Maniolas

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno (left) gestures to stress a point in his response to a question during a press conference on the proposed 2017 National Budget of PHP3.35-trillion which he submitted to the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Monday (Aug. 15, 2016). Also in photo is House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday submitted to the House of Representatives its proposed national budget of P3.35 trillion for 2017. The proposed budget – the first under the Duterte administration – is higher by 11.6 percent than the 2016 budget of P3.002 trillion. The Department of Education (DepEd) will receive the biggest slice of the budget pie among the government departments, with P570.4 billion, a 31-percent hike compared to the operating budget. To support the Duterte administration’s drive against crime, illegal drugs, and terrorism, the budgets for both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were increased substantially. The PNP will get P110.4 billion, higher by 24.6 percent than in 2016, to hire more policemen, purchase more guns and patrol vehicles, and finance other activities in relation to crime suppression. The AFP will receive P130.6 billion, which is 15 percent higher, to intensify counter-terrorism efforts and protect the Philippines’ borders. Meanwhile, the budget allocation for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program was hiked to P78.7 billion after the Duterte administration added P23.4 billion as rice allowance for millions os beneficiary families. The rice Read More …

SENATE’S CLOSING MESSAGE FOR 16th CONGRESS: Senate President Franklin M. Drilon is congratulated by his fellow senators after delivering the Senate’s closing message for the 16th Congress, which adjourned sine die during Monday’s session, June 6, 2016. A four-time Senate President, it was Drilon’s ninth time to deliver the closing message of the Senate. Those greeting Drilon, are clockwise, Senators Bam Aquino, Sonny Angara, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Tito Sotto III, along with Senators Gringo Honasan II, Antonio Trillanes IV, Koko Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.(MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon said Monday that if it were up to him, he would still prefer that the Constitution be amended via a Constitutional Convention (Con-con) instead of a Constituent Assembly (Con-ass). Lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives remain divided whether to amend the Constitution via Con-ass or Con-con. President Rodrigo Duterte has pushed for a Con-ass, saying it is a faster and cheaper mode to amend the 29-year-old Constitution. Con-ass is composed of all members of the Senate and the House convening as Congress discuss proposed amendments to the Constitution, while a Con-con provides for election of delegates who will revise the charter. Drilon, however, pointed out that the President has no participation in changing the Constitution “except as a political leader” because it is an act of Congress. “A resolution for a Con-con or a Con-ass does not need the President’s approval. And once the resolution Read More …

If this new premium hybrid car — the Karma Revero — looks familiar, that’s because technically speaking, this isn’t the first time the car has been launched. The Karma Revero© Karma Automotive Originally designed by Henrik Fisker, the man responsible for the aesthetics of some of the most stunning cars of this millennium like the Aston Martin DB9 and the BMW Z8, the Fisker Karma, as it was called back in 2008, was meant be the first in a line of ecologically-focused dream cars. However, luck wasn’t on Fisker’s side and the company he’d founded only managed to sell roughly 3000 cars before it went under in 2013. Three years later the company has been resurrected with a new management team and a new name — Karma. “Karma is based on the principle of cause and effect, where your actions create your future. This awareness of what we are doing and why we are doing it-which we characterize as acting with intention-is what we stand for, it’s authentic,” said James Taylor, Karma’s Chief Marketing Officer. However, what hasn’t really changed is the car. In 2008 the Fisker Karma was attractive and technologically innovative in equal measure. In 2016, while the car’s exterior is still as good-looking as that of any current road-going vehicle, the hybrid technology powering it isn’t. Karma says that the car’s inner workings have been upgraded (but hasn’t yet provided any figures) and also claims that it’s the first car ever to go on sale in the Read More …

The Philippine Embassy’s Chargé d’Affairés, Minister Patrick Chuasoto, delivers the opening remarks during theCalidad Humana photo exhibit and IYLA reception held at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 10 August 2016. WASHINGTON, DC – Delegates and participants of the 2016 International Young Leaders Assembly (IYLA) gathered at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy for a special reception and photo exhibit of the book, Calidad Humana: Sharing the Filipino Spirit in the evening of 10 August 2016. Calidad Humana or human compassion, defined as a positive and wholesome attitude towards others despite individual differences, is a remarkable quality that Filipinos are widely known for. Various photos from the Calidad Humana movement in the Philippines displayed at the Romulo Hall showed the heartfelt concern, resilient spirit, and genuine smiles emanating from the Filipino spirit and that are an essential part of the Filipino culture. The Philippine Embassy welcomed the IYLA participants and delegates with a special reception and photo exhibit of the book, Calidad Humana: Sharing the Filipino Spirit at the Romulo Hall on 10 August 2016. The Embassy’s Chargé d’Affairés, Minister Patrick Chuasoto, emphasized in his opening remarks how the photos speak about the Filipino’s humaness and how the youth can make use of their talents, skills, and knowledge to be of service to humanity.  “Calidad Humana is to give priority to concern to others,” former Chilean Ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Mayorga who edited the book and spearheaded the Calidad Humana Movement in the Philippines said in his remarks. Ambassador Mayorga lived in the Philippines for six Read More …

Residents walk under the rain along Luzon Avenue after a sudden thunderstorm at Barangay Tramo in Quezon City on Tuesday. The weather bureau PAGASA warned the public about localized thunderstorms every afternoon due to the onset of the rainy season.(MNS photo) MANILA, Aug 15 (Mabuhay)  – A month’s worth of rain was dumped in the past ten days in some parts of Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday. PAGASA weather division chief Esperanza Cayanan said Sangley point in Cavite experienced a month’s worth of rain in the past 10 days, while rains dumped over Iba, Zambales were equivalent to the 80 percent of a month’s worth of rain. The rain measurement was based on the historical average rainfall for the month of August. The state weather bureau said the southwest monsoon (habagat) will continue to affect Luzon. Moderate to occasionally heavy rains will be experienced over Ilocos Region and the provinces of Benguet, Zambales and Bataan. Light to moderate rains with isolated thunderstorms are expected over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Cagayan Valley, the rest of Central Luzon, rest of Cordillera Administrative Region and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon. PAGASA said a severe tropical storm outside the Philippine area of responsibility is currently enhancing the southwest monsoon. At 4 a.m. Monday, severe tropical storm “Chantu” was spotted 2,400 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 120 kph. Days of Read More …