Maniolas

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago arrives at the Commission on Election headquarters in Manila to file her certificate of candidacy (COC) for president under the People’s Reform Party on Friday. Santiago also announced Sen. Bongbong Marcos would be her running mate for the 2016 elections.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Marcos family doesn’t owe the Filipino people an apology over the the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ imposition of martial law, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said on Friday after she filed her certificate of candidacy to run for president in 2016. Santiago, however, disagreed that the details of what transpired during martial law should already be relegated to the background in favor of addressing the country’s current problems. “I don’t think that on a family basis, the Marcoses as a family owe us an apology. In the first place, it was not the case that President Marcos the father pooled all the Marcoses in one table and they all decided jointly to do certain activities,” Santiago said in a news conference at the Commission on Elections. “That was not the case…. This was all a result not of a familial discussion but a result of policy decisions of the executive department of the government—President Marcos and his advisers,” she added. Santiago is running for president for a third time since 1992 and has chosen Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the sone and namesake of the former strongman, to be her vice presidential candidate. Santiago, however, said she did not agree with remarks attributed Read More …

Campaign for Filipino Children pledges similar gifts to four other regional hospitals in the country The eldest of seven siblings, Allan Pineda better known as Apl.de.ap grew up in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. He worked in the farm with his grandfather and sold the crops at the open market. Coming from a poor family, he knew early on that going to school was his long-term ticket to a better life.Clinically blind, the young Apl managed to get treatment for his eyes in the U.S. through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation with his sponsor, Joe Ben Hudgens, who eventually adopted Apl. At the age of 14 years old, Apl moved to LA where Hudgens fostered the importance of education that would lead to achieving his dreams.Apl became a rapper, record producer, and the member of the multi-Grammy award winning group the Black Eyed Peas.Drawing from his own life experiences and putting action behind his words, he established the Apl.de.ap Foundation. The Foundation is committed to equip Filipino youth with the knowledge and skills to improve their lives. This is through key partnerships with organizations whose focus are in computer technology, arts, and eye care. Ultimately, the foundation hopes to build a school that will prepare these program services. (courtesy of http://apldeapfoundation.org/) (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Allen Pineda Lindo, or better known as Apl.de.ap of the Grammy award-winning group Black Eyed Peas, is legally blind. So it was only appropriate that when his international foundation decided to launch its first healthcare initiative it Read More …

Janet Lim Napoles (center), the alleged pork barrel scam queen, is escorted out of the court room after being found guilty on her kidnapping and serious illegal detention case of scam whistleblower Benhur Luy at the Makati Regional Trial Court on Tuesday. Napoles was sentenced to permanent imprisonment. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Sandiganbayan has denied for the second time the bail plea of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind in the supposed pork barrel scam. “Wherefore, accused Janet Lim-Napoles’ petition for bail, filed on July 7, 2014, is hereby denied for lack of merit,” Sandiganbayan Third Division clerk of court Dennis Pulma announced Friday, reading from the 249-page ruling penned by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang. The Third Division, who has been hearing Napoles’ petition to post bail for a plunder case since July last year, said the prosecution was able to present strong evidence to warrant a full-blown trial to prove the guilt of the embattled businesswoman. “There is a determination by the court that the evidence of guilt against the accused is strong. But let me clarify that this does not mean that the guilt has already been found,” Pulma said, explaining the ruling. “This is not a prejudgement on the merits of the case. The finding of whether there is guilt beyond reasonable doubt must be done during the trial proper,” he added. Pulma said the Napoles’ camp has 15 days to file their motion for reconsideration, “otherwise the decision is considered final.” Napoles is facing multiple Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III is received by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr., upon arrival for the Opening Ceremony of the 2013 Philippine M.I.C.E. Conference (MICECON 2013) at the 3rd Floor, SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premiere in Davao City on Thursday (March 07, 2013). The MICE Conference is a prestigious gathering of key players in the travel and tourism industry. The conference will provide the Host an opportunity to showcase its destinations to approximately 400 stakeholders in the tourism industry comprised of: travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, resort owners, professional congress/ exhibition/event organizers, association/corporate executives, destination management companies, airline representatives, local government officials, academe, students and the media. (MNS photo)). MANILA (Mabuhay) — Minutes before the deadline of filing for candidacy, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that he had no interest in being president. “A little over two years ago, I posted in the government website over the Internet that I was not interested in the Presidency,” he wrote on his official Facebook account. “Nothing has changed. I am comfortable where I am now.” Speculation was rife on Friday about a Duterte run, with rumors flying that he was en route to Manila to beat the Commission on Elections deadline. But a highly-placed source said that the mayor remained in Davao City. His executive assistant Bong Go confirmed this as well in a radio interview. By the 5 p.m. deadline, there was no Duterte COC for president filed with the poll Read More …

The lotus flower has been associated with purity and beauty and its exquisiteness and symbolism with rebirth had made it one of the most meaningful emblems of achievement. The nonprofit Asian Women Entrepreneurs of Orange County (AWE) had aptly named its event recently at the White House Restaurant in Anaheim “The Rise of Lotus Awards Celebration” to emphasize the strong connect of the two distinguished awardees whom they were bestowing honors for their exemplary achievements  in their chosen fields. The other awardee was Jeannie Luong who received the “Lotus Legendary Award”. Fil Am civic leader Gloria C. Rull has just attached to his strings of recognition the “Lotus Award” for making a difference in her field from which women in particular could draw inspiration from in a field where “women business starters were twice as men” but seemingly are at a disadvantage when it comes to knowing the right people, getting information and support and especially obtaining capital to make their business grow”. Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs: Civic leader/Entrepreneur beams after receiving the “Lotus Award” from the Outstanding Women Entrepreneur at a recent ceremony. With her Dr. Marissa Fei and Andres Do, Orange County Supervisor. And this is what the award-giving AWE is trying to bridge to increase women’s business competitiveness. Rull’s most recent recognition by AWE comes on the heels of her recent feat at the 52nd Annual Small Business Week Awards celebration at the Riverside Convention Center last June 3 where received the award “Women in Business Champion of Read More …