Maniolas

President Benigno S. Aquino III is received by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr., upon arrival for the Opening Ceremony of the 2013 Philippine M.I.C.E. Conference (MICECON 2013) at the 3rd Floor, SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premiere in Davao City on Thursday (March 07, 2013). The MICE Conference is a prestigious gathering of key players in the travel and tourism industry. The conference will provide the Host an opportunity to showcase its destinations to approximately 400 stakeholders in the tourism industry comprised of: travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, resort owners, professional congress/ exhibition/event organizers, association/corporate executives, destination management companies, airline representatives, local government officials, academe, students and the media. (MNS photo)). MANILA (Mabuhay) – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may not have made up his mind yet about Malacanang but it looks like he is weighing the odds of a presidential bid. His political adviser Lito Banayo said Duterte has been visiting provinces to get the pulse of the people. Banayo said Duterte has also agreed to join immersion seminars with experts from various fields to firm up his possible platform. He said he expects numbers and analysis on Duterte’s prospects to trickle in by April. He said it’s either the presidency or nothing once Duterte decides. “Kinlaro ko yun sa kanya noong Jan. 8. Kung saka-sakali ba, willing ka ba to slide down to vice president? At ang sabi niya, kung tatakbo at all, it’s the presidency. Otherwise I’ll just remain mayor Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III attends the Malacañang Prayer Gathering at the Malacañan Palace Grounds on Monday (March 09, 2015). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III is refusing to apologize over the January 25 Mamasapano incident to avoid civil or criminal liability arising from a confession, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said Wednesday. At a press conference, Santiago said Aquino was aware that he would lose his immunity from suits once his term ends in 2016. “He wants to avoid any liability arising from a confession after his term finishes in 2016. Remember that after he is no longer President, he becomes liable to all manner of suits. He loses his immunity from suit, both civil and criminal,” she said. “So he is afraid that if he apologizes, in effect, some court might consider that that is a confession admissible in law and in effect therefore he will be his own worst witness. That is why he does not want to apologize. He wants to evade any criminal or even civil liability after 2016,” she added. Various groups and several lawmakers have asked the President to apologize over the incident, where over 60 people, including 44 policemen, were killed, but Malacañang said Aquino already stated that he accepts responsibility over it. Political analyst Prof. Prospero de Vera and public relations expert  Reli German said Aquino’s reluctance to apologize was understandable, although both said apology could be done without using the word “sorry.” De Vera said instead of using Read More …

Makati City Hall department heads and employees read a letter of support for Mayor Junjun Binay after the acting mayor, Romulo Peña, issued an assumption of office order to all employees on Friday. Peña assumed office after the Court of Appeals’ TRO on Binay’s suspension. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Acting Makati Mayor Romulo Peña is seeking a dialogue regarding employees’ salaries with suspended Mayor Junjun Binay, who maintains that he is the one authorized to act on the matter. Peña is personally attending to matters to make sure the employees get their salaries, given the struggle for the top post of the city’s local government. Binay is still holding office at the new city hall, while Peña is currently at the old one. “Nagfo-focus na kaming mabuti doon sa mga dapat naming tinatrabaho regarding doon sa mga sweldo ng ating mga empleyado,” Peña said. He added: “Kinaklaro rin namin sa kanila na kami na ‘yung kinikilala ng Landbank kasi dalawa yata ‘yon, ilan ‘yung bangko namin.” The report also said Peña wants to talk to Binay regarding the employees’ salaries next payday. For his part, Binay said, “Makakasweldo ‘yung mga employees. Tapos na, naihanda na ‘yon. Ano’ng kailangang pag-usapan? Wala, eh.” Binay said he was signing vouchers, saying that the banks the city government are affiliated with, namely, Landbank and Philippine National Bank, recognize his signature on the said documents. Both banks have not released official statements on the matter. It added that Peña is also waiting for the Read More …

(Los Angeles, CA ) The Filipino Cultural School (FCS) will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary Banquet on Sunday, April 12, 2015 starting promptly at 5:00 pm to be held at the Sierra Room in the Cerritos Performing Arts Center in Cerritos, CA. The celebration will honor the 50 years of existence of Filipino Cultural School via speeches, dance performances, video presentations and entertainment. It will especially acknowledge those who took part in the FCS program in the past as well as those who are actively involved in the program today. With the growing influence of American culture in our everyday lives, it is easy to forget where we came from and our origins. This growing impact, without a doubt, affects the youth and can easily create a disparity between the American and Filipino cultures. Filipino Cultural School has encompassed and taught the youth the many different aspects of Filipino culture, such as dance, music, history, geography, lifestyle, and language. The school has been running a summer educational program that teaches the youth (specifically ages 5-18) about their Filipino culture. Furthermore, Filipino Cultural School strives to show the different sides of Filipino culture in hopes of preserving the culture for future generations. Founded in 1965 by the Sampaguita Women’s Circle, the Sampaguita Women opened FCS in the past several years other facilities to accommodate increasing enrollment in the South Bay Area, notably within Cerritos and Anaheim. Dolly Anthony, the first Directress of FCS spent most of her vacation time during the Read More …