Maniolas

Here is something positive, for a change, to say about what the Aquino administration is doing for the good of the country. Of course, this is not about the Mamasapano massacre or President Noynoy’s desire to railroad the approval of the now controversial Bangsamoro bill pending in Congress. This is about the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) now sporting a new look to the delight of hundreds of passengers arriving and departing in Manila on a daily basis. The government has spent a huge amount of money to rehabilitate the 34-year old Terminal 1 to ensure the safety, comfort and convenience of arriving and departing passengers. Unlike before, passengers were thrilled and happy about the big changes in the airport – from the air-conditioning system to the spotless bathrooms in the airport. The once yellow-stained and foul-smelling lavatories are reportedly being cleaned from time to time by airport janitors who also make sure that there are toilet papers available at all times. The balding President BS Aquino was reported to be grinning from ear to ear after he and his yellow-clad t-shirt rah rah boys personally inspected the operations and security set ups at the airport. The balding President was in a joyful mood as he spoke with reporters while touring the newly rehabilitated facility. This was a far cry from his interview with airport reporters in October of last year wherein NAIA was named as the world’s worst airport by most travel guide websites. Known for being irritable whenever Read More …

Dior Five Couleurs Kingdom Of Colors. ©Dior. All rights reserved. (Relaxnews)  – It’s time to give spring an eyeful! The look for this season is bold and playful, with flashes of vibrant color really bringing out your peepers. From chalky pastels to disco-inspired metallics, the key hereis boldness. A good way to begin is with Guerlain’s “Ecrin 4 Colors” palette, which includes easier golden and smoky bronzed shades as well as a pastel pink and deep khaki, which can be used at the inner or outer corners of the eye or run across the lids for effect. Chanel, too, has played things relatively safe with its pretty “Les Quatre Ombres” palette ($61) coming in various combinations of strong gun metals, soft creams and cherry pinks. An excellent in-between option is Lancome’s Spring Multipalette “My French Palette” ($58), which combines soft pink and beige shades with bolder turquoises and emeralds. Dior, meanwhile, has embraced the theme wholeheartedly, launching a “Five Couleurs Kingdom Of Colors” especially for the season (€59, approximately $63), with the collection divided into pinks and greens. It is followed by the younger and punkier brand Urban Decay, which has launched its “Moondust” eyeshadows ($20 each) in six new iridescent metallic hues.

Labor groups stage their own passion play in Mendiola, Manila on Tuesday in time with Holy Week. As Filipino Catholics observe religious traditions during the week, the workers used the occasion to depict contemporary “crosses” being carried by workers. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — A fine as high as P200,000 and jail time of up to 20 years await those who will obstruct the apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders should the bill filed by Albay Rep. Fernando Gonzalez becomes a law. House Bill 5521 filed last March seeks to amend Presidential Decree No. 1829, entitled “Penalizing Obstruction of Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal Offenders.” The bill seeks to increase the penalties for the obstruction of justice from prision correccional in its maximum period of six years to reclusion temporal in its maximum period of 20 years. The maximum fine will likewise be raised from a maximum of P6,000 to P200,000, while the minimum fine will go up from P1,000 to P50,000. The penalties shall be imposed on any person who prevents witnesses from testifying in any criminal proceeding or from reporting the commission of any offense or the identity of any offender/s by means of bribery, misrepresentations, deceit, intimidation, force or threats. In the bill’s explanatory note, Gonzales said the penalties imposed under PD 1829 have remained unchanged since it was enacted by then-President Ferdinand Marcos in 1 981. The decree was issued to penalize any person who knowingly or willingly obstructs, impedes, frustrates or delays the apprehension and Read More …

Heart Evangelista (MNS Photo) Actress Heart Evangelista admitted that she is taking birth control pills since she does not want to get pregnant yet. Evangelista explained that still has to finish all her obligations before she can have a baby. “If I stop, I’ll get pregnant. My doctor advised me not to stop yet, and then, after months, I’ll stop, and I’ll do… ‘yun. I’ll finish first ‘yung [obligations], then I’ll get pregnant. Ang hirap din kasi ‘yung nagsu-shoot ako for a commercial, tapos buntis ako,” she said. But the actress stressed that she wants to build her own family with husband, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. “If it’s a boy, I might name him Francis, like Chiz. If girl, I might name her Sofia. Exciting talaga. ‘Yung kids naman niya (Chiz), they’re asking kung kailan. Kung prepared na ako? More or less,” she said. Meanwhile, the actress shared that she enjoys spending time with Escudero’s kids with former wife Christine Flores. “The boy is very easy, nasa stage siya na nagba-basketball siya. So hindi na siya maka-relate sa scrapbook mode namin ni daughter. He’s on his own na. The girl, she needs more attention, I think,” she said. “As of now, we’re living separately, but in the same village, so nilalakad lang. Hindi pa naman siya drastic, pero slowly din, which is okay. Like today, it’s summer, nasa bahay sila lagi,” she added. Escudero and Evanglista tied the knot last February 15 at the Balesin Island Club. (MNS)

Bobby T. Rimas, the current UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Director, and the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association and supporters at L.A. Rose Café where they announced that the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Endowment has reached $91,000. On Thursday, March 26, the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association and supporters held a dinner at the L.A. Rose Café and announced that the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Endowment reached $91,000, which supports the UCLA Pilipino Alumni / Lovell Sevilla Scholarship Program.  There were also several discussions on how to continually increase the endowment, which is key to helping several students receive a world-class education at UCLA.  A UCLA Pilipino Alumni (PAA) Fundraising Plan was introduced at the dinner by UCLA PAA Fundraising Director Linda Reyes.  UCLA PAA Scholarship Committee Member Mark Bautista was thanked for his recent efforts to obtain tax-deductible donations for the endowment. Bobby T. Rimas, the current UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Director stated, “This is a real exciting time for UCLA Pilipino Alumni to have the opportunity to take the endowment to the next level which, in turn, will eventually serve more students.  Our goal is to have the endowment reach over $100,000 by July.” The dinner was one of several events of a renewed scholarship campaign to strengthen the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Endowment and to honor Ms. Lovell Sevilla, who served as the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Director from 1995 through 2000 and was instrumental in establishing the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Endowment.  In 2010, she was awarded the UCLA Chancellor’s Excellence in Service Award for expanding diversity Read More …