Maniolas

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile made a motion to cite in contempt Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Jupiter Branch Manager Maia Santos Deguito for refusing to answer his queries on the $81 Million money laundering incident at the Senate inquiry, Thursday afternoon.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Filipino-Chinese businessman William So Go reportedly wanted a 10-percent kickback from the $81 million laundered from the account of the Bangladesh Bank with the US Federal Reserve Bank in New York to maintain his silence about the transactions. “Deguito is saying otherwise, that Go was asking her for 10 percent of $81 million para pumayag siya or para maayos problema,” Senator Teofisto Guingona III said in an interview in Manila on Monday. Guingona was referring to claims made by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Jupiter branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito during the executive session with the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on March 17. Go is the former owner of S&R Membership Shopping (formerly PriceSmart Membership Shopping) and CUL Warehouse Shopping. He is now the sole proprietor of brokerage firm Centurytex Trading which services the importation of international garment labels such as Guess, Vans, Mango, Terranova, and US-based ice cream parlor chain Cold Stone Creamery. Sought for comment, Go’s legal counsel belied the claims. “This is not true. She offered P10 million,” Go’s counsel Atty. Ramon S. Esguerra said in a text message sent to GMA News Online on Monday. “Mr. Go declined as according to him, he is not stupid to legitimize an otherwise Read More …

Vendors create decorative palm fronds, locally known as “Palaspas,” outside the Sto, Domingo Church in Quezon City on Friday. Catholics in the Philippines will commemorate the entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, which ushers the start of the observance of Holy Week.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya on Monday said flights may be delayed during the Holy Week not only because of the influx of people but also due to problems with airlines as well. “Bagamat marami tayong lumilipad sa ganitong panahon, minsan sa kadahilanan rin ng airlines, kung late ang piloto, poor ang maintenance, then magkakaroon ng delay ‘yun,” Abaya said. Abaya said passengers are entitled to certain benefits when their flights are delayed as stated in the Air Passengers’ Bill of Rights. “Kapag na-delay ka, may mga penalties ‘yan at pribilehiyo na dapat mong matanggap. Kung kanselado [ang flight], dapat libre ang booking at may accommodations,” Abaya said. Under the Air Passengers’ Bill of Rights, terminal delay of three hours after expected time of departure (ETD) gives the passenger the right to avail of refreshments and meal, to have free phone calls and texts, to rebook or refund the ticket, and to be endorsed to another carrier. Terminal delay of six hours after ETD, on the other hand, entitles the passenger to consider cancelling the flight and receive additional compensation. A two-day delay gives a passenger the right to have sufficient food and beverage. “Mahalaga mayroon tayong reminders sa mga Read More …

Fellow Senators Grace Poe Llamanzares and Francisco Escudero recently declared their intent to run for president and vice president, respectively. Escudero, in his announcement, stressed that ideal contenders for public office should only be beholden to the Filipino people. MANILA (Mabuhay) — Vice-presidential race frontrunner Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it is high time the government seriously address the problem of land-grabbing and stop individuals or groups from illegally and forcibly taking the land of others, including those owned by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “Land-grabbing involving both public and private lands should be stopped and land grabbers should be dealt with accordingly,” said Escudero, who is running as independent under the banner “Gobyernong may Puso” alongside leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe. Escudero said he received numerous complaints regarding land grabbing, particularly in Antipolo City, where property owners, mostly OFWs, lost their lands by force, intimidation or misinformation. “Land grabbing seems to be rampant in Antipolo City and yet authorities are not doing anything,” Escudero said, as he lamented that most of the victims are OFWs. “It is unacceptable that the properties bought by OFWs with their hard-earned money accumulated over the years of working abroad, go away just like that,” he said. Escudero, meanwhile, vowed to take back all government-owned lands illegally encroached by land-grabbing syndicates and use them for future socialized housing projects, if he and Poe are elected. “We will retrieve all state lands in adverse possession of land mafias across the country and turn them into Read More …

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21 Linda Sarno will be missed. She went to join her Creator early this month after gallantly and stubbornly battling a sickness. Her faithfulness with her God-given gifts has been rewarded aptly with her being put “in charge of many things that her Master undoubtedly has found pleasure and happiness in”. In her lifetime, Linda wore so many hats that bore her emblem of excellence and commitment. Among the enviable hats she donned were that of being a U.S. Patent Attorney and a chemist with a multinational corporation with both fields being beneficiaries of her intellectual gifts that she harnessed to the fullest. She was an indefatigable community organizer who approached her tasks with consistent passion that has served as a model for community involvement.  Her pioneering attribute resulted in spearheading the formation of organizations where she served unselfishly in various capacities . Her advocacies for the small business, the environment and other worthy concerns had earned for her many accolades which inspired her more to commit herself to various issues that redound to the betterment of the community where she operated. Among the honors reaped on her include the Business Advocate of the year 2005 by the Small Business Administration, Lions Club 2007 Citizen of the Year Award, the Southern California Leadership Award for 2010 and Read More …

Q: Creditors are harassing me – but I lost my job, and cannot pay. How do I stop them calling? A: If you cannot pay your bills, creditors will take steps to collect. That’s natural, but continued harassment can be emotionally depressing. If you have lost your job, or simply cannot cope, call me. You have options, and depending on your situation, I will help you choose the option that’s best for you. Federal bankruptcy laws are designed to give people in distress, a fresh start, and may be the right solution for you. Q: Will a bankruptcy stop collection agencies from calling me? A: Yes, filing a bankruptcy protects you from creditor harassment, and provides peace of mind. Creditors will not contact you if you filed bankruptcy and have an attorney representing you. Otherwise they risk being cited for contempt of federal court, something they will not risk. Another reason to consider a bankruptcy now, even if you do not have assets to protect, is that after a bankruptcy, you can immediately begin the process of repairing your credit. This usually takes between 6 to 12 months, so an early start will get you there faster. Q: I have just received a summons from a creditor. Is it too late to file a bankruptcy? A: No. When you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect immediately stopping any lawsuit filed against you and any action against your property by a creditor, collection agency or government entity. This can Read More …