Maniolas

Government employees led by the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) express their disappointment with the passage of the Salary Standardization Law 2015 on Friday. The group raised concern over the insufficiency of the raise to cover the daily cost of living of majority of public servants. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Voting,  14-0, the Senate on Monday afternoon approved on third and final reading the proposed Salary Standardization Law IV (SSL IV) defining the new and upgraded salary scale for each salary grade of all government employees to be implemented in a four-year period. Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said the SSL IV will be implemented with the funds coming from the authorization in the 2016 national budget. At least P57 billion have already been allocated for the wage hike in the proposed 2016 national budget. The House of Representatives, voting 170-5-1, approved its version on Wednesday last week. Senate Bill 2671 states  the new compensation scheme aims to bring the pay of government personnel closer to the prevailing rates in the private sector to attract and retain competent and committed personnel in the public sector. Under the bill, the minimum salary for Salary Grace 1  will be raised from the current P9,000 to P11,068 “to make it even more competitive with the market rates.” The bill aims to bring the compensation of government personnel closer to their private counterparts to at least 70 percent of the market rate for all salary grades and ensure Read More …

Several houses are submerged at the City Camp Lagoon in Baguio City on Monday after intense rains spawned by Typhoon Lando. More than 200 families were evacuated from the area, a perennial catch-basin for floodwaters in the summer capital during torrential rains. (MNS Photo) Manila, Philippines | AFP | – More than 700,000 people in the central Philippines fled to safer areas for fear of giant waves, floods or landslides as Typhoon Melor slammed into the archipelago nation Monday, officials said. Melor crossed the central Burias Island late Monday, with authorities warning that traditional thatched homes were unlikely to withstand the strong winds and that crops may suffer heavy losses. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The typhoon brushed the northern tip of Samar, a farming island of 1.5 million people, early Monday with winds gusting up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour, the state weather bureau said. Samar was among areas devastated in 2013 by Typhoon Haiyan, when giant waves wiped out entire communities and left 7,350 people dead or missing. Authorities warned that Melor’s powerful winds might whip up four-metre-high (13-feet) waves, blow off tin roofs and uproot trees. They said heavy rain within its 300-kilometre diameter could trigger floods and landslides. In Albay province in the southeast of Luzon island, almost 600,000 people were evacuated due to fears that heavy rain could cause mudslides on the slopes of nearby Mayon Volcano, according to the national disaster monitoring office. Residents carrying bags of clothes and water jugs clambered Read More …

Sen. Grace Poe (bottom center) flanked by supporters during her arrival at the Commission on Election Headquarters to file her Certificate of Candidacy, Thursday. Sen. Poe will be running independently with Sen. Chiz Escudero as her running mate for the 2016 election. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe doesn’t want Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to suffer the fate two divisions of the Commission on Elections want her to have. In a news conference following a Mass to mark the 11th death anniversary of her late adoptive father Fernando Poe Jr. , the senator said it was her prayer that Duterte be allowed to run. “Ang dasal ko ay wag siyang madisqualify. Ang dasal ko ay mabigyan siya ng pagkakataon na tumakbo kasi yun naman ang ipinaglalaban natin, manalo man siya o matalo, hindi natin malalaman yun hanggang hindi inilalagay ang pangalan sa balota,” Poe said. “Hindi lang dahil dasal ko yan sa sarili ko, nakita ko na pinagdaanan yan ng tatay ko rin,” she added. Further, Poe said her life would be more at peace if she would not be included in the ballot. “Sa totoo lang, sinasabi ko nga,  kung  hindi nila isinama ang pangalan ko, mas magiging mapayapa ang buhay ko,” she said. Poe was disqualified on account of her questioned status as a natural-born Filipino and her supposed inadequate years of residency in the country. She has appealed before the Comelec en banc the cancellation by the two Comelec divisions of her certificate of Read More …

Former Japanese adult video Maria Ozawa stars in the movie “Nilalang,” one of the entries in the upcoming 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival. Contributed photo MANILA, Philippines – Two thrillers are part of the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival. John Lloyd Cruz’ “Honor Thy Father” and Cesar Montano and Maria Ozawa’s “Nilalang” are part of the eight entries in this year’s film festival. The film “Honor Thy Father” tells the story of a father (Cruz) who is trying to save his family after his wife (Meryl Soriano) convinced a rich couple to invest on her father’s “easily get rich” business. Unfortunately, his father was killed and the money went missing. Now the couple threatens to kill his family if the money is not returned. This film is the first entry of John Lloyd in the film festival, and will also be his first time to join the annual film fest. Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Meanwhile, “Nilalang” tells the story of a cop (Montano) who is trying to resolve the murder of fourteen women, which happens to be similar to the one that happened in Japan. He then seeks the help of Miyuki (Ozawa), without knowing that her life is also in danger. The film almost didn’t push through after Robin Padilla begged off from doing the film to focus on Mariel Rodriguez’ pregnancy. A week after Mariel had a miscarriage. READ: Robin Padilla backs out of MMFF entry with Maria Ozawa After almost a month, Read More …

— President Benigno S. Aquino III answers questions during the forum at the Bulong-Pulungan event at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Friday (December 11). The President is the guest of honor at the Annual Bulong-Pulungan Christmas Party. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — There was no bribe offered to congressmen in exchange for their affirmative votes on the enactment of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), President Benigno Aquino III said Friday. “Ask anybody who was there. I never promised anything except for the appeal that passing it would change the status quo [in Mindanao],” Aquino said. “That was the central message. Nothing more to it, nothing less,” he said. Aquino on Tuesday met with more than 100 members of the House of Representatives in Malacañang to appeal for Congress’ approval of the BBL. Reports have it that Aquino offered more than P1.5 billion worth of projects to lawmakers who attended the meeting. On Thursday, Communications Sec. Herminio Coloma Jr. and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte both denied the bribery allegations. “Walang katotohanan at walang batayan ang paratang na ‘yan,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told Palace reporters at a media briefing. For his part, Belmonte said in a text message: “There’s no such thing. Katabi ko siya (Aquino) 100 percent of the time.” Belmonte said the House leadership is planning to end the period of interpellation on the measure before sessions are adjourned on Dec. 19 for the holiday break so that it could be put to a vote for approval on Read More …