The God Culture: Bongbong Marcos Prophesied to Be President In 2022?

Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture has opened Pandora's Box with his historical and prophetical revisionist project concerning the Philippines. He really has no one to blame but himself for all the kooks he attracts to his equally kooky group.

WHEN DOES THE BIBLE DAY BEGIN? Brief Recap. Answers In Jubilees 36

This video is part of Tim's Answers in Jubilees series. It is a recap video summarizing videos 34 and 35  in the series as well as a few other videos concerning when the day begins.  That means it's a complete waste of time. Instead of telling his audience something new from Jubilees he harps on a subject he has continually blabbed about, the correct calendar. He already did a 16 part series last year about the Sabbath and when the day begins. Why waste our time with an unnecessary recap about a subject he has already covered?

There are 26 more videos to go in this planned 52-week series and there is absolutely no way Tim will be covering the rest of Jubilees in depth and detail. It is mathematically impossible. This series has been lame from the get-go. There are 50 chapters in Jubilees and he has yet to cover a single chapter in its entirety. Some videos (2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 24) cover topics he covered in previous videos such as the division of the earth by Noah and the location of the Garden of Eden and Ophir in the Philippines. A few videos (11, 19, 34, 36) cite only two verses from Jubilees while one (17) does not cite a single verse (instead he cites from a paper about fragments of Jubilees found in the Dead Sea Scrolls) and is not even about the content of the text but is an apology for Tim's amending the translation of RH Charles by inserting the name Yahuah. Timothy Jay Schwab's Answers in Jubilees series is in no sense a systematic exegesis of the text. It is more a jumping around from verse to verse to discuss irrelevant occult, esoteric, scriptural arcana and it varies from being either heretical (video 12) to being in agreement with the legends in the Talmud (video 32).  But more about Tim's Answers in Jubilees series later.

Instead I want to focus on two comments both of which refer to Bong Bong Marcos winning the Presidency as being a part of Bible prophecy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huftrAaiaWA&lc=Ugw1V5kCfhrHowa5cOB4AaABAg

Sheryll Songalia Revelation 12:1-17has happened and still happening..BBM will win. A woman clothed with the sun is Philippines or Imelda. She's in labor pain..just see how filipino's treat them and what the philippines is going through, its like labor pains. The moon under her feet its because Imelda was born here in my island Leyte, Visayas and under Visayas is Mindanao. The woman has given birth to a male child, that's BBM. I remember from one of the video that the place where Adam & Eve lived is called Elda and you said Imelda..I'm Elda? And also, we have a place her that our ancestor offered to Yahuah. The place is called "Kan Ya'wah" which in english translates Kan = Belong to Ya'wah. Its in Samar my hometown. Also look at what the Red Dragon is doing now, they're acquiring our territories. As revelation says, it stood before the woman (Philippines) who is about to give birth (i believe its Bong Bong Marcos who will win the presidency in 2022) to a male child who is to rule all nations.

Sheryll Songalia and the Marcos lives in Ilocos, where the desert and the eagles came to fed

The God Culture The male child is not birthed on earth but Heaven and he stays there. No fit to this prophecy. Watch our Rev 12 videos, Parts 13A-G of Solomon's Gold Series. However, the Philippines will rise according to Messiah, Ezekiel and Isaiah and so it shall. It will do so as a nation indeed. Yah Bless.

This commenter is interpreting Revelation 12, which is a prophecy concerning a woman and her son, to be a prophecy of Imelda Marcos and Bong Bong Marcos who she says will win the presidency in 2022. She even throws Tim's own words in his face by linking Imelda's name to Elda which he says is the place where Adam and Eve were born. He gets that piece of lore from the Book of Jubilees.

Adam and Eve's land of exile in Genesis 2 is called Havilah and we have located it in the Philippines. The Book of Jubilees now equates this same land in which they were exiled to Elda, Land of the Creation twice which we now realize Genesis 3 identified all along as it is literal. Odd, Elda even sounds Filipino. The Philippines is the Land of Creation as it is Havilah.

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure: The Lost Isles of Gold & The Garden of Eden pgs. 63-64

It appears this commenter has not watched Tim's Revelation 12 series which is seven videos long and which I previously dissected in 3 articles. In fact, Tim tells this person she should watch that series because her interpretation of Revelation 12 is wrong. The man child is not Bongbong Marcos but 144,000 children who will be birthed in the throne room of God.

The 144,000 & The Innumerable Multitude. Answers In 2nd Esdras Part 14

3:10: This is a recap but a comparison of the characteristics of this man-child birthed from the woman. We find these children, as it's not just one, are the first fruit offering of this woman Israel in the end times. A special event of epic proportion where 144,000 Hebrew women, 12,000 from each tribe of the 12 tribes, birth their child in heaven as a gift to Yahuah and Yahusha. An assessment shows this man child and 144,000 are the same and both children. This is a male child, a male not defiled with women, of the 12 tribes of Israel in Israel is it's mother. Israel can only birth Israel. The man-child is conceived on earth but born in heaven

The SINGULAR male child spoken of in Revelation 12 is actually 144,000 children and the SINGULAR woman spoken of is also 144,000 women. Wrap your head around that math.

Other than correcting her about the identity of male child Timothy Jay Schwab has nothing bad to say about this ludicrous comment or Bongbong Marcos. Many of Bongbong's supporters think having him in the Palace will be a boon for the Philippines and Tim believes the Philippines will "Rise Up" in the last days which is now since we are living in the last century. 

When Is The Rapture 2: It Is Good To Be Left Behind. Answers In 2nd Esdras Part 16

12:31 We are in the last century, folks.

That's right. Jesus is coming back in 2127. 

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-god-culture-timothy-jay-schwab-says.html 

So, the Philippines has 106 years to rise up and fulfill their prophetic destiny which includes restoring the keeping of the Levtiical law in fulfill, except sacrifices of course but especially the Sabbath and Feasts. They better hurry it up. Some think Bong Bong will make that happen.

This is not the only comment The God Culture's videos have received about Bongbong Marcos being prophesied to be the next president. Here is one from a video titled, "The Eagle Destroyed. Return of the Lion. Answers In 2nd Esdras Part 12."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhzUcMz1PjY&lc=Ugz17QixzQju5a0ihyd4AaABAg

Zanderdax Jun Bong bong Marcos is just a roaring Lion to be come a President on Next year election, remember the Marcos family have 7,000 metric tons of gold all have a legal documents and in the banks around the world they have it.. And we should remember the last will and testament for humanity of great wealth of late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos will make us rise above all nations.. This is so interesting to happen..

The God Culture Yah Bless

This commenter likens Bongbong to being a prophetic roaring lion who will become president. Once he is in then it appears the will of his father Ferdinand Marcos will be properly executed and the astonishing amount of gold the Marcos family has stored in banks around the world, 7,000 metric tons, will cause the Philippines to rise above all nations. 

Timothy Jay Schwab's response to all that blatant nonsense? Yah Bless. Tim's God Yahuah blesses lies. 

I don't know what kind of President Bongbong Marcos would make if he won the election but guessing by his ridiculous nickname he would be a disaster. The first commenter mentioned "the Red Dragon" (China) is taking the Philippines' possessions which means the territory in the West Philippine Sea. Maybe she is unaware but Bongbong Marcos is not an enemy to China. In fact he agrees with Duterte's non-confrontational stance on the WPS which has allowed China to encroach on the Philippines' territory with impunity.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1492366/bongbong-parrots-duterte-on-west-ph-sea-we-dont-stand-a-chance-vs-china

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is inclined to run for a national post in the 2022 elections, on Friday (Sept. 24) parroted President Rodrigo Duterte’s line on Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, saying the Philippines can’t afford to go to war with the Asian giant. 

At an online news forum, the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos said the Philippines will lose in no time should war break out. 

(The policy of engagement which the Duterte government is implementing, although it is criticized, it is the right way to go. Because whatever we do, we can’t go to war.) 

(There are those who say we buy patrol boats, then the jets, just in case we get to fight. Why would we think we will fight? Then that war will be over in less than a week. We’re defeated already, let’s not think that way.) 

He said that in a territorial conflict, going to war is one of the options “to acquire a new territory.” 

(We don’t want to do that, I don’t think the Chinese want to go to war with us. Certainly, we don’t want to go to war with China.)

Absolutely no one says we need to go to war over the WPS issue. But the Palace does need to affirm and enforce The Hague ruling. Sadly Duterte says it's just a piece of paper he would throw away. No doubt Bongbong would share that sentiment.

It was Bongbong's father who normalized diplomatic relations with China in 1975. As President Bongbong would continue to strengthen and deepen those relations.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/199716/when-bongbong-met-xilian-strengthening-and-deepening-ties-with-china

There was no talk of his 2022 presidential bid when Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian on Wednesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Chinese Embassy in Makati City, said lawyer Victor Rodriguez.

“It was just that—a ribbon-cutting,” Marcos’ chief of staff said in a Viber message, explaining that the envoy “requested” the former senator “to cut the ribbon for his new exhibit.”

Huang said it was a “great honor” to meet the presidential aspirant and his family. Marcos was accompanied by his wife, Louise, and son Joseph Simon, and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez.

Marcos and Huang also met earlier this year at the Chinese Embassy.

According to Huang, the new photo wall displays records of historic moments of China-Philippines relations, including a photo of then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and former President Ferdinand Marcos signing the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and China on June 9, 1975.

“While [we] always cherish and honor old friends, we hope that more and more people from our two countries will be committed to deepening our partnership and cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to our two peoples and pass on our traditional friendship from generation to generation,” he said.

“Together, we are opening up a brighter future!” he added.

In a text message to reporters, Romualdez said Marcos and Huang discussed “strengthening and deepening ties with China,” adding that the photos displayed were “pictures commemorating the opening and developing of relations between the two countries.”

The former senator has in the past expressed agreement with President Rodrigo Duterte’s policy on the West Philippine Sea, saying that “although it is criticized, it is the right way to go.”

Both of the above commenters are theologically, politically, and historically ignorant. The perfect Filipino voters. Remember, their vote counts just as much as that of any informed voter. But not only the prefect Filipino voters, the perfect audience members for Timothy Jay Schwab and The God Culture. Tim has not said a bad word about Bongbong Marcos. Why would he when he has indicated that his father, Ferdinand Marcos, might have been unfairly maligned?

Lost Tribes Series Part 2G: The Landing of the 2nd Exodus In Ophir, Philippines

34:07 So check this out! Malacañang ti Amianan..."Bring the messenger of God from Manasseh to protect my people!" Now some may read that as Marcos and maybe it is but we are not saying that because you will find this tribe in more than one place in the Philippines and we don't know whether we can say Marcos was sent from God or not. But you know, even Solomon who was appointed and anointed by YAHUAH God did not prove out to be a very good king in the end.  Yet he was anointed by YAHUAH God. He took many riches for himself and he really taxed the people. The Bible says he was hard on his people. Not justifying but we still wonder if we even know that full story properly. Especially with all the CIA disinformation which usually bears out to have numerous falsehoods in our research. So we'll render no opinion but this palace is the story here. 

"We don't know whether we can say Marcos was sent from God or not?" Well, in a sense he was because all earthly rule comes directly from God Himself. It is he who raises up rulers and casts them down. But that is not what Tim is talking about. Tim's grasp on God's absolute sovereignty is as loose as any free-willer out there.

Tim says Solomon was sent by God and that he was hard on his people. Then he says, "Not justifying." What? Not justifying what? The horrendous and brutal twelve years of martial law that killed 3,257 people, saw 35,000 people tortured, and resulted in billions stolen by the Marcos family being squirreled away in off-shore bank accounts? Is he really going to compare the crimes of Marcos to Solomon heavily taxing and tasking the people to build the temple and his palace? There is no comparison here. Solomon was not a murderer or a thief.

And what does Tim mean he wonders "if we even know that full story properly?" There is so much eyewitness testimony to what happened and so many court trials ruling against the Marcoses to return the stolen money that it's amazing Tim could say such a thing, But that's Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture for you. He believes in fantasy more than he does in history. 

There are actually quite a lot of pro-Marcos comments on Timothy Jay Schwab's videos. They all concern the gold that Marcos allegedly hoarded and left to the Filipino people in his last will and testament. That is no surprise as The God Culture's thesis about the Philippines is that it is Ophir, the ancient land of gold. Here is a typical comment and response from Tim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yVHJz10ZE&lc=Ugz7_VfFhmX66wTHkNx4AaABAg

Ariel O. Laban The greatest evidence that this is true is the Solomons gold is in the hand of Marcos and he insured for 50 yrs and now we are little by little enjoying it and look the development of Philippines and also this gold is for the betterment of the world

The God Culture This is a very good point and even in the Marcos Will and Testament, if it is authentic and it may well be, that gold is described as the same gold in which Solomon received a supply. Interesting.

IF the Marcos Will and Testament is authentic? IF!? The will floating around that says Marcos left billions in gold to Filipinos is not authentic. A simple search will pull up the real last will and testament which the family released in 2016. Here it is:

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/16/look-in-final-will-ferdinand-marcos-bared-burial-preference

Why does Timothy Jay Schwab keep encouraging this lie about the Marcos gold? One wonders if anyone who thinks it is genuine actually read the fraudulent last will and testament of Marcos. 

https://library.abundanthope.org/index_htm_files/Lw%20and%20t.pdf

Mr. Ferdinand Marcos ‘y Santiago (acclaimed Bongbong Marcos which the Original one was already died sometimes on year 1975).

This allegedly authentic and true legal document actually says Bongbong Marcos died in 1975 and was replaced by an impostor! That's just the tip of the iceberg of nuttiness that is this document which is clearly a work of fiction.

God only knows who will win the Presidency in 2022. Whoever wins the Philippines will remain the Philippines and Filipinos will keep on being Filipinos. That will never change. It hasn't changed in the 300 years since Gaspar de San Augustin wrote down all the characteristics of Filipinos.

Retards in the Government 230

 It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1505559/retired-army-soldier-shot-dead-in-camarines-sur

A retired member of the Philippine Army was gunned down in Minalabac, Camarines Sur on Friday night, police report said Saturday.

Police Staff Sergeant Ernesto Verdadero  said Edgar Pellosis, 51, was shot by an unidentified gunman in his residence in Barangay (village) Antipolo at around 5:30 p.m.

A witness said the suspect was wearing face mask, black jacket and had long hair.

A retired solider was assassinated by an unknown man for unknown reasons.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1505905/cop-linked-to-gunrunning-killed-in-masbate-shootout

A police officer suspected to be involved in gunrunning was killed during an entrapment operation in Masbate on Saturday, said the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The PNP identified the suspect as PSSG Garfilo Pahilino Jr., an intelligence operative of the Placer Municipal Station.

According to a police report, operatives of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG) operatives were about to arrest Pahilino in Placer, Masbate after he allegedly sold three .38 caliber revolvers and one Norinco caliber .45 pistol to a poseur buyer.

A shootout happened after the suspect allegedly drew a gun and opened fire at the arresting officers. Police said Pahilino was killed during the shootout.

It is also believed that Pahililno had links to the Bustillos drug group and had operated a protection racket for some drug suspects in the province, said Dongbo.

A cop accused of gun running and with links to a drug gang was killed in a shoot out with the PNP.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157771

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Tuesday, directed the Police Regional Office-8 (Eastern Visayas) to look into an alleged indiscriminate firing involving a policeman who confronted a woman in Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

In a statement, Eleazar said Cpl. Alexander Salazar will face administrative charges once it is proven that he used his service firearm to threaten a civilian.

Salazar, who is assigned to the Hernani Municipal Police Station in Eastern Samar, is detained at the Balangiga lockup cell pending the filing of criminal charges.

Initial reports said Salazar confronted around 2 p.m. Sunday Abby Abrogar in Barangay 01, which the policeman allegedly fired his service caliber-9 mm Beretta to threaten her.

No one was hurt in the incident.

PNP officer fired his weapon at a woman to threaten her.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157675

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said it is now investigating personnel assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for supposedly posting videos of themselves dancing or singing while on duty and in uniform on video-sharing app Tiktok.

“I was instructed by Commissioner (Jaime) Morente to hold these errant employees liable by forwarding their cases to our board of discipline for investigation and filing of the appropriate administrative cases,” BI port operations chief Carlos Capulong said in a statement,

Capulong, meanwhile, issued a memorandum on the matter where he warned that those who will defy the measure will face administrative cases for insubordination and misconduct.

He also reminded employees to strictly observe the ban on the use of cellular phones and other electronic gadgets while on duty.

Capulong said the Tiktok videos of BI employees in uniform could not have been taken if they are not on duty at the time, thus it is obvious that they had their mobile phones and gadgets with them.

Bureau of Immigration employees posted videos on Tiktok while on duty in their uniforms.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157890

Members of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have arrested a police officer for allegedly extorting money from a fruit vendor in an entrapment in Quezon City on Tuesday.

In a statement Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, chief of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), identified the suspect as Cpl. Myrldon Yagi, assigned at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 14 in Barangay Holy Spirit.

Yagi was arrested inside the Barangay Holy Spirit Hall Annex after receiving four pieces of PHP500 bill as payment of the complainant in exchange for not dismantling his fruit stand in Barangay Pasong Tamo and to redeem his mobile phone that was forcibly taken by the suspect.

The complainant said he was also mauled and threatened at gunpoint by the suspect, prompting him to seek the IMEG's assistance.

Another cop arrested for extortion.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157912

A police manhunt is underway against two “persons of interest” who allegedly shot dead a village councilman and his companion here on Tuesday afternoon.

Lt. Fayeed Cana, spokesperson of the Maguindanao police provincial office, on Wednesday identified the victims as Mansor Andil, 34 village councilor of Barangay Pandag, and Aliakbar Abdulatip, 37, both of Pandag town in Maguindanao.

The victims were on board a motorbike when gunmen on a separate motorbike were seen by several villagers tailing them along the national highway in Barangay Makir at past 4 p.m.

The villagers heard a succession of gunfire and later found two men lying dead beside the highway.

Cana said the two assailants were earlier captured by security cameras suspiciously loitering near the municipal town hall before the shooting.

Lt. Col. Rommel Dela Vega, Datu Odin Sinsuat town police chief, said the victims died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.

A village councilman was slain by unknown men for unknown reasons.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157906

An official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) was wounded in a shooting on Wednesday morning in Koronadal City.

Lt. Col. Joedy Lito Guisinga, Koronadal City police chief, said Engr. Normina Pahm, 55, was waiting for a ride to the regional office inside an apartment compound in Block 1, Mabini Street in Barangay Zone 4 when she was shot at around 7:20 a.m.

He said Pahm, the assistant regional director for the administrative services division of DOST-12, sustained a gunshot wound on her right shoulder and was immediately rushed to the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital.

“She is now in stable condition and undergoing further treatment,” the police official said in a radio interview.

Citing accounts from witnesses, he said Pahm was sitting in a steel swing with two other co-workers standing nearby when a still unidentified male suspect casually approached her and opened fire twice using a handgun.

One of the bullets hit the victim while her two other female companions were unharmed. The suspect hastily left the scene after the shooting.

An employee of the Department of Science and Technology was wounded in an attempted assassination.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/408552/cosap-4-cebu-city-hall-employees-1-brgy-worker-fail-drug-test

Four Cebu City Hall employees and another barangay employee have failed the surprise drug test and have proved positive for illegal drug use.  

The City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) conducted a series of drug tests since October 27, 2021.  

John Jonah Rodriguez, COSAP head, said that these individuals would go through the proper process with the City Legal Office (CLO).  

Among the four city hall employees, three are from the City Agriculture Department (CAD), with a regular, a casual, and a job-order employee.  

The fourth City Hall employee was a newly hired job-order employee assigned at the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP). 

The barangay employee is a loader at Barangay San Jose.

Four Cebu City Hall employees and one barangay worker tested positive for drugs.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Dolomite Beach, Christmas Parties, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

The private sector is now being encouraged to employ only vaccinated people.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/807753/galvez-hiring-only-applicants-vaccinated-vs-covid-19-not-discrimination/story/

There is no discrimination if a company will refuse employment to an applicant who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, vaccine czar and National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday.

Galvez made the remark after the private sector suggested to the Inter-Agency Task Force Against Emerging Infectious Diseases incentives for vaccinated individuals.

These include giving companies the right to hire only those who have been vaccinated. Employees who have yet to be inoculated have been suggested to be tested weekly at their own expense.

“It is the prerogative of companies to hire, train, promote and fire employees,” Galvez said in a text message when asked if allowing companies not to hire unvaccinated people would be among the measures to incentivize vaccination.

On whether it discriminated against those who have yet to get vaccinated, Galvez said, “It is not discrimination but the moral and corporate responsibility of the company to protect its people, clients, consumers and business interest."

"Public interest is higher than personal interest,” Galvez said.

“The principle of recruitment is to get the best among the qualified. The company has the right to choose and reject applications. Why will you choose [someone] that will become a threat to your existence?” he added.

“In the next round of battle, the next round of surge will be the battle of the unvaccinated which will become the state’s liability and weakness in our fight against COVID-19," Galvez said.

"They are the burden that we have to carry on this long battle,” he added.

Galvez said companies having the prerogative to hire or reject an applicant was for “the promotion of public safety and common good.”

“Why hire people who do not accept moral responsibility with the company?” Galvez said.

The unvaccinated are "the burden that we have to carry on this long battle." That is the kind of language that will lead to mandates so that unvaccinated people will be compelled to get the shot. This is despite the virus having an over 90% recovery rate. This is also despite the Philippines not having enough vaccines for everyone just yet. But they are slowly getting there.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157273

The Philippines has received more than 91.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines with a total of 53,315,069 doses have been administered nationwide, the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 said on Wednesday.

The National Covid-19 Vaccination Dashboard showed 28,620,352 were used as first doses while 24,694,717 were given as second doses.

The average daily jabs administered in the last seven days stood at 405,588 doses compared to 420,069 jabs recorded during the previous week.

During President Rodrigo Duterte's taped Talk to the People aired on Tuesday night, NTF chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., reported that larger vaccine deliveries continue to pour in this month.

In October alone, Galvez said the Philippines has received over 20 million doses.

The government, he said, is targeting to scale up the nationwide daily vaccination rate of up to 1.5 million doses to fulfill its promise of "achieving a happy Christmas this year."

It also wants to raise its target vaccination coverage from 70 percent to 90 percent of the country’s eligible population, he added.

"We will be opening the general population, then the pilot of children vaccination, and we are ramping up the vaccination of students, teachers, and tourism personnel, OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), and seafarers," Galvez said.

Will there be a "happy Christmas this year" in the Philippines? Of course. But people had better keep that happiness within their family circle.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/808123/halloween-istmas-parties-allowed-within-families-doh/story/

The Department of Health on Saturday reminded the public that Halloween and Christmas parties are permitted, as long as these gatherings are done within the "bubble" of their families.

"Mass gatherings are still prohibited, [but those taking place] within the bubble of the family are allowed, but safety protocols needed to be implemented," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at the Laging Handa briefing.

Vergeire said the public should avoid being in 3Cs  (closed, crowded, close-contact) places.

"I-recognize natin 'yan na 'yan po ang mga pinakamagbibigay ng impeksiyon sa pamilya (We should recognize that these will be the main cause of infection in families)," she said, adding that health protocols must be observed in outdoor gatherings.

"Kung merong may sintomas, huwag na muna tayong mag-attend ng mga ganitong party" (If a person has symptoms, he or she should not join parties), Vergeire said.

Apparently this does not apply to politicians because Sara Duterte and others flew to Cebu to attend the birthday party of Rep. Yedda Romualdez.

Apparently relaxing quarantine restrictions in the NCR has revealed just how stir crazy everyone is after being cooped up for weeks. People are flocking in droves to Duterte's Dolomite Beach to see the amazing whitewash job his administration has done. This has caused the Palace to warn that the beach could turn into a super spreader event.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1506185/potential-superspreader-event-palace-warns-vs-complacency-amid-manila-dolomite-beach-frenzy

Malacanang on Monday warned the public against complacency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic amid reports of crowding and disregard of health protocols at the dolomite beach in Manila Bay.

During his press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque reminded parents that children are still not allowed to go out of their homes, and their as outdoor activities would have to concern only essential undertakings.

(First of all, children are only allowed outside for essential activities, so they cannot really move out for leisurely trips and for travel.)

(So first of all, we are calling on the public to remember that we are still under a pandemic, even if our daily cases have started decreasing, COVID-19 is still present so we should not be complacent.)

Roque’s reminder came as several government agencies — from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to the Department of Health (DOH) issued a warning after the massive crowding that was observed at the Manila Baywalk’s dolomite beach in the past two weekends.

On Sunday, there were reports that authorities have recorded over 4,000 individuals at the dolomite beach — which seats on one section of the rehabilitated Manila Bay. The dolomite beach, a project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is being promoted as a possible tourist spot.

The IATF has noted that the overcrowding of the beach violates health protocols. The Manila Police Department says they will deploy more officers to control the crowd. But despite all this worry the DENR says they will not be closing the beach.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/808268/denr-rules-out-closing-dolomite-beach-to-public-amid-pandemic-despite-crowds/story/

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) won't close the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach even if it was crowded amid the COVID-19 pandemic over the weekend.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda made the position even if throngs of people flocked to the artificial white sand area, raising concerns that this could be a super spreader event.

(We cannot close it down. If we spent so much just to close it, I don't think it will be fair to the Filipino people.)

The Manila Bay Dolomite Beach project, dubbed as beach nourishment, costs P389 million.

Antiporda said since the mass gathering in the area over the weekend, authorities have modified the guidelines to only allow a batch of people to stay in the area for five minutes, after which they will have to leave so the succeeding batch will get to enter.

Likewise, Antiporda said that the DENR and the Manila City government has deployed additional marshalls to ensure that visitors are complying with minimum public health standards such as social distancing and proper wearing of face mask and face shield.

"The dolomite beach was opened to relieve the anxiety of the people amid the pandemic, but we will not permit a super spreader. We are recalibrating our system to ensure the safety of our people," he said.

"We are doing our best to satisfy everybody," Antiporda added.

"If you build it, they will come." Funny that the government is so concerned about telling Filipinos to limit Christmas parties to family members and the DOH is concerned that voting be done in the shortest time possible to prevent infections but the DENR won't shut down this beach. The government also closed cemeteries for Undas but that's no big deal because everyone is going to community with their dead relatives before the closure.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/808251/pinoys-flock-to-cemeteries-days-before-these-are-closed-for-undas/story/

Some Filipinos trooped to cemeteries over the weekend and early on Monday, days before these are closed for All Saints' Day (Undas).

At the Manila North Cemetery, some visitors went to visit their departed loved ones even before sunrise, according to a report by Darlene Cay on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday.

They said they wanted to make sure they could visit before cemeteries are closed on Friday.

As of 7:40 a.m. on Monday, 403 people were already allowed to enter Manila North Cemetery, according to a report by Manny Vargas on Dobol B TV.

During these allowable visits, visitors must be limited to 10 persons per group, and the venue must only allow 30% of capacity, though this can be raised to 50% if the local government unit (LGU) authorizes it.

Some local government units are asking the national government that they be allowed to open public cemeteries on October 30 and 31, according to League of Provinces of the Philippines president Marinduque Governor Presibitero Velasco Jr.

At Manila North Cemetery, visitors are screened at the police assistance desk at the entrance.

Senior citizens and minors are not allowed to enter. 

Police also confiscate banned items such as pointed sharp objects, flammable items, liquor, sound system for loud music, and gambling items. 

Outside the cemetery, flowers and candles were being sold at almost double their usual prices. Vendors said prices may even increase this week closer to All Saints' Day on November 1.

Every Undas cemeteries are left awash in a sea of garbage. Ever since the pandemic began and face masks and shields were imposed upon the people the nation has been awash in a sea of pandemic garbage.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157725

A party-list lawmaker on Monday said there is a need to take “stronger action” to address a new form of pollution induced by the extensive use of surgical face masks and other single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera said the government should craft an action plan that would involve intensified monitoring and enforcement activities by concerned government agencies, such as the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior, and Local Government, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“It’s time that we take the so-called Covid-19 waste pollution seriously. Authorities need to develop and implement an action plan to address this problem before it’s too late,” Herrera said. “These agencies need to tighten up their monitoring efforts to ensure proper handling and disposal of Covid-19 waste, which poses serious risks to public health and the environment.”

Herrera said there is a growing concern over the unprecedented increase in single-use plastics including surgical face masks, face shields and gloves since the pandemic began.

“Beyond causing a deadly respiratory disease, the coronavirus has brought a new, and largely overlooked, threat to human health: more potentially harmful microplastics in the environment, this time from used PPE,” she said.

The thing is though that Filipinos do not care about anti-littering laws and throw their trash wherever they please. The solution is to get Filipinos to understand that littering is bad. 

COVID-19 cases continue to drop. Now the DOH has declared that the Philippines is at low risk for COVID-19.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/808275/philippines-now-at-low-risk-classification-for-covid-19-doh/story/

The Philippines is now at low-risk classification for COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Monday.

In a media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said all regions in the country are either at moderate-risk and low-risk classification.

She said the country recorded a negative two-week growth at -48%.

Meanwhile, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) decreased to 5.89 per 100,000 from the previous 11.41.

"Nationally, we are at low-risk case classification with a negative two-week growth rate at -48% and a moderate-risk average daily attack rate at 5.89 cases per every 100,000 individuals," Vergeire said.

Of course it remains to be seen how long that low-risk classification remains in place but it has always been true that number of infected and the number of dead has been minimal compared to the over all population. So far there have been 2.77 million cases with 42,077 deaths. That is 2.5% of the population infected and .03% of the total population and 1.5% of the infected dead. Not a very deadly virus now, is it?

Grave News From the Philippines

One could say that, in the Philippines, cemeteries are sacred spaces. They are where people bury their loved ones whether below the ground in a grave or above the ground in a sepulcher. Every November 1 crowds descend upon cemeteries to commune with the dearly departed by having a loud, noisy barbecue or picnic next to or standing over their bones. Undas is usually a big money making event for flower, candle, and food vendors but not this year. For the second year in a row Undas has been cancelled leaving many vendors wondering how they will make ends meet.

https://www.panaynews.net/closure-worries-vendors-how-to-make-ends-meet/

The five-day closure of cemeteries would be a challenge, according to ambulant vendors.

The period from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 would have been their “prime” days to earn, said Flordeleza Regalado of Barangay Oñate de Leon, Mandurriao district.

Regalado has been selling candles, candies and food for over 30 years outside the Mandurriao public cemetery.

People have started visiting their departed loved ones in cemeteries, but “tuman pa kalaka,” Regado noted.

“Pigado gid. Makabenta kami sang P500 sa isa ka adlaw pero laka lang. Kis-a wala gani da nagakalab-ot,” she said.

According to Regalado, the P300 to P500 income per day cannot meet the daily needs of her family.

The closure will put more hardships on the vendors already reeling from the pandemic, according to Regalado.

Before the pandemic, Regalado said their daily income reached as high as P3,000.

Regalado’s niece Christine has the same sentiment.

She has been selling candles, coffee, and food in the Madurriao public market for 10 years now.  Christine earns an average of P500 daily, but “kis-a pa-timing-timing man.”

According to Christine, her meager income is not enough for their daily household expenses.

From P3000 to P300 per day. That is a 90% cut which will certainly make life difficult. But perhaps these kind of jobs should not be seen as careers. Maybe there is a better way to take care of your family than being an ambulant candle vendor. How does one end up with a career in selling trinkets to cemetery visitors? Perhaps it is a family thing. Regalado and his cousin Christine are both cemetery vendors. Perhaps they live in a cemetery?

In too many cases cemeteries are not only the resting place for the dead but also a resting place for the living.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/407230/informal-settlers-inside-cemetery-can-stay-probe

Informal settlers  living inside the cemeteries here will not be removed.  

This was the pronouncement of the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team that is preparing for the upcoming All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. 

PROBE Head Racquel Arce said that the city government does not wish to demolish or evacuate those living inside cemeteries  since there is no relocation site for them anyway.   

But to minimize health risks brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, those living inside cemeteries instead are asked to stay in their homes and avoid going out unless they have urgent business outside such as buying food or medicine.  

Only adults should go out from their homes but they are not allowed to loiter in the cemetery as well.  

Since it is anticipated that the public will flock cemeteries on November 1 and 2, even if only vaccinated individuals are allowed, the cemetery residents must not join in with the crowd.  

Children living in the cemeteries must also be kept in their homes at all times as any child seen loitering without adult supervision will be rescued. 

Arce urged families in cemeteries to lock-in their children, elderly, and people with comorbidities, so they will not be at risk of catching COVID-19 from cemetery visitors.  

For informal settlers with stalls for trade inside the cemeteries, they have to clear their stalls and transfer to the designated selling areas outside the cemeteries by Monday, October 25, 2021. 

Where exactly are these families living inside the cemetery? Where have they erected their makeshift shanties? How did they end up there in the first place? You have to be in a desperate place to decide to live in a cemetery. How many Filipinos are living in cemeteries and what is being done about it? Sounds like a real problem to me.  No one should have to live in a cemetery. Not children and not even caretakers. 

Of course, it goes without saying that we will all end up living in a cemetery. Well, that's usually what happens.  But in the Philippines one might lay in his grave for a few years and then have to be removed once the lease runs out.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/21/21/drug-war-victims-cremated-as-grave-leases-lapse

Exhumed remains of seven individuals killed under President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs were cremated and blessed Wednesday after the leases on their graves expired, a priest leading the effort said.  

Fr. Flavie Villanueva, founder and leader of Project Paghilom, which supports bereaved families of drug war victims, said the step is "part of [the program's] continuous campaign for holistic healing for the widows and orphans of victims of the war on drugs of the Duterte administration." 

“Remember that these remains, these victims out of poverty and fear were hurriedly buried. Because of poverty, because of fear, they didn’t have enough to buy a more dignified grave site… They didn’t have the luxury to own a grave site, forcing them to simply rent grave apartments that expire after 5 years," Villanueva told ABS-CBN News. 

“If they will not be exhumed, they will end up in sacks, graves or even lost forever.” 

The seven individuals, whose urns were blessed at a church in Manila Wednesday, died in anti-drug operations in 2016, the first year of the Duterte administration. 

Their urns were turned over to their families. Villanueva said this would "allow them to have more a intimate experience of grieving, which hopefully leads to healing.” 

"By next year, we’re also talking with some cemeteries, where their loved ones will be inurned perhaps in more dignified grave sites," he said. 

At hand at the rites was Vice President Leni Robredo, who vowed support for families of alleged victims of extrajudicial killings as they move forward with grief. 

(We can't bring back the lives of those we have lost but if we improve our lives, that's how we honor them, that even if they are not here anymore, you ensure that those who were left behind are taken care of.)

(I'm here, my office is here [for you]. If you need anything— even just someone to talk to, we are open to everyone.) 

The Office of the Vice President has partnered with civil society groups in providing various interventions for families who lost their loved ones to EJKs. 

Villanueva said his group expects that the lease of many grave sites of drug war victims would also expire next month, and that more exhumations would happen.

That is sad and pathetic. Paying a lease for a grave? There is no rest for the dead in the Philippines. Well, for many of them anyway. Just imagine how callous these cemetery owners have to be to stuff your dead corpse into a rice sack and onto a pile of other dead corpses stuffed inside rice sacks all because you can't pay your rent. I have covered this inhuman and heart wrenching practice before.

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2108198/manilas-apartment-tombs-where-poor-bury-their

Caretakers also tend to the apartment tombs. Unlike more elaborate burial structures, which are bought and owned in perpetuity, apartment tombs can only be rented for five-year terms, after which the bones of the deceased will be evicted. Then there are two options: the bone box, a concrete ossuary not much bigger than a large shoe box; or the rice sack, labelled with the surname of the dead and tossed on to a tumbling pile in a tin and breeze-block shed at the rear of the cemetery. 

For a fee, renewals on the lease of an apartment tomb were offered before 2008. Then the Pasay City Public Cemetery was taken over by new management and, due to overcrowding, it said, renewals would no longer be granted.

Those are unclaimed human remains spilling out of torn rice sacks. In the Philippines if you cannot afford to buy a grave you will eventually be placed in a rice sack and tossed into an ossuary. This is appalling and even the poorest man does not deserve this indignity. But dignity has always been in short supply in the Philippines.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2019/05/in-philippines-your-corpse-can-be.html 

Cemeteries play an important role in the cultural life of the Philippines. If you do not consider communing with the dead on November 1st an essential part of life then you are probably not a Filipino. To a Filipino the family bond is everything and it does not end at death.