AO sets rice,
For Simbang Gabi, Palace opens grounds to public
This developed as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it would rebrand the Kadiwa program by January to reflect it new status as a year-round endeavor, not just one for Christmas.
Also, the draft executive order (EO)
extending the reduced tariff rates on imported pork, rice, corn, and coal from this year to the entire 2023 is now up for Mr. Marcos’ approval, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Saturday. The President inspected an NFA
bonuses for gov’t workers
PH to reach upper middle class status in 2025, NEDA chief says
THE Philippines is likely to achieve its target of becoming an upper middleincome economy by 2025 -- a year later than what the government expected, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Saturday.
warehouse in Valenzuela City on Saturday on the sidelines of his visit to the Kadiwa ng Pasko site at the Malanday Covered Court, one of 350 state-run food markets all over the country.
‘Joma’ Sison, CPP founder, dies at 83
JOEL E. ZURBANO
Maria “Joma” Sison, who launched one of the world’s longest-running Maoist insurgencies, has died at 83, the Communist Party of the Philippines announced Saturday. The former university professor died in the Netherlands, where he had lived in selfimposed exile since the collapse of peace talks
DOLE: No MSME exemptions for 13th-month pay
has said in his first State of the Nation Address in July that his government is looking to bring the Philippines to "upper-middle income status by 2024" with "at least $4,256 income per capita."
But owing to the sharp contraction
THE supply of fresh banknotes and coins is sufficient to meet the surge of currency demand amid the holiday season, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Saturday in a statement.
The demand for new currency soars during the Christmas season as Filipinos traditionally gave pristine banknotes and coins as gifts or “aguinaldo” to their families and friends, the BSP said.
The uptick in currency demand begins in October and continues untilDecember of every year, the central bank said, citing historical bank withdrawal data in the last three months of 2019 to 2021.
“Denominations with the highest demand during this period are the 1000-, 100-, and 50-Piso banknotes; and 20-Piso, 1-Piso, and 25-Sentimo coins,” the BSP said.
In line with its broader efforts to promote efficient recirculation of fit currency, the BSP advised the public to have their unfit banknotes and coins
75% of Baliuag voters pick ‘yes’ in cityhood plebiscite
ABOUT threefourths of voters in Baliuag have voted “yes” to make their town the fourth component city of Bulacan province, early results of a plebiscite showed Saturday night.
A SuperRadyo DZBB report quoting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that 75 percent of the voters in the town, in a partial and unofficial tally, agreed with the ratification of Republic Act 11929,which will convert the first-class municipality in northern Bulacan into a component city.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia earlier said the result of the plebiscite would be out by around 10:30 last night.
A total of 108,572 registered voters from 27 barangays were expected to cast their votes manually until 3 p.m. Saturday, he said. The 200 clustered precincts in 26 voting centers in the town opened at 7 a.m.
Once ratified, Baliwag will become Bulacan’s latest component city after Meycauayan, San Jose del Monte, and the provincial capital Malolos.
“By 10:30 to 11:00 in the evening, we will be able to find out what the people of Baliwag want,” the poll body chief said, adding that the counting of ballots is expected to be faster as they have formed sub-canvassing committees.
Garcia also said they are expecting at least a 60 to 65 percent voter turnout.
In an interview on Thursday, Mayor Ferdinand Estrella said their annual P330-million Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) would double to P660 million once the municipality becomes a city. Vito Barcelo
Salceda: Build PH ‘lethal firepower’ in WPS
ALBAY Rep. Joey Salceda wants the Philippines to adopt a policy of “deterrence through lethal firepower” after the full story has come out about the Chinese Coast Guard forcibly taking rocket wreckage from the Philippine Navy last month.
The Navy retrieved the wreckage in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on November 20. Footage of the incident was shown to the public this week.
While the Department of Foreign
Affairs has already filed a diplomatic protest on the matter, Salceda says that “diplomacy alone is not enough” and that “the glove of diplomacy must be backed by lethal punching power.”
The chairman of the House committee on ways and means said that observations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict indicate that “while some countries may be military superpowers, cheap but lethal military technology has tilted the balance of military power these
days in favor of defenders.”
“We can gain access to a broad range of military capabilities from artillery to unmanned aerial vehicles or drones capable of credibly fighting a superior enemy,” he stressed.
“With President Marcos’s affirmation of old ties with traditional allies, as well as newfound unity among these allies, we can assert our sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea more strongly,” Salceda added. Maricel V. Cruz
Lapid slay suspect Zulueta seen in Baguio, not in hiding—lawyer
FORMER Bureau of Corrections deputy for security operations Ricardo Zulueta has surfaced for the first time since authorities named him as one of the masterminds in the killings of radio commentator Percy Lapid and alleged middleman Jun Villamor.
Zulueta was seen in several photos uploaded on Facebook on Friday afternoon by Baguio-based lawyer Lauro Gacayan, ABS-CBN reported.
Wearing a white striped polo shirt, jeans, and slippers, Zulueta was sporting a buzz cut while sitting on a chair in front of Gacayan’s table. An unidentified third person was also in the frame.
In a phone call with ABS-CBN News Friday night, Gacayan confirmed his Facebook post as well as the photos he posted.
He said the photos were taken on
Tuesday in his law office in Baguio City, when Zulueta formally hired him as his lead counsel.
In the post, Gacayan sought to address reports that his client was already abroad, in hiding or possibly dead.
“My client is not in hiding, abroad, or already dead,” he posted.
The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation earlier said Zulueta has gone into hiding on the same day that the murder complaints were filed against him along with suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag and several persons deprived of liberty from BuCor.
Zulueta is facing consolidated murder complaints for the Lapid-Villamor killings before Department of Justice prosecutors.
QC receives Seal of Good Governance
n By MARICEL V. CRUZ
THE
Quezon City was one of five Metro Manila cities to receive the said honor from the DILG, along with Muntinlupa, Caloocan, Mandaluyong and Navotas.
“On behalf of our QCitizens, we would like to thank the DILG for this tremendous honor. This is a validation of our good governance effortsand effective delivery of services to our constituents,” Belmonte said.
“I also dedicate this award to our fellow workers in the QC government who are tirelessly helping us achieve our goals of providing a better life for QCitizens,” she added.
Established by virtue of Republic Act 11292, the Seal of Good Local Governance is an award, incentive and recognition-based program for all local government units (LGUs) to continually progress and improve their performance in the following areas:
Financial administration; disaster preparedness; social protection and sensitivity program; health compliance and responsiveness; programs for sustainable education; business friendliness and competitiveness; safety, peace and order; environmental management, tourism, heritage development, culture and arts; and youth development.
INBRIEF
MIAA warns public of fake airport taxi rates
THE Manila International Airport Authority has warned air travelers about the unauthorized rate cards being used by colorum taxi drivers and illicit transport providers, especially this holiday season.
“Beware of fake transport rates.
The MIAA encourages passengers to immediately report to our hotline and social media accounts when presented with a bogus rate card,” the airport management stated in its public advisory.
MIAA came up with the warning following numerous complaints regarding fake rate cards being used by drivers that overcharge passengers.
The drivers reportedly charges passengers with more than a thousand pesos depending on the distance of the trip. Joel E. Zurbano
President reappoints Pascual to Trade Dept.
PHP20,000,” she said.
round duration.
PBBM:...Mr. Marcos said he wants to make sure there is sufficient rice supply that will be sold at cheaper prices in all Kadiwa outlets.
“This is already the season that we bring out more rice, so we want to make sure that Kadiwa stores have enough commodities that are being sold at a good price of P25 a kilo,” he said.
“I am checking the source of rice being sold at Kadiwa stores. So, I checked the warehouse to know if there is enough supply. There will be more supply,” Mr. Marcos added.
The Kadiwa ng Pasko project aims to help local farmers earn more through a direct farm-to-consumer food supply chain that eliminates marketing layers.
Meanwhile, DTI Assistant Secretary Dominic Tolentino said in a television interview that by January, the project would be rebranded initially as “Kadiwa ng Bawat Filipino” to reflect its year-
Although the Kadiwa ng Pasko project was piloted for the holiday season, the President said they now intend to continue the programbeyond the Christmas season to ease the burden of consumers from the high prices of commodities.
“The Kadiwa ng Pasko project is our way of helping to give you a merrier Christmas this year,” Mr. Marcos said.
“Even after Christmas, we will continue the project so our countrymen will have access to more affordable goods,” he added.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual accompanied the President at the Kadiwa launch in Valenzuela City. Pascual has just been reappointed as DTI chief and took his oath of office before Mr. Marcos in Malacañang on Friday.
During the weekly Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restobar in Quezon City, Balisacan said the EO “on the extension of reduced tariffs on the subject commodities of meat of swine, corn, rice, and coal,” was endorsed by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board to the
President on Friday, December 16.
“The extension of the tariff reduction for pork, corn, and rice is up to 31 December 2023, while that for coal goes beyond this date and will be subject to review every semester,” the NEDA chief said.
The proposed EO will extend the validity of EO 171, which will expire on December 31, 2022.
Under EO 171, issued by then President Rodrigo Duterte in May, the tariff rate for both in-quota and out-quota pork shipments were kept at reduced rates of 15% (from 30%) and 25% (from 40%), respectively.
The EO also kept the lower tariff rates for rice at 35% for both in-quota and out-quota imports as well as the reduced duty for corn shipments at 5% (from 35%) for in-quota and 15% (from 50%) for out-quota.
The order, likewise, temporarily removed the 7% tariff on coal imports.
“The extension will provide relief to poor and vulnerable segments of the Filipino population whose welfare is reduced because of high inflation,” Balisacan said.
AO... (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), regular, contractual, or casual employees, members of the military and thepolice, as well as fire and jail personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are entitled to receive the incentive.
Personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) will also get the SRI, she added.
Garafil said the incentive for NGAs, SUCs, and military and uniformed personnel would be funded by the available released Personnel Services allotment under Republic Act (RA) 11639 or the 2022 national budget.
“Based on the President’s order, employees of both houses of Congress, the Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, and Constitutional offices may likewise be granted a onetime SRI by their respective heads of offices at a uniform rate not exceeding
Garafil said personnel of local government units (LGUs), including those in the villages, may also receive the incentive depending on the LGUs’ financial capability, subject to limitations in their respective budgets under the Local Government Code of 1991.
Mr. Marcos also issued an AO authorizing the grant of one-time rice assistance for all government personnel, Garafil said.
“Those who are entitled to receive the rice subsidy include civilian personnel in NGAs, including those in SUCs, GOCCs, government financial institutions (GFIs), government instrumentalities with corporate powers, and government corporate entities occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions,” she said.
“Military, police, fire, and jail personnel are also entitled to receive the rice assistance. BuCor, PCG, and NAMRIA employees will also receive the support,” Garafil added. Vince Lopez
Ten people were still missing
Selangor state fire and rescue director Norazam Khamis said the chances of finding survivors in the mud and debris a day after the disaster were “slim.”
Officials said there had been more than 90 people, most of them asleep, at the campsite near a mountain casino resort when the landslide struck.
Authorities said 61 people had been found safe or rescued.
Two of the victims were “believed to be a mother and her child in a state of embrace buried under the earth”, Norazam
Jordan arrests 44 after fuel protests
Kremlin: Putin meets top military leaders to talk Ukraine strategy
MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin has held extensive meetings with the military top brass overseeing Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, where Moscow has stepped up bombardments, the Kremlin said Saturday.
“On Friday, the president spent the whole day at the army staff involved in the special military operation in Ukraine,” a statement said.
He held a meeting with Defence
Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov and held “separate discussions with commanders” from different defense branches, it said.
“I would like to hear your proposals on our actions in the short- and medium-term,” Putin was shown as saying in the meeting by Russia’s state television.
Russia launched a barrage of missiles on Friday on multiple cities in Ukraine, plunging them into darkness, cutting water and heat and forcing people to endure sub-zero temperatures.
After a series of embarrassing battlefield defeats, Russia since October has pursued an aerial onslaught against what Moscow says are military-linked facilities.
Musk says will restore suspended Twitter accounts of six journalists
SAN FRANCISCO—Elon Musk said late Friday he would reinstate the Twitter accounts of several journalists who were suspended after he accused them of endangering his family.
Musk had drawn anger and warnings from the EU and UN after suspending the accounts of more than half a dozen prominent journalists from the New York Times, CNN and the Washington Post.
“The people have spoken. Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now,” the Twitter owner tweeted.
Musk carried out a Twitter poll asking whether he should restore the suspended accounts now or in a week’s time. Nearly 59 percent of the 3.69 million who took part said he should
‘JOMA’... in 1987 when the rebellion that has claimed tens of thousands of lives was at its peak.
“Sison... passed away at around 8:40 p.m. (Philippine time) after two weeks’ confinement in a hospital in Utrecht,” the party said in a statement, without specifying the cause of death.
“The Filipino proletariat and toiling people grieve the death of their teacher and guiding light.”
The Philippines’ defense ministry said his death could finally lead to an end to violence in the country, calling Sison the “greatest stumbling block” to peace.
“The death of Sison is but a symbol of the crumbling ierarchy” of the communist movement, it said, calling for remaining rebels to surrender.
“A new era without Sison dawns for the Philippines... Let us now give peace a chance.”
Malacanang had yet to comment on his death as of press time, but Vice President Sara DuterteCarpio said on her Facebook account: “May God have mercy on his soul.”
Sison had hoped to overthrow the government and establish a Maoist regime that would end “US imperialism” in the former American colony.
restore the accounts now.
Some of the suspended accounts appeared to have been reactivated, with former Vox journalist Aaron Rupar tweeting again.
“I was pretty bummed about getting suspended initially but quickly realized it’d be fine because I’m blessed to have an amazing online community,” Rupar tweeted, thanking people for their support.
The latest controversy began when Musk on Wednesday suspended @ elonjet, an account that tracked flights of his private plane.
Musk said the move was necessary after a car in Los Angeles carrying one of his children was followed by “a crazy stalker” and seemed to blame the tracking of his jet for the incident. AFP
The US State Department designated the communist party and its armed wing foreign terrorist organizations in 2002.
The ongoing armed struggle, launched in 1969, grew out of the global communist movement, finding fertile soil in the Philippines’ stark rich-poor divide.
At its peak in the 1980s, the group boasted about 26,000 fighters, a number the military says has now dwindled to a few thousand.
Since 1986, successive Philippine administrations have held peace talks with the communists through their Netherlands-based political arm, the NDF.
The 2016 election of former president Rodrigo Duterte -- a self-declared socialist and a former student of Sison -- brought a burst of optimism for peace talks. With AFP
DOLE... “Although we know that the companies, especially those in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) category, have barely recovered from the pandemic, I just want to say that there are no exemptions in paying the 13th-month pay,” he said.
Workers and their employers could discuss how the 13th-month pay could be disbursed if their company was truly in dire straits, Laguesma added.
The Labor chief said they had called on the employers not to wait until the
France and the European Union said the suffering inflicted on freezing civilians constitutes war crimes, with the bloc’s foreign policy chief calling the bombings “barbaric”.
Meanwhile, Ukraine was working Saturday to restore electricity to hospitals, heating systems and other critical infrastructure in major cities after Russia’s latest wave of attacks on the power grid prompted accusations of “war crimes”.
The volley of missiles unleashed Friday pitched multiple cities into darkness, cutting water and heat and forcing people to endure below-freezing temperatures.
In the capital, where the mayor said only a third of residents had heat or water, people wrapped in winter coats crammed into underground metro
stations after air raid sirens rang out in the morning.
“I woke up, I saw a rocket in the sky,” Kyiv resident 25-year-old Lada Korovai said. “I saw it and understood that I have to go to the tube.”
Ukraine’s national energy provider imposed emergency blackouts, saying its system had lost more than half its capacity after strikes targeted “backbone networks and generation facilities”.
Ukrenergo warned the extent of the damage in the north, south and centre of the country meant it could take longer to restore supplies than after previous attacks.
“Priority will be given to critical infrastructure: hospitals, water supply facilities, heat supply facilities, sewage treatment plants,” Ukrenergo said in a statement Friday. AFP
Colonel
“Forty-four
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“vandals
Bomb wounds Russian in C. Africa
BANGUI, Central African Republic —A Russian representative in the Central African Republic was badly wounded Friday after opening a parcel bomb, Moscow’s embassy said, as a prominent
France rejected the claim by the boss of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, that Paris was involved and should be designated a state sponsor of terrorism.
Central Africa has been battling civil war since 2013 and is at the heart of Russia’s bid for strategic influence in Africa.
The last French troops deployed in CAR left on Thursday following a chill in relations caused by closer ties between Bangui and Moscow and the deployment of Russian forces, which some countries say includes Wagner mercenaries.
“The head of the Russia House (cultural centre) received an anonymous parcel on Friday, opened it and an explosion happened,” the embassy said, quoted by the official TASS news agency. AFP
deadline and give the 13th-month pay earlier.
“Even kasambahay (maids or household workers) are entitled to their 13th-month pay,” he added.
Laguesma said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) had a program through which small businesses may borrow from the Small Business Corporation (SBC) to provide employees their mandatory 13thmonth pay.
Based on the establishments the DOLE inspected, at least 95 percent had given their employees their 13th-month pay in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 outbreak. Vito Barcelo
BSP:... exchanged for fresh ones with their depository banks at no additional charge.
Unfit banknotes have any one of the following characteristics: soiled, limp, stained, with obvious writings, and with faded print. Unfit coins have markings and signs of corrosion.
“The public is also encouraged to regularly use their coins in paying for goods and services,” the BSP said.
For a safe and convenient alternative to cash, the central bank encouraged Filipinos to use digital money when sending “e-aguinaldo” to their families and friends.
Moreover, the BSP reminded the public of the proper handling of Philippine currency to prolong the lifespan of the country’s banknotes and coins.
BALISACAN:.. Balisacan, the Marcos administration’s chief economist, told reporters. “The participation of funds like this as a vehicle for attracting resources is, I think, appropriate at this time.”
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) secretary-general was asked if the economic conditions, given the looming global recession and high interest rates, were appropriate to establish the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), which could be tapped to finance the country’s economic development in the future.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 6608, which was certified as urgent by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The proposed measure seeks to maximize the investible funds of staterun financial institutions and ultimately increase public funds for nationbuilding.
Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday said the House raised the amount earmarked from the profits of the MIF for social welfare purposes or “ayuda” (subsidies) from 20 percent to 25 percent as proposed by an opposition lawmaker. Maricel V. Cruz
PH... of the economy in 2020 and the sharp depreciation of the peso this year “the entry into that category of countries - upper middle-income country - will now be 2025," Balisacan said during the weekly Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
Under the World Bank’s updated standards, an upper middle-income economy or country has a gross national income (GNI) per capita of between $4,046 and $12,535 (about P225,000 to P696,000 at present exchange rates).
The previous Duterte administration aspired to bring the country to uppermiddle income status by 2020, but the economy went into a recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOR... According to the President, daily masses will be held at 4:30 a.m. in front of Mabini Hall and attendees can enter through Gate 6 directly in front of Kalayaan Hall.
Two weeks ago, the President led the lighting of the Christmas tree at the Kalayaan Grounds in Malacañang, where he said his goal is to make sure that every Filipino child will have a Christmas.
Mr. Marcos noted it’s a good goal for this Christmas, adding the country has been blessed despite all the challenges it faced.
Following the Christmas tree lighting event, the President also led a gift-giving event and Christmas celebration in front of the Malacañang Palace.
Under event theme “‘Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya: Nationwide Gift Giving,” some 600 children were invited for the event, which was also held simultaneously in 40 different locations nationwide. Vince Lopez
Coffee-first kitchen now a full-blown cafe
LEADING fiber internet service provider Converge
ICT Solutions Inc., awarded in the Pacific Telecommunications Council Awards 2022 as the Outstanding Wireline and/or Wireless Company, is the country’s first telecommunications company to offer the latest in network and security transformation with its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)-based products as a value-added service to its Converge Enterprise connectivity portfolio.
SASE is the convergence of wide area networking (WAN) and network security services into a single, cloud-delivered service model. Enabling enterprises to adopt a SASE architecture solves the challenge of delivering consistent and secure access no matter where users and applications are located.
“Work is an activity, not a place. Our new product offerings complement enterprises’ shift to working from anywhere using a cloud service without compromising their security posture. Clients can be working from either their home or office, while their applications can be housed in either a data center, on the internet, or in the cloud. Simplifying operations and maintenance has always been our guarantee to all our customers.” Gilbert T. Virtucio, Converge’s Head of Product Management and Network Solutions, stated.
Aside from providing simplicity in management and maintenance, SASE gives enterprises the following benefits:
Flexibility—SASE, being delivered via a cloudbased infrastructure, will allow users to change where they’re working from as well as where their applications are housed without compromising their security posture.
Reduced Complexity—SASE can deliver different security functions as a service. These security functions are FWaaS (Firewall as a Service), CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker), Secure Web Gateway, and Secure WAN (Wide Area Network). All these security services can be implemented and managed on a single platform which provides customers with full access control.
Cost Effectiveness—SASE provides unparalleled accessibility for organizations. With its security function services being available and managed on a single platform, it is a stark contrast from the usual buying, implementing, and managing of multiple security point products, each with their own separate management platforms.
Security—Employing the Zero Trust philosophy, which assumes that a system can have attackers both within and outside its network, helps SASE reduce the risk of a breach and significantly improves network security threat prevention and data protection for an organization.
“We’re always looking to come up with services that will truly benefit our customers. As we continue to move forward, we want to make sure that we are taking advantage of the latest in network technology to help our customers grow.” Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus C. Romero said. “With SASE, enterprises can work from anywhere while keeping their infrastructure secure. When developing our products, we always keep simplicity, cost effectiveness, and security in mind.”
As more businesses pivot and begin their digital transformation, Converge will continue to empower all their endeavors. With its new offering in SASE, Converge will deliver not just fiber-fast speeds but adaptable availability and stronger internet security as well.
#ExperienceBetter with the fastest growing fiber internet provider, Converge. Visit convergeict.com for more details.
We make sure that we are taking advantage of the latest in network technology to help our customers grow.
With SASE, enterprises can work from anywhere while keeping their infrastructure secure. When developing our products, we always keep simplicity, cost effectiveness, and security in mind.
— JESUS C. ROMERO Converge Chief Operations Officer
first, but big in promise and anticipation. It took the owners a year to launch the Cafe, which is literally a hole in the wall. The passion of founders was what has sustained the project amidst challenges.
It was the constant prodding of restaurateur friends that influenced Ahmot, who owns a small rental business of chairs, tables and tents, and an events place in Silang, Cavite, to reluctantly yield and start a tiny coffee station right inside his rental business office. He threw in a few furnitures into the tight space, that was his office, to create space for coffee drinkers.
“The idea was broached by a friend one day when I had some coffee roasted. And just like that, the desire to have a small coffee shop came as a stirring concept. But this dream, this concept of a cafe was never a grand idea to begin with. We just thought the cafe will help tide us over during times when the events business is slow. I didn’t plan to be a restaurateur since I’ve always thought restaurants as fuzzy business but this is where fate led us. A blessing, indeed,” the older Baranda said.
After nearly three years in business, the Cafe owners has spruced-up its menu, as requested by clients, with an array of filling rice meals.
Now, the Cafe serves all-day breakfast meals, pasta, pastries and breads paired with steaming hot coffee marketed as the Ca-Aga brand, a proprietary blend of homegrown Cavite coffee crafted by the owners themselves.
The Brewing Station
Most businesses had their modest origins, and the Cafe is not exemption to that. A few days before Christmas, on December 23, 2019, was when Cafe Agapita started brewing coffee in a 3x3 brewing station.
Tiny as it is, the first few patrons were mostly friends and relatives and acquaintances who hang out for love of coffee. The Cafe capitalized on this common habit of Caviteños in the early morning and during after-lunch rendezvous with friends.
Each with a story to tell over coffee, the crowd swelled—from friends of friends to the occasional “dayo” or traveller, a bunch of hikers, and tourists bound for the high lands.
“We really want to bring the warmth of family and the comfort of home through this Cafe. We want to people to feel at home while they are here,” said Ahmot’s daughter Trish who is a fresh Entrepreneurship graduate from De La Salle University in Manila.
You can read the full story @ www. manilastandard.net
AFATHER-and-daughter tandem is at the heart of this passion project that serves not only coffee and food, but also hope and inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs in search of their own niche in the evolving food business.Cafe Agapita founder Ahmot Baranda and wife under the lighted garden archway. Surreal Cafe Agapita by night. Ahmot and Trish Baranda together with Gian Baranda, nephew to Ahmot and a cousin to Trish, established Cafe Agapita, one of today’s trendiest cafe and breakfast joints south of Manila. With the rest of Ahmot’s family—his wife and son - the project came to life... small at
NEWBIE swimmer Kristian Cabana emerged victorious in his first big-time attempt in an elite contest even as Evenezer Polancos and Aubrey Tom topped the field in dramatic fashion as the Philippine Sports Commission’s Batang Pinoy National Championships got underway with swimming competition on Saturday at the Quirino Stadium’s pool here.
Cabana, a 10th grader at the Manuel S. Enverga University, picked up speed in the second phase of his race in the 12-and-under 200-meter individual medley to check in at two minutes and 29.50 seconds and pluck the five-day meet’s first gold for Lucena City.
“Sa second part ko po kinuha at kumawala. Tapos saka na ako humataw,” said Cabana, who was encouraged by his elder brother Johann, who swims for University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
Polancos, a ninth grader from General Santos City National High School, defied his rival Peter Cyrus Dean’s size, to claim the meet’s second gold in 200m IM for boys 13-15 years old in 2:18.50.
“Masaya po ako. Mas mahina po kasi ang langoy ko nung 2019,” said Polancos, who was fourth place when he competed in 12-under boys 100-meter buttefly event three years ago.
The two will most likely share the top honors with comebacking Aubrey Tom, who is expected to earn the gold medal after the results in the 13-15-year-old 200-meter IM that was voluntarily corrected by coach Jaime Villa.
Villa happens to be the same mentor for Tom and rival Alyssa Cabatian.
Cabatian of Team Rizal was erroneously recorded as the winner after a clerical error put her time at 1:49.50.
The 15-year-old Tom, winner of five gold medals as a 12-year-old in
HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS
Batang Pinoy’s first day glitters
downs of 2020, said he expects to get more podium finishes, and more golds when he sees action in move events in the coming days.
Cabana will see action in the butterfly events of the 50-meters, the 100-meters and the 100-meters in the next few days.
“Excited po ako. Kasi, hindi ko po inaasahan na makaka gold ako dahil marami pong malalakas,” added Cabana.
Kevin Chan of Valenzuela and Daniel Ocampo settled for the silver and bronze behind Cabana, with the clockings of 2:13.40 and 2:35.30.
Dean earned a silver behind Polancos as he came in at 2:18.90, and Shan Medina of Mabalacat in 2:22.70.
Tom, a student University of the Philippine Integrated School, said she was happy with her start, which came two weeks after she claimed the two titles in the 85th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior meet.
A Season 82 Rookie of the Year awardee, Tom had earlier taken the golds in the 200-m butterfly gold and 50-m freestyle in the UAAP meet.
“I feel good, regardless of what happened before,” said Tom, who could come up with strong per -
at no. 2,
Tom
a clocking of 2:35.8
Chooks 3x3 Pilipinas taps topnotch trainer
WITH the 2023 FIBA 3x3 season being crucial for qualification in both the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Chooksto-Go Pilipinas 3x3 is leaving no stone unturned.
Liman head trainer Milan Isakov has been tapped by Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 to be the active consultant for their teams next season.
Besides leading Liman to world no. 2 status, Isakov, 35, was the head trainer of Russia during the last Olympic cycle, leading both men’s and women’s teams of Russia to silver in the Tokyo Olympics.
He was also the head trainer of China’s women’s national 3x3 basketball team in 2019, steering the squad to the top in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.
“I think that the knowledge that I learned from my past experience is what
I bring here. What I’ve seen so far has been way above my expectation because of the passion and skill shown by the players,” said Isakov.
“Coach Milan is a welcome addition to our team as his vast experience will help in the growth not just of our team but also of Coach Chico Lanete,” said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas.
“With his knowledge, not only will our players learn new skills that will equip them for the 2023 FIBA 3x3 season but also help us in identifying the right composition for our teams,” the godfather of Philippine 3x3 continued.
Currently in the pool are Mac Tallo, Brandon Ramirez, Dennis Santos, Dave Ando, Vince Tolentino, Mike Nzeusseu, and Henry Iloka.
Those who stood out during the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 national
Angara donates P5 million for BP athletes
ATHLETES seeing action in the Philippine Sports Commission’s Batang Pinoy National Championships got a big pat on the back from Senator Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
Angara has allotted P5 million to the country’s centerpiece grassroots development program currently being held in Ilocos Sur.
The country’s sports-funding agency under chair Noli Eala and commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo then decided to give the much-needed assistance straight to the athletes, who will get P1,000 each.
More than 6,000 are seeing action in the six-day meet with half of them are in Ilocos Sur where eight sports disciplines are being played.
The other half was scheduled to compete online.
Face-to-face events in Ilocos Sur are archery, badminton, chess, table tennis, swimming, track and field, weightlifting, and obstacle racing while arnis, dancesport, judo, karate, muay, Pencak silat, taekwondo, and wushu are being done online and streamed on the PSC’s Facebook and YouTube platforms.
tryout for guards were Paul Desideiro, Gerald Anderson, Jaypee Belencion, Shaq Alanes, RJ Deles, Ian Pardo and Zaljun Cartagena.
The invitational tryouts for bigs will be announced soon as well.
“We have a lot of work to do no matter what the roster is,” said Isakov.
Currently, the Philippines is ranked no. 21 in the world.
Isakov is confident that the country can make a huge turnaround come the 2023 season if work is put into the program.
“First of all, I don’t believe that basketball is a game of height. As we see in 5-on-5, it’s just about five players who can do everything and are highly skilled. Here in 3x3, ‘short’ players can compete with their physicality and skills. If we just do the work, we can compete with the best teams in the world,” he said.
Malixi rallies but Korean bet still ahead by 4
RIANNE Malixi birdied two of the last three holes to save a 71 but fell behind by four as Korean Hyo Song Lee fired a solid 69 on moving day to stay in firm control of the Malaysian Amateur Open at Palm Resort’s Cempaka course in Johor Bahru on Saturday.
Malixi struggled to come off a day-best 68 Friday as she fumbled with three bogeys against two birdies after 10 holes while missing a couple of chances from short range, needing to close out strong to salvage a 37-34 and remain in second at four-under 212.
But Lee turned in a game that kept her in command heading to the final 18 holes of the 118th staging of the event, spiking her second straight three-under card with solid iron shots that netted her birdies on the last two par-3 holes (Nos. 15 and 17).
With a 208 aggregate, the reigning Korean Amateur Open champion doubled her overnight two-stroke lead over the ICTSI-backed Filipina ace, who will need to produce an explosive round to get a title shot at the World
Amateur Ranking event.
Hyo Jin Yang, also of Korea, also turned in a 69 to move to solo third at 215 as Singapore’s Aloysa Atienza and Filipina Lois Kaye Go carded 72 and 73 for 217 and 218, respectively.
Go battled back from a double-bogey miscue on No. 1 with birdies on the next and on No. 4. But she stumbled with two bogeys against a birdie at the back to virtually drop out of the title race at fifth with 218, 10 strokes behind Lee.
Mafy Singson, on the other hand, posted a third straight 77 for 17th place at 231.
Lee, Malixi, Atienza and Go all birdied the par-5 No. 4 but Malixi yielded the stroke on the next on a flubbed par-putt bid from four feet. The recent Thai Junior World champion and winner of three pro titles on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour this year then missed a two-foot birdie putt on the seventh and made another bogey on the No. 9 to fall behind by four as Lee made the turn at 35.
Can St. Benilde turn back Letran without its shining armor?
THE College of St. Benilde Blazers need to come up with another great showing against the defending champion Letran Knights in Game 3 of the 86th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball finals.
Doing better than what they did in Game 2 will help the Blazers end a 20-year title drought.
Game 3 is at 3 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
“They’re such a great team. It’s tough to go against them. They’re so well-coached,” said Blazers coach Charles Tiu, who is seeking to become the second mentor to hand CSB a championship after Dong Vergeire did it back in 2002.
The Knights will miss point
guard Fran Yu, who will be suspended in the team’s final game for the season.
Yu, a key figure in the Letran Knights championship outings over the last three years, was ejected in Game 2 with 5:29 left in the second quarter with the Knights leading, 33-25 after he threw an elbow on Blazers cager Mark
Sangco.
Season MVP Will Gozum, a transferee from the University of the Philippines, played above his averages of 17.17 points, 9.61 rebounds, 1.83 assists, and 1.11 blocks, and is expected to play his best once again.
“We need him. We need very good performances from every one
of our players,” added Tiu.
Knights coach Bonnie Tan said their bid to keep the title this time around will be a different experience.
“Kung defending champion kami last season, last season yon. E ngayon iba naman so siguro ngayon we have the advantage ngayon,” said Tan. Peter Atencio
ONE year flew by quickly, memorably, and successfully for the local lifestyle brand Organized Chicas. With their flagship product – the classic canvas totes earning steady support from a wide range of clientele despite the pandemic, the first year has been indeed something to be grateful for.
To mark the scorching summer and to cater to the endless requests, Organized Chicas’ became a tad more adventurous and fun this year through the launch of the Colore Collection. The new items add more exciting hues to their locally sourced and made bags on top of the original Organized Chicas tones of white, black, and army green. Along with that, the women-led brand also introduced a dainty set of bag styles under the Frill Collection to match the different personalities and preferences of their clients.
“One thing that we’re very grateful for is that our clients have been very supportive since we started
Organized Chicas. They were happy that our products were not only practical but also sustainable. I think that’s the reason why some of our clients started collecting our items. Because of that, there came questions about new styles or new colors. As a new brand, we take this feedback to heart and that is why we started infusing colors,” said Organized Chicas owner, Shaina Magdayao
The actress-entrepreneur underscored that the colors were only “infused” at the moment, saying, “We wanted to make sure that the bags remain neat and in line with our signature Organized Chicas look.”
The brand’s signature and bestseller bags Torba, Borsa, and Sac bags all got a fresh look and a pop of color under the Colore Collection While new styles such as the Ruche bag and Talia belt bag were the new bag styles that have been released as part of the bunch.
“This is actually the first time that we have added non-basic colors in our first collection. But it’s definitely not gonna be the last one as we are now looking at releasing more in the coming months,” she added.
On top of the Colore Collection, Organized Chicas opted for more character and another vibe through the ruffle-themed Frill Collection since it is something that they have always wanted, as selfconfessed fans of ruffles, ribbons, and bows.
Much to her and her business partner and friend Niki Medina’s surprise, the Frill Collection, which was composed of the Ruche, Basico Frill Po-
chette Talia come from their clients, just like their basic collection.
Shaina excitedly shared that she was actually at the helm not only in the product selection but also in naming each item.
of naming the bags and it’s something that I really enjoy doing despite it being a learning process. In fact, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the majority of the names that we use in our products are ac tually European terms of ‘fabric’ and ‘basic.’
Just so we’re still on the same theme as the brand itself,” she shared.
that they were initially conservative when it comes to handling the business, which is why they only went full-blown into releasing new bags this 2022. Last year, Organized Chicas dabbled into releasing their own Linen Clothing line, along with the launch of other basic bag styles.
In order to continue its brand’s momentum, Organized Chicas has also expanded its selling platforms.
“When we started last year, we were naturally conservative and we decided to just sell our products on Instagram. But now, one year later, we have finally taken the leap to sell on other platforms like Shopee. This time, our supporters can easily check out their items and even avail of special sales on the website because all is available there,” she noted.
But according to Shaina, these new colors and styles are just some of the new items that are available for the holiday season.
“This time Organized Chicas is giving the crowd-favorite bags a velvet edit, while new shades of shoes will be stepping into the spotlight. Finally, we will be adding a touch of classy pearl jewelry to complete your whole sleek OC look. From everyday essentials to Holiday looks, there is something for everyone,” she ended.
SNAPSHOT
SKAL GMM and Christmas party
The
As
has become a requirement for travel and face-to-face engagements. Last year, the term landed fourth on the list. In 2022, as the world accelerates into a post-pandemic era, VaxCertPH moved up two places to occupy the second spot.
Year in Search continues to highlight how much Filipinos love consuming content online—whether it’s games or streaming—with five out of ten spots on the overall list occupied by games like Wordle at #4 and Axie Infinity at #9; and shows All of Us Are Dead at #5, Encanto at #8, and Jeffrey Dahmer at #10 (because of the show Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story).
Online content consumption – especially streaming – is the third biggest digital activity of Filipinos after e-commerce and food delivery according to the latest e-Conomy SEA Report. The study revealed that 58 percent of Filipinos regularly watch video-on-demand shows and movies. The war in Ukraine also made it to the list at #7, showing how keenly Filipinos online are keeping up with global events. The war has been credited for the worldwide rise in inflation and slower growth, as well as being one of the worst humanitarian crises in Europe since the Second World War.
Named after the Philippines’ country code (+63), PLUS63 Festival is putting the country on the world map of must-experience festivals with its dynamic concert experience. Set against the vibrant cultural landscape of Cebu, this city meets the sea festival is a one-of-a-kind gathering designed for the curious and free-spirited creative soul.
Headlining PLUS63 Festival Cebu are world-class acts Joji and Kehlani, two of this generation’s most accomplished artists.
Joji, whose wildly popular single “Glimpse of Us” was up until very recently a pop culture moment, is arguably one of the internet’s most well-loved personalities. The singer- producer-rapper-comedian boasts over 5 billion streams to date, making him one of the most widely streamed artists of the digital era of music.
R&B siren Kehlani, who is currently on a world tour promoting her latest album Blue Water Road, will be capping off her tour at PLUS63 Festival. With two Grammy nominations and a multiplatinum title under her belt, the young star has made a name for herself in the music industry. The prolific singer-songwriterdancer has also collaborated with the likes of Justin Bieber, Zedd, Calvin Harris, Post Malone, Cardi B, Charlie Puth, and Ty Dolla $ign
Festival-goers can also expect to catch Davao’s rising electropop star Paul Pablo, Cebu-based pop-rock bands The Sundown and Sansette, and Cebu’s crowd favorite DJ Short.
PLUS63 Festival Cebu has previously been headlined by world-famous acts like Steve Angello, Steve Aoki, Showtek Kid Ink Dada Life, and LANY
Tickets are available at www.PLUS63Festival. com. For VVIP tables,
may reach out to hello@ PLUS63Festival.com.
Erotic suspense film delves into the world of
‘SUGAR DATING’
NANAHIMIK ang
Gabi (A Silent Night) is one of the most gripping film entries to the 48th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival. The erotic suspense thriller features Ian Veneracion, Heaven Peralejo, and Mon Confiado portraying intriguing roles that are not often discussed in mainstream media. It is directed by Shugo Praico under Rein Entertainment.
Veneracion plays Chief, a corrupt and abusive police officer who plays the role of “sugar daddy” in his relationship with Me-Ann (Peralejo).
Peralejo was offered the role three to four times. She initially hesitated to accept the role due to feeling unready to fulfill some scenes for the film. She described Me-Ann as being different than herself, an independent woman who is a provider for her family.
“Me-Ann on the other hand is happily willing to rely on Chief despite his abusive behavior since she ultimately benefits from their relationship,” the director said of the female lead character.
Confiado is the antagonist of the film. He devised method acting in preparation for his role of a character capable of killing. He isolated himself in the mountains for four
days for his role since the film is set in a secluded house.
Director Praico described the casting for Confiado’s role as “tricky” with around 15 actors considered to portray the character.
“The casting in general was very tricky, so when they agreed to do the film, everything kind of fell into their proper places. Casting was very important for us to realize the vision of the film,” Praico told Manila Standard Entertainment in a recent interview.
“The idea of the film was conceived during the height of the pandemic –the sentiments, prevailing anxieties, and emotions during that time. It made us come up with an exciting and thrilling plot,” said the director of the inspiration behind the film’s contro-
versial subject.
As a writer, Pracio makes it a point that the films or any projects that he would embark on will discuss subjects not often given much attention in mainstream media.
“The script must always have something to say…social commentary. It helps that from the very start it’s clear what you wanted to say. The film talks about the story of two people –one sugar daddy, and one sugar baby. They spend what is supposed to be a passionate night which turns into a crazy moment. This happens because there are secrets that will be revealed throughout the night,” the director said.
“In every aspect of life, laging lumulutang ang katotohanan. That’s
holiday cheer in ‘Pinoy Christmas in our Hearts’
BROADCAST journalist Jessica Soho – together with mainstream creators and celebrities Ninong Ry, Small Laude, and Herlene Budol – treat Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to a heart-warming holiday celebration via the four-part original online series Pinoy Christmas in our Hearts.
Away from their loved ones, some OFWs express their longing for their relatives back home by making vlogs and making short videos. They groove in their dance videos, they document their dumpster diving, and take their subscribers on trips to the other side of the world. But in reality, the content they dream about the most is to be with their family again here in the Philippines and experience Filipino Christmas again.
Through the series, Pinoy Christmas in our Hearts, GMA Public Affairs, in collaboration with YouTube, will make these wishes come true.
For the first time since the pandemic, some of these OFWs will be returning home. And some of the biggest names in content creation in the Philippines will collaborate with them.
Dumpster diver and vlogger Julie spent 14 Christmases without the son she left in Negros Oriental. With the help of award-winning broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, the mother and son will be reunited and together, they will express their gratitude by attending the Simbang Gabi (dawn mass). Viral
chef Ninong Ry, on the other hand, treats them and the rest of the 100 people at Baclaran Church to a Noche Buena.
More than the big waves, seafarer Jovani has to face loneliness at sea. He fights off the sadness by making dance videos. Jovani will endure anything for his grandmother in Surigao who has difficulty hearing. His prayers are answered as this year, he will be able to get off the ship and spend Christmas with his lola. Fashion and lifestyle influencer Small Laude joins him in a Christmas shopping spree for his loved ones. But as someone considered a millionaire, will Small be able to pull off buying gifts for 10 people if her shopping budget is also ‘small’?
Streetboys dancer Spencer Reyes turned his back on showbiz and migrated to Scotland with his family. His fans, though, remain updated because Spencer vlogs about his life now as a bus driver. Unknown to his parents here in the Philippines, Spencer’s next trip is to go straight to their house in Tondo. But a surprise also awaits Spencer: in the middle of his tour, his friend Ice Seguerra surprises him while singing with the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir. Now, the bus driver in Scotland is joined by Binibining Pilipinas 1st runner-up Herlene Budol as they go on Christmas caroling for the buses along EDSA.
Pinoy Christmas in our Hearts streams exclusively on the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.
our intention, our objective is to tell the audience that the truth will always come out,” he added.
Nanahimik Ang Gabi is produced by Rein Entertainment, co-founded by Lino Cayetano Philip King, and Praico, the makers of Bagman series for iWant and BetCin for WeTV, among others.
“We made a lot of compromises making this film. If you’re asking me if we wanted this to make money or if we just wanted the audience to really see the film and understand the story, we hope to do both. But our guiding principle making the film wasn’t the box office, mas ginusto namin na maikuwento ng maayos ang pelikula,” Cayetano pointed out.
“The theme is very risque but it also talks about morality. It discusses sexuality but the entire story is deeper than that because it questions our decisions. The film believes that in life walang purong santo, o purong demonyo,” Cayetano concluded.
…are talking about
…are not talking about
‘Dyesebel’
The Philippine media has several notable and well-loved pieces that became household names. Among them is Mars Ravelo’s Dyesebel. Although the public welcomed the remake of Darna with open arms, they’re skeptical about a Dyesebel one. It has nothing to do with the alleged lead star, Andrea Brillantes, but people are craving more creativity. Maybe it’s time the industry broke free from common stereotypes to explore new avenues for unique
The
where she
has again bared its
them about
after a veteran
gave her a piece of their mind. People believe it was Dina Bonnevie because of an earlier interview with her that seems to have similarities. If the allegations were true, Dina wasn’t scolding Alex to traumatize her. Instead, she was calling out unprofessionalism – as she should.
The ‘Face of Miss Universe 2022’
n By ETON CONCEPCION
MISS Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi is leaving no stone unturned from the get-go as she begins her quest to bring the most desirable crown back to the Philippines for the fifth time.
The 24-year-old Filipino-Italian looked every bit of the goddess of beauty, arguably the Face of Miss Universe 2022, when she met with the press during her sendoff tendered to her by the Miss Universe Philippines Organization on the eve of her flight to the USA.
Cortesi will head to the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, the site of the famous Mardi Gras, where the concentration of the candidates and preliminary activities are scheduled to start on December 21.
Since Cortesi’s crowning in April, she
has focused on rigorous training that included intensive workouts, walking, fittings, and others.
Cortesi, who said she has constant communication with some of the Miss Universe 2022 contestants on Whatsapp and Instagram, including Miss Venezuela, Miss Italy, and Miss Spain, will have a highly anticipated faceoff with Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel, who is Filipino-American, and a force to reckon with in the competition.
“But for sure, I’m gonna do my best to represent the country and to bring home the crown,” Cortesi promised.
Pageant fans can show support in Cortesi’s journey by following these steps: 1. Download the official Miss Universe App. 2. Go to the voting tab, and 3. Click on the star icon on Cortesi’s headshot to avail your first free vote.
IV Of Spades With everyone excited about the Eraserheads reunion concert this coming December 22, Paolo Valenciano, the concert’s director, teased another comeback from a favorite local band. Paolo took a selfie with IV Of Spades members in the background during rehearsals for the Ang Huling El Bimbo Concert. It’s been years since the band entered a hiatus despite public demand for a comeback. Who knows, maybe they’re next in line for a highly-anticipated reunion concert?Spread
Homemade Christmas Cat Treats
By Mariana BurgosIHAVE been looking up homemade cat food recipes and information on the dietary needs of cats over the last few days. I wanted to give our adopted and rescued kittens some special goodies this holiday season. I am also experimenting with different and more practical ways to feed our kittens.
In order to provide food for our rescues on a regular basis despite the lack of a regular source of income, my daughter and I ask local fish and meat stores for scraps. Most of the time, we prepare homemade food for our animals. In order to feed our cats, we mix the fish and vegetable scraps we receive with rice. With the nourishment we supply, our animals are actually doing okay. There are times when we obtain assistance (in the form of food and supplements donations) from our friends at Save Animals of Love and Light – Save ALL (https:// www.facebook.com/saveanimalsofloveandlightPH) when they have extra donations they share with “indigent” individual rescuers, and our animals get to eat commercial dog or cat food for a while. Those are the times when we believe we get to spoil our pets.
During my research, I came across the article “Feeding Your Cat” of the Cornell Feline Health Center of the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Cornell University website which says cats only eat food that contains animal products since they are obligate carnivores. They still require food that has these varied proportions in their diet since they developed as hunters who ingested prey that contains a high level of protein, a moderate level of fat, and a low level of carbs. But, of course, as we all know now, it is best if our
THE idea that dogs are descended from wolves is one that many of us have heard.
Scientists have discovered numerous genetic similarities between the two species, which is why people make this claim. However, they are not nearly the same. Compared to dogs, wolves (Canis Lupus) exhibit more wild characteristics. Dogs are much simpler to train than wolves.
How did the wolves bring about the dog breed? In her article "How Wolf Became Dog" (1 July 2015), Virginia Morell claims that although scientists have successfully pinpointed the date, place, and ancestry of practically every other domesticated species, they are still debating these issues with regard to man's ‘best friend’, Canis Lupus Familiaris.
According to Morell, researchers have made a number of advancements in recent years.
Contrary to popular belief, they can now state with certainty that dogs are not descended from the gray wolf species that still exists in large portions of the Northern Hemisphere, from Saudi Arabia to Siberia, but rather from an unidentified and extinct wolf.
Damaged neural crest cells and domestication
Morell further states that other researchers proposed a notion that may be put to the test: domesticated animals might have fewer or damaged neural crest cells. These embryonic cells are crucial for the development of the nervous system, which includes the fight-or-flight response, as well as the teeth, jaws, ears, and pigment-producing cells.
If they are correct, through this process of domestication, the physiology, life cycle, and behavior of dogs have irreversibly diverged from those of wolves.
Domestication is the cause of all those adorable domestic characteristics like spotted coats, curled tails, and floppy ears.
They came to the conclusion from their findings that dogs domesticated between 32,000 and 19,000 years ago in Europe. This was based on their increased efforts to pinpoint the period and place of dog domestication, according to Morell.
cats have a balanced diet of commercial and homemade, dry and wet cat food. Our practice with our adopted and rescues goes to prove this to be effective indeed. The recipes for homemade cat treats I discovered online are very easy to make if you have all the needed ingredients. Some of the ingredients are purchasable in our groceries even with the local ones in provinces just like in our place here in Bulacan. The majority of the ingredients for the meals, though, are pricey cuts of pork, poultry, or pricey fish, as in varieties of seafood (like tuna or salmon). So this was my dilemma--- I cannot afford those ingredients to make my homemade treats. So, I asked myself, “what do I have?”
The scraps that we ask for from the nearby local stores are all we have to work on. The "hasang" (fish scraps) I store in our freezer were thawed when I woke up early one morning. We removed a quarter kilogram and mixed it in our blender. I also included a single egg, two tablespoons of coconut oil, four teaspoons of milk powder, three tablespoons of water, and a cup of flour. Until it was spreadable, I thoroughly mixed the batter. After that, I initially placed it in a plastic container with a small nozzle that can be squeezed. I needed to do this so I
could squeeze out little drops of batter and place them on the baking paper. In that way, it would be ready to eat once it had been cooked and would be the typical size of cat treats sold in stores.
But I saw this method to be too tasking. Instead, what I did next was, I spread it 3 mm (millimeters) thick on a baking sheet covering almost the whole of the paper, then cooked it in our microwave on high level for a minute. We have no oven but we have a microwave. So, that had to do. When it was done, I took it out, peeled it off the baking paper and let it cool on a strainer. We have no cooling rack, so we had to make do with what we have. It seems that that is what I often do---- make do of whatever we have. When it was cool enough to handle, I cut the soft chewable cookie into small cat- bite size pieces and put it in a plastic container to store.
Most of the online homemade cat treats recipes I have read all need to be stored in the refrigerator so it will have a shelf life of 3-5 days. I gather that I should do the same for my recipe. I finally tried my recipe
by giving it to one of our cats, and that was when it really came to a test. It was a success, and I'm overjoyed to report that our cats truly loved it!
Moreover, I don't believe the treats would need to be kept in storage for very long given that our cats ate them up quickly. Now I know I can also make my own homemade cat treats that our cats surely love. Even if we don’t really have enough to make it the same as what is advised or suggested in online recipes. We made ours out of fish scraps and it looked quite the same as with the ones shown online. The cats genuinely loved it. And that is what’s really important. You could try to follow my lead if you are a cat parent who, like us, doesn’t have enough but wants to make holiday treats for their furry children.
However, if you have the money to acquire the ingredients listed in the web recipes, by all means do so and continue to follow the instructions. I'll help to simplify your web search. Here are a handful of links to a variety of homemade
cat treat recipes that I think are really simple to prepare. Heather M. presents three straightforward homemade cat treat recipes in her post, "3 Simple Homemade Cat Treat Recipes," all of which I think are quite simple to make. Here is the link to her article: https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/3-simple-homemadecat-treat-recipes/. The recipes listed in Jennifer Coates, DVM's post titled "How to Make Homemade Treats for Cats" (https:// www.petmd.com/blogs/nutritionnuggets/ cat/dr-coates/2015/december/how-makehomemade-treats-cats-33376) are a few more that I can suggest.
Whatever recipe you will be trying this holiday season, I hope your kitties will enjoy them really well. Happy holidays everyone!
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 15 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.
Tips to prevent anxiety among pets during New Year's eve
EVERY year, we give the same tips to remind pet owners how to keep their dogs calm during New Year’s eve. The loud noise caused by fireworks and pyrotechnics can make pets to be fearful and anxious.
There are cases of dogs or cats having a seizure, and if this happens, call a vet immediately. Better yet, ask your vet in advance what you can do if this happens. Some vets will give a medicine that is safe for pets to stop the seizure or will tell you what to do during seizures, and give you tips on how to calm down your pet.
fumes from the firecrackers, please close all windows and doors. Keep a window that is farthest from the road open if you do not have an aircon. But keep your pet away from this place. You only need some ventilation. Some owners have aircon units and keep this switched on until the sound dies down. This also drowns the sound.
10. Wet the curtains with water to absorb the fumes.
11. Some owners open their television sets but do choose a channel for dogs and cats that they like or calms them like cartoons or your dog or cat’s favorite show.
Wolf-dog hybrids
In the "Wolf-Dog Hybrids" article from the International Wolf Center (IWC) website, it was noted that wolves and dogs are interfertile, which means they can breed and have live offspring. They could be modern hybrids. They are claiming that wolves and dogs can breed and that the offspring of such a cross can have children of their own. Although hybrids can naturally exist in the wild, they are uncommon because wolves have a territorial mentality that makes them defend their home ranges from intruder dogs, coyotes, and other wolves. The physical and behavioral growth of a hybrid animal is unexpected, according to the IWC, because wolves and dogs age at different rates. A change in hormone quantity and balance in wolves indicates sexual maturity. Frequently, the animal's behavior also alters in response to this hormone alteration.
According to the IWC, when a wolf reaches sexual maturity, which can occur anywhere between one (1) and four (4) years of age, their position in the pack frequently shifts from that of a pup to one of an adult expected to contribute to the pack. The importance of status increases, and the animal can start testing the loyalty of its packmates to advance in rank. When a wolf is held in captivity, the testing or challenging of its packmates can be projected onto the human "leader," leading to the animal's perception as being unyielding, brave, or even hostile.
Domestic dogs, on the other hand, tend to mature much earlier (6 to 8 months of age).
Wolf-dog as a pet?
IWC claims that it is against the law to own a hybrid in several areas. In some places, hybrids are regarded as wild animals, and their owners must have the same licenses and crate requirements as wolves. However, in other nations, hybrids are governed similarly to dogs, necessitating simply the appropriate licensing and vaccinations. Moreover, in certain states, counties and cities are free to enact hybrid-specific laws as they see fit.
A few people are successful in keeping hybrids, but for a number of reasons, most humans are not equipped to comprehend or meet the needs of the animal. The likelihood that a wolf can be kept as a house pet decreases as its content rises, and they will need specialized housing, care, and socialization. In addition to understanding that some veterinarians are unwilling to offer care and that the rabies vaccine is not authorized for use in these animals, there are legal considerations to be made, according to IWC.
Private ownership of wild or exotic animals is a risky endeavor, and it is illogical to believe that a domestic dog's genes can overcome a wild instinct that has endured decades and millennia of development. Mariana Burgos
To lessen the sound for your dogs who hear sounds 1,000 times more than a human, here are some tips:
1. Put a body wrap. Use a bandage to wrap your dog to make him feel he or she is being hugged and not alone.
2. Put on a shirt or a dress. This too also makes the dog feels he or she is being held by a human. The softer the cloth, the better.
3. Play soothing or calming music like baby songs and instrumental music.
Increase the volume a little. Adjust the volume depending on the noise around your property. This will not only calm the dogs and cats but will also drown out the sound coming from the firecrackers.
4. Feed your dogs early on the eve of Dec. 31 so that the dogs can digest the food properly before the “merry making” and will not vomit the food.
5. Keep her/his favorite stuffed toy or toy near her/him.
6. For dogs who can be overly anxious, put a chew toy near him. He needs to release his anxiety by chewing or biting on something.
7. Hold your pet and hug him or her as often as you can during the “merry making.”
8. For special needs dogs, or dogs who quiver in fear, please ask your vet in advance what you can do to calm him or her down.
9. To prevent your pets from inhaling the
12. Some pets need more water during this time. Keep a bowl of water nearby.
Allow us to also urge you to help stray dogs and cats who have no place to go, specially during this time.
Please
1. Give them food and water before the “ merry making” starts.
2. Put carton boxes for cats to hide in near your property or where you think your neighbors will not light or throw firecrackers
3. If you have a big property, allow stray dogs to come in for the night for their safety.
It is best, of course, not to light firecrackers during the New Year. Please do not get tired of convincing others to stop lighting firecrackers and wasting their money on something that will simply literally burn for a night.
There are a lot of ways to make sounds and drive away evil as many believe will happen if you make a loud noise on New Year’s Eve.
You can:
1. Sing! Rent a videoke machine and enjoy singing with your loved ones and friends.
2. If you have drums, tap them and make good music.
3. Use pots and pans.
4. Use torotot or horns.
