Maniolas

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, poses questions to Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam mastermind during the hearing on Thursday (Nov. 7, 2013) at the Senate building in Pasay City. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes is asking the Sandiganbayan to direct the Office of the Special Prosecutor to submit the sequential list of the prosecution witnesses on or before the end of November. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, along with Janet Lim-Napoles, Ronald John Lim and John Raymund de Asis, will be tried before the Sandiganbayan Third Division thrice a week starting January 13, 2016 for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam. In a motion submitted to the Sandiganbayan dated November 17, 2015, Reyes asked the anti-graft court to direct the prosecution to submit the List of Intended Witnesses to “enable parties to prepare for the continuous trial of the case.” The court initially directed the prosecution to submit their list of witnesses by the end of the year. But with only less than two months to prepare, Reyes argued that their party would need the list at an earlier date. This, as the motion stated, will give them enough time to prepare for the presentation and cross-examination of witnesses, and to review voluminous documents involved in the case. “Preferably at the end of November- this to enable the parties moreso, of accused Reyes, to make use of the time between now until the start of trial on 13 Read More …

APAICS hosted a Community Reception for the local community. Kathy Ko Chin, CEO & President, APIAHF, and Judge Michael Kwan, OCA National President, gave welcome remarks to the young Utah leaders. On Saturday, November 14, 2015, APAICS launched its first ever Young Leaders Summit in Salt Lake City at the Utah State Capitol. The summit is geared towards college students and young professionals to promote and inspire leadership and public service. “We are excited to launch the very first APAICS Young Leaders Summit, giving students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills to create positive change through public service and civic engagement in their local communities and campus groups,” said Amy Watanabe, APAICS Program Director. “This is an important building block for a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders and creating the political pipeline for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. From this group, we hope to see many of these young AAPI leaders involved in local politics, be future members of Congress and even get to the Oval office,” said Floyd Mori, APAICS CEO & President. Over 45 participants from University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Salt Lake Community College, Brigham Young University, Weber State University and the local community attended the full-day summit. APAICS hosted a Community Reception for the local community. Kathy Ko Chin, CEO & President, APIAHF, and Judge Michael Kwan, OCA National President, gave welcome remarks to the young Utah leaders. JACL NY/SC, LEAP, APAICS and APIAVote/National Tongan Society led workshops for students to Read More …

This harvest season, as we celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26th, we are reminded of the “happy feast” between the Pilgrims and the Indians, according to some stories which apparently happened only “once.” The background story on Thanksgiving, according to author Susan Bates, “began in 1614 when a band of English explorers sailed home to England with a ship full of Pawtuxet Indians bound for slavery. They left behind diseases such as smallpox which virtually wiped out those who had escaped. And, by the time the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts Bay, they found only one living Pawtuxet Indian, named Squanto who had survived slavery in England, and understood their language. Knowledgeable as he was, Squanto taught them how to grow corn and fish, and he negotiated a peace treaty between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Nation. Thus, at the end of their first year, the Pilgrims held a great feast, honoring Squanto and the Wampanoags.” However, as the word spread out in England about this so-called paradise in the “new world,” religious zealots called “Puritans began arriving by the bus load and finding no fences around, the land they considered it a public domain, so they seized land, capturing young natives for slavery and killing the rest of the Pequot tribe. In 1637, near present day Groton, Connecticut, over 700 men, women and children of the Pequot Tribe had gathered for their annual Green Corn Festival to celebrate Thanksgiving, but they were all murdered by the English and Dutch mercenaries, so the next day, the governor of Read More …

Angelica Panganiban (MNS Photo) Actress Angelica Panganiban, who turned 29 recently, is not in a hurry to settle down. Panganiban said she and her boyfriend, actor John Lloyd Cruz, are currently prioritizing their respective projects. She believes that she and Cruz have a solid relationship. “Wala,” she said when asked if they have plans of settling down soon. “Kasi alam mo, may assurance naman na solid kami. Pero sa ngayon, parang ang saya pa ng takbo ng career.” “Ang dami ko pang akala ko hindi ko magagawa, pwede pala akong maging nanay sa isang 19-year-old. Nakakabigla ang nangyayari nowadays so ang hirap sabihin, hindi mo mapi-predict,” she added, referring to her role as Claudia Buenavista, mother of Angelo (Daniel Padilla) in the primetime soap “Pangako Sa ‘Yo”. “So ngayon, kung ano ang mayroon sa akin, ngayon talagang ibinibigay ko ang 100% ko sa trabaho ko kasi sayang ang opportunity kung palalampasin namin ang trabaho. And I’m sure ang mga ganyang bagay ay makakapaghintay, pero yung chance na makapag-portray ka ng role na ang hinihingi ay single ka, parang okay pa naman. Walang pagmamadaling nangyayari.” Panganiban went on to say that she will just let fate decide. “Well, doon naman talaga pupunta ang lahat kung ‘yun ang nakatadhana sa akin. I think mangyayari kung sa tingin ng tadhana na ready na ako. Siguro ganoon,” she said. Aside from “Pangako Sa ‘Yo”, Panganiban is gearing up for the “Banana Sundae”, which will debut on November 15. Cruz, meanwhile, stars in the upcoming Read More …

United States of America President Barack Obama delivers his remarks during the joint press statement with President Benigno S. Aquino III after the bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel on Wednesday (November 18), at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday said the US government has a “rock solid commitment to the defense of the Philippines” as the validity of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) hangs before the Supreme Court (SC). Obama faced the media after a one-hour bilateral meeting with President Benigno Aquino III at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. “With respect to Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, obviously, the Philippines has to go through its process in the Supreme Court review. But we are confident that it is going to get done and we are going to be able to implement effectively the provisions and the ideas that have come forward during the course of these discussions,” said Obama. President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges views with United States of America President Barack Obama during the expanded bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel on Wednesday (November 18), at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. (MNS photo) The SC has deferred at least twice its ruling on the petitions questioning the Philippines’ EDCA with the US. Under EDCA, the US will be allowed to build structures, store as well as preposition weapons, defense supplies and materiel, station troops, Read More …