Maniolas

It was wrong for Malacañang to use the results of the recent Social Weather Stations survey to surmise that the public has started to understand President Benigno Aquino III’s position as regards the Mamasapano incident, a political management expert said on Wednesday. Political campaign strategist Malou Tiquia, founder and general manager of Publicus Asia Inc., said Aquino’s seemingly better ratings in the latest SWS survey should not be compared with those released by Pulse Asia a few weeks ago. Tiquia made the remark after Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a statement that public gave the President a higher satisfaction rating of 47 percent in the SWS survey than the 38 percent in Pulse Asia’s earlier poll because of more information as regards the Mamasapano tragedy. “To say that SWS captured a correction on the dip is wrong because the questions asked were different. You cannot compare apples and oranges in the case of what is being measured,” Tiquia said in an online correspondence with GMA News Online. According to Tiquia, Pulse Asia asked its respondents, thus: “Mayroon ako ritong mga pangalan ng ilang mga opisyal ng ating pamahalaan.  Pakisabi ninyo ang inyong opinion tungkol sa pagganap nila ng kanilang tungkulin nitong huling tatlong buwan….” She said that SWS, on the other hand, asked: “Please tell me how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the performance of Benigno Aquino III as President of the Philippines…” “Spins or propaganda may hide the real culprit for the dip but that may not Read More …

A national consumers rights group has urged Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to probe allegations of corrupt practices in the judiciary. In a statement sent to media on Monday, Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC) secretary general Perfecto Jaime Tagalog said they have learned that some members of the Court of Appeals have accepted money from “influential individuals” with pending cases. “This should not happen as cases should be decided based on merits,” Tagalog said. “They are supposed to be living and leading decent lives as magistrates.” “But not all justices are for sale. There are just exceptions,” Tagalog added, stressing that only a small percentage of them are tainting the judiciary. Reacting to the CFC’s call, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Malacañang supports calls for Sereno to probe corruption in the judiciary. “We are all against corruption in all its forms. We are, however, recognizing the role of the separation of powers and the existence of the three branches of government. We will defer to the Chief Justice as to how the Supreme Court handles corruption cases within their branch,” he said. The CFC’s appeal came barely a year after the Supreme Court ordered the Court of Appeals to investigate four regional trial court judges dragged into the alleged influence-peddling in the judiciary involving a certain “Ma’am Arlene.” “Ma’am Arlene” is described in earlier news reports as the judiciary’s version of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. “Ma’am Arlene” allegedly throws birthday parties for appellate court justices and trial Read More …

APOLLO ARQUIZA proudly showing the Philippine flag embroidered on his jacket. BANGKOK, Thailand—Apollo Arquiza is not the usual scientist in a lab coat talking about space and mathematical equations. Instead, he talks about the looming food shortage in the world especially in disaster-prone areas like the Philippines and how the food technology he helped developed for space missions could also be used on Earth. He was in Thailand for a week for a study and field visits sponsored by the Thailand Institute of Scientific Technology Research under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Balik Scientist Program After staying in the United States since 2005 for his PhD in Biological and Environmental Engineering and Advance Life Support at Cornell University, Arquiza, also a research assistant and lecturer, is in the Philippines under the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). During the 90-day program, Arquiza collaborated with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and DOST regarding the food processing technology. “During the harvest season, vegetables and fruits in the Philippines can be brought at lower prices. The idea is for the local government to buy these products directly from the farmers who, in turn, will be processed and used as ‘food for calamity,’” Arquiza explains. DOST and FNRI arranged Arquiza’s visits to calamity-hit areas in the Philippines like Tacloban City and Cagayan de Oro. “The usual food pack distributed during calamity includes sardines, noodles and rice. But these are not really nutritious. So we need to Read More …

Boracay. DON LEJANO/INQUIRER.net The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has declared Boracay the Favorite Beach Destination in 2015 by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) for its annual Matta Fair at Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur recently. The announcement was made in a press conference held at the Matta Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Matta organizing committee chair S. Jayakumar said that the Philippines is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, and also praised Boracay’s fine white sand beaches. “Boracay has consistently been part of the list of the best beaches in the world, as evidenced by awards bestowed on it by major travel magazines and organizations. It is a pleasure for Malaysians to discover the island, with its pristine white sands and breathtaking beaches, which captivated many visitors for nature tripping, watersports and beach hopping,” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya says. At the press conference, the embassy also formally launched the Second Ambassador’s Tour to the Philippines, this time to Cebu and Bohol. Malaya says that now is the best time to visit the Philippines, amid the country’s hosting of major international conferences, and its strong economic growth. “Now is the best time to visit the Philippines. For one, the Philippine government has declared this year as Visit Philippines Year 2015 (VPY 2015). The flurry of festivals, concerts, conferences, other activities and events lined up will draw in both domestic and foreign tourists in the country. The country is also hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Read More …

The colorful booth of Kalahi Folkloric Ensemble was judged best both last in the annual Pinoy Pride festival in Las Vegas. PHOTO BY KALAHI LAS VEGAS – A three-day celebration of Philippine culture and traditions will get under way this weekend in downtown. Dubbed Pinoy Pride 2015, the event will feature food booths, performances of celebrities from Manila and a Santacruzan to cap the festivities. Among the celebrities are movie stars Kim Chui and Xian Lim, who will perform on Saturday, April 4. A Hawaiian-style feast, featuring reggae bands and music, called Aloha Friday, ushers in the event at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 3 on Third Street in downtown. General admission on Saturday when celebrities will perform is $15 and $12 for seniors. On Friday, admission fee in $10 and $8 for seniors. Sunday has free admission. The annual Pinoy Pride fest is a cultural event that showcases the rich history and culture of the Philippines. Featured are various food from different provinces, retail, and informational booths, as well as carnival rides and games. Locally based artists, comedians, dance groups, and musical groups perform each night at the festival, complementing the guests from Manila. Get Inquirer updates while on the go, add us on these apps: Tags: Filipino pride fiesta Kim Chui Pinoy Pride ’15 Las Vegas Xian Lim Related Stories: Australia investigates ‘paedophile’ father in Thai baby scandal Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Read More …