Maniolas

High waves brought about by strong winds pound a fish port, hours before typhoon Ruby passes near the city of Legazpi on Sunday. Ruby tore apart homes and sent waves crashing through coastal communities across central Philippines, adding to the spate of deadly disasters. (MNS photo) MANILA, June 1 (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Wednesday assured that the government is already carrying out several measures to address the possible effects of the La Niña weather phenomenon, which is expected to hit the country this year. “As part of its overall strategy on climate change resiliency, government is implementing a comprehensive program on mitigating the harmful effects of the possible onset of the La Nina scenario,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement. “This covers agriculture, flood control and disaster risk reduction measures at the grassroots level.” The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has warned the public of the possibility of a La Niña event occurring later this year, after El Niño ends. La Niña, the opposite of El Niño, is characterized by above normal rainfall, strong monsoon activity, and the formation of more tropical cyclones. According to PAGASA, a strong El Niño is usually followed by an equally strong La Niña. Although El Niño is waning, PAGASA said it would continue to cause below normal rainfall and warmer air temperatures in the country in the next several months. From 1997 to 1998, the country experienced a strong El Niño, which was followed by a La Niña Read More …

Vice president-elect Leni Robredo leads a Holy Mass in commemoration of her late husband Sec. Jesse Robredo’s 58th birthday Friday at Eternal Gardens in Naga City, hours before Congress finished canvassing of votes for president and vice president. Robredo’s victory was affirmed when she garnered 14,418,817 votes, 263,473 votes ahead of closest rival Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who got 14,155,344.(MNS photo) MANILA, May 31 (Mabuhay) – Vice President-elect Leni Robredo is eyeing a transition meeting with outgoing Vice President Jejomar Binay a month before she formally assumes office, her spokesperson said Tuesday. “There has been no plans, but I know she would like to have transition meeting with the VP. I believe there will be no problem to have that meeting but it is not yet discussed,” Robredo’s spokesperson, Georgina Hernandez, said in a television interview. Binay ran and lost in the May presidential elections. Robredo, incumbent congresswoman of Camarines Sur, was officially proclaimed as the winning vice-presidential candidate by the National Board of Canvassers Monday afternoon. She is to formally assume her post on June 30. Robredo earlier shunned the idea of holding office at the Coconut Palace, which she said costs the government almost half a million a month for rent. Hernandez said spending P500,000 for rent is “not practical.” “She saw the cost of having to rent the Coconut Palace and it is about half a million, she says it is too much, she prefers to have satellite offices in provinces. She is pushing for rural development so Read More …

CONGRESS PROCLAIMS NEW VICE PRESIDENT: Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. raise the hands of Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Robredo, proclaiming her as the country’s duly elected Vice President, Monday, May 30, 2016. Robredo is joined by her children, Jessica Marie, Janine Patricia, and Jillian Therese. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Congress on Monday afternoon proclaimed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte and Camarines Sur Representative Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as the next president and vice president of the country, respectively. The proclamation came after Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, finished the canvassing of votes with Duterte officially winning the presidential elections with 16,601,997, and Robredo, the vice presidential polls with 14,418,817. Duterte was a mile ahead of his closest pursuer, administration candidate Mar Roxas, who had more than nine million votes. 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) Robredo, meanwhile, won the vice presidency in a tight race as she led second placer Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by only more than 260,000 votes. Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. made the proclamation at 4:10 p.m., close to an hour after the joint session started. The motion for the proclamation of Duterte and Robredo was made by Senate Read More …

Dakak (photo courtesy of www.dakakresort.com) DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte  (PNA) – This city has now become one of the destinations for Asian divers looking for pristine and equally breathtaking underwater sanctuaries with the aggressive marketing and promotion strategies of the city government under the stewardship of Mayor Rosalina Jalosjos. Apple Marie Agolong, city tourism officer, on Wednesday told the Philippines News Agency that this is evidenced by the influx of local and foreign tourists visiting this city to explore the exquisiteness of its sub-aquatic resources. Agolong said that more than 100 diving enthusiasts and underwater photographers from China and Hongkong have come to this city on the first quarter of this year to discover for themselves the unexploited underwater beauty and reserves of the place. Agolong disclosed this significantly advances this city’s opportunity in terms of promoting its tourism industry that consequently benefits its people. Moreover, Agolong said this scenario puts forward the interest of the city government in improving and making active its economic activities which locals can eventually take advantage of for increased income and improved living condition. “Yet, the question of sustainability remains a challenge which by supplanting various strategic endeavors has gradually been responded appropriately. This brings into view the concept of public-private partnership that the city forged with the private sectors with the underlying principle of having to deliver a service without having to actually undertake the investment,” Agolong said. She said it is on the aspect of marketing capability that this city has Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III poses with the people who gave their testimony under the K TO 12 program (left to right) Mr. Rowen Dizon Parent of a Senior High School Graduate, Ms. Gina Obierna, Grade 2 Adviser at the Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science Technology High School, Arien Lein Ibardo of Doña Rosario High School Novaliches Q.C. and Ms. Love Basillote during the celebration ceremony of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) dubbed, “Sa K to 12, Kayang-kaya, Sama-sama! A celebration of K to 12 Milestones.” Also in photo are Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – A youth group leader on Wednesday said they would like to meet with incoming President Rodrigo Duterte and tell him the other side of the Aquino administration’s K to 12 program. “We are more than willing to fly to Davao and explain to incoming President Duterte why we are opposing the K-12 program. We call on the next president to hear the other side of the story,” said Sarah Elago, who is set to represent the Kabataan party-list in the House of Representatives in the 17th Congress. She said youth groups under the party-list are seeking an audience with Duterte in Davao City to personally explain their opposition to the K to 12 program. Duterte on Monday night said that he had a change of heart on the K to 12 program after the “bright” guys from the Department Read More …