Maniolas

Using an improvised boat, a man collects from the Pasig River assorted recyclable plastic bottles, containers and other floating objects which he sells for a living. Government continues promoting solid waste management nationwide to help protect people and the environment from adverse effects of indiscriminate garbage dumping in waterways and other areas. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A lawmaker is urging government to bid out the operations of the Pasig River Metro Ferry Service to the private sector so it can be transformed into a competitive means of transportation. LPG Marketers’ Association (LPGMA) representative Arnel Ty said in a statement Monday the National Economic Development Authority’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) can entice several investors to build and operate a highly developed Pasig River Metro Ferry Service, especially if the concession will include the right to exploit the passenger terminals for commercial purposes. “There’s no question a modern Pasig River Metro Ferry Service can provide an alternative means of public transport that is safe, fast and reliable. However, a bigger, bolder and tested developer – an entity with a deeper pocket – may be needed to build and run the project this time,” he said. SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated, the private operator of the now-defunct Pasig River Ferry Service Project, halted its operations after incurring P94 million in losses due to low passenger turnout. The ferry service, which resumed last April, is currently being by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Eight Read More …

Monterey Park officials and community groups take the electrical safety pledgeLeft to right: Florence Lin, Asian Youth Center community relations manager; Monterey Park Council Member Peter Chan; Monterey Park Mayor Anthony Wong; Marissa Castro-Salvati, SCE Local Public Affairs region manager; Peter Ng, Chinatown Service Center executive director. ROSEMEAD, Calif., – City leaders and community groups gathered at Monterey Park City Hall last week as the city pledged its commitment to electrical safety awareness during National Electrical Safety Month. Marissa Castro-Salvati, Southern California Edison’s (SCE) local public affairs region manager, presented a “Powerful City” certificate of proclamation to Mayor Anthony Wong. “Electrical safety is very important because we all use electricity,” said Wong. “Monterey Park is 98 years old, and as long as the city has been here, we’ve been working together with SCE. I really appreciate what SCE has been doing for public safety since that is the greatest concern for the people of Monterey Park and elsewhere around the world.” SCE is partnering with Monterey Park and two community organizations – the Asian Youth Center and Chinatown Service Center – to increase awareness about electrical safety and encourage residents to take the safety pledge. Past outreach events include theSCE electrical safety booth at the Cherry Blossom Festival in April and the San Gabriel Fire Department Emergency Preparedness community event last Sunday. SCE will also host the booth this Saturday during the Play Days Carnival, Monterey Park’s annual birthday celebration. “The city of Monterey Park is unique given the demographics that it has in terms of the population, particularly the Read More …

Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV during a discussion on “Enhancing Competitiveness Amidst A Changing External Economic Environment.” Aquino warns that lives of 300,000 people are at stake due to substandard reinforcement bars created from wire rods and used in estimated 60,000 houses in different parts of the country. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia, which will be held in the country from May 21-23, plays a vital role to the Philippine economy with the 2015 ASEAN Integration fast approaching. “With the spotlight on East Asia, we should take every opportunity to showcase and promote the country’s robust economic growth,” said Senator Bam Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship. Earlier, the World Economic Forum (WEF) described the Philippine economy as one of the “greatest economic comeback stories in recent years.” The WEF also predicted that the country would be the strongest performing Southeast Asian economy this year, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth projected to surpass 6.5 percent. “The Forum is an ideal stage where we can entice businessmen to pour investments and establish other ventures in the country, aside from promoting our products and services,” added Aquino, whose office is one of the organizers of the Forum. Aquino believes that the government and private sector should grab every opportunity to promote the country before the launching of the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community 2015. “When the integration starts, we expect tight competition from other countries for a lion’s share Read More …

The Inquirer report, which came out Sunday, listed names of media personalities, including Korina Sanchez of ABS-CBN, who allegedly received payoffs from detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, tagged as the scam’s mastermind. It said Pacheco received P715,000 from Napoles from 2004 to 2008. MANILA (Mabuhay) – Other media workers who allegedly benefitted from the multibillion pork barrel scam have come forward to deny the accusation. Aside from Mike Enriquez and Korina Sanchez of GMA Network and ABS-CBN, respectively, radio announcer Rey Pacheco and TV5 news and public affairs head Luchi Cruz-Valdez dismissed the Philippine Daily Inquirer report linking them to the scam. “Kaugnay sa balitang lumabas sa Inquirer, ako ay na-shock at nalulungkot. Pero para sa kaalaman ng lahat: Una, wala akong natanggap na pera mula kay Mrs. Napoles batay sa listahan ni Benhur Luy. Pangalawa, hindi ko siya kilala at hindi ko makita ang dahilan kung bakit nasama ako sa kanyang listahan,” said Pacheco in a statement. The Inquirer report, which came out Sunday, listed names of media personalities who allegedly received payoffs from detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, tagged as the scam’s mastermind. It said Pacheco received P715,000 from Napoles from 2004 to 2008. The Inquirer cited the files provided by pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy, a former employee in Napoles’ JLN Corp., as the source of its report. The files were reportedly contained in a hard drive that Luy’s parents gave to the Inquirer. Valdez, for her part, denied personally knowing both Luy and Napoles. “I deny and Read More …

Network to Stop AIDS-Philippines (NSAP) courtesy of NSAP Facebook page MANILA (Mabuhay) – A network of civil society groups involved in anti-AIDS advocacy work is threatening to sue the Department of Health if it pushes through with plans to implement mandatory HIV testing. The 21-organization Network to Stop AIDS Philippines, in a statement, called the DOH plan “illegal, ineffective and dangerous” and accused Health Secretary Enrique Ona of “refusing” to listen. “It is not allowed under the current law not only because it violates basic human rights, it is also ineffective in ensuring that people who need to get tested for HIV do actually get tested. They just go underground because of fear of abuse and discrimination, which will be exacerbated by the implementation of mandatory testing,” Mara Q. Bondad of Action for Health Initiatives was quoted in the statement. Babae Plus’ Elene Felix, noting that Filipinos with HIV are “already experiencing stigma and discrimination,” said mandatory testing would “lead to a witch hunt against those who are believed to be infected” and “create a climate of terror that will prevent communities from accessing life-saving HIV services.” The Network called the DOH for being “the weakest link in the country’s response to the HIV epidemic” and chided it for failing to understand “a complex sexual map.” Jonas Bagas of the TLF SHARE Collective cited men who engage in same-sex behavior, the sector most at risk of infection, asking, “who exactly are they going to require to get tested?” “Transgender people Read More …