Maniolas

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. delivers his speech at the opening of the Second Regular Session of the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa Bldg. in Quezon City on Monday morning (July 28, 2014). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – As calls for the government to cut income tax rates gain ground, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Tuesday raised the possibility of the House of Representatives passing a legislation lowering income tax rates by 2016. In a text message, Belmonte said the House is currently studying proposals to adjust income tax brackets since “inflation greatly affected the rates.” When asked if it’s possible for the lower chamber to approve a bill reducing tax rates during the 16th Congress, Belmonte said: “If there’s already a draft prepared by a qualified body, baka puede.” At least three bills seeking to lower individual tax rates by as much as 15 percent have been filed at the House. The House ways and means committee chaired by Marikina City Rep. Romero Quimbo is set to begin deliberations on these proposals next week. The Philippines has the highest income tax rate among Southeast Asian countries at 32 percent. Quimbo expressed confidence that the House will be able to approve a measure reducing income tax rates during the 16th Congress. “I am very optimistic it will pass under my watch as chair… I am an author myself of a bill [to] comprehensively review and lower tax incidence,” he said in a separate text message. Majority Leader Rep. Neptali Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III distributes vouchers for Scholarship Grants to beneficiaries during the Ceremonial Launch of Sajahatra Bangsamoro Program: Peace Dividends of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) in Barangay Salimbao, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on Monday (February 11, 2013). The strong partnership between the government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has become more evident as both sides work together in the process of identifying beneficiaries and their immediate needs that will be addressed by the Sajahatra Bangsamoro program. The FAB indicated that “the Parties agree to intensify development efforts for rehabilitation, reconstruction, and development of the Bangsamoro, and institute programs to address the needs of MILF combatants, internally displaced persons, and poverty-stricken communities.” In photo is MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim. (Photo by: Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau). MANILA (Mabuhay) – The draft Bangsamoro Basic Law has been submitted to President Benigno Aquino III’s office, deputy presidential spokesperson Undersecretary Abigail Valte said Thursday. In a text message, Valte said the Palace is just waiting for presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles’ statement on the matter. Deles just said the peace process is “on track,’” and that further details on the Bangsamoro bill will be issued on Friday. A separate report on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front website said the draft Bangsamoro bill was submitted to Aquino’s office on Wednesday night. MILF chief negotiator and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal reportedly signed the cover letter of Read More …

Highclere Castle©AFP/Jack Sharp (Relaxnews) – Fans of Emmy-nominated TV series like “Downton Abbey,” “Breaking Bad” and “House of Cards” can get psyched for the awards show Monday by making virtual visits to filming locations and TV sets via Google Maps. Fans of the period drama “Downton Abbey,” for instance, can parachute into West Berkshire, England and take a virtual tour of Highclere Castle where the series is filmed. Images capture different sides of the set location: under a melancholy British sky, and a spurt of summer sunshine. While Freddy’s BBQ Rib Joint may be fictional, the storefront of Frank Underwood’s favorite restaurant in “House of Cards” is real, and exists on a derelict street in Baltimore. Thanks to the hit series “Breaking Bad,” a fast food restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico that serves burritos, burgers and enchiladas has become a pilgrimage site for fans. If you, like many diehard fans, are planning a pilgrimage to the restaurant that played Los Pollos Hermanos in the series — a fried chicken restaurant that served as a front for a crystal meth empire — get a preview of the area with Google Street View. And “Game of Thrones” fans may recognize the scenery of Ait-Ben-Haddou in Marrakech as the setting of Yunkai, or Yellow City, conquered by the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen. For the collection of images and footage visit http://bit.ly/1l0d9a3. vs/cm

Gia Janella Padiernos is crowned Miss GAPASCA. CERRITOS – The scholarship program of the Gapan City Association of Southern California (GAPASCA) got a big boost last August 9 during the inaugural ball of the new organization at the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel. Following the inspirational speech by GAPASCA chairperson Nimfa Castro, three benefactors contributed $1,000 financial grant each before the night ended. With the added funds, GAPASCA will be able to sponsor 12 graduating students from various high schools in Gapan. Each scholar will be given financial assistance of up to P40,000 each towards tuition. Castro said some officers and members of GAPASCA will hold a banquet for the scholars in March 2015 in Gapan. She thanked the members and benefactors for their overwhelming support to the scholarship program. The successful inaugural ball was full house and attended by Gapanenses from all over California. They were joined in the celebration by town mates from other states and from the Philippines. Gapanenses from different generations participated in the program and the inducted officers were also multi-generational. Nueva Ecija Vice Gov. GP Padiernos, a former LA resident and a native Gapanense, was the guest speaker. Larry Camus, president, and Nimfa Castro, chairman of the board, led the officers who were inducted by Vice Consul Mary Joy Ramirez. The first set of GAPASCA officers with Nueva Ecija Vice Gov. GP Padiernos and Vice Consul Mary Joy Ramirez. Also inducted were Gina Patulandong, VP Budget & Finance; Marissa Yamsuan , VP Membership; Ramil Garcia, VP Read More …

New America Media sponsored a recent forum at the UTLA auditorium to discuss changes in protecting the integrity of education. Among those invited in the panel of discussion were: newly-elected National Education Association (NEA) President, Lily Eskelsen-Garcia, Alex Caputo-Pearl, UTLA President and Mikki Cichocki-Semo, California Teachers Assn. (CTA) Secretary-Treasurer. NEA is the nation’s largest professional employee organization representing 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers. As the newly-elected NEA President, Ms. Garcia initially related her humble beginnings as a Latina, whose parents were not educated. Her mother was a native of Panama and her dad was from Nicaragua and she recalled how she started as a lunch lady in a school cafeteria in Utah after she graduated from high school. Further she said, she was actually the “salad girl” because the cafeteria management refused to allow her near the “hot food.” Through the encouragement of her teacher, she pursued her college education at the University of Utah through student loans and by “singing at bars and coffeehouses accompanied by her first husband, Ruel Eskelsen. She graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Elementary Education and earned a masters degree in Instructional Technology and taught for nine years at the Orchard Elementary School in West Valley, Utah, where she was named Teacher of the Year. She rose up the ranks and joined the NEA executive committee in 1996. Currently, as the newly elected President of the 3 million member Read More …