Maniolas

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s public satisfaction rating sunk to an all-time low in the first quarter of 2015, while those of other top officials and key institutions appeared to recover or remained steady, a poll taken by the Social Weather Stations found. While Binay’s latest rating remained in “good” territory at +31 (satisfied percentage minus dissatisfied percentage), it had dropped 13 points from December’s +44. This was also the fourth straight quarter in which Binay’s ratings took a dip since the +73 in March 2014. Respondents satisfied with his Binay fell to 58 percent in the first quarter from the 65 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Those dissatisfied went up to 28 percent from 20 percent. Binay faces charges of corruption, including a complaint that alleged the Makati City Hall Building II was overpriced. The vice president has denied the charges, countering that these were politically motivated. Other officials Senate President Franklin Drilon’s ratings improved, as his net satisfaction rating rose to a “good” +35 in the first quarter, from a “moderate” +28 in December. Those satisfied with Drilon’s performance increased to 57 from 53 percent, while those dissatisfied fell to 22 from 25 percent. Drilon had a “good” net satisfaction rating in three quarters since September 2013, and “moderate” in four. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., meanwhile, saw his net satisfaction rating stay at “moderate” +12. Some 38 percent were satisfied with Belmonte, compared to 36 percent in 2014’s fourth quarter. Those dissatisfied increased slightly to 26 Read More …

Pacquiao super fast, says Arum Binay camp: Filipinos do not need ‘highly unproductive’ Trillanes Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel welcome baby boy 3 boats believed used in abduction of Zamboanga Sibugay town mayor found 16 PH cities not ready for climate change challenge, says study Twitter, YouTube, Instagram work on stealth advertising Nora Aunor, Cherie Gil, Filipinos bring home 5 awards from Malaysia Judge stops Delfin Lee from going to Senate MANILA, Philippines–Some 150 Filipinos evacuated from war-battered Yemen returned to Manila in two batches on Saturday and more than 220 more will arrive soon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Sunday. The repatriates were welcomed by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. With him were Undersecretary Jesus Yabes, Assistant Secretaries Charles Jose and Julius Torres and incoming Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa. Del Rosario expressed appreciation for the repatriates’ “quick decision” to return home due to the situation in Yemen. In February, the DFA raised Alert Level 4 in Yemen after Shiite Houthi rebels occupied Yemen’s capital and engaged in massive fighting against progovernment forces there. A crisis management team deployed by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia had evacuated 464 out of the 800 Filipinos there. Of the 464, 240 have been repatriated while the crisis management team is arranging the return flights of the rest. There are still 400 Filipinos in Yemen. “Secretary Del Rosario also reassured (the repatriates) that the government will prioritize the provision of employment, placement Read More …

A party-list lawmaker has thrown his support behind a parents’ group’s plan to stop the implementation of the controversial K-12 program that extends high school education by two years as he insisted that the Department of Education is still unprepared to roll out the initiative. Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz said the Parents for Children’s Education (PACE) has the right to challenge Republic Act 10533, otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, before the Supreme Court. The group claims parents were not consulted before the Enhanced Basic Education Act, which had to undergo the legislative process at both houses of Congress, was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III. The legislative process includes public hearings to seek input from stakeholders. “[The lack of consultation] can be a good basis for a challenge as the consultations before and after the enactment of the law were inadequate. More importantly, the commitments for the law’s proper implementation remain inadequate and incomplete,” he said in a text message. PACE founding chair Rey Vargas told GMA News Online that parents were not asked for their opinion on the K-12 program when it was being deliberated in Congress even though they are considered as one of the primary stakeholders. He said his group plans to attach a document containing 10,000 signatures of parents who oppose the program when they file the petition before the Supreme Court on April 20. DepEd: Preparations are on track With barely a year to go before the Read More …

TITOY FRANCISCO presenting to Hakuho Sho the championship certificate of the Sumo winter league tournament, on behalf of Coca-Cola (Japan) Company Ltd., a sponsor of the competition. HE could have become another Gary Valenciano or Ogie Alcasid but big business prevailed. Like the two singers, he was also a member of Kundirana, a singing group that often held concerts outside the school (La Salle Green Hills). The group required that no member had failing marks despite the rigid, almost daily practices. Evaristo Sanchez Francisco Jr. or Titoy for short, had the highest grade point average of his graduating year in the early ’80s. Francisco finished Mechanical Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He graduated cum laude. “At one point during my childhood, I wanted to be a professional band member. That was the time of the Minstrels, Circus band, etc.” “The closest I got to it was having a one-year stint in Kundirana.” After a series of jobs in major international firms that included Unilever Philippines, Kraft Foods Inc., Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. and Interphil Laboratories, Francisco is now the executive vice president and general manager of Coca-Cola (Japan) Co. Ltd. Below is a Q&A with one of the country’s successful expatriates: Global Pinoy (GP): Please describe a typical day for you. Francisco: It’s been exciting working for a global company like Coca-Cola. We operate in more than 200 countries and we have more than 100,000 employees worldwide. One of the strengths of the Coca-Cola Company is we Read More …

A Filipino maid was rescued by Philippine embassy officials from her employer in Bahrain after she posted a desperate cry for help on the social networking site Facebook. Staff at the Philippine embassy were alerted to the plight of Abby Luna, 28, who claimed she was raped and beaten by her employer’s son, after she posted a three-minute video on her Facebook page on Thursday morning. READ: OFW in Bahrain seeks help via video Luna’s tearful plea made the rounds online, attracted about 78,000 shares and 19,000 likes, reaching the Philippine authorities who made her rescue possible. “The rescue was prompted by the video message…She is now under the care of our embassy,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose told AFP. Philippine embassy officials and staff from Luna’s employment agency picked her up from her employer’s house, Jose said, adding that police were investigating the incident. Luna’s alleged assailant denied to police that he attacked her, Ricky Aragon, vice consul at the Philippine embassy in Bahrain, told AFP by phone. In the three-minute long video, which appears to have been made on a webcam, a sobbing Luna accused her employer’s “drug addict” son of raping her. She also posted a written appeal for viewers to contact the Philippine embassy on her behalf. “Help me get out of here. I’m scared. Until now, my genitals hurt. My leg is bruised. He (attacker) punched my leg to immobilize me,” said Luna, a resident of Los Baños, Laguna, who had been Read More …