Maniolas

Image via the Inquirer There’s nothing like hitting the streets in Divisoria to bag last-minute Christmas deals. There’s plenty of deals to be had in the shopping Mecca of Manila, especially if you’re looking to stretch your budget to grab the best deals. Despite Divisoria’s crowded streets especially at this time of the year, Pinoys still flock to the shopping location during the holidays. There’s plenty of things to buy at Divisoria, though there are also things you should avoid buying like the plague. Things you should buy: 1) Clothes While there’s always a tiangge in every corner of the metro, you really can’t beat the low, wholesale prices in Divisoria. Many of the shops in Manila get their wares from the suppliers in the shopping haven, and there’s plenty of merchants willing to cut you a deal especially when you buy in bulk. 2) Textiles Like clothes, textiles in Divisoria are dirt cheap. Plenty of shops situated close together mean healthy competition, and there’s always shops looking to undercut their competition with better pricing, especially for bulk buyers. Don’t be afraid to haggle, and don’t be scared to look around and ask to see who has the best pricing. 3) Toys There’s plenty of toys to be bought in Divisoria, with varying price tags. Don’t grab anything for babies or for kids who are teething though, for reasons that we’ll explain later. For kids aged 5-10, Divisoria holds a treasure trove of affordable toys you can buy for your kids Read More …

Image via Philippine Daily Inquirer At least 500 Marawi families displaced by the recent conflict against ISIS militants will have a place to call home this Christmas. A report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer says the government has committed to finishing 500 temporary shelters for residents affected by the fighting between government soldiers and Islamic State-inspired terrorists in Marawi. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque promised the completion of the temporary shelters by the second week of December, which were part of the 1,200 homes that the Housing Authority and the Department of Public Works and Highways are currently building in Barangay Sagongsongan. The homes will be given to families whose houses were burned or destroyed during the fighting, either by terrorists or by the airstrikes of the military to flush out the militants. The 500 homes that are targeted to be completed before Christmas will be joined by at least 1,170 temporary houses by the first quarter of 2018. The remaining 30 will be finished after that schedule. The government will also allow residents whose homes or property have been damaged during hte fighting to put up new structures as long they could show land titles. The fighting between the government and the Maute group, lasted for five months and destroyed much of the City of Marawi, and displaced thousands of families fleeing from the fighting. The conflict ended on October 17, a day after the deaths of militant leaders Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon to government forces.

Andy Villaruel and his employer, Julius Lusaya. Image via Rappler Andy Villaruel tasted internet fame when a video of him creating unique miniature tricycles went viral last year, and since life for the hand-less craftsman has changed for the better. “Nagpapasalamat ako doon kasi dagdag inspirasyon ‘yun para sa akin tapos nakapagbibigay ng mensahe na nakakataba sa puso. Nakakadagdag po ng tiwala sa sarili ko,” he said. But Villaruel has not been complacent with his success. Even after sales for his miniature models of tricycles went through the roof, he is still working hard to perfect his craft, giving up smoking and drinking to focus entirely on his work. It’s something that not everyone in his company could do. “Yung mga tine-train ko, hindi nila kaya. Siguro kasi dito sa amin, ‘yung mga bisyo, tulad ng inom at paninigarilyo, bawal ‘yan sa akin. Kaya siguro di nila ma-resist rules ko,” Julius Lusaya, his employer said. And even with his disability, Andy is stil determined to become an electrician to help send his younger sister to college. “Si Andy, determinado pa talaga. Balak pa nga niya mag-electronics. Tinuturan ko rin siya. Balak ko papaaralin ko na lang siya sa TESDA,” Julius said. According to Andy, buying miniature tricycles from Dumagete miniature artworks isn’t just a simple purchase – it’s helping a fellow man prove that he’s still capable despite his disabilities. “‘Pag nag-order ka nito, hindi ka lang bumili ng isang souvenir mula dito sa Dumaguete. Bumili na rin kayo ng Read More …

The initial phase of the Japan-funded Mega Manila Subway Project (MMSP) now has an initial investment requirement of P355.6 billion (roughly $7 billion)Photo via Philstar Manila’s long awaited subway is one step closer to reality. The Philippines and Japan have exchanged notes on the gigantic infrastructure project on the sidelines of the two countries’ bilateral meeting late Monday, witnessed by both President Rodrigo Duterte and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The exchange of notes are a prelude to the signing of the loan agreement in January, which will see the Japanese government loan 104.53 billion yen (Php 46 billion) for the first phase of the Manila Subway project. The project, expected to move around 500,000 passengers by day come 2027, will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) in Taguig City, with a possible extension to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Aside from the subway project, the exchange of notes also covered the 9.4-billion yen (Php 4 billion) loan for the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Plaridel, Bulacan to Manila, as well as a 2.5 billion yen (Php 1 billion) grant to rebuild war-torn Marawi City. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said these 3 projects were part of Tokyo’s financial support to the Philippines worth 1 trillion yen over the next 5 years. The post Manila Subway Closer To Reality As Japan, PH Sign Notes appeared first on Good News Pilipinas.