May 052015
 
An apple before shopping keeps junk food on the shelf

Snacking on an apple before grocery shopping could lead to healthier food choices, according to a new study.©Lucky Business/Polyvore (Relaxnews) – Eating an apple upon entering the grocery store led to shoppers buying 25 percent more fruits and vegetables than those who did not in a new study from the Cornell Food & Brand Lab. “What this teaches us,” says Aner Tal, PhD of Cornell, “is that having a small healthy snack before shopping can put us in a healthier mindset and steer us towards making better food choices.” Tal and co-author Brian Wansink conducted three experiments to make their case, the first of which involved 120 shoppers. They were given at random an apple, a cookie or nothing at all as they arrived at the grocery store. Tracking their purchases, the researchers concluded that those who had eaten an apple bought 28 percent more fruits and vegetables than those who had consumed a cookie and 25 percent more fruits and vegetables than those who were not given a snack. In the second experiment, 56 participants who were given either a real cookie or a real apple to eat and then shown 20 images containing two products each. They were asked to select which one they would purchase and each image featured one healthy item and one unhealthy item, calorie count being the distinguishing factor. Results were similar to the first experiment, with the cookie eaters opting for a disproportionate amount of unhealthy items. At this point, the researchers wanted Read More …

May 052015
 
Indonesia won’t allow Veloso to testify in PHL – report

Migrant rights activists raise march with banners and placards in Manila on Tuesday urging the Philippine government to save Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino migrant facing execution in Indonesia for drug charges. Indonesia’s Supreme Court upheld its ruling and ordered her execution.(MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Mary Jane Veloso will not be allowed by the Indonesian government to come to the Philippines for the preliminary investigation of the human trafficking, illegal recruitment, and estafa complaints against her alleged recruiter, an Indonesia-based newspaper reported Thursday. Indonesia Attorney General’s Office (AGO) spokesman Tony Spontana was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying that the AGO will instead facilitate a video conference or written testimony of Veloso for the purposes of the court proceeding in the Philippines. “[The Philippine government] has asked Veloso [to come to the Philippines] to testify before the court, but we consider it impossible. Today we will respond to their letter and offer solutions,” Spontana told The Jakarta Post. According to the report, the letter from the Philippine government was dated April 28, the day Veloso was supposed to be executed by firing squad – along with eight other drug convicts. Veloso was given a reprieve after her alleged recruiter Maria Kristina Sergio turned herself in to authorities in Nueva Ecija province in the Philippines. Sergio and her live-in partner Julius Lacanilao are now under the protective custody of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame. Sergio and Lacanilao have been summoned to a preliminary probe, which was set Read More …

May 052015
 
SCE Celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Southern California Edison ROSEMEAD, Calif. — Southern California Edison (SCE) today celebrates its business and community partnerships in the Asian community at its 10th annual Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Celebration at SCE’s Energy Education Center in Irwindale. Ted Craver, chairman, president and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of SCE, will speak at the event, which brings together Asian businesses and community partners, recognizes AAPI energy-efficient champions and highlights SCE’s partners with its mission to give back to the communities it serves. This year’s award recipients are Foreign Exchange, RePET Inc., Asian Pacific Community Fund and Chinese American Construction Professionals. Ted Nguyen, a national award-winning social media, public relations and marketing communications professional, is the keynote speaker. “Celebrating Business & Community Partnerships,” with a special focus on giving back, is this year’s theme. “Our Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage event celebrates our cultural diversity and the achievements of Asian-American business and communities partners,” said Lisa Cagnolatti, vice president of SCE’s Business Customer Division and Customer Service Safety. “It’s also an opportunity for Southern California Edison to show our appreciation to the communities we serve.” Receiving SCE’s 2015 Energy Efficiency Participation Award are: Foreign Exchange, a new clothing company with more than 30 stores in California, including nine in SCE’s service territory. Foreign Exchange has played a proactive role in energy savings and its participation in SCE’ Energy Efficiency Express Solutions program has led to reduced electricity usage and incentives. RePET, Inc., a recycling center, that has Read More …

May 052015
 
Consulate  hosts presentation on innovators of e-Jeepney and social products

A young girl shows GET pass tap payment system on the earth-friendly Comet e-Jeepney (left). Los Angeles – The Philippine Consulate General hosted a presentation on “The Future of the Philippines” featuring innovators behind the startups of e-Jeepney and Social Products (black and red rice cultivated in Cotabato) on 23 April 2015. Mr. Justin Garrido of Social Project.PH, a non-profit organization pushing social entrepreneurship as a sustainable means to alleviate poverty, jumpstarted the EVENT with the introduction of Mindanao Black Rice, reckoned to be one of the new super foods that have been introduced into the US organic food market.  The Mindanao Black Rice from Cotabato is one of the best colored grains and delivers delicious flavor as well as tremendous health benefits. For his part, Mr. Tony Olaes, businessman and philanthropist, introduced the City Optimized Managed Electric Transport (COMET) E-Jeepney with its exclusive distributor Global Electric Transportation (GET). The COMET harnesses cutting-edge technology to ADDRESS the transport and pollution challenges of Metro Manila.  The dimensions, functionalities and safety features of the COMET took into consideration road conditions and weather in the city.  It also brought in an innovati

May 052015
 
Drilon: Senate to give special attention to BBL when session resumes

PRESSCON WITH DRILON, OIC SECRETARY GENERAL: Senate President Franklin M. Drilon (right) and H.E. Iyad Bin Amin Madani, Secretary General of the Organization Islamic Cooperation (left), answer questions from the media during a press conference after a courtesy call at the Senate on Monday/April 20, 2015. Madani said that the OIC supports the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, and vowed to help in bringing all groups in Mindanao towards the peace process, “to ensure an inclusive process, which involves and benefits all.” (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Once Congress resumes sessions on Monday, the Senate will give “special legislative attention” to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law to make sure that it will be constitutional, fair, and inclusive, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Friday. “It will receive a special legislative attention in the coming weeks,” Drilon said in a statement. “We will devote extra time and effort to ensure the passage of a BBL that is constitutional, fair and inclusive – one that will help end the decades of strife in Mindanao.” He said once the committee on local government, chaired by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., submits its report on the BBL, they will immediately calendar it for discussion. “We expect strong debates on the floor over the passage of this bill. We all acknowledge the necessity of this piece of legislation to ensure genuine peace and growth for our brothers and sisters in Mindanao,” he said. Marcos earlier said that he expects to conduct two to three more hearings Read More …

May 042015
 
Lucky winners picked to see Lani Misalucha live at Pechanga

Two lucky raffle winners will see Lani Misalucha perform live at Pechanga Resort & Casino on May 22, 2015. The winners, whose names were chosen from several raffle participants, are among the latest of lucky participants who have seen live concerts of Filipino artists in the prestigious resort located just south of Los Angeles. The raffle contest begun last April 11 and ended on April 29.  Entry forms were submitted via email at advertising@balita.com where all the participants did was to put “LANI” as subject and with their complete name, age and phone number in order for their name to be included in the raffle drawing. In the raffle, contestants were asked to answer the two trivia questions about Lani Misalucha. The questions were: What was Lani Misalucha called since she arrived in Las Vegas in 2004? What is the name of the Hawaiian troupe performing with Lani Misalucha in Las Vegas? Filipino recording artists Lani Misalucha and a special guest performer are coming to the Pechanga Resort & Casino Theater on May 22, 2015. Both well-known stars, Lani Misalucha is known as the “Siren of the Las Vegas Strip” after a long time headlining residency. Lani Misalucha is a Filipino singer now based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dubbed “Asia’s Nightingale,” she is a multi-faceted artist, from pop, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and operatic arias. Having moved to Las Vegas in 2004, Misalucha became the first Asian to headline a main showroom of the Las Vegas strip performing Read More …