Maniolas

Rocco Nacino surprises Lovi Poe with a dinner at the Eiffel Tower.

State witness Ruby Tuason reads her opening statement during the Feb. 13, 2014 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged pork barrel scam as Justice Secretary Leila del Lima (right) and whistle-blower Benhur Luy (left) listen. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito on Wednesday said he doubts the credibility of the Janet Napoles list, which was given to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Ejercito was initially included in that list and was later removed after Napoles’ lawyer admitted they made a mistake. Ejercito said she supports President Aquino’s sentiment that Napoles is not the “least guilty” in the pork scam. But her admits the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind’s affidavit is important as it will help lawmakers in crafting laws that will curb corruption in government. “Her testimony will still be very important. I want to know how she did this whole thing. I want to know who she is dealing with in the Executive” he said. “The least guilty are supposed to be classified as least guilty and Janet Lim Napoles is not qualified as she is the one who thought of all these things and made this run,” she added. Ejercito also thinks socialite Ruby Tuason should not have been made a state witness in the pork case. The senator believes Tuason played critical roles in the Malampaya and pork barrel scams. “I think they are both not the least guilty because they are part of the scam. Because the Malampaya thing will not Read More …

The government ads, which ran in Manila newspapers on Sunday, showed a female teacher lecturing in front of her class with a woman in a medical suit holding a doctor’s clipboard sitting on her shoulders. MANILA (Mabuhay) – Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares said that while it is still too early to know whether the BIR’s latest ad campaign has helped raise taxes, it has helped make professionals aware of their responsibility to pay the right taxes. “We can really not know for sure yet whether the result comes out effectively… I would think there’s an effect in the sense that, like now because of the campaign, doctors are now becoming aware that this [is] their responsibility,” Henares told the Senate committee on ways and means. She said that as a result of the ad campaign, the BIR has an ongoing dialogue with medical groups on their tax obligations. “Now they become aware that this is their liability… The psychology of people [is such that] unless you’re at the edge, they don’t really mind us, they don’t really pay attention to taxes. All they would say is that, ‘I’m not a thief.’ But with the campaign, basically it opened the door to a discussion with the sector,” she said. The committee took up the a resolution filed by Senator Nancy Binay calling for an investigation of the BIR’s “shame campaign” after the agency released an ad that showing how a doctor who was not paying the correct Read More …

Senate President Franklin Drilon supports the enactment of a supplemental budget to fund disaster rehabilitation in the wake of supertyphoon “Yolanda” which heavily damaged a vast area of the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013. “We urge the President to certify the supplemental budget as urgent to look for resources to support the typhoon victims,” Drilon said in a media interview on Tuesday (Nov. 19) at the Senate Bldg. in Pasay City. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Saying that the time is ripe for more changes to the country’s political system, Senate President Franklin Drilon on Wednesday appealed to his colleagues to give the anti-political dynasty bill a chance. Drilon once again threw support behind the measure, which is being tackled at the committee level at the Senate. “It’s time to end the long wait. I encourage our colleagues to give the bill a chance… Naniniwala po tayo na malaki ang magagawa ng anti-political dynasty law sa sistema ng pulitika sa bansa,” he said. The House of Representatives started earlier this month plenary debates on the anti-political dynasty bill, the first time the bill was sponsored on the chamber’s floor in 27 years. The proposed legislation seeks to limit the political power exerted by political families by prohibiting relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity to hold or run for both national and local posts in successive, simultaneous, or overlapping terms. Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities Read More …

JC de Vera and Meg Imperial (MNS Photo) Actor JC de Vera is not ruling out the possibility of his on-screen romance with co-star Meg Imperial blossoming behind the cameras. The “Moon of Desire” leading man admitted that if he had the time to date, then anything could happen. “Siguro pag mas lenient na ‘yung time para sa aming dalawa, siguro possible, possible naman siya. Hindi ko lang muna ina-accept ‘yung thought na kailangan magka-developan kami,” he said. De Vera plays a medical doctor named Jeff in the drama series, while Imperial portrays Angel, a woman who suffers from hypertrichosis – a medical condition where she is covered with hair from head to toe. The 28-year-old de Vera said that he and Imperial are still working on their chemistry, noting that this is the first time they have been paired onscreen. “Right now, nag-aano pa rin kami working hard pa rin kami para doon sa chemistry, kasi ‘yun nga since lahat kami bago, lahat ng kasama ko first timers din so alam mo ‘yun, medyo mahirap talaga ‘yung show na ginagawa,” he said. De Vera said his focus remains in his projects, which include a supporting role in the hit primetime series “The Legal Wife.” “Siyempre araw-araw ka rin sa taping so hindi mo rin masasabi na kung kailan ka magkakaroon ng free time pero okay lang, willing ako to work all the way. Buong year sasagarin ko para lang siyempre maka-establish ako ng posisyon dito sa network,” he explained. Read More …