Maniolas

Businessman Antonio Tiu and Senator Atonio F. Trillanes IV as they walk along the Rosario property, that people are reffering to as the Binay Farm in Rosario Batangas. October 23 BATANGAS, July 18, (MABUHAY) – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday urged the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to sequester the so-called Hacienda Binay in Batangas and convert it to a drug treatment and rehabilitation facility. “There are thousands of self-confessed drug dependents who have surrendered to the authorities, but, aside from monitoring, the government has yet to implement a concrete program to ensure that these drug users will not return to their old ways. We do not have a concrete plan, as well as facilities, to rehabilitate them.” Trillanes said. Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado accused then-Vice President Jejomar Binay as the “true owner” of a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas using businessman Antonio Tiu as his dummy. Mercado was one of the witnesses presented by Trillanes in the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearings on the alleged corruption of the Makati City Hall Building II that expanded to other city projects of the Binays. Meanwhile, Trillanes proposed to use the illegally-acquired estate for the benefit of the drug users and pushers who will be put to rehabilitation. “During the hearings conducted by the Senate on the anomalies involving then VP Binay, it was raised that the 350-hectare farm, allegedly owned by VP Binay, was illegally acquired and violated the agrarian reform law. The current administration must immediately act Read More …

Gerald Anderson (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — “It was me being stupid,” admitted Gerald Anderson when asked about the reason behind his decision to cut short his romance with actress Bea Alonzo back in 2010. “Bata pa ako noon,” Anderson said, adding that their short-lived relationship failed due to “bad timing.” Anderson had just broken up with Kim Chiu, his fellow “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate and erstwhile “love team,” when he expressed his intentions to court Alonzo. His move did not sit well with his mother and drew much criticism from Chiu’s fans, prompting him to call it off. Bea Alonzo (MNS Photo) But despite the messy fallout, Anderson said that he and Alonzo have been able to look past their failed relationship and laugh about it. The two are currently working on a new Star Cinema film, “How To Be Yours.” “Nakakatawa kasi noong panahon na iyon ay madaming nagsasabi na, ’10 years from now ay pagtatawanan mo itong breakup ninyo.’ Noong time na iyon, sinasabi ko, ‘Huh? Hindi. Parang end of the world na ito eh.’ But like now, ‘pag nasa shooting kami ay pinagtatawanan na lang namin,” he shared. Anderson also admitted that he now feels closer with Alonzo, using words like “surreal” to describe his experience working with his former girlfriend on the set of the their first film together as lead stars. “Childhood crush ko po iyan eh. Bata pa lang ako, I was 15 years old, hindi po ako masyadong nagta-Tagalog pero pinapanuod ko Read More …

Hollywood, CA   – As Straw Productions presents the World Premiere of As Straw Before The Wind, a new play that offers a window into the life experience of a Filipina nurse who survives the trauma of World War II, only to discover that her war is not yet over. Written by Felix Racelis, under the direction of Lesley Asistio, the production will be presented for four weekends at the Ruby Theatre at The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90038, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m., August 13 – September 4, 2016.  Saturday, August 13, 2016 marks the World Premiere Opening Night of the play.  A Discounted Preview performance will be given on Friday, August 12, 2016 at 8 p.m.  To learn more, visit www.strawbeforewind.com. As Straw Before The Wind stars Tita Pambid (Nene Santos), Muni Zano (Poncing Enrile), Sarnica Lim (Pilita Santos), Anita Borcia (Mildred Novak), Rochelle Lozano (Maria Enrile), Doan Nguyen(Loan Officer, Swing 1) and Gabriel Garcia (Mr. Martinez, Jr., Swing 2) As Straw Before The Wind recounts the story of Nene Santos, a Filipina nurse and enterprising owner/operator, of a fictionalized San Gabriel Valley convalescent home.  Nene has ambitious plans to expand her business, which she intends to leave to her daughter and primary assistant, Pilita, who has her own agenda.  So, what will become of the elderly and fragile resident patients of the convalescent home – Poncing Enrile, a retired Filipino American Army Captain, and Mildred Novak, a chain smoking retiree widow with Alzheimer’s Disease?  Nene confronts a string of setbacks and obstacles in her quest.  Flashbacks of the horrendous experience she and her family endured during WWII Read More …

By Jelly F. Musico Barong, jeans, no socks: The “working” President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo shares a light moment prior to the Cabinet meeting at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday.(MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Malacañang on Wednesday described the impressive trust rating of President Rodrigo Duterte as “very encouraging” and a positive sign the public appreciates the way the new government addresses the problems it inherited from the previous administration. ”It’s a positive sign and very encouraging to know that the people trust the judgment, decisions and actions of the President,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar said in a text message to the Malacañang media. Based on the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey conducted from June 24-27 among 1,200 adult respondents nationwide, Pres. Duterte garnered a net trust rating of 79 percent, a big leap from his trust rating of 26 percent in May. ”The mandate is clear, the government cannot stop what it has started,” Andanar said, referring to the anti-illegal drug campaign of the Duterte administration. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said President has yet to give comment on the SWS survey but noted that “I’m sure he would appreciate that.” ”And he would also say, if I know him, that trabaho lang ‘yan, that’s part of the job’ and that he will continue to do our part,” Abella said. The second quarter survey of SWS showed that only five percent of the respondents have little trust while 11 percent were undecided on Read More …

By Joann Santiago An employee counts U.S. dollar bills before changing it to Philippine Pesos inside a money changer in Manila September 19, 2013. The Philippine central bank said remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have allowed households to save money, boosting the country’s savings rate.(MNS Photo) MANILA  (PNA) – An economist of ING Bank Manila is optimistic that the Philippines’ external payments position could sustain its strength this 2016, backed by robust growth of revenues of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector and remittances. In a research note, ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng projects BPO sector revenues to rise by 16 percent this year to USD 25 billion. These inflows are seen to get further boost from remittances from Filipinos overseas, which is seen to rise by three percent this year. For May 2016 alone, Cuyegkeng sees remittances to rise by four to five percent to USD 2.2 billion, to bring the five-month amount to USD 10.9 billion. Cuyegkeng said recent hikes in oil prices “should deliver some relief that remittances are unlikely to contract year-on-year for the whole of 2016.” ”In addition, the deployment of higher skilled Filipinos abroad would likely support a modest growth not only this year but in the coming years,” he said. Last April, cash remittances rose by 4.1 percent year-on-year to USD 2.2 billion while end-year growth rose by 3.1 percent to USD 8.67 billion. In 2015, cash remittances grew by 4.6 percent, higher than the central bank’s four percent target, Read More …