Maniolas

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, poses questions to Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam mastermind during the hearing on Thursday (Nov. 7, 2013) at the Senate building in Pasay City. (MNS photo) MANILA, (Mabuhay) – A Commission on Audit official on Thursday admitted not seeing documents to show that Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr and his staff directly received kickbacks from Janet Lim-Napoles, but maintained the senator’s actions endorsing NGOs were “irregular.” “No, we don’t have (but) he (Revilla) endorsed NABCOR as one of the implementing agencies. He endorsed the NGO to be a partner in the implementation of the project, and he assigned his legislative staff lawyer (Richard Cambe) as his representative,” Susan Garcia, COA assistant commissioner, told the Sandiganbayan First Division during Revilla’s bail hearing. She was the director of the COA Special Audit Office which conducted the audit on the Priority Development Assistance Fund when the scam was exposed. The other implementing agencies endorsed by Revilla were Technology Resource Center and National Livelihood and Development Corporation. The endorsed NGOs were Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc., Social Development Program for Farmers Development (SDPFFI), Agri & Economic Program for Farmers Foundation. During the hearing, Associate Justice Rodolfo Ponferrada asked Garcia if Revilla’s acts were wrong. The COA official replied that the NGOs should have been selected through a public bidding. “NGOs are not mentioned in the General Appropriations Act. It should be the implementing agencies who should implement the project,” Garcia Read More …

The fourth-generation Mazda2 will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.©Mazda (Relaxnews) – Japanese manufacturer Mazda has presented the latest generation of its sub-compact city car, which now boasts a new on-board connectivity system and an updated style. The model is slated to make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. The design of the new Mazda2 is based on the Hazumi concept displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last spring. According to Mazda, the Japanese word “Hazumi” means both “bound” and “spring up” and was chosen to describe a vehicle that is small but “bursting with energy.” The future model will be available with the new Skyactiv-D 1.5 diesel engine with 105hp or with one of the Skyactiv-G 1.5 fuel engines ranging in power from 75 to 105hp. On the inside, the driver and passengers will enjoy the MZD Connect system, which offers access to a range of internet features through a 7-inch screen. Mazda announced that it has just begun producing the vehicle in Japan, where it is marketed as the Demio. The new vehicle will be unveiled to the public at the Paris Motor Show in October before its global launch in the following months. Since the launch of the first Mazda2 in 1996, the car has sold over 2.4 million units. db/ls/lwt

Julia Barretto (MNS Photo) THE camp of Julia Barretto clarified that the young actress’ decision to change her surname has nothing to do with the failure of his father, Dennis Padilla, to provide them financial support, but just “to prevent confusion”. Padilla became emotional when asked about his daughter’s decision to change her surname from “Baldivia,” his real family name, to “Barretto,” the surname of her mother. Padilla recalled that it was only last month when he started acting on rumors that Julia has a pending petition in court to change her family name. He went to Quezon City Family Court and discovered that the petition was actually filed in August 2013. “Sometimes I would think na hayaan na lang kung ayaw nilang gamitin yung family name ko. Tapos later on, close friends and family, sabi sa akin, ‘Dennis, ilaban mo ‘yung family name mo kasi tatay ka niya, dugo ka niya”, Dennis said. The actor-comedian said he understands the decision of Julia or her mother, Marjorie Barretto, to drop his family name as he admitted that he failed to provide for his children’s financial needs due to his irregular work in showbiz. “May karapatan sila na alisin kasi marami din naman akong pagkukulang. Ever since na nag separate kami [Marjorie], naging unstable yung career ko, political and showbiz, nag lie low ang career ko. Hindi dahil sa kagustuhan ko pero ganun talaga ang daigdig ng showbiz,” he said. “Itong past three years, hindi na talaga ako nakakapagbigay. I explained Read More …

View of Angat Dam from San Lorenzo (Hilltop), Norzagaray, Bulacan. http://en.wikipedia.org/ MANILA  (Mabuhay) – After heavy rain from Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) fell on Luzon Wednesday, water levels at Angat Dam in Bulacan finally rose for the first time in more than two months. PAGASA’s 6 a.m. update showed the water level at Angat was at 166.58 meters, 3.84 meters higher than the 162.74 meters on Wednesday. However, the 166.58 meters is still way below the 180-meter critical level for irrigation water, though it is above the 160-meter critical level for drinking water. Glenda dumped rain over Luzon and Visayas before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday morning. Water level at Angat Dam, which supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, had been falling since May. PAGASA said water levels at six other major Luzon dams also rose as of Thursday, including: La Mesa, 78.53 meters from 78.13 meters Wednesday Ambuklao, 741.20 meters frp, 740.22 meters Wednesday Binga, 568.49 meters from 567.70 meters Wednesday Pantabangan, 177.44 meters from 176.81 meters Wednesday Magat, 160.95 meters from 160.48 meters Wednesday Caliraya, 286.32 meters from 286.09 meters Wednesday However, water levels at two dams fell, including: Ipo, 99.73 meters from 100.90 meters Wednesday San Roque, 233.84 meters from 234.40 meters Wednesday (MNS)

Officers of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) led by general manager Eduardo Chu launch its monthly Manila Bay port clean-up campaign on Monday (July 29, 2013) at the Navotas Fish Port complex in Navotas City. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A Chinese cargo ship from Hong Kong rescued four Filipino fishermen more than 100 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday. PCG Port State Control Commander Winchester Florentino identified the rescued fishermen as boat (MBCA John) captain Antonio Bon, RJ Mojico, Jaymar Selin, and Marjohn Aballe, all residents of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro. The fishermen left Mamburao on July 9 toward Palawan. On July 15, one of the boat rigs broke off and capsized the entire boat. “Isang araw at isang gabi rin silang nakahawak lamang sa tumaob nilang bangka (They spent a day and a night holding on to the capsized boat),” said Florentino. On Wednesday morning, the crew of the passing MV Pacific Pioneer spotted the fishermen and rescued them. Florentino said the rescued fishermen were already on their way home to rejoin their families. (MNS)