Maniolas

High waves brought about by strong winds pound a fish port, hours before typhoon Ruby passes near the city of Legazpi on Sunday. Ruby tore apart homes and sent waves crashing through coastal communities across central Philippines, adding to the spate of deadly disasters. (MNS photo) Manila, Philippines | AFP |  – Typhoon Hagupit was on Sunday churning across the Philippines, the latest in a never-ending series of often-deadly storms that plague the Southeast Asian archipelago. With more than 7,100 islands, the country is hit by an average of 20 typhoons or tropical storms each year. The storms are created above the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, and the Philippines’ islands are often the first major landmass they hit as they move northwest. The following are the 10 deadliest typhoons on record in the Philippines*. 1. Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest storm ever recorded on land, destroys entire towns across the central Philippines on November 8, 2013. When the government stopped its count months later, more than 7,350 people were listed as dead or missing. 2. Tropical Storm Thelma unleashes flash floods on the central city of Ormoc on Leyte island on November 15, 1991, killing more than 5,100. 3. Typhoon Bopha smashes into the main southern island of Mindanao on December 3, 2012. Rarely hit by major storms, the unprepared region suffers about 1,900 people dead or missing. 4. Typhoon Ike hits the central Philippines on August 31, 1984, killing 1,363 people. 5. Typhoon Washi Read More …

The California Association of Healthcare Facilities has recently awarded  Southland’s Director of Nursing, Shony Del Pilar with the prestigious “2014 Nurse of the Year” award, which was “designed to recognize an outstanding professional in the field of nursing, who has demonstrated superb leadership, a strong commitment to quality patient care and a devotion in improving the lives of patients as well as the employees they work with on a daily basis.” The Award announcement stated: Shony Del Pilar is regularly recognized as one of the strongest clinician’s in the community. Known for her personal approach with residents, efective departmental organization and tireless work ethic, she continuously focuses on improving resident health, safety and quality of life and her drive to achieve excellence  makes Southland a better place for patients, family members and staff.” Shony del Pilar Born as Asuncion “Shony” Romero by father Eric Sr., from Pampanga and mother, Maria Floresca from Catarman, Samar, Shony was raised in Taguig, Rizal, where she graduated high school from Foundation College. Ambitious and focused on a carreer in Nursing early on, Shony was determined to pursue a degree in Nursing by enrolling at the Far Eastern University in Manila, where she graduated with a degree in Nursing in 1978. Initially, she worked as a staff nurse at the Pasig General Hospital and while working there, she learned of the benefits of being a daughter of a US Veteran, thus with sheer luck, she subsequently was able to emigrate to the US in search of distant relatives who were kind enough to Read More …

John Estrada (MNS Photo) Before becoming one of today’s prized actors, John Estrada was a teenager in Basilan who never stopped dreaming of appearing on TV one day. His grandmother initially thought his ambition was pie in the sky until producer Douglas Quijano discovered him to play a part in the iconic sitcom “Palibhasa Lalake.” The show gave John the opportunity to have more than what he asked for. He also met there Janice de Belen, with whom he would later have four children. “Tuwing nanonood ako ng TV sa Basilan no’n, katabi ko lagi ’yung lola ko. Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘‘’Di bale, balang araw, makikita mo ako diyan.’ Sabi ng lola ko, ‘Ha? Ikaw talaga apo oh.’ Mahirap daw managinip ng gising.” There came a time when ABS-CBN management wanted to “kill” his character on “Palibhasa Lalake” but the show producer stood by his side. “After a year, gusto akong tanggalin ng ABS-CBN dahil hindi daw ako nagwo-work as a third guy on the show. Pero sabi ni Douglas, ‘Kung tatanggalin si John, tanggalin niyo na ’yung buong (cast ng) ‘Palibhasa,’” he shared. “Pero sinabihan ako ni Dougs nu’n, ‘Kung hindi ka pa magse-shape up, wala akong magagawa, tatanggalin ka.” Interestingly enough, John is the only talent from “Palibhasa Lalake” who has stayed with ABS-CBN all these times. “Hindi naman loyalty, pero parang ayaw nila akong pakawalan kasi may mga kumukuha naman sa aking iba,” he said. “I’m so proud to say that for 25 years, I stayed Read More …

SEOUL, South Korea) President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes National Pension Service (NPS) of Korea chairman and chief executive officer Kwang Choi during a meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here during his State Visit on Friday (October 18). NPS has gained over 20 million contributors, 3.3 million beneficiaries and emerged as the third largest pension fund in the world with over 400 trillion won in assets. Also in photo are Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Rough and cold weather has been hindering the search for the 52 people, including 10 Filipinos, who went missing after a Korean vessel sank off Russia, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez said Wednesday. Hernandez said despite the challenge, authorities are doing their best “to do what needs to be done during the search and rescue operations.” “Search and rescue operations is ongoing, and we have yet to hear the authorities here in Seoul, and also from our embassy in Moscow,” he said, adding the families of those missing have already been contacted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). There were 13 Filipinos aboard the ill-fated vessel, but three have already been rescued. Hernandez said the three, whom he refused to identify, are in stable condition, and will be brought either to South Korea or the Philippines. “So far, wala pa kaming naririnig na developments sa pagbabalik nila sa Korea or repatriation [to Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III, assisted by Mrs. Bernardita Bautista, confers the Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of Chief Commander on outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista during the Testimonial Review and AFP Change of Command Ceremony at the AFP General Headquarters Grandstand, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City Friday (July 18, 2014). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Col. Restituto Padilla Jr. will succeed Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., who will retire on Dec. 4 after holding the post since May 2013. Armed Forces of the Philippines A distinguished Philippine Air Force officer will be the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ new spokesperson, the military announced Saturday. The AFP said incoming spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla Jr. will succeed Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., who will retire on Dec. 4 after holding the post since May 2013. “Padilla has just finished his stint as the Philippine Liaison to the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) in Hawaii and is now the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, J7,” the AFP said. It will not be Padilla’s first spokesman stint – he had served as PAF public information chief in 2006 and Secretary of Air Staff in 2007. According to the AFP, Padilla is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sandiwa” Class of 1985 and will be a spokesman for the 120,000-strong AFP. The AFP also said Padilla was recently awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his extraordinary planning Read More …