March heat, Antarctic ice close to records – climate agency

By Agence France-Presse

PARIS: Earth had its second-warmest March on record, with Antarctic sea ice shrinking to its second-lowest extent, the European Union's climate monitoring agency said on Thursday.

"The month was jointly the second-warmest March globally," tied with 2017, 2019 and 2020, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a report. The hottest March on record was in 2016.

The report is based on computer-generated analyses using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world.

It said temperatures were above average over southern and central Europe and below average over most of northern Europe.

They were far warmer than average over much of North Africa, southwestern Russia, Asia, northeastern North America, South America including drought-stricken Argentina, Australia, and coastal Antarctica.

It was much colder than average over western and central North America.

Global warming is causing sea ice to decline and sea levels to rise, raising warnings that dangerous tipping points could be reached.

Copernicus said Antarctic sea ice extent was the second lowest for March in the 45-year satellite data record, at 28 percent below average.

It reached 3.2 million square kilometers on average, 1.2 million sq km below the 1991–2020 average for the month.

It had reached the smallest area on record in February for the second year in a row, continuing a decadelong decline.

In the north, meanwhile, Arctic sea ice extent was 4 percent below average and joint fourth-lowest for March on record, though concentrations were above average in the Greenland Sea.

As temperatures rise globally because of human-caused climate change, Copernicus data show the past eight years were the eight warmest on record.

A United Nations report warned in March that those record-breaking temperatures would figure among the coolest within three or four decades as global temperatures climb, even if planet-warming emissions drop quickly.

BELLE MARIANO EYES ‘BIDA-KONTRABIDA’ ROLE

 By Panay News

BELLE MARIANO

AS SHE nears her 10th anniversary in showbiz, actress Belle Mariano sat down on Tuesday for the “Tatak Star Magic: Celebrity Conversations” to talk about her journey and plans with ABS-CBN.

Mariano kicked off the interview series of Star Magic where she recalled how she began her career as a child star up to her goals and dreams she is still eyeing to achieve.

Talking with Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi, the actress, half of the phenomenal love team DonBelle, revealed she wants to play a “bida-kontrabida” role in the future.

“Bida-kontrabida. Gusto ko ma-try kasi paano kaya ‘yun. Try natin, direk,” she told Dyogi, who jokingly doubted if she could be “maldita” given her angelic face.

But it would also be a big step for Mariano, who did not hesitate to admit her goal is to secure an acting award.

Her path to stardom did not go smoothly, as Mariano had to attend over a hundred commercial auditions at a young age just to fulfill her dream of becoming a celebrity.

Fortunately, she got one after being tapped by a local milk brand in the country to be their endorser at the age of nine. That paved the way for Mariano to get into the entertainment scene – most notably on “Goin’ Bulilit.”

But after spending years in the now-defunct children gag show, the actress found it difficult to get her break in a loaded roster of celebrities of ABS-CBN.

And just like what she kept on saying since she starred in the hit series “He’s Into Her” with Donny Pangilinan, her patience paid off eventually.

“Honestly, sa 10 years po na nandito po ako, ang dami rin pong maliliit na natututunan. But all-in-all patience po talaga. You have your own time to bloom. Just trust God, trust the management. Just really have your own time,” she explained.

And now that she is one of the top celebrities of Star Magic, Mariano said that she is enjoying her ride with the talent agency – a family she built for years. (ABS-CBN News)

Life in the Mountains of the Philippines (The Cordilleras)

322,559 views Mar 14, 2023

If there’s anything that we loved about our visit to the province of Ifugao, it’s the people who continue to preserve their traditions and protect their heritage. Our guide, Irene Binalet, was our beacon throughout these moments where we connected with the locals and the community of artisans. We will always be grateful for this opportunity to share these stories and these are just snippets from our memories that we will forever hold close to our hearts. Watch our full documentary on making the Filipino rice wine or Tapuey here:    • Filipino Wild Ric...   The team would like to thank the following for making this documentary possible: Meryenda Team: https://www.instagram.com/readmeryenda/ Jessica Hernandez https://www.instagram.com/hernandezjess/ Cassandra Balbas https://instagram.com/cassandrabalbas... Ifugao Team: Irene Binalet For tour bookings, kindly visit her Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/10006415230536... Inyoppeh Bumanghat Umanggan Bumanghat

Love consummated and made perpetual

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THAT, I believe, is the main message of the gospel we have on Holy Thursday. (cfr. Jn 13,1-15) It’s about what happened during the Last Supper where aside from instituting the two sacraments of Holy Orders and the Holy Eucharist, Christ showed his apostles how love that is consummated by him in his total self-giving to us can be made perpetual.

The gospel started by stating that Christ, upon knowing that his hour of supreme sacrifice was coming, continued to love his people and “loved them to the end.” That’s when he instituted the two sacraments and showed his apostles how this consummate love of his can be made perpetual.

That’s when he proceeded to wash their feet that shocked them. Even Peter at first refused to be given such treatment. But Christ insisted, telling them, “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (Jn 13,14-15)

There’s no other way to imitate that consummate love of Christ for us and to cooperate perpetually in Christ's continuing work of redemption, his supreme manifestation of his love for us. As Christ told his apostles, we too have to learn how to lower ourselves to be able to serve everyone, which is what loving in its true essence is all about.

We have to be wary of our tendency to get self-absorbed, the very opposite of what we are supposed to be—to always think of others and to serve them unstintingly. This tendency is actually the stupidest thing we can get enmeshed in. But it’s kind of automatic for us to get self-absorbed. We have to be more aware of this disturbing reality and do something about it non-stop.

We have to do everything to acquire, develop and enrich this attitude of always wanting to serve and not to be served in ourselves and among ourselves, inspiring and inculcating it in others as much as we can, for it is what is truly proper of us all.

With God’s grace, we have to exert effort to overcome the understandable awkwardness and tension involved in blending the natural and the supernatural aspects of this affair, as well as the expected resistance we can give, due to the effects of our sins.

We can make use of our daily events to cultivate this attitude. For example, as soon as we wake up from sleep in the morning, perhaps the first thing we have to do is address ourselves to God and say “Serviam” (I will serve). It’s the most logical thing to do, given who God is and who we are in relation to him.

And “Serviam” is a beautiful aspiration that can immediately put us in the proper frame of mind for the day. It nullifies Satan’s “Non serviam” and our tendency to do our own will instead of God’s, which is what sin, in essence, is all about.

And as we go through our day, let’s see to it that everything we do is done as a service to God and to others. Let’s not do them merely out of self-interest or self-satisfaction. That kind of attitude is highly poisonous to us, ruinous to our duty to love. Sooner or later, we will find ourselves completely engulfed by self-centeredness.

This is how the consummate love of Christ for us is made perpetual.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

New LPA may enter PH Sunday – Pagasa

By Arlie O. Calalo, Manila Times

THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Thursday that a new low pressure area (LPA) will likely enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Sunday.

However, this weather disturbance still has a slim chance to directly affect the country, according to weather forecaster Patrick del Mundo.

He told The Manila Times that the ridge or extension of the high pressure area (HPA) is affecting Northern Luzon over the next 24 hours.

An opposite of LPA, HPA indicates an area where the atmospheric pressure is higher than its surroundings and formation of clouds is usually suppressed, thus, less chance of rains, Pagasa said.

Most likely, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have overcast skies and isolated rain showers as well as thunderstorms due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms, the state-run weather agency said.

"We can experience a hot and humid Holy Week except for some isolated rain showers and thunderstorms that may occur during late afternoon or at night," he said.

Easterlies are winds coming from the east, passing through the Pacific Ocean and bringing warm and humid weather to the country, the state weather bureau said.

‘Respect’: Tips on how to become a more responsible traveler this Holy Week 2023

 

By

 Catalina Ricci S. Madarang

 -

In this photo: Mines View Park in Baguio City (Philstar.com/Frisno Boström)

Respect for the local communities and support for their products are encouraged by tourism authorities in the Cordillera region.

The Cordillera region comprises the following provinces:

• Abra
• Apayao
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province

Popular tourist destinations are found in Baguio City, Sagada, La Trinidad and Banaue. 

The Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region Office (DOT-CAR) issued tips to travelers who wish to visit these Northern provinces during the long weekend.

They are uploaded on the government agency’s Facebook account. 

“Here are some tips and reminders on how to become a more responsible traveler starting with respecting local communities,” the post reads.

1. Respect the local community.
2. Connect with the locals.
3. Be nice. Not everyone is trying to rip you off.
4. Stay, eat and buy local products.
5. Choose organized tours well.
6. Give back to the local community by volunteering in non-profit organizations in the area.
7. Engage in ethical photography.
8. Choose to explore lesser-known places in a province.
9. Travel off-season.
10. Practice slow travel.

Baguio Chronicle, a provincial publication, also reported about the Sagada municipal government’s reminders to guests who will be traveling there this Holy Week.

Called the “Ten Commandments,” Sagada reminded inbound tourists about its online registration platform for entry.

They also have to pay an environment fee worth P100 per person at the tourism information office before exploring some of the province’s tourist spots.

Sagada’s registration platform can be accessed here Umali Kayo Tourist Registration Sagada – Umali Kayo.

It also reminded future guests about cleanliness in the surroundings, respecting rituals and other basic tourism etiquettes.

For the end of Lent, the following days are declared holidays:

• April 6 (Maundy Thursday) – regular holiday
• April 7 (Good Friday) – regular holiday
• April 8 (Black Saturday) – special non-working holiday

Easter Sunday and the Day of Valor both land on April 9.

The government moved the observance of the latter to Monday, April 10, thus declaring it as a non-working holiday.

When bad things happen

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE should be ready when bad things happen in our life. In fact, we should expect the worst in life, like when death, which cannot be solved anymore, would finally come to us. Before death, we should be ready when cases of severe misfortune or harsh crisis of some kind come our way.

We are somehow reminded of this need for readiness in the gospel reading of Wednesday of Holy Week. (cfr. Mt 26,14-25) There Christ was talking about his impending betrayal by no less than one of his apostles and did not run away from it since he knew it was his time to consummate his redemptive mission.

We should try our best to have the mind of Christ when bad things happen to us.  If we still can have time and find some solutions to these problems and difficulties, then by all means, let’s do it. But if there is no more time or that solutions are hard to find or, worse, when no more solutions can be found, let’s see to it that we do not fail to go through these situations always with Christ.

Of course, when times are good, we should always enjoy them with Christ too. Otherwise, those good things can easily turn bad for us. In fact, there should be no time, no circumstance, no situation in our life when we can distance ourselves from Christ.

We therefore need to develop a certain discipline where Christ should always be in our mind and heart whatever the circumstance or situation is. We cannot deny that we tend to forget Christ in certain situations and prefer to deal with them simply with our own human powers. Obviously, we have to make full use of our human powers and faculties, but we should never fail to depend on God, on Christ, first of all!

We should always go to Christ who is “the way, the truth and the life” since he surely is the one who will show us how to handle the difficulties we encounter in life. In all our affairs and situations in life, we should always go to God, to Christ, to ask for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence, even if our prayers and petitions appears unanswered, if not, contradicted.

This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that can only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is always in control of things, and at the same time can also leave us in peace and joy even at the worst of the possibilities.

Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal…” But everything is under God’s control, and even if we are capable of eternity, we just the same “cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (3,1ff) We just have to trust him.

We have to follow the example of the many characters in the gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were in, earnestly rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him unafraid and unashamed and they got what they wanted.

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

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Oriental Mindoro under yellow power warning

 

By Ire Joe Laurente

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: Amid the declaration of a state of calamity due to a power crisis in Occidental Mindoro, the power supply situation in Oriental Mindoro is also not improving as the local electric cooperative had issued a yellow warning on Monday, April 3.

In a post on its social media page on Monday, the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (Ormeco) said that because of the low production of renewable sources, the hydroelectric plants and the windmill farm, the power distributor is now experiencing a deficiency of 3.05 megawatts (MW) from a demand of 61.02 MW, and with a capacity of only 56.42 MW and a curtailed feeder of 4.6 MW.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, Engr. Humphrey Dolor, Ormeco general manager, clarified that the deficit posted on their page is only a forecast, and that as of now, the situation is still manageable.

"As of now, we still have a 9.25-MW reserve capacity, but we are not using it in anticipation of the increased demand in the coming months. We also temporarily halted our exportation to Omeco (Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative) because we are guarding our demand," Dolor said.

He said the yellow warning was raised because the power deficit is around 10 percent from the projected demand.

The general manager also said that the possibility of a rate increase is highly probable as the cooperative is going to use its emergency power, which is not subsidized. He added that the projected increase is within the range set by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

In a power dispatch report forwarded to The Manila Times, Dolor said that as of April 4, 2023, the cooperative has a total available capacity of 63.46 MW with an actual load of 54.21 MW and a reserve of 9.25 MW.

"We are anticipating low production from the Linao-Cawayan Mini-hydroelectric Plants [and] the Inabasan Mini-hydrolectric Plant due to the dry season and low production from the Phesi (Philippines Hybrid Energy Systems Inc.) Wind Mill Power farm because of the weakening wind blows," Dolor said.

He said Ormeco is scheduled to have a dialogue with Sen. Rafael "Raffy" Tulfo to discuss the situation in Occidental Mindoro and how the power company can provide assistance.

29 candidates vie for Miss PH-Earth 2023

Twenty-nine candidates of Miss Philippines-Earth bring to awareness the essence of trees in this year’s theme ‘MELoves20Three.’ PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA

TWENTY-NINE ladies from different backgrounds and from all over the archipelago are vying for the Miss Philippines-Earth (MPE) crown this year.

They were presented to the media at the new Lime Resort Manila on Monday.

Now in its 23rd year, and after carrying themes of flora and fauna in past editions, MPE brings to awareness the essence of trees "in playing a powerful role in addressing the biggest environmental issue planet Earth faces today."

It is aptly titled "MELoves20Tree." Carousel Productions, the homegrown organization behind the pageant, began its introduction of delegates in March through the hybrid platform of virtual and face-to-face events, which is the new norm of pageantry in the post-pandemic era.

The official candidates are: Patricia Nicole Yap of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur; Meri Lasil Relevo of Balayan, Batangas; Veronica Sinajon of Brooke's Point, Palawan; Nicole Lagera of Filipino Community California, USA; Chrystel Mae Correjos of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur; Leahrly Curitana of Casiguran, Aurora; Naoimi Henave of Dasmariñas City; KC Falcasantos of Dipolog City; Josephine Ruhlman of Filipino Community Florida, USA; Ma. Cristina Tallador of Iloilo City; Jireh Calacala of Jones, Isabela; Rowan No of Kalibo, Aklan; Mythosela Villanueva of Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental; Iris Mabanta of Mabini,

Batangas; Kerri Reilly of Mangatarem, Pangasinan; Joselle Gregorio of Mariveles, Bataan; Sha'uri Livori of Filipino Community Melbourne, Australia; Quennie Salac of Filipino Community Milan, Italy; Athena Guardados of Pantukan, Davao de Oro; Jemimah Joy Zabala of Puerto Princesa City; Princess Lazaga of San Jose City; Jeica Czaverika of San Pascual, Batangas; Shaina Nazario of Silang, Cavite; Ylanna Marie Aduana of Siniloan, Laguna; Cea De Jesus of Taguig City; Athena Auxillo of Toledo City; Jamie Angelique Armada of Tuburan, Cebu; Queenzel Daryl Alagao of Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay; and Fermizulli Silal of Zamboanga City. The media presentation was hosted by Miss Earth 2019 Nellys Pimentel, Miss Earth 2022 Mina Sue Choi and Miss Philippines-Earth 2022 Jenny Ramp.

Pageant enthusiasts and candidate supporters can access more event updates on the MPE website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok. Coronation night is on April 29.

Tsunami warning after Catanduanes tremor cancelled

By Arlie O. Calalo

April 5, 2023 

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has cancelled its tsunami advisory following Tuesday night's magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit Catanduanes in Bicol Region. Phivolcs had it initially at magnitude 6.6.

Phivolcs chief Teresito "Tito" Bacolcol said the warning was cancelled based on data from the agency's sea level monitoring stations facing the epicentral area which showed that "no significant" sea level disturbances had been recorded since the earthquake struck the town of Gigmoto at 8:54 p.m.

"With this, any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed and therefore Phivolcs has now cancelled its recommendation issued for this event," Bacolcol said.

Located 150 kilometers northeast of the provincial town, the earthquake had a depth of 72kms and was tectonic in origin, according to Phivolcs.

Nearly two hours later, Phivolcs said an aftershock with magnitude 4.9 was recorded in the same town.

Intensity 4 was felt by residents in Virac, Catanduanes; Intensity 3 in Prieto Diaz and City of Sorsogon, Sorsogon; San Policarpo, Eastern Samar; Allen, Biri, Bobon, Catarman, Laoang, Lavezares, Rosario, San Jose and San Roque, Northern Samar; Calbiga and City of Catbalogan, Samar;

Intensity 2 in Malinao and City of Tabaco, Albay; Borongan City, Eastern Samar; Babatngon, Dagami, Dulag, Palo, Santa Fe and Tanauan, Leyet; Tacloban City; and San Antonio, Northern Samar; and Intensity 1 in Alangalang, City of Baybay and Tabontabon, Leyte.

Meanwhile, Instrumental Intensity 2 was recorded in Legazpi City, Albay; Daet, Camarines Norte; Sipocot, Iriga City and Pili, Camarines Sur; Kananga, Dulag and Abuyog, Leyte; San Roque, Northern Samar; Bulusan and Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon; and

Intensity 1 in Ragay and Pasacao, Camarines Sur; Quinapondan, Eastern Samar; Palo and Alangalang, Leyte; Monreal and Uson, Masbate; Gumaca, Polillo, Mauban and

Guinayangan, Quezon; and Donsol, Sorsogon.