All Hands and Hearts and Streetlight Philippines, Inc. donated a two-classroom school building to St. Francis Village in Brgy.105. Bamboos were partly used in the construction of the facility. (TCIO)
All Hands and Hearts and Streetlight Philippines, Inc. donated a two-classroom school building to St. Francis Village in Brgy.105. Bamboos were partly used in the construction of the facility. (TCIO)
TACLOBAN CITY-In a gratifying gesture of generosity, non-governmental organizations All Hands and Hearts and Streetlight Philippines, Inc. brought an early Christmas cheer to learners and educators by officially handing over a two-classroom school building to St. Francis Elementary School, situated at Barangay 105 Suhi, St. Francis Village 2, this city on December 15, 2023.
This remarkable structure, constructed with Base Bahay’s Cement Bamboo Frame Technology, not only demonstrates cost efficiency but also stands resilient against earthquakes and typhoons.
The technology’s added benefit includes reduced heat retention during the day and rapid cooling at night, ensuring a comfortable learning environment for students.
Representing Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, Councilor Elvira G. Casal graced the handover ceremony, joined by Streetlight Foundation founder Erlend Johannesen, AHAH Program Director Luisa Jabiles, barangay 105 chairperson Eutequio Balunan, a representative from DepEd Tacloban, dedicated NGO volunteers, as well as the teachers and eager pupils of St. Francis Elementary School. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
As we all know, the Christmas season in the country is an unparalleled extravaganza, boasting one of the world’s longest Yuletide celebrations. Embedded within the nation’s colorful cultural fabric, the Christmas aftermath is a time of reflection, gratitude, and unity. There are various aspects of the Philippines’ unique post-Christmas period, highlighting its impact on its people, economy, and indigenous customs.
After the joyous festivities, families and communities come together in reflection, focusing on faith, gratitude, and the core values associated with the season. It’s usually a time for bonding, or at times field trips for those who can afford it. Acts of charity and gift-giving continue beyond Christmas day, as individuals reach out to marginalized communities, embodying the spirit of compassion that characterizes the season.
As the celebrations wind down, Filipinos rush to engage in the thriving post-Christmas retail sector. The “Paskuhan” bazaars serve as the epicenter of shopping, offering a myriad of local products and handmade crafts. This stimulates the local economy, supporting small-scale entrepreneurs and traditional artisans. The influx of overseas Filipino workers returning home for the holidays provides an added boost to tourism, which has a trickle-down effect in terms of employment opportunities and income generation.
Influenced by Western customs, the aftermath of Christmas in the Philippines is also an occasion to celebrate some of the nation’s extant indigenous practices. The “Panunuluyan,” a traditional dramatization of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, highlights the deep-rooted indigenous storytelling heritage of the country. Various regions exhibit unique post-Christmas rituals. These culturally significant events preserve the nation’s rich heritage and foster a sense of pride and identity among Filipinos.
The aftermath of Christmas epitomizes the nation’s ability to intertwine traditions, faith, and community values into a vibrant cultural tapestry. With these unique facets that compose the Christmas aftermath in the Philippines, we get to witness the nation’s rich cultural heritage and its enduring spirit of unity and celebration.
As the year 2024 comes to unfold, we can make predictions based on current trends and emerging patterns, offering a glimpse into the potential landscapes of politics, healthcare, environmental sustainability, education, space exploration, and the global economy. The future as always holds an abundance of exciting possibilities and uncertainties, making it a compelling subject for analysis.
The year 2024 is expected to witness significant shifts globally. Geopolitical power dynamics may transform, driven by rising powers such as China and India. Additionally, the emergence of political leaders who prioritize climate change is likely to reshape international cooperation and policies. The advancement of technologies, such as blockchain, may enhance transparency and efficiency in electoral processes, potentially reducing instances of cyber meddling.
It’s a year that is poised to witness substantial breakthroughs in healthcare. Advancements in precision medicine, genomics, and artificial intelligence are likely to revolutionize diagnostics, personalized treatments, and the overall efficiency of healthcare systems. Concepts like telehealth and remote patient monitoring, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, might become integral parts of healthcare delivery, providing improved accessibility and reducing costs.
The urgency to address climate change is projected to intensify by 2024. Policy frameworks, corporate commitments, and societal awareness are expected to drive a swift transition towards more sustainable practices. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, are forecasted to become increasingly predominant, leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, innovative solutions addressing waste management, deforestation, and biodiversity conservation may gain additional traction in this period.
Education is expected to undergo significant changes by 2024. Technological advancements, such as augmented reality and virtual reality, will enable immersive and interactive learning experiences, transcending traditional classroom settings. Personalized education, tailored to students’ learning styles and abilities, is likely to gain prominence. Additionally, the demand for reskilling and upskilling in response to technological advancements will drive the emergence of lifelong learning platforms to facilitate continued education and professional development.
By 2024, space exploration endeavors are projected to enter an exciting phase. With the increasing participation of private companies, space tourism might become a reality for the wealthy few. Governments and private enterprises are also anticipated to launch ambitious missions to the Moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies, paving the way for potential colonization efforts and deep-space mining. Furthermore, advancements in satellite technology may provide unprecedented opportunities for global telecommunications and enhanced Earth observation capabilities.
The global economy is expected to evolve significantly by 2024. The rise of new economic powers, sanctions, and evolving trade agreements, necessitated by changing geopolitical dynamics, may reshape global commerce. Moreover, automation and AI could alter workforce dynamics, leading to job displacement and the need for novel economic models, such as universal basic income or alternative ways of redefining work and economic value.
While these forecasts are based on current trends and patterns, countless unforeseen events can shape the course of history. Nonetheless, armed with an understanding of emerging trends across various domains, we can better prepare ourselves to adapt, innovate, and shape a desirable future.
Incidents of firecracker accidents took a nosedive this yuletide according to police and hospital records. The observation is clearly conspicuous in contrast to previous celebrations where the people experience explosive evenings of firecracker frenzies. This, despite the subtler campaign against the use of firecrackers in the merrymaking on Christmas eve. It could be recalled that in previous years, the health department in coordination with other agencies like the police and the education department, had to go into an intensified campaign to remind people about the real hazards of firecrackers. The campaign this year was not that intensive but the effect was tremendous if the police and hospital records would be taken as reliable indicators.
Many people had long decided to forego with the non-essentials of the Christmas celebration due to the hard grind of poverty. The impoverished masses that had long been living in the quagmire of financial nothingness were taking the celebration in stride to the extreme extent of sleeping past Christmas midnight with empty stomachs. These are the people that could tell the drumbeaters of the government’s campaign against poverty about what is truly felt by the poor masses of the present economic condition. Surely, these poor masses could never profess what government had been showing in make-believe propaganda on national television, radio and print media about economic progress and development.
People went back to the basics not on account of any campaign to rid themselves of firecrackers. The riddance from firecrackers is neither a success in law enforcement banning the sale of the items. It too is not a result of the information drive that any government agency may have taken to prevent people from engaging in the dangerous frenzy of igniting firecrackers. If there was silence in the Christmas eve celebration, government efforts against firecrackers had less to do with it. While there might have been some contributory effects of the reminders and the threats about blasted body parts and imprisonment in case of apprehension.
The modest celebration of Christmas owes chiefly to the economic condition that people are in. Even the big businesses that rake in huge profits over the year could not afford to part of their gains to greet their customers and patrons with a yuletide present. There is scarcity of the usual least gifts that people get from stores and business establishments in past years. Even the ordinary calendar could hardly be availed by customers this time. Clearly, the economic condition, the true and real situation that is diametrically opposed to the one portrayed by government on national television ads, is the main Christmas silencer. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
IT’S amazing that right after Christmas Day, the second day of the Christmas Octave (December 26), we celebrate the memorial of St. Stephen who bears the title of being the protomartyr or the first Christian martyr. He was stoned to death for giving a vivid witness of the glory of the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God in heaven. (cfr. Acts 6,55) The people then could not stand what he was telling them.
Is this meant to be a wet blanket to all that joyous celebration of the birth of Christ? I don’t believe so. If at all, it is meant to give us a most realistic understanding of the spirit of Christmas, the birth of our Redeemer who being God became man to bear and conquer all our sins through his very passion, death and resurrection. To bear witness to this truth of our faith in the way St. Stephen did, actually gives full meaning to Christmas.
Thus, in the gospel of the day (cfr. Mt 10,17-22) we are told to expect all sorts of challenges and trials, even at the hands of the most unlikely persons such as our own parents and friends. But we should never worry, since God will always be with us, and as the gospel declared, “you will be hated by all for the sake of my name, but whoever will have persevered, even to the end, the same shall be saved.” (v.22)
We really have no reason to fear, nor to wallow in worries, anxieties and sadness. Let’s remember that these unfortunate states are fertile ground for the enemies of our soul, especially the devil, to take advantage of us.
About the only reason to fear, worry and be sad is when we lose our faith, when we lose touch with God. We have to pray and pray so that our doubts and fears would not undermine our faith.
What also helps is to develop a sporting attitude in life, because, to be realistic about it, we will always have frustrations, disappointments, mistakes, failures, sins and defeats in our life. But we just have to learn how to move on, just like a good sportsman.
We should always be cheerful in life, and strive to show it even externally with smiles and happy, warm and encouraging dispositions. Even in our grief and mourning, we should manage to learn how to be serene, knowing that suffering and death have already been redeemed by Christ and are now endowed with redemptive power.
Let’s not waste time and energy by falling into the grips of fears, worries and sadness. When we notice that we are having some languid moments, it can be a sign that our faith is not working, and that we are succumbing to the laws of the flesh and the world, if not, to the tricks of the devil.
We have to extricate ourselves as quickly as possible from that predicament. The ideal to have is to be always cheerful and eager to do things, no matter what the cost involved.
We should be doing a lot of good, constructive work, rather than stuck in the mode of ruing and brooding, sinking in self-pity, etc. We should never forget that God is always around.
It might be a good idea to rally the power of our faith that tells us that God takes care of everything. There is really nothing to worry even if we are made to suffer, since that suffering, if united to that of Christ, becomes something purifying and redemptive not only to oneself but also to everybody else.
Local beauty queens were named as brand ambassadors of IM Travel and Tours headed by Ma. Rochelle Alfonso (right). The beauty queens-turned brand ambassadors were MUPH Leyte 2023 1st runner-up Trisha Gabriel Moreto, Miss Universe-Leyte 2023 Angel Rose Tambal, and Miss Philippines Leyte 2023 Jamby Belegorio. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
TACLOBAN CITY– Miss Universe Philippines Leyte 2023 Angel Rose Tambal, Miss Philippines Leyte 2023 Jamby Belegorio, and MUPH Leyte 2023 1st runner-up Trisha Gabriel Moreto are now officially the ambassadors of IM Travel and Tours, one of the accredited tour operators of the Department of Tourism in the region.
The three beauty queens signed a contract with IM Travel and Tours president Ma. Rochelle Acuba Alfonso on December 22 with the aim of promoting the tourism sites in the region.
“Our heartfelt gratitude to IM Travel for choosing us as your brand ambassadress, and a big congratulations to the corporation for the bountiful blessings that you have received,” said Tambal.
“As a brand ambassador, we promise to fulfill our commitment and bring IM travel to all over the world,” she added.
Tambal will represent Leyte in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant next year. (LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)
