Maniolas

By Priam F. Nepomuceno President Rodrigo Duterte joins other heads of states on stage during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos on September 6. (MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – The defense chiefs of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to explore joint air patrols in transit corridors considered by the three nations as maritime areas of common concern. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin and Indonesian Defense Minister Ryacudu reached the agreement on the sidelines of the ASEAN-US Defense Dialogue in Hawaii last October 1. The trilateral cooperation among the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia contributes to a stronger ASEAN, the defense department’s assistant secretary for strategic assessment Raymund Jose Quilop said in a statement issued Monday. Quilop said the cooperation among the three nations is driven by the need to address the rising incidents of armed robbery at sea, kidnapping and piracy in the three countries’ areas of common concern. He noted that the trilateral meeting has evolved to become a platform for the defense ministers to address other emerging common concerns to include violent extremism. Quilop further said that the return of fighters from the conflict in the Middle East could eventually create security challenges for the three countries, something which the defense chiefs recognized, hence their decision to set up the cooperation. With the political support of their respective political leaders, Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Jokowi Widodo and Prime Minister Najib Razak, the three defense Read More …

By Azer N. Parrocha Job applicants wait in line outside a shopping mall in Manila, Tuesday. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) warned companies of possible closure or cancellation of their license to operate if they fail to address labor contractualization or end-of-contract policies in their work force..(MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday lauded the efforts of the Duterte administration to stop contractualization or ‘endo’ (end-of-contract) and the efforts of private establishments to regularize their contractual workers. Citing the first 100 days accomplishment report of the administration presented by the Department of Labor and Employment, Villanueva said some 195 establishments have so far voluntarily regularized 10,532 workers. These establishments include SM Malls and 7/11 convenience stores which regularized 4,800 and 800 employees, respectively. He meanwhile urged other private companies to follow suit and put safeguards against the blurring of employer-employee relationship and the circumvention of the law on security of tenure. The neophyte senator authored Senate Bill No. 1116 which seeks to ensure security of tenure, protect workers’ welfare by ensuring regularity of salary and benefits, and protect their right to organize. He also stressed that a law is urgently needed to protect and regularize workers and ensure their entitlement to social benefits and protection. Villanueva, who chairs the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development, is set to hold the next hearing on ‘endo’ on October 13.

Megan Young (MNS photo) Despite her heavy work load, beauty queen and actress Megan Young makes time for what she loves best: Travelling. She recently took advantage of a two-day break by going to Tokyo, Japan. “Wala kasing taping and naisip namin sayang naman (’yung mga araw),” she said. “Eh ako, I’m really into that mindset of living in the moment.” Her constant travel companion is rumored sweetheart Mikael Daez. According to Megan, she loves travelling with him because they have the same interests. “Mahilig kami pareho sa food,” she said, laughing. “Ang idea kasi namin whenever we visit a new place is to imbibe the culture and we feel like we could have more of that through food.” Both try to be as adventurous as they can when they travel, with Megan noting, “We avoid mga tourist traps na ganyan. Mas gusto namin ’yung mga nature hikes. Pinupuntahan namin ’yung mga off-the-beaten-track kind of places. Tapos we also usually try mga street food.” Being the star that she is, you’d think Megan travels first class all the way, but, no. “We usually take economy and I take advantage of mga flight deals,” she said. “Kahit sino naman siguro hangga’t makaka tipid (gagawin yon), ’di ba? Tsaka hindi naman siya talaga sunod-sunod. Nagpapahinga naman kami, ipon.” More often than not she schedules trips according to work. “Like I have an upcoming working trip to New York later this year. Ang balak namin is to extend our stay to accommodate some Read More …

By Azer N. Parrocha SENATE PRESIDENT PIMENTL PAYS TRIBUTE TO MIRIAM: Senate President Koko Pimentel pays tribute to former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who passed away last Thursday, September 29. Pimentel, who authored Senate Resolution 179 honoring the late senator, recalled the time when he was a law student and Santiago was his teacher at the University of the Philippines – College of Law, saying that Santiago “challenged us to do our best, because she wanted us to be our best and because we were learning from one of the best minds the Philippines ever had.” MANILA  (PNA) – Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Wednesday dispelled fears that President Rodrigo Duterte would stop honoring the Enhance Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Pimentel, ally and party-mate of the President, came to his (Duterte) defense after the latter vowed to review the two-year-old defense deal that allows the US to put up military bases in the Philippines. The President said that while the agreement is an official document, it did not contain the signature of his predecessor former President Benigno S. Aquino III but only by then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. Pimentel noted the EDCA is a formal agreement that could only be terminated through a procedure that has not even started yet. “EDCA is a formal agreement and the way to terminate the formal agreement is (already) found in the agreement. Let’s follow the procedures,” he said. Pimentel explained there will first have to be a notice that will come Read More …

By Jelly F. Musico President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the Noi Bai International Airport in Vietnam on September 28. (MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Malacañang has yet to receive a formal communication from Brussels, which is reportedly reconsidering the royal visit of Belgian Princess Astrid to the Philippines next year. ”Although we have not really gotten any formal communication regarding those matters, this, in a sense, is just a question, a matter of speculation,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Tuesday. Abella said the Palace would respect it if Princess Astrid cancels her scheduled visit to the Philippines next year, reportedly over remarks made by President Rodrigo Duterte, comparing himself to Germany’s Adolf Hitler for wanting to rid the country of three million drug addicts. ”She has her own standards by which she has to act. We respect her values, we respect her position,” Abella said. President Duterte has apologized “profoundly and deeply” for his remark that drew criticisms from the Jewish community. According to The Brussels Times, Brussels State Secretary for External Trade Cecile Jodogne would propose to move the royal visit to another country. Princess Astrid was to lead a Belgian economic team to the Philippines to look for possible investments. Abella meanwhile said he believes that foreign investors would come to the Philippines “when there is a stable condition and when there is a competitive environment”. ”As far as we can see, just as long as we are able to provide a decent, competitive, stable environment, I believe Read More …