Maniolas

Vice President Jejomar Binay addresses the crowd during the 36th National Conference of Employers at Marriott hotel in Pasay City on Friday. Binay told the business community his family only has five bank accounts, denying the Anti Money Laundering Council report that he owns about 242 bank accounts. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Amid the corruption allegations against him, Vice President Jejomar Binay is still keen on seeking the highest elective post come 2016. “Yung ikinakalat nila na yung panlalait sa akin, kung anu-anong kasinungalingan ang itinatapon sa amin, hindi ito magiging dahilan para ako ay umatras,” Binay told reporters after his speech at the National Conference of Employers Friday. “Tuloy po ang laban, inumpisahan niya, tatapusin ko,” he added. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier said he believes that Binay would surely back out from the presidential race because of the various accusations he is now facing.(MNS)

Senator Chiz Escudero, chair of the Joint Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures, conducts a hearing today on the report of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the status and direction of the economic, fiscal and monetary policies of the government. Also in photo is Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe expressed high regards for Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday amid talks of her possible presidential run either with Escudero or Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. Asked about reports that some are open or backing a possible Poe-Roxas tandem in next year’s elections, Poe made no direct answer to the question and instead pointed her long friendship with Escudero. “Chiz and I have been friends and worked together since 2004. He has a proven track record in public service,” she said in a text message. Senator Grace Poe (MNS Photo) Asked then if she prefers to team up with Escudero over Roxas, Poe said, “I cannot comment yet because Chiz and I have not discussed at length his plans.” Poe and Escudero, who are both independent, ran under the Liberal Party-led coalition in 2013. While many LP members are rooting for Roxas to be its standard-bearer in 2016, a ranking party official, House Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II, is openly lobbying for a Poe-Escudero tandem. (MNS)

Vice President Jejomar Binay (left) is given a tour of the Toledo copper mine in Toledo City, Cebu on Thursday, November 6. Binay did not attend the day’s Senate probe on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II. He is in Cebu to attend the Philippine Scouting Centennial Jamboree and meet with local officials to check their housing programs. Also in photo is Adrian Ramos (right), COO of Carmen Mining Corp. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – If Elenita Binay were to decide, she would rather that her husband, Vice President Jejomar Binay, quit the presidential race. Makati Rep. Abigail Binay said her mother is already being affected by the corruption allegations being hurled at the vice-president, who has long decided to run for president in 2016. “If you ask my mom she’ll probably say, “Yes. I want your dad to quit,”” Rep. Binay said. “I know she keeps on telling my dad, “Why are we doing this?” The vice-president has been the subject of various allegations, including the alleged overpricing of several Makati government buildings. He has dismissed the allegations as mere demolition jobs because of his ambition to become the next president in 2016. Elenita herself is facing malversation and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly anomalous transactions made during her stint as Makati mayor. The latest challenge for the Binays is the release of an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report showing huge transactions that supposedly do not reflect the vice-president’s declared wealth. But for the Makati Read More …

Shown in the photo above are Secretary Soliman and MCC CEO Dana Hyde WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a meeting at the Headquarters of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Washington D.C. on 14 May 2015, MCC Chief Executive Officer Dana Hyde and Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman of the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reaffirmed the strong partnership between the Philippine Government and MCC. Secretary Soliman noted that the partnership contributes to and strengthens the country’s democratization process.  She cited MCC’s support for the Philippine Government’s community driven-development (CDD) approach in order to empower ordinary citizens to actively and directly participate in local governance. She lauded MCC’s support for the KALAHI-CIDDS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) –  one of the three core social protection programs of DSWD in alleviating poverty. Ms. Hyde, in turn, affirmed that MCC is “proud of the partnership” and acknowledged the hard work that the DSWD is doing to sustain the MCC projects through the Millennium Challenge Account-Philippine Compact. She also expressed interest to visit the Philippines before the end of the year. Signed on 23 September 2010 in New York City and entered into force on 25 May 2011, the US$434 million First Philippine Compact is intended to allow poor communities to develop small-scale projects and manage assets in a sustainable way, facilitate increased commerce by reducing transportation costs, and increase the efficiency and sustainability of revenue collection through the redesign and computerization of business processes.  The Compact symbolizes the strong bilateral ties between with Read More …

This summer, a few of the prototype vehicles we’ve created will leave the test track and hit the familiar roads of Mountain View, California, with our safety drivers aboard,” said project chief Chris Urmson in a blog post. Google said its self-driving prototype cars were ready to leave the test track and hit public roads in California, in a step forward for its autonomous automobile program. San Francisco, United States (AFP) – Google announced Friday its self-driving prototype cars were ready to leave the test track and hit public roads in California, in a step forward for its autonomous automobile program. The move comes after Google’s internal testing of the bubble-shaped vehicle over the past year and more extensive experience with technology adapted for existing cars. “Now we’re announcing the next step for our project: this summer, a few of the prototype vehicles we’ve created will leave the test track and hit the familiar roads of Mountain View, California, with our safety drivers aboard,” said project chief Chris Urmson in a blog post. “We’ve been running the vehicles through rigorous testing at our test facilities, and ensuring our software and sensors work as they’re supposed to on this new vehicle.” The Google car uses the same technology as its fleet of Lexus SUVs which has logged some 1.6 million kilometers (one million miles). “So the new prototypes already have lots of experience to draw on – in fact, it’s the equivalent of about 75 years of typical American adult driving Read More …