Maniolas

The coming Christmas should give Filipinos the strength to uphold the poor by fighting evils such as child abuse, trafficking and new forms of slavery, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said Monday. In his Christmas message, Tagle said Christmas was also a time to shed illusions of grandeur, pretensions to self-importance, and the wickedness of self-interest. “Christmas is never truly Christmas if we do not practice Jesus’ solidarity with the poor, the weak, and the neglected. Christmas is a season to see our own poverty, to see a companion in every person who suffers and to see Jesus in a needy brother or sister,” he said. Also, Tagle said Christmas frees the poor from inhumanity and degradation, and proclaims the good news that the poor are loved by God. He added the poor also possess the dignity sourced in God, and they could take their rightful place in shaping society as protagonists. “May Christmas 2014 give us greater zeal to combat trafficking in human persons, new forms of slavery, neglect and abuse of children and violence against the helpless!” he said. Year of the Poor, papal visit For the Philippine Church, Tagle said November 2014 to November 2015 had been designated as the Year of the Poor. Thus, he said Christmas 2014 fell within this most important event centered on the poor of the land and of the world. He added that Jesus Christ, even if he was the Son of God, emptied himself of his glory and prerogatives Read More …

Some roads around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be closed to traffic while no arriving flights will be allowed at certain times when Pope Francis arrives and leaves the Philippines this January. The Manila International Airport Authority on Monday released a schedule of closure of major roads at certain times during the papal visit. It includes:  Jan. 15: Arrival Day: Sales Avenue→Andrews Avenue→Domestic Road closed 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 19: Departure Day: Sales Avenue→Andrews Avenue→Domestic Road closed 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. While the closure is in effect, the NAIA can be accessed through South Superhighway, Bicutan, Sucat and Alabang roads. “NAIA Terminals 3 and 4 will also be isolated as a result,” the MIAA said. Flight suspensions Following consultative meetings with local and foreign air carriers, the MIAA said arriving flights will be suspended: Jan. 15: Arrival Day: No arrival hours from 2 to 7 p.m. Jan. 19: Departure Day> No arrival hours 6 to 10:30 a.m. “Departure operations will however proceed for those flights with the corresponding aircraft on ground before the effectivity of the road closures,” the MIAA said. Shuttle buses The MIAA will provide shuttle buses to transport departing passengers with flights in NAIA Terminals 3 and 4 as they will be inaccessible from the usual routes, Honrado said. NAIA Terminals 1 and 2 can be reached via Bicutan, Sucat, Alabang through Ninoy Aquino Avenue. MIAA will use Parking B at NAIA Terminal 1 as staging area for passengers. “From this point, the Read More …

Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao frequent absences at the House of Representatives isn’t nessarily proof he’s taking his lawmaking duties lightly, his colleague and party-mate in the opposition United Nationalist Alliance said Monday. UNA interim president and Navotas City Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco said Pacquiao is still able to serve his constituents in Sarangani even though he rarely attends House sessions. “Noong inihalal siya ng mga mamamamayan ng Sarangani, alam nilang boksingero siya at alam nilang kailangan niyang maglaan ng oras para sa kanyang pagboboksing. Personally, nakita kong maraming lumalapit kay Congressman Pacquiao,” he said in a report aired on “24 Oras” on Monday evening. Over the weekend, former Senator Rene Saguisag urged the House leadership through a letter to the editor in the Philippine Daily Inquirer to suspend Pacquiao from the House up to the end of his term in 2016 since he appears to treat legislative work “as a hobby or sideline.” “If it is true that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will fight on May 2, 2015, it seems only proper for the House of Representatives to decide what it will do with someone contending for the title ‘House Top Absentee,’” he said.  Pacquiao was recorded present for only 38 out of 69 session days during the first regular session of Congress from July 22, 2013 to June 11, 2014. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte earlier called on Pacquiao to be more active in Congress, saying he wished the boxer “will be more involved” as a lawmaker. But although Read More …

Was President Benigno Aquino III giving guidelines for the 2016 polls in his holiday greetings this year? In his penultimate Christmas message as President, Aquino asked Filipinos to be on the side of people who are honest and who would prioritize the public’s interest. “Sa araw-araw nating pagharap sa sangandaan, nawa’y piliin natin ang mabuti, ang tapat, ang maka-katarungan,” the President said in a video released online by Radio TV Malacañang. “Pumanig tayo sa mga taong tumotoo sa kanilang salita at pumapanig sa makabubuti sa kapakanan ng kapwa,” he added. Aquino also asked for prayers for strength to continue reforms started by his administration. The President has remained tightlipped on his preferrred successor, although ranking officials of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) have earlier identified Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as their standard-bearer for the 2016 national polls. Vice President Jejomar Binay, the opposition’s presumptive standard bearer, is facing investigation on allegations of corruption before the Senate and the Office of the Ombudsman. Binay, however, has repeatedly described these accusations as politically motivated. He continues to lead in surveys on the public’s preferences for President. —NB, GMA News