Maniolas

(From left) Thelma Melendez, LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell, Michael A. Shull, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager, Councilmember O’Farrell Emcee, David Binkle, LAUSD Director of Food Services and Michael Flood, LA FoodBank and LA Food Policy Council.     Los Angeles Unified School District and City of Los Angeles partner to provide 4.5 million free meals this summer   LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the City of Los Angeles announced at Lake Street Community Center in Historic Filipinotown Thursday that they will be partnering to provide free summer meals for children up to 18 years old as well as the disabled this summer to avoid hunger. “Providing nutritious meals for young people has always been a priority for the LAUSD and to partner with the City of Los Angeles and its Recreation and Parks department shows the synergy between the city and our school district to ensure that young people have delicious, nutritious meals throughout the summer,” said LAUSD Food Services Director David Binkle. LAUSD’s Food Services Department will be not only be serving at 317 schools sites this summer, but for the first time, it will also be supplying meals at 105 Los Angeles Recreation and Park Centers running from June 9 to August 8, 2014.  More than 520,000 students in LAUSD qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, but many do not get enough to eat when school is out.  The Summer Food Service Program is expected to serve more than 4.5 million free Read More …

Remembering happy times with our ‘Teddy Bear’ By Myrna Aquitania David Casuco, flanked by his best friends Myrna Aquitania and Lydia Solis of Philippine News (right). The sad news on the sudden passing of our “Teddy Bear” David Casuco was not only shocking but numbing. Media colleague Lydia Solis (of Philippine News) and I shared Dave as our “huggable Teddy Bear” – a caring, charming and lovable friend. Though I’ve never met his family, Dave would relate how happy he was whenever he went home to his family on weekends to bond with them, particularly his son, Justin, who he spoke of so lovingly; He enjoyed playing with their dog, cleaning him up and dog-sitting. There were times when he would call me from the Greyhound station in Rosemead, to ask if I could pick him up so we could have lunch in Chinatown or to his favorite restaurant called Pista Sa Barrio in Eagle Rock, whom he called the place that served his “to die for” pancit bihon and surely, we always had fun bonding whenever we were together. Looking back, Dave strived to win the weekly “Biggest Loser” contest at the Balita/US Asian Post office, where he was our outstanding editor. He had quite a sense of humor, which only a few of us knew; he had the ability to make you laugh, particularly when he related his stories of the ‘aswangs” who “followed” him when he visited Siquijor. Once, the three of us (Lydia, Dave and I) Read More …

By Rhony Laigo PAL said the use of 777-300ER will “save Philippine Airlines some $20 million per aircraft per year.” Boeing’s new 777-300ER are now part of Philippine Airlines US-bound fleet. On Saturday, May 3, the new aircraft made its maiden voyage to Los Angeles from Manila and will be added to the regular fleet of Manila-US flights (Los Angeles and San Francisco) as PAL officials also announced a return to New York, Chicago and soon Florida. In a product briefing held by the sea at The Reef Restaurant in the scenic city of Long Beach for the members of the media and travel agents, PAL officials, led by Area Manager Marie Jemma Saranillo, presented a glimpse of the new Boeing 777-300ER which is said to be “the largest twin-engine aircraft of today.” Powered by two large General Electric 90-115BL engines, the new fuel-efficient aircraft can reach any city in the world from Manila “non-stop” while carrying a full load of 370 passengers and cargo. Not only will the 777-300ER use lesser fuel, a PAL video presentation said cost in maintaining it is also lower because of the new avionics and other technology put in place in the modern Boeing model. PAL said the use of 777-300ER will “save Philippine Airlines some $20 million per aircraft per year.” Saranillo said PAL, which is now 49 percent owned by giant food conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (the remaining 51% is still owned by tobacco magnate Lucio Tan),  acquired six of these aircraft that Read More …

Carson, CA – The Environmental Justice Network of Southern California announced that the Earth Day in Carson will be held at the Stephen White community garden on 220th and Moneta in Carson. Mayor Jim Dear of Carson will be the main speaker. Dr. Clarence Monteclaro of the Monteclaro Cultural and Community Medicine Foundation (MCCMF) who coordinates activities in the garden stressed that the event will have information tables for Carson residents and those who want to be involved in environment issues. “We plant in the garden because good nutrition comes with growing your own food. Environmental health is important for all of us. We are proud to hold the event in the community garden because it focuses on good land use as well as planting trees and vegetables which helps the environment. There will be information on water and drought issues, climate change, energy, recycling, air pollution and pesticide issues, “ Monteclaro said. Mayor Protempore Elito Santarina and Councilmembers Lula Davis Holmes and Mike Gipson will also attend the Earth Day event. There will be face painting, tree planting, potluck lunch and raffle prizes. For more information on the Earth Day call 310.987.8886 or email fekoons@aol.com. The Earth Day at the Garden is organized by the MCCMF, Philippine Action Group for the Environment, PTSA of Harbor Gateway, Del Amo Action Committee and the EJ Network of Southern California. Donors of the event are Home Depot, Tommy’s Burger and West Basin Municipal District.