Eid al-Adha 2017 in the Philippines

1. Also Eid'l Adha, Eidul Adha, Id-ul-Adha
2. Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or "big Eid", is one of two Eid festivals observed by the Muslim faithful. The second, Eid al-Fitr, comes at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. 
3. It falls on the 10th day of the Dhu al-Hijjah lunar month
4. In the Philippines, it was declared a Regular Holiday when President Duterte signed on 29 August 2017 Proclamation 297 declaring Friday, 1 September 2017 as  Regular Holiday
5. Around 6,000 pilgrims from the Philippines joined the faithful in Mount Arafat, East Mecca, to celebrate one of the greatest feasts of Islam, Eid'l Adha on Friday, September 1.
6. The feast, which is celebrated for 4 days to mark the end of Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia), has distinct spiritual, educational and social significance for Muslims around the world.
7. In Manila, thousands flocked to the iconic Rizal Park to offer a morning prayer and listen to a 40-minute sermon delivered by Ustadz Mohammad Nhor Sawato, a Muslim teacher.
8. One hundred and two days: that’s how long thousands of families have endured living as internally-displaced persons (IDPs) since the war in Marawi forced them to flee their city.
9. Based on data from the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 359,680 IDPs or 78,466 families housed in 75 evacuation centers in 16 municipalities across Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.
10. Many IDPs at the Saguiaran Municipal gymnasium are driven by hope that they have something to return to after the war in Marawi.
11. Imam Usman Rorogarus, an IDP, says that the Eid’l Adha reminds them of the sacrifices that the prophet Ibrahim had to endure as his faith in God, as well as that of his son, Ysmael, was put to a test.
12. "May this occasion invigorate you to remain steadfast in our task of ensuring triumph against elements that perpetuate discord and violence," President Rodrigo Duterte said in a message as he called for unity and renewal of Muslim values.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYW2YggX-lk
http://www.pinoyadventurista.com/2017/08/september-1-2017-regular-holiday-for-eidul-adha-philippines.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/01/world/eid-al-adha-festival/index.html 
https://www.rappler.com/nation/180862-marawi-evacuees-sacrifices-eidl-adha

Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Posting these signs and symptoms to ask for prayers for my mother-in-law who was admitted in the ICU last 1 April 2017 because of a mild stroke. Thank you for including us in your prayers...

1. Sudden weakness
2. Paralysis (an inability to move) or numbness of the face, arms, or legs, especially on one side of the body
3. Confusion
4. Trouble speaking or understanding speech
5. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
6. Problems breathing
7. Dizziness 
8. Trouble walking 
9. Loss of balance or coordination 
10. Unexplained falls
11. Loss of consciousness
12. Sudden and severe headache

Posting these signs and symptoms to ask for prayers for my mother-in-law who was admitted in the ICU last 1 April 2017 because of a mild stroke. Thank you for including us in your prayers...

References:

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stroke/signs

Email From UNICEF Help Nepal Now

URGENT: On May 12, a second earthquake of 7.3 magnitude struck Nepal--a country still reeling from a 7.9 earthquake that claimed over 8,000 lives. Dear Joseph, The first quake last April 25 affected 7 million people--1.7 million of them are children in need of urgent assistance. As search and rescue operations unfold in the aftermath of the second earthquake, UNICEF will be assessing in the coming days how many more children need to be reached and provided with critical aid. We have been working around the clock to deliver more life-saving supplies to children since the first earthquake hit—which include tents, safe drinking water, hygiene kits, medical supplies, toilets, and more. You can still help.

The post above was part of an email I received today. I posted it here so that others can help. Click the link below to read or you can click the title above and donate to help Nepal earthquake victims 

http://ngo.sgsupport.asia/philippines/unicef/2015/NepalEarthquake_3rdAppeal/Nepal_Earthquake_3rdAppeal_cold_webcopy.html

12 Most Peaceful Countries for 2014

Today is World Press Freedom Day.

May 3 is a day to commemorate the importance of freedom of the press with regards to reporting without borders. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

May 3 also marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek which was a compilation of free press principles by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

In light of this celebration, let us offer our prayers for those journalists and media personalities who have died in the line of duty. There are already 1,054 journalists killed since 1992 according to CPJ or the Committee to Protect Journalists. For more information regarding these killings, click HERE.

Also, we offer our prayers for the release of jailed journalists in different countries so that they will free from jail already. Feel free to click HERE to know more about these jailed journalists.

For today's post, below are the top 12 countries based on the list of World Press Freedom index which reflects the degree of freedom being enjoyed by journalists in the said countries. The World Press Freedom index file can be downloaded in PDF format HERE. It is published by Reporters Without Borders based upon the organization's assessment of the countries' press freedom records by using different methodologies.

1. Finland
2. Netherlands
3. Norway
4. Luxembourg
5. Andorra
6. Liechtenstein
7. Denmark
8. Iceland
9. New Zealand
10. Sweden
11. Estonia
12. Austria

For the complete list, click HERE. For the methodology used, click HERE.

Photo from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

References:

Reporters Without Borders
World Press Freedom Index 2014
About 3 May
30 Days for Freedom
Committee to Protect Journalists
World Press Freedom Day