Maniolas

Los Angeles – The Lakambini ng Kalayaan 2016 is calling on all Filipino American organizations for participants in the cultural pageant of community organizations in Southern California slated for June 3, 2016 in Los Angeles at the YMCA Glendale located at 140 N.Louise St. Glendale CA 91206. This year’s main sponsoring organizations for the pageant is the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)-Glendale. Other sponsoring organizations are Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council (HFNC), Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV). Knights of Rizal-Historic Filipinotown Chapter (KOR-HFT) Pilipino Institute of Language Arts and Culture (PILAC),Filipino American Service Group Inc (FASG) and the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) Inc.. The winner of the Lakambini ng Kalayaan will serve as muse of the 4th Historic Filipinotown Philippine Independence Day Parade that will take place in the morning of June 4, a Saturday. Ms. Bernie Ganon, Lakambini Ng Kalayaan president said coronation Night will be on June 3. Ganon said, criteria and requirements for candidates will be announced later. She said Lakambini is accepting organizations’ participation for their candidates. Participation fee for each candidate costs $300. Ms. Rosemarie Mejia representing FASGI was crowned as Ms. Lakambini ng Kalayaan 2015 at the Castaway Restaurant in Burbank last year. For more information and applications please call Benrie at (323) 487-9804 or Sid at(213)399-5042 or visit the LAKAMBINI Facebook page.

Protesters light candles during a rally calling for a reprieve on Mary Jane Veloso’s execution, at the Indonesian Embassy in Makati City, Thursday night. Veloso remains on death row, a year after she was granted a last-minute stay of execution.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Mary Jane Veloso’s lawyers in the Philippines on Thursday called on the Aquino administration to renew its call for clemency so that she could finally be removed from death row in Indonesia. Noting that Veloso has been on death row for six years already, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), in a statement, said the government should “reopen official channels and strongly appeal for clemency.” It said the government must appeal for her freedom “based on humanitarian grounds and considering that she has been in prison for 6 years already.” “We cannot twiddle our thumbs and be obsessively compulsive with the coming elections and leave nobody looking after Mary Jane while she is waiting on death row,” the group said. It also urged the outgoing and incoming administrations to work for the immediate prosecution of the people charged for allegedly sending Veloso to Indonesia with heroin in her luggage. The NUPL, which is representing the Veloso family in the case against her recruiters, asked the government “to finalize the mode and manner of how, when and where Mary Jane will testify forthwith.” Granting the Philippine government’s request, Indonesia last year gave Veloso a last-minute reprieve to allow her to testify against those who allegedly sent Read More …

Only 17 out of the 66 national candidates attended the signing of the Truthful, Responsible, Upright, Transparent, & Honest (TRUTH) covenant spearheaded by the Archdiocese of Manila and its radio network, Radio Veritas, on Monday (May 2, 2016). According to Fr. Anton Pascual, Radio Veritas president, they have sent invitations to each of the candidates running for the presidential, vice presidential and senatorial seats but many of them were not available as they were in their respective campaign sorties. Left and middle photos show Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay signing the peace covenant for the May 9 elections at the Manila Cathedral. (PNA photos by Avito C. Dalan) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday advised other presidential candidates not to celebrate yet amid their rise in the surveys. “To the other candidates: Do not celebrate yet, good things are about to happen, Binay is coming,” lawyer Rico Quicho, the Vice President’s spokesperson, said in a press statement. “It will be a tight race all the way to Election Day,” he added. He said the surveys do not capture the intense ground campaigning by the Vice President’s core supporters and parallel groups nationwide. “These efforts have intensified after April 29 which was the last day of the surveys. The final visibility push this week via motorcades, house to house campaign and sectoral events like the Indigenous People’s summit for Binay in Cagayan de Oro last Tuesday showed the Read More …

Bianca Manalo (MNS photo) Actress Bianca Manalo, former Binibining Pilipinas winner, is happy for younger sister Nicole, who was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Globe in last Sunday’s Binibining Pilipinas pageant held at the Araneta Coliseum. Nicole follows in the footsteps of Bianca and eldest sister, Kate, who is also a beauty title holder. “Kung buhay ang dad namin, he would have felt overwhelmed that his dream – that all three daughters would become beauty queens – was realized,” Bianca sighed. Rodrigo Manalo passed away a year ago. Bianca is pretty content with what is happening in her life right now. She is in a relationship with Brapanese model and actor Fabio Ide. Bianca is aware that Fabio has a love child, aged two, with Denise Oca, the daughter of actress Melissa Mendez. Bianca has met her many times and finds the child lovable. “Mahal na mahal siya ni Fabio,” she revealed. She is in the cast of the new ABS-CBN series, “My Super D,” where she stars as the wife of lead actor Dominic Ochoa and mom of eight-year-old Marco Masa. “It’s an interesting series,” Bianca said. “Kasi it’s about a super hero and his numerous exploits to fight crimes to save lives. I encourage all children to watch the series. It’s not just exciting, marami rin silang magagandang aral na matutunan,” she further stated. “My Super D,” directed by Lino Cayetano and Frasco Mortiz, is produced by Dreamscape Entertainment Television headed by Deo Edrinal. The fantasy series also stars Marvin Read More …

Two-time PBA Most Valuable Player, Abet Guidaben flocked by basketball fans who attended the U.S. book launch of “The Maestro” at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 28 April 2016. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Basketball fans flocked to the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 28 April 2016 to witness the US launch of the book, “The Maestro of Philippine Basketball,” which chronicles the life and career of legendary coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan. “Coach Dalupan was not only a coach but a mentor, and an inspiration to those who share his love and passion for the sport. This biographical work clearly shows how his sterling achievements continue to reflect, and at the same time, influence the evolution of Philippine basketball,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said in a video recorded message. Personally delivering the Ambassador’s remarks was the Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister Patrick Chuasoto, who noted the applicability of the Maestro’s leadership and mentoring principles to business, diplomacy and life in general. “Opposing coaches knew very well Coach Dalupan was great in making substitutions and addressing match-up situations. But more than that, Coach Dalupan knew how to create a team and make it win. People would think that it is so easy to coach a team composed of talented players. This is far from reality. The coach has to handle the individual personalities of these players and have them collectively play as one. This is no mean task and Coach Dalupan was Read More …