Maniolas

— Senate President Franklin Drilon opens the 3rd and last Regular Session of the 16th Congress on Monday (July 27, 2015) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. The Senate will hold a joint session with the House of Representatives Monday afternoon to hear the last and 6th State-of-the- Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senate President Franklin Drilon defended Thursday the changes made by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Malacañang-backed proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Drilon said the changes were necessary to make the proposed measure constitutional. “Sa akin pong tingin, siyempre may mga binago kami. Halimbawa, ‘yung police siniguro natin na sasang-ayon sa structure ng ating Philippine National Police na kung saan ang National Police Commission ang siyang may control sa ating national police force, ayon sa Saligang Batas,” he said. “Iyong COA (Commission on Audit), ‘yung Comelec (Commission on Elections), atin pong inilagay sa tama at iyan po ang significant changes sa version ng Senado,” he added. The agencies, lawmakers, and legal luminaries earlier opposed the provisions in the BBL that seek the creation of the Bangsamoro government’s separate COA, Comelec, Civil Service Commission (CSC), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and Office of the Ombudsman, as the establishment of such separate offices runs contrary to the 1987 Constitution. The Palace-proposed BBL also contains a section which requires the President to coordinate military operations with the chief minister of the Bangsamoro region. It also has sections which empower the chief Read More …

Los Angeles  – The Filipino American Service Group Inc (FASGI) in celebration of “Buwan ng Wika” and Historic Filipinotown 13th Anniversary held its Community Day last Saturday, August 08, 2015 More than 300 people mostly community resident veterans and widows attended the FASGI OPEN HOUSE that featured a pre-launch of FASGI’s new programs for the community. Brief Program New FASGI Executive Director Yey Coronel explained FASGI’s programs like the Veterans Center, FILVOTE, Community Gardening, Senior Coffee Club, Transitional Housing and Basic Computer Literacy that caters to the needs of the FilAm community. During the brief Program, Albert Bataclan, FASGI’s communications director introduced the new FASGI Executive Director Yey Coronel-Alcid. Also present were FASGI Asst, Executive Director Bernie Ganon and FASGI’s Board President Cris Liban. Partnership There were performances by GALA, the Silverlake CBAS, The FASGI Cultural Group, Aida Santos, Chato Bueta, recognition of Filipino World War II Veterans, widows and relatives,parlor games and dancing. The Community Day was held in partnership with KALAYAAN Inc, United Bicolandia of Los Angeles (UBLA), PINOY MINISTRY, PEOPLE’S CORE, Philippine Institute of Language and Arts (PILAC), Philippine Scouts Heritage Society (PSHS) , Justice for Filipino American Veterans(JFAV). The Filipino American Library (FAL),Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), LAMBINI NG KALAYAAN/FILAM INTERNATIONAL, Knights of Rizal (KOR)-Historic Filipinotown, Rampart Village Neighborhood Council (RVNC), Sapphire Media Regency (SMR), and Temple-Westlake Neighborhood Development Corporation (TWNDC) .

Ambulant vendors sell water containers for a hundred pesos each to residents affected by water interruptions in Intramuros, Manila on Monday. Maynilad will be installing a seven-foot-tall pipeline along Hermosa Street in Tondo, Manila to give way to a government flood control project. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Bayan Muna party-list on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the government from paying Manila Water and Maynilad for the alleged losses the concessionaires incurred after they were disallowed from recovering their corporate income taxes by hiking their water rates. In a petition, Bayan Muna party-list Reps Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate insisted that corporate income taxes of the two concessionaires cannot be considered as expenditures and cannot be passed on directly or indirectly to water consumers. The lawmakers asked the tribunal to issue a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction to prevent the water firms from recovering their income tax liabilities from national coffers. The group cited the so-called Meralco ruling in November 2002 that declared that income tax payments cannot be considered as expenses incurred by public utilities when generating profit. Prior to the SC ruling, Manila Water and Maynilad were initially allowed to include corporate income tax as expenditures and pass it on to consumers by way of tariff during the first rate rebasing exercise in 2002. Despite the SC ruling, the water concessionaires argued they are not public utilities but merely agents and contractors of MWSS. The MWSS eventually sided with the concessionaires and Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II during the 114th Police Service Anniversary at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday, August 7 with the theme: “Pambansang Pulisya: Patuloy sa Makabuluhang Paglilingkod at Makatarungang Pagpapatupad ng Batas.” MANILA (Mabuhay) — Is the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) torn between Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and neophyte Senator Grace Poe? NPC congressmen on Tuesday showed up at Roxas’ headquarters to show support for the Liberal Party’s (LP) standard-bearer. The NPC congressemen include Negros Oriental Rep. Pryde Teves, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado, Tarlac Rep. Susan Yap, Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia, South Cotabato Rep. Pedro Acharon, Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, Cebu Rep. Gerald Gullas, Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Victor Yu, Negros Oriental Rep. George Arnaiz, Rizal Rep. Isidro Rodriguez and Masbate Rep. Scott Lañete. Also present in the meeting were General Santos Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Lou Antonino. The meeting was held following pronouncements from NPC President, Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao, that the party is inclined to back the tandem of Poe and Francis Escudero should they eventually decide to run in 2016. NPC spokesman, Rex Gatchalian, however, said the party has yet to decide on the matter. “The NPC as a party has not decided whom it will support in the next elections. Members are free to express their opinions on who they prefer. They are free Read More …

Environmental activists dramatize the effects of burning waste using incinerators during a protest on Tuesday. The groups asked the government to follow the Philippine Air Act and not be swayed by attempts of interest groups to lift the ban on waste incineration. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – An environmental group on Monday expressed its disappointment over the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue a tree-cutting permit to the developer of the historic Army and Navy Club in Manila, saying it is inconsistent with the National Greening Program of the agency. Gwen Borcena, executive director of Green Research, said in a Balitanghali interview that the decision of the DENR officials, including Secretary Ramon Paje, goes against the campaign of President Benigno Aquino III to protect the environment. “Alam namin si President Aquino sincere siya na gusto niyang nasa social contract niya ang pangangalaga sa kalikasan; na hindi ito isaalang-alang sa short-term gain and profit. Pero ‘yung mga ginagawang desisyon ng Gabinete niya at undersecretaries diyan sa DENR, taliwas,” she said. “Ang DENR dapat maging consistent. Sinasabi nilang may National Greening Program pero kaliwa’t kanan ‘yung binibigay nilang mga tree-cutting permits,” Borcena added. Borcena said Paje should be “more serious” in listening to the opinions of civil society organizations and heritage consultants before the DENR issues permits for “controversial” projects such as the restoration of the Army and Navy Club. “Mahirap pagkatiwalaan ang DENR dahil ilang ulit niyo na kaming na-disappoint. Sinasabi niyo na patay ang Read More …