Maniolas

By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 4:43 pm | Monday, June 9th, 2014 Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines’ relationship with China is not limited to the current situation in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute, Malacañang said on Monday. Amid the flaring tensions between China and its Asian neighbors over the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, Presidential spokesperson Secretary Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing that the Philippines’ relationship with China “is not solely dependent” on the territorial row. China claims almost the entire West Philippine Sea, including those within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. It has asserted its claim with reclamation activities and harassments in areas claimed by the Philippines. The Palace, however, remained confident with the other facets of the Philippines’ ties with China. When asked if it still made sense to celebrate Filipino-Chinese friendship day amid the territorial row, Lacierda said, “yes.” “Because our relationship with China is not solely dependent on our conflict with them in the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea.  Again, our relationship with China is multifaceted, plus the fact that we have a number of Filipino-Chinese members in our country,” Lacierda said. “We have always had very good relations with China in the other areas of exchange that we have: people-to-people, tourism, trade. And a number of us also have roots or have Chinese blood. So I think it should not be a concern for us because, again, we have a very rich Read More …

Julian Rodriguez CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — You may have already seen Julian Rodriguez as host #16 in the distinguished line of “GAMEPLAN” TV hosts, or you may have seen his name flash among the credits of the international reality TV show “Survivor,” where he worked for four seasons, starting as a challenge tester and eventually working his way up to Assistant Cameraman. You’ll be hearing more about him soon. The 26-year-old Filipino starting June 8 will join a four-person expedition of adventure-driven individuals on a platform called Plastic Tides. The Plastic Tides expedition will last 10 days around the island of Bermuda. The team will camp from beach to beach while paddling around solely on stand up paddleboards to document the natural beauty threatened by the ever-growing coastal plastic pollution. This dream mission was conceived in the fall of 2012 at a National Geographic Young Explorers workshop at Cornell University, when Americans Gordon Middleton, Christian Shaw and Plant Scientist Celine Jennison started talking about the plastic problem that plagues the oceans. Shaw, who is a professional kiteboarder and avid waterman from New York knew that he wanted nothing more than to raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution through his passion for water sports. After a year of contemplation on how to fulfill this dream, the idea of a paddleboard expedition was set in motion, and Middleton and Jennison were quick to join the team. Middleton, who had worked side by side with Rodriguez on the set of “Survivor Read More …

REDWOOD CITY, California –– After supporting the successful 36th Santacruzan and Flores De Mayo in Jersey City, New Jersey, last May 25, the longest-running Filipino celebration of that kind in the East Coast, The Filipino Channel’s “Sama Saya 2014” will continue throughout the summer. “What we started last April with our TFC 20th anniversary gala with the promise of celebrating the ‘galing’ or innate greatness of the Filipino continues throughout various states, provinces, cities in North,” said ABS-CBN North America Managing Director Olivia De Jesus. TFC is reaching out to “more states and organizations where there is a robust Filipino presence as part of our mission to serve the Filipino wherever he or she may be,” said ABS-CBN North America Marketing Director Jun Del Rosario, also concurrently ABS-CBN Global Head for Carriage. TFC will join Filipino events, several of which celebrate Philippine Independence and Fil-Am Friendship, on the following schedule: June 14 Philippine Independence Day Fiesta at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, New Jersey by the Philippine Community of Southern New Jersey, Inc. with Don Tagala of Balitang America, Monette Rivera of Adobo Nation, TFCK at Finalist Damie Juat and classical singer Jared Martin; June 21 Pista Sa Nayon in Delaney Park, Anchorage, Alaska by the Filipino Community of Anchorage, AK, Inc.; Kalayaan SF 2014, Union Square in San Francisco by Filipino American community leaders and the Philippine Consulate General of San Francisco with Adobo Nation’s Michi Salta & Lee Robin Salazar and the Prince of Pop of the Read More …

Cheryl Stephanie Burke MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — Multi-awarded Filipino American choreographer and “Dancing With the Stars” star instructor Cheryl Stephanie Burke on June 6 hosted a big fundraising event for scholarships and entrepreneurship programs in the Philippines. The $150-a-plate dinner featured dancing, silent and live auctions, organized by the non-profit Philippine Development (PhilDev) Foundation, which is trying to boost economic development in the Philippines. “You Should Be Dancing — an Evening of Giving and Grooving,” host Burke is of half Filipino and Irish-Russian ancestry. She was a Primetime Emmy Award nominee for Outstanding Choreography in ABC 7’s “Dancing With the Stars” for the “Freestyle” and “Paso Doble” dances in 2005. Born in San Francisco, Burke began her dancing career when she started training in ballet at the age of four, and at the age of 11 she began ballroom dancing. She opened her own dance studio, offering professional ballroom dancing lessons, in Silicon Valley in the spring of 2008. Her mother, Sherri, runs the Cheryl Burke Dance Studio in Mountain View, appeared live recently on ABC 7 (KGO) before veteran TV anchor and journalist Cheryl Jennings, along with entrepreneur and philanthropist Dado Banatao to publicize the fundraising event. The Burkes are helping PhilDev connect Silicon Valley to the Philippines through Banatao, a man tagged by Jennings as “the Bill Gates of the Philippines.” “We may be crazy enough to be the only foundation that says we build the economy of the Philippines,” Banatao said during interview. Banatao founded several Silicon Read More …

Major General Felicito Virgilio M. Trinidad Jr. has been appointed the new commander of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a statement Sunday. According to the AFP, Trinidad will formally assume the position on Monday in a change-of-command ceremony in Camp Aquino, Tarlac City. He will replace Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., who was appointed AFP Vice Chief of Staff last month. A member of the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) Class of 1982, Trinidad commanded the 1st Infantry Division, the Army’s primary anti-guerilla unit based in Camp Sang-an, Zamboanga Del Sur. He was the overall ground commander of AFP and police units during the attack on Zamboanga City by allegedly rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) last year. On December 20, 2013, during the celebration of the AFP’s Anniversary Day, Trinidad received the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Commander) in recognition of his efforts during the attack on the city. — BM, GMA News