Maniolas

BERLIN, Germany) President Benigno S. Aquino III arrives at the Berlin Tegel Airport for his official visit on Friday (September 19). Also in photo is Minister and Consul General Mardomel Celo Melicor escorting the president. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Monday said the government has allotted P14.8 million for President Benigno Aquino III’s four-day visit to the United States. The amount will cover the transportation, accommodation, food, equipment and other expenses of Aquino and his delegation. Aquino arrived in Boston on September 22 to attend the United Nations Climate Summit and to meet with business leaders, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said. He went straight tot he United States from his visit to Europe. Ochoa said Aquino will share with business leaders and the Filipino community in the US “the experience and successes of our country in implementing reforms and in dealing with the problem of corruption in government to political and business leaders in the US.” “He sees this visit to the US as an opportunity to push our agenda on trade, tourism, peace and security as well as further strengthen ties between our country and the US,” he added. Among the key personalities he will meet are the chief executive officer (CEO) of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the CEOs of the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council. Aquino is also expected to give a speech during the climate summit. “President Aquino will emphasize the need for world leaders to stand together Read More …

http://newfacla.org/ Los Angeles – Filipino Independent Films or Indie Films’ in Town, specifically, in FilipinoTown. The Historic Filipinotown Indie Film Festival LLC (HFIF LLC) has announced that the Historic Filipinotown Independent Film Festival  that will feature Filipino and Filipino-American independently-produced films from the Philippines will be launched on Wednesday, at 6 p.m. on October 15, 2014 at the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles Social Hall. Ms. Aleli Abrigo  Neal, leading producer of the HIFI LLC announced that the soft launching of the Historic Filipinotown Indie Film Festival, the first of its kind to be launched in the Historic Filipinotown district since it was proclaimed by the city of Los Angeles in 2002. The formal launching of the Historic Filipinotown Indie Festival is slated on December 2014 at the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA). HF Indie Film Festival, a Community Milestone Aleli Neal said, “This is the first step and an added milestone towards the cultural and political empowerment of the Filipino-American community in the United States. Many film festival have featured the Filipino films but usually these are subsumed or incorporated with API or Asian Film Festivals” JFAV Coordinator Arturo Garcia said, “ we hail this auspicious event because it is not only ambitious but also a step toward patronizing and a showcase the Filipino and Filipino-American Indie films produced in the Philippines. Especially at the time that the Philippine based Film Industry have faltered during the last twenty years. The Philippines was one has a thriving film industry that produces 200 Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the singing of the National Anthem during the ceremonial signing of Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacanang Palace on Wednesday (May 15). The K to 12 program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. In photo are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Senators Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon and Edgardo Angara, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., and Representatives Rosenda Ann Ocampo and Neptali Gonzales II. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II warned Thursday that persistent questions over the quorum and attacks on the proposed 2015 budget could delay its approval or, worse, force a reenacted budget next year. “And they say that a reenacted budget makes the incumbent president a strong president,” he added. Gonzales’ warning came after the plenary deliberation of the budget was suspended around 10 p.m. Wednesday despite a pending motion to adjourn called by Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco of the United Nationalist Alliance. Now in its fourth day in plenary, the deliberation on the proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 budget has been marked by long debates and questions over the quorum, which requires the presence of at least 146 of the Read More …

Philhealth says its 600 members nationwide may stop honoring Philhealth benefits because of the delayed release of reimbursements for services rendered but assures that all regional offices have made a commitment to pay claims of all providers faster than the 60 days processing time as mandated by law. Photo shows thousands of PhilHealth cards for General Santos beneficiaries taken last September 13, at Lagao gymnasium. Photo: Russell Delvo/Gensan Info Office MANILA (Mabuhay) – Seeking to make health care more accessible to citizens, the Senate of the Philippines on Wednesday passed on second reading a bill aiming to extend the coverage of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to all senior citizens. Senator Ralph Recto penned Senate Bill 712 which mandates the PhilHealth to automatically enroll all senior citizens regardless of their socio-economic status. “Enrolling them must be automatic, not optional. The ideal is that the minute they blow out the candles on their 60th birthday cake to the moment they breathe their last – they should be PhilHealth members,” Recto said. At present, Republic Act 9994 or Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 only indigent senior citizens are automatically covered by the national health insurance program. Recto also added that the bill will cater to 2.2 million more senior citizens and will need P5.2 billion budget annually to be implemented. The senator also said that the third reading approval of the bill is expected to be done next week. (MNS)

(MADRID, Spain) President Benigno Simeon Aquino III leads the wreath-laying ceremonies at the Rizal monument here on Sunday (September 14). The President will first visit Spain, then proceed to Belgium, France and Germany for two days each. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday indicated his opposition to proposals giving President Benigno Aquino III a chance at term extension through Charter change. “Basta’t ako I’m against Charter change except the economic provisions,” Binay told reporters when asked on his position on term extension. He was interviewed after his keynote speech at a mining conference in Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pasay City. Pressed if he would oppose the term extension of Aquino, the Vice President just said: “Paghalu-haluin mo na muna lahat basta sinasabi ko no to Charter change.” The Constitution provides for a single six-year term for the President and bans the incumbent Chief Executive from seeking re-election. On Monday, the President said there was still a chance to amend the Constitution to give him opportunity to extend his term. “Di ba may kasabihan tayo, kapag gusto walang imposible, kapag ayaw, walang posible. If the vast majority thinks that this the road that has to be taken, then there will be a way, based on the Constitution, to afford this opportunity,” Aquino told reporters earlier this week on board the presidential plane en route to Belgium. (MNS)