Maniolas

(Photo from left) Commission on Election (Comelec) Commissioner Arthur D. Lim, Comelec Executive Director Jose M. Tolentino Jr., and Smartmatic Program Manager Marlon Garcia, discuss the condition of some 82,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines (right) during the poll body’s “Walk Through” on Friday (March 20, 2015), held at the production area in Comelec Warehouse, Park Drive, Light Industrial Science Park 1, Barangay Diezmo, Cabuyao, Laguna. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Francis Escudero on Tuesday said the plan of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use a combination of manual and computerized system in next year’s elections will only bring back memories of “Hello, Garci.” Because of this, Escudero said the Comelec should ditch its plan to use a hybrid system and instead exert all efforts to ensure that the May 2016 national polls will still be fully automated. According to Escudero, reverting to manual voting system next year would be a step backwards to a process marred by rampant cheating and other fraudulent election practices. “It brings back memories of the ‘Hello Garci’ controversy, which had cast doubt on the results of the 2004 presidential elections,” Escudero said. He said the proposal for hybrid polls “raises the chilling prospect of a wide-scale electoral cheating similar to what happened during the 2004 presidential elections.” “Hello Garci” refers to the wiretapped conversation between then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano during the canvassing of presidential votes. In that phone conversation, a woman believed to be Arroyo was Read More …

A monitor connected to a body temperature scanner shows passengers arriving from South Korea at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday. The WHO said the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in South Korea is the largest seen outside the Middle East. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Health confirmed Monday that a foreigner from the Middle East who recently arrived in the Philippines has tested positive for MERS-Cov. Health Secretary Janette Garin said the 36-year-old foreigner was admitted to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine last Saturday after showing symptoms of MERS-CoV infection on July 2. “He was tested on July 4. At 5 p.m., the test yielded a positive result,” she said in a press briefing. She said the patient’s viral load is low, which meant that the patient could be recovering. She said the patient had no diabetes or high-blood pressure. One person who came in contact with the patient is in isolation after manifesting symptoms of MERS infection. A DOH task force is now doing contact tracing after the latest finding. It was the second case of MERS-COV in the Philippines. The first case was discovered in January, a Filipino nurse working in Saudi Arabia who survived. Garin noted that there is no documented community transmission of the MERS coronavirus, saying that most infections happen inside a hospital. “Health workers are usually at risk. Transmission also occurs during repeated and close contact with a family member or a household companion,” she Read More …

‘Document’ portend to show what belongs to China, what’s ours By Abner T. Galino Los Angeles Fil-Am resident Rizal Reyes says he was given the “1743” Philippine map 10 years ago during a trip in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Abner Galino It is certainly more than an amusing coincidence to find a burning fervor for the motherland on an expatriate named Rizal Reyes, a senior in his middle 80’s and a resident of mid-city Los Angeles. He confirmed that his father was indeed a fan of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. But, –  here comes the surprise – he was not a Rizal fan but of Andres Bonifacio, and for the same reasons just like many other Filipinos who favor the plebeian over the intellectual nationalist. Of course, Rizal and Bonifacio were never rivals. The debate on who should be crowned national hero came up during the American occupation of the Philippines. Rizal eventually got the prime spot at Luneta, aptly named Rizal Park, while Bonifacio got to stand in front of the Philippine Post Office building (which is just about four miles away). And so it came to be that the lovers would head to Luneta while the marchers who seek redress from government would gather at Liwasang Bonifacio. As far as politics is concerned, we know which of the two places became more exciting and relevant. 1743 Philippine map But this story is not about Rizal and Bonifacio. This story is about patriotism and a map, although not an Read More …

Fishermen’s group Pamalakaya holds a protest outside Chinese Consulate office in Makati City on Friday to denounce the Chinese Navy’s action prohibiting Filipino fishermen in contested waters in the Spratly Islands. The United Nations arbitration court will hear the Philippines’ claim next week in The Hague, the Netherlands. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — A day before a United Nations tribunal hears the Philippines’ case against China, Beijing’s ambassador again asked Manila on Monday to consider direct negotiations to resolve their long-running territorial row over the South China Sea. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua has repeatedly conveyed China’s offer to hold bilateral talks with the Philippine government on their maritime conflicts, saying its door for consultation “is still open and will be open forever.” “I think the best is to sit down bilaterally to talk. We need to resume our bilateral negotiation without any condition. I think this is the best way that we can discuss how to peacefully settle these disputes,” Zhao told journalists at his official residence after the Chinese government donated books to the National Library of the Philippines. For the first time since Manila filed the case against China before the The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, a five-man panel of judges will conduct oral arguments from July 7 to 13 to determine jurisdiction over the Philippines’ complaint questioning Beijing massive claim in the resource-rich waters. “Our door for bilateral consultation and negotiation is still open and will be open forever,” Zhao said. But Philippine government officials said Read More …

New mash-ups and recipes your family will love (Family Features) From classic recipes passed down through generations to new creations you wouldn’t expect to find on grandma’s table, there’s no shortage of ways to pack peanut butter into deliciously diverse dishes. Celebrate your enduring love for this sticky staple with these winning entries from Southern Peanut Growers’ annual “PB My Way” recipe contest showcasing PB lovers’ all-time favorite peanut butter dishes. Find more inspiration for cooking with peanut butter at www.peanutbutterlovers.com. Peanut Butter Noodle Nests with Spicy Orange Shrimp Grand Prize Winner Peanut Butter Noodle Nests with Spicy Orange Shrimp Darlene Buerger, Peoria, Arizona 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce 1/4 cup orange marmalade 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon grated ginger 8 ounces shrimp, peeled, de-veined 1/4 cup onion, diced 1/4 cup red pepper, diced 2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 cloves minced garlic 1/4 cup coconut milk, plus extra 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup island teriyaki sauce 2 teaspoons crystalized ginger 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or to taste) 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 (12-ounce) packages ramen noodles, cooked according to package directions 1 cup coleslaw mix Peanuts and scallions, for garnish In medium bowl, combine Sriracha, marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar and grated ginger. Stir to combine and add shrimp. Refrigerate 20 minutes. In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and pepper in peanut oil until tender. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Reduce heat and add coconut milk, peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, Read More …