Maniolas

By IAN JOHN M. LAGARE Mayor Rivera inspects blast site: General Santos City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (in black shirt) inspects the blast site at the Plaza Heneral SantosTuesday evening, September 16. An official statement from the PNP, JTF Gensan, and the local government unit of General Santos City said the explosion that took place around 7:45 in the evening was caused possibly by a grenade. The blast occurred in the Rizal Monument of Plaza Heneral Santos. The monument is about 30 meters away from City Hall. As of press time there were no shrapnel or fragments found in the site. Mayor Rivera immediately visited the victims in St Elizabeth Hospital and GSC Hospital and assured he will handle the expenses of their treatment. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo) GENERAL SANTOS CITY – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera immediately rushed to the explosion site at Plaza Heneral Santos Tuesday evening (September 16) then visited hospitals where victims were taken to look after their safety. A blast took place in the Rizal Monument of Plaza Heneral Santos around 7:45 in the evening Tuesday. The monument is about 30 meters away from City Hall. An official statement from the PNP, JTF Gensan, and the local government unit of General Santos City said the explosion was caused possibly by a grenade. The victims only sustained minor injuries. As of noon today only three victims remain at St. Elizabeth Hospital while all the rest have been discharged, including those brought to General Santos City Hospital. Mayor Rivera visited the patients and checked Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III listens to the briefing on the status of the volume of passengers by SWIPTS terminal manager Dir. Amante Salvador during the inspection on the security arrangements and facilities at the Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport System (SWIPTS) departure area at the Uniwide Coastal Mall in Baclaran, Parañaque City on Thursday (October 31, 2013) to ensure the safety of the passengers for the observance of the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day during the Visit to Major Terminals in Metro Manila for DOTC’s Undas 2013 “Oplan Ligtas Biyahe”. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Manila City government may have lifted its daytime truck ban but it insists the ban did not cause the port congestion. Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno said the port congestion is due to the failures of national government agencies. He said the national government is only using the city government of Manila as a scapegoat for its failures. “Blame sila ng blame. Ang scapegoat Manila. Hindi inaamin ng national government yung mga iresponsableng tao doon sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng gobyerno, na ang port congestion, before truck ban, ay meron na,” he said. “With or without truck ban, you will have port congestion. Anong mga reasons? Inefficiency in different agencies. Maybe there’s a problem with BOC (Bureau of Customs), PPA (Philippine Ports Authority), DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications), or maybe there’s a problem with allowing green-plated trucks, for example LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), he added. Moreno also noted that the Read More …

Ruffa Gutierrez (MNS photo) All’s well that ends well between actresses Shaina Magdayao and Ruffa Gutierrez, who made headlines years ago over their supposed tiff over actor John Lloyd Cruz. A post of Gutierrez on the image-sharing site Instagram shows her with Magdayao and other people inside a gym. In the caption, Gutierrez said: “Back at the #HouseOfPain with @cjaplyo2 & guess who I bump into? After all these years dito pa kami nagkita. ☺️ and just like that, all’s well that ends well. Peace, Shaina!” Magdayao commented in the said post saying: “Heehee Peace! Happy BER months ahead.” Magdayao even reposted the photo in her own account, adding the caption that it’s a good way to start the “ber” months. Gutierrez then commented that she is grateful that their reconciliation happened “in God’s perfect time.” In 2010, Magdayao was in a relationship with the Kapamilya actor when it was reported that she sent Gutierrez text messages, telling the former beauty queen to leave them alone. Magdayao did this supposedly because Gutierrez and Cruz continued to communicate with each other even if she was already in a relationship with the actor. When Cruz and Magdayao broke up years after, Gutierrez was also tagged as one of the reasons behind the separation. Cruz and Magdayao, however, clarified then that Gutierrez had nothing to do with their breakup. Magdayao and Gutierrez are currently single, while Cruz is now in a relationship with actress Angelica Panganiban. (MNS)

President Benigno S. Aquino III tours the exhibit area upon arrival for the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Membership Meeting and Launch of Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Program (MIAP) at the Function Hall 3, SMX Convention Center of the SM Lanang Premier in Lanang, Davao City on Monday (September 08, 2014). The event aims to rally PBSP members and other Mindanao companies around the idea of inclusive business, specifically to support PBSP’s MIAP on priority industries: coffee, cacao, corn, palm oil and rubber. Moreover, it seeks to present opportunities for the business sector regarding possible IB investments in Bangsamoro. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – An organization of provincial garlic farmers and traders on Wednesday assured that there is adequate supply of garlic in the country and blamed big-time “smugglers and illegal traders” out to corner the bulk of the garlic import allocation over the media hype on the alleged shortage of the crop. In a letter to Rep. Agapito H. Guanlao, chair of the House committee on Food Security, the farmer cooperatives who are part of the National Garlic Action Team (NGAT) also denied engaging in smuggling or hoarding as claimed by their big-time trading counterparts. “It is evident that the media hype on the artificial shortage and the earlier issue on the import permit monopolization is the handiwork of smugglers and illegal traders who, by publicly pinning the blame on local producers, intend to ease out farmers’ cooperatives and associations from their 60 percent share in the country’s garlic Read More …

CAPITOL HILL MEETING. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, accompanied by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Rep. Abigail Binay-Campos, discuss bilateral issues with Rep. Ed Royce, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States House of Representatives, during a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. (Philippine Embassy Photo by Ariel Penaranda) MANILA (Mabuhay) – It’s now official. The Senate blue ribbon committee has formally invited Vice President Jejomar Binay to attend the panel’s subcommittee hearing regarding the alleged overpricing in the construction of the Makati City Hall building II. The letter signed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III was sent September 11, when the committee held its fifth hearing on the issue, but was released to the media only on September 15, Monday. The letter stated that the committee “is requesting your presence in its sixth public hearing on Thursday, September 25, 2014, at 10 a.m. at the Senate session hall…to inform the committee about what you know regarding the subject matter under inquiry. We look forward to your Honor’s presence during the said hearing.” Binay was supposed to hold a live address on the issue Monday afternoon but he rescheduled it to go to northern Luzon and assess the damage brought by Typhoon Luis. Joey Salgado, Binay’s spokesperson, said they did not receive any invitation from the Blue Ribbon committee. “No invitation received,” Salgado said. Kickbacks, plunder complaint Last week, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado accused Binay of receiving 13 percent kickback in every project the Read More …