Maniolas

In this photo taken Feb. 25, 2014 by surveillance planes and released Thursday, May 15, 2014, by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, a Chinese vessel, top center, is used to expand structures and land on the Johnson Reef, called Mabini by the Philippines and Chigua by China, at the Spratly Islands at South China Sea, Philippines. The Philippines has protested China’s reclamation of land in the disputed reef in the South China Sea that can be used to build an airstrip or an offshore military base in the increasingly volatile region, the country’s top diplomat and other officials said Wednesday, May 14, 2014. The white arrow was added by the source. (MNS photo) Beijing, China | AFP | – China on Sunday slammed the Philippines for challenging its territorial claims over the South China Sea through international arbitration, refusing to back down just a week before a deadline to respond in the case. The Philippines infuriated China in March by filing a formal plea with a United Nations tribunal challenging Beijing’s maritime claims. The tribunal gave Beijing until December 15 to reply, but China reaffirmed Sunday that it would not submit to arbitration to resolve the dispute, which has heightened tensions. “By initiating compulsory arbitration at this moment, the Philippines is running counter to the common wish and joint efforts of China and ASEAN member states,” the government said in a lengthy position paper. “Its underlying goal is not… to seek peaceful settlement of the South China Sea issue, Read More …

MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Department of Transportation and Communications prequalified four groups bid for the central transport terminal project under the public private partnership (PPP) program. In separate letters for prequalification, DOTC said the following groups can bid for the P4-billion Integrated Transport System (ITS) project-South Terminal: Datem Inc., as prospective bidder, with LKY Development Corp. as operations and maintenance (O&M) contractor Filinvest Land Inc., as prospective bidder, with DDT Konstract Inc. as construction contractor and Festival Supermall Inc. and Pro-Excel Property Managers Inc. as O&M contractors MWM Terminals, Megawide Construction Corp. as lead member, WM Property Management Inc. as consortium member Ayala Land Inc. as prospective bidder, Makati Development Corp. as construction contractor and Ayala Property Management Corp. as O&M contractor However, these companies failed to meet the initial hurdle: EEI Corp. – proposed to meet development expertise for Filinvest Land Inc. – was not qualified by the Prequalification, Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC) of the agency due to incomplete general information sheet. Maju TMAS Sdn. Bhd. – proposed to meet the O&M expertise for Ayala Land Inc. – was not qualified by PBAC due to incomplete requirements. The deparment is targeting April next year for the submission of bids, DOTC spokesman Michael Arthur Sagcal told GMA News Online. The ITS South Terminal project seeks to connect passengers from Laguna and Batangas to other urban transport systems such as the Philippine National Railways and public utility vehicles in inner Metro Manila. The project involves a passenger terminal building, arrival Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III poses with pupils of the newly repaired classrooms of Guiuan East Central School in Barangay 8, Poblacion, Guiuan during the visit to the province of Eastern Samar on Friday (November 07). It was in Guiuan where super Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest typhoon ever recorded, made its first landfall on November 08, 2013. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – On the 67th year of the historic adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, human rights groups called on the Philippine government to lead the way in protecting rights defenders amid an integrated ASEAN economy. In a joint statement on Wednesday, December 10, the Medical Action Group (MAG) and Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) said, “the Philippines should ensure that the leadership it shows in terms of promoting human rights in the ASEAN is reflected in our national laws.” MAG and TFDP were referring to the looming integration of ASEAN economies in 2015, which might have a deep impact on the economic, social, and cultural rights of Filipinos, especially of human rights defenders. They said human rights can be protected and advanced through the enactment of a law, even as efforts should be made in conducting a comprehensive legislative audit in order to review and repeal policies that sometimes criminalize defenders in doing their work. MAG and TFDP claimed their records show an “alarming increase in the use of laws to impede activities of human rights defenders.” “We Read More …

Household income, consumer spending, and poverty levels vary widely among AAPI groups WASHINGTON, D.C.  – A new research report from AARP reveals economic disparity among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) age 50+. When viewed as a whole, AAPIs appear more financially secure than the general population, but the aggregate totals and median averages mask a large wealth and income gap among AAPIs. While a few AAPI groups have higher levels of household income and consumer spending, many more Asian ethnic groups are at or below poverty levels compared to the general population of the same age. “We are committed to bringing attention to the needs of AAPI 50+ so that gaps in knowledge about and services for these communities are met,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience. “AAPIs are consistently understudied and underserved. Our research demonstrates that the priority needs of AAPIs differ by ethnic group, age, language, income, the length of time they’ve lived in the U.S., and other factors.” AARP’s report about the economic security of older AAPIs reveals that: AAPIs age 65+ are more economically vulnerable compared to the total U.S. population of the same age because they are less likely to have pensions, social security, and other financial products like health insurance and retirement savings: 14% of AAPIs age 65+ are on food stamps vs. 9% of the total U.S. 65+ population 13% of AAPIs age 65+ live in poverty vs. 9% of the total Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III listens as Filipina international singer Lea Salonga renders a song as an intermission number during the presentation of awards of the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 05). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday honored 33 outstanding overseas Filipinos and foreign-based organizations during the conferment of the 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas held in Malacañang Palace. In his speech, President Aquino expressed his gratitude to the awardees, noting that although they are based overseas, they have contributed to nation building. “While the awards you receive today are symbols of your success, I am hopeful that you also treat them as invitations: to continue your pursuit of excellence, and the way you bring pride and honor to our country,” he said. “Let us continue doing our very best to fulfill our individual roles in nation building. We have changed the way the world sees us, and we must build on this; we must ride our current momentum and show the world that the excellence of the Filipino knows no bounds.” The Chief Executive said that in the past four years of his administration, the support of the Filipino people has allowed his government to turn the country’s fortunes around for the better. With the help of the people, he said, the government has been able to carry out reforms, overhaul the Read More …