Maniolas

President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes Vietnam Ministry of Public Security Minister Sr. Lt. Gen. To Lam during the courtesy call at the Music Room of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (June 08).(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday said the Filipino nation must continue “along the road to a true and lasting peace” beyond his term as his eyed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) failed to pass during his administration. During the launch of the book “Junctures,” a collection of speeches and statements on the Bangsamoro peace process from 2012 to 2016, Aquino said, “There is a lot more to come” for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) if the nation continues to take “the right path” to peace. “It is a path that has benefited those in the margins; and it is a path that heals the fractures within the country we share. And the message that we now send to our countrymen is: We must continue along this path,” Aquino told the audience, composed of peace advocates and members of the peace panel. Aquino said he is willing to help stakeholders in the peace process even as an ordinary citizen. “In 21 days, I will be stepping down from office, but to all of you in attendance today, and to each person of goodwill who wishes to fulfill the Promise of Mindanao, I will remain your friend and ally,” he said. The outgoing President says he remains “hopeful for fighting for the passage” Read More …

Vice President-elect Leni Robredo greets supporters at a thanksgiving mass at St. Peters Church in Quezon City. Robredo and President-elect Rodrigo Duterte were proclaimed winners of the 2016 national election by the joint session of Congress at the House of Representatives on Monday. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The camps of incoming vice-president Leni Robredo and outgoing vice-president Jejomar Binay have finalized the transition process for the Office of the Vice President. Benjamin Martinez, chief of staff of Vice President Jejomar Binay, officially turned over to the transition team of Vice President-elect Leni Robredo the transition report of the OVP. The two teams met for close to two hours, discussing the staffing, budget and other operational matters concerning the OVP. Based on the records, the OVP still has P422 million left out of the P500 million budget of the OVP for 2016. Foremost on the agenda was whether or not Robredo will hold office at the Coconut Palace. The palace is being rented at P484,000 every month, which Robredo finds too expensive. The transition teams also inspected the OVP office housed at the PNB Building. The OVP started renting the 7th floor of the PNB Building in 2008. Around 75 employees from the administrative, human resource and finance divisions are housed in the building. The personnel who just live near the area expressed concern about moving the office to another location, given Robredo’s previous pronouncements that she is looking for ways to lower the rental and maintenance expenses of the Read More …

Kaye Abad (MNS Photo) Now that she is engaged to boyfriend Paul Jake Castillo, Kaye Abad gamely revealed that she was the one who broke the hearts of her two exes. “May isang ako ‘yung nasaktan; dalawa ‘yung ako ang nakasakit,” Abad said without identifying her two former boyfriends. Before Castillo, Abad was in a relationship with Parokya Ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda, who is now married to actress Neri Naig. Abad also dated Guji Lorenzana, who got married just this year.  Years ago, Abad once dated “Tabing Ilog” co-star John Lloyd Cruz. “Ang hirap, ang hirap-hirap kapag ikaw ‘yung nakakakasakit. Parang feeling mo ang sama-sama mong tao,” she admitted. “Pero siyempre, sabi nga ng kaibigan ko, hindi pa nila maiintindihan ‘yan ngayon na para din naman sa kanya ‘yang desisyon mo, na mas makakabuti talaga kung hindi na. So I think okay na silang dalawa ngayon—may asawa na sila, masaya na silang dalawa.” But Abad said she has no regrets about her past relationships. “Feeling ko mas makakabuti talaga para sa amin,” she said. Abad said one of the lessons she learned about relationships is that both parties have to be open to each other. “Dati kasi nung bata ako mahigpit ako, selosa ako, tapos kapag may party siya, ‘di ko papayagan. ‘Yun ‘yung natutunan ko—plus sa mga friends din—na kahit na paghigpitan mo, kung gusto niya ay gagawa at gagawa ng paraan, maitatago at maitatago niya,” she said. “So ako natutunan ko na maging open na sabihin mo Read More …

Incoming Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar takes a look at some of the broadcast equipment of the People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI) or PTV4 during his visit at the different government media offices located at the National Media Center along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City on Monday (June 6, 2016). (PNA photo by Oliver Marquez) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Outgoing Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Monday morning met with incoming PCOO chief Martin Andanar ahead of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s assumption of office. In an interview by state-run media People’s Television Network (PTV), Coloma said he invited Andanar to inspect the offices of the PCOO’s attached agencies. “Sa pamamagitan nito, nais kong magkaroon siya ng malawak na ideya hinggil sa kabuuan ng media assets at kung paano ito maaring gamitin ng Duterte administration sa pagpapalaganap ng mensahe ng pamahalaan,” Coloma said. Some of the attached agencies Andanar visited included PTV-4, the Philippine Broadcasting Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services, APO Production Unit, and the National Printing Office. Andanar, for his part, said he will continue some of the projects initiated by Secretary Coloma and assured improved services on the part of the government’s media infrastructure. “I’m very impressed… Wala na akong trabahong gagawin…Titignan din natin kung ano yung mga kulang at ano pang madadagdag pa para mas lalong mapaganda ang ating serbisyo at serbisyon ng PCOO,” he added. Andanar said he will reporting on Tuesday to Duterte and his close aide, Bong Go, who was appointed Read More …

By Leslie D. Venzon Ambassador KIM Jae-Shin (left)paid a courtesy call to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday (June 2, 2016)in Davao City. The Ambassador conveyed the congratulatory message of Republic of Korea President PARK Geun-Hye to Duterte. Ambassador KIM said that the Korean government hopes to further improve the bilateral ties between the two countries and to continue the cooperation in various fields under Duterte’s administration.(PNA photo courtesy of Korean Embassy) MANILA (PNA) – Malacañang on Monday said the Presidential Transition Committee has started submitting transition reports of all government departments and agencies under the Executive Branch to the next administration. “Inumpisahan na ‘yung pagbigay sa Transition Committee ng Duterte administration ‘yung mga ulat na nakumpleto na at nabuo na at patuloy pa rin naman itong prosesong ito as the reports are coming in and being completed. Ipinapasa naman kaagad sa kanila ito,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a press briefing. Coloma also reassured readiness of its Presidential Transition Committee to meet with new government officials. “…Pero nakita naman natin, bawat isang Cabinet secretary designate nagkaroon na ng inisyatiba na umpisahan itong dayalogo na ito bilang bahagi ng transition at nagaganap naman ito sa maraming kagawaran as we speak,” he said. The submission of the transition reports would provide the next administration enough time to review these report before it assumes office, he earlier said. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte takes his oath on June 30. (PNA)