The Filipino Press: December 22-28, 2023

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Marcos inks P5.768-T 2024 national budget

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday signed the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) which contains the PHP5.768-trillion budget that will be tapped to fund the administration’s key programs and projects for next year to expedite the country’s recovery in a post-pandemic era.

Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) 11975, the law that appropriates funds for the national government’s operations from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Wednesday afternoon.

“Although it is teeming with numbers, this budget is more than a spreadsheet of amounts, or a ledger of projects. Rather, it details our battle plan in fighting poverty and combating illiteracy, in producing food and ending hunger, in protecting our homes and securing our border, treating the sick, keeping our people healthy, creating jobs, and funding livelihoods,” he said in a keynote speech.

“It is wrong to say that the budget merely pays for the overhead of the bureaucracy. It is more than that. It funds the elimination of problems that we as a nation must overcome.

It is incorrect to say that the budget merely finances the operations of government because its fine print bankrolls the realization of our dreams writ large,” Marcos added.

The expenditure items in the 2024 GAA, when translated to projects, would transform the country and the Filipinos’ lives “for the better”, adding that the national budget for next year would help boost “both

SIGNING OF 2024 BUDGET. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday (Dec. 20, 2023) signs the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024 in a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace in Manila. The 2024 GAA, otherwise known as Republic Act 11975, contains the 2024 national budget amounting to PHP5.768 trillion. (MNS photo) the physical and human capital of the nation”, he said.

Marcos, however, acknowledged that the budget for 2024 is not enough to fully fund his administration’s plans for the country.

“How I wish that we could wipe

out with one budget cycle all our infrastructure backlog. How I wish we had 'unli' revenues to realize our country's limited unlimited potential,” he said.

Marcos reminded the government agencies to spend their respective

budget appropriations “for the correct purposes, the right way, on time, and on budget.”

“I say this to remind those who will execute this budget that red tape, at least to underspending and overspending that disregards legal

guardrails, are two sides of the same coin. Implementation delay and illegal deviations inflict the same havoc of denying the people of the progress and development that they deserve,” he said.

The 2024 GAA, which is

equivalent to 21.7 percent of gross domestic product, is 9. 5 percent higher compared to the PHP5.268 trillion budget for 2023.

It is anchored on the framework provided by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) that is geared towards achieving the country’s economic goals specifically identified in the current administration’s MediumTerm Fiscal Framework (MTFF), the Eight-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.

“So with this reminder comes the most important budget commandment that we must all must heed: We are working for the people, not for ourselves. We are working for the country, not for ourselves. Honor the taxpayers who make the budget possible and in doing so we will bring closer to the brighter tomorrow that we aspire— for Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines)? that we all envision for our people,” Marcos added.

The 2024 budget prioritizes expenditure items that advance social and economic transformation through programs that promote food security, reduction of transport and logistics costs, improved health system, strengthened social protection, sound fiscal management and enhanced bureaucratic efficiency. (MNS) NCDA: Joint circular for PWDs to open employment opportunities The joint memorandum circular See MARCOS on 6

Clean California Shares Eco-Friendly Tips Storms are On the Way. Are Californians Prepared? for Greener Holiday Season

By Mark Hedin/EMS

‘Tis the season when Americans produce 25% more waste

SACRAMENTO, CA -- This holiday season, Caltrans and the Clean California Campaign, in partnership with Keep America Beautiful, are encouraging Californians to make the holidays greener by reducing their trash and waste.

This is especially important this time of year as studies show Americans produce 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. “By making simple yet impactful changes, Californians can minimize waste and help keep their communities cleaner,” said Tony Taveras, director of Caltrans, which oversees Clean California.

“By making greener choices this holiday season, Californians will also set a great tone to maintain a Clean California throughout the new year.”

Caltrans and Keep America Beautiful’s recommended wastereduction holiday tips include: Recyclable Gift-Wrapping Paper: Instead of traditional wrapping paper that often ends up in landfills, opt for recyclable or reusable alternatives. This includes reusing newspaper and paper bags in place of wrapping paper for gifts. Don't forget to recycle the paper afterward – just remove the tape. Another creative idea for wrapping can be gently-used scarves, handkerchiefs, or tea towels to wrap gifts. You can also package baked goods and other edible gifts in reusable glass bottles or tins.

Recyclable/E-Holiday Cards: In an age of digital connectivity, sending electronic holiday

greeting cards can be an ecoconscious alternative to traditional paper cards. Making your own or using recyclable paper are other sustainable alternatives to traditional holiday cards.

Natural Decorations: Buy a live, potted Christmas tree to decorate – then plant it in your backyard (if you have one!) after the holiday. If you do cut down a tree, be sure to recycle it after the holiday. Clean California and Keep America Beautiful recommend using items like pinecones, holly, and evergreen branches, emphasizing the beauty and sustainability of such choices.

You’ll save money by not splurging on decorations and be able to

return everything to nature after the holidays.

Greener Gatherings: When entertaining, cut down on excess waste by using real dishware and cutlery instead of disposable plates and utensils. Also, use washable cloth tablecloths and napkins instead of paper options. Make recycling easy for guests by placing recycling bins beside every trash bin, and make sure the products you provide can be reused or recycled.

For more tips and tricks to make your celebrations eco-friendly, check out this free ”Keep the See CLEAN on 7

With an El Niño weather pattern promising wetter wets and hotter hots, California's Office of Emergency Services and Listos California are urging residents to stay safe and be prepared.

If your memories of last winter’s dozen “atmospheric rivers” have faded, Mother Nature is preparing a soaking wet reminder, with parts of the West Coast possibly looking at a month’s worth of rain by midweek and another close on its heels around Christmastime.

The storms are part of the periodic El Niño weather pattern that meteorologists say promises more torrential rains and higher temperatures across California in the coming year.

In hopes of minimizing the disasters that extreme weather can bring, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), along with Listos California, Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media hosted a press briefing offering safety tips, advice and resources to help Californians prepare for the flooding, high winds and cold temperatures that will likely occur in various parts of the state.

“Getting prepared for disaster starts with simple but important actions you can take now before storms hit,” said Diana CroftsPelayo, of OES: Sign up for locally specific, potentially life-saving emergency alerts at safelistoscalifornia.org/ alerts.

Make plans for where you and your household will meet, so that even if you’re in disparate locations when a crisis occurs, you’ll be able to reunite.

Have a “go bag” with essential things you can quickly take with you if you have to leave your home in a hurry.

And don’t forget to use simple common sense.

For instance, if you’re driving and encounter barricades, don’t drive around them!

A car can be swept away in as little as 12 inches of water, Crofts-Pelayo warned. “If there’s a barricade there, it’s there for a reason. Do not cross it! “There were too many sad stories last year of people getting trapped through flooded areas,” she said.

Along similar lines, pedestrians can be swept away by the force of as little as 6 inches of rushing water.

“Stay indoors during storms and high-wind events,” she cautioned.

We had too many people hurt by falling trees “out trying to walk their dogs in 70 mph winds.”

If you or someone in your household relies on electricity for essential medical equipment, contact your power company to make arrangements. If the company needs to cut off power in an area due to fire risks such as falling trees, it can prioritize keeping the power on for specific customers or help arrange backup power sources.

But don’t run a generator indoors,

Pelayo said, those fumes are deadly.

And along those lines, don’t rely on your kitchen stove as a heat source.

And don’t forget to check on your neighbors and loved ones.

Other simple things to take care of ahead of time include having working flashlights and gas in the car.

Have fun in the snowy mountains, she said, as long as you’re adequately prepared. And don’t go during a storm if your clothing and car aren’t appropriate for extreme weather, especially if you don’t live there. Don’t put first responders in the position of “trying to save too many people at one time.”

Resources for staying safe in extreme weather ListosCalifornia is a “Number One resource,” with its storm safety information available in 13 languages at: Listoscalifornia.org/ StormSeason. “If it’s too cold, if the weather is too intense,” you’ll find information on warming shelters and public shelters for specific disasters.

Using these resources comes without ID requirements or any questions about someone’s immigration status.

“Accepting any kind of aid during See STORM on

7

2 • December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023

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December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023 • 3

Sycuan Presents $180K to 25 Charities During 2023 Holiday Gift Giving Ceremony

ASN DIEGO, CA -- On Thursday, December 7, Sycuan Casino Resort presented $180K to 25 different charities during its 2023 Holiday Gift Giving Ceremony.

Each December, members of the Sycuan Tribal Council and the Sycuan Executive Team individually select a charity to donate to on behalf

of Sycuan. The Holiday Gift Giving Ceremony has been held at Sycuan more than 10 times and has supported a variety of causes over the years ranging from social and health services to the arts and the environment.

“The Holiday Gift Giving Ceremony was founded in 2006 and is something we look forward to

each year,” said Cody J. Martinez, chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. “The event brings together many diverse organizations and change-makers that are making a major impact in the community. This year, we are honored to support more than 20 organizations with a variety of admirable causes.” Charities Involved

ift. y!

G ect Toda f r e s A P icket tT Ge

Experience the Mystique and Beauty of China Before Communism “Exquisitely beautiful. An extraordinary experience for us and the children.”

—Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning Actress

“ I’ve reviewed about 4,000 shows.

None can compare to what I saw tonight.”

—Richard Connema, Broadway critic

“Magnificent. Very enlightening, absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend it to anyone.”

—Tony Robbins, world-renowned author & speaker

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, artists looked to the divine for inspiration. Art was meant to uplift, bringing joy to those who created and experienced it. Shen Yun Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization based in New York, pays homage to this tradition, weaving the wisdom and virtues of Chinese civilization onto the stage, revealing a China untainted by communist rule. Shen Yun cannot be seen in China today.

Shen Yun means “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” Be prepared to traverse time and space and be mesmerized by the action, humor, and beauty of five millennia.

It’s an experience that will uplift your spirit and touch your heart.

SEE IT AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME! JAN 16–18 (Tue-Thu)

JAN 19–21 (Fri-Sun)

1/16 Tue 7:30pm, 1/17 Wed 7:30pm, 1/18 Thu 2pm

1/19 Fri 7:30pm, 1/20 Sat 2pm & 7:30pm, 1/21 Sun 2pm

California Center for the Arts, Escondido

San Diego Civic Theatre

A Perfect Holiday Gift! Get Tickets Today at Shen Yun’s Official Site ShenYun.com/SD or call 1.888.973.7469 Ticket Price $85–$205. Group tickets available.

(A-Z): Alzheimer's Association of San Diego, Alzheimer’s San Diego, America’s First Policy Institute, Bichon FurKids, Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, Children’s Book Party, Church of the Immaculate Conception – Music Ministry, ElderHelp San Diego, Garden of Innocence, Gary Sinise Foundation San Diego, Grossmont High Music Program, Monarch School, NAMI San Diego, Ocean Discovery Institute, Postpartum Health Alliance, Rady Children’s Hospital – Cancer Center, Rocking Horse Ranch, San Diego Youth Services, SAY San Diego, Sharp Guardian Angel – Shankar Sundaram, Skinny Gene Project, SOMBFAB – Some of My Best Friends are Bald, The Animal Pad, Thrive Outside San Diego/San Diego Foundation and Urban Street Angels.

For more information about Sycuan’s charitable contributions, please visit www.sycuan.com.

About Sycuan Casino Resort

Sycuan Casino Resort began as a humble Bingo Palace in 1983.

Now more than 40 years later, it has become a community landmark and one of San Diego’s premier casino and resort destinations. Sycuan recently completed a $260M expansion, which includes a 12-story luxury hotel tower

with over 300 guest rooms and 57 suites. Guests can enjoy a wide range of onsite amenities including a variety of new restaurants from fast-casual to fine dining, meeting and event space, a full-service spa, fitness center and a state-of-the-art pool and gardens area with a lazy river and swim-up bar, etc.

4 • December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023

Filipino Press

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PBBM to AFP: Enhance alliances, partnerships with foreign counterparts MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to strengthen its alliances and partnerships with foreign counterparts to boost its defense capabilities.

“As the arm of government tasked with upholding national security, the AFP must continue to improve its readiness to effectively prevent and to respond properly to the current and emerging threats,” Marcos said during the AFP’s 88th anniversary celebration at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“I likewise enjoin the AFP to enhance existing alliances and partnerships with your foreign counterparts. Let us continue to explore so that we may forge new partnerships based on common goals, common values, and at the same time, advancing the national interest,” he added. Marcos assured the AFP of his administration’s continued support for initiatives that would help bolster the armed forces’ external defense capabilities.

He gave the assurance, as he acknowledged that in the past years, the Philippines has found itself “in the middle of geopolitical developments and tensions that could potentially cause regional insecurity or endanger people's lives and livelihoods.”

Marcos hailed the AFP for exemplifying “responsible and dignified” behavior, and resolving issues in accordance with international law despite the “many attempts of provocation” made against the country.

This, as he stressed that AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.’s stance to defend the Philippine territory is “a proud demonstration of Filipino courage against coercion and our firm resolve to protect preserve and uphold our territorial integrity.”

"As you continue to play a vital role in the government's various initiatives, it is my fervent hope that your institution will remain relentless in countering lawless elements that intend to sow fear and distrust amongst our people,” Marcos told the military.

“We shall continue to assert our rights in accordance with the Philippine constitution and international law,” he added.

Marcos also announced that there would be an increase in the lifetime monthly gratuity pay of the existing Medal of Valor awardees upon the recommendation of the Department of National Defense and the AFP. He said the awardees deserve to enjoy a higher monthly incentive because they exhibited bravery and heroism.

"We are also going to adequately reward the existing Medal of Valor awardees the increase of their lifetime monthly gratuity for displaying bravery and heroism in defending our freedom. This will provide our heroes with a tangible and meaningful reward, highlighting our commitment to support and honor our war heroes,” Marcos said.

Focusing on the theme, ‘AFP@88: Rising over the Challenges in the Service of the Nation,’ this year’s celebration is aimed at showcasing the AFP’s progress towards becoming a world-class armed forces that is a source of national pride.

A series of activities is organized nationwide to commemorate the decades-long service of the AFP to the country.

Cutting-edge tech for AFP modernization The AFP, meanwhile, said it would

utilize cutting-edge technology in pursuing its modernization program.

"We shall also create the AFP Joint Special Operations Command, reorganize the AFP Presidential Security Command, and reestablish the AFP Counter-Intelligence Group, as well as pursue the AFP Modernization Program to leverage cutting-edge technologies," AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in his speech.

Brawner said this is important as the Philippines stands at a pivotal juncture where enhancing its military capabilities becomes not just an option but a strategic imperative.

He also said the military would continue to strengthen the reserve force, hand in hand with the regular force, as it sustains its territorial defense operations.

An AFP Cyber Command will also be activated to beef up its presence in the cyber realm.

"Towards attaining total victory against all threat groups, your AFP has worked in unity with various partners and stakeholders to attain significant headway on our campaign.

Our victories are validated by the improved peace and order situation in former influenced areas as manifested in the declaration of the LGUs (local government units) as insurgency-free, which boosted tourism, investments, and productive interaction across the nation," Brawner said.

He said they have also beefed up their territorial defense operations by heightening their presence in the country's key maritime domains.

Brawner also noted that the AFP has intensified its maritime security operations as a response to the increasing challenges to our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Alongside this and in order to leave no one behind, we have also continuously contributed in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and peacekeeping missions abroad. As we celebrate the achievements of the past, let us turn our gaze towards the future, a future where the AFP goes beyond what is expected in meeting the challenges in these exciting times," he said.

AFP chief: PH committed to ensuring free open, Indo-Pacific Region The Philippines is one with other nations in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. made this commitment in a teleconference with Japan SelfDefense Force joint chief of staff Gen. Yoshida Yoshihide on Thursday.

During their meeting, the two officials discussed "pressing regional security matters and developments in the Philippine-Japan defense partnership".

"The meeting demonstrates the AFP’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with like-minded nations and drawing support for the advancement of a rules-based international order and a free and open Indo-Pacific Region," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement.

The military officials also celebrated the transfer of a Japanese air surveillance radar system to the Philippines and expressed support for the immediate finalization of the reciprocal access agreement to allow more interoperable cooperation between the two maritime nations.

"They also stressed the importance

of alliance-building to counter aggression, such as the incidents in the West Philippine Sea on December 10, as well as lauded the recent conclusion of the Multilateral Staff Talks with Australia and the United States in Tokyo. Gen. Yoshida also conveyed Japan’s support to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling and expressed their strong opposition to actions that alter the status quo," Trinidad added.

AFP chief fetes 8ID troops for outstanding counterinsurgency work Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. feted the troops of the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division (8ID) for their efforts in neutralizing the remaining New People's Army (NPA) insurgents in their area.

"I am very proud that the 8th ID and JTF (Joint Task Force) Storm have achieved so much and accomplished so much that contributed to the success of our campaign against the communist terrorist group in this area.

Because of this, there are no more active guerilla fronts here and we are confident that we can finish the fight against the remaining weakened enemy formations next year," Brawer said during his visit to one of the 8ID's forward operating detachment in Las Navas, Samar on Wednesday.

Brawner visited the outpost as he delivered the Christmas gifts and wishes to the troops manning the outpost.

He did the same during his visit to 8ID headquarters in Catbalogan City.

"Recalling his experience as a young officer operating against communist terrorists in the boundaries of Las Navas, Matuginao, and Jipapad, the CSAFP (Chief of Staff AFP) who was then commander of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion and Special Operations Task Group-Samar, also lauded the 8th ID's accomplishments that resulted in the weakening of guerilla fronts in the area," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said.

Japan turns over air surveillance radar system to PAF The Japan embassy on Wednesday turned over a Japanese-built air surveillance radar system to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) during a ceremony at the Wallace Air Station in San Fernando City, La Union province.

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Chargé d’affairs (CDA) ad interim Matsuda Kenichi, and Assistant Commissioner of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA), Japan Ministry of Defense Nishiwaki Osamu attended the ceremony.

The delivery of the air surveillance radar system is based on the contract signed between the DND and Japanese manufacturer, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in August 2020.

The radar system aims to enhance the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ air surveillance capabilities, as part of the AFP’s modernization program.

The first unit of the air surveillance radar system was delivered in October 2023. Three more units are expected to be delivered to the Philippines in the coming years.

The transfer is an affirmation of Japan’s commitment to the Philippines as its strategic partner and to contributing peace and stability in the region. (MNS)

AFP TURNS 88. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the 88th anniversary celebration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday (Dec. 21, 2023). In his speech, the President urged the AFP to enhance its alliances and partnerships with foreign counterparts to boost its defense capabilities.

(MNS photo)

DEVOTION. Catholic Filipinos start the nine-day Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass) on Saturday (Dec. 16, 2023). St. Peter Parish - Shrine of Leaders in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City was filled with devotees while vendors of local rice cakes (bibingka) and purple rice cakes steamed in bamboo tubes (puto bumbong) enjoyed brisk sales.

(MNS photo)

Japanese radar system ups PH capability to detect intrusions SAN FERNANDO, La Union, -- The air surveillance radar system (ASRS) acquired by the Philippines from Japan will allow the country to detect intrusions within 300 nautical miles, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Wednesday.

"Importante po ito kasi makikita po natin sa layong 300 nautical miles ang mga intrusions sa ating airspace at kaugnay ng mga ibang sistema magkakaroon tayo ng klarong picture hindi lamang sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) kundi sa iba pang lugar sa Pilipinas sa sea, air domain kung sino ang pumapasok sa atin (teritoryo) at kung ano ito (This system is important because it will allow us to see within 300 nautical miles intrusions in our air space and in relation with our other systems, we will not only have a clearer picture of what's happening in the WPS but of other areas in the in Philippines in its sea, air domain. We will know who is entering and what it is exactly)," Teodoro said during the acceptance, turnover and blessing ceremony of the ASRS, manufactured by the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO), at the Wallace Air Station in San Fernando, La Union.

The DND chief said the ASRS deal highlights Japan's "concrete steps and concrete actions" as a strategic partner of the Philippines.

"Today, we witnessed one of the concrete steps and concrete actions that our strategic partner Japan has done in order to firm our alliance particularly on the security side," he added.

Teodoro also reiterated that the Philippines is the first ever recipient of Official Security Assistance from Japan which was pledged during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the country in November this year.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said the PHP5.5 billion ASRS deal with MELCO consists of three fixed FPS-3ME and a mobile TPSP14ME. These radar systems will be operated by the PAF's 580th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing and is under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Horizon Plan 2.

The ASRS was procured via a government-to-government deal where the DND signed the project's contract on Aug. 14, 2020.

The contract includes the radar platform with support facilities that includes radar tower and radome, command-and-control building, communications infrastructure, electric power generator building and housing for the mobile radar and its vehicles.

It also includes support vehicles for the mobile radar, training, maintenance facilities and initial integrated logistics support systems (ILS).

The PAF said the ASRS are designed for early warning, and land and maritime surveillance, whether for fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, or remotely piloted vehicles.

It also said the ASRS acquisition will enhance the country's ability to monitor air and maritime activities in the region.

It will provide near-real time information and overall air

situational picture for our strategic decision-makers in all spectrum of operations thus making the PAF responsive to the national security requirements.

The pre-delivery inspection of the first unit of ASRS was conducted on Oct. 4 to 8, 2022, in Japan.

The first unit of the ASRS was delivered to the country on Dec. 7, 2022, which was followed by the construction and installation of radar tower and C-2 building that were undertaken in the succeeding months.

The MELCO radar passed the acceptance test last Oct. 24 and has been in use since then.

New German labor law seen to attract more Filipino skilled workers The German Embassy in Manila is expecting increased interest among Filipinos to work in their country with the new labor law that makes it easier for foreigners with vocational training to migrate.

In a statement on Wednesday, the embassy said Germany had begun the phased implementation of the German Skilled Migration Act last November.

“Germany is welcoming skilled workers with open arms and full support,” said its Embassy’s Economic Counsellor Dr. David Klebs. “This law creates even better incentives for Filipino skilled workers to consider working in Germany.”

The act will introduce new channels for skilled workers from countries outside the European Union (EU) – including the Philippines – to immigrate to Germany.

Since last month, immigration opportunities have been broadened for workers with higher education qualifications through the EU Blue Card, featuring lowered salary thresholds, expanded eligibility, an extended list of professions, and facilitated family reunification.

IT specialists, the embassy said, can secure an EU Blue Card based on professional experience alone, without a formal qualification.

The embassy said the law also ensures that skilled workers with professional or academic training are entitled to a residence permit, provided all requirements are met.

Those with completed professional qualifications or higher education can engage in any qualified employment within the non-regulated sector, and the connection between training and employment is no longer mandatory.

In addition, the employment process for drivers is also streamlined.

The embassy said administrative procedures, such as online applications are available but reminded Filipinos aspiring to practice regulated professions in Germany that they must still undergo the recognition process.

Georg Leube of the German Embassy Visa Department explains that the new act introduces provisions for the EU Blue Card visa such as facilitating work migration, especially for highly qualified workers in MINT (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, and technology) professions and medical doctors.

He said the new provisions for assistants in nursing recognized in Germany will also enhance the existing Triple Win, a governmentto-government program that allowed hundreds of Filipino nurses to work in the European states.

“With the Triple Win program or the existing work migration of recognized nurses or nurses going to Germany for recognition measures, we already have made good experiences. They are needed and welcomed in Germany’s health care sector,” he said.

“For the work migrants, even the settlement permits will be eased so they can apply for this in a shorter time than before.”

German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke, meanwhile, said he sees this new development contributing to a stronger Philippine-Germany relations, specifically on people-topeople ties.

“Germany and the Philippines have a huge potential in increasing their cooperation in the fight against climate change and the promotion of renewable energy,” he said.

“We are united in our commitment to a rules-based international order, and the stable macroeconomic environment offers promising perspectives for trade and investment. Additionally, we will foster cooperation on the migration of skilled workers to Germany in technical professions.”

The embassy said it continues to work closely with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Migrant Workers to find ways to ensure that immigration is “fair and sustainable with a high standard of protection and equality for Filipinos starting to work in Germany”.

PH pitches ‘pathfinder, peacemaker’ role in UNSC bid The Philippine government has promised to take on the role of a “partner, pathfinder, and peacemaker” should it succeed in its bid for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.

Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative Evangelina Lourdes Bernas made this pitch before a select group of countries during a reception in Vienna last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

Bernas, in her remarks, said the country would further build partnerships for peace and sustainable development and would work to find "enduring solutions for overcoming common challenges through dialogue, consensusbuilding, and collaborative problemsolving.”

Bernas also made a special mention of the country’s long history in actively participating in UN peacekeeping and special political missions, having deployed over 14,000 men and women in the last 60 years.

The elections for the UN’s premier decision-making body 2027-2028 term will take place in June 2026 in New York.

The Philippines was previously elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1957, 1963, 19801981, and 2004-2005. (MNS)

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A PROUD PINOY’S ‘60’s CHRISTMAS MEMORIES “There’s a blanket of snow covering up the old road to the house where I was raised Through the window I see the lights on the tree and a glow from the old fireplace Though it all looks the same so much has changed from the way it used to be Christmas memories of happy years gone by They come back to me and keep me warm inside Still these Christmas memories make me cry Now the stockings are filled; the house is still, and the kids are dreaming away There’s that old easy chair, me and Daddy sat there waiting for Santa’s sleigh Now Daddy’s gone but we carry on’ cause the little ones will need…

Christmas memories of happy years gone by They come back to me and keep me warm inside Oh, they mean so much to me Those Christmas memories make me cry.”

-

“Christmas Memories” By country music & southern rock band “Alabama” 16 December 1988

SAN DIEGO, CA – Season’s greetings!

For me, there is no doubt about it that Christmas in our beloved old homeland – the Philippines – is by far the merriest of them all! I’m saying it in a subjective way, and it’s based on my experiences about it, too – so, don’t get me wrong.

Cheers!!

And where have all the Christmases gone?

Christmas is the time of year when Christians remember the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, just over 2,000 years ago. It’s a moment to reflect not just on the past events but also to think about God being with us, here and now, in our present and place.

And if I can please add, too - I say some holiday traditions are simply sacred!

In a world that seems not only to be changing, but also even to be dissolving, there are some tens of millions of us who want Christmas to be the same … with the correspondent old greeting “Merry Christmas” and no other. We want to hold on to the old customs and traditions because they strengthen our family ties, bind us to our

friends, and make us one with all mankind.

For as long as I could recall Christmas for our family is a season of joy and laughter when our cup of happiness brims over. And the memories of Christmas Past are what make us look forward to Christmas each year.

What is the best Christmas you can remember the most?

All of a sudden, your thoughts go back to previous times - a unique mix of Christmas history and stories of personal memories blend together in reminiscence of the rich heritage of the season. I hark back to those days easily. I call to mind those Christmases as if they happened only yesterday. They came with deep meaning, earnest preparation and overflowing anticipation. I guess the holidays can make anyone feel like this.

All our red-letter day festivities are webbed with a network of recollections often extending back to our childhood, and Christmas, which I figure is continually being re-invented, is surely the most memory filled.

It seems each generation brings some new element to the celebration of the season itself.

The well-polished traditions of Christmas bring us back to remembrances of our families and friends – “some have gone, and some remain” - sometimes to one very cheery and unforgettable holiday, sometimes to a dim of Christmases that are not easy to unwind from one another but remain tied together with the common thread of joyful informality. As we gather every year, the sounds, the smell, the tastes of our past Christmases are with us and enrich each new season.

I just turned 76 last October 18th and trust me, I have seen a lot of Christmas; both in this adopted country of ours and back in the beloved, old homeland. However, for some reason I always go back at Christmas to my historic hometown of Sta. Ana in quintessential Manila. Somehow, those cherished Christmases stand out from all the others and are the ones I remember best. Come the Christmas season, I picture them always back here in America, merrymaking in the streets near Plaza Hugo - and I lie there, watching the moon shine on the Christmas star till I fall asleep.

Home is here. But it is there, too! I realized that God's country could be anywhere because it stays in the hearts of folks who love you.

I have always adored the place I left in 1966 though. As that popular song goes, "There's no place like home for the holidays." Maybe it

is also because both of my parents were still alive then, and though I didn't realize it at the time, our days together were numbered.

Christmas was my mother's favorite holiday. “Ma,” as we all fondly called her signaled the start of the festive season in our home by gathering her secret ingredients for her aromatic cooking. In a matter of minutes it seemed, Ma could create the most heavenly array of Christmas goodies, and the entire house would be filled with the true fragrance of Christmas.

She brought an enthusiasm and happiness to that special day that I have missed since she passed away forty-five years ago. It's hard to concede how much time has passed since we last shared such a merry occasion, but the calendar reminds me dutifully. Now it gets me mistyeyed to take a trip down memory lane to reminisce with her, sitting in her favorite rattan chair, singing a lullaby, and cheering us on. I will always treasure that.

For anyone new to this column – I lost my father, too - just over ten years ago. This Christmas, being another one without “Pa” made me more reflect on the day more than I ever did. He would have been a hundred six-year young this month (for an uncanny moment, his image suddenly popped up on my mind and thoughts last week December 17th – his birthday) and frankly, I never have given the thought that I’d be celebrating Christmas without my dad again. I have always felt he was always there with us all! For some silly reasons since his demise, it never dawned on me that he might not be here at some point of time someday, like this 2023 Christmas.

So, here it is – Christmas time again!

And as everybody knows, no holidays are celebrated with as much joy as Christmas (especially in the old country of ours, the Philippines).

There, the excitement of Christmas starts as early as September (the beginning of the “Ber” months) when the local radio stations begin to air Christmas songs. I must also say part of the unexplainable magic came in downtown store windows.

Shopping in those days was simple and unassuming. Not much money exchanged hands - the stores seemed to decorate their windows for more show than enticement to buy. I recall one shop was famous for mechanized displays - maybe a Santa in his workshop with his little helpers, or a beautiful white Christmas or Nativity-like scene.

My eyes were glued to the delicately moving figures until I was part of the setting itself. To own it never

December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023 • 5

Jesse T. Reyes

Filipino Potpourri

entered my heart, really. And by then, it literally starts to look a lot like Christmas!

Decorating the family Christmas tree was usually my task. What an important responsibility that was!

To get the lights to stand up straight, carefully placed ... to spread the silvery garland in perfect patterns, the sparklers and the colorfully wrapped candy canes in appropriate places ... But most importantly and this was always done under my late-lamented father's supervision - to crown the tree with the Star of Bethlehem!

Christmas festivities back in the old homeland traditionally begin a week before the holy day itself and Filipinos celebrate "Simbang gabi," a very early morning mass each day leading up to Christmas.

The highlight of the week is the "Misa de Gallo," the Christmas Eve mass. In the days before the Misa de Gallo, “Kababayans” hold competitions to see who could build the largest "Parol" or lantern, for the occasion.

The “Parol” is truly a symbol of the Filipino Christmas. Christmas Eve revelries continue with a "Panunuluyan" (a re-enactment of the difficult search of Joseph and Mary for lodging/ shelter in Bethlehem) - a traditional procession through the streets: a woman dressed as Mary and a man as Joseph lead the sequence and dramatizes the story of Christ's birth.

The week before Christmas was the season for many "Little Christmas" parties where the Christmas spirit - and all Christmas “creatures” - came out.

The “RAJALs” (Romy, Alfredo, Jesse (yours truly), Allan and Licerio) and a few more close pals (Eddie, Bobby (Rest in peace, my dear friend!), Ramon and Flor) – my old "Barkada" - my former high school classmates and best buddies never missed any of these Christmas festivities specially the processions around the neighborhoods of Sta. Ana. On those days, almost all the families in the houses around

and about are out in the streets watching the events unfold and there we get the chance to see a lot of our "favorite" girl classmates and friends. Sometimes, we could even entice them to join in the cavalcade all the way up to the historic ancient church near Plaza Hugo.

Then, of course, there were the recognized delicacies: "Bibingka", rice cakes baked from the bottom and top in ovens and "Puto bumbong" (made from purple mountain rice and steamed in bamboo tubes) sold by vendors outside the Sta. Ana church.

After mass, my friends and I would consume the goodies to happily end at least a three-hour abstinence required by communicants.

Christmas at our house on Garrido Street was and, on all occasions, a careful maneuver. With five children and a handful of pet animals to boot there was always a lot that needed to be addressed long before the joyful exchange of gifts. In those days, my family was not better off than most of the other people in the community. But I'm remembering mostly a childhood surrounded and protected by loving parents and relatives, whose bed is warm and who are allowed to explore freely the narrow world encompassed by the old historical district of Sta. Ana and its immediate surrounding area like Makati, Rizal.

Ah, the 1960's!

The last generation before the nuclear family began to fragment.

My childhood in the ‘60's was not exactly blessed with an abundance of worldly goods but my sisters and my only brother, Angel and I didn't notice it at all. In fact, we considered ourselves quite wealthy in some other ways. We had everything except extra cash. A week before Christmas, my favorite uncle, “Tiyo” Ely, who was then a detective desk sergeant in "Precinto 5" the local police station in Sta. Ana would usually gift us a leg of Chinese-style smoked ham for the Christmas dinner. Certainly, there was plenty of "Nochebuena"

(Christmas Eve) food, indeed! It had taken Pa's meager last two paychecks, but we had just about enough to decent Christmas feast each time.

In my family, Christmas morning was always a joyous affair as we exchanged greetings, gifts and prayers of thanks. Christmas was a time to show appreciation, too - to maids, garbage collectors, drivers, gardeners, washerwomen, and security guards. We didn't have a lot of fancy presents but my mother was always handling over token gifts and thanks to our "Kartero" (mailman) in the area come Christmas time.

"Utang na loob"(a Filipino cultural trait which, when translated literally means “a debt of one’s inner self”) is then and was always in full play in our house. After all, this was Christmas, a period of love, light, warmth and magic, and there was no room for questions. Family doctors were specially showered with gifts at Christmas time. Ma had always a basket of fresh fruits for our darling family physician, Dr. Campanilla. By then, Christmas had arrived, and they were all made with pure, simple love!

This is my remembrance of Christmas as a youngster in wonderful Sta. Ana. And it comes back in time to me each year - to help me enjoy all the old recipes of yesterday.

Noted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger once wrote, “Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope.

The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope. It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus open doors of hope.”

So, at this time and in the glow of the Christmas tree at our home here in the “Finest City of America” San Diego, when I share gifts with my very own family, I will say it in a whisper and in a prayer: "Silent Night, O Holy Night…Ma and Pa, I love you both very much and will always cherish you, too ... Forever!"

M-E-R-R-Y CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

The Irony of Joining the International Court of Justice

The clamor to return the Philippines to the fold of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is getting louder. What’s driving the noise is former president Rodrigo Duterte’s wading back in Philippine politics after his daughter, the Philippine Vice President Sarah Duterte was stripped of her confidential funds in the proposed FY-24. Duterte took umbrage and verbally went after the Lower House representatives with implied threats. It was vintage Duterte, but the unwelcome intrusion got the conversation going again regarding rejoining the ICC and having the former strongman hauled to the international tribunal.

The Philippines (President Joseph Estrada) signed the Rome Statute in 2000. But his successor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo refused to submit the treaty to the Philippine Senate for concurrence. President Benigno Aquino III had it done in 2011 making the Philippines the 117th signatory to the ICC. When Rodrigo Duterte campaigned and became president, he declared his war on illegal drugs

and implemented a brutal, albeit bloody drug war. The actual death count depends on who releases the figures. Government numbers were much lower than what is being publicly reported from other nongovernmental sources. The bloody war resulted in a complaint being filed to the ICC accusing Duterte of crimes against humanity, one of the requisite crimes envisioned by the Rome Statute.

The ICC’s special prosecutor’s announcement for a preliminary investigation prompted Duterte to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC in 2018. The legal mumbojumbo began in earnest as Duterte’s case progressed, appealed, and again appealed on jurisdictional grounds.

The legalities of all these are for the legal luminaries to dissect regarding merits. This piece is about the act itself of joining and the Leftist groups clamor for the country to rejoin the Rome Statute.

Perhaps, revisiting some important contexts will illuminate a faux patriotic fervor of surrendering the country’s sovereignty to an international human right body

while bigger democracies such as the United States are staying away from it. Their judicial system can handle cases involving war crimes, genocide, crime of aggression, or crimes against humanity. Being a signatory to the treaty (and the U.S. is not), a country is duty bound to submit to the jurisdiction of the international tribunal and have one or more of its citizens tried.

It is instructive to understand the ramifications of membership to the international court. The Rome Statute envisioned countries being ruled by despots where international norms are set aside with impunity and its own constitutional safeguards are no longer observed.

Thus, the need for the international community’s intervention. During the term of U.S. President George W. Bush, America was involved in foreign campaigns including the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003 in response to the 911 attack of the United States.

Such wartime postures opened U.S. military servicemen and governmental entities to war-related crimes. The Hague Invasion Act, a federal law signed by Bush was to preempt such criminal action being posed on American citizens (i.e., deployed American military troops prosecuting the war), including the president. The Act gave the president powers to use any means necessary to prevent American citizens being hauled and prosecuted in the Hague’s international court.

When ICC Special Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (same prosecutor who investigated Duterte) tried to go after U.S. military for alleged war crimes of torture in Afghanistan, then President Donald Trump threatened to block ICC investigations including in Palestine where “criminal conduct”

by U.S. and Israeli personnel can be uncovered. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Bensouda, and another senior ICC official were carried out by virtue of Trump’s executive order.

The sanctions delayed any ICC investigation while the prosecutor Bensouda, who was sanctioned, found her personal finances (i.e., credit cards) affected that prevented her ability to travel.

The United States president under the Hague Invasion Act exercised every means possible to prevent ICC investigation into its citizens, even if it could. Under the Rome Statute, the state party has the duty to exercise criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes and it is only when the state is unable or unwilling to “genuinely carry out the investigation and prosecute the perpetrators.” It is therefore baffling why Filipino citizens would rather throw their former president under the bus than have its own judicial system prosecute the case. This is not to shield Duterte from prosecution, but rather for the government to understand what is at stake.

Duterte’s case is interesting for several factors. According to the

former Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the government is pursuing the investigation on the drug war and lamented that the ICC has not given enough time for the court system to run its course. The Philippines is a democratic form of government patterned before the United States that observes due process including appeals. What exactly is “genuinely carrying out the investigation and prosecution” in a country where legal cases can languish in court for years?

There are constitutional issues that are involved and need to be threshed out by the Philippine judicial system. For example, the drug war was a campaign promise that got him elected and became a declared state policy in response to the worsening situation throughout the country involving illegal drugs including turning into a narcostate. Nobody challenged the drug policy in court, not even the purported extra-judicial killings that were attendant to the illegal drug campaign.

Did that give Duterte cover on constitutional grounds that he was immune from prosecution while performing an official act. If there were infirmities in Duterte’s war, those were not brought out and settled in court for unconstitutional provisions. Precisely why the court system all the way to the Supreme Court must be given the time it needs to rule on the constitutionality of it before an outside foreign court

intervenes. That much is allowed by the Rome Statute. If he has that kind of immunity, then what is there for an international tribunal to prosecute?

Human rights advocates clearly do not trust the Marcos administration to go after Duterte, a political ally.

Probably, but the same can be said of other former presidents because of political alliances. Still, it is not an excuse to punt the case. Leftist organizations only see and condemn human rights violations committed by the government. The atrocities committed by the NPA are being “legitimately” labeled in pursuit of political ends. There are other groups in the Southern Philippines who are involved in terroristic acts, yet their leaders are not being brought before ICC. So then, what gives? The Marawi bombings and Maguindanao massacres could easily fall under the statute but there is really no clamor for international justice.

The bigger problem for the Philippines is that it is a dysfunctional democracy. On the one hand, citizens cry sovereignty when it involves China’s aggression in West Philippine Sea but would cry a whimper when U.S. servicemen implicated in human rights violations and are whisked away from Philippine judicial reach because of an agreement, “NonSurrender Agreement,” that GMA signed with then President Bush, providing immunity to U.S. Troops.

6 • December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023

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December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023 • 7

Help Wanted / For Rent / For Sale

STORM

Continued from p­­­­­age

1

a disaster is not counted in ‘public charge’ considerations around immigration applications,” she said.

“All we care about is for Californians to stay safe.”

There’s also a text-based educational program on public safety available in English, Spanish, Hmong and Punjabi accessible by texting CAWINTER to 20202.

Bianca Feldkircher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Western Region, provided some details on El Niño and La Niña, which are highly predictable months ahead of time based on Pacific wind patterns and water currents coming off the coast of South America. When the winds are weak, as they’ve been this year, the currents turn eastward, away from the western Pacific, and draw the jet stream to the south, bringing more severe weather along with it, and leading to more moderate temperatures in northern parts of the U.S. She said that the National Weather Service foresees a 35% possibility of an “historically strong” El Niño season, rivaling those of 1997-8 and

2015-16, that could extend all the way till June.

Navigating insurance policies Jazmin Ortega of the state Department of Insurance provided some suggestions for how to best navigate the too-often-lengthy process of filing insurance claims after weatherrelated calamities. Her office, she said, has worked to extend the grace period for people to both pay their insurance bills and access benefits if they’ve been put out by the weather – including greater allowances for living expenses for people who’ve had to evacuate their homes.

She wanted people to be aware that flood insurance, just like earthquake insurance, is typically not covered in standard California home insurance policies.

“Less than 2% of Californians have it,” she said.

Flood insurance is available via the National Flood Insurance Program overseen by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at floodsmart.gov, but you should have it in place at least 30 days before you might need it, she cautioned. For those struggling to find fire insurance, she recommended the California Fair Plan

(https://www.cfpnet.com/).

The Department has been a familiar presence at disaster assistance sites helping people navigate their policies and is available to help people process their claims at insurance.ca.gov or through 1-800 927-4357. It also does not concern itself with people’s immigration status.

She suggested that people review their policies to see if they need additional coverage, to remind themselves of what’s covered, and to document both their policies themselves – so that the relevant information can be accessed easily – and to also take pictures to document what they’ve been paying to insure.

Social media toolkit Alf LaMont, of LaMont digital, described Listos California’s emphasis on emergency preparedness as “prepositioning resources prior to an event.” He also highlighted a social media toolkit (socialpresskit.com/ wetwinter) built around some of the most useful, popular online resources from last year’s storms.

The toolkit, he said, has 25 elements, including videos, graphics and locally sourced artwork, and is published in a dozen languages.

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Prayer to Saint Expedite May the intercession of the glorious martyr , St Expedite, recommend us, O my God, to Thy goodness, in order that his protection may obtain for us what our own merits are powerless to do.

Amen.

We supplicate Thee, Lord , to inspire

by Thy grace all our thoughts and actions, that thou being their principle, we may, by the intercession of St. Expedite, be conducted with courage, fidelity and promptitude, at the time proper and favorable, and come to a good and happy end, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

CLEAN

Continued from p­­­­­age

1

Amen St Expedite, honored by the gratitude of those who have invoked thee at the last hour and for pressing cases, we pray thee to obtain from the all powerful goodness of God, by the intercession of Mary Immaculate, (today or such a day) the grace we solicit with all submission to the DivineWill Amen

Holidays Beautiful” e-book from Keep America Beautiful.

About the Clean California Campaign: This campaign is made possible

by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, a sweeping, $1.2 billion, multiyear cleanup effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs, and join with communities throughout the state to reclaim, transform and beautify public spaces.

Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans has helped fund about 320 different community beautification projects and removed an estimated 2 million cubic yards of litter from state highways. That is enough to fill 634 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The program has also created nearly 8,700 jobs that have helped Californians overcome barriers to employment and drawn more than 10,000 volunteers to events ranging from community cleanups to large debris collections for appliances, tires, and mattresses.

For more information, visit CleanCA.com.

8 • December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023

Filipino Press

Spiritual Life Thoughts on Christmas Eve 2023 Dealing With The Unexpected I am writing this piece while lying on my medical bed at the Scripps Friendship Rehabilitation Center. I am well taken care by young men and women whose knowledge and skills would make a difference in our future lives.

This is an unexpected turn of events in my life. I celebrated my 90th birthday with a blast, dancing to my hearts content last July 12, 2023. Dancing is my favorite activity. I feel the rhythm of life flowing and the music inspires you to dance the night th away.

I did not have the inkling that a time would come for me to take off my dancing shoes six months later. How do we deal with the unexpected? Think positive?

Live with out regrets? Cast away fear? I’ve lived life. I’ve lived an abundant life. God’s grace has sustained me through all those years. I was loved by my parents, by my family and friends. Living the unexpected requires the best in you. Resilience, selflessness, humility and patience. To have all these admirable qualities are not spur-of-the moment behaviors.

They are nurtured by loving parents in a healthy environment.

I am beyond grateful for the love and care of my parents, my brothers and sisters. All have

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera

My Personal Testimony

given me a piece of their hearts and made me the person I am today. My prayer: Most loving God, there are moments in our lives when we seem to be lost and alone. We are in desperate need of your comfort and strength. We claim your promise that you will never leave us nor forsake us, that you will always be with us through the days of our lives. Dear God, you have been faithful to us. You have provided for all our needs and you have kept us healthy and strong. Thank you for all your goodness and mercy which we have enjoyed all these years. As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come before your throne of grace to seek your forgiveness and to cleanse our hearts from all unrighteousness.

Wash away our sins, empty our hearts and minds so that they can become a new vessel for your love. Thank you, God for giving us your only Begotten Son as our Alpha and Omega. As we lay in bed, unable to walk due to a broken hip, comfort us, heal us and make us whole again. Allow us to hold your hand and assure us that you are with us in every step of the way. Dear God we remember our loved ones across the seas, the poor and marginalized in other countries, the victims of war and all those suffering from hunger and famine. Alter their circumstances, change their lives and grant them the peace that passes all understanding. Grant them your strength and your love today and everyday. Amen.

Nothing surpasses the wisdom of God His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever He tells you.' (John 2:5) It was the third day. The wine at the wedding feast was gone but the party wasn't over. Mary recognized what was happening, but had neither the power nor the resources to fill the need. She had an inkling, however, that her son did....

When she told Jesus about the social faux pas that was occurring - because you can't have a wedding without wine - it appeared He might not intervene. It was bad timing for the Son of God to be revealed. Yet, Mary instructed the servants in charge of the wine, "Do whatever He tells you." As a result, the first faith-evoking miracle of Jesus' ministry made its way to the lips of the master of the feast and to the hearts of His disciples. Mary's instruction to the

Danny Hernaez

From Whom All Blessings Flow servants proved to be great advice.

Why? Because she took her predicament to the author of all wisdom. "Do whatever He tells you." Whether our wine has run out or our bank account emptied, whether our patience has run dry or our forgiveness drained, when the need demands more than we have to offer - be assured that the all-wise God has an answer.

So the next time you find yourself wrestling with a dilemma, or when someone comes to you with a problem above your pay grade, don't sweat it. You are

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Greetings in the Lord!

Now we come to the fourth Sunday of Advent, the last Sunday before Christmas. Luke's Gospel brings us to the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), which fulfills God's seemingly scandalous promise to David (see First Reading, 2 Sam. 7:1-5, 8-11, 16). The Annunciation is the beginning of the wondrous unfolding of "a mystery kept secret for centuries," as St. Paul wrote in the second reading (Rom. 16:2527), bringing us to pray in awe the Psalm: "I will forever sing of the goodness of the Lord" (Ps 89:23., 4-5, 27, 29). Gabriel was said to be the angel who appeared to the prophet Daniel to explain the events that would accompany the coming of the Messiah (Dan. 9:2127). The news, which he has given, turned out to be just at the moment that surprised Mary with his visit.

At the Annunciation, he brought to fulfillment what he had foretold to Daniel some six centuries ago.

"Rejoice, full of grace!" This greeting was very unusual, as the last woman on earth (before this greeting was made) to be "full of grace" was Eve, "the mother of all the living" (Gen. 3:20). She lost this fullness of grace, however, when she and Adam disobeyed. Stripped of the supernatural grace given to them from the beginning, they both found themselves "naked." When Gabriel added that she has "found favor with God," Mary realized that she was the woman promised by God (see Gen. 3:15 "the woman" and "her seed"), through whom God will defeat the serpent (Satan).

Mary must have recognized this as an almost word-for-word fulfillment of God's covenant promise to David, as we heard in the first reading. The words describing the king as God's own son and his rule as eternal (see First Reading, 2 Sam. 7:1-5, 8-11, 16) are those used by Gabriel in his message to Mary: "Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; the Lord God will give him the throne

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic of David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1:26-38). This promise of David's throne hung in the air in Israel for hundreds of years. On the day of the Annunciation in Nazareth, it finally came to fruition.

While she knew from Scripture about miraculous births in the Old Testament (the list is too long to mention here), her own situation raised such a question. It was said in the early history of Christianity that Mary at an early age had promised herself to God, intending to devote herself to prayer in the Temple like the prophetess Anna, in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:36-38). She would have needed someone to take care of her needs, but she was also willing to honor her vow of virginity, and that the man was Joseph. Their commitment mentioned in the Gospel can be better understood in this context. If this was the setting in which Gabriel appeared to her, Mary's question made sense. With the angel's announcement, her plan went backwards as hers was to be a fruitful physical virginity.

Gabriel explained to her that the power of the Most High would "overshadow" her. This word, "shadow," was the same word used to describe how God "eclipsed" the Tabernacle, making it his dwelling place in Israel (Ex 40:35). Seeing Mary's bewilderment, Gabriel said, "Nothing is impossible with God." These words say it all. While almost everything becomes impossible for human beings, nothing is impossible

for God. Being a woman of Scripture, Mary knew of those other women in the Old Testament who miraculously conceived children. She would have remembered the angel's words about Sarah's impossible conception, nearly 2000 years earlier: "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?

(Gen 18:14) "Hence, your answer:".

May it be done in me according to your word" She chose to present God's plan, to let go of her own.

Because of this, there was a risk of the possibility of misunderstandings and embarrassment associated with what would appear to others to be the breaking of her vow of virginity.

His "yes" ("Fiat") opened up a world of complications for him! However, when she chose God's way over her own, she immediately found her happiness, unlike Eve, who was devastated by her disobedience. And with a "yes" ("Fiat") from Mary, she became the new Eve, the "woman" whose "seed" would crush the serpent's head.

On second reading (. Rom 16:25-27), St. Paul spoke about the proclamation of the Gospel "according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for centuries, but now manifested through the Scriptures of the prophets." This means that God from the beginning, has always had a plan; which "from eternal times" was kept secret. God saw fit to reveal little by little, with the Annunciation as the beginning of the marvelous unfolding of this "mystery." God is not subject to time. Even when millennia pass, and no one can figure out what He is doing, God is at work moving everything forward to completion.

And what's the point of all this?

St. Paul tells us that the Gospel be preached to all in order to "promote the obedience of faith." God's plan is that we obey Him because we trust Him, as our Blessed Mother did with her "yes" (Fiat). He knows that the obedience that comes from faith is the true source of our own happiness.

KATOTOHANAN Ni Salvador S. Idos

connected to the smartest problemsolver who has ever lived. Nothing surpasses the wisdom of God. Because He gives even better advice than Mary!

The disciples thought they suffered their greatest defeat when Jesus died on the cross. However, this defeat became the greatest victory on earth. Christ's death gave liberty. Forgiveness came to all men. New life came forth - new strength for the disciples.

Resurrection and new life came as a result of a "defeat." <(((><

Isang paksa na kung minsan ay pinagtatalunan Kung ano nga ang totoo ay nais na malaman Madaling sabihin kung ano ang totoo kapag ito ay nakikita Subalit nagtatalo sa mga bagay na wala sa paningin ng mata.

Ang katotohanan ang siyang haligi ng isang matibay na tahanan Kapag wala ito ay parang bahay na nakatayo sa may buhangin Kung dumating ang bagyo at malakas na hangin Babagsak ang bahay, lahat mawawalan ng saysay.

Dumating ang Panginoon sa buhay natin at nagsabi, “Ako ang Katotohanan, ang Daan, at ang Buhay” Nagbibigay ng liwanag ang Kanyang Katotohanan Sa nandidilim nating mundo at kapaligiran.

Ang Kanyang Katotohanan

ay matatag at di pabago-bago Utos Niyang mahalin ang Diyos at ang kapwa Ito ay totoo kahapon, ngayon, at magpakailanman Katotohanan na habang buhay ay sinisikap na gampanan.

Di madaling intindihin at sundan,kanyang mga utos at Katotohanan “Mahalin mo ang iyong kaaway.” “Ang huli ay siyang mangunguna.”

Subalit dahil sa Kanyang biyaya ng pananampalataya Nakakayanan nating tanggapin na ang Kanyang mga utos ay totoo.

Kasinungalingan laban sa katotohanan na kagagawan ng tao Nanyayari sa ating buhay at pansamantalang nananalo Pagkaraan ng panahon at sa bandang huli Katotohanan ng Diyos ang palaging nagwawagi.

Kung di natin nais mawalay sa tamang landas Ugaliin nating pag-aralan ang Panginoon na sa Kanyang mga labi nagmumula ang Katotohanan Tanglaw na nagbibigay ng liwanag sa daang ating tinatahak Upang ang lugar ay marating, kung saan Siya ay makakapiling.

Salvador S. Idos

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December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023 • 9

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10 • December 22, 2023 - December 28, 2023

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Alessandra de Rossi on people judging unmarried women: 'Takot kayo mag-isa' The actress also said that while she believes love makes the world go round, she doesn't believe it's the solution to everything.

"At saka, parang, hindi lang ang buhay ay pagkakaroon ng relasyon, pagpapakasal, pagkakaroon ng anak, parang ang daming ibang klaseng life, like, nagtrabaho, nagtravel... binuhos niya 'yung life niya sa isang community, she changed the world in her own little way, special way, parang may masasabing, napaka-unfulfilling

MANILA -- Alessandra de Rossi has something to say about people who have a negative view of unmarried women.

"Well, kung negative 'yung tingin nila sa unmarried, parang, takot kayo mag-isa," she said.

"Sorry," she added. "I mean, kung 'yun 'yung dating sa inyo, pero kaming unmarried, masaya naman kami."

Alessandra said that she won't claim that her life is happier without a husband and kids.

"I'm sure, napaka-fulfilling na trabaho na maging ina, diba? Pero, para pilitin mangyari 'yun or...or mafeel na hindi ako parang binigyan ng gift," she said. "Diba? Na gano'n?"

"It's a blessing from the Lord, talaga. Gano'n. Nakalagay naman 'yan, children are a gift from God, diba?

Pero parang, ang lungkot naman kung feeling mo dahil hindi ka nabigyan or hindi ka gano'n, eh, malungkot ang buhay mo. Parang uy teka lang ha," she added.

naman ng life niya, diba?"

Alessandra stars in the upcoming film "Firefly," the official entry of GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures to the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023.

Directed by Zig Dulay, "Firefly" is a coming-of-age road trip drama about a young boy who searches for the mythical island described in his mother's bedtime stories.

It also stars Dingdong Dantes, Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega, and Yayo Aguila, among others. (MNS)

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