Our Daily Bread: Wonderful

Graphic art dedicated to Mama Ampa, a wonderful Mom in the world celebrating

her 68th birthday - Love, Nonoy and Family

Storyline by: Bill Crowder

Read: Job 42:1-6
I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. — Job 42:3

As our plane began its descent, the flight attendant read the long list of arrival information as if she were reading it for the thousandth time that day—no emotion or interest as she droned on about our impending arrival. Then, with the same tired, disinterested voice, she finished by saying, “Have a wonderful day.” The dryness of her tone contrasted with her words. She said “wonderful” but in a manner completely absent of any sense of wonder.

Sometimes I fear that we approach our relationship with God in the same way: Routine. Bored. Apathetic. Disinterested. Through Christ, we have the privilege of being adopted into the family of the living God, yet often there seems to be little of the sense of wonder that should accompany that remarkable reality.

Job questioned God about his suffering, but when challenged by Him, Job was humbled by the wonder of his Creator and His creation. Job replied, “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:3).

I long for the wonder of God to take hold of my heart. Adopted by God—what a wonderful reality!

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me! — Gabriel

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Nothing can fill our hearts more than the wonder of our God and His love.

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Our Daily Bread: Wait on the Lord

Storyline by Dennis Fisher

Read: Psalm 27

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. —Psalm 40:1

With so many instantaneous forms of communication today, our impatience with hearing a reply from others is sometimes laughable. Someone I know sent an e-mail to his wife and then called her by cell phone because he couldn’t wait for a reply!

Sometimes we feel that God has let us down because He does not provide an immediate answer to a prayer. Often our attitude becomes, “Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails!” (Ps. 143:7).

But waiting for the Lord can transform us into a people of growing faith. King David spent many years waiting to be crowned king and fleeing from Saul’s wrath. David wrote, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps. 27:14). And in another psalm he encourages us with these words, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He . . . set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps” (40:1-2). David grew into “a man after [God’s] own heart” by waiting on the Lord (Acts 13:22; see 1 Sam. 13:14).

When we become frustrated with God’s apparent delay in answering our prayer, it is good to remember that He is interested in developing faith and perseverance in our character (James 1:2-4). Wait on the Lord!

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless. — Walford

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God stretches our patience to enlarge our soul.

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DREAM HIGH PHILIPPINES! Lawmakers file bills creating PHL Space Agency

Space utilization and exploration: As the program leader of the National Space Development Program (NSDP) under the Philippine Council  for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), Sese and his colleagues have been lobbying for the Philippines' active participation in space exploration and utilization. Photo above is a composite imagery of PSA's space exploration. Credits to respective owners with Jessica Bartolome of GMANews

Manila, Philippines - Filipino astrophysicist Dr. Rogel Mari Sese announced this week the filing of two bills in the Senate and Lower House for the establishment of a centralized Philippine Space Agency.

"All the work that we have done in the past few years for the development of a national space program amounts to these two documents... House Bill 3637 and Senate Bill 1211 which both aim to legislate a Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy and create a Philippine Space Agency," Sese wrote in his Facebook account on Tuesday.

Space utilization and exploration

As the program leader of the National Space Development Program (NSDP) under the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), Sese and his colleagues have been lobbying for the Philippines' active participation in space exploration and utilization.

In an earlier interview with GMA News, he pointed out that much of the technology we use and take for granted came from space research.

He also warned that depending on foreign space technology is a risky proposition. 

"As a developing country and emerging economy, it is important for the Philippines to ensure its access to space for sustainable economic growth," Sese told GMA News.

A matter of national security, development

He stressed that a solid space policy would pave the way toward ensuring national security and development, particularly in the areas of disaster management and climate studies.

"Independent access to space is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity even for developing countries such as ours," he underscored.

Sese's team gained the support of Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado and Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos, both of whom filed House Bill No. 3637.

Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino filed a separate bill in the Senate.

"They were the main ones [we've been working with]. But we also talk to other legislators to gain support for the bill," Sese explained.

From weather imaging to telecommunications

The bills, known as the Philippine Space Act of 2016, seek the creation of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). This government agency would be tasked with providing for the country's space technology-related needs, from weather imaging to telecommunications.

"The PhilSA would be responsible for developing space science technology policies, implementing research and education programs, and establishing industry linkages between private and public sector stakeholder," the Senate bill's explanatory note read.

"The PhilSA would be our country's representation for international space agreements and arbitrations," it underscored.

Positive initial response

While it is too early to tell how the bill will be received, Sese said that the response from the lawmakers he has spoken to were "positive."

"So far the response among legislators was positive. Space science and technology can greatly contribute to our development as a nation. The various agencies in the government understand that," Sese said.

"We hope that our legislators would also realize its importance and pass the bill soon," he added. — TJD, GMA News

WORLD: US, Israel condemn new UNESCO resolution on Jerusalem

Palestinian ambassador to UNESCO Elias Sanbar, left and Jordanian ambassador to UNESCO Makram Mustafa Queisi, address the media after a resolution was passed by secret ballot at its headquarters in Paris, France, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Wednesday passed a conservation resolution on the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls that the United States condemned and that is likely to rile Israel _ especially after the body adopted a similar resolution last week. AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu

 PARIS — UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on yesterday approved a new resolution on the status of conservation of the Old City of Jerusalem that drew angry accusations from Israel that the document denies Judaism's deep ties to the site. The United States decried the resolution as "inflammatory."

In yesterday's secret ballot, the UN cultural body agreed to retain the walled area, home to key Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites, on the list of endangered world heritage. It also criticized Israel for its continuous refusal to let the body's experts access Jerusalem's holy sites to determine their conservation status.

More controversially, the document refers to the Jerusalem site that Jews call the Temple Mount only by its Arab name — a significant semantic decision also adopted by UNESCO's Executive Board last week, when it was condemned by Israel and its allies. The site is revered by Jews and Muslims.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the "absurdity" of yesterday's decision and said he would recall his ambassador to UNESCO for consultations on how to proceed.

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"What needs to be understood, and it will take time, is that this absurdity, which harms not only the historical truth and the truth of the present, but also harms in my opinion the UN itself," he said.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel "will not cooperate with an organization denying the Jewish People's connection to Jerusalem."

Israel suspended ties with UNESCO earlier this month over a similar resolution.

US Ambassador Crystal Nix Hines said the UNESCO resolutions on Jerusalem were "continuously one-sided and inflammatory."

"This item should have been defeated ... These politicized and one-sided resolutions are damaging the credibility of UNESCO," Nix Hines said in a statement to The Associated Press.

But Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said yesterday's UNESCO vote aimed to reaffirm the importance of Jerusalem for Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

"It calls for respecting the status quo of its religious sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound that continues to be threatened by the systematic incitement and provocative actions of the Israeli government and extremist Jewish groups," Erekat said.

The Old City, home to sensitive holy sites, lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is situated in east Jerusalem — the area of the holy city captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their capital, while Israel has annexed the area and made it part of its capital.

While Israel controls the area, its annexation is not internationally recognized. Although Israel says it protects sites holy to all religions, the Palestinians have accused Israel of trying to "Judaize" the Old City through archaeological digs and tourism projects.

Jews refer to the hilltop compound in Jerusalem's Old City as the Temple Mount, the site where the ancient Temples were located. Muslims refer to it as al-Haram al-Sharif, Arabic for the Noble Sanctuary, and it includes the Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock. Itis the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

The resolution was passed by the World Heritage Committee's 21 member countries. Ten countries voted for, two against, eight abstained and one was absent. Neither Israel, the US nor Palestine is on the World Heritage Committee.

Makram Queisi, Jordan's ambassador to UNESCO, said the heritage committee was trying to tackle the issue from a "technical point of view" even as many parties were politicizing it.

"Jerusalem is a site listed on the World Heritage List, and this is the place where this site has to be discussed because the Israeli government after the occupation has changed many aspects on the ground," he said.

The resolution is the latest of several measures at UNESCO over decades that Israelis see as evidence of ingrained anti-Israel bias within the United Nations, where Israel and its allies are far outnumbered by Arab countries and their supporters.

UNESCO's World Heritage Site list is known throughout the world for its work in highlighting sites of historic and cultural significance, and endangered global heritage.

Israel had already suspended its funding to UNESCO when Palestinian membership was approved, along with the United States, which used to provide 22 percent of the agency's budget.

Abu Sayyaf got $7.3 million from kidnappings

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the notorious Muslim extremist group, which has been blacklisted by the US and the Philippines. Photo: Philstar/File | By Jim Gomez via Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines — Abu Sayyaf pocketed at least P353 million ($7.3 million) from ransom kidnappings in the first six months of the year and have turned to abductions of foreign tugboat crewmen as military offensives restricted the militants' mobility, a confidential Philippine government report said.

 

The joint military and police threat assessment report seen by The Associated Press on Thursday said the offensives have reduced the number of Abu Sayyaf fighters slightly, although the group remains capable of launching terrorist attacks.

 

Infographics courtesy of Philstar Global

 

Government offensives have reduced the number of militants to 481 in the first half of the year from 506 in the same period last year but they managed to carry out 32 bombings in that time — a 68 percent increase — in attempts to distract the military assaults, the report said.

 

They wield at least 438 firearms and managed to conduct a number of terrorist trainings despite constant military assaults.

 

President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June, has ordered troops to destroy Abu Sayyaf, known for its brutality, and he has ruled out the possibility of any peace talks with them. He has pursued talks with two other larger Muslim insurgent groups.

 

Duterte's peace negotiations with communist rebels have led to cease-fire declarations that have halted years of fighting with Maoist guerrillas, which freed up the thousands of troops now redeployed to wage one of the largest offensives ever fought against the Abu Sayyaf in southern Sulu and Basilan provinces.

 

"The ASG shifted in targeting vulnerable foreign-flagged tugboats and their crew due to the focused military operations against the group," the report said, adding the group was expected to intensify its kidnap-for-ransom assaults in the busy waterways around the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

 

Abu Sayyaf's attacks on tugboats this year and the kidnappings of their Malaysian and Indonesian crewmen have raised security alarms from those countries, whose officials have tried to map out a strategy to protect commercial and passenger ships.

 

"Lucrative payoffs from KFR (kidnappings for ransom), the report said, "enabled the ASG to procure firearms as well as ammunitions."

 

Infographic courtesy of Philstar Global

 Of the estimated P353 million in ransom received by the Abu Sayyaf from January to June, the bulk was paid in exchange for the releases of 14 Indonesian and 4 Malaysian crewmen who had been held at Abu Sayyaf jungle bases in Sulu province, the report said.

 

The militants got P20 million ($413,000) in ransom for freeing Marites Flor, a Filipino woman who was kidnapped last year with two Canadians and a Norwegian from a yacht-berthing resort on southern Samal island.

 

Philippine officials have said they were unaware of any ransom paid for Flor or other hostages and added they continue to adopt a no-ransom policy.

 

The militants beheaded the two Canadians after ransom deadlines lapsed. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged governments not to pay ransom to discourage similar abductions.

 

The Norwegian hostage, Kjartan Sekkingstad, was freed last month after a year of horrific jungle captivity when he was constantly threatened with beheading.

 

Prior to Sekkingstad's release, Duterte suggested at a news conference that P50 million ($1 million) had been paid to the militants.

 

The Philippine military has said the constant military assaults have forced the militants to release their hostages.

WORLD: Duterte calls off courtesy call on Japanese Emperor Akihito

In Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 file photo, Japanese Emperor Akihito, left, and Empress Michiko arrive at the entrance hall to greet Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arriving for a banquet held by Akihito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Experts on a government-commissioned panel were set to hold their first meeting Monday, Oct. 17, to study how to accommodate Akihito's apparent abdication wish, in a country where he is not supposed to say anything political. Kimimasa Mayama/Pool Photo via Associated Press', File 

           

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte canceled his courtesy call on Emperor Akihito on Thursday following the death of Prince Mikasa, the oldest member of the Imperial House of Japan.

Duterte was supposed to meet with the Japanese emperor at the Shohiro-ma Imperial Palace on Thursday afternoon, however, the emperor's uncle passed away on Thursday morning. The prince had reportedly been hospitalized since May due to pneumonia.

Duterte was advised by his protocol officers to cancel his courtesy call out of respect. Duterte also expressed his deepest condolences to the emperor.

Duterte said he understand the advice of his protocol officers, saying that he would also request privacy if it happened to him.

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Due to the canceled courtesy call, Duterte is expected to go back to the Philippines earlier than planned.

Japanese officials earlier expressed wariness ahead of Duterte’s visit. They said they were concerned not only about Duterte's foreign policy toward the US, but also about his informal style.

Duterte is in Japan for a three-day official visit to Tokyo upon the invitation of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.  - with reports from Rosette Adel

NEDA: 1.4 million less poor Filipinos in 2015 than in 2009

Residents sort out plastic bottles and other materials they have rummaged around the streets under a slight rain brought about by Typhoon "Karika" Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The powerful typhoon, with sustained winds of 130 kilometers (80) miles per hour and gusts of 220 kph (136mph), has slammed into the northeastern Philippines and left at least two people dead, knocked out power and isolated villages in floods and toppled trees. AP/Bullit Marquez | By Patricia Lourdes Viray via Philstar

           

MANILA, Philippines — There are about 1.4 million less poor Filipinos in 2015 than in 2009, according to the 2015 Full Year Poverty Statistics released  by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Thursday.

The NEDA said that the country's poverty incidence for the whole of 2015 declined significantly from 25.2 percent in 2012 to 21.6 million in 2015.

"This has resulted from generally low and stable inflation, improved incomes, and higher employment rates in the period," the NEDA reported.

Data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that around one out of five families were poor in 2015.

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In 2015, a family of five needed around P6,329 per month to meet their minimum basic food needs, the PSA said.

To meet their minimum basic food and nonfood needs, a family of five needed around P9,064 monthly in 2015.

The PSA also reported that 57 out of 1,000 or an estimated 1.3 million families did not have sufficient income to meet their basic food needs.

Subsistence incidence covers 81 of 1,000 Filipinos in 2015, the report said. Subsistence incidence refers to the proportion of Filipinos in extreme poverty.

"Decrease in poverty incidence was observed in all regions and eased disparities across regions," the NEDA said.

The largest drop incidence was observed in Regions 11 (Davao) and 12 (Soccsksargen) from 2012 to 2015.

The National Capital Region recorded the highest poverty threshold in 2015 while the lowest was from Region 4-B (Mimaropa).

"If a family lives in NCR, then they will need higher income in NCR compared to other regions," the PSA said.

Poverty incidence refers to the number of households with an income below the poverty threshold. Poverty threshold, on the other hand, refers to the minimum income required to afford basic food and nonfood needs.

The NEDA stressed that the government needs to pay more attention to lagging regions, especially those in Mindanao.

"Underemployment is still steep among regions with high poverty incidence, signaling low earning capacity of the poor," the NEDA said.

The NEDA's goal is to reduce poverty to 13 or 15 percent by 2022. This goal will be driven by rural and regional development, and addressing capacity constraints in other sectors.

"Improved poverty reduction indicates that goal to eradicate poverty in Philippines is very possible and highly achievable," NEDA Director Reynaldo Cancio said.

Philippines, Japan sign military, economic deals

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the start of their meeting at Abe's official residence in Tokyo Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. Issei Kato/Pool Photo

| By Mari Yamaguchi via Associated Press

TOKYO — The leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed Wednesday to cooperate in promoting regional peace and stability, and acknowledged the importance of their alliances with the US, although a joint statement focused largely on Japan's contribution to Philippine maritime security and other projects totaling a 21 billion yen ($210 million) loan.

 

In a news conference, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, after his first round of talks with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said he expected Japan to continue being an important part of maritime security in the region, including the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have overlapping claims.

 

There, they did not mention their security alliances with the US. But in a statement issued later, the two sides acknowledged the importance of "their network of friendship and alliances," particularly one between them. Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda told reporters that their alliances with the US were recognized, though not in writing.

 

Duterete, in his second round of talks only among close aides, reassured Abe that he has no intention to severe diplomatic ties with the US, Hagiuda said.

 

Since Duterte took office in June, Manila's relationship with Washington has quickly become strained.

 

Japan is a staunch US ally and hosts 50,000 American troops, while Duterte has repeatedly spoken of distancing his country from Washington, often in crude terms.

 

The presence of US troops in five Philippine military camps was established under a security deal signed under Duterte's predecessor as a counter to China's growing military assertiveness in the region.

 

Earlier Wednesday, Duterte said that he wants his country to be free of foreign troops, possibly within two years. "I want them out," he said.

 

"I want to be friends to China," he told an audience of businesspeople in Tokyo. "I do not need the arms. I do not want missiles established in my country. I do not need to have the airports to host the bombers."

 

As president, Duterte has reached out to Beijing while criticizing US foreign policy. His approach has caused consternation in both the US and Japan.

 

Still, Abe welcomed Duterte's recent efforts to improve ties with China.

 

"The South China Sea issue is directly linked to the region's peace and stability and a matter of interest for the entire international society," he said. "In that regard, Japan welcomes the effort of President Duterte visiting China and endeavoring to improve the Philippine-China relations."

 

Officials declined to provide details of their second round of talks, in which Abe was expected to ask Duterte specifically about his foreign policy.

 

The Philippine leader spoke about the US at the end of his prepared remarks on economic development and investment, saying he was addressing what he knows is "what is in everybody's mind."

 

"I may have ruffled the feelings of some, but that is how it is," he said. "We will survive, without the assistance of America, maybe a lesser quality of life, but as I said, we will survive."

 

Duterte has announced canceling planned joint military exercises with the United States, and preparatory meetings for next year's joint combat exercises between American and Filipino forces in the Philippines have been shrouded in uncertainty.

 

Explaining his policy, Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay, also in Tokyo, said Duterte respects all bilateral security agreements with the US and that he has no intention to renege or breach them, but the exercises are not helpful in fostering Manila's friendly relations with Beijing.

 

"It is in this context that we will not be undertaking (them) during (Duterte's) administration especially so that we are trying to resolve this disputes with China in a peaceful manner," Yasay told a separate news conference.

 

On Wednesday, Japan and the Philippines signed agreements including Japan's provision of two coast guard boats and T-90 military trainer aircraft as part of its contribution to step up Philippine maritime security capability. Japan also agreed to support infrastructure and agricultural promotion projects in the Philippines to help economic development.

 

"Japan will continue to play an important role in modernizing the capabilities of the Philippines" in maritime security, Duterte said. "The Philippines will continue to work closely with Japan on issues of common concern in the region ... and the peaceful settlements of disputes including the South China Sea."

 

Duterte is on a three-day visit to Japan. After two rounds of talks with Abe, he is attending a banquet hosted by the Japanese leader. On Thursday, he is set to meet Emperor Akihito.

 

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Associated Press videojournalist Emily Wang in Tokyo and writer Jim Gomez in Manila, the Philippines, contributed to this report

SPORT: Turner dominates boards as Pacers win in OT vs. Mavericks

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner is fouled by Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki as he goes up of a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, in Indianapolis. Indiana won 130-121 in overtime. | AP Photo/Darron Cummings via Associated Press

            

 INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's Myles Turner tied his career high with 16 rebounds and kick-started a surge in overtime that lifted the Pacers to a 130-121 victory against Dallas on Wednesday.

 

Turner scored 30 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:18 left in overtime, to start an 8-0 run that sealed the result.

 

Among other games, Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City to a win at Philadelphia, Denver overcame a dominant performance by Anthony Davis to win at New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers won on Luke Walton's coaching debut, defeating Houston.

 

Indiana's three-time All-Star Paul George added 25 points, including another 3-pointer with 55 seconds left to close out a fifth season-opening win for the Pacers in six years.

 

Deron Williams scored 25 points as the Mavericks lost their fifth straight against the Pacers. They haven't won in Indianapolis since the 2013-14 season.

 

Dallas didn't tie the score or take a lead until the fourth quarter, yet still forced overtime when Harrison Barnes' open 3-pointer tied the scores with 2.3 seconds left.

 

Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook had 32 points and 12 rebounds and took over late to lead the Thunder to a 103-97 victory over Philadelphia.

 

Westbrook scored the decisive points on opening night for the Thunder in their first game since franchise star Kevin Durant left and signed with Golden State.

 

Joel Embiid scored 20 points in 22 minutes in his first game for the Sixers since they made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft. Embiid had sat out the past two seasons with foot injuries.

 

Denver won 107-102 at New Orleans despite 50 points and 16 rebounds from Davis.

 

His efforts led the Pelicans back from a 14-point deficit in the second quarter to two points in the closing stages.

 

E'Twaun Moore missed a 3-point attempt that would have tied the scores with 24 seconds left.

 

Jusuf Nurkic scored 23 points and Will Barton added 22 for the Nuggets.

 

Los Angeles' Jordan Clarkson scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to guide the Lakers past Houston 120-114.

 

, D'Angelo Russell scored 20 points and Julius Randle added 18 for the young Lakers, who got off to an exciting start in the franchise's first season since 1995 without Kobe Bryant.

 

With a revamped roster coming off the worst season in the 16-time champion team's history, Los Angeles surged in the fourth quarter of an auspicious opener under Walton, the 36-year-old former Lakers forward.

 

James Harden had 34 points and a career-high 17 assists for Houston, who lost in former Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni's debut on the Rockets bench.

 

Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 23 points and 14 rebounds in his return from a shoulder injury, helping the Hornets defeat Milwaukee 107-96.

 

Roy Hibbert added 15 points for the Hornets, who led by 24 points in the third quarter before fending off a late charge from Milwaukee.

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 31 points.

 

Miami center Hassan White had 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Heat to a 108-96 win at state rival Orlando.

 

Boston's Isaiah Thomas had 25 points as the Celtics survived a late scare to beat Brooklyn 122-117.

 

Toronto's DeMar DeRozan scored 40 points and Jonas Valanciunas added a career-high 32 as the Raptors opened their season with a 109-91 victory over Detroit.

 

Memphis overcame a slow start to beat Minnesota 102-98, with Mike Conley scoring 24 points to lead the Grizzlies.

 

Sacramento won 113-94 at Phoenix in the season opener for both teams.

CA bypasses 15 Duterte appointees

The Commission on Appointments has bypassed 15 members of President Duterte’s Cabinet.

Malacañang Photo Bureau | By Jess Diaz via Philstar

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Appointments (CA) has bypassed 15 members of President Duterte’s Cabinet.   
 
Bypassing takes place when Congress adjourns session or goes on recess without the CA approving the appointments. The legislation went on its two-week Halloween break last weekend.       

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, CA majority leader, said yesterday the President has to issue new appointments to his bypassed Cabinet members “if he wants to retain them.”  
  
“If not, he can replace them, since these officials are considered only on holdover status,” Albano said. “Their appointments have lapsed when Congress adjourned.” Without new appointment papers, the Cabinet men’s decisions and actions could be questioned, he said.

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Those who were bypassed were Secretaries Vitaliano Aguirre ll of justice, Leonor Briones of education, Fortunato dela Peña of science and technology, Ramon Lopez of trade and industry, Regina Paz Lopez of natural resources and environment, Rafael Mariano of agrarian reform, Ernesto Pernia of economic planning, Emmanuel Piñol of agriculture, Rodolfo Salalima of information communications technology, Ismael Sueno of local government, Judy Taguiwalo of social welfare and development, Wanda Corazon Teo of tourism, Arthur Tugade of transportation, Paulyn Jean Obial of health and Perfecto Yasay Jr. of foreign affairs.

Seven Cabinet members have been confirmed: Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Benjamin Diokno of budget, Martin Andanar of communications, Carlos Dominguez III of finance, Silvestre Bello lll of labor, Alfonso Cusi of energy and Delfin Lorenzana of defense.

Maguindanao acquires P47 million worth of heavy equipment

The new equipment pool of Shariff Aguak is now on display at the town’s municipal government center. Philstar/John Unson

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - What the late Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. failed to provide his hometown during a 20-year reign, his newcomer relative-politicians addressed in just four months.

The neophyte Marop Ampatuan, elected mayor of Shariff Aguak only last May 9, had just procured P47 million worth of heavy equipment for their local government unit, a need his predecessors failed to focus their attention on.

The Shariff Aguak LGU did not even have a functional truck for disposal of garbage when Datu Andal and his two sons, Zaldy and Anwar, both jailed in connection with the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 “Maguindanao massacre,” served as mayors one after another after from the 1980s to 2009.

What proliferated during that time in Shariff Aguak and nearby towns under the “political principality” of Datu Andal were private militias of local executives who owned flashy four by four vehicles and wore imported signature clothes and very costly Rolex watches.

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Datu Andal, who was Maguindanao governor for three consecutive terms, died of liver cancer last year while in detention for allegedly masterminding the massacre of 58 people, among them 32 journalists, in an election-related incident that shook the nation to its core.

Zaldy was governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for two terms. His second term as ARMM's chief executive that was to last until 2011 was cut short by his incarceration.
The new equipment pool of the Shariff Aguak LGU was procured by the incumbent mayor using funds loaned from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

The loan application had full imprimatur from the Shariff Aguak Sangguniang Bayan, chaired by the father of Mayor Marop, the incumbent Vice Mayor Akmad.

“The bank’s having lend us a big amount of money was a tacit indication that it believes in our LGU’s capability to return the borrowed amount in a seven-year repayment period,” said the 33-year-old Mayor Marop, a civil engineer.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu on Thursday said he was elated with the acquisition by the Shariff Aguak LGU of the P47 million worth road-building equipment.

“Local governance in that part of Maguindanao is indeed improving,” Mangudadatu said.
The equipment pool, comprised of dump trucks, a backhoe, a payloader, a compactor, a grader and a garbage truck, was delivered early this week by a supplier that gave the lowest price quotation for each unit in a transparent procurement process facilitated by state auditors and representatives from the state-run DBP.

Abby Aguak, chairman of Shariff Aguak’s Barangay Poblacion, said he and his constituents are thankful to their LGU for allocating a fraction from the loan for a garbage collection truck.

“We never had a garbage disposal program in our barangay, which is the center of the municipality, because past mayors did not care having one,” Aguak said.

The newcomer Akmad, elected vice mayor only last May 9 as running mate of his now mayor-son, has personally been managing sanitation drives involving volunteers, among them more than 300 former drug dependents and peddlers who had promised over the Qur’an to reform for good.

A group of former drug peddlers had earlier planted hundreds of forest trees on denuded spots in Shariff Aguak as part of the LGU’s environmental protection thrusts.

Reny Digay, chairman of Barangay Kuloy in the outskirt of Shariff Aguak, said he and his constituents are certain of an efficient maintenance now of the farm-to-market roads connecting local farming enclaves to the public market at the town center.

“With good roads, productivity of farmers will improve,” Digay said.

De Lima set to file charges vs. Duterte ‘sooner than you think’

Rodrigo Duterte and Leila de Lima composite

© Provided by GMA News via MSN

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Leila de Lima on Thursday said she is bent on filing charges against President Rodrigo Duterte and it will be “sooner than you think.”

“That is settled already ... ‘yung mga kaso na ifa-file kasama ang Pangulo, because he’s at the top of all this. Kagagawan niya ‘tong lahat,” De Lima said during a media briefing.

De Lima said she would not have been “vilified” publicly by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and his own fraternity brother, House justice committee chair Reynaldo Umali, if they weren’t told by the President.

Aguirre presented several inmates against De Lima during a congressional inquiry over her alleged involvement in the illegal drug operations inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“Do you think they will do all this kung hindi ‘yan kagustuhan ng Pangulo? Of course not. So siya ang principal respondent ko palagi sa mga kasong ifa-file ko,” De Lima said.

Asked when the charges will be filed against Duterte, De Lima said: “It’s sooner than you think.”

De Lima said a legal team composed of volunteer lawyers are already working on the charges to be filed.

The senator, however, refused to disclose what those specific charges are upon the advise of her lawyers.

Earlier this month, De Lima said she will file a “test case” against Duterte for his “blatant abuse of power.”

Duterte, as chief executive, enjoys the doctrine of presidential immunity.

She said then that she will seek before the Supreme Court a writ of amparo and habeas data.
The writ of amparo is a “remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.”

The writ of habeas data, meanwhile, is a “remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.” — RSJ, GMA News

Our Daily Bread: God in the Storm

Storyline by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read: Job 37:14-24

He is excellent in power. —Job 37:23

Early one morning the wind began to blow and raindrops hit my house like small stones. I peered outside at the yellow-gray sky and watched as trees thrashed in the wind. Veins of lightning lit the sky accompanied by bone-rattling thunder. The power blinked on and off, and I wondered how long the bad weather would continue.

After the storm passed, I opened my Bible to begin my day with reading Scripture. I read a passage in Job that compared the Lord’s power to the atmospheric muscle of a storm. Job’s friend, Elihu said, “God thunders marvelously with His voice” (37:5). And, “He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike” (36:32). Indeed, God is “excellent in power” (37:23).

Compared to God, we humans are feeble. We’re unable to help ourselves spiritually, heal our hearts, or fix the injustice we often endure. Fortunately, the God of the storm cares about weaklings like us; He “remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). What’s more, God “gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isa. 40:29). Because God is strong, He can help us in our weakness.

I sing the mighty power of God
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies. — Watts

_________________________________________________________

God is the source of our strength.

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WORLD: Vatican: No more scattering of cremation ashes

A man holds an urn at a funeral parlor in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. The Vatican on Tuesday published guidelines for Catholics who want to be cremated, saying their remains cannot be scattered, divvied up or kept at home but rather stored in a sacred, church-approved place. AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino with Nicole Winfield 

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Tuesday published guidelines for Catholics who want to be cremated, saying their remains cannot be scattered, divvied up or kept at home but rather stored in a sacred, church-approved place.

 

The new instructions were released just in time for Halloween and "All Souls Day" on Nov. 2, when the faithful are supposed to pray for and remember the dead.

 

For most of its 2,000-year history, the Catholic Church only permitted burial, arguing that it best expressed the Christian hope in resurrection. But in 1963, the Vatican explicitly allowed cremation as long as it didn't suggest a denial of faith about resurrection.

 

The new document from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith repeats that burial remains preferred, with officials calling cremation a "brutal destruction" of the body. But it lays out guidelines for conserving ashes for the increasing numbers of Catholics who choose cremation for economic, ecological or other reasons.

 

It said it was doing so to counter what it called "new ideas contrary to the church's faith" that had emerged since 1963, including New Age-y ideas that death is a "fusion" with Mother Nature and the universe, or the "definitive liberation" from the prison of the body.

 

To set the faithful straight, the Vatican said ashes and bone fragments cannot be kept at home, since that would deprive the Christian community as a whole of remembering the dead. Rather, church authorities should designate a sacred place, such as a cemetery or church area, to hold them.

 

Only in extraordinary cases can a bishop allow ashes to be kept at home, it said. Vatican officials declined to say what circumstances would qualify, but presumably countries where Catholics are a persecuted minority and where Catholic churches and cemeteries have been ransacked would qualify.

 

The document said remains cannot be divided among family members or put in lockets or other mementos. Nor can the ashes be scattered in the air, land or sea since doing so would give the appearance of "pantheism, naturalism or nihilism," the guidelines said.

 

It repeated church teaching that Catholics who choose to be cremated for reasons contrary to the Christian faith must be denied a Christian funeral.

 

The new instruction carries an Aug. 15 date and says Pope Francis approved it March 18.

 

The author of the text, Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, was asked at a Vatican briefing if Francis had any reservations about the text, particularly the refusal to let family members keep remains of their loved ones at home.

 

"The dead body isn't the private property of relatives, but rather a son of God who is part of the people of God," Mueller said. "We have to get over this individualistic thinking."

 

While the new instruction insists that remains be kept together, Vatican officials said they are not about to go gather up the various body parts of saints that are scattered in churches around the world. The practice of divvying up saints' bodies for veneration — a hand here, a thigh bone there — was a fad centuries ago but is no longer in favor.

 

"Going to all the countries that have a hand of someone would start a war among the faithful," reasoned Monsignor Angel Rodriguez Luno, a Vatican theological adviser.

SPORT: Spurs spoil Durant's Warriors debut in 129-100 rout

San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard, right, shoots over Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. | Associated Press/Ben Margot

            

OAKLAND, California — San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 35 points as the Spurs emphatically spoiled Kevin Durant's long-awaited Golden State debut Tuesday with a 129-100 rout that sent Warriors fans for the exits early on the team's opening night.

 

Cleveland, who defeated the Warriors in last year's NBA Finals, looked more assured in its opening game, sweeping past New York on a night the Cavaliers raised last season's championship banner.

 

Durant had 27 points and 10 rebounds, but little looked in sync for MVP Stephen Curry and the reigning Western Conference champions in a forgettable first game — and quite a different one after the Warriors dominated at home and came out of the blocks last season with a record 24-0 start.

 

Leonard scored 31 points by the end of the third, LaMarcus Aldridge added 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs.

 

Curry, last season's first unanimous MVP, scored 26 points but was just 3 for 10 from 3-point range.

 

Cleveland's LeBron James had his 43rd career triple-double to power the Cavaliers past New York 117-88.

 

James scored 19 points and added 11 rebounds and 14 assists in front of a raucous home crowd that was on its feet from the pregame ceremony until late in the game, celebrating the city's first championship in 52 years.

 

Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, including 19 in the third quarter when Cleveland went on a 20-4 run that rapidly ended the Knicks' hopes of an upset.

 

Carmelo Anthony led New York with 19 points.

 

Portland extended its run of winning home openers to 16 straight seasons as Damian Lillard scored 39 points to lead the Trail Blazers to a 113-104 victory against Utah.

Goldberg happy to leave Philippines with integrity intact

President Rodrigo R. Duterte welcomes United States of America Ambassador Philip Goldberg at the Music Room in Malacañan Palace. Presidential Photographers Division/King Rodriguez  | By Pia Lee-Brago via Phlstar

MANILA, Philippines – Even without the Order of Sikatuna, America’s top diplomat in the country Philip Goldberg would be happy enough to leave the Philippines with his integrity intact.

“Everything I do here is for my country and for our relationship. And so I would rather leave with my integrity,” Goldberg said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

Outgoing ambassadors traditionally receive the Order of Sikatuna award from the President.
However, President Duterte has on numerous occasions expressed his dislike for and badmouthed Goldberg after the top US diplomat criticized the conduct of his war on drugs.

Duterte’s dislike for Goldberg dates back to the campaign when the diplomat called him out for making a joke about the rape and murder of an Australian missionary during a 1989 Davao City prison riot.

“I would rather leave with the friendship of so many Filipinos and with all of the legacy that we have created, all of the good things that we have done together than have a piece of paper,” he said.

“We’ve gotten a lot done,” he added.

Goldberg arrived in the country right after the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and was active in relief efforts launched by the international community.

During his term, the Philippines and the US signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

“A lot of what has been going on over the last three months has been somewhat at odds, inconsistent with all of the great things that we have done and the partnership we have together,” Goldberg said. “I hope that our legacy and partnership will remain, and the friendship.”

Goldberg also said he does not regret speaking out against Duterte’s making a joke about the prison riot. “I’m a representative of my country,” he said.

“I said I’m not going to discuss your candidates or your campaign but anytime, anywhere something like that is said we don’t condone it. It was a very mild statement. It was said also in support of my Australian colleague,” he said, referring to Australian ambassador Amanda Gorely who also criticized the joke.

“I’m here representing the values of the United States which is part of our foreign policy. So when I said that it was not in any way intended… I never mentioned anyone’s name,” Goldberg said.

“It was clear who had said something and that is now part of the record but that’s my responsibility and I don’t regret having carried out my responsibility. I’m sorry that it needed to be carried out,” he stressed.

China trip

In the same ANC interview, Goldberg also revealed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade made an “unpublicized” trip to China last June to start a “process” that led to the billion dollars worth of investment and financing agreements for the Philippines.

Goldberg said he was not surprised the trip resulted in investment and financing agreements that amounted to up to $24 billion.

He said Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua and others in the Chinese business community were visiting then president-elect Rodrigo Duterte very often in June.

“I also know and I don’t think this has been revealed publicly, but I know that Sen. Cayetano, President Duterte’s runningmate, made an unpublicized trip to China in June along with Secretary Tugade and so all of these was actually in train I think,” Goldberg said.

“There were already discussions going on so it predates a lot of the sort of discussion about us and our involvement and where we stood in all of this,” he said.

Cayetano and Tugade were with Duterte in his state visit to China earlier this month.

“I don’t think Sen. Cayetano’s role was fully known publicly but he was actually starting this process way back in June,” Goldberg added.

When asked if was it fair to say that the government was pursuing backdoor negotiations, Goldberg said, “I guess that’s what you’d say.”

“I don’t really know because it was never explained publicly, but it’s something that now is well known if not having been made public,” he added. “But what I’m saying is that this was clearly in train before all of the recent statements and upset and all of that. So it wasn’t exactly for me surprising.”

Reaching out

The ambassador said he had tried to reach out to the President through Cabinet officials, to get the US message across that the Philippines and the US are friends and allies.

“But the members of the Cabinet, while they try to convey these messages and are still very much in dialogue with us, don’t seem to have a full grasp either of what’s happening,” he said.

The state of Philippine-US relations, he said, is uncertain because of the pronouncements and the statements from the President, he pointed out.

“We have an enormous stake in each other’s countries and our relationship, so I go with that knowledge and with the hope that we will be able to continue that relationship but very much aware of the uncertainty that has been created and the bad feeling in a way that has been created by some of the statements,” Goldberg said.

BSP sees inflation at 1.9 to 2.7% in October

"Higher domestic oil prices" could have combined with "transitory effects" of typhoon Karen and Lawin on food products to push inflation up. Philstar/File photo | By Prinz Magtulis via Philstar

            

MANILA, Philippines - After reaching an 18-month high in September, inflation could still trend higher this month on the back of higher oil and food prices, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Wednesday.

 

For October, consumer prices are seen to settle between 1.9 and 2.7 percent after a 2.3-percent uptick the previous month, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message.

 

The forecast was up from 1.6 to 2.4 percent initially seen in September. It however still falls within the low-end of the BSP's two to four-percent target for the year. 

 

According to Tetangco, "higher domestic oil prices" could have combined with "transitory effects" of typhoon Karen and Lawin on food products to push inflation up.

 

"(This) could be partly offset by the slight decline in nationwide rice prices and power rates in Meralco-serviced areas," the central bank chief told reporters. 

 

From a common price of P27.40 per liter in Metro Manila by end-September, diesel rates have gone up to P28.70 as of October 18, data from the Department of Energy showed.

 

Gasoline prices also went up with common price at P42.80 per liter from just P41.75 during the same period.

 

This, as typhoon Karen and Lawin battered northern Luzon, causing combined damage to crops and infrastructure worth P6.4 billion as of October 24, disaster figures showed.

 

On the flip side, power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) lowered power rates by P0.1216 per kilowatt hour this month. 

 

According to consumer price index used to measure inflation, food, oil and utilities have the most effect to prices with their weights. 

 

Broken down, the sub-index on food and alcoholic beverages account for 39 percent, while electricity, gas and fuels corner 22.5 percent.

 

"Moving forward, the BSP will remain watchful of economic and financial developments that could affect inflation," Tetangco said.

 

BSP watches inflation as one of the bases on adjusting interest rates that financial institutions follow in lending and borrowing money.

 

Lowering rates mean allowing more money to flow in the system, hence, contributing to higher demand and prices, and vice versa. The BSP has so far kept rates steady this year. 

 

"(This is) in line with its commitment to the inflation target and in support of the Government’s growth objectives," Tetangco said.

Poe: Senate panel cautious of Bus Rapid Transit proposal

Senator Grace Poe during the last hearing on the granting of emergency powers to address the traffic crisis. Facebook/Grace Poe | By Kristian Javier via Philstar

MANILA, Philippines -- Sen. Grace Poe said Wednesday that the Senate Public Services committee might not approve a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) system proposed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) because it is unclear if it will help ease traffic.

A BRT, which uses a dedicated lane for buses and operates like a train system, was one of the solutions suggested at hearings to grant the executive branch emergency powers to solve the traffic crisis.

“Alam mo, walang pag-aaral ito. Hindi katulad nung ibang sistema katulad ng pagpapadagdag ng tren na talagang nakalagay sa study ng Jica (Japan International Cooperation Agency) na ilang milyon ang binayad diyan para makumpleto. Ito, wala pang pag-aaral,” Poe said in a radio interview with DZMM.

“Ngayon, bakit naman tayo susugal sa isa pang hindi pa napapatunayan o nasasaliksikan? Kaya isa ‘yan sa maari namin talagang hindi pahintulutan bagama’t hindi ko pinangungunahan ang komite, sapagkat hindi lang naman ako ang miyembro nito,” she added.

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Poe said that the DOTr has yet to commission a study on how a BTR will affect traffic.
Poe said that the emergency powers sought by the executive will cover not only Metro Manila,but the entire Philippines, which caused Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto to express alarm, saying that would result in chaos.

In effect, traffic crisis manager kayo ng buong Pilipinas. Kukunin ninyo ang kapangyarihan ng lahat ng local government unit. Ako, walang problema sa MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority), buong Metro Manila sa ngayon ha, subukan natin. Pero bakit buong Pilipinas, magulo yan, ” Recto said at the last committee hearing.

Poe had wrapped up most of the issues during the last hearing, but will still conduct working group meetings to polish the measure.

Westmincom: No orders for US troops to pull out

The Westmincom chief said the US troops are focused on fundraising for humanitarian activities and on assistance to wounded soldiers. File photo | By Roel Pareño via Philstar

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- There has been no withdrawal of US troops in this part of the region amid repeated comments by President Rodrigo Duterte that he wants American soldiers out of Mindanao.

 

Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the Armed Forces of the Philippines has yet to issue any order for the Americans, who are confined to an area in Camp Don Basilio Navarro, to leave.

 

Duterte said Wednesday that he wants no foreign troops in the Philippines within the next two years.

 

“They (US troops) are in their quarters. If there is [a] withdrawal, that will be announced immediately by the higher headquarters. We are just hosts to them, the decision is up to policymakers in the higher headquarters,” Dela Cruz said.

 

Dela Cruz also confirmed that some US soldiers left the Philippines early this month as part of their regular rotation.

 

He said a contingent from the US Marines left and was replaced by US Army personnel.

 

“That is why when they left, they also brought with them their equipment,” Dela Cruz said of the pullout of US military equipment on Oct. 4.

 

Dela Cruz said that there are around 110 US military personnel at the camp who coordinate with their Filipino counterparts at Westmincom.

 

“Actually, ang pinaggagamitan lamang natin sa kanila ay may fundraising for humanitarian (activities), assistance to wounded soldiers and, most of the time, they are just inside camp,” Dela Cruz said.

 

“In the absence of a decision from the higher headquarters, it’s business as usual,” Dela Cruz said.

 

The US military regularly rotated troops through Mindanao from 2002 to 2012 under the US Special Operation Task Force-Philippines.

 

They were invited back by the Philippine government to advise and assist the AFP against the Abu Sayyaf Group.

 

Dela Cruz said in September that US troops are in Westmincom to observe and to make recommendations.

 

Earlier this week, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said the US respects the sovereignty of the Philippines and is committed to its partnership with the country.

 

"In fact, US training, capacity building, equipment, these are all crucial to protecting the autonomy and promoting the self-reliance of the Republic of the Philippines."