The Filipino Press: December 8-14, 2023

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Green Cities: A Matter of Life and Death

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- As humankind grows increasingly urban, planting trees and parks — far from merely beautifying cities — increasingly becomes a matter of life and death.

At a Friday, Dec. 1 Ethnic Media Services briefing, Los Angeles Forestry officials and urban greening experts discussed the city as a case study of the link between green space and human health, and explained how adding nearly a million years of life expectancy in LA County through urban greening could serve as a model for other cities.

Green space and life expectancy The more parks and trees there are in a given neighborhood, the higher the area’s life expectancy, said Michael Jerrett, referring to a July 2023 UCLA study he coauthored, which found that bringing green space in LA County to median levels could add up to 908,800 years of collective life expectancy to residents in under-resourced communities.

While the study found that life expectancy in wealthy and verdant Beverly Hills was 90, the median in south LA communities less than 15 miles away was 77. The total expectancy ranged countywide from 68 years in poorer south-central areas to 93 in affluent places like Malibu, said Jerrett, a UCLA environmental health professor and Center for Healthy Climate Solutions codirector.

In already “very leafy areas, like Brentwood, or parts of West LA, there’s not a lot of impact in adding more green space,” he added, but in

disproportionately less green areas in the east, south and far north — where two-third of LA County’s Black and Latino population resides — merely expanding parks to county medians would add 164,700 years of life expectancy to the region, with Black and Latino residents receiving 72%, or 118,000 of these years.

Healthy trees, healthy people The health benefits that come

from more parks and trees depend on more than just planting, said Rachel Malarich, the first City Forest Officer for the City of Los Angeles. “In order to achieve those benefits, we need to have healthy trees, regularly maintained to live their own full lifespan in the neighborhoods which most need them.”

The city’s Urban Forest Management Plan has four pillars,

she continued: planting new trees, maintaining existing trees, preserving these trees amid new construction and development, and engaging the communities who live with these trees.

“When we talk to community members, there is often frustration because the trees haven’t been maintained,” Malarich explained.

“The industry standard is to inspect

trees and trim them as needed every five to seven years; the city’s current cycle is closer to 18 years … we’re now holding community engagement workshops and feedback surveys both to improve inequity of access to green spaces, and inequity in how these spaces are maintained.”

Greening on-the-ground The most sustainable urban forests are planted and supported by

members of their own communities, said Marcos Trinidad, Senior Director of Forestry at TreePeople.

Now in its 50th year, the urban greening nonprofit has been shifting from an all-volunteer model of planting, maintenance and community education to a hybrid model which includes “workforce development,” particularly training youth interested in environmental careers to work with community organizations to green “neighborhoods which need trees the most,” like northeast and southeast LA, he explained.

Though TreePeople is based in LA County, Trinidad said that its model of community investment in “what is needed to have sustainable, sustainable urban forests” — namely planting, maintenance, preservation and education — is meant to be shared well beyond LA: “We’re currently in the Inland Empire and Antelope Valley … and want to share our process with the rest of the world.”

Green equity as green stewardship To invest in more green space for underserved communities means investing in those communities as caretakers of this space, said Bz Zhang, Project Manager of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT) — which, since its inception in 2002, has created about 30 parks and gardens across 21 acres of green space for over half a million LA County residents.

Since majority non-white See GREEN CITIES on 8

Jean Amour Fashion Show Successfully Launched; NATIONAL CITY CELEBRATES THE Cherilyn sizzles with her singing performance HOLIDAYS WITH “A KIMBALL HOLIDAY” AND TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY NATIONAL CITY, CA-- Mission Accomplished!

The much anticipated launching NATIONAL CITY, CA -- We are of Jean Amour Fashion Couture back! Join the City of National City Collections during a segment of as we present the 15th Annual “A the Filipino Press Thanksgiving Kimball Holiday” Celebration. The Extravaganza held recently at event will take place in Kimball Park Ramada Hotel in National City, on Saturday, December 9th. This left the audience in awe and event is free and open to the public. impressed with the show . Twenty six models, mostly FilipinoSchedule of Events: American displayed their beauty, Saturday, December 9th Main Event 2:00pm – 9:00pm poise and pride in strutting the Tree Lighting Ceremony creative and elegant couture works of fashion designer Jean Amour.

6:00pm A Kimball Holiday is a great Model participants include Hannah event for the entire family! FREE Michellle, Luella Joice Barrios train rides, sledding down a snow Abelita, Luke Jireh Barrios Abelita, hill, children’s arts & crafts, live Lemuel Jireh Barrios Abelita, DJ music and LED dance floor, Lorelen and Kaelen Ng, Maddison community performances on stage, Habaluyas, Elisha Faith Estrella, A Taste of the Holiday area with Alyssa Marie Redondo, Alexandra delicious food and beverages Macaraeg, Joyce Ryan Santiago, available for sale, and a not-to-be- Graciel Denise Tan, Elizabeth missed photo opportunity with Santa, Beatrice Orioste, Heather Alexia Mrs. Claus & The Grinch! Everyone Santos, Brynn Gonzales, Elle Paris in attendance will countdown for Legaspi, Saraiah Divine Legaspi, the annual tree lighting ceremony at Jeanne Legaspi, Leanne Mendoza, 6:00pm. The City of National City is Ayra Fong, dam Fong, Priscilla happy to be back, and ready to share Garcia, Shilo, Jojo Bondoc, Ycel of PNA, Norliza Rodriguez, Titus the joy of such a magical day!

Please note that parking will be Bonifacio and Edina Tagaloguin.

A resident of San Diego, Jean limited. ‘A’ Avenue will be closed shared her talents and between National City Blvd. and Amour 12th St. including the Kimball Park creations to San Diegans, after ‘A’ Avenue parking lot and City having done fashion shows in Los Hall parking lot from 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 9th through Sunday, December 10th at 6:00 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to park in: Kimball Senior Center parking lot located off 12th St and ‘D’ Ave., Kimball Park parking stalls located on ‘D’ Ave. National City Public Library parking lot located at 1401 National City Blvd.

Angeles, New York, Philippines and recently from her Paris Fashion Week stint.

Cherilyn Mallari got her break as a singer/artist, during the dinnerconcert segment of the program.

She delivered heart warming songs, reached fever pitch notes from songs of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys just to name a few . Cherilyn confidently showcased her vocal range, control, versatility and creativity as an emerging professional artist in her own right.

Cherilyn was joined by Charisma Ursua and Melanie Jimenez, both Champion Karaoke Singers previously sponsored by Seafood City.

Most recently, Cherilyn launched her professional singing services and is available for events, concerts, all occasion parties to provide musical entertainment.

The Filipino Press Thanksgiving Extavaganza was brought to you

by Wyyerd Fiber, My Point Credit Union, Gerry's Grill, Paradise Valley Hospital, Noel Ancheta, Old Schoolhouse Square Shopping Center, San Ysidro Health Center, La Flamme French Pizza, Zarlitos, Atty. Morris Chichiyan, Ramada by Wyndham, Mabuhay DJ, Califoto, Juv's Petals, Amy and Rizza's Salon, Make up by Cindy, and more. Part

of proceeds went to the UP Alumni of San Diego's scholarship program, Mahal Kita Foundation, Samahan and St. Agustine Church in Cebu.

A Red Carpet welcome and reception with sushi party trays from Kyoto, Lumpia shanghai from Zarlitos and French Pizza, Mediterranean salad and Quiche from La Flamme surprised the attendees as they are also greeted with a Holiday Bazaar featuring vendors/exhibitors like DCL PreLoved Bags and Jewelry, Palm Care Pharmacy, Juv's Petals, Sofia's Boutique, Kitchen Logic, Riman, Hazel Pingol of SBHIS and more.

Special Dinner selections were from Gerry's Grill which appeals to the discriminating taste of the Filipinos and guests alike. Expect consistent excellent in taste and flavor as they visit and discover the other offerings at Gerry's Grill located in Plaza Bonita Mall.

Desserts were from Bakers Avenue inside Seafood City National City. Special puto/rice cake from Bread de Luxe.

Special dance performances by Stars Lions Club as well as Samahan Dance Company , commmunity Dancing and Karaoke entertainment capped the enchanting evening.

Check page 12 of this issue of the paper for more photos.

2 • December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023

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December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023 • 3

Francine’s Signature Holiday Ham

By FRANCINE maigue

My friends, the Holidays are in FULL EFFECT! I’ve been writing this column for over a decade now. And, without fail, every year, around the holidays, my #1 request is for my Glazed Holiday Ham recipe.

On our family’s table, ham is definitely one of the main stars. So… Get your pan de sal and queso de bola ready. It’s hammin’ time!

Pampered Pinay Holiday Ham

Ever since my mom shared her ham tips with me, ham has become one of my official responsibilities at every holiday meal. (It’s also become my go-to gift. Who doesn’t love receiving a fully cooked ham with a side of pan de sal?)

While I have fun playing with the traditional recipe from time to time, my ham process always follows some key steps.

I begin by scoring my ham diagonally two ways, making about 2-3 inch diamonds around the whole

ham.

In the corner of each diamond, I stud the ham with whole cloves.

(Mmm…cloves…heavenly…)

I make sure to place some cloves underneath the ham as well. If you have a bone-in ham, stick a clove or two in the marrow. As the marrow melts, it takes on the clove’s flavor and helps baste the ham in the most delectable way. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

Next, using a brush, I paint the ham with honey mustard, making

sure I get into all of the nooks and crannies of the diamond cuts.

I then slather the entire ham with preserves. I tend to opt for apricot.

But, honestly, I’ve tried a range of flavors and don’t think you can go wrong with most. (Your choice will have a bit of impact on the final color of your glazed ham.)

Finally, I cover the entire ham with dark brown sugar, which caramelizes into the perfect crust.

As the ham bakes in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I baste it using a combination of its drippings and pineapple and/or orange juice. As the fat of the ham melts, the scored diamonds become more prominent, catching the flavors and caramelizing for tantalizing ham goodness.

On average, our 9-10 pounders cook for one hour tops. (Don’t dry out your ham!)

Serve your glistening, glazed jamon with pan de sal and queso de bola, and watch your loved ones go, “Wowwwwww!” (The best part: It makes for an easy, delicious breakfast the next morning…That is – if there are any leftovers.)

Happy Holidays, my friends!

to pamper yourself and those you love. Why? The answer is simple: YOU DESERVE IT! Got a business or event we should know about? Email us at filpressads@aol.com.

More Pampered Pinay holiday recipes coming up!

Check back every week for ways

Refer us to your favorite restaurant call /text 619-755-0755

4 • December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023

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PNP tags 2 Daulah Islamiyah members as suspects in MSU bombing MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday identified the two persons of interest (POI) allegedly linked to the Dec. 3 bombing at the Mindanao State University (MSU) gym in Marawi City that killed four persons and wounded at least 50 others.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City, said these are Kadapi Mimbesa alias 'Engineer' and Arsani Membesa alias 'Khatab', 'Hatab' and 'Lapitos', both members of Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group.

She said Mimbesa was the one seen by witnesses as carrying the bag which purportedly contained the bomb used in the blast.

Mimbesa has a standing arrest warrant for murder in Marawi City.

Fajardo said the suspects were identified based on the description of the witnesses.

“They were seen around 6:27 a.m. while on the way to the MSU gymnasium. At around 7 a.m., they were seen entering the MSU through the enhanced CCTV (closed circuit television) camera footage. Before the blast occurred, they were seen leaving the MSU and one of the POIs used his mobile phone to call somebody which might have triggered the blast.

Then, they immediately left the MSU premises,” said Fajardo.

Fajardo explained that it took a while to release the photos of the two POIs as they verified these first with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Hoax bomb threat Meanwhile, Fajardo said the bomb threat purportedly sent by a Japanese lawyer named Takahiro Karasawa is a hoax.

Fajardo said the same threat had already circulated in September and October and was investigated by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.

“Mag ingat tayo sa share ng mga unverified information at huwag tayong magpakalat ng mga ganitong mga klaseng mga bomb threat dahil mahigpit pong ipinagbabawal yan sa ilalim ng batas at maaari kayong makulong ng hindi bababa sa limang taon at may multa pa (Let's be careful in sharing unverified information and don't spread these kinds of bomb threats because it is strictly prohibited under the law and you can be imprisoned for at least five years and there is a fine),” said Fajardo.

According to the e-mail, Karasawa threatened that he had planted highperformance bombs in several buildings in Metro Manila.

“Those bombs will explode at approximately 3:34 p.m. on Dec. 5,” the e-mail read.

She added the PNP has already coordinated with foreign counterparts to trace the origin of this e-mail which has also reportedly circulated in Taiwan, China, and South Korea.

The AFP also urged the public to ignore and relay to law enforcement authorities unsolicited text messages spreading false information aimed at sowing chaos and panic in the wake of the Marawi bombing.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said such messages, disseminated by text messages and through various social media platforms, do not help stabilize the situation.

Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna said the City Hall did not receive any bomb threat.

However, she asked Manila Police District (MPD) Director Col. Arnold

Thomas Ibay to heighten security inspections in places of convergence such as schools, shopping malls, and churches.

She also urged employees and residents to always be vigilant and prepared and to immediately report to authorities any suspicious activity.

PNP to raise full alert for holiday season Dec. 15 The Philippine National Police (PNP) would raise its full alert status starting next week to ensure a safe celebration of the Christmas season.

“Pagdating ng Dec. 15 ay suspended na ang leave ng mga pulis as a normal practice. Ibig sabihin naka full alert na tayo nationwide para siguraduhin na accounted at meron tayong readily available na mga personnel for deployment (By Dec. 15, all leaves of police personnel would be canceled as a normal practice. This means that we are on full alert nationwide to make sure that our personnel are accounted for and that we have readily available personnel for deployment),” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a presser at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Tuesday.

Fajardo said PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. has ordered intensified police visibility and preventive patrol operations to ensure public safety, especially churchgoers who would attend the nine-day "Simbang Gabi" which starts on Dec. 16.

As part of the PNP's "Ligtas Paskuhan 2023" security campaign, she said about 39,000 PNP personnel would be deployed across the country for law enforcement and public safety operations.

"Kasama na rin diyan yung mga places of worship, major thoroughfares, mga transport terminals to make sure nga dahil inaasahan natin na kapagka mga ganitong December ay tumataas din, dumodoble or tumpitriple pa mga bumi biyahe pauwi ng probinsya (That includes places of worship, major thoroughfares, transport terminals. We want to make sure that our security is tight because we expect the number of travelers to double or even triple this December),” she said.

She said PNP personnel would be augmented by force multipliers including from the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Persons of interest Fajardo, meanwhile, said the two persons of interest (POIs) who could be linked to Sunday's bombing at the Mindanao State University (MSU) gym in Marawi City have been identified.

She, however, declined to give further details.

“What we can share to you it appears na affiliated ito sa isang local terrorist group operating in Mindanao and they have previous criminal records kaya nakakuha tayo ng identification nila, including pictures dahil nung na-interview natin yung ilang witnesses na nag attend nitong Mass ay nakita nila at describe nila itong mga suspects (What we can share to you it appears that it is affiliated with a local terrorist group operating in Mindanao and they have previous criminal records. So we got their identification, including pictures because when we interviewed some witnesses who attended this Mass, they said they saw these suspects and described them),” Fajardo said.

She added that they are also looking at two more POIs who allegedly served as lookouts during the incident.

Fajardo said witnesses noticed that these two men acted suspiciously and stayed for a long time inside the gym before the explosion.

VP Sara asks PBBM to halt grant of amnesty to communist groups Vice President Sara Z. Duterte reiterated her full support to peace efforts but asked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. not to grant amnesty to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's ArmyNational Democratic Front (CPPNPA-NDF).

Duterte issued the statement as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) celebrated its 5th founding anniversary on Monday.

"Sumusuporta ako sa mga hakbang para itaguyod ang kapayapaan sa bansa (I support initiatives in sustaining peace in the country) because the fight against terrorists is deeply personal to me, as it is deeply personal to the families of countless Filipinos whose lives were forever upended because of the madness of terrorists. Pero hindi ang pagbibigay ng amnestiya ang daan sa kapayapaan (But granting amnesty is not the way to peace)," Duterte said.

"Ang dapat nating gawin ay ipagpatuloy ang ating mga nasimulan sa NTF-ELCAC at mas palakasin pa ang mga ito. Panalo na tayo.

Lumalaban na ang mga komunidad (What we need to do is to continue what we've started in NTF-ELCAC and strengthen them. We've already won. Communities are already fighting back)," she added.

Duterte said the joint communique between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front is an "agreement with the devil."

"Napatunayan na natin sa kasaysayan na hindi sila seryoso at wala silang sinseridad sa usaping pangkapayapaan. Gagamitin nila itong peace negotiation sa pagtraydor sa pamahalaan at paglinlang sa taumbayan (The history will prove that they are not serious and not sincere in talking about peace. They will use this peace negotiation to betray the government and to trick the people). We appeal to your power to review these proclamations and agreements," she warned.

The Philippine government and the NDF recently agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict” after signing a joint statement in Oslo, Norway on Nov. 23.

Duterte noted that the government can negotiate for peace and reconciliation and pursue meaningful development efforts in the Philippines without "capitulating to the enemies."

"Sana po ay isaalang-alang natin ang ating mga komunidad na naging pugad ng mga terorista sa mahabang panahon na ngayon ay lumalaban na at tumutulong sa pamahalaan (We should also consider the communities that were once made hideouts of terrorists for a long period and now trying to fight them and help the government). Let us honor the memory of those who died in the senseless and bloody attacks of the NPA-CPP-NDFP," she said.

The Vice President recalled that in 2017, she personally saw a dying victim of an improvised explosive device explosion perpetrated by the NPA in Mandug, Davao City while she was still a mayor.

See PNP on 5

FRUITS IN SEASON. Mindanao fruits, such as pomelo and durian, are the main attractions of this stall at a food bazaar in Quezon City Hall’s covered walkway on Wednesday (Dec. 6, 2023). Durian and pomelo are sold at PHP200 and PHP150 per kg., respectively. (MNS photo)

CHRISTMAS AMBIENCE. San Jose del Monte City Mayor Arthur Robes and wife Rep. Florida Robes gamely pose with children during the annual Christmas lighting ceremony at the city hall grounds in Poblacion, SJDM, Bulacan on Thursday (Nov. 30, 2023). A fireworks display also highlighted the lighting of the 59-foot Christmas tree that signaled the start of the Yuletide season. (MNS photo)

Philippines’ debt up by 1.49% to P14.48T as of end-Oct. 2023 MANILA -- The country’s sovereign debt increased as of endOctober 2023 as the government borrowed more from both domestic and international sources during the period.

Data released by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Tuesday showed the national government running or outstanding debt stood at P14.48 trillion, up 1.49% from P14.27 trillion as of end-September 2023.

The Treasury said the month-onmonth increase in the government’s debt stock reflected the “net issuance and availment of domestic and external loans, as well as the revaluation effect of peso depreciation against the US dollar.”

Of the total debt balance, 68.38% was sourced locally while the remaining 31.62% was from foreign sources.

The country’s domestic debt amounted to P9.90 trillion, up 1.73% from P9.73 trillion as of endSeptember as the government issued debt securities to beef up its coffers.

During the month, the government issued P213.42 billion in domestic debt securities, compared with principal payments amounting to P45.68 billion, resulting in a net repayment of P167.75 billion.

The BTr added that the effect of local currency depreciation against the US dollar on the debt stock valuation was minimal at only P230 million.

Year-to-date domestic debt saw an increment of P693.95 billion or 7.54%.

Foreign debt, meanwhile, grew by 0.97% to P4.58 trillion from P4.53 trillion month-on-month.

“For October, the increase in external debt was due to the net availment of foreign loans amounting to P33.52 billion, and the P11.84 billion upward adjustment in valuation caused by peso depreciation against the US dollar,” the Treasury said.

The country’s external debt increased by P367.99 billion or 8.74% from the end-December 2022 level of P4.21 trillion.

Consequently, the country’s debtto-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, which measures the amount of the government’s debt relative to the size of the economy, improved at 60.2% as of the third quarter of the year from 61% of the second quarter.

This came after the faster economic growth seen in the same period of 5.9%, from 4.3% in the second quarter.

A lower debt-to-GDP ratio indicates that the country can pay off its debt without having adverse impacts on the economy.

Under the administration’s Medium Term Fiscal Framework, the government aims to bring down the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 60% by 2025 and further shrink it to 51.1% by 2028.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier said that the country’s debt management strategy prioritizes the domestic market over external sources to protect the country against foreign exchange risk as fluctuations in exchange rates run the risk of increasing debt service payments each time the peso depreciates.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,

the Philippines’ debt-to-GDP ratio reached a record low of 39.6% in 2019.

Inflation cools down further to 4.1% in November 2023 The Philippines’ inflation rate decelerated further to its slowest in 20 months in November amid the slowdown in the increase in food and transport costs, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday.

At a press briefing, National Statistician and PSA chief Claire Dennis Mapa said inflation — which measures the rate of increase in the prices of consumer goods and services — clocked in at 4.1% last month, slower than the 4.9% rate recorded in October and the 8% rate in November 2022.

This is the second straight month of deceleration in the headline inflation following two straight months of acceleration.

Last month’s rate is the slowest on record since March 2022, when inflation stood at 4%.

It also fell within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) forecast range of 4% to 4.8%, consistent with the central bank’s expectations “that inflation will likely moderate over the near term due to easing supplyside price pressures and negative base effects.”

November’s inflation print brought the year-to-date figure to stand at 6.2%, still above the government’s ceiling of 2% to 4%.

In a separate statement, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that “the further drop in the inflation rate can be attributed to the timely implementation of strategies to stabilize food supply amid the anticipated domestic and external headwinds in the coming months.”

“Ang pangunahing dahilan ng mas mababang antas ng inflation nitong Nobyembre 2023 kaysa noong Oktubre 2023 ay ang mas mabagal na pagtaas ng presyo ng Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages,” Mapa said. (The main reason for the slower inflation rate in November 2023 versus October 2023 was the slower increase in the prices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.)

In particular, the heavilyweighted Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index saw an inflation rate of 5.7% in November from 7% in October, and a share of 59.5% to the overall decline in inflation last month.

The main contributor to the slowdown in the Food and NonAlcoholic Beverages index was the decline in the prices of vegetables, tubers, and cooking bananas, etc. with an inflation rate of -2% from 11.9% in October.

Also contributing to the decline were the slower increase in fish and other seafood at 4.9% from 5.6% and sugar and desserts at 1.5% from 4.9%.

Rice, egg prices up faster While food inflation decelerated to 5.8% in November from 7.1% in October, rice inflation saw a year-onyear increment to 15.8% from 13.2% while eggs, milk, and other dairy products saw an increase of 7.6% from 7.5%.

Mapa said rice’s weight to the

food basket was at 8.9% while eggs were at 1.16%.

Nonetheless, the PSA chief said the lower inflation prints in meat, fruits, flour and bread products, ready-made foods on top of the decrease in inflation for vegetables contributed to the overall decline in food inflation despite the higher rice and egg prices.

Non-food inflation According to NEDA, non-food inflation eased further to 2.9% in November from 3.4% in the prior month, resulting from deflation in transportation at -0.8% from 1.0% and slower inflation in restaurant and accommodation services at 5.6% from 6.3%.

Moreover, annual decreases were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9% from 9.3% Clothing and footwear, 4.3% from 4.8% Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 2.5% from 2.6% Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 4.7% from 5.3% Health, 3.8% from 4.0% Information and communication, 0.6% from 0.8% Recreation, sport and culture, 4.9% from 5.0% Education services, 3.5% from 3.8% Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 4.8% from 5.3% “With the right interventions in place, including the proper and timely deployment of trade policy, we are confident that we can effectively manage inflation and prevent unnecessary upticks in prices of goods and commodities to safeguard the purchasing power of Filipino families, especially those from the most vulnerable sectors,” said Balisacan.

Interventions The country’s chief economist said the government needs to continue monitoring the inflation situation in the face of continued price pressures coming from geopolitical tensions and extreme weather situations, further fueling uncertainty.

Balisacan said the Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook (IAC-IMO) sub-committee on food inflation has proposed to maintain the lower tariff rates on rice, corn and swine meat to ensure sufficient supply and stable prices of key agricultural commodities.

The Toll Regulatory Board and the Department of Agriculture, along with other agencies and tollway concessionaires, are finalizing the details on exempting agriculture delivery trucks from toll increases to mitigate energy- and fuel-related inflationary pressures, according to the NEDA chief.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has also provided fuel subsidies to 166,598 public utility vehicles as of November 17.

“To protect the most vulnerable sectors from high food prices, the Department of Social Welfare and Development launched the Walang See DEBT on

6

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December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023 • 5

YEAR-END REFLECTIONS AND ONE LONG EXTENDED CHRISTMAS GIFT Filipino

Jesse T. Reyes

“Without Him was not any thing made that was made.”

- John I:3

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Time to reflect.

That would be my answer to the question: “What do you like most about the year-end holidays?”

Oh, the food is good – those delectable, fattening morsels that make Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s so special. So are the parties and the people…the songs, the smiles, the smells. Each weaves its way into the fabric of our minds in such a beautiful manner that we live in the warmth of them for days.

Sometimes months.

But I say the best those traditional holidays can offer, in my opinion, is time to reflect. To stand in front of the full-length mirror of memory and study the scene. Thoughtfully.

Silently. Alone. At length. To trace the outline of the past without the rude interruption of routine task. To walk along the surf or stroll through a mountain pathway, taking time to stop and listen. And think. To sit by a crackling fireplace with all the lights out, staring into the heat, and letting thoughts emerge, drift, and linger. To turn over in the mind a line out of a poem. To hear some grand music played at sufficient volume that all petty noises and worries are submerged beneath the waves of stimulating sound.

Maybe it’s part of what is meant by being “lost in wonder, love and praise.” A kind of solitary worship. An extended, unhurried leisure yielding rich benefits and deep insights. Invariably, those occasions leave me feeling grateful to God. Often, I end up thanking Him specifically for something or someone that He provided in the yesterday of my life that makes my

Potpourri

today much more meaningful.

Yes, folks…it’s December, the season of Advent, when our thoughts should focus on the coming of Jesus – as a baby in a manger and as the king of kings at the end of time. But, oh dear! With shopping and mailing and writing cards and getting the house ready for guests, I know that we all often forget the point of it all.

It happened again today.

As I sat down in front of the computer trying to write down my column for this weekend’s edition of “The Filipino Press” I murmured a quick prayer: Don’t let me lose sight of You today, Lord!

Answers to my plea came all day long. Obstacles also seemed cleared away. And I saw God as the One Who time and again has opened a way for me.

Truly, there are times in all our lives when we seem to be looking down from the mountaintop, our

hearts overflowing with joy: when we realize for the first time how much God loves us; when we step onstage to receive a diploma; when we set off to work on our first job; when we hold a newborn baby in our arms. Those are times when praise and thanksgiving seem as natural to us as breathing, and it seems as if the very next step might take us into the presence of the Lord.

There are times, too, when we seem to be looking up from the floor of a very dark valley: when we face illness; when we lose a loved one; when we’ve lost a job or failed a test; when we can’t seem to find any good news in our daily papers.

Those are times when we feel powerless, when prayer can be an effort and God can seem far away.

But I reckon – we all know a marvelous truth: Whether we’re up on the mountaintop or down in the valley, we’re always in the hands of God. And through faith and trust

in His loving care, we can hope to share in His glory. And in that hope, we can always rejoice.

It is winter right now here in America. Just the sound of the word whistling through our lips puts a mental chill up our spines. Winter seems to speak of barrenness, frigid feelings of discomfort and discontent, icy shadows sprawled across frozen ponds, naked branches reaching up as if in supplication for relief. Short days, long nights.

Fast-fading memories of yesterday’s fun in the sun, bike rides along the beach, Thanksgiving.

Heavy, gray clouds and harsh winds sting our face and steal our smile. With grim determination we trudge on, sometimes alone and isolated, within our own little world of heavy garb and frosty windows.

“The dead of winter” – ah, an apt description, indeed!

Not all agree and that includes

me…Ha-ha-ha-ha!

I say winter is the ideal occasion to invest a few extra hours in quiet reverence and to take it by faith, my dear friends. He is there, and furthermore, He is neither dead nor deaf. What you are enduring is one of those dry-spell times when you’d rather curl up than stand up and sing. And that’s okay. Those times come.

They also pass.

When this winter season ends, you’ll be wiser, deeper, stronger.

Therefore, in reverence, let’s all look up. Be still and discover anew that He is God. That He is doing “whatever He pleases” in your life.

For my two cents maybe the following “winter thoughts” of mine will change your perspective and help convince you, my dear readers.

Although it may be a little ahead of schedule, I say it’s not too early to give some things away this Christmas. Not just on Christmas Day, but during the days leading up to December 25. We could call these daily gifts “our Christmas projects.” Maybe one per day from now ‘til then. Here are some of my personal suggestions.

Take your choice.

• Mend a quarrel.

• Seek out a forgotten friend.

• Dismiss suspicion.

• Write a long overdue love note.

• Hug someone tightly and whisper, “I love you so.”

• Forgive an enemy.

• Be gentle and patient with an angry person.

The Journey towards a synodal Church is at a crossroads, Part 3

As Catholics, whenever we recite the Apostles’ Creed, we reaffirm our belief about communing with saints.

Growing up in rural Tinambac, I never really understood this. Saints for me as I have been made aware, are dead Catholics who were canonized by the Church. Even now, whenever I recite the “I believe,” it goes on autopilot without much discernment of what that aspect of it means in our daily lives. Whenever we are in a pickle, we get on our knees, look up to Peter, Paul, or Mary - the saint of our veneration, and start an audible or silent dialogue about our particular situation. This was my idea of communing with saints.

Communion with saints is an important Church doctrine worth revisiting as it relates to synodality because of its relevance to what Pope Francis is trying to achieve. It is also important to remember that the saints alluded to in this doctrine are not all dead. Many of the “holy ones,” are with the living who walk or go to the market with us. In other words, who journey with us in whom the Holy Spirit is a work. It

PNP

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She also remembered personally apologizing to the mother of a Philippine Army official who died in an encounter with the NPA in Paquibato District.

Duterte said justice for the families of all the victims of the terrorist organization will not be served if Proclamations 403 at 404 are implemented.

Under Proclamation 403, Marcos granted amnesty to the members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/ Revolutionary Proletarian Army/ Alex Boncayao Brigade who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws, specifically those

• • •

Express appreciation.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Find the time to keep a promise.

• Release a grudge.

• Listen.

• Speak kindly to a stranger.

• Enter into another’s sorrow.

• Smile. Laugh a little.

Laugh a little more.

• Take a walk with a friend.

• Kneel down and pat a dog.

• Lessen your demands on others.

• Play some beautiful music during supper.

• Apologize if you were wrong.

• Talk together with the television off.

• Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt.

• Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.

• Encourage an older person.

• Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or live nearby.

• Give others a break – be especially cooperative.

This year I’ve remembered specific God sightings, past and present. Today He told me, “There is nothing you can see, nothing you can hear or touch, where I am not.”

Let’s make Christmas 2023 one long, extended gift of ourselves to others. Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or hypocrisy.

That is Christianity, isn’t it?

Thankful, too that I had taken time to reflect.

Merry Christmas to you all!

is inclusive of those still journeying to God, Christian or non-Christian.

This is what we are trying to achieve to be in spiritual solidarity in Christ while we are still here on earth.

Remember that Pope Francis early on said that he wanted a “Great Reset” to the Acts of the Apostles wherein an episode, the Ascension, marked the final separation of Jesus from the disciples and our earthly world. In the season finale, we were made aware of Jesus’ mandate to his disciples: go out, set out and proclaim to all nations his message of salvation. In that episode, we realize that Jesus’ ascension is the final journey home to his Father as we all would when we play our own season finale.

Today, many Catholics are torn by the division in the Church because of the pope’s push to reengineer our faith and to reform the Church. Church conservatives like Cardinal Raymond Burke echoes a “totalitarian” warning that Pope Francis’ global vision is flawed and a dangerous agenda. Why? Synodality engenders a democratic

process that includes the people of God in the church governance. For centuries, priests ruled in the name of God. Theocratic leaders are oppressive in function (my way), with strict rules (“I” not “we”), and instill fear (excommunication, hell, damnation).

Journey towards a synodal Church allows the laity to participate by having a spot on the table. It is also an invitation to commune with others (ecumenism) to affirm the universality of the Christian faith and unity with other churches.

Remember that eons ago, the Great Schism (split between the Catholic and Orthodox churches) occurred, and the Great Reformation further divided Western Christianity into Protestant and Catholic denominations. Pope Francis is saying that despite such separation, we can all co-exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church.

It is understandable why men resist such initiative because of the perception of ceding power to the pope as in a universal church, visà-vis, like in the olden days when the Roman Catholic Church ruled supreme. Well, critics and the resistance are over thinking this and are overreacting. Vatican II officially abandoned its “one true church”

position and the current pope is not about to resurrect it. Pope Francis’ global vision is clearly not grounded on power plays but to encourage the citizens of the world to unite and focus on other things other than religion.

The pope realizes that credibility is an important factor if he is going to realize such an ambitious mission. Thus, he needs to put his own house in order and his feet down. First, he reformed the Roman Curia and allowed the laity (vice archbishops or cardinals) to lead Vatican departments. He did this by changing the Vatican constitution that places evangelization at the core before doctrine.

The downgrading of the once powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (formerly Roman Inquisition) to the third slot of precedence is an important aspect of the Vatican reorganization because it sends a message that the pope is in charge being the Prefect of the Dicastery of Evangelization. In the news recently was retired Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Joseph Strickland – both ultra-conservative American critics of the pope.

Cardinal Burke’s apartment and salary perks at the Vatican were ordered removed by Pope Francis.

He clearly overstayed his welcome

with his disrespectful criticism of the pope being a “dictator” in not so many words. Bishop Strickland, Bishop of Tyler, Texas was asked to resign, a euphemism for being fired from the job, for insubordination and pointed criticism of the pope regarding his social reform agenda involving lay people, women, and LGBT. Strickland spends a lot of time on social media and uses it as a platform to go after Pope Francis.

Second, he promoted more bishops to cardinals during his consistories. He now has a clear majority among the College of Cardinals who might have to join a conclave for the next pope. More importantly, he picked liked-minded bishops for the red hat who are now his most ardent defenders and evangelists.

And third, he wrote three encyclicals: Lumen fidei (The Light of Faith), Laudato sí (On Care for Our Common Home), and Fratelli tutti (Fraternity and Social Friendship). These encyclicals are closely related and are intended for the bishops and pastors of the world who defend the Catholic faith at the trenches. Thus, Pope Francis’ innovations rely heavily on them.

For example, Laudato sí is about listening to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, emphasizing that

climate change connects us all.

Laudato sí is of particular interest not only for its climate change and ecology thrusts, but because it emphasizes ecumenism and interreligious dialogue regarding urgent matters that affects everyone and the attendant moral issue that impacts the poor disproportionately.

Such a unified effort can be a powerful force in the promotion of peace and solidarity in today’s world that is full of conflict.

Fratelli tutti is focused on promoting fraternity and social friendship. The pope emphasizes that the COVID-19 pandemic showed us that “no one can face life in isolation.” Indeed, the world worked together with urgency to find the vaccine and needed emergency supplies for countries who can’t afford them. This encyclical explores the many “dark clouds” that cover the world. In particular, the pope denounced the unequal distribution of wealth, corporate greed, slavery, human trafficking, among others.

Clearly, Pope Francis is on a mission to preach the gospel hoping for the people of God to reimagine a social order with more justice, equity, where social injustices are overcome. In the new Apostolic Constitution, he envisions that the renewed Vatican structure will help hasten global “missionary conversion” that involves listening to each other between lay people, priests and religious, bishops, and the pope. (To be continued)

committed crimes in pursuit of their political beliefs, whether punishable under the Revised Penal Code or special penal laws.

Meanwhile, Proclamation 404 grants amnesty to the former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF or their front organizations who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal laws in furtherance of their political beliefs.

(MNS) VP Sara rallies Mindanaoans to stay calm, strong amid latest attack Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte said the perpetrators of Sunday's bombing in Marawi, Lanao del Sur may be daring but in reality, they are cowards who could only attack civilians.

"Ang mga nasawi at mga sugatan ay mga sibilyan. Nakakabahala na ito ay nangyari sa loob ng MSU

compound sa isang Katolikong simbahan — sa isang bahagi ng bansa na may mahaba at madugong karanasan sa terorismo (The dead and the injured are civilians. It is alarming that it happened inside the Mindanao State University compound in a Catholic setting -- in that part of the country with a history of terrorism)," she said in a video message.

"Isa itong gawaing mapangahas ngunit malinaw rin sa atin na isa itong karuwagan (It is daring but is also clearly a cowardly act)."

She expressed her sympathies to the victims and condemned all who are responsible.

Duterte likewise called for restraint, especially among her fellow Mindanaoans, as authorities work on the case.

"Gayunpaman, kailangan rin nating maging maingat at maging

mapagmatyag upang mapigilan natin ang mga maaaring susunod pang atake sa mga sibilyan (Nevertheless, we should be cautious and vigilant to be able to prevent another attack on civilians), she said.

Appalling Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said he is “angered and appalled by the bombing.”

“It is disheartening to see such violence play out in Marawi once again, years after the siege and well into a period of newfound peace enjoyed by our brothers and sisters under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” the lawmaker from Bukidnon said in a statement.

“No one should have to feel unsafe in places of learning and places of worship.”

Zubiri joined the families of the

victims in calling for justice and peace “that we have worked hard to gain in Marawi over the past six years.”

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said the bombers were neither Christians nor Muslims, who only know peace, love and respect.

“They are terrorists!” he posted on social media.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and former senator Manny Pacquiao likewise vehemently denounced the bombing.

"The party extends its sincere sympathies to the affected families and the Mindanao State University community, and urges a thorough investigation to give justice to the victims and make sure the perpetrators are identified and punished in accordance with law," read the joint statement of the PDP-Laban members.

"We stand united against this

heinous act that targets innocent civilians, disrupting peace and unity."

Remember the pain Duterte recalled the deadly Sept.

2, 2016 bombing at the Roxas Night Market in Davao City while she was a mayor.

Fifteen died while at least 69 sustained injuries.

"Alam natin ang takot at sakit na dala ng karumaldumal na gawaing ito. Dapat ay maging matatag tayo sa harap ng mga hamon at patuloy na banta ng terorismo (We know the fear and pain of this dastardly act. Let us be strong amid these terroristic attacks)," she said.

"Huwag nating hayaan na magtagumpay ang kasamaan laban sa bayang nagkakaisa para sa kapayapaan (Do not allow evil deeds to prevail against our country that is united in peace)." (MNS)

6 • December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023

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This space is due to slower increments in food and outlook still leans significantly DEBT towards the upside. Key upside risks transport prices. reserved for you.. Continued from p­­­­­age 4 Inflation outside Metro Manila, are associated with the potential likewise, also decelerated to 4.1% impact of higher transport charges, Call for special Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program, from 4.9% month-on-month amid electricity rates, and international which provides monetary assistance slower increase in food and transport oil prices, as well as higherrate and than-expected minimum wage to low-income households and costs. allow them to purchase selected All regions outside NCR recorded adjustments in areas outside the learn about food commodities from eligible slower inflation rates during the National Capital Region.

“Meanwhile, the impact of merchants,” Balisacan said. month relative to their respective our effective “Effective implementation October 2023 annual rates, except for a weaker-than-expected global of these programs is crucial to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in recovery as well as government marketing measures to mitigate the effects of minimize the impact of high prices Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). on low-income households. The Among the regions, Region II El Niño weather conditions could program government is also implementing (Cagayan Valley) still recorded the reduce the central forecast,” the strategies and programs to improve lowest inflation rate for the second central bank said.

Call /text: “Looking ahead, the Monetary local food production and supply consecutive month at 2.4%, while and boost the productivity of our BARMM recorded the highest Board deems it necessary to keep 619-755-0755. monetary policy settings sufficiently farmers by investing in irrigation, inflation at 5.9% during the month. flood control, supply chain logistics, Inflation felt by the bottom 30% tight until a sustained downtrend in ****** and climate change adaptation,” he income households also eased to inflation becomes evident. The BSP added.

4.9% from 5.3% in October as the will continue to monitor inflation Looking for Inflation in NCR, outside Metro Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages expectations and second-round Manila index decelerated to 7.2% from effects and take appropriate action Testimonials ?

Similar to the national trend, 7.6% while Transport eased to 0.9% as needed to bring inflation back to the target, in keeping with the BSP’s inflation in the country’s capital from 2.3%.

Check at www.

Meanwhile, the BSP said the price stability mandate,” according region also slowed down to 4.2% in November from 4.9% in October balance of risks to the inflation to the central bank. (MNS) thefilipinopress. com "Not all readers are leaders, We are here to But ALL Leaders are Readers" serve you!

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LOCAL LEADERS CELEBRATE THE REMOVAL OF OVERHEAD POWER LINES IN NORTH PARK PROPERTY TAXES ARE DUE $54M per year is spent to bury overhead wires to improve community aesthetics, safety and reliability

NORTH PARK, SAN DIEGO, December 6, 2023 – Today City of San Diego leaders and representatives from SDG&E gathered in North Park to celebrate the removal of overhead power lines in that community.

“The undergrounding in North Park will improve public safety and aesthetics as well as the overall reliability and resilience of our critical utility systems,” said Councilmember Whitburn, San Diego City Council, District 3, “I appreciate the partnership between City staff and SDG&E to make this happen in our community.”

The city and SDG&E are collaborating to bury approximately 15 miles of overhead wire underground citywide each year.

“We are proud to partner with the city to accelerate the undergrounding of our utilities for the benefit of the families and businesses we collectively serve,” SDG&E Director of Design and project Management Erika Schimmel-Guiles said. “We have more work to do and look forward to our continued partnership with

the city.”

During the celebration at the corner of Howard Avenue and Illinois Street, attendees watched as one of the last standing poles in the area was safely brought down by an SDG&E crew. While the celebration marked a milestone in North Park, the city and SDG&E continue to make progress in other neighborhoods.

According to the city, approximately $54 million per year is spent each year to convert overhead power and communication lines. Undergrounding of wires helps improve the look of local communities and can also help reduce power outages, as one of the causes of outages is vehicles crashing into electrical equipment.

These funds are dedicated exclusively for undergrounding and may not be used by the city for other purposes.

Removing overhead utility lines is no small task. It requires extensive coordination and planning with multiple entities, residents and homeowners. In some cases, a utility pole must be left up to provide other services

such as cable/internet, even though power lines may have been removed and placed underground, or vice versa. The primary objective is to safely underground utilities to improve community aesthetics interruption of service for residents and businesses.

Other considerations, such as the location of electric substations, water pipes, trees and other street improvements, often need to be addressed before utilities can be placed underground.

Municipal undergrounding initiatives are funded by a variety of sources.

City of San Diego residents pay a surcharge on their SDG&E bill, approved in 2002, to support accelerated undergrounding. Each month, residential customers within the City of San Diego pay on average $5-$8 on their SDG&E bill to support accelerated undergrounding. Those funds are passed on to the City, and the City then reimburses SDG&E for design and construction costs to underground utility lines in accordance with the City’s prioritization schedule, as

approved by the San Diego City Council.

SDG&E is committed to supporting undergrounding efforts throughout its service area where feasible. About 60 percent of SDG&E’s distribution system is underground. Some parts of the region, due to topography or other issues, create design challenges which make undergrounding expensive and infeasible.

SDG&E is an innovative energy delivery company that provides clean, safe, and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by increasing energy delivered from low or zero-carbon sources; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; and investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews. com or connect with SDG&E on X (formerly Twitter) (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.

ON/BEFORE DEC 11, 2023 Paying by e-Check is fast & free

SAN DIEGO, CA -- San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister is reminding property owners that the deadline to pay property taxes is Monday, December 11, 2023.

The total amount owed is $8.63 billion dollars, $566 million more than last year’s total of $8.1 billion.

1,013,632 secured tax bills were sent in early October and are online to view and pay at sdttc.com. Taxpayers can pay online free using an e-Check (electronic check), and will get an immediate, emailed confirmation.

“More than 70% of taxpayers now pay electronically because it is secure, fast, and easy,” said McAllister.

The first property tax installment was due on November 1, 2023, and will become delinquent after December 11, 2023. The second installment is due February 1, 2024, and becomes delinquent after April 10, 2024.

“Propertytaxesfundessentialcounty and city services,” said McAllister.

“Public health, public schools, and many more critical services are funded by these tax dollars.” Click here to see how property taxes are allocated.

Payment options and deadline

details: • Pay by e-check – Go to sdttc. com and pay before midnight, Dec. 11th.

• Pay by mail – Mail postmarked payment before/on Dec. 11th, 2023.

• Pay by phone - Payments can be made by phone at 855-829-3773.

• Pay in person – Visit one of the three branch offices before 5pm, Dec. 11th.

Exercise your mind READ.

8 • December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023

Filipino Press

Spiritual Life Faith sharing You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all… 2 Corinthians 3:12 (NRSV) I was reading one of the back issues of the Upper Room, a daily devotional guide, when my attention was caught by a piece entitled, “A Love Letter to the World”. The water reflects some of my thoughts and feelings the first time someone, started witnessing about her faith to me.I felt uncomfortable, thinking that faith is extremely a personal subject.

But when I accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, my attitude changed. I realize that when Christ is in your heart, you are bursting with Joy. You want to share your faith and the reason for your hope.

When you have been cornered by some enthusiastic person who talks at great length about a religious experience or been pressured to agree with a particular religious point of view, you may have a negative reaction. You may draw back from this opportunity of faith sharing.

The First Epistle of Peter tells us that we should be ready to give

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera

My Personal Testimony

“the reason for the hope” that is within us when someone asks, yet to do it with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15-16). The epistle suggest that witnessing behind with our behavior, behavior that draws others. If we are filled with love and hope, people will want to know why. So,our goal should be to live lives that cause others to ask questions about God. I have been often asked, “How can you be so hopeful when things look so bad?” Or “How can you be patient with someone who is so annoying?” These are questions which evoke personal stories about the source of our faith,the foundation of our hope, and the

fountain of your love-God. Our personal stories have the power to help others believe that God will help them,that they are not alone. And when we stand with them as visible signs of the God who loves them,we become God’s love letter to them. Paul said… “you show that you are a letter of Christ…written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tables of human hearts.”

Prayer: Our most loving God, give us the strength to hope and the heart to love in the midst of challenges and difficulties. Mold us according to your will so that we may become your letter to others.

Amen.

What does God want to achieve through your life?

'Come, follow Me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' (Matthew 4:19) Our calling has three distinct stages, which we can see in the lives of many called before us, to become mature fishers of men who greatly impact God's Kingdom.

First, there is the gestation period. This is the development stage of our lives. It may involve years of normal work experiences. You may be a Christian during this time, or you may be following after worldly success as a nonChristian. Paul spent years in religious and political training, persecuting believers most of his early life. Moses spent years in the court of Pharaoh and 40 years tending flocks in the desert. Jesus spent 30 years living at home and working in His father's carpentry business.

However, all these years were part of their preparation.

Next is the crisis stage.

Sooner or later, God calls you into relationship with Him. For many, like Paul, it comes through dramatic encounters like being knocked off a horse, blinded and spoken to personally

by God. Some people are more

GREEN CITIES

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communities “have 64% less access to park space than those in white neighborhoods, and lower income communities have 66% less,” greening LA County best means “doing so explicitly from an equity lens,” Zhang explained. Most crucial to this equity is community-centered stewardship: LANLT maintains the parks they plant by “hiring parttime stewards from within the neighborhood they’re located.”

“In these communities we create stewardship training programs … particularly for youth, through our Garden Apprenticeship Program, which has worked with over 350 high school students in south LA

Danny Hernaez

From Whom All Blessings Flow difficult than others to reach and so require this level of crisis.

This is a time when God requires major changes so that you follow Him fully. It can be a time in which God harnesses years of experience for a new life purpose.

Paul's earthly experiences would be used in his calling to the religious and political leaders of his day. For Moses, the burning bush experience would begin his journey in which he would discover his ultimate calling after years of preparation. For Peter, it was his denial of Jesus three times that allowed him to face his shallow commitment to Christ. For Jesus, it was the garden of Gethsemane. These were the benchmark turning points for men who made an impact on their world.

Last is the fruit-bearing stage.

In it, God's power is manifested in your life like never before.

God takes all your experiences and uses them to build His Kingdom in and through your life. Your obedience to this final call results in fruitfulness you could never imagine without the long preparation process.

For Abraham, it resulted in becoming the father of many nations. For Paul, it resulted in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. And for Peter, it meant becoming the leader of the Church. For Jesus, it was salvation for the entire world.

What does God want to achieve through your life? God has a plan that is so incredible you cannot comprehend it. It requires only that you love Him and follow Him. Then you will become fishers of men like the world has never known.

Speak Lord, Your servant is listening <(((><

since 2013 to arm the next generation with the skills to tend to these spaces which are so crucial to their health … We can always build parks, but we also have to make sure those most impacted by green inequity have access to them,” Zhang added.

‘A matter of life and death’ This access to urban greenery is ever-more crucial as humankind becomes an increasingly urban species, said Jon Christensen: “As of 2007, over half of us live in cities, and that’s expected to go up to 70% by 2050. Cities are our habitat and our resilience to climate change — the resilience of our own health as a species — requires that we invest in cities, which means remedying the inequities which have shaped our urban environment. It’s a matter of life and death.”

In its efforts to remedy green inequity, “Los Angeles is a model of global concern for understanding urban ecosystems,” said Christensen, adjunct assistant professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment, Luskin Center for Innovation, and Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies.

In California alone, he continued, “$100 billion dollars will be spent on green infrastructure, urban greening and climate resilience over the next several years — half of it from the federal government and half from the state.” As governments worldwide begin to implement similar measures, “We need to recognize that planting trees is not enough; we need to ensure that the communities which most need them can thrive with them.”

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Greetings in the Lord!

On this 29th Sunday in Ordinary time our readings lead us a different perspective of the reign of God. In the past Sundays we reflected on the inner nature of the God’s reign where it was compared, in last Sunday’s Gospel, to a wedding feast of the son of the King; the participation of which required invitation that demands free response besides the fact that appropriate conduct and attire were both made as requirements for those in attendance. The Sundays prior to last, we listened to how Jesus spoke in parables that work in the vineyard is open to all and its compensation is equal to each, no matter, how long or how brief the duration of the work would last. All these gospel readings point to the nature of the reign of God and the invitation to be a part of it which, nonetheless, has their own requirements to fulfill. Today’s gospel speaks of the relationship of the reign of God to external institutions whose importance are also significant in the social elements of the life of men and women.

This reality is presented in the Gospel of Matthew through a question that was posed by the Pharisees. who plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. (Matt.

22: 15). The question was “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not.” (Matt. 22:19). The

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic answer of Jesus was very wise and prudent for a seemingly simple man when he said: “Show me the coin that pays the census tax… Whose image is this and whose inscription?”

And after they replied that it was “Caesar.” He said to them in reply: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Matt. 22: 21) This wise and prudent answer has become the basis for the fundamental understanding of the relationship between the reign of God and the secular state. This may be phased as the “church and state relationship.”

It must be noted that both institutions have “similar ends in view.” On the one hand, the State might be defined as an institution having for its end the promotion of the temporal well-being of its members. The temporal well-being of the members of the state are mentioned in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

(CCC n. 1907) as “In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person.” On the other hand the Church looks mainly to the eternal welfare of its members. Both have their power from God, the Church holding hers from Christ, while the State receives its powers, not an assembly of men, but from God.” (Is. 45: 4-6) What a beautiful message to ponder during these times when our Christian moral values are being questioned and their interpretation as well as implementation are legislated into norms that often are affected by the present culture of the people whose worldview are influenced by current ideologies that oftentimes contradict nature of man and even Christian morality.

As we are about to end the ordinary season of the liturgical year and enter into another season of the liturgical calendar, let us pray that the understanding of the goals of both institutions would become clear to us, Catholics, so that we can discern, deliberate and finally decide the right path to undertake for our present and future lives, guided by the wise answer of Jesus to the Pharisees many years ago: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Matt. 22: 21)

MAPAGBIGAY Ni Salvador S. Idos

Lahat ng utos ng Diyos ay binubuo ng isang salita lamang: Pagmamahal Bawat kilos at gawaing tama, sa Pagmamahal nagsisimula Ano naman ang natatanging ugali ng isang taong mapagmahal Siya ay isang taong Mapagbigay.

Hindi maaring ihiwalay ang pagmamahalan sa pagbibigayan Sa twing tayo ay nagmamahal, tayo ay may ibinibigay Ipinapamahagi natin ang ating kayamanan, oras o kakayahan Sa ikakabuti at ikaliligaya ng Kapwa nating nilalang.

Lahat tayo ay tumatanggap ng mga biyaya Subalit biyayang tinatanggap ay dapat ipamigay Magmahalan at magbigayan Na ang ating buhay na pansamantala ay magkakaroon ng kahulugan.

Kung galing sa puso at kusa tayong magbigay Kaligayahan ating madarama, buhay magiging magaan Kapos man sa kayamanan, ay alam natin na mayroon pa tayong oras at kakayahan Walang maliit na bagay, kung bawat kilos sa Diyos ang alay.

Buhay ng isang taong mapagbigay ay isang biyaya Nagdudulot ng tulong, aliw at kaligayahan sa buhay ng iba Isa siyang taong hinahangaan at tinitingala Buhay natin ay aangat dahil sa kanyang ginagawa.

Wala ng hihigit pa kapag ang buhay ay ibibigay Ialay para sa mga mahal natin sa buhay Naranasan natin ang pagmamahal ng ating Panginoong Hesus Ng Kanyang ialay ang Kanyang buhay,

tubusin tayo sa ating mga kasalanan Pagasang mabuhay na muli,makasama Siya sa Kanyang Kaharian.

Sa bawa’t sandali ng ating buhay Pagsikapan nating mabuhay na mapagbigay Taong mapagbigay ay taong nagmamahal At kung tayo ay nagmamahalan, tayo ay mapapalapit sa Diyos Dahil ating ginagampanan ang Kanyang Dakilang Utos.

Salvador S. Idos

Jobless rate falls in October, underemployment up MANILA -- The Philippines' unemployment rate fell in October compared to September while the underemployment rate climbed, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday.

The PSA said the jobless rate was at 4.2 percent percent in October, which was lower than the 4.5 percent rate reported in September.

This translated to 2.09 million million jobless Filipino workers in October compared to 2.26 million in the preceding month.

“The reported unemployment rate in October 2023 was the lowest since April 2005,” the PSA said.

The jobless rate in October this year was also lower than the 4.5 percent rate seen in the same month last year, and the 4.8 percent clip seen in July this year.

IT-BPM sector adds 135,000 jobs in 2023; brings total workforce to 1.7 million: group The underemployment rate meanwhile was at 11.7 percent in October, which was higher than the 10.7 percent clip in September.

This was however lower than the 15.9 percent rate seen in July, and the 14.2 percent rate seen in October last year.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the top five sub-sectors that added the most jobs in terms of annual increase in October 2023 were the following: a. Accommodation and food service activities (291,000) b. Administrative and support

service activities (224,000) c. Transportation and storage (149,000) d. Public administration and defense; compulsory social security (98,000) e. Human health and social work activities (86,000) Meanwhile, the following five sub-sectors posted the highest yearly job losses: a. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-193,000) b. Mining and quarrying (-75,000); c. Manufacturing (-73 thousand); d. Arts, entertainment, and recreation (-36,000) e. Fishing and aquaculture (-30,000) What are the top 3 in-demand remote jobs in PH? National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan noted that most employment generated is middle (+334,000) and high-skill occupations (+897,000).

This is primarily due to the expansion in tourism-related and ITBPO sectors, NEDA said.

Balisacan said he expects the conditions in the Philippine labor market to improve further, given the thrust of the Marcos Administration to encourage trade and investment and reinvigorate job generation.

“We can make the labor market more inclusive with the entry of more

investments, especially those that bring in new and better technology.

At the same time, we need to expand and enhance learning opportunities to ensure that we equip Filipinos for future jobs,” added Balisacan.

He is also optimistic that more jobs would be generated after the signing of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, which he said created a more stable and predictable policy environment for collaboration in high-impact infrastructure projects.

“The passage of the PPP Code is just one of many recent reforms that have made the Philippines more attractive to foreign investors. It provides the government with a more solid ecosystem for investments, which, in turn, generates employment opportunities for Filipino workers in several critical growth areas, including infrastructure,” explained Balisacan.

The PSA’s definition of unemployment differs from that used by some independent research organizations like the Social Wearther Stations. (MNS)

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December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023 • 9

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A newspaper should inform, educate, entertain and provide viewpoints that could give us the means to make intelligent decisions for ourselves and others.” — Ernie Flores Jr., founding editor and publisher Mailing Address: 600 E. 8th St. Ste. 3, NationaI City, CA 91950 • E-mail: filpress@aol.com Office: 600 E. 8th St. Ste. 3, National City, CA 91950 • Telephone: (619) 434-1720 • Fax: (619) 399-5311 Website: www.thefilipinopress.com • E-mail: filpressads@aol.com for ads • E-mail: filpress@aol.com for editorial

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Columnists AURORA S. CUDAL Danny hernaez francine maigue GREG B. MACABENTA JESSE T. REYES al villamora Photographer Zeny PLY Circulation Rudy Avenido

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Michelle Dee to continue autism advocacy after Miss Universe stint

MANILA-- Beauty queen Michelle Dee is eager to continue promoting her advocacy for autism inclusivity following her Top 10 finish in the Miss Universe 2023 pageant.

Dee expressed her thoughts to the media upon her arrival at the House of Representatives, where she was honored for her accomplishments in the recently concluded international pageant.

"Of course, life-long mission ko po is to spread awareness towards autism inclusivity, acceptance, and empowerment. Alam niyo naman po I have three siblings on the autism spectrum but I champion for the millions of individuals all across the world. 'Di nagtatapos just because tapos na ang Miss Universe. Again this is an advocacy that I did not choose but chose me and has given me a greater purpose. So very excited to continue all the campaigns that we've started," Dee told reporters. "Sobrang nakakataba po talaga ng puso. I really poured my heart and soul into representing the country that we all love and I'm just so grateful, ultimately grateful to be received like this even if 'di ko po naiuwi 'yung korona. I'm just so happy and blessed to be Filipina and to be able to represent all of you to the best of my abilities," Dee told media before entering the plenary session where the resolution was set to be approved.

"To the youth, let this be a testament to the power of service. Serving as a public figure, an Air Force reservist and as someone who proudly raised our flag at Miss Universe, it was truly an honor to be the only woman in uniform standing proudly alongside 40 uniformed soldiers," Dee said.

"I hope this serves as a message, to embrace our roles, no matter how big or small, in shaping our nation’s future.

It’s our collective effort, passion, and dedication that make the Philippines a remarkable place to call home," she added. "To the youth, dream boldly, act with purpose, and carry the Filipino spirit wherever you go. Together, we can make a difference, one salute at a time."

Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios was

crowned Miss Universe 2023 with Anntonia Porsild of Thailand as first runner-up. Though her journey ended in the Top 10, Dee bagged the awards for Best in National Costume, the 'Spirit of Carnival' award and the 'Voices for Change' category along with Puerto Rico and Angola.The Philippines has won Miss Universe four times with Catriona Gray (2018), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margie Moran (1973), and Gloria Diaz (1969). (MNS)

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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.

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December 8, 2023 - December 14, 2023 • 11

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