Maniolas

The riveting story of “Handbook For An Unpredictable Life,” written by actress/dancer/choreographer Rosie Perez  is a heartbreaking book of surviving a mentally ill mother and the rigid rules of the Catholic nuns who ran the children’s home in New York’s Westchester County. Rosie Maria Perez was born on September 6, 1964 in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, New York to her mother, Lydia Perez and merchant marine dad, Ishmael Serrano. Both of her parents were from Aguadillo, Puerto Rico but both of them were apparently “married to other people when they met” and Rosie was born from that affair. “Handbook For An Unpredictable Life,” written by actress/dancer/choreographer Rosie Perez She became a “ ward of the State of New York when her mother took her from an aunt who was raising her and she was transferred to a group home at the age of 3 until she reached the age of 12.” Though her mother and aunt visited her frequently, her father also tried making an unsuccessful custody.In the book, Rosie narrated how being housed at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Home for Children in Peekskill, New York, which was called “the home” was where at the young age of three, she learned their daily routine on everything: they were told “what to do, when to do it,  how to do it; when to wake up, when and how to shower, when and how to clean up, when to eat, when and how to play, how to pray and even when to pee and poop and how to Read More …

Vice President Jejomar Binay addresses the crowd during the 36th National Conference of Employers at Marriott hotel in Pasay City on Friday. Binay told the business community his family only has five bank accounts, denying the Anti Money Laundering Council report that he owns about 242 bank accounts. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Francis Escudero, who is rumored to be running for higher office in 2016, said Wednesday he has no regrets supporting the vice-presidential candidacy of Jejomar Binay in 2010. Escudero came out in TV ads in 2010 supporting the candidacies of Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Aquino III and opposition candidate Jejomar Binay. Both candidates won in the 2010 polls. The senator said he does not regret supporting Binay since he did not know about the corruption allegations against the then Makati mayor. “Knowing what I knew then, no. Knowing what I know now, but then again hindsight is 20/20. Wala ka nang magagawa nun,” he said. He compared his support for Binay to President Aquino’s and Secretary Mar Roxas’ own support for then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004 before allegations of widespread cheating came out. “Si Secretary Roxas at Pangulong Aquino sinuportahan din si GMA nun. Nung nalaman nila ang mga ginawa ni GMA, bumitiw at kumalas sila sa pagbigay ng suporta sa kanya. Walang masama dun,” he said. “I don’t regret anything I’ve done simply because I did not know those things at that time…I do not regret and it is not my habit to Read More …

BASRA COURTESY CALL. Dr. Majid Al-Nasrawi, the Governor of Basra Province in southern Iraq, and Chargé d’Affaires Elmer G. Cato of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad shake hands following the latter’s courtesy call on the Iraqi official. During the meeting, Governor Al-Nasrawi requested the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in inviting Philippine companies to invest in Basra, the main oil producing region of Iraq and host of the country’s only port. (Philippine Embassy Photo by Andrei Bauzon) Basra – After a Filipino company poured in $130 million to develop Iraq’s largest port, the governor of this oil-rich southern province wants the Philippines to seriously consider sending in more investments. “We want more investments from the Philippines,” Governor ​Majid ​Al-Nasrawi said during a recent courtesy call by Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad. “There are numerous investment opportunities here for Filipino companies.” During their meeting, Governor Al-Nasrawi assured Cato that Basra and the rest of southern Iraq remain safe for investors as the region is far from the conflict that continues to rage in the northern and western parts of Iraq. “Basra is safe,” he said. “There is nothing to worry about. There are no serious security issues here.” Al-Nasrawi was all praises for the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), a Manila-based global port operator, which is investing $130 million to expand the country’s main port in Umm Qasr. ICTSI’s Basra Gateway Terminal Project, which is considered to be the largest private investment in Iraqi ports, will be fully operational next Read More …

Vice President Jejomar Binay walks among his supporters at the Makati City hall on Monday. People gathered at the city hall grounds to show their support for the older Binay and his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was earlier served another suspension by the Ombudsman. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The spokesman of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday defended the filing of a P200-million libel suit against his political detractors, as it singled out Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for supposedly “bullying” Binay. “The complaint filed by the Vice President against certain parties including Senator Trillanes is a legitimate redress of grievance. This also shows that the rule of law is non-negotiable,” lawyer Rico Quicho, Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs, said in a statement. “It is about time that Senator Trillanes’ bullying and clear arrogance of power be reviewed and stopped by a court of competent jurisdiction after a fair and impartial administration of justice,” he added. In his complaint filed against Trillanes and 11 others before the Makati Regional Trial Court, Binay said the defendants colluded to malign his name and reputation to force him not to run in the 2016 presidential elections. Trillanes, one of the three senators leading the Senate investigation on the corruption allegations against Binay, said the complaint filed by the Vice President is an indication that the public official was now in panic mode. “Nagpapakita lang ito na nagpapanic na si VP Binay kaya sinusubukan na lang niyang takutin ang mga taong umuusig Read More …

The 46th Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri delivers his remarks upon assumption as head of AFP during the Testimonial Honors and AFP Change of Command Ceremony at the Tejeros Hall of the AFP Commissioned Officer’s Club (AFPCOC), Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Friday (July 10). Iriberri replaced former AFP Chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr. following the latter’s retirement from his Tour of Duty. Lt. Gen. Iriberri is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Matikas” Class of 1983. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The head of the police task force for the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in January has been named the new chief of the Philippine National Police Tuesday. Dir. Ricardo Marquez, director for operations since December 2013, assumes the position as Deputy Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina is set to retire July 16. At a press conference where he made the announcement, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas expressed confidence in the leadership of Marquez. “Tiwala ako na ang pipiliin ng Pangulo ay may proven track record. Matibay ang kumpyansa ko kay Director Ric Marquez,” he said. “Naniniwala akong ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagbabago at kaayusan sa PNP and he will take it to further heights,” he added. Marquez, for his part, expressed his gratitude to President Benigno Aquino III for choosing him. “With humility and full gratitude, I accept the challenge to lead the 160,000-strong PNP,” he said. During the Papal visit last January, Marquez led Read More …