Maniolas

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Wednesday awarded a total of P5.9-million cash reward to two informants who provided intelligence information to the military that led to the “neutralization” of two top Abu Sayyaf members involved in large-scale kidnap-for-ransom activities in Mindanao. In the awarding ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, AFP chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya turned over P5.3 million to Informant X, whose face was covered with a hood to hide his identity. He led joint elements of the military and police to the killing of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Sihatra Muallam Asmad, alias Latip, in Sulu province in November 2014. Asmad was involved in the kidnapping of foreign guests and workers of the Sipadan Beach Resort in Sabah, Malaysia, in April 2000, as well as members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Patikul, Sulu in August 2000. Asmad, who was wanted for six counts of kidnapping and illegal detention, had a bounty of P5.3 million. On the other hand, Informant Y received P600,000 for providing the information that led to the arrest of Yakan, who was wanted for the kidnappings and serious illegal detention of 15 and killings of two residents of Golden Harvest Plantation on June 11, 2001 in Barangay Tairan in Lantawan town, Basilan province. Yakan was captured by the military on May 23, 2014. He carried a reward of P600,000. Cooperation Visaya said he was pleased with the cooperation shown by the people in the military campaign to neutralize the terrorist group. “The information provided by the Read More …

A past Parol Lantern Festival and Parade in San Francisco. CONTRIBUTED SAN FRANCISCO — This is the time of year when Filipino culture is prominently showcased even in a universally celebrated holiday season in America, thanks to the Annual Parol Lantern Festival and Parade, now on its 14th year. The festival is a fun-filled family evening of music, games and prizes with the brightly lit and colorful parol lanterns, and for the second year, we will be featuring artist-commissioned lanterns and a food-tasting program dubbed as Taste of Filipino Christmas. The parol festival is scheduled every second Saturday of December, the Saturday before Simbang Gabi o Misa de Gallo, a nine-day early morning mass at St. Patrick’s Church before Christmas. The main event will be held on Saturday, December 10 and it starts in Yerba Buena Gardens and marches to Jessie Square on the eastside of St. Patrick’s Church. Parol strollers with their brightly lit contingent lanterns gather for a lively parade and holiday festival. This year’s theme is “Bring Our Culture to Light.” The parol festival-parade is one of the many cultural assets and community celebrations that convinced the Board of Supervisors and the City to unanimously adopt a resolution last April establishing the SoMa (South of Market Street) Pilipinas as Filipino Cultural Heritage District in San Francisco. SoMa Pilipinas has served as a touchstone for Filipinos seeking to connect with their cultural heritage. As a Filipino cultural heritage district, it celebrates and preserves the community, individual and family Read More …

Ateneans pose with Consul General Tess Dizon De Vega (Ateneo Law School) standing fourth from left between this writer and event organizer Romainne de Guzman Luis (fifth from left) and Ateneo coordinator Cecile Sison (sixth from left). PORSHA SEECHUNG NEW YORK CITY — In keeping with this tradition, alumni from five universities joined the “battle of the bands” Nov. 4, coinciding with the annual Homecoming sa Konsulado started by the Philippine Consulate General of New York a few years ago. Filipino Americans in the Northeast found another way to bring camaraderie and a little competition through the 4th Bandastiks competition to be held here in the Northeast. Ateneo De Manila University alums won this year’s Bandastiks battle of the bands held at the Philippine Consulate General of New York. They performed at the Consulate’s Homecoming sa Konsulado. PORSHA SEECHUNG The Ateneans’ band won the competition with their rendition of classic Pinoy rock, OPMs and swing, making the cheering crowd hit the dance floor. Alumni of Ateneo, La Salle, Assumption, St. Paul and Xavier University/Ateneo Cagayan competed this year. The Ateneans performed the following day during the Homecoming sa Konsulado attended by several university alumni from the New York- New Jersey area. The first Bandafest battle of the bands was held in fall of 2004 among alumni of Ateneo, La Salle, St. Scholastica and St. Theresa’sCollege. The interschool competition ran until 2007 when participants diminished. Last year, it was revived as Bandastiks, a benefit showdown. TAGS: alumni homecoming, Bandastiks, Homecoming Sa Konsulado, Read More …

SAN FRANCISCO – Winners of this year’s Letter to My Parents™ Contest in Hawai‘i were announced Saturday, Nov. 19 where nine contestants recited their letters dedicated to their parents. Judges selected three award recipients for this year’s contest: Amanda Herolaga for “Bravery,” Shyloe Tote for “Reflection” and Aizea Ranon for “Proposal.” Each of them received a prize of $500. For this year, there was another award – “Spirit of Aloha,” which was awarded to Casey Metrose, who received a $200 dinner certificate courtesy of Suntory Restaurant in Waikiki. The judges were Dwayne Manzanillo, (Teacher, James Campbell High School), Joanne Corpus (Zippy’s), and Alvin Ishihara (Reiyukai America). The Final Presentation was held during the “‘Ohana Day Celebration” hosted by Reiyukai America, which organizes the annual contest along with Kalamansi Books and Things and Sariling Gawa Youth Council, Inc. A total of 187 letters from 21 different schools were submitted. The Organizing Committee invited nine contestants to present their letters to their parents, families, the general audience and the judges at the Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu, O‘ahu: Masar Abdeljawad; Maizie Distad; Amanda Herolaga; Casey Metrose; Aizea Ranon; Julienne Saladino; Hannah Smasne; Timoteo Sumalinog; Shyloe Tote. After the letters were read, the nine participants received a $50 gift certificate and a Certificate of Participation, gift certificate from Zippy’s, a Free Online E-book subscription with a free pizza coupon courtesy of Read 2 Succeed Foundation. Each of the contestants will be also receiving a “1 Year TestPrep Course Subscription” courtesy of BenchPrep. Noriko Sotta, member of the Reiyukai America National Committee noted, “We are very pleased to see this year again many families were able to get together.” “This Read More …

New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key, left, and Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte, attend a meeting with business leaders during the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Summit in Lima, Peru, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) The success of President Duterte’s debut at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit should be measured by how much the country had gained from the trip, not by his attendance at a gala dinner and pictorial with fellow world leaders, Malacañang said on Tuesday. The President’s visit to Peru for the Apec summit had yielded “positive results,” especially with Russia, China and Vietnam promising to share their technology with the Philippines, said Assistant Communications Secretary Ana Marie Banaag. “The nonattendance of the President at the gala dinner and picture-taking should not be a barometer to measure whether the participation of the Philippines is successful or not,” Banaag said. Banaag said Malacañang respects the opinion of former President Fidel Ramos, who expressed disappointment at Mr. Duterte’s absence at the events. Ramos said it was the President’s duty to attend even if he wasn’t feeling well. The President sent Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay to represent him. Mr. Duterte said he skipped the dinner and pictorial at the end of the summit because he was feeling lightheaded from jet lag. The events coincided with his sleeping hours back home, and he could barely keep his eyes open, he said. This was not the first time Mr. Duterte had skipped events at an international gathering. He Read More …