Maniolas

By Cecil Morella Philippines Army Soldiers exit a grounded training helicopter during helicopter insert and extract training with U.S. Army Soldiers on Fort Magsaysay, Philippines, April 29, 2014. Philippine and U.S. Army personnel are preparing for an upcoming field training exercise during Balikatan 2014. This year marks the 30th iteration of the exercise, which is an annual Republic of the Philippines-U.S. military bilateral training exercise and humanitarian civic assistance engagement. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Pete Thibodeau/Released) ULUGAN BAY (AFP) – As fears grow that China is on an aggressive South China Sea territorial grab, a sleepy Philippine village is being transformed into a major naval base that may host US warships. Ulugan Bay, a small, picturesque cove encircled by thick mangroves, has suddenly become a vital part of the Philippine military’s efforts to shore up its defense of contested South China Sea islands and waters. “This is the frontline of our territorial defense operations in the Kalayaan island group,” President Benigno Aquino declared last month as he inspected the progress of a recently announced upgrade of a tiny naval station on the bay. Ulugan is on the west coast of the large western Philippine island of Palawan, only 160 kilometres (100 miles) from a small group of islands and islets within the Spratly archipelago known locally as the Kalayaan group. The Spratlys are among the most prized assets in the decades-long but increasingly hostile struggle for control of parts of the South China Sea. The sea has Read More …

Photos show 3 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and one student who are part of the 15 OFWs from Egypt who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday (August 30, 2013) to escape the civil disturbance in that country. The OFWs availed the government’s mandatory repatriation program after the Philippine authorities declared alert level 4 in Egypt, meaning all Filipinos there are forced to go home. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday appealed to Filipinos who have relatives in Iraq to convince them to return to the Philippines while the situation there is still manageable. “Tinatawagan natin ang ating mga kababayan sa Pilipinas na may kaanak o mahal sa buhay na nasa Iraq, sana naman po ay himukin nila, kumbinsihin nila ang mga kaanak o mahal sa buhay na lumikas na po sa Iraq habang may pagkakataon pa po,” DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said. In Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. likewise appealed to Filipinos in danger zones to return to the country. “We are calling on our residents, especially those who are in the danger zones, to voluntary repatriate themselves or return to the Philippines at government expense,” he said. But he said that they are not forcing anyone to do anything against their will, although they have deployed a quick response team to talk to them. On Saturday, the DFA raised alert level 3 for most parts of Iraq due to the deteriorating security situation there. Under Read More …

By Nimfa U. Rueda LOS ANGELES – Sen. Grace Poe reminisced about her life as an immigrant in the United States as she addressed Filipino-Americans celebrating the 116th Philippine Independence Day. “I was once an overseas Filipino like you,” Poe, told hundreds of Fil-Ams attending the annual “Kalayaan Grand Gala” at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles Saturday evening (Sunday in Manila). “I know how hard it is to start a new life in a foreign land. Tulad nyo, naranasan ko maging homesick, kung papaano mag drive para sa mga anak, pumasok sa trabaho, magluto, maglinis ng bahay at kung anu-ano pa (Like you, I felt homesick, I had to drive the kids to school, go to work, clean the house and do miscellaneous errands).” After graduating in 1991 from Boston College with a degree in political science, Poe started her family life with husband Neil Llamanzares in Fairfax, Virginia. They lived a quiet life for 12 years, raising their children – Brian, 21, Hanna, 16, and Nika,10. Poe, the adopted daughter of movie icon and national artist Fernando Poe, Jr. and wife Susan Roces, said that just like most Filipino immigrants in the US, she decided to move to the US for economic reasons. “Noong ikasal ako, sabi ko, naku papaano ito? Kahit gaano kaganda ang edukasyon, hindi ka mabibigyan ng sweldo na makakayang bumuhay ng pamilya (When I got married, I asked myself, what am I supposed to do? Even the best education can’t get you a salary that’s enough to raise a family),” she recalled. “Nahiya ako sa tatay ko. I felt so embarrassed because I married right after I graduated.” Poe said she did not want to keep depending on her parents. So when her husband got a job in the US, they decided to live as immigrants in a country Read More …

Jessy Mendiola (MNS Photo) Mendiola admitted she is quite nervous about working with Xian Lim in an upcoming ABS-CBN series because his and Kim Chiu’s fans might get mad at her for “getting in their way.” Mendiola, however, said that she is also hoping that the fans of Lim and Chiu would still support their upcoming show because they will just be doing their job. “Kinakabahan [ako] kasi fan din ako ni Kim Chiu. Kinakabahan ako na baka magalit sila sa akin pero at the same time, may fans din kasing supportive so I’m excited naman to work with someone different. Actually I’ve worked with him already before pero ngayon Xian na siya so nakakakaba,” she said. Hoping no one will bash her in various social media sites, Mendiola said, “Sana wala naman kasi as early as now kung galit sila sa akin, dapat nag-bash na. Parang wala naman.” Mendiola said it matters to her that she has Chiu’s support in this project. “Napanood ko yung movies nila ni Kim, yung ‘Bakit Hindi ka Crush ng Crush Mo’ and ‘Bride for Rent.’ Ngayon, ka-partner ko na siya. Si Kim naman, sobrang bait sa akin so walang problema,” she said. Mendiola said she is just as excited as everyone to know what the soap’s story will be about. Meanwhile, Mendiola stressed she is genuinely happy for her former leading man Jake Cuenca, who is now in a relationship with an Australian model. “Sobrang happy ako para sa kanya. Sobrang ganda ng Read More …

Senate Minority leader Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the accused in the so-called pork barrel scam, stresses a point in interpellating Senator Koko Pimentel III, sponsor of the Sandigan Bill, who sought the support of his colleagues for the passage of the measure, seeking to improve the disposition of cases in the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday (March 5) at the Session Hall, Senate Bldg in Pasay City. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Saturday said it sees nothing irregular with the possible long “wait” for the arrest of personalities charged before the Sandiganbayan for the P10-billion pork barrel scam. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said there are “voluminous” documents to be studied by the graft court justices handling the graft and plunder cases against the respondents. “That is not out of the ordinary considering [the] voluminous documents…Talagang totoo namang marami ang dokumento na isinumite,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. “Hindi tayo magugulat kung… hindi lang kumplikado but the sheer volume ng mga dokumento. Ito ang review nila, …they will need some time,” she added. Among those charged for the scam are suspected mastermind Janet Napoles and Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and private individuals. On Friday, the cases against the personalities charged were raffled off in the Sandiganbayan. While the justices have 10 days to determine if there is probable cause for trial and issue a warrant of arrest, the arrest warrants could take longer than 10 days, depending on how Read More …