Maniolas

Filipino-American Immigration Lawyer, Atty. Luisito L. Lopez (photo courtesy of http://www.luisitolopez.com/) LOS ANGELES – Filipino-American immigration lawyer Atty. Luisito L. Lopez, died on Tuesday, April 5, after a car accident while on his way to visit a client in an immigration detention facility in Eloy, Arizona. He was 76. Lopez’s eldest daughter Rose, who was driving the Honda Odyssey van, was seriously injured and is now recuperating at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. For more than four decades, Lopez, who was born in Guagua, Pampanga, fought for people of different races in the United States, and won numerous difficult cases in immigration courts in Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities in California, Connecticut, Chicago, and in Phoenix and Eloy in Arizona. Lopez received his law degree from the San Beda College of Law and taught law at the University of the East before immigrating to the US in 1972. He was an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the America Bar Association (ABA). Lopez also championed the cause of Amerasian children, particularly those born in the Philippines and fathered by US servicemen who, he noticed, were specially excluded from the United StatesAmerasians Immigration Act of 1982 that allowed the children born in Vietnam, Loas, Cambodia and Korea to immigrate to the United States simply because “the Philippines was not part of the war zone.” Wasting no time in his crusade to right this grave injustice, he formed the Filipino American Movement for Amerasian Services (FAMAS) Read More …

United States Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrives at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday (April 13, 2016) on board a Boeing 747 to visit two of the five Philippine military bases where American forces will have access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan) MANILA, April 14 (PNA) – President Benigno S. Aquino III met with United States Defense Secretary Ashton Carter during a courtesy call in Malacañang on Thursday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras joined President Aquino during his meeting with Carter. The American defense chief, who arrived in the country on Wednesday, was accompanied by US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg; Ambassador David Shear, US assistant secretary of defense; Eric Rosenbach, the defense secretary’s chief of staff; Brig. Gen. Eric Smith, senior military assistant to the defense secretary; and Peter Cook, Pentagon Press Secretary and chief spokesman for the Department of Defense. Also present on the Philippines’ side were Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino, Department of National Defense; Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista of the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice and Peace; Gen. Hernando Iriberri, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; and Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. During a joint press conference with Secretary Gazmin in Malacañang, Carter announced the conduct of joint patrols between US and Filipino forces in Philippine territories, especially in the South China Sea. The joint patrols will involve the two countries’ navies Read More …

Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II (left) answers questions in a media interview during the Team Daang Matuwid’s campaign sortie at Alubijid municipality, Misamis Oriental province on Wednesday (April 13, 2016). (PNA photos by Jess M. Escaros Jr.) MANILA, Apr 14 (Mabuhay) – Despite trailing in the pre-election surveys, administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Thursday said he will win in the presidential race come May 9. Addressing his Liberal Party party-mates in and allies who gathered at Club Filipino in San Juan, Roxas said: “Magtiwala tayo sa ating mga kababayan dahil pipiliin nila ang tama. Tayo ang mananalo.” “Mananalo tayo dahil hindi tayo corrupt, mananalo tayo dahil hindi tayo astang diktador, at mananalo tayo dahil tayo ay Pilipino. Marangal tayo, disente tayo, tayo ang mananalo,” Roxas added in what could be taken as potshots to his opponents. Roxas is statistically tied with Vice President Jejomar Binay in the latest Pulse Asia survey that showed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte pulling away from Senator Grace Poe to gain the top spot. Roxas also reiterated his campaign promises from modern infrastructure to improved social services, including the addition of two million poor households as beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. All the senatorial candidates of the Daang Matuwid coalition were present except for Senator Panfilo Lacson. Most of the governors who are allied with the administration flew in to Manila to attend the said gathering to personally pledge their support for the tandem of Roxas Read More …

Traffic on EDSA near the Kamuning Avenue flyover is heavy again on Tuesday after the long, 5-day holiday amid the visit of Pope Francis. Despite some roads being closed for motorcades during the papal visit, the holidays kept traffic light in the metropolis. (MNS photo) MANILA, Apr 14 (Mabuhay) – On the eve of the implementation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy, Metro Manila Development Authority chief Emerson Carlos vowed to fully implement the system against erring motorists. “Ito’y isang sistema kung saan kahit walang nanghuhuli sa’yo sa daan ay mahuhuli namin gamit ang CCTV iyong inyong mga traffic violation,” Carlos said. Under the no contact policy, traffic violators will receive their tickets and notices when and where they committed violations with an attached screengrab of the CCTV footage. Carlos said the MMDA will deliver the notice via mail or courier service based from the registered address on the motorist’s license plate upon verification from the Land Transportation Office. He added that the No Contact Policy can also be a way to prevent corruption and road rage between motorists and traffic constables. “Para magkaroon ng less interaction sa pagitan ng driver at ng nanghuhuli para mabawasan ang corruption sa daan at less obstruction na rin sa traffic dahil nga hihinto pa yung nahuli sa daan,” Carlos said. “Isa pang reason yan para mabawasan ang roadrage at iba pang mga incidents na puwedeng magngayri by virute of the fact na magkikita o magkakaroon ng interaction ang dalawang tao,” Carlos said. All Read More …

Enchong Dee (MNS Photo) MANILA, Apr 14 (Mabuhay) — Enchong Dee continues to help indigent children through his “Handog Palangoy ni Enchong” project. Marking its first anniversary soon, the actor’s campaign aims to teach basic swimming techniques to young kids as he pays tribute to his late swimming instructor. In partnership with Bert Lozada Swim School, Dee proudly shared that their team was able “to educate and save lives” of about 500 kids. “We are not getting anything from this event except pure joy and fulfillment… I have nothing but thanks to all of you lalo na sa swimming team ng Lake City #SanPablo ,” he said in a post on Instagram. “For the people who made this possible, You know who you are… Mahal na mahal ko kayo and Godspeed,” Dee added. The project kicked off in Dagupan City in May 2015, where over 50 kids received free swimming lessons from the actor. Last November, Dee’s team went to Cainta, Rizal. In February, the team headed to Tanauan, Batangas where some 96 indigent children joined the training. In a previous interview, Dee said he is hoping to bring his project to various provinces across the country. (MNS)