Maniolas

What an excellent year for Christmas music 2013 has turned out to be. A month ago, we got the superb Johnny Mathis singing Holiday tunes again in Sending You A Little Christmas but with a refreshing country spin. What more could you ask for after something like that? We didn’t ask but doubtless in keeping with the giving spirit of the season we still got more. And what wonderful sounds those extra presents turned out to be, A Mary Christmas by Mary J. Blige and Wrapped In Red by Kelly Clarkson. I knew that the soulful Mary was ripe for a Christmas album after listening to her sing What Child Is This with Andrea Bocelli in the Italian tenor’s My Christmas album two years ago that was produced by David Foster. It was a showstopper. I thought then that she would be magnificent doing Christmas songs. Then last year, Mary was back with another duet, We Three Kings Of Orient Are with Rod Stewart, in Merry Christmas Baby, which, was also produced by Foster. And I thought Foster has plans for Mary. Again she was great and I knew that it would not be long before we get Mary’s own and her very first Christmas album. And it did happen this year. And her A Mary Christmas was indeed produced and arranged by Foster and it is all that I expected it would be. It reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother a long time ago. I Read More …

TWO calamities derailed what was shaping up to be a very promising year for Cebu tourism. For tourism stakeholders, 2013 is a “challenging year” for the industry. Tourism advocate Jonathan Jay Aldeguer said this year had all the makings of a banner year for travel in the country until the twin disasters hit the Visayas region in the fourth quarter. Aldeguer said the year started out “very promising” with both international and domestic players taking “aggressive” moves to stimulate travel to and within the Philippines. Target figures, he said, were on track and these even exceeded domestic travel goals. But the recent calamities in Visayas, where tourism is strongest, slowed down travel to these areas. “The year 2013 was showing a lot of promise, even more than 2012, up until the multiple disasters that struck the Visayas,” said Aldeguer, who is president and chief executive officer of The Islands Group. ‘Big blow’ to sector Cenelyn Manguilimotan, president of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRRAC), shared Aldeguer’s evaluation, saying that the performance of the sector “could have been better” if only the twin calamities did not happen. Manguilimotan pointed out that Cebu recorded a lot of tourism activities in the first three quarters, up until the beginning of October. After the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, hotels and other establishments started to feel the impact with cancellations and postponements of bookings, travel and events. The cancellations continued after super typhoon Yolanda, international codename Haiyan. “The recent earthquake and typhoon Read More …

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gestures during a press conference in Makati, south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Dec. 22, 2013. Ban called on donor countries to ramp up aid for the reconstruction program for the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.” AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA MANILA, Philippines—United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called on donor countries to ramp up aid for the reconstruction program for the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.” “I hope my visit will provide occasion to the international community to keep focused. This should not be a forgotten crisis. That’s why I’m here,” Ban said at a joint news conference with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario at the close of a three-day visit. Ban said so far only 32 percent of the amount requested for the UN-led humanitarian community’s Strategic Response Plan for Yolanda victims had been filled. On Saturday, Ban visited Tacloban City and saw for himself the massive devastation wrought by Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) on Nov. 8. The government said the supertyphoon affected 14.1 million persons, displaced 4.1 million, and damaged 1.1 million houses. It said 6,102 persons were killed and another 1,779 were missing. On Friday, Ban met with President Aquino and discussed with him the government’s rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Del Rosario thanked Ban for his visit, saying that this demonstrated “the UN’s firm commitment of helping victims of Typhoon Yolanda.” “Your presence here is a manifestation of your personal leadership which has touched our hearts,” he said, noting the UN’s “dedication in Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – As the Andy Williams song goes “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.” This December, everything is enveloped with a sense of wonder and merriment. Let Westgate Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, make your Christmas even more magical with its line-up of exciting events this month, all happening at 7:30 p.m. These included the inspiring performance of the De La Salle University Chorale yesterday. Established in 1987 and currently led by Prof. Rodolfo Delarmente, the group has won several accolades both here and abroad, including the grand prix and Public’s Choice Awards in the Arnhem International Choir Festival in 1995, and third place in the Baroque and Renaissance categories in the Concorso Internazionale Di Canto Corale 2010 in Gorizia, Italy. Tomorrow, Dec. 22, celebrate the season with dance as Ballet Philippines (photo) stages Love and Light. Established in 1969, Ballet Philippines has staged over 400 works, ranging from ballet classics to more contemporary works. Westgate Center is a 9.2-hectare open-air retail concept that challenges the confines of the mall setting, creating a mainstreet ambience conducive to relaxation and recreation. It is a premiere development project of Filinvest Alabang, Inc. in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Communist rebels will declare a ceasefire during the holidays to allow their comrades to mark the 45th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Dec. 26. In a statement posted on its website late Tuesday, the CPP said: “The leadership… is set to declare a ceasefire in order to pave the way for the national celebrations of the [Party’s] 45th anniversary as well as to give way to the Filipino people’s traditional observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays.”  But the CPP did not immediately specify the dates of the ceasefire. It also called on the government to order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to stand down on December 26 and the days leading to it, “in order to allow… thousands of people to peacefully travel to and join the celebrations.” For this year’s celebration, the CPP said it expects “several hundred” people’s assemblies inside the guerrilla zones across the country. It said most participants are likely to travel by foot to the people’s assemblies. “Travel arrangements are also being made for the revolutionary forces and guests coming in from the cities or other towns,” it added. Also, the CPP said the celebrations will be modest. On the other hand, the CPP said the mass activities will also collect funds and materials that will be contributed to the rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). “The assemblies shall, however, be appropriately joyous to celebrate the great victories of the people’s war and the people’s Read More …