Maniolas

Tens of thousands of students in the central Philippines began the school year on Monday in steamy tents and other makeshift classrooms, seven months after Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the region. The government said it had hoped to rebuild or repair 20,000 classrooms before students returned, but new regulations requiring higher building standards so schools withstand future typhoons led to delays. “These are the birth pangs of making sure that resiliency… would be the basis for better structures,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in Manila. “In the meantime, the students will be studying in structures which are not yet resilient, but we hope for their understanding.” At the Panaluran Central School in Tacloban, a coastal city which bore the brunt of the typhoon, hundreds of sweat-soaked children crammed into three temporary classrooms made from steel frames and corrugated iron sheets as the temperature outside hit 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). “It is pitiful to see them packed like sardines,” said housewife Gina Villamor as she anxiously waited for her children, aged 6 and 10, to finish their first day at school. “It is so hot in there. And there is no electric fan.” Haiyan, the most powerful typhoon ever recorded on land, left more than 7,000 people dead as it tore across the central Philippines in November last year. Storm surges higher than trees that swept kilometres inland compounded the devastation, destroying entire towns. More than 1,000 schools in the typhoon zones were damaged or destroyed, according to the education Read More …

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 4:11 pm | Monday, June 2nd, 2014 MANILA, Philippines—The rescued Filipina kidnap victim in Malaysia is now in the custody of the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and is set to be repatriated. “The rescued Filipina kidnap victim was turned over to the Embassy early Sunday night and she is now under care and custody of Embassy in Kuala Lumpur,” Department of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Charles Jose told reporters Monday. “Preparations are on the way for her repatriation back to the Philippines,” he said. Mercy Dayawan, 40, an employee of a resort in Sabah, Malaysia, was kidnapped by armed gunmen along with one Chinese tourist last April 2, 2014. They were rescued May 30, 2014, by police authorities. Jose said that there were suspicions Dayawan was involved in the case, “but she has been cleared of any involvement in the case by the Malaysian police.” “Based on statements by the Malaysian authorities, there was no ransom paid,” he said. The bandit group Abu Sayyaf is suspected to be behind the kidnapping. RELATED STORIES Malaysia to turnover to PH rescued Filipina Chinese, Filipino kidnapped in Malaysia rescued DFA identifies kidnapped Filipina in Malaysia Follow Us Other Stories: DFA mum on taking action vs racist Hong Kong textbook Japan hits back at China after Abe remarks spark row Recruitment agency suspended for issuing different visas to worker ‘Yolanda’ recovery gets Canada boost Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to Read More …

Agence France-Presse 3:44 pm | Monday, June 2nd, 2014 TOKYO — Japan on Monday hit back at China’s denouncement of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s speech at a regional security forum, firing the latest salvo in an ongoing tit-for-tat row. On Sunday, Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, told the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore that the comments made by Abe and US Defense secretary Chuck Hagel at the conference were “unacceptable”. But Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo: “We believe the Chinese senior official made claims based on mistake of facts and defamed our country.” Suga said the Japanese delegation in Singapore immediately made a “strong protest” against the remarks to the Chinese side. On Friday, Abe had opened the forum by urging countries to respect the rule of law — an apparent reference to what rivals consider aggressive Chinese behavior over disputed areas in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Hagel on Saturday warned China against “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea and listed a number of alleged infractions, including against the Philippines and Vietnam, the two most vocal critics of Beijing’s claims. A furious Wang accused the two of coordinating their remarks and encouraging each other to attack China. In response to the US and Japanese remarks, Wang said in an address to the forum: “The Chinese delegation… have this feeling that the speeches of Mr Abe and Mr Hagel are a provocative action Read More …

Canadian Ambassador to Manila Neil Reeder: Helping attract investments and create jobs. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–Tourist destinations damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda will receive support in their efforts at recovery through a three-year Canadian government program that seeks to boost local economic activity. Five provinces that suffered setbacks following the Nov. 8 super typhoon are among 10 target areas of the third phase of Canada’s Local Governance Support Program for Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED), the Canadian Embassy in Manila announced over the weekend. The local tourism support program, to be implemented from this year until 2016, is the third phase of an $18-million, eight-year bilateral project undertaken together with the Department of Interior and Local Government. It includes technical advice and training on how to make the local business environment more competitive, attractive to investments and conducive to jobs creation. Among the recipients are: Palawan, where a tourism development program will be implemented in the Coron-Busuanga-Culion area; Northern Panay, including Aklan and Antique, where the project will support grassroots ecotourism development; the towns of Banate, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Concepcion, Estancia and Carles in Iloilo, where the project will support micro- and small-to-medium enterprises; and Cebu, where an ecotourism recovery program will be implemented in the northern towns of Daanbantayan, Bantayan, Santa Fe, Medellin and Bogo City. LGSP-LED will also support ecotourism, heritage tourism and enterprise development projects in six other areas: Batangas, the Albay-Sorsogon tourism link, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Davao del Norte. Strong business climate  The 10 initiatives are expected to serve as models for other local government units to “showcase how a stronger business climate Read More …

REDWOOD CITY, California – As part of its yearlong 20th anniversary celebration and summer tradition for overseas Filipinos, ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC) is holding its biggest “One Kapamilya Go” in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday, June 21. The whole day family event starts at 11:00 a.m. (EST) at the Heritage Court of Direct Energy Center, Toronto. A TFC anniversary concert follows at the Ricoh Coliseum (doors open at 5:00 p.m. EST (venue entrance from Heritage Court) with superstar comedian-host Vice Ganda, teleserye and film stars, Angel Locsin and Maja Salvador, matinee idols Xian Lim and Enrique Gil, comedic duo Tart Carlos and Vivieka Ravanes and TFC 20 Ambassador of Goodwill, “Mr. Pure Energy” Gary Valenciano. One Kapamilya Go in Canada started in 2010 with the Sessionistas in Toronto and Calgary. It was held anew in the same cities before bigger crowds in 2011 with John Lloyd Cruz, Jericho Rosales, Jed Madela, Angeline Quinto, Vina Morales, K Brosas and Billy Crawford. In 2012, TFC in Canada started its Summer Caravan of Events in various provinces and cities. In 2013, One Kapamilya Go brought the Toronto leg of the TFC romantic comedy, “Be Careful With My Heart World Tour,” with its top stars. “This one is going to be one big TFC 20th anniversary party,” said Ricky Resurreccion, ABS-CBN North America head of Ad Sales, Events & Trade Marketing. “With fun activities like Celebrity Bingo, games, the Pinoy tiangge (Filipino flea market bazaar), Filipino food booths and more, plus a concert extravaganza Read More …