Maniolas

Max Collins (MNS photo) Three years with GMA-7’s gag show “Bubble Gang” allowed Max Collins to discover the power of comedy. Breaking into showbiz as a dramatic actress, Max revealed during the 20th Anniversary celebration of “Bubble Gang” that she is now more popularly known as cast member of the said gag show. This is ironic for her since she considers herself not really a funny person. “Mas nakilala ako sa ‘Bubble Gang.’ Kasi minsan sinasabi ng fans ko ‘ay si Max from ‘Bubble Gang.’ Laging ‘yun ang naririnig ko. ‘Yun ang tampulan sa mga tao at hindi ‘yung mga teleserye,” said Max. For her, learning comedy is an advantage. “I became versatile dahil sa ‘Bubble Gang.’ Nasanay ako lagi na puro drama lang lagi. Heavy drama lagi and now na nag-co-comedy ako medyo nag-re-relax na ako . At least I look forward to playing other characters in drama, comedy or even in fantaserye because ‘Bubble Gang’ opened more doors for me,” Max related. The 23-year old actress started in the show as a member of the dance group called “Bubble Shakers.” She would also appear every now and then in some gags or skits. According to her, she was announced as one of the new regular cast members during the show’s 18th year anniversary when the winners of the show’s “Bagong Gang” contest were also declared as new members of the show. Working with different personalities, how did she blend in? “Sobrang mahirap. At the end of the day Read More …

Government employees led by the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) express their disappointment with the passage of the Salary Standardization Law 2015 on Friday. The group raised concern over the insufficiency of the raise to cover the daily cost of living of majority of public servants. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Voting,  14-0, the Senate on Monday afternoon approved on third and final reading the proposed Salary Standardization Law IV (SSL IV) defining the new and upgraded salary scale for each salary grade of all government employees to be implemented in a four-year period. Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said the SSL IV will be implemented with the funds coming from the authorization in the 2016 national budget. At least P57 billion have already been allocated for the wage hike in the proposed 2016 national budget. The House of Representatives, voting 170-5-1, approved its version on Wednesday last week. Senate Bill 2671 states  the new compensation scheme aims to bring the pay of government personnel closer to the prevailing rates in the private sector to attract and retain competent and committed personnel in the public sector. Under the bill, the minimum salary for Salary Grace 1  will be raised from the current P9,000 to P11,068 “to make it even more competitive with the market rates.” The bill aims to bring the compensation of government personnel closer to their private counterparts to at least 70 percent of the market rate for all salary grades and ensure Read More …

Several houses are submerged at the City Camp Lagoon in Baguio City on Monday after intense rains spawned by Typhoon Lando. More than 200 families were evacuated from the area, a perennial catch-basin for floodwaters in the summer capital during torrential rains. (MNS Photo) Manila, Philippines | AFP | – More than 700,000 people in the central Philippines fled to safer areas for fear of giant waves, floods or landslides as Typhoon Melor slammed into the archipelago nation Monday, officials said. Melor crossed the central Burias Island late Monday, with authorities warning that traditional thatched homes were unlikely to withstand the strong winds and that crops may suffer heavy losses. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The typhoon brushed the northern tip of Samar, a farming island of 1.5 million people, early Monday with winds gusting up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour, the state weather bureau said. Samar was among areas devastated in 2013 by Typhoon Haiyan, when giant waves wiped out entire communities and left 7,350 people dead or missing. Authorities warned that Melor’s powerful winds might whip up four-metre-high (13-feet) waves, blow off tin roofs and uproot trees. They said heavy rain within its 300-kilometre diameter could trigger floods and landslides. In Albay province in the southeast of Luzon island, almost 600,000 people were evacuated due to fears that heavy rain could cause mudslides on the slopes of nearby Mayon Volcano, according to the national disaster monitoring office. Residents carrying bags of clothes and water jugs clambered Read More …

Sen. Grace Poe (bottom center) flanked by supporters during her arrival at the Commission on Election Headquarters to file her Certificate of Candidacy, Thursday. Sen. Poe will be running independently with Sen. Chiz Escudero as her running mate for the 2016 election. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe doesn’t want Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to suffer the fate two divisions of the Commission on Elections want her to have. In a news conference following a Mass to mark the 11th death anniversary of her late adoptive father Fernando Poe Jr. , the senator said it was her prayer that Duterte be allowed to run. “Ang dasal ko ay wag siyang madisqualify. Ang dasal ko ay mabigyan siya ng pagkakataon na tumakbo kasi yun naman ang ipinaglalaban natin, manalo man siya o matalo, hindi natin malalaman yun hanggang hindi inilalagay ang pangalan sa balota,” Poe said. “Hindi lang dahil dasal ko yan sa sarili ko, nakita ko na pinagdaanan yan ng tatay ko rin,” she added. Further, Poe said her life would be more at peace if she would not be included in the ballot. “Sa totoo lang, sinasabi ko nga,  kung  hindi nila isinama ang pangalan ko, mas magiging mapayapa ang buhay ko,” she said. Poe was disqualified on account of her questioned status as a natural-born Filipino and her supposed inadequate years of residency in the country. She has appealed before the Comelec en banc the cancellation by the two Comelec divisions of her certificate of Read More …

John Ablaza, the Philippines’ first eco-couture international designer, artistry, hammered a pointed message  when he mixed the artistry of the Mangyan tribe in the Philippines and drum up environmental awareness in an event at the Celebrity Plaza in Hollywood. In this auspicious time that environmental awareness has become a serious concern, Ablaza’s joining the bandwagon as an “eco-couture” highlights importance of environmental consciousness. Just what is “eco-culture”? Simply it is a profound awareness of  the environment “where a product is created and produced with consideration to environmental and social impacts of materials used, the design process and production.” Million Dollar Bowtie: John Ablaza, Philippines’ first eco-couture international designer and international model and actor Devon Spence share light moment at the “Million Dollar Bowtie Launch” event at Celebrity Plaza. Ablaza, an agriculturist and horticulturist, has a serious has also embraced an advocacy for the Mangyans of Mindoro in the Philippines whose ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship are highlighted in his creations.  He spent years training the tribal community to create beautiful gowns, suits and – now bowties – which  were proudly showcased at the “Million Dollar Bowtie Launch” event which doubled up as a fundraiser for charity causes. Ablaza blends his creative genius with the exquisite ingenuity of the Mangyan’s ancient methods which include creating special fabrics out of tree barks which he “eventually shapes into leaves or flowers”. Common items in his environment – coconut shells, wood, plant seeds, reed grass and sea shells, to name a few – turn into Read More …