Maniolas

Photographed through the window of a closed aircraft, an aerial view shows Pagasa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines Wednesday July 20, 2011. China protested a trip made by Filipino lawmakers to disputed areas in the South China Sea to assert the claim of the Philippines. Ethan Sun, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Manila, said the trip scheduled was ‘against the spirit’ of a code of conduct signed by claimants to the areas in 2002. The Spratlys, believed to be rich in oil, mineral and marine resources, are also claimed in whole or partly by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. (AP Photo/Roley Dela Pena, Pool) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Three out of five Filipinos or 62 percent have little trust in China amid the territorial row between Manila and Beijing, according to a survey by Social Weather Stations. SWS said the survey conducted June 5 to 8 also found 17 percent of Filipinos have much trust in China. This accounted for a record-low net trust of -45 that the pollster classified as “bad.” “China’s lowest net trust score of -45 surpassed the previous record-low of -36 in June 2014, May 2012, and June 1995 during the Mischief Reef confrontation between the Philippines and China,” SWS said. The Philippines had taken the dispute before an international tribunal, with China refusing to take part in such proceedings. In contrast, the survey showed a “very good” +64 trust Read More …

Marlon Garcia of Smartmatic Corporation shows the use of a Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Manila on Tuesday. Use of the PCOS in the 2016 elections is still up in the air after the Supreme Court voided Comelec’s maintenance contract with Smartmatic last April. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) has launched a drive against “overeager” politicians engaging in premature campaigning for the 2016 elections. NAMFREL came up with a Facebook page “Election 2016 Pampams,” which will show photos and videos of politicians promoting themselves in various ways, among them greetings on tarpaulins or announcement of government projects, and even paid advertisement on television and radio. “Most page postings are on flagrant violations by local and prospective candidates,” NAMFREL said in a statement. The group also invited citizens to send photos and videos to their Facebook page, or via Twitter using the hashtag #pampam. Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president, has issued a statement as an early reminder to voters “while politicians plan and strategize, and, this early, find ways of circumventing the law against premature campaigning.” In the statement, Villegas reminded Catholic and Christian voters to “vote for the right reasons,” including rejecting “the notoriously corrupt,” ending political dynasties, and asking the right questions. However, he also called on the voters not to “jump on the bandwagon” of condemning officials “in the absence of incontrovertible evidence.” Read More …

And guess what time Judy Ann finishes the cooking? 5 a.m.! Now that’s really making sure hubby has a happy tummy.

By Abner Galino The musical, originally directed by Nonon Padilla, with Libretto by Bienvenido Lumbera and Music by Ryan Cayabyab, features Miguel Vera as Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria Cristina ‘Kit’ Navarro as Maria Clara. It also stars John Arcilla, Joji Isla, Annie Nepomuceno and many more. Photo shows Joseph Gelito (right) with Miguel Vera. For actor Miguel Vera, the second time around must have always been sweeter (pun intended, or not). Happily meeting the press after the successful restaging of the well-known play Noli Me Tangere at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Vera said he was happy with his performance as the lead character Crisostomo Ibarra. The actor said he was more relaxed that night and believed that he has done as much or perhaps better than when the play debuted in Los Angeles in August last year. The fans who gave the cast a standing ovation during the curtain call certainly confirmed Vera’s assessment. Nonie Belarmino, one of the show’s producer, added that if things would turn our right, they would bring Noli me Tangere to San Diego, another Filipino-American hub in southern California. Belarmino believes that Noli Me Tangere remains a potent vehicle, not only for showcasing Filipino culture, but as well as for passing on the patriotic sentiment to the younger generation of Filipino-Americans. “Ang nag-iba lang naman yung panahon at yung mga karakter, pero ang sitwasyon (sa Pilipinas) ganon pa rin. Nandiyan pa rin ang korupsiyon at abuso,” Belarmino explained. The cast of Noli Read More …

Buying power expected to hit $1-T by 2018 By Hannah De Castro-Abinuman Nielsen says the Asian American segment is considered as the fastest growing and most culturally diverse segment in the US population and is perceived to potentially be the multicultural majority in the United States in the near future. In 2014, the Asian-American Buying power was at $770 billion. Showing a 46% growth in population from 2012 to 2014, this unique market segment is expected to increase its buying power to $1 Trillion by 2018. Asian Americans are making a significant and powerful impact on the new American mainstream. Nielsen’s 2015 Asian American Consumer report entitled, “Asian-Americans: Culturally Connected and Forging the Future,” radically highlights how this flourishing segment is making a powerful impact on today’s economy and culture with their unique tastes, preferences and habits. In one year, the buying power of this market segment notably increased by more than $50 Billion. In its most recent report, Nielsen says the Asian American segment is considered as the fastest growing and most culturally diverse segment in the US population and is perceived to potentially be the multicultural majority in the United States in the near future.  In 2014, the Asian-American Buying power was at $770 billion. Showing a 46% growth in population from 2012 to 2014, this unique market segment is expected to increase its buying power to $1 Trillion by 2018. “Asian Americans are focused on the future, trendsetting and leading the way in technology, digital entertainment and Read More …