Monday, March 29, 2021
The Only Way To Change Selfishness
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:42
Someone handed the following to me written by an anonymous hand. It’s labeled, “The Toddler’s Creed.” It reads, “If I want it, it’s mine. If I give it to you and change my mind later, it’s mine. If I can take it away from you, it’s mine. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine. If it’s mine, it will never belong to anyone else, no matter what. If we are building something together, all the toys they are mine. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.” Any parent who has ever tried to mediate between siblings, both of whom are shouting, “It’s mine!” has to smile.
“It’s mine!” Not only kids say that. The same refrain can be heard in the halls of the U.N. General Assembly, in courts where people battle each other for possession of an inheritance, as well as on sandlots where children play.
That same underlying attitude of selfishness – “I want it; it’s mine!” – is the greatest foe of happiness in life and marriages. A reporter once asked me what I felt was the greatest problem in marriage, and I answered, “selfishness,” she didn’t seem greatly impressed. The answer she wanted, I think, was something like, “Infidelity!” giving adultery a vicious blast, loudly thumping the table with my fist for good effect. Or she would have liked my saying something like, “The biggest problem in marriage today is a lack of communication,” or sexual adjustment, or whatever. No matter what the symptom is which you may describe, the bottom line is just the same as in the Toddler’s Creed—selfishness: “I want my needs satisfied first!”
A lot of folks are charter members of the AMYF Club, having enrolled as toddlers, though the stakes get higher as we grow older. Sorry, you haven’t heard of the AMYF Club, right? It’s an acrostic for “After Me, You’re First!” But never satisfying our selfish thirst, you never get your turn, so I’m always first.
There is but one thing that changes selfishness to generosity. No, not the threat of, “If you don’t stop doing that, I’m going to take my toys and go home!” That doesn’t work. The only chemical strong enough to erode the forces of selfishness is the grace of God. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” wrote Paul (2 Corinthians 5:17). The grace of God changes dispositions. But I have to add, it always isn’t a one-shot, immediate “from-grabbing-to-giving” sort of thing. It is an ongoing work of grace which the Bible calls sanctification, as God keeps chipping off the rough edges, reminding us of our brashness, our rudeness, and our selfishness.
Overcoming the gravitational pull of our old selfish natures isn’t overcome by doing a single act of generosity, over which you pompously crow. It’s a lifestyle which is marked by humility, an understanding of who you really are, and the desire to let God love people through you.
Paul wrote about his young friend and understudy, Timothy of Lystra, in Asia Minor, saying, “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20,21).
There is hope, friend. A bumper sticker reads, “Practice random acts of kindness!” Though I’m not exactly sure just what that means, I think it’s moving in the right direction!
Resource reading: Philippians 2:1-11
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/the-only-way-to-change-selfishness/
DTI appeals to limit ECQ duration to 1 week only
The Department of Trade and Industry has appealed that the one-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) stay within the March 29-April 4 period, stressing more companies and workers are in dire need to get back to their livelihood and business amid high unemployment in the country.
DTI Undersecretary Ireneo Vizmonte said this when asked if employers and businesses can still afford a one week closure or minimal operation at the Laging Handa Public briefing.
Vizmonte said the DTI hopes that the National Capital Region or NCR Plus bubble ECQ (Metro Manila and neighboring provinces Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan) be limited to the Holy Week period only as he stressed that there are lots Filipinos with no work even during the general community quarantine (GCQ), a more relaxed quarantine status. The ECQ is the most stringent quarantine or lockdown.
Because of the high unemployment in the country, Vizmonte said that DTI has appealed to limit the ECQ period to one week only to enable workers and businesses to get back to their businesses and livelihood and workers earn income again.
Unlike the GCQ status, more establishments cannot open their operations during the ECQ period thus affecting more workers. Only essential activities are allowed to operate under the ECQ.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development is preparing some relief provisions to affected constituents while the micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are offered interest free and collateral-free loans of up to P100,000 through the CARES Program of the SB Corp., the micro financing arm of the government.
In terms of food supply, Vizmonte said that DTI has made sure that the Inter Agency Task Force allows unhampered 100 percent operations of food suppliers and food manufacturers/processors to ensure that the shelves at grocery stores and supermarkets are filled up.
Producers of essential products, particularly hygiene, and daily needs and pharma, construction and those in export industries are allowed 100 percent capacity.
Also allowed to operate are essential activities like water refilling supplies, food commissaries, eateries but limited to delivery services, public and private financial providers that provide social amelioration channels, IT-business process management firms, and export-oriented firms.
Media establishments are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity. Also allowed to operate with skeletal workforce are dental and optometry clinics, veterinary, bank transfers pawnshops, armored vehicles, and credit cooperatives and many more.
The capital markets, banks, health insurance providers, energy and power firms, telcos, and Internet service providers, cable and TV, airline, aircraft maintenance, funeral and embalming services, religious services (priests, rabbis and pastors), printing establishments allowed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, security personnel, repair maintenance of machineries, and real estate activities limited to leasing only.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/29/dti-appeals-to-limit-ecq-duration-to-1-week-only/
Gov't thinks of people's 'total health' amid calls to extend ECQ
By Azer Parrocha
The “total health” of the nation will be the top consideration in deciding whether to extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or reverted back to general community quarantine (GCQ) placed in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces beyond April 4, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the proposal to extend the week-long ECQ is still under discussion among members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
He said there would need to be a delicate balance act between curbing the spike in Covid-19 cases and preventing more Filipinos from going hungry and losing jobs.
“Maselan po talaga iyong decision making, hindi naman po pupuwede na sa pagnanais natin na mapabagal talaga ang Covid-19, mas marami naman ang mamatay dahil sa kagutuman at iba pang mga dahilan bukod po sa Covid-19. Total health po ang ating target (It will be a delicate decision-making process because we can’t just aim to slow down the spread of Covid-19 when others die of hunger and other non-Covid-19 diseases. The nation’s total health is our target),” he said in a Palace press briefing.
The national government’s ability to provide cash aid, he said, will also be among the considerations on deciding whether to extend the week-long ECQ.
Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said the government is eyeing the distribution of one-time cash aid to around 22.9 million beneficiaries in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
The potential beneficiaries account for 80 percent of the low-income households in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces placed under ECQ.
“Titingnan din po natin siyempre iyong kakayahan na magbigay pa nang malawakang assistance kasi napakadami pong bibigyan ng assistance (Of course we also need to see our ability to provide large-scale assistance because there would be a lot of people that would be given assistance),” Roque said.
In an interview over ANC’s Headstart, Roque said the national government reimposed the ECQ as a “last resort” to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases and reduce the strain on the country’s healthcare system.
“We resort to ECQ as an absolute last resort where it appears inevitable that the hospitals will be overwhelmed,” he said.
However, Roque admitted that a week-long ECQ will not be enough to continuously bring Covid-19 cases down.
“Hindi masyado natin mapabababa rin ang numero ng mga kaso maski pa tayo po’y mag-extend ng ECQ. Kaya binabalanse po natin ngayon iyan, kinukonsidera natin iyong total health ng ating mga kababayan, iyong cost-benefit analysis in terms of iyong mga karagdagang Pilipinong magugutom at mamamatay sa iba pang mga dahilan bukod po sa Covid-19 (We won’t be able to bring down our numbers even we extend out ECQ. That’s why we are trying to strike a balance, we are considering the total health of the nation, the cost-benefit analysis in terms of more Filipinos dying of hunger and other non-Covid-19 diseases),” he said.
Citing government data, Roque said the week-long ECQ is expected to keep Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila at 500,000 to 600,000 by April 18.
Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila are currently over 300,000.
(Updated) The government will revert to the general community quarantine status for Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna
Duterte to announce April 5-30 quarantine classifications later Monday
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce later Monday new quarantine classifications meant to arrest a surge in COVID-19 infections until the end of April, Malacañang said.
Duterte will meet the inter-agency task force leading the country's pandemic response and address the public later Monday, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.
"Inaasahan po natin na sa Talk to the People, masasapinal na iyong quarantine classification simula April 5 hanggang katapusan ng April, at saka iyong issue po ng assistance ng gobyerno,"
(We expect that during the Talk to the People, the quarantine classifications from April 5 until the end of the month will be finalized, as well as the assistance from government.)
Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the strictest of 4 lockdown levels from March 29 to April 4.
Government aims for the public's "total health" in deciding lockdown, Roque said in a press briefing.
"Maselan po talaga 'yang decision-making. Hindi naman po pupuwede na sa pagnanais nating mapabagal ang COVID-19, mas marami naman ang mamatay dahil sa kagutuman at iba pang dahilan bukod sa COVID-19," he said.
(The decision-making for that is sensitive. We cannot let our desire to slow the spread of COVID-19 to lead to deaths because of hunger and reasons apart from COVID-19.)
ECQ bans non-essential movement, mass gatherings, and dining in restaurants. It also reduces businesses that can operate at full capacity.
COVID-19 cases in the Philippines in the past two weeks are "2 times higher than what we were reporting three to four weeks ago," said the health department's Epidemiology Bureau chief Dr. Alethea De Guzman.
While the week-long ECQ could slightly reduce infections, she said, "Posible pong tumaas na naman ang dami ng kaso natin pagkatapos na ma-lift ng ECQ… Isa sa mga nirerekomenda nating eksperto, baka kinakailangan i-extend."
(The number of our cases could increase against once ECQ is lifted. One recommendation of our experts is that we might need to extend this.)
De Guzman said she cannot disclose specific figures yet.
The Philippines is battling a renewed surge in infections, including those of the new and more transmissible variants, prompting the government to tighten existing curbs in the capital and nearby provinces.
Coronavirus cases and deaths in the Philippines totaled 721,892 and 13,170, the second highest in Southeast Asia, with infections reported in the past nine days accounting for a tenth of the total.
Lockdowns have taken a huge toll on the Philippine economy, which contracted by a record 9.5 percent last year.
Roque earlier said the government timed the reimposition of ECQ during the week ahead of Easter - so the impact on the economy will be less severe as many businesses will be closed anyway during Holy Week celebrations.
Public transport will be allowed to operate on a limited capacity, and movement of essential goods can continue unimpeded, he said.
— With a report from Reuters
Babaeng sales agent pinatay ng riding-in-tandem sa Bataan
Patay ang isang babaeng sales agent sa bayan ng Orion, Bataan matapos siyang pagbabarilin ng riding-in-tandem noong Biyernes ng gabi.
Kinilala ang biktima na si Ruth Rafa, 52.
Sa inisyal na imbestigasyon ng pulisya, nasa terrace ng kanyang bahay sa Barangay Upper Bilolo ang biktima at may kausap sa cellphone nang biglang may 2 lalaking sakay ng motorsiklo ang tumigil sa harapan ng kanyang bahay.
Binaril ang biktima ng 2 beses at saka humarurot ang motorsiklo.
Naitakbo pa sa ospital ang biktima pero idineklara nang dead-on-arrival.
Sabi ng pulisya, ang mga salarin ay nakasuot ng face mask, helmet, naka-dark green shirt ang angkas habang naka-asul naman ang driver.
Dagdag pa ni Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, napag-alamang nagtatrabaho rin bilang sekretarya na nag-aasikaso ng land titles ang biktima.
May ilang kliyente umano ng kaniyang opisina ang nagrereklamo sa delay ng pagtitulo ng lupa.
Patuloy ang imbestigasyon sa krimen.
—Ulat ni Gracie Rutao
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/babaeng-sales-agent-pinatay-ng-riding-in-tandem-sa-bataan
COVID-19 hits former President Joseph Estrada
Former President Joseph Estrada has tested positive for COVID-19, his son, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada said on Monday.
“Nais ko pong ipaalam sa inyo na ang aking ama, na si dating pangulong Joseph Estrada, ay isinugod namin sa ospital kagabi sa kadahilanan ng panghihina ng kanyang katawan,” Estrada said in a Facebook post.
(I want to inform you that my father, former President Joseph Estrada, was rushed to hospital last night due to body weakness.)
“Na-diagnose na po siya na positibo sa covid 19,” he added.
(He was diagnosed to be positive for COVID-19.)
The former president, who also served as Manila mayor, was last listed in stable condition, according to his son.
Estrada’s other children likewise announced the news over Twitter and asked for prayers for their father.
“Please pray for my father who has tested positive for COVID-19 and was rushed to the hospital. Please pray for all those who are likewise fighting this virus,” said former Senator JV Ejercito.
“Our dad, former president Joseph Estrada, tested positive for COVID-19. He’s now confined in a hospital and is in stable condition. Please pray for his recovery and the recovery of everyone affected by the virus,” Jake Ejercito said in another tweet.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1412432/covid-19-hits-former-president-joseph-estrada
Erap hospitalized, positive for COVID-19, says son Jinggoy
Former president and Manila mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada was hospitalized late Sunday and was found positive for COVID-19, his son said Monday.
Estrada, 83, was taken to hospital because he was weakening, former senator Jinggoy Estrada said.
"Stable po ang kanyang kundisyon at ako po ay humihingi ng inyong mga panalangin sa kanyang agarang paggaling," he said in a statement.
(He's in a stable condition and I ask for your prayers for his immediate recovery.)
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/erap-hospitalized-positive-for-covid-19-jinggoy
LENTEN HOLIDAY NOTICE
In observance of the Holy Week, the Philippine News Agency’s online news service will be off on April 2, Good Friday, and April 3, Black Saturday. Normal operations will resume on April 4, Easter Sunday. — The Editors