Maniolas

— PISTON members, representing drivers and operators of public utility vehicles, march to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, urging justices to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the implementation of Joint Administrative Order no. 2014-01. The order imposes higher penalties for traffic violations, which the group finds unreasonable. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP) and the Trade Union Congress Party-list is seeking an P136 increase to the current P466 minimum wage for workers in Metro Manila. TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the current minimum wage can no longer sustain needs of a family, arguing that the real value of the peso has been eroded by 35 percent due to several factors including consumer price index, tuition fees, the recent Metro Rail Transit/Light Rail Transit fare hike, and the impending water and electricity rate increases. “The real value of the current P466 minimum wage is P299 only. It cannot sustain the needs of a family. As a result, many employed workers fall through the cracks and join the growing ranks of the working poor. Thus, we are asking the board to give a ‘living’ minimum wage. We particularly appeal to employers to grant our petition,” Tanjusay said. Rep. Raymond Mendoza, meanwhile, cited a “social discrepancy” between the country’s economic growth and wages of workers. “We have been experiencing growth in our economy but the workers who worked hard for it are wallowing in poverty. They have jobs and most are employed yet they Read More …

There’s a video making the rounds on social media of a Pinoy driver “teaching” other drivers how to turn the “beast mode” on while driving. Reactions to the video are (naturally) mostly negative with the one of the most common comment calling for authorities to revoke his license. In the video, you could see the driver getting into an argument with another driver who he bumped into then you could see him laughing at the camera after driving off and leaving the other driver. The driver in the video later apologised saying that his wife and child have been threatened because of the viral video. Bad drivers are out there and you encounter them every day on the road on your daily commute. Here are five types of bad drivers you see on the roads of the Philippines. Drivers Who Don’t Use Turn Signals Turn signals are a requirement for your car to be road worthy so drivers can’t really give an excuse that their turn signals are not working. Other drivers are not mind readers and can’t tell if you plan to change lanes unless you use your turn signal, so please, use your turn signal and let’s avoid accidents. Drivers Who Cut Other Cars Off That “beast mode” driver’s tutorial was about how to cut other cars off. Here’s a tip, DON’T follow his advice! Drivers who do this are bullies and are a hazard on the road. He bumped into another car in the video and got Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said it will be extending regulatory relief to banks affected by Tropical Storm Seniang which hit the country last December. The set of measures is aimed at helping banks and other financial institutions cope with the damage brought about by the typhoon to better assist their clients also devastated by the calamity. The central bank said in a statement banks qualified to apply for the relief are those located in Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar (Western Samar), and Southern Leyte. Those in the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur may also ask for regulatory relief. Seniang, which made landfall in the country last Dec. 28, killed 66 and injured 43. The government has estimated more than half a million persons were affected by the calamity. The weather disturbance also devastated P552.38-million worth of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, and P719.21-million worth of crops, livestock, and agriculture facilities. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The relief measures, approved by the policymaking Monetary Board last Jan. 14, will allow thrift, rural, and cooperative banks to exclude the outstanding obligations of their borrowers in affected areas from the computation of past due ratios. The central bank will also allow the decrease of Read More …

Malacañang on Sunday denied a news report that Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Teresita Deles stopped President Benigno Aquino III from sending reinforcements to help government troops trapped in a firefight with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao last week. “Wala pong batayan ang pahayag na ‘yan. Mainam na sa kasalukuyan ay umiwas na lang po tayo sa mga haka-haka at purong espekulasyon na walang batayan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing over state-run dzRB. According to a report by The Daily Tribune, Deles advised the President not to call the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ask for reinforcements for the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) team that was sent to Maguindanao to serve arrest warrants on two terror suspects last week. The OPAPP also denied the allegations in a statement posted on its Facebook account on Sunday. “There is NO TRUTH whatsoever, as alleged by the Daily Tribune in its news story ‘Noy held back on order to reinforce SAF – source’ that came out in its 30 January 2015 issue, that the President called Secretary Deles early in the morning on Sunday, 25 January 2015, to ask her to call the MILF to withdraw its forces,” OPAPP Communications Group Team Leader Polly Cunanan said in the post. “President Aquino did not call Secretary Deles and, accordingly, there is no truth to the further allegation by Read More …

For the education and increased awareness of Filipino students regarding the roles and importance of overseas Filipinos in the future of the Philippines, Dr. Celia Lamkin, chair of the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) Marianas chapter (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam), has launched an essay contest for high school and college students in December 2014. In 2012, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), a government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines, headed by Secretary Imelda Nicolas, estimated that approximately 10.5 million Filipinos worked or resided abroad. The contest is open to all Filipino students or of Filipino descent in the Philippines or overseas, from 10 to 25 years old who are enrolled in high school and college. The deadline for submission of the essay entries has been extended to Feb. 8, 2015. Entries should be submitted by e-mail only at overseasfilipinosessay@yahoo.com. The theme of the essay is “The Overseas Filipinos and their impact on the Philippines.” The essay should focus on: The contributions of overseas Filipinos to the economy of the Philippines. The importance of the participation of overseas Filipinos in the Philippine elections. What are the social risks that the children and families of overseas Filipinos face due to long years of separation or long distance relationships? Why are the overseas Filipinos called the “new heroes” of the Philippines? Please describe the traits of overseas Filipinos which make them unique as global immigrants and overseas Filipino workers. The essay must be Read More …