Friday, September 18, 2020
Mga mambabatas sa Europa ipinababalik ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN
Hinimok ng mga mambabatas ng European Parliament ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas na ibalik ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN, na pinatay ng Kongreso noong Hulyo.
"The refusal to renew its broadcasting licence by President Duterte is seen as an act of retaliation for the media’s coverage of the anti-drugs campaign and serious human rights abuses," anang EU sa isang resolusyon nitong Biyernes, Manila time.
Pero iginiit ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque na hands off sa isyu ang Pangulo. Minaliit din niya ang resolusyon at sinabing nabiktima ang mga mambabatas ng European Union (EU) ng "misinformation."
"Iyung nangyayari sa European Parliament is a classic case of misinformation. Unfortunately the enemies of the Philippines including the CPP-NPA have a strong influence on Europe," aniya.
Nakapaloob din sa resolusyon ng European Parliament ang pagpapalaya kay Sen. Leila de Lima at pagkondena sa conviction nina Rappler chief Maria Ressa at dati nilang researcher na si Reynaldo Santos dahil sa cyberlibel.
Kinondena rin nila ang mga umano'y extrajudicial killings at pag-imbestiga sa mga pagpatay sa mga aktibista.
Pinag-aaralan ngayon ng European Parliament ang pagbawi ng tariff incentives sa mga exports ng Pilipinas. Pumalag dito si Roque.
"Kung gusto nilang dagdagan ang pahirap ng sambayanang Pilipino sa panahon ng pandemya, so be it. We will accept that as history repeating itself... Gawin nila gusto nilang gawin. Sa mga panahon na ito, if they want to implement it, go ahead," nanggagalaiting sabi ng tagapagsalita ni Duterte.
Philippines to remain under state of calamity until September 2021
The Philippines will remain under a state of calamity for one more year as it continues to grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Rodrigo Duterte extended the period of the state of calamity until Sept. 12, 2021 through Proclamation No. 1021.
Duterte initially declared a 6-month state of calamity last March 16 just as he placed the Philippines' most populous island Luzon under lockdown to control the spread of the virus.
The declaration of a state of calamity in March enabled government to respond better to the pandemic ahead of the enactment of virus response policies namely the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
The Philippines has implemented one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world as the entire country remained under varying levels of community quarantine.
More details to follow.
How Big Is God?
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:3
How big is God? That's a pretty tough question, right? Ask ten people, and you will get ten different answers. Ask a South American deep in the jungles of Colombia and he may lead you to a primitive hut. From a narrow shelf just under a hand‑thatched roof, he may take down a beautifully polished statue and hold it out saying, "God is this big...." As you observe the artifact he holds in his hand, you notice that it bears a striking resemblance to the man who holds it.
Ask a stockbroker in Tokyo or Manila "How big is God?" and he might say, "That all depends on the stock market, or your bank account, or the scope of your influence...." He carefully avoids your question, but you sense that he is really saying, "Materialism has really become my god; for all that counts to me is what I can get my hands on." He is not interested in anything he cannot see, or bank, or declare as an asset.
If you went to a campus and asked a college professor, "How big is God?" you might be greeted with a look of incredulity. A new breed of atheists is out to convince the world there is no God. They do not believe in God and their mission is to ensure that you also do not believe in Him.
Then, suppose you stopped a sophomore college student and asked him that lead question, "How big is God?" He might say, "Is that a question I will have on a test?" But then getting serious he might say, "God‑‑I do not think about God, and I won't until I am old. Right now, I am living. Who knows how long we have till some politician pushes the button and blows us all up? Now is my time for fun!" But the question still remains, "How big is God?"
One of the oldest of all historical dramas took place in the book of Job in the Bible. About the time of Abraham, or possibly before, Job looked up towards heaven and asked himself the same question. Then he said, "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea " (Job 11:7‑9). Job would say, "No, God is bigger than anything that can be measured." It is little wonder that the Psalmist declared, "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom" (Psalm 145:3).
Just how big is God? It is a difficult question to answer, but of one thing I am sure--He is bigger than your financial need. How big is God? He is greater than the need of your life‑‑greater than the problems that confront your business, your home, your marriage. Bigger than the energy crisis, bigger than the conflict that divides individuals, and groups, and even nations. How big is God? Certainly, He is bigger than the greatest need of your heart. God still says, "`Come now, let us reason together,' saith the Lord; `though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool'" (Isaiah 1:18, KJV).
God is greater than our wildest imagination; however, He is limited by only one thing‑‑your refusal to let Him work in your life. He invites you to come to Him but He never forces His will upon you. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It is His invitation to you to discover His true greatness.
Resource reading: Job 41:1-34
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/how-big-is-god/