Maniolas

Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday presents a copy of the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) report and discusses the findings of the Senate committee on public order that she heads. Poe affirmed most of the BOI’s findings and stressed President Aquino’s responsibility on the incident. (MNS photo) MANILA, Apr 16 (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe is one of the strong contenders for the presidency if elections were held today as the latest survey by pollster Social Weather Stations showed she has narrowed the gap between her and first-placer Vice President Jejomar Binay. The SWS survey conducted March 20 to 23 showed second-placer Poe enjoying a big increase from her previous 21 percent rating in December to 31 percent in March. Binay remained on top with 36 percent, a one-percent drop from the 37 percent in December. Binay had suffered huge drops in his satisfaction ratings since he was linked to corruption charges. His camp has denied the allegations, saying these were politically motivated. On the other hand, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was third place in the survey, also surging ahead to 15 percent in March from 5 percent in December. Poe and Duterte have yet to announce their plans to run for president in 2016. The survey had asked respondents to name up to three people who they thought should succeed President Benigno Aquino III. Results of the survey were posted Thursday on SWS’ media partner BusinessWorld. Duterte tied with Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, whose score Read More …

Election Sites LOS ANGELES — City Clerk Holly L. Wolcott would like to remind voters of important dates pertaining to the Vote-By-Mail (VBM) process for the 2015 General Municipal Election to be held on May 19, 2015. California State law gives all registered voters the option to vote by mail regardless of whether or not they anticipate being “absent” on Election Day.  A voter who is not currently a permanent VBM voter must submit an application in order to receive a VBM ballot for each election. First and Last Day to Apply for a VBM Ballot Those who intend to vote by mail in the 2015 General Municipal Election may submit an application for a VBM ballot beginning Monday, April 20, 2015.  All applications must be received by the Election Division no later than Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 5 p.m.  Applications can be mailed to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division, 555 Ramirez St., Space 300, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or faxed to (213) 978-0611 or (213) 978-0612.  If you are a permanent VBM voter, you do not need to complete an application; you will receive a VBM ballot automatically. Applications for a VBM ballot can be found on the back cover of the Official Sample Ballot, which is mailed to all eligible, registered voters.  Applications are also available on the City Clerk’s election website in English and the following languages: Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. In-Person Voting in City Clerk Offices Voters may also receive a VBM ballot Read More …

Jojo Aguilar with actress, dancer, and robotics mentor Emma Dumont (star of NBC’s “Aquarius” and ABC Family’s “Bunheads”) at the 2014 FIRST Robotics World Championships. LOS ANGELES, C.A.  – We are pleased to announce that Filipino-American, Jojo Aguilar, is returning as the Master of Ceremony for the 2014 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics World Championships in St. Louis, Missouri on April 22-25, 2015 at the Edward Jones Dome. More than 10,000 high school students from around the globe will travel to compete their custom-built robots and put them to the test.    FIRST is non-profit organization which produces robotics competition around the world exposing students K-12 to  the exciting opportunities in science, technology and engineering fields through robotics. “After being the Master of Ceremony for the FIRST Robotics Los Angeles Regional Competition during the last six years and hosting the World Championships the last three years, being invited back to host another world championships is very exciting for me,” says Aguilar. FIRST Robotics Competition Director, Frank Merrick, recently said of Aguilar’s performance as Master of Ceremonies, “He was high energy all weekend long, hit all the right notes and kept tuned in to the spectators.” “Jojo easily gained the respect and admiration of competing students and other event workers at the competition in an atmosphere of significant pressure,” says FIRST Production Developer, Blair Hundertmark. FIRST Robotics Competition combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology.  Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fundraise, design a brand, exercise Read More …

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, Apr 15 (Mabuhay) – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV trained his guns on Wednesday at the daughter of Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay after the lawmaker challenged him to show proof that her family paid members of the Court of Appeals to stop the suspension of her brother as mayor of Makati City. “Alam nyo parang mga bata itong mga ito, puro na lang hamon. Inimbitahan mo sa Senado ayaw namang humarap,” (They are like children, who like to issue challenges. But call them to the Senate and they don’t appear) Trillanes told reporters. Instead of giving in to the challenge of Abigail, the senator said was looking into how she used her pork barrel funds or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). “I will take on the challenge to investigate yung anomaly ng PDAF nya,” he said. “Na challenge ako. Ginanahan ako. Pina-research ko yung mga bulate sa Makati and in time ipe-present natin,” he said. The senator said Representative Binay supposedly allocated funds for organic fertilizers in Makati City, which he said has no agricultural Read More …