Maniolas

— Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, Bishop of Antipolo, leads the Palm Sunday rites to mark the start of the Holy Week at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Shrine or Antipolo Church in Antipolo City, Rizal on Sunday (March 29, 2015). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Is your city plaza or road named after a deceased relative of government officials or employees? This will be prohibited once Senate Bill 2707 authored by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is enacted into law. The proposed measure seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act 7160 or Local Government Code of 1991 which provides the Sangguniang Panlalawigan with the power to change the names of local government units, public places, streets and public structures within its territorial jurisdiction. The only limitation under the law is that such places and structures may not be named after any living person. So it has been the practice of some government officials to name public works after their deceased parents or grandparents, some of whom may share their name. “This practice is deplorably self-serving. Not only does it underhandedly increase their own prestige within their locality, it also has the insidious effect of perpetuating their political dynastic line by forcing street goers to repeatedly utter their family name,” Santiago said in her explanatory note. “This amounts to a circumvention of the law against premature campaigning, and at the expense of the taxpayers, no less,” she added. Under the bill, none of the local government units, Read More …

(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) – About 63% of adult Filipinos, equivalent to 37.4 million, have been “validated” to vote so far, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. The survey, the result of which was first published on BusinessWorld, also revealed that 30% of adult Filipinos, or an estimated 17.8 million, were registered but not validated as of the end of last year. Meanwhile, 8% – equivalent to some 4.5 million – had not registered. SWS said Mindanao had the highest proportion of validated voters at 69% (9.4 million); followed by the Visayas, 64% (7.4 million); “balance Luzon”, 63% (16.6 million); and Metro Manila, 50% (4.1 million). The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said a validated voter is one who is registered and whose photograph, fingerprint, and signature have been captured. The poll body, in its Resolution No. 9721 promulgated on June 26, 2013, said only validated voters will be allowed to vote in the 2016 presidential elections. Metro Manila had the highest proportion of registered but unvalidated voters at 39% (3.3 million); followed by balance Luzon, 31% (8.3 millon); the Visayas, 29% Read More …

Manny Pacquiao does his daily routine of exercises at Griffith Park in Los Angeles as the Filipino pugilist is in deep in training for the “fight of his life” against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Benny Uy Manila, Philippines, APF – Boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, who faces his biggest fight against unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather, already holds top spot as the number one taxpayer in the Philippines, government records showed Saturday. A list of top individual tax-payers for 2013, posted on the Bureau of Internal Revenue website, put the boxer-turned-congressman at number one with 163.84 million pesos ($3.72 million) in taxes paid. This was about 64 percent higher than the second-highest taxpayer. Internal revenue chief Kim Henares confirmed that Pacquiao topped the list but stressed that he still had a case pending over alleged non-payment of taxes earlier. Although hailed as a national hero for his boxing feats, Pacquiao has run afoul of tax officials before and is embroiled in a dispute with the revenue bureau saying he owed at least 2.2 billion pesos in unpaid taxes for 2008 and 2009. “It (the case) is still ongoing. No, he has not settled. Being a top tax-payer… does not mean he paid the correct taxes. The two (issues) are not synonymous,” Henares said in a statement to AFP. The boxer has previously insisted he paid the 2008 and 2009 taxes in the United States, so did not need to do Read More …

Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto (MNS photo) Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago have agreed not to bad-mouth each other in media interviews. Barretto said she and Santiago are trying their best to be better parents despite their failed marriage. “I actually talked to Raymart. Napag-usapan namin na sana let’s not talk about each other anymore. Let’s not accept questions regarding each other kung hindi maganda ‘yung sasabihin natin. We are trying to be good parents for the kids. We failed as husband and wife, we are trying to not fail as parents now,” she said. Earlier this month, the estranged couple made headlines when Barretto posted on Instagram pictures of their family as she and Santiago accompanied their children at a fun run organized by their school. “My daughter, she had ‘yung fun run. As family, we attended. We are very civil. We are talking,” she said. As proof of their “civil” relationship, Barretto revealed that their family actually had dinner some weeks after the fun run. Barretto earlier accused Santiago of “physical, sexual, psychological and economic” abuse, supposedly dating back to 2002. These are detailed in her complaint against the actor for his alleged violation of the Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children Act of 2004. Santiago, for his part, alleged that he was also a victim of domestic violence. In his complaint, the actor accused his wife of being mentally ill and having a history of drug abuse – claims backed by the actress’ estranged siblings Gretchen, Marjorie, Read More …

The free legal clinic included areas of law covered included family law, housing, public benefits, domestic violence, consumer, bankruptcy, workers’ rights, immigration, and landlord-tenant law. Around 15 people signed in to avail of free legal services. San Jose, California – The Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants-Silicon Valley (PAWIS-SV), in conjunction with the Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center (KGACLC), the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC), and Somos Mayfair , hosted a legal clinic on Saturday, March 28 at Somos Mayfair  located at 370 South King Rd, San Jose, CA 95116. Areas of law covered included family law, housing, public benefits, domestic violence, consumer, bankruptcy, workers’ rights, immigration, and landlord-tenant law. Around 15 people signed in to avail of free legal services. Many Filipinos, especially immigrants and low-income workers, need legal advice, yet do not seek it out because they do not know their rights, do not have the financial resources, and/or are afraid of angering abusive employers. PAWIS hosted its second clinic to encourage such people to address their potential legal issues without fear. “So many of our kababayans don’t get paid for overtime or all of the hours that they work, but they hesitate to fight for their unpaid wages because they are afraid of losing their jobs. Their employers illegally threaten them that they will deport the workers, even though they actually have rights as workers no matter what their immigration status is,” said Michael Dalupo, President of PAWIS. “At the same time, people have questions Read More …