Maniolas

Paolo Contis (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — With a TV project and a movie in the works, Paolo Contis is geared to showcase his acting range through two villainous characters. First is on GMA-7′s primetime soap opera titled “The Rich Man’s Daughter,” which premiered last May 11. In the said series, he is Anton Maceda, ex-husband of Althea Guevarra, played by Glaiza de Castro who is a battered wife. The two separated but when he discovered that Althea is in a secret relationship with Jade Tachingco, played by Rhian Ramos, he comes back and blackmails the two. He wanted Jade to pretend that he is her boyfriend. According to Paolo, they have already finished taping his “wife beating” scenes for flashback purposes and it will be shown on the first week of “The Rich Man’s Daughter.” His character will then return on the fourth week when he starts blackmailing Jade and Althea. “Sabi ko ipagkakalat ko ang secret nila. So no choice sila kundi sumunod sa akin. Kaya kami muna ni Rhian,” shared Paolo. So how does he feel being in a lesbian-themed series? Being close to the gay community, Paolo admitted that he has always been open to gay or lesbian issues. “Honestly I’ve always been open about it. Wala namang turn-off na naganap sa buong buhay ko sa kanila. I respect people. I don’t respect the sex but kung ano ka as a person,” he expressed. Directed by Dominic Zapata, “The Rich Man’s Daughter” also features Al Tantay, Read More …

Catanduanes International Association, Inc., is a non-profit organization with a 501c3 status, to benefit the indigent people of the island province of Catanduanes, in the Philippines. We organize and participate in medical missions. (Photo courtesy of http://catanduanesinternational.org/ The Catanduanes International Association (CIA), Inc. will celebrate its 24th Anniversary and 9th Grand Reunion on August 7 to 9, 2015 at the Hilton Hotel Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA.  This year’s festivities are being sponsored by Catanduanes USA(CAUSA)/LA Chapter. This 3-day event will be highlighted with “Western Style Night”, “Grand Gala Night Hollywood Style and “Mass and Picnic.” Be a part in celebrating our extraordinary heritage at this spectacular gathering and reminisce the time we spent with our fellow Catandunganons and friends.  You will also make it a pleasant and a sentimental journey to visit friends and relatives in the Golden State of California. Proceeds from donations of this event will benefit the next Medical Mission to Catanduanes, Philippines.  All donations are tax deductible.  For more information and details, please contact Ms. Dolly Dalusong, President, CAUSA Inc., telephone number (909)539-8111. We hope to see you at this momentous occasion!

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. talks to the media on Friday inside the Makati City Hall Building. Binay said he will stay in the building despite a suspension order from the Ombudsman for his alleged involvement in the overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV expressed confidence Tuesday that the contempt charge filed against him by Makati Mayor Junjun Binay will not prosper as he just did his duty as a senator. The senator said his lawyers will be preparing within the next few days his official reply to the Court of Appeals order in relation to the contempt charge. The CA gave Trillanes 10 days to comment on Binay’s contempt plea. The Makati mayor said Trillanes should be held in contempt for accusing CA Justices Jose Reyes Jr and Francisco Acosta of receiving P25 million each to stop the six-month preventive suspension of Binay over the alleged overpricing of the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II. The building construction project was bidded out during the term of Junjun Binay as city councilor and Vice President Jejomar Binay, Junjun’s father, as city mayor. “I’m confident that it would not prosper because it would be absurd to cite a legislator for contempt by a lower court for performing his oversight function,” Trillanes said. He said he just exposed or called for an investigation on an “alleged bribery/corruption committed by a public official based on credible information.”(MNS)

Janet Lim Napoles (center), the alleged pork barrel scam queen, is escorted out of the court room after being found guilty on her kidnapping and serious illegal detention case of scam whistleblower Benhur Luy at the Makati Regional Trial Court on Tuesday. Napoles was sentenced to permanent imprisonment. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday asked prosecutors in the pork barrel scam cases to file the charges against the next batch of personalities who allegedly benefited from the supposed anomaly. At the continuation of the bail hearing of Masbate Gov. Rizalina Seacon Lanete, Associate Justice Jose Hernandez, who concurrently chairs the court’s Fourth Division, asked the prosecutors what’s taking them so long in filing the charges against the next batches of suspects. “File the second and third batch. What are you waiting for? You have a very willing witness. Without her testimony you will have no case,” Hernandez said. Prosecutor Jorge Espinal, however, told the court that “it’s not our call.” This exchange came after scam whistleblower Marina Sula told the court that she is willing to testify in other cases that will be filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the alleged scam. Sula said this even after the court told her it could take 10 more years of her taking the witness stand. Hernandez said he finds Sula’s answer “very laudable.” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima had earlier admitted that she is uncertain if she can concentrate on the filing of the third Read More …

Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan (right) of the Commission on Higher Education discusses during a news conference Wednesday at the CHED Office in Quezon City the Students’ Grants-in-aid Program for Poverty Alleviation, a most exciting part of the government’s student assistance program as it directly benefits students of the poorest families. The SGP-PA, with an allocation of P500M, is administered by CHED for State Universities and Colleges in support of the reform agenda for public higher education. Also in photo is Social Welfare Secretary Corazon J. Soliman. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A group of teachers and school staff has opposed the Department of Education’s request to the Supreme Court for a 30-day extension to file a comment on a plea against Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. The law gave birth to the controversial K-12 Program that added two more years in high school education. In a statement on Friday, the “Suspend K-12 Coalition,” composed of 16 groups headed by the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (CoTeSCUP), said the government was duty-bound to respond to the “needs and clamor of its constituency with efficiency, transparency, and integrity.” “We, as citizens, deserve nothing less but swift, decisive, and conscientious action from government respondents, who in the first place have already been given a 10-day period to respond to our petition, and in consideration of the fact that some schools are already opening senior high school this coming June,” said Read More …