Maniolas

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the project briefing on the major infrastructure projects in the Province of Cebu at the Equipment Management Division of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VII in Sergio Osmena Boulevard corner V. Sotto, Cebu City on Monday (August 24, 2015). Also in photo are Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Malacañang is not worried about the plan of an overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) group to launch a “no-remittance day” on Friday to protest the Bureau of Customs (BOC)’s aborted plan to physically inspect balixbayan boxes. During a press briefing on Wednesday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. recalled that a similar initiative was launched two years, which he said did not have any negative impact on the economy. “Ang dating naging karanasan diyan ay noon pang 2013, ‘nung kasagsagan ng isyu ng PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) o pork barrel, at noon naman ay walang naiulat na masamang epekto ito. Kaya kung ‘yon ang pagbabatayan ay tila wala naman tayong dapat ikabahala hinggil dito,” Coloma told reporters. The Palace official added that while OFWs may delay their remittances for one day, they still have to transfer the money to help their families in the Philippines. “Maaaring maantala siya ng isang araw pero hindi naman siguro ito nila iniisip na huwag ipadala,” Coloma said. “Nananalig kami na sa paggamit nila Read More …

Workers arrange sacks of rice at a warehouse in Taguig City on Tuesday. The Department of Agriculture announced that the Philippines is now one of the top rice producers in the world. However, the El Niño’s effects might affect rice production targets this year. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The government has no choice but to continue importing rice until the Philippines achieves complete sufficiency in the commodity and has assured that there is enough buffer stock for the lean months. The country has an estimated 4- to 5-percent shortage in rice since the sufficiency rate stands at 96 percent, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said. “Hangga’t hindi natin naaabot ang 100-percent rice sufficiency, plus buffer, mag-i-import tayo,” he told lawmakers during the budget briefing for the Department of Agriculture at the House of Representatives Tuesday. According to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Modernization, the National Food Authority (NFA) has achieved a 15-day national average in the buffer stock for 2014. The Philippines is one of the largest rice importers in the world. Since February 2015, the NFA has imported 750,000 metric tons (MT) of rice via government-to-government arrangements. The NFA has been authorized to buy another P250,000 MT, particularly if the El Niño drought impacts on the harvest. Even as the government is continuously working to achieve a 100-percent rice self-sufficiency by 2016, Alcala said the country will have to import rice to ensure enough buffer stock is at hand. “Hindi pwedeng eksakto lang [na Read More …

“Hey guys! It’s me Sandara Park. And guess what? I’m the newest member of Team Penshoppe. I had a great time shooting my first campaign and I love the clothes,” Park said in an Instagram clip as she broke the news to her fans. Philstar.com/AJ Bolando, File photo MANILA, Philippines — Korean super star Sandara Park whose road to international fame started in the Philippines decided to return to where it all started by endorsing a local fashion retail brand. “Hey guys! It’s me Sandara Park. And guess what? I’m the newest member of Team Penshoppe. I had a great time shooting my first campaign and I love the clothes,” Park said in an Instagram clip as she broke the news to her fans. The Korean superstar made the announcement Thursday with a caption, saying she’s “happy” to be the newest face of the local retailer. She also included a teaser photo of the campaign shot by photographer Cliff Watts who flew in from New York for the shoot. It’s finally out!!! Super excited to be part of #TeamPenshoppe #Philippines #Indonesia #Cambodia  I had so much fun at the shoot. Thank you to the whole @penshoppe crew!!!!  Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: A photo posted by Sandara Park (@daraxxi) on Aug 27, 2015 at 1:24am PDT The shoot took place last month at Golden ABC’s Studio 1155 and Gallery.  The long list of international celebrity endorsers include Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner, Nina Dobrev, Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick, Read More …

The Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Senator Bongbong Marcos, together with the Committees on Peace Unification and Reconcillation; and Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, will contiunue its inquiry on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Also present during the BBL hearing is Senator Chiz Escudero. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) -– Senator Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he and his family have nothing to apologize for what happened during the regime of his father, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos, whose election to the Senate in 2010 marked the return of the Marcos clan to national politics, said the supposed progress experienced by the Philippines under his father outweighs the criticisms being lodged against him. “Kung meron akong sinaktan, I will always say sorry, but what I’ve been guilty of to apologize about?” Marcos said. ”Will I say sorry for the thousands and thousands of kilometers that were built? Will I say sorry for the agricultural policy that brought us to self-sufficiency in rice? Will I say sorry for the power generation? Will I say sorry for the highest literacy rate in Asia? What am I to say sorry about?” Nonetheless, the younger Marcos said he and his family feel sorry for people who felt injustice during his father’s time. “We have constantly said that if during that time of my father, mayroong mga nasagasaan or mayroong sinasabing hindi natulungan or they were victimized in some way or another, of course we’re sorry that that happened. Nobody wants that Read More …

BMW Power eDrive demonstration: The powertrain will be used in BMW’s flagship models. ©BMW Group (Relaxnews) – At a special event at its company headquarters this week, BMW took the wraps off a new plug-in hybrid system and with it, signalled the direction that Europe’s leading carmakers are going in order to meet increasingly stringent pollution, emissions sand fuel economy regulations that are coming into force. Called the Power eDrive and demonstrated in a special prototype BMW 5-Series GT, the new powertrain promises the sort of power one expects from a 6-liter V12 Rolls-Royce but combined with the CO2 emissions more associated with a Toyota Prius. By 2021, companies will have to meet a ‘fleet average’ emission level of 95g of CO2 /km. In simple terms it means when the emissions levels of all of a manufacturer’s different cars are added together and the average taken, it needs to be 95g of CO2 /km. That’s an easy target to hit for a company like Smart, which only builds two, highly efficient, tiny city cars. But for brands like Volvo, VW and BMW, with potent luxury sedans, serious sportscars and heavy SUVs in their ranges, the challenges and costs are major—a point that was high on the agenda at this year’s International Conference on Advanced Automotive 48V Power Supply Systems, held in Düsseldorf earlier in November. “Until we have a really significant breakthrough with battery chemistry or fuel-cell technology, the high voltage approach to hybridization and pure battery electric vehicles will Read More …