder nutzen Sie unsere App „Sicher Reisen“ https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/app-sicher-reisen/350382
- Folgen Sie uns auf Twitter: AA_SicherReisen https://twitter.com/AA_SicherReisen
- Registrieren Sie sich in unserer Krisenvorsorgeliste https://krisenvorsorgeliste.diplo.de 

Aktuelles
Die Ausbreitung von COVID-19 https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/reise-gesundheit/gesundheit-fachinformationen/reisemedizinische-hinweise/Coronavirus/-/2309820 kann weiterhin zu Einschränkungen im internationalen Luft- und Reiseverkehr und Beeinträchtigungen des öffentlichen Lebens führen.

Vor nicht notwendigen, touristischen Reisen in die Philippinen wird derzeit gewarnt.

Epidemiologische Lage

Die Philippinen sind von COVID-19 stark betroffen, wobei von einer hohen Dunkelziffer bei den Infektionszahlen auszugehen ist. Das Gesundheitssystem ist sehr belastet. Die Philippinen sind als Hochrisikogebiet https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html eingestuft.
Aktuelle und detaillierte Zahlen bieten das philippinische Gesundheitsministerium https://www.doh.gov.ph/ und die Weltgesundheitsorganisation WHO https://covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/ph.

Einreise

Reisenden, die sich innerhalb der letzten 14 Tage in bestimmten Hochrisikogebieten, in denen die neue Omikron-Mutation des Coronavirus festgestellt wurde, aufgehalten haben, und die nicht die philippinische Staatsangehörigkeit besitzen, ist die Einreise in die Philippinen derzeit untersagt. Aus diesen Ländern ankommende internationale Flüge wurden bis auf weiteres ausgesetzt. Nähere Informationen können bei der philippinischen Botschaft http://philippine-embassy.de/ erfragt werden.

Passagiere, die sich in diesen Ländern lediglich im Flughafentransit aufgehalten haben, sind von der Einreisesperre nicht betroffen. Sie unterliegen den aktuellen philippinischen Quarantänevorschriften.

Bis auf weiteres ist Ausländern die Einreise für touristische Zwecke in die Philippinen verboten. Erteilte philippinische Einreise-Visa wurden für ungültig erklärt, neue touristische Visa werden derzeit grundsätzlich nicht ausgestellt. Ausnahmen gelten ausschließlich für Flugzeug- und Schiffsbesatzungen, für Familienangehörige (Ehegatten, Kinder, Eltern) von philippinischen Staatsangehörigen, für Diplomaten und Angehörige internationaler Organisationen, die in den Philippinen akkreditiert sind, sowie für Ausländer, die bereits im Besitz von Langzeitvisa sind. Die Quarantänevorgaben richten sich nach dem Aufenthalt in den letzten 14 Tagen vor Einreise aus einem der vom Gesundheitsministerium definierten Länder der „Green“ oder „Yellow List" und dem Impfstatus. https://iatf.doh.gov.ph/?page_id=77 Einreisen aus Ländern der „Red List https://iatf.doh.gov.ph/?page_id=77“ (darunter derzeit Österreich, Tschechien, Ungarn, Niederlande, Schweiz, Belgien und Italien) sind bei Voraufenthalten in den letzten 14 Tagen verboten. Ausschließlicher Flughafentransit fällt nicht unter dieses Verbot. Deutschland gehört bislang zu den Ländern der „Yellow List“.

Als vollständig geimpft gilt, wer einen Impfnachweis über eine in den Philippinen erfolgte vollständige Impfung oder einen von den Philippinen anerkannten ausländischen Impfnachweis vorlegt. Deutsche Impfnachweise in Form des gelben WHO-Impfbuches oder das Digitale COVID-Zertifikat der EU https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_de werden anerkannt. Kreuzimpfungen werden akzeptiert, eine einfache Impfung nach einem durchgemachten Infekt ist hingegen nicht ausreichend.

Green List (derzeit ausgesetzt):

• Vollgeimpft, PCR-Test nicht älter als 72 Stunden vor Abflug → keine Quarantäne, 14 Tage Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome.
• Ungeimpft, nicht vollständig geimpft, Impfstatus nicht feststellbar oder vollgeimpft, aber kein PCR-Test vor Abreise → Quarantäne in Quarantäne-Einrichtung, Buchung muss bei Abflug vorliegen, PCR-Test am fünften Tag, nach negativem Ergebnis Entlassung und Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome bis zum 14. Tag.
Yellow List:

• Vollgeimpft, PCR-Test nicht älter als 72 Stunden vor Abflug → Quarantäne in Quarantäne-Einrichtung, Buchung muss bei Abflug vorliegen, PCR-Test am dritten Tag, nach negativem Ergebnis Entlassung und Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome bis zum 14. Tag.
• Vollgeimpft, ohne PCR-Test vor Abflug → Quarantäne in Quarantäne-Einrichtung, Buchung muss bei Abflug vorliegen, PCR-Test am fünften Tag, nach negativem Ergebnis Entlassung und Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome bis zum zehnten Tag.
• Ungeimpft, nicht vollständig geimpft, Impfstatus nicht feststellbar → Quarantäne in Quarantäne-Einrichtung, Buchung muss bei Abflug vorliegen, PCR-Test am siebten Tag, nach negativem Ergebnis Entlassung und Heimquarantäne bis zum 14. Tag.
Die Quarantänevorgaben für Minderjährige richten sich nach den Vorgaben für begleitende Sorgeberechtigte/Eltern, unabhängig von ihrem eigenen Impfstatus oder Herkunftsland.
Vollständig geimpfte Diplomaten und Angehörige internationaler Organisationen müssen bei Einreise aus einem Land der „Green List“ einen negativen PCR-Test vorlegen, der nicht älter als 72 Stunden ist. Die Quarantäne entfällt, an deren Stelle tritt 14-tägige Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome. Bei Einreise aus einem Land der „Yellow List“ sind Heimquarantäne und am fünften Tag ein PCR-Test zu absolvieren. Nach negativem Ergebnis endet die Heimquarantäne und es erfolgt Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome bis zum zehnten Tag.

Reisende müssen sich vor Einreise über das Portal „One Health Pass https://www.onehealthpass.com.ph/e-HDC/“ registrieren. Der Nachweis in Form eines QR Codes ist den Fluggesellschaften beim Einchecken vorzulegen.

Durch- und Weiterreise
Reisen zwischen den Provinzen sind eingeschränkt möglich. Es müssen Gesundheitszeugnisse, gegebenenfalls ein negativer PCR-Test oder philippinische/anerkannte ausländische Impfnachweise vorgelegt und in der Zielprovinz im Einzelfall Quarantäne abgeleistet werden.
Die Ausreise ist Ausländern, die sich im Land aufhalten, jederzeit erlaubt. Viele Fluggesellschaften verlangen für den Reiseantritt in den Philippinen einen negativen PCR-Test oder einen Impfnachweis.

Reiseverbindungen
Für die Einreise über die Flughäfen in Manila, Clark und Cebu bestehen Kontingente. Fluggesellschaften erhalten ihre Kontingente mit geringem zeitlichen Vorlauf, was zu kurzfristigen Umbuchungen oder Flugstornierungen führen kann.

Beschränkungen im Land
Die Quarantänemaßnahmen sind regional unterschiedlich. Derzeit gilt im Großraum Manila eine Quarantänestufe mit Einschränkungen in der Versorgung und der Bewegungsfreiheit sowie eine nächtliche Ausgangssperre für Minderjährige. Stadtbezirke können diese Einschränkungen eigenständig verschärfen.
Die zwischenzeitlich unterbrochenen regulären Verkehrsverbindungen zwischen den Inseln des Landes wurden wieder aufgenommen, können jedoch jederzeit kurzfristig wiedereingestellt werden.
Die touristische Infrastruktur ist eingeschränkt, zahlreiche Hotels und Resorts sind geschlossen.

Hygieneregeln
Im öffentlichen Raum (in Gebäuden, aber auch im Freien) gilt die Pflicht, einen Mund-Nasen-Schutz zu tragen, in medizinischen Einrichtungen zusätzlich einen Gesichtsschutz (face-shield). Es gibt das Gebot, sozialen Abstand zu wahren. Massenansammlungen sind verboten. Verstöße sind mit Geld- bis hin zu Gefängnisstrafen bewehrt. Im Fall einer Infektion erfolgt die Isolierung grundsätzlich in staatlicher Unterbringung.

Empfehlungen

• Seien Sie bei allen Reisen weiterhin besonders vorsichtig und beachten Sie unsere fortlaufend aktualisierte Infobox zu COVID-19/Coronavirus.
• Achten Sie bei Einreise nach Deutschland auf die geltenden Einreisevoraussetzungen zu Anmelde-, Quarantäne- und Nachweisregelungen (vollständige Impfung oder Genesenennachweis oder aktueller negativer COVID-19-Test).
• Achten Sie auf die Einhaltung der AHA-Vorschriften und befolgen Sie zusätzlich die Hinweise lokaler Behörden. Bei Verstößen gegen die Hygienevorschriften können hohe Geldstrafen oder Gefängnisstrafen verhängt werden.
• Informieren Sie sich über detaillierte Maßnahmen und ergänzende Informationen der philippinischen Regierung.
• Falls Sie im Besitz eines Langzeitvisums sind oder eine Sondereinreisegenehmigung mit Touristenvisum beantragen möchten, erkundigen Sie sich bei den philippinischen Behörden, in Deutschland z.B. bei der Philippinischen Botschaft, ob Sie zur Gruppe derjenigen gehören, für die eine Einreise möglich ist.
• Erkundigen Sie sich bei Ihrer Fluggesellschaft über die genauen Vorgaben.
• Bei COVID-19 Symptomen oder Kontakt mit Infizierten kontaktieren Sie das lokale Gesundheitsamt.

God’s providence and our needs and limitations

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          IF there’s anything we can learn from that beautiful gospel

episode of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (cfr. Mt

15,29-37), it surely is that God will always provide for our needs and

limitations. He will, in fact, do everything to snatch us from the

worst evil that can happen to us through the most effective and wise

redemptive work of Christ.

          God always provides for our needs. He is a very

compassionate God who cannot tolerate to see people suffer. That

gospel story has a very happy, uplifting ending.

          And yet, if I may, we can ask the question—that if God is

that compassionate and generous, then why is there so much suffering,

poverty and misery around? It would even look like God is completely

indifferent to this sad condition worldwide. It would look like many

people are left to rot in their miserable condition.

          The answer, of course, is that, yes, God is always

compassionate. He cannot tolerate seeing people suffer. He will always

provide for all our needs. He even went to the extent of becoming man

in Christ who had to offer his life to attain the greatest need of

mankind—our salvation. With that supreme act of compassion and

generosity freely done, what other need do we have that would not be

taken care of by God?

          The truth is that God has provided us with everything. From

our life with all its natural endowments to the air and water, to the

abundant food from plants and animals and other resources, he has

given them all for us to use and to live with the dignity of being

children of God.

          The problem is that we do not know how to manage them, how

to care and help one another. There is so much indifference and

self-indulgence, the germs that would develop into a worldwide

pandemic of social injustice and inequality.

          And when we are faced with our limitations and a state of

helplessness, we should just be ready for them and know not only how

to deal with them but also how to derive something good from them. In

these instances of the hard predicaments, for example, when we seem to

be at a loss as to what to do, we should just see at what God does,

after we have done all things possible to solve our problems.

          We need to trust in God’s providence and mercy. We have to

learn to live a spirit of abandonment in the hands of God. Yes, if we

have faith in God, in his wisdom and mercy, in his unfailing love for

us, we know that everything will always work out for the good. If we

are with God, we can always dominate whatever suffering can come our

way in the same manner that Christ absorbed all his passion and death

on the cross.

          Let’s always remember that God, in his ineffable ways, can

also talk to us through these crosses. In fact, he can convey precious

messages and lessons through them. It would be good that we have a

theological attitude toward them, and be wary of our tendency to react

to them in a purely human way, based only on our senses and feelings

and on worldly trends.

          In all our affairs and situations in life, we should always

go to God to ask for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and

his providence, even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions

appears unanswered, if not, contradicted.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

PH won't allow entry of fully-vaxxed foreigners; LGUs to step up COVID-19 response

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

The Philippines will not be pushing through with its plan to open the borders to foreign nationals who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on December 1 due to the threat of the highly mutated Omicron variant.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the statement after the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases allowed on Friday the entry of fully vaccinated foreigners from non-visa-required countries from December 1 to 15, 2021.

In a statement, the acting Palace spokesman said the IATF made the move to temporarily suspend its resolution allowing the entry of foreign nationals during their meeting on November 28, 2021.

The recent turn of events came following the discovery of the Omicron variant which is said to be the “most heavily mutated” COVID-19 strain that was first discovered in South Africa.

With Omicron designated as a variant of concern, Nograles said the IATF approved recommendations to strengthen the COVID-19 response of local government units (LGUs) which include strongly enjoining LGUs to:

Heighten their alert for increasing and clustering of cases and emphasize the need for active case finding

Immediately conduct contact tracing and isolation of cases detected from case surveillance among the community, including domestic and international travelers

Use RT-PCR testing in order to allow for whole-genome sequencing of collected samples

The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units are likewise directed to ensure targeted selection of samples for sequencing and address declining submissions of laboratories and regions from domestic and international travelers.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Quarantine and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with the local government units (LGUs) have been directed to identify and locate passengers from red list territories who arrived within 14 days prior to November 29, 2021. These passengers will be required to complete quarantine under a home quarantine set-up for 14 days from the date of arrival and undergo RT-PCR if symptoms develop.

The IATF placed 14 countries under the red list due to the Omicron variant.

The LGUs and the DILG are further directed to ensure strict implementation and adherence to the Prevent – Detect – Isolate – Test – Reintegrate strategy and adherence and compliance to minimum public health standards (MPHS) with the directive given to the Philippine National Police to enforce MPHS compliance.

In addition, the Department of Health (DOH) is directed to ensure the country’s health system capacity is prepared to address the increase of COVID-19 cases if any; while the Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics is directed to begin preparing models to show the potential impact of the Omicron variant to prevailing protocols and approvals of the IATF.

On Friday afternoon, November 26, Nograles said the Department of Health (DOH) and the IATF are “actively monitoring” the developments.

He added that the government is in constant communication with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the matter.

A Christian is always an apostle

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          WE need to realize this more widely and deeply. If we want

to follow Christ, if we truly consider ourselves as real Christians

and not Christians in name only, we have to be like Christ, holy and

with the burning desire to save all men. Thus, we ought to make

sanctity and apostolate the most important, ultimate and abiding goal

of our life.

          We are reminded of this truth about ourselves on the feast

of St. Andrew, the Apostle (November 30), where Christ simply would

pass by some men and then tell them to follow him. (cfr. Mt 4,18-22)

And, wonder of wonders, the persons called would just follow him too

without asking any question, willing to leave everything behind.

          I guess the only plausible explanation to that phenomenon is

that Christ had all the right to do so, and the person called also had

the duty to respond accordingly, because in the final analysis, all of

us are actually meant to be an apostle. That is to say, to be some

kind of ambassador, a representative of Christ on earth.

          At bottom, the answer is because we are supposed to be like

Christ, another Christ, if not Christ himself (“alter Christus,” and

even “ipse Christus”). All of us are patterned after Christ, and so we

cannot avoid being involved in the mission of Christ which is the

salvation of all mankind. Obviously, this business of making ourselves

like Christ, involved in apostolic work, would require a process and

would involve several stages.

          But we have to realize that we are all meant to be apostles

of Christ with the lifelong concern for doing apostolate, taking

advantage of all the occasions and situations in life. Vatican II

spells it out very clearly. “The Christian vocation is by its very

nature a vocation to the apostolate.” (Apostolicam actuositatem, 2)

So, anyone who wants to be truly consistent to his Christian identity

and calling should realize ever deeply that he is called to help

others get closer to God. This is what apostolate is all about.

          This duty actually springs first of all from our nature. We

are not only individual persons. We are also a social being. Our

sociability is not an optional feature. It is part of our essence,

violating which would be equivalent to violating our very own nature.

          We can never live alone. We need to be with others. And

more, we need to care for one another. We have to be responsible for

one another. And while this caring and loving starts with the most

immediate material human needs like food, clothing, etc., it has to go

all the way to the spiritual and more important needs of ours.

          That’s why we need to practice affection, compassion,

understanding, patience and mercy with everyone. We have to understand

though that all these can only take place if they spring and tend

towards God, “the source of all good things” for us.

          We need to be familiar with this Christian duty. We have to

do apostolate, and we need to see to it that the zeal for it is always

nourished, stoked and fanned to its most intense degree.

          We just have to be trusting of God’s will and ways, no

matter how hard and impossible they may appear to us, and that we have

to develop an apostolic concern that is universal in scope, unafraid

of the sacrifices involved.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Laziness begets laziness

Why go to the gym tonight? After all, you haven't gone in a week. Why take out the garbage when your whole apartment is a mess?

Good points. But it's time to break the cycle.

Here's my big trick: I always try to leave myself something easy to do first thing the next morning. If I find a programming bug and see that it will be an easy fix, I leave it for the next morning. If I need to package up an installer for a new release, leave it for next morning. That way I have something easy to start out with, and I'm less tempted to do something else first.

Laziness may reflect a lack of self-esteem, a lack of positive recognition by others, a lack of discipline stemming from low self-confidence, or a lack of interest in the activity or belief in its efficacy. Laziness may manifest as procrastination or vacillation.

Laziness may be a momentary state or an issue of character, but it is not a psychological disorder. Further, if you're concerned you might be lazy, ask yourself if you're feeling deeply sad, have disengaged from things you used to love, and are having problems with sleep, energy levels, or your ability to concentrate. 

It’s true that there are moments in our lives when we become overwhelmed by what’s on our plates, and during this time we tend to put off tasks or procrastinate on a number of things. Usually this is caused by not wanting to deal with a challenge or decision that we don’t want to make.

But if you're habitually lazy, then this behavior will ultimately lead to failure in life. That is why you should focus on behaviors that will help you eliminate your tendency to procrastinate and put off what's important.

Maybe, you are uninspired by  your present task.Motivation and inspiration pump you up and give you the energy to do whatever needs to be done, and complete it in the time frame that is expected.

Maybe, you are overwhelmed by your present situation. When you are completely overwhelmed with things that you have to do, your brain will often become confused and start to slow down.

Maybe, you are fatigued. You may work yourself too hard at work. By the time the day is over, you feel exhausted and can barely stay awake, let alone spend any time with your friends or family.

Maybe, you have a fear of failure or achievement. You may subconsciously fear success, so you use laziness as a way of sabotaging yourself. 

The bible explains it as follows: Becoming a sluggard requires little effort. The "sluggard" is a very lazy person. His or her exercise is turning on his/her bed. Proverbs says he or she is hinged to it. Any far-fetched excuse - "there is a lion in the streets" - will keep him or her from going to work. 

The result of such a life? Poverty, frustration or broken relationships. The sluggard still wants the luxuries had work earns, but he or she never gets them. 

Proverbs laughs at the sluggard a little, but uses him or her to teach serious lessons. It doesn't require much: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. Putting things off, making excuses, sleeping in - who doesn't sometimes fall victim to these tendencies?

Forgive me asking this: What attributes of a sluggard do you recognize in yourself? Do you think of these as serious?

The faith of the centurion

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          REMEMBER that beautiful gospel episode of a centurion whose

faith was praised by Christ? (cfr. Mt 8,5-11) He asked Christ to cure

his sick servant and did not want to bother him by going to his place.

“Only say the word, and my servant will be healed,” he said.

          So impressed was Christ by this expression of faith that he

could not help but also say, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel

have I found such faith.” And the servant was healed.

          That story should teach us the precious lesson that we

should not hesitate to go to Christ to ask for some special and even

urgent and big favor, no matter how unworthy we feel we are. We should

never doubt Christ’s ever-ready response to attend to our needs. He is

always all there for us! We are always special to Christ, even if we

have committed some sins. Never forget that he came to save and not to

condemn.

          We just have to take care of our faith. We cannot deny that

in our life we will always be hounded by all sorts of problems and

troubles. But Christ always offers us a way to deal with them properly

and gainfully. Yes, with him, we can even take advantage of these

problems and troubles.

          We need to understand that as the very beginning of our life

with God, our life in the Spirit which is a supernatural life more

than just a natural life, our Christian faith has to be taken care of,

nourished and developed to full maturity.

          We need to be more aware of this duty and develop the

appropriate attitude and skill to carry out this responsibility

effectively. We have to go beyond mere good intentions or being merely

theoretical in order to be truly practical and vitally engaged with

this obligation.

          There is certainly a need to know the content of our faith.

We have to study and meditate on the gospel, the catechism and other

sources. We have to be attentive to the teachings of the Church

magisterium who is empowered and guaranteed by Christ to teach the

faith with authority and with infallibility.

          We need to see to it that our thinking and reasoning, our

intentions, words and deeds, should be guided by faith more than just

by our reason, much less by our common sense alone. These latter

sources of knowledge cannot capture the whole of reality, most

especially the spiritual and supernatural aspects of reality.

          We should be eager to ask for more faith, and to make many

acts of faith. This is a fundamental attitude to have. Let’s follow

the example of the apostles who said: “Lord, increase our faith.” (Lk

17,5) Also the father of a possessed boy who said: “I do believe,

Lord. Help my unbelief.” (Mk 9,24)

          Let’s also remember that to grow in faith we have to be

willing to exert a lot of effort and to make sacrifices. We have to

understand that with faith we are dealing with spiritual and

supernatural realities that do not come easy when we simply rely on

our senses and feelings. Discipline and self-denial are required.

          Of course, faith can take root deeply in our life if we

don’t just study it, but also act on it. Our faith should be converted

into action, into life itself!

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

What is your insight about the Filipino culture based on your experience?

 

Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

My experience is that Filipinos are highly family-oriented, sacrificing their desires for the needs of others. They are great at celebrating life. They love life! And living in the Philippines would make anyone look forward to each day at work because you meet many wonderful friends there--people who are always ready to share a laugh or a good meal with you. The country has natural beauty. I found it interesting how Filipinos will go out of their way to give foreigners directions when asked, even if they may not have understood what was being said most times. Filipinos also think that visitors need no time whatsoever to feel welcome here - which I believe may be an inherent characteristic foreign nationals cannot leave the country without.

The Filipino culture[1] has taught me to live my life fully, enjoy it as much as possible, and make the most of each day. To always be grateful for whatever comes my way because whatever I am going through now will eventually pass. And no matter how many challenges come to my path in life, if I remain steadfast and focused, I will undoubtedly enjoy a happy and peaceful life.

Footnotes

[1] 8 Best Filipino Pastimes of All Time

Who can travel to Germany now that COVID restrictions are being tightened again?

• Author Felix Schlagwein, DW

Coronavirus infections are surging in Germany. What does this mean for tourists? Here are the answers to some of the most pressing questions.

The fourth coronavirus wave is currently resulting in record infections in many European countries — including Germany. In some places, the situation is so dramatic that public events and fairs have been canceled and contact restrictions introduced.

Tourist travel has also been banned in parts of Germany. On Tuesday, the US once more issued a warning against visiting Germany, although vaccinated tourists can still enter. What do these developments mean for anyone wishing to enter Germany? What quarantine rules apply? And what do German holidaymakers need to bear in mind when returning home? Here are answers to some of the most important questions.

Who can enter Germany?

Despite soaring infections, conditions for entering Germany are in some cases more relaxed than they were a year ago. Nevertheless, all arrivals from the age of 12 must present proof of vaccination, recovery, or an approved negative COVID-19 test, regardless of where they are coming from and by what means of transport. This requirement will remain in force until January 15, 2022. Entry is possible from all EU countries as well as the Schengen-associated states of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Before traveling to Germany, make sure to get an overview of the latest developments and rules. Travelers can find detailed information on the websites of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior and the Foreign Office.

Are people from third countries allowed to travel to Germany?

Entry from third countries is possible again, albeit only under certain conditions. Residents from a list of "safe" third countries, which includes Australia and Canada, may enter Germany for any purpose, subject to the above-mentioned documentation requirement. Travelers from other third countries, including the US, must either be fully vaccinated or put forward pressing grounds for their trip. 

Only vaccines approved by Germany's Paul Ehrlich Institute are recognized, which currently comprises vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Licensed foreign versions of these vaccines are recognized as equivalent. A person is considered fully vaccinated if 14 days have passed since the second shot. For those who have recovered from a coronavirus infection, a single dose is sufficient. Also, only one vaccination is required for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Who needs to quarantine?

All arrivals failing to present proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative COVID-19 test must self-isolate. Likewise, arrivals from high-risk and virus variant countries must quarantine in Germany.

Travelers from high-risk countries must spend ten days in self-isolation, whereas those from virus variant countries must self-isolate for two weeks.

Individuals from high-risk countries may cease self-isolating if they can present a negative test result on day five. This option is not available for people from virus variant destinations.

Germany's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, currently classifies a spate of EU member states high-risk countries, among them Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Austria and Croatia. Anyone wishing to travel to Germany from there must complete a digital passenger locator form. At the moment, Germany does not list any virus variant countries.

Before planning your journey, be sure to check whether Germany deems your country a high-risk and virus variant destination.

Do I need to take a coronavirus test before arriving?

Not necessarily. Provided travelers can prove they are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from a coronavirus infection, no test is needed. Some airlines and train operators, however, ask passengers to take an additional COVID-19 test.

In Germany, PCR tests are accepted only if taken within the past 72 hours, rapid tests may be no older than 48 hours.

I'm a German tourist and contracted the coronavirus on holiday. May I return to Germany?

The Ministry of Health urges anyone who has fallen ill with COVID-19 to quarantine abroad, instead of returning home and potentially infecting others. Even so, authorities may not refuse entry to Germany. If you do make your way back, be sure to self-isolate the moment to step foot on German soil.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is barred from air travel. Likewise, infected individuals from high-risk or virus variant destinations are also banned from traveling to Germany.

I want to travel to Germany with my children. Which rules apply?

The rules set out above apply to children aged 12 and above. Those below this age are exempt from proving they are vaccinated, have recovered, or tested negative. Moreover, they are required to quarantine only for five days when returning from a high-risk country.

I have a stopover at a German airport. Which rules apply to me?

Persons changing flights at a German airport without entering the country can disregard Germany's travel rules. The same applies to persons who are transiting through Germany without stopping. In this case, travelers are not required to go into quarantine, nor complete a passenger locator form. It is advisable, however, to become acquainted with the entry rules of your final destination. If en route to another EU country, be sure to consult Re-open EU, a platform with detailed information on travel rules and coronavirus rules in all EU member states.

May I travel freely inside Germany after my arrival?

In principle, yes. But as all 16 of Germany's federal states have the power to pass individual coronavirus regulations, you should carefully check where you are planning to go. Saxony, which has recorded a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases, has severely restricted public life to contain the outbreak. Tourists are temporarily banned from visiting the state. Business travelers, meanwhile, are still welcome. Bavaria has instituted similarly strict rules.

May tourists visit cinemas, museums and restaurants in Germany?

Rules can vary from state to state, and sometimes even by region. Many federal states such as Berlin, Hamburg, Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia have instituted the so-called "2G" ("geimpft oder genesen" — vaccinated or recovered) rule for many venues and public events. It means only persons who can prove they are vaccinated or have recovered may enter restaurants, museums and attend certain events. Unvaccinated guests will find it challenging to go about touristic activities.

Germany's epidemiological situation is in flux. States and regions may adapt or even intensify measures aimed at curbing the recent infection surge. Some have even called for the "2G" rule to be rolled out nationwide.

In any case, tourists are well-advised to research the latest rules applicable in the parts of Germany they wish to visit.

What must I do if I contract the coronavirus during my stay in Germany?

Go into quarantine as fast as possible and inform the health authority in question. To find out which agency to contact, consult this website. If you are having severe COVID-19 symptoms, call a doctor or ring the following number: 116 117. In an emergency, dial 112 or go to your nearest hospital.

Advent time for planning and strategizing

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          IT’S the season of Advent again, opening a new liturgical

year. There can be many things that can come to mind with this season

of Advent. For one, it’s a time of expecting and preparing for the

birth of Christ on Christmas. That is in the short run. In the long

run, it is also a time of expecting and preparing for the second and

glorious coming of Christ, the Parousia.

          Advent also means that since it marks the beginning of

another liturgical year, we need to re-enliven our sense of making a

new beginning in our spiritual life that is the very foundation of our

whole life, since it is what relates us to God, our Father and

Creator, our be-all and end-all, as well as to everybody else. There,

therefore, is a great need to make some serious and effective plans

and strategies to pursue that most important goal of our life.

          We have to remember that our life here on earth is like a

divine project that has a beginning and an end, and a very concrete

purpose. But it’s a project that we also take active part in, since as

an intelligent and free creature of God capable of knowing and loving

God and others, we are meant to knowingly and lovingly correspond to

God’s plans for us individually and collectively. We are not passive

materials in this project.

          And this divine project takes the form of a yearly cycle,

what we call as the liturgical year, where the working of the whole

economy of salvation that God has for us, takes place. God’s

interventions in our life are actually constant and abiding.

          This yearly cycle of the divine project is meant to prepare

us for our ultimate eternal destination. It would be good if we make

ourselves most aware of this truth of our faith, so that we know what

we ought to do in this earthly life of ours.

          For this, a prayer that can be helpful is the Glory Be,

where we find the words, “As it was in the beginning, is now, and will

be forever.” Let’s put our mind and heart into these words if only to

remind ourselves strongly that we need to have a good sense of

continuity and consistency between our beginning and end, between the

past, present and future, and between time and eternity.

          Let us foster the awareness of this basic truth about

ourselves and about our life here on earth. We need to encourage

everyone to have a clear and strong sense of purpose, and to know how

to pursue it given our human condition and all the means that God has

given us.

          We therefore cannot overemphasize this basic need of ours to

make plans and strategies. If we have to develop ourselves as we

should, if we have to be truly productive and fruitful, if we have to

take advantage of everything in life, whether good or bad, to attain

our ultimate goal, then we have to plan and strategize our moves.

          Making plans and strategies may require some time and

effort, but it’s an investment that is all worth it. The little time

and effort required can actually multiply our time and make our

efforts more productive at the end of the day. It’s like the little

rudder that St. James talked about in his letter. (cfr. 3,4) Our plans

and strategies can have the power to accomplish great things, like a

little rudder giving direction to a big boat.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com