Maniolas

From L-R: Malaysian Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pose for a group photo on the third Trilateral Defence Minister’s Meeting in Nusa Dua on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on August 2, 2016. AFP PHOTO NUSA DUA, Indonesia—Indonesia Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu on Wednesday (August 3) held an informal one-hour closed-door meeting with his Philippine counterpart Delfin Lorenzana in Bali to discuss the progress on efforts to free 10 Indonesian sailors held by the Abu Sayyaf group. READ: Abu kidnappers seize 7 Indonesians | 3 Indonesians kidnapped by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits Ryamizard said the Philippines was stepping up its campaign against Abu Sayyaf to achieve the release of the ten Indonesians, who are held hostage in the Sulu Islands region. The militant group, deemed terrorists by Manila, reportedly brought the hostages to Sulu after the Philippine Army managed to clear Basilan Island of Abu Sayyaf members. Aside from the military campaign, there was a negotiation process, which had received backing from Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder Nur Misuari, Ryamizard said, adding that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would soon visit Indonesia to discuss the crisis. “The Sulu governor is currently working with Misuari. The negotiations are progressing well. Unlike previous governors who had supported Abu Sayyaf, the current governor of Sulu is pro-government,” Ryamizard said. Misuari was formerly an ally of the Abu Sayyaf group. He first wanted the Philippine government to grant autonomy to Sulu, while the latter Read More …

Jennelyn Olaires cradles her husband Michael Siaron, a pedicab driver and alleged drug pusher, who was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding men in Pasay City last month. This now viral photo was first featured on the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 24. INQUIRER FILE / RAFFY LERMA The war against illegal drugs being waged by President Rodrigo Duterte is now going global. The New York Times in its August 3, 2016 issue featured the rise in killings of suspected drug users and pushers in the country since Duterte assumed the presidency last June 30. The newspaper also splashed the now viral photo of Jennelyn Olaires weeping while cradling her husband Michael Siaron, a pedicab driver and alleged drug pusher, who was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding men in Pasay City last month. READ: The story behind the viral photo The photo, which was likened to Michelangelo’s sculpture “Pietà,” went viral and was even described by the firebrand President as “melodramatic” during his first State of the Nation Address (Sona). “Eh tapos nandiyan ka nakabulagta (And there you are slumped on the ground) and you are portrayed in a broadsheet na parang (like) Mother Mary cradling the dead cadaver of Jesus Christ. Eh ‘yan ‘yang mga yan magda-dramahan tayo ditto (That’s what I call being melodramatic),” Duterte said. READ: Duterte hits ‘melodramatic’ Inquirer front page photo The Times story which accompanied the photo is titled “Body Count Rises as Philippine President Wages War on Drugs.” The story gave an Read More …

The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has partnered anew with SM Supermalls in mounting a photo exhibit and a stage play to raise awareness and uphold the rights and welfare of children with disabilities (CWDs). The photo exhibit titled “See What I Can Do,” held in collaboration with Camera Club of the Philippines, was formally launched recently and opened by Vice President Leni Robredo, Unicef Deputy Representative Julia Rees and SM Supermalls president Annie Garcia. The exhibit featured photographs of CWDs and the outstanding achievements they have done despite their condition. After the opening of the photo exhibit, the play, entitled “Sandosenang Sapatos,” was staged by Tanghalang Pilipino. The musical play is based on Dr. Luis Gatmaitan’s Palanca award-winning children’s book of the same title. It tackles the love between the father and his daughter who was born without legs. Garcia said the objective of the exhibit, which coincided with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, was to help raise awareness and create an inclusive environment wherein CWDs’ abilities are highlighted instead of their disabilities. “It is said that children with disabilities are oftentimes misunderstood in society, facing discrimination at times. With society’s lack of understanding, these children and their parents find it hard to realize their full rights and potentials,” Garcia said. Garcia said the play was just one of the collaborative projects SM has with Unicef, being partners since 2008. “This event even becomes more special because it also touches on an advocacy close to our hearts—the Read More …

Ayrton Justin B. San Joaquin (in red shirt) of De La Salle High School – Greenhills in Metro Manila and Alejandro Lim of Westminster Schools in Atlanta represented the international history Olympiad. CONTRIBUTED SAN FRANCISCO – A Filipino American dual citizen, teamed with a Filipino national, helped the Philippines place 5th in medal count in the recently concluded International History Olympiad (IHO) July 17 to 24 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa in Honolulu. Organized by the International History Bee and Bowl, the IHO brings together the top history students from around the world for a full week of competitions with a history-based theme and a chance to meet students with similar interests and talents from around the world. This year, Alejandro Lim, a rising 10th grader at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, and Ayrton Justin B. San Joaquin, a senior at the De La Salle High School – Greenhills in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila Philippines represented the Philippines. Chose to represent PH Lim, a dual citizen of both the Philippines and the US, chose to represent the Philippines for the second time in the IHO. Last year, he competed solo in the Middle School Division and took home nine medals, including the bronze medal for overall individual championship. The two players played in the Junior Varsity (JV) Division and the team placed 4th in the History Bowl for that division. For them the most memorable moment was when they won against a team composed of students from Virginia, Pennsylvania and Read More …

Joe Montano WASHINGTON, DC — The Filipino American community has lost one of its fiercest champions and leaders, Joe Montano. [Montano passed away at 47 in his home in Virginia on July 25-editor.] As a KAYA® member, Joe fully embodied KAYA®’s mission with his dedication, laughter and commitment: to mobilize the Filipino American and Asian American community in order to build partnerships to increase our electoral power, elect progressive candidates into office, and to foster and develop our community’s next generation of leaders. He was many things to many of us: friend; colleague; activist; historian critical thinker; strategist and bridge builder. Wearing many hats, Joe always stood for progressive values. “Joe and I came into service for the Filipino American community as the children of immigrants in the 1990s, at a time when national networks were starting to form and new technologies like email made national organizing possible in new ways,” says KAYA® member Ben De Guzman. Most importantly, Joe touched many lives throughout the years, inspiring generations of people to believe that they had talents to contribute to our communities. He made the Filipino American community the backbone of his work to serve the common good. As the executive director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), he bridged connections between generations, both immigrant and American-born Filipinos, across the country. On both a local and national scale, Joe leveraged his role as a regional political director at the Democratic National Committee to further mobilize our communities nationwide. In Read More …