Maniolas

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Submissions to the 3rd Annual Plaridel Awards for excellence in Filipino American journalism are now being accepted by The Philippine American Press Club, USA (PAPC). The Plaridel Awards was established in 2012 to acknowledge the contribution of outstanding writers and publishers in the Filipino American community. The awards celebrate the best works of Fil-Am mass communicators, who chronicle the lives and times of their compatriots, promote and share their culture and history, champion their causes and provide a venue where readers and listeners can voice their concerns. The Plaridel Awards was named in honor of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, a Filipino patriot, journalist and publisher who brought his craft and zeal as an expat in Europe in late 1800s. Plaridel was his pen name. Del Pilar was a prolific writer who kept his constituents abreast with the goings on in their expat community as well as in the homeland. In del Pilar, the PAPC has found a hero to emulate, an inspiration to Filipino writers and publishers everywhere who pursue their journalistic aspirations and service to their constituents in their new home. The Plaridel is open to all Fil-Am journalists whose articles or programs saw publication in a Filipino American-based media anywhere in the U.S. between June 1, 2013 through May 31, 2014. Deadline for submission is August 30, 2014. Awards will be given to the best stories and articles that provide unique perspective on the issues and concerns of Filipino Americans. Categories for print and online articles include Investigative Story, News Story; Personal Essay, Feature Writing, Profile Writing, Commentary or Read More …

Jinggoy arrives at Sandiganbayan to face plunder charge. Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Monday, June 30, for his arraignment over the plunder charges filed against him and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles in connection with the alleged P10-B pork barrel scam. GMA News The Sandiganbayan on Monday entered a not guilty plea for Senator Jinggoy Estrada following his refusal to enter one himself, in the plunder case filed against him in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations or pork barrel funds. Estrada told the court he cannot enter a plea because he has two pending petitions at the Supreme Court.  “I respectfully refuse to enter a plea, your honor,” he said. Estrada asked the SC on June 24 to stop the Sandiganbayan from hearing his plunder and graft cases and to invalidate the arrest warrant issued against him.   Alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty. Accused of plunder before the anti-graft court’s First Division are Estrada, Napoles, Estrada’s chief of staff Pauline Labayen and Napoles’ driver John Raymund de Asis. Labayen, and De Asis remain at large. Estrada allegedly diverted his PDAF allocation to fake NGOs put up by Napoles, and pocketed P183.79 million in kickbacks.  Aside from one count of plunder, Estrada is also accused of 11 counts of graft. —KG, GMA News

The Philippine National Police Custodial Center has been asked to explain the extended visiting hours for two senators facing charges for the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac referred to the alleged privilege for Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., GMA News’ Victoria Tulad reported. Sindac cited reports indicating the two senators were allowed to entertain visitors beyond the normal visiting schedule. Under the rules of the PNP Custodial Center, detainees are allowed visitors betwen 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays and Thursdays. However, lawyers and spiritual advisers are allowed to visit them anytime. Estrada and Revilla have been detained at the PNP Custodial Center since the anti-graft court ordered their arrest on graft and plunder charges. Revilla faces one count of plunder and 16 counts of graft at the Sandiganbayan. He and his co-accused allegedly received P224.5 million in kickbacks from 2006 to 2010 for funding the ghost projects of Napoles NGOs. Estrada, on the other hand, allegedly pocketed P183.79 million in kickbacks from similar dealings with Napoles NGOs. Revilla was arraigned last week while Estrada is to be arraigned on Monday. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News

Activist groups have scheduled a series of protest actions in the run-up to President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address on July 28. On Sunday, activist groups with Bagong Alyansang Makabayan announced they will hold Aquino accountable for his alleged negligence in running the nation, GMA News’ Steve Dailisan reported on “Balitanghali.” One activist wore a mask of Aquino and posed for a mock mug shot, for supposed criminal charges for failing to keep the prices of basic goods and fuel low, for a slow and selective probe of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, and for the negligence of victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Aquino is to deliver his SONA before a joint session of Congress at the House of Representatives complex in Quezon City on July 28. Farmers picket Aquino house Earlier Sunday, a farmers’ group picketed Aquino’s private residence in Quezon City and burned him in efficy. The farmers carrying placards denouncing Aquino as being pro-landlord marched to Aquino’s Times Street house before noon, radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas reported. Anti-riot police from the Metro Manila police office were deployed to the area and barred the activists from getting near the house . The protesters held their program at the corner of Times and West 4th streets in Quezon City instead. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News

BANGKOK—On a scale of 1 to 10—with 10 being the highest—the Philippines ranks “somewhere between 6 and 7” as far its level of preparedness for natural disasters is concerned. The assessment was made by Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s special representative for disaster risk reduction, who pointed out the Southeast Asian nation is “very capable” of reducing its vulnerability, as well as responding to calamities. “On the local government units’ level of preparedness, it’s good. You have outstanding LGUs like (the provinces of) Albay and Cebu. Certainly, they’re between 6 and 7. On the national level, we can also raise it to 6 or 7,” she said. However, Wahlstrom, also head of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), asserted that “the Philippines’ aspiration should be higher.” “It should be an 8 or 9, given that your country has experienced many disasters. Both the national and local levels need to get to 8 or 9,” she told the Inquirer. Tacloban, face of disaster  Interviewed during the just-concluded 6th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), which the UNISDR and the Thai government cohosted from June 23 to 26, Wahlstrom noted that “after Indonesia and Japan, which were hit by earthquakes and tsunamis, Tacloban City (which was devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in November) is now the face of disaster in the region.” “There’s the curiosity and interest from other countries and institutions in the region as to why it was different. Some say it was the impression that so many (over 6,000) people died despite an early Read More …