Philippines will be hosting the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

It will be another great year for Philippine Basketball, as the country prepares for the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Phillipines has been selected by FIBA as one of the 3 countries that will host the 2016 OQT. It will be held on July 4 - 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The other two host countries are Italy and Serbia. FIBA announced #‎FIBAOQT‬ hosts for the ‪#‎RoadToRio‬ last tuesday, January 19, 2016. 

Gilas Pilipinas will face five of these teams in Manila: Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, France, Greece, Czech Republic, Angola, Tunisia, Senegal, New Zealand, Iran, Japan, Latvia, Croatia and Turkey. 

The draw for the team grouping will be on January 26, 2016. 

VERBATIM: Pope Francis' Homily in Quirino Grandstand (January 18, 2015)

Here is Pope Francis' homily in full text during his mass before millions of Filipinos at the Quirino Grandstand. 

“A child is born to us, a son is given us ” (Is 9:5). It is a special joy for me to celebrate Santo Niño Sunday with you. The image of the Holy Child Jesus accompanied the spread of the Gospel in this country from the beginning. Dressed in the robes of a king, crowned and holding the scepter, the globe and the cross he continues to remind us of the link between God’s Kingdom and the mystery of spiritual childhood. He tells us this in today’s Gospel: “ Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk 10 :15). The Santo Niño continues to proclaim to us that the light o f God’s grace has shone upon a world dwelling in darkness, bringing the Good News of our freedom from slavery, and guiding us in the paths o f peace, right and justice. The Santo Niño also reminds us of our call to spread the reign of Christ throughout the world. 

In these days, throughout my visit, I have listened to you sing the song: “We are all God’s children”. That is what the Santo Niño tells us. He reminds us of our deepest identity. All of us are God’s children, members of God’s family. Today Saint Paul has told us that in Christ we have become God’s adopted children, brothers and sisters in Christ. This is who we are. This is our identity. We saw a beautiful expression of this when Filipinos rallied around our brothers and sisters affected by the typhoon. 

The Apostle tells us that because God chose us, we have been richly blessed! God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (Ep h 1:3). These words have a special resonance in the Philippines, for it is the foremost Catholic country in Asia; this is itself a special gift of God , a blessing. But it is also a vocation. Filipinos are called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith in Asia.

 God chose and blessed us for a purpose: to be holy and blameless in his sight. He chose us, each of us to be witnesses of his truth and his justice in this world. He created the world as a beautiful garden and asked us to care for it. But through sin, man has disfigured that natural beauty; through sin, man has also destroyed the unity and beauty of our human family, creating social structures which perpetuate poverty, ignorance and corruption.

 Sometimes, when we see the troubles, difficulties and wrongs all around us, we are tempted to give up. It seems that the promises of the Gospel do not apply; they are unreal. But the Bible tells us that the great threat to God’s plan for us is, and always has been, the lie.

 The devil is the father of lies. Often he hides his snares behind the appearance of sophistication, the allure of being “modern”, “like everyone else”. He distracts us with the promise of ephemeral pleasures, superficial pastimes. And so we squander our God-given gifts by tinkering with gadgets; we squander our money on gambling and drink; we turn in on ourselves. We forget to remain focused on the things that really matter. 

 We forget to remain, at heart, children of God. That is sin: to forget at heart that we are children of God. For children, as the Lord tells us, have their own wisdom, which is not the wisdom of the world. That is why the message of the Santo Niño is so important. He speaks powerfully to all of us. He reminds us of our deepest identity, of what we are called to be as God’s family.

 The Santo Niño also reminds us that this identity must be protected. The Christ Child is the protector of this great country. When he came into the world, his very life was threatened by a corrupt king. Jesus himself needed to be protected. He had an earthly protector: Saint Joseph. He had an earthly family, the Holy Family of Nazareth. So he reminds us of the importance of protecting our families, and those larger families which are the Church, God’s family, and the world, our human family. Sadly, in our day, the family all too often needs to be protected against insidious attacks and programs contrary to all that we hold true and sacred, all that is most beautiful and noble in our culture.  In the Gospel, Jesus welcomes children, he embraces them and blesses them (Mk 10:16). We too need to protect, guide and encourage our young people, helping them to build a society worthy of their great spiritual and cultural heritage. Specifically, we need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected. And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to life on the streets. 

 It was a frail child, in need of protection, who brought God’s goodness, mercy and justice into the world. He resisted the dishonesty and corruption which are the legacy of sin, and he triumphed over them by the power of his cross. Now, at the end of my visit to the Philippines, I commend you to Him, to Jesus who came among us as a child. May he enable all the beloved people of this country to work together, protecting one another, beginning with your families and communities, in building a world of justice, integrity and peace. May the Santo Niño continue to bless the Philippines and to sustain the Christians of this great nation in their vocation to be witnesses and missionaries of the joy of the Gospel, in Asia and in the whole world. 

 And please, don't forget to pray for me! God bless you all!"

WATCH: Pope Francis' Homily in Quirino Grandstand (January 18, 2015)

Pope Francis' undelivered speech to UST youth encounter (January 18, 2015)

Below is prepared speech of Pope Francis' for the "Encounter with the Youth" event at the University of Santo Tomas, Sunday, January 18. He, however, after hearing the question of 12-year old once homeless, Glyzelle Palomar, he decided to deliver an impromptu homily in Spanish which was translated in English by Msgr. Mark Gerard Miles.

"Dear young friends,

It is a joy for me to be with you this morning. I greet each of you from the heart, and I thank all those who made this meeting possible. During my visit to the Philippines, I wanted in a particular way to meet with young people, to listen to you and to talk with you. I want to express the love and the hopes of the Church for you. And I want to encourage you, as Christian citizens of this country, to offer yourselves passionately and honestly to the great work of renewing your society and helping to build a better world.

In a special way, I thank the young people who have offered words of welcome to me. They have expressed eloquently, in your name, your concerns and worries, your faith and your hopes. They have spoken of the difficulties and the expectations of the young. Although I cannot respond to each of these issues at length, I know that, together with your pastors and among yourselves, you will prayerfully consider them and make concrete proposals for action in your lives. 

Today I would like to suggest three key areas where you have a significant contribution to make to the life of your country. The first of these is the challenge of integrity. The word "challenge" can be understood in two ways. First, it can be understood negatively, as a temptation to act against your moral convictions, what you know to be true, good and right. Our integrity can be challenged by selfish interest, greed, dishonesty, or the willingness to use other people.

But the word "challenge" can be also understood positively. It can be seen as invitation to courage, a summons to bear prophetic witness to what you believe and hold sacred. In this sense, the challenge of integrity is something which you have to face now, at this time in your lives. It is not something you can put off until you are older or have greater responsibilities. Even now you are challenged to act with honesty and fairness in your dealings with others, young and old alike. Do not avoid the challenge! One of the greatest challenges young people face is learning to love. To love means to take a risk: the risk of rejection, the risk of being taken advantage of, or worse, of taking advantage of another. Do not be afraid to love! But in love, too, maintain your integrity! Here too, be honest and fair!

In the reading we have just heard, Paul tells Timothy: "Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity" (1 Tim 4:12).

You are called, then, to set a good example of integrity. Naturally, in doing this, you will encounter opposition, negativity, discouragement, and even ridicule. But you have received a gift which enables you to rise above those difficulties. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you nurture this gift by daily prayer and draw strength from sharing in the Eucharist, you will be able to achieve that moral greatness to which Jesus calls you. You will also be a compass to those of your friends who are struggling. I think especially of these young people who are tempted to lose hope, to abandon their high ideals, to drop out of school, or to live from day to day on the streets.

So it is essential not to lose your integrity! Not to compromise your ideals! Not to give in to temptation against goodness, holiness, courage and purity! Rise to the challenge! With Christ, you will be – indeed you already are! – the architects of a renewed and more just Filipino culture.

A second key area where you are called to make a contribution is in showing concern for the environment. This is not only because this country, more than many others, is likely to be seriously affected by climate change. You are called to care for creation not only as responsible citizens, but also as followers of Christ! Respect for the environment means more than simply using cleaner products or recycling what we use. These are important aspects, but not enough. We need to see, with the eyes of faith, the beauty of God's saving plan, the link between the natural environment and the dignity of the human person. Men and women are made in the image and likeness of God, and given dominion over creation (cf. Gen 1:26-28). As stewards of God's creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling.

Three months ago, your Bishops addressed these issues in a prophetic Pastoral Letter. They asked everyone to think about the moral dimension of our activities and lifestyles, our consumption and our use of the earth's resources. Today I ask you to do this in the context of your own lives and your commitment to the building up of Christ's kingdom. Dear young people, the just use and stewardship of the earth's resources is an urgent task, and you have an important contribution to make. You are the future of the Philippines. Be concerned about what is happening to your beautiful land!

A final area in which you can make a contribution is one dear to all of us. It is care for the poor. We are Christians. We are members of God's family. No matter how much or how little we have individually, each one of us is called to personally reach out and serve our brothers and sisters in need. There is always someone near us in need, materially, emotionally, spiritually. The greatest gift we can give to them is our friendship, our concern, our tenderness, our love for Jesus. To receive Jesus is to have everything; to give him is to give the greatest gift of all.

Many of you know what it is to be poor. But many of you have also experienced something of the blessedness that Jesus promised to "the poor in spirit" (cf Mt 5:3). Here I would say a word of encouragement and gratitude to those of you who choose to follow our Lord in his poverty through a vocation to the priesthood and the religious life; by drawing on that poverty you will enrich many. But to all of you, especially those who can do more and give more, I ask: Please, do more! Please, give more! When you give of your time, your talents and your resources to the many people who struggle and who live on the margins, you make a difference. It is a difference that is so desperately needed, and one for which you will be richly rewarded by the Lord. For, as he has said: "you will have treasure in heaven" (Mk 10:21).

Twenty years ago, in this very place, Saint John Paul II said that the world needs "a new kind of young person" – one committed to the highest ideals and eager to build the civilization of love. Be those young persons! Never lose your idealism! Be joyful witnesses to God's love and the beautiful plan he has for us, for this country and for the world in which we live. Please pray for me. God bless you all!"

WATCH: YOUTH ENCOUNTER WITH POPE FRANCIS AT UST

Pope Francis leaves Tacloban ahead of schedule due to Typhoon Amang

TACLOBAN CITY - Pope Francis will depart at 1PM today for Manila due to inclement weather caused by Typhoon Amang. Tacloban is currently under Signal Warning No. 2. The Pope apologized to the religious leaders as he advised them that he had to leave early.

UPDATE: Pope Francis safely arrived in Manila around 2 p.m. The 78-year-old pontiff was flown back to the capital by a Philippine Airlines Airbus A320. High-ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police awaited him.  Members of the military and their families also welcomed the Catholic pontiff, who is on its third of a five-day state and pastoral visit to the Philippines. 

WATCH: LIVE STREAMING Pope Francis Bound for Manila




Pope Francis is set to officiate a mass tomorrow, January 18 at the Quirino Grand Stand in Luneta. The said event is expected to be attended by 6 Million devotees.

VERBATIM: Pope Francis' homily in Tacloban

Here is the homily of Pope Francis in full text during the Mass in Tacloban City for victims of Typhoon Haiyan 'Yolanda'. 

"If you allow me, I prefer today to speak in Spanish. I have a translator, a good translator. May I do that? Thank you very much.

We have a high priest who is capable of symphatizing with our weaknesses but one who is similarly been tested in every way yet without sin. Jesus is like us. Jesus lived like us. Jesus is the same with us in every respect except sin. Because Jesus was not a sinner.

But to be more like us, He assumed our condition and our sin. He made himself unto sin. This is what Saint Paul tells us. Jesus always goes before us. And when we pass and experience a cross, He passed there before us.

And if today we find ourselves 14 months after, 14 months precisely after the typhoon Yolanda hit, it is because we have the security of knowing that we are not going to weaken in our faith, because Jesus has been there before us. In His passion, He assumed all our pain.

I’d like to tell you something close to my heart. 

When I saw from Rome the catastrophe, I felt that I had to be here and on those very days I decided to come here.

I am here to be with you. A little bit late, I have to say, but I am here. 

I come to tell you that Jesus is Lord and He never lets us down. 

Father, you might say to me, I was let down because I have lost so many things, my house, my livelihood. It’s true, if you would say that, and I respect those sentiments, but Jesus there (pointing to the cross), nailed to the cross, and from there, He does not let us down. 

He was consecrated as Lord, on that throne and there He experienced all calamities that we experienced. Jesus is Lord and the Lord from the cross is there for you. 

Therefore, He is capable of understanding us, as we heard in the first reading. In everything, the same as us. 

That is why we have a Lord who is capable of crying with us, capable of walking with us, in the most difficult moments of life. 

So many of you have lost everything. I don’t know what to say to you. But the Lord does know what to say to you. Some of you have lost part of your families. All I can do is keep silent. And I walk with you all with my silent heart. Many of you have asked the Lord, why Lord? 

And to each of you, to your heart, Christ responds from His heart upon the cross. 

I have no more words to tell you, let us look to Christ, He is the Lord. He understands us because He underwent all the trials that we, that you, have experienced. And beside the cross was His mother. We are like this little child, just there. 

In the moments when we have so much pain, when we no longer understand anything, all we can do is grab hold of her hand firmly. And say, Mom, as a child does to a mother, when he or she feels fear. 

It is perhaps the only word we can say in such difficult times, Mother, Mom. 

Let us together hold a moment of silence, let us look to that Christ on the cross. He understands us because He endured everything. Let us look to our mother, and like that little child, let us grab hold of her mantle, and with a true heart, say, mother. 

In silence, let us say this prayer, say it to the mother, what you feel in your heart. 

(Silence) 

Let us know that we have Mother Mary and our great brother Jesus, we are not alone. We also have many brothers who in this moment of catastrophe came to help you, and we too, because of this we feel more brothers and sisters, because we helped each other. 

This is what comes from my heart and forgive me if I have no other words to express this: But please know, Jesus never lets you down. Please know that the love and tenderness of Mother Mary never lets you down. 

And holding on to her mantle and with the power that comes from Jesus love on the cross, let us move forward, always forward, and walk together as brothers and sisters in the Lord forward. 

Thank you very much."

DOs and DON'Ts ON THE PAPAL VISIT 2015

Pasay City is the first and last stop of Pope Francis’ Visit in the country.

Mayor Antonino Calixto reiterates his call to all Pasayenos and the general public for discipline during the Papal Visit starting tomorrow, January 15 til Monday, January 19.

All visitors of the City during this historic event to remember the following:

1.     Food and drinks must be in clear and transparent containers or identifiable packaging. Water and other beverages must be in plastic containers.

2.     Bring your maintenance medication especially for diabetics, hypertensives and other medical conditions. Paracetamol and hydrating capsules or solution, together with ample water supply, spare clothing and towels are also encouraged. PhilHealth, private health cards and information regarding medical information about a person may also be useful.

3.     Eight (8) Health Centers, and 3 hospitals namely, the Pasay City General Hospital, the San Juan de Dios Hospital and the Manila Adventist Medical Center are on standby to give immediate medical attention, including:

3.1.     Cuyegkeng Health Center cor. F.B. Harrison

3.2.     Leveriza Heath Center cor. Buendia

3.3.     Lagrosa Health Center at the Pasay Sports Complex

3.4.     MIA Health Center along NAIA Avenue in Pildera

3.5.     Villamor Health Center at the Villamor Airbase

3.6.     San Pablo Health Center along St. Peter st., Maricaban

3.7.     Dona Nena Health Center along Aurora Blvd., (Tramo)

4.     Pasay Rescue and Quick Response Stations with ambulances and responders, together with other City Augmentation Offices (including the PNP, the Pasay Social Work Dept., Pasay Engineering Office, the Pasay Public Order and Safety Unit , and, Pasay City Environment and Natural Resources Office)  are strategically posted along the Papal route, to include:

A.     the Villamor Airbase-Kalayaan

B.     the Aurora Blvd. (Tramo) cor. Andrews street

C.    the Domestic Road cor. MIA road in Pildera

D.    the Cuneta Avenue cor Roxas Blvd.

E.     the San Juan de Dios Hospital along Roxas Blvd.

F.     the Dept. of Foreign Affairs cor. Libertad

G.    the SMDC along Roxas Blvd before Vito Cruz

5.     Children and other minor companions should bring identification Cards with important information such as address, names and telephone number/s of parents or guardians. Kindly accompany lost children to the said Pasay Rescue/Quick Response Stations where personnel of the Pasay Social Work Office may attend to the concern immediately.

6.     Umbrellas, big bags, back packs and other obscured items are discouraged. Monopads for cellphones are also prohibited. 

7.     Motorists and Commuters are advised to refrain from bringing vehicles and/or avoid travelling along Roxas Boulevard and other adjacent roads as they may be closed when necessary.

8.     Parking along Roxas Blvd. Taft Avenue, F.B Harrison, Buendia and EDSA Extension is prohibited. Illegally-parked vehicles will be towed.

9.     One-side parking along inner roads may be allowed.

10.  Report suspicious-looking and doubtful movements of individuals to the nearest PNP officer or to the Pasay Rescue/Quick Reaction Stations.

Let us all hope for a peaceful and free from all evil Papal Visit.

PASAY CITY MAYOR CALIXTO ASKS FOR DISCIPLINE DURING THE 'PAPAL VISIT'

Pasay the “TRAVEL CITY” Mayor Antonino Calixto calls on both residents and visitors of Pasay to practice restraint and discipline during the Pope Francis’ historic five-day visit to the Philippines.

Mayor Calixto made the special announcement in the aftermath of the Feast of the Black Nazarene estimated to be attended by 5.5 million by the Philippine National Red Cross and resulted yielded two casualties and more than 1,500 persons having sought medical help.

The two casualties were reported to be due to injuries during a stampede before the start of the procession and a heart attack. 

High blood pressure, injuries, lacerations, nausea, difficulty in breathing, seizure and sprains were some of the cases attended to by emergency medical personnel posted during the Black Nazarene procession.

“We expect people wanting to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis to be more than the number of devotees during the Feast of the Black Nazarene last January 9. Pasay is the first and last stop of Pope Francis here in the Philippines” Mayor Calixto said. 

Calixto added that “we anticipate not just Catholics from Pasay and Metro Manila but also from all parts of the Philippines and even from other countries to see Pope Francis. All hotels and inns within Pasay are practically fully booked.”

Pasay has the 3rd most number of room accommodations from high end hotel suites to budget inns in the country.

Mayor Calixto is reminding the motoring public to be cooperative and obey the traffic rerouting scheme and road closures set in place for the Papal visit. 



Constant and regular advisories are being issued by the City’s Public Information Office through the traditional as well as the social media.

Calixto also reminded the public to throw their thrash in the designated garbage bins strategically located along and near the Papal routes.

Pasay City is home to Villamor Airbase where the Papal entourage is expected to land on January 15, be sent off to Tacloban on January 17 and back to the Vatican on the 19th of January.

The Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay is also the venue for Pope Francis’ Meeting With the Families on January 16.

'PAPAL VISIT' 2015 Philippines Ofiicial Theme Song

MANILA, Philippines - His Holiness Pope Francis is set to arrive in the country this week. If you are planning to attend the mass to be held at the Luneta Park this coming Sunday, January 18 you have to watch the action video below. The church encourages us to memorize the lyrics and actions of the official theme song "We Are All God's Children" sang by Ms. Jamie Rivera with The Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir.

WATCH: We Are All God's Children ACTION VIDEO

LYRICS of We Are All God's Children

  









Do you see these children on the streets?
Have you walked the pavements where they sleep?
Do you feel their hands when you give them alms?
Did you ever give them bread to eat?
Have you seen their homes washed by the floods?
While a mother tightly holds her child
Do you hear the wind of the raging storm?
Can you tell them where it's coming from?
Let us show our love and mercy
With true kindness and humility
For the God loves the weak and the needy
Just like you and me
We are all God's children we are all the same
He is calling us by name to help the poor and lame
And learn what life is really for
It's to know and love and serve the Lord

Stand together and let's do our part
Hear their voices mend their broken hearts
Choose to be brave fight for their rights
Give them back their honor and their pride
Please do not be blind and just leave them behind
To struggle in darkness or give them empty promises
We are all God's children we are all the same
He is calling us by name to help the poor and lame
And learn what life is really for
It's to know and love and serve the Lord
It's to know and love and serve the Lord
It's to know and love and serve the Lord 

Download the MP3 here.

19th Balloon Fiesta 2015

PAMPANGA, Philippines - The upcoming 19th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) also known as “A Weekend of Everything that Flies” is scheduled from February 12-15, 2015. The longest-running sports aviation event in Asia is more than just a spectator event, PIHABF is a gathering of aviators from the Philippines and the world.

The balloon fiesta not only features hot air balloon flights but other aviation activities as well like sky diving, paragliding and aerobatic gliding. The participants are from other countries. 

You can get your tickets at the events front gate. Standard entrance ticket price is PHP 300, valid for 1 day, which acts as a contribution to the PIHABF Foundation. Currently, these contributions are now accepted through their PayPal. To avail of this service, you have to be 18 years of age and have either a major credit- or debit card, or Paypal account. VIP tickets cost PHP 6,000 each.

The venue is at Clark Freeport Zone. To get there by Public Transport ride a Victory Liner bus bound for Dagupan and go down at Dau common terminal. Walk a bit towards the highway where jeepneys or tricycle are available. These public utility vehicles can take you to Clark.

'PAPAL VISIT' Advisory: PASAY RED ALERT STARTING JANUARY 14

MANILA, Philippines - The Pasay City local government has announced RED ALERT (Task Force VIP Gears for Final Local Deployment And Support To Papal Visit) starting January 14.

As Pasay City is Pope Francis’ first and final stop during his five-day visit to the Philippines, the “Travel City” places Task Force VIP’s (Viva Il Papa) on red alert starting January 14 (Wednesday) as it gears for its final deployment and support to the National Government during the “event of the decade”.

Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto today said that “Pasay City is on Red Alert starting January 14. Today, we are finalizing our preparation on the local level in support of the country’s mission to make this year’s historic Papal Visit successful.”

                                                                                                    

The Southern Police District has already briefed the 19 Barangays of Pasay along the Papal route regarding route segmentation. Meanwhile, the DILG met with officials of the same Barangays to determine their tasks as providers of secondary “force multipliers” for crowd control, among others.

Pasay City Administrator and Task Force VIP Over-all Coordinator Atty. Dennis Acorda said that “intensified coordination is being conducted by all members of the Task Force and their respective personnel with National Government Agencies This is to ensure that the Pope’s Visit to Pasay will be the most successful one.”

The Pasay City Rescue Team’s tasking from the Office of Civil Defense consists of two rescue teams and an ambulance at the Domestic Road/MIA Road intersection, and, two ambulances at the Andrews Avenue/Tramo intersection.

The Pasay Rescue Team will be on full two shifting 24-hour alert. Each rescue team is composed of five responders each ambulance.

At the same time, the Pasay Recue will strategically position one ambulance at the Villamor Airbase Airport where Pope Francis’ plane is expected to land.

Four Reaction Areas will also be set up along Roxas Boulevard: Cuneta Avenue; the San Juan de Dios Hospital; the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) at the corner of Libertad, and, in Lourdes street after Buendia before Vito Cruz.

Each reaction areas will be composed of personnel from the Pasay City Hall; the Pasay City Environment and Natural Resources Office for cleanliness of the areas; the Pasay Traffic Management Office for accessible routes after Roxas Blvd. have been closed to traffic; the Health Department for immediate medical attention; the Public Order and Safety Office for crowd control, and, the City Engineering Office for anything that requires immediate movement, construction and the like.

During the Pope’s Meeting with the Families at the Mall of Asia Arena on Day 2, the Pasay Rescue Team will preposition two ambulances per four Stations along the EDSA Extension together with personnel from the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Red Cross. Other nearby LGU’s will also preposition ambulances along Edsa Extension.

You may check the official itinerary of the Pope here.