Wednesday, December 23, 2020
How Can I See God’s Glory?
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. Luke 2:9
When an American missionary wandered into an off-limits area of Burma, he was arrested and interrogated. Accused of being a CIA spy, he was placed in solitary confinement. After a few days, his captors gave him a Bible. For more than 80 days, Bob Purdue had nothing to do but sit on a prison cot and read the Bible.
Finally, he was released and allowed to leave the country. Days later he sat in my home and related the harrowing experience. Nothing to occupy his time for those days--no newspapers, no magazines, no TV. Not even a radio. Only a Bible. Pondering what he had experienced, I asked, "Bob, was there something in particular that impressed you about the Bible?"
Without hesitation, he replied. "Yes, there was--the glory of God!" Any real encounter with God would have to include the glory of God. Do you remember the experience of the shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem when angels appeared and announced the birth of the coming Messiah? Here's the text. "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified" (Luke 2:8-9).
From the context of what Luke and Matthew tell us about that marvelous announcement, it must have been that the appearance of the angels was accompanied by brilliant light. Scripture doesn't say that it was a bright light that struck both awe and terror into their hearts. We arrive at that conclusion from the traditional images of the Christmas story we have grown up with. Luke only tells us that "the glory of the Lord shone around them."
When Moses had an encounter with God, he asked that God would show him His glory. And the Lord said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by" (Exodus 33:21-22).
Apparently, the glory of God was so marvelous and bright that when God touched Moses with his glory, He had to shield Moses with His hand to protect him. The word "glory" is found 194 times in the Old Testament, 191 times in the New. With all of the references to the glory of God found in the Bible, you should think that it would be quite easy to understand what it really is.
When I think of the glory of God, especially relating to the marvel of Christmas, I am reminded of the Christmas display that was an annual event at the Denver Dry Goods store, a department store in the city where I grew up as a boy. Every Christmas, the department store would clear out their large corner display windows and put together the most marvelous Christmas display that a child could envision. In this window were angels whirling overhead and toy trains running through miniature landscapes. There were dancing bears, dolls, and airplanes, Santas and mangers (to keep everybody happy).
But what I most remember is that when I stood on my tip-toes and pressed my face to the window, I could only see part of it. Then my father would pick me up in his strong arms and hold me so I could see more. Only then could I begin to see the vastness of that wonderful Christmas display.
The glory of God is much like that. With our human inadequacies, our vision dimmed by the selfishness of our old nature, we can only begin to fathom the glory of Christmas as God's Spirit opens our eyes to this marvelous encounter with the Divine. But that's what Christmas is all about.
Resource reading: John 1:1-14
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/how-can-i-see-gods-glory/
ALTERNATE PHTV TIMELINE: WHAT IF COVID-19 NEVER HAPPENED?
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: This post is a piece of fiction based on a handful of facts. Please take this with a grain of salt.]
WE CAN ALL agree about these two maxims: We can neither change the past nor regain the lost time.
During our (normal, face-to-face) school days, we keep asking questions to our history teachers “hows” and “whys,” over significant happenings of places but a few dared to ask “What if” or “What could’ve happened…?”
Those few belong to an academic realm of alternate history, a type of speculative fiction consisting of one or more different historical events. For those who will take this genre, the decision lies up to one’s belief and others have some reservations. On YouTube, you can find these genres with supporting maps; others have showcased in DeviantArt or in related forums.
However, in this specific AH, we will not include maps.
This idea came from a comment by Twitter user @tootongjomartin back in January after publishing the second part of the series “If There Is No More ABS-CBN” where the remaining competitors respond in a normal (non-pandemic) setting.
Now it happened.
Therefore, in retrospect, The main question of this AH project is: “What might have happened to the media networks if the COVID-19 pandemic never happened?”
The constraints: You cannot change the weather patterns from May 6 to the present.
BEAR IN MIND: In a supporting YouTube video, the acronyms A.E.T. stands for “Alternate Earth Timeline” (the situation of what and R.E.T. stands for “Real Earth Timeline,” as in what happened in reality.
THE ALTERNATE TIMELINE
Before May 4
The daily Laging Handa public briefing from PCOO would simply not exist.
SMAC Television Production’s shows would have rolled: one on IBC 13 (Yes! Yes! Yow!) and two on GMA News TV.
On PTV, Lotto draws would’ve conducted as usual while on IBC, El Shaddai would have been airing.
On TV5, Aksyon newscast branding would’ve stayed. The Buhay Komedya Channel on Cignal would’ve been launched as scheduled.
May 2020
Wednesday, May 6
Emergency meetings were summoned from advertising agencies, KBP to media networks like GMA and TV5.
Two months after finishing Season 95, the NCAA Policy Board was shocked by the news as they were literally halfway through the contract.
Roberto P. Galang, president of TV5, would be hinted to the press about their plans, “Our entertainment programming will be revived perhaps after the Tokyo Olympics.”
Meanwhile, the master control on GMA Network logs that programs were finished on time as promoted after a bit more than two years of being head-to-head.
Tuesday, May 12
One month before the 2020-2021 season tipoff, MPBL faces a dilemma on which broadcaster be their new home. PTV is next in option.
ALTERNATE EARTH HEADLINE: Palawan nixes division
End-May
The UAAP 82 women’s volleyball is finished — with Liga carrying the Finals. With the five-year contract of UAAP and ABS-CBN expired, the prestigious collegiate league’s board faces jitters.
June
Sunday, June 14
On GMA, All Out Sundays threw a grandiose party on their network’s 70th anniversary with the formal launch of GMA Affordabox (12 days earlier than in real time). Tomorrow, Heart of Asia becomes the first digital subchannel other than GMA News TV to formally launch.
July
Saturday, July 5
NCAA Season 96 (host school: Colegio de San Juan de Letran) would proceed without a terrestrial broadcast partner.
Friday, July 10
With the House of Representatives denied the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, the UAAP board summoned an emergency meeting on determining who will be their new broadcast partner.
Friday, July 24
The Tokyo Olympics would’ve begun. Though the country’s broadcast rights are awarded to MVP Media Group, the opening ceremony was aired on One Sports instead of TV5 because of PBA because the league doesn’t respect the international multi-sporting event.
Saturday, July 25
In gymnastics qualifying, Carlos Yulo was qualified on the men’s floor competition. The coverage aired on both TV5 and One Sports.
Friday, July 31
Because it was a holiday and due to the qualification, TV5 decided to cover Carlos Yulo’s final competition on the main channel instead of their sports channel. Thankfully, it was in the morning. He won the first Olympic gold for the country, the Filipino audience was jubilant. The Philippine national anthem was played for the first time, Yulo wept tears of joy.
Monday, August 10
Just as Galang promised, the first wave of programs from TV5 began (one week earlier than in real life) to roll.
ALTERNATE EARTH HEADLINE: [Carlos] Yulo to get hero’s welcome, meet Rody
Monday, August 31
As ABS-CBN Regional Group folded, GMA Regional TV’s programs in the morning began to expand.
Saturday, September 5
UAAP Season 83 (host school: De La Salle University) would’ve tipped off — not canceled — on a new broadcast partner, TV5 / One Sports. During the week leading to the season, Cignal subscriptions go higher.
Late September
The Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC), despite the panic due to affiliation of publicists with the fallen giant, announced the nominees for the 34th Star Awards for Television. Most of the nominees are from GMA. The winners were to be awarded in New Frontier Theater in Araneta City with a delayed telecast a week later on PTV.
DJ Chacha and Ted Failon joins Radyo 5 one week earlier than in real life.
October
Early October
Miss World Philippines would be airing on PTV, instead of long-time partner GMA, to avoid beauty pageant monopolization.
Late October
On the awards night of PMPC Star Awards, GMA would’ve won the Best TV Station after seven years. The streak would go on until at least 2022.
The new NBA season tipped off on One Sports (two months earlier than today).
November
Sunday, November 1
REAL NEWS: Super Typhoon Rolly battered Bicolandia.
GMA News TV would’ve responded away — instead of airing non-news programs that became a source of ridicule in real time — and converted into a 24-hour news channel.
Mid-November
Thanks to the windfall, GMA’s net profit for the first nine months of 2020 would be about 85% higher than the same period last year — 6 percentage points more than in the real world.
Late November
Like in real life, Miss Earth 2020 was aired for the first time on TV5. Like in Miss World, Carousel Productions, the organizer behind the pageant, didn’t want GMA to go into portfolio overload.
December
Miss Universe 2020 was aired exclusively live on GMA Network after ABS-CBN fell. Our contingent, Rabiya Mateo of Iloilo City, finished in the Top 20.
GMA covered a Christmas special — the only network to have an all-star holiday special since TV5 was just restarting.
AGB-Nielsen released the result of the nationwide TV ratings, Voltes V: Legacy would’ve been the No. 1 in the weekday primetime program.
What’s the Difference than In Real Life?
Without the pandemic, GMA would’ve gotten a bigger rate of growth in revenue for the first nine months than in real life. Regional news services would’ve been established ahead of time before the storm. The main channel’s entertainment programs would’ve gone ahead of time but their shows go and prouder than we harnessed right now. Network fanatics take revenge with more awards but others would still get angrier.
The revival of local entertainment on TV5 in three phases would’ve started one to two weeks ahead.
Even with Martin Andanar’s promise, PTV would’ve started ahead but no viewer would care (other than the pro-admin fanatics) and dare to watch them, save the Lotto draw and PTV Sports.
Even if the displaced technical and creative employees would invite the offer, IBC 13 would still be an unwatchable channel because of pay issues and financial stature. (Company culture matters!)
NET 25’s new programs might not have been on the air today or they would go earlier. The segments of their noontime show, Happy Time, would be really different.
Had not for the pandemic that rechanneled their funds for response, community broadcasters would’ve emerge further. More entities would register and file their franchises to Congress before getting the revoked frequencies.
What would be your TV timeline if the COVID-19 never happened?
Timow’s Turf wishes every reader a contemplative Christmas.
ABS-CBN Foundation to streamline, improve services: official
The ABS-CBN Foundation will streamline and improve its services, its new managing director Berta Lopez-Feliciano said Wednesday.
Lopez-Feliciano, sister of long-time ABS-CBN Foundation chairperson Gina Lopez, will succeed Susan Afan, who was appointed in 2016.
"All the 30 years that have gone by, the foundation has learned and experienced a lot and that can never be taken away. We’re moving forward, we’re looking at how to better improve the practices we've done. We’re going to streamline, maybe do less but do better," she told ANC's Headstart.
"We’re doing all, we’re just consolidating everything so instead of having Bantay Bata, Bantay Kalikasan and Sagip Kapamilya as 3 separate activities, we’re putting them all together so every time we go into an areas when there's disaster relief, we not only do that but take care of the rights of the children, their needs and we also assess the environmental condition."
The programs will keep their names but the foundation's approach in extending aid will change, said Lopez-Feliciano.
"Maybe it’s just more a mindset, the approach in the foundation that we’re not 3 silos or pillars anymore. We’re working together. I think that's actually a big push for the foundation to be collaborative," she said.
"We just need to work together, we need each other when there’s less of us."
Bilihan ng hamon sa Quiapo, dinagsa
Humahaba pa ang pila ng tao sa isang sikat na tindahan ng hamon sa Quiapo, Maynila, dalawang araw bago mag Pasko.
Alas-4 pa lang ng umaga ay may mga nakapila na sa labas ng tindahan na magbubukas ng 8 a.m.
Sa pagtaya ng pulisya, higit 500 ang nakapila sa labas ng tindhan para bumili ng hamon na pagsasaluhan sa Noche Buena.
Dahil sa dami ng nakapila, nagtungo na sa lugar ang mga pulis para tiyaking nasusunod ang health protocols tulad ng physical distancing.
Ayon sa ilang mamimili, nahirapan sila dahil magulo umano ang sistema sa pila.
Nagbanta na rin ang pulisya na kung ‘di maaayos ang sistema ng pilahan sa tindahan ay maaring ipatigil ang pagtitinda ng hamon lalo na’t inaasahan na dadagsa pa sa mga susunod na araw hanggang sa Enero ang mga taong bibili ng hamon. - TeleRadyo 23 Disyembre 2020
https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/23/20/bilihan-ng-hamon-sa-quiapo-dinagsa
PH to begin negotiations with Novavax: distributor
The Philippines will begin its negotiations with Novavax Wednesday, a local pharmaceutical distributor said.
The country expects to receive 30 million doses of Covovax, Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, by July next year, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier said.
The vaccine is currently in its phase 3 of clinical trial with some 30,000 participants in the UK, US, Mexico, and India, according to Dr. Luningning Villa, medical director of Faberco Life Sciences Inc.
"Encouraging po ang results ng studies. Maganda po ang immune response doon sa phase 1, phase 2 tapos na rin yan and we’re waiting for the publication. Phase 3 is ongoing and so far encouraging ang results," she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(The studies so far show encouraging results. Phase 1 found good immune response, while we're waiting for the publication of phase 2.)
Some P2.5 billion is earmarked for the country's vaccination program under the health department. Another P70 billion in standby funds would be added from either approved loans or once the government exceeds its non-tax revenue targets. The stimulus plan Bayanihan 2 puts another P10 billion to the vaccine budget.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/23/20/ph-to-begin-negotiations-with-novavax-distributor
Fair weather expected until Christmas Day: PAGASA
Fair weather is expected until Christmas Day as no storms are expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility within 3 days, the state weather bureau said Wednesday.
The tail end of the frontal system or the boundary between the easterlies and the northeast monsoon will bring rains over Batanes and Babuyan Islands on Wednesday, said PAGASA weather forecaster Benison Estareja.
Scattered rains will prevail over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, northern Quezon including Polillo Islands due to easterlies or winds from the Pacific Ocean, Estareja added.
"Wala tayong nakikitang bagyo na papasok ng ating bansa at least sa susunod ng 3 araw o hanggang Dec. 25," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(We don't see any storms entering the country at least in the next 3 days or until Dec. 25.)
Most of the country will experience fair weather on Thursday or Christmas Eve, according to Estareja.
On Christmas Day, generally fair weather will be experienced but cloudy skies may prevail over Cagayan, Isabela and Batanes and the eastern portions of Visayas and Mindanao, he added.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/23/20/fair-weather-expected-until-christmas-day-pagasa