Maniolas

FILIPINO BRUNEIAN HOSTSStanding from left: Bukidnon Congressman Jose F. Zubiri III, Mary Jane C. Ortega, La Union Congressman Victor F. Ortega, Haji Abdul Aziz Abdul Latif, Hajah Siti Noraziah (Andy Latif), Maria Tomasa “Mayie” Ochoa (spouse of Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Nestor Z. Ochoa, not in photo), Melanie del Mar and daughter, former Cebu Congresswoman Rachel Marguerite del Mar, and journalist Antonio Q. Alabastro. Photo by Raul P. Padernal Longtime Filipino-Bruneians are looking forward to seeing President Benigno Aquino for the fifth  time when he comes to attend the East Asia Summit this week. It will be his fourth visit to Brunei in three years as head of state.  “The president came for a state visit in June 2010; to attend a royal wedding in September 2012; to participate in an Asean summit meeting last April; and now another  summit meeting,” said Maria Tomasa “Mayie” Ochoa, spouse of Philippine Ambassador to Brunei, Nestor Z. Ochoa. MUCH of the Istana Nurul Iman Palace was built by Filipinos. But longtime Filipino residents here count five visits because they remember the first time he accompanied his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, on her own state visit to this small but prosperous neighboring sultanate on Aug. 29-31, 1988. Personal and business relations long preceded the strong state ties the Philippines and Brunei now enjoy. One longtime Filipino resident is Andy Latif or 61-year-old Andrea Borja from Malabon, also known as Hajah Siti Noraziah. She came to Brunei 38 years ago and  married a Read More …

US President Barrack Obama . AFP BALI, Indonesia – A Malacanang spokesman on Saturday downplayed the absence of US President Barack Obama from two key summits— the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering here, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations  meet in Brunei right after— to be attended by regional leaders, including President Benigno Aquino III. For the Philippines, the goal is to further enhance economic ties with and attract more investments from 20 other APEC countries, an objective that Mr. Aquino is expected to promote also at the ASEAN summit where he will participate in a total of nine meetings. The Philippine President will show up at both summits amid the country’s maritime dispute with China. “I don’t think the Philippine objectives, which are a peaceful and rules-based resolution to the disputes, are going to be affected greatly by the absence of President Obama at one or two meetings,” Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang told reporters here. “Certainly, his presence here was welcome but this is a long game and if President Obama is not present in one or two meetings, then that’s not going to have an impact on our position.” Obama has decided to skip the two summits, including side trips to Malaysia and the Philippines, in the wake of a partial government shutdown triggered by a failure of the US Congress to pass a new federal budget as a result of a political standoff Democrats and Republicans.  Observers said his absence won’t work well for his government’s Read More …

MANILA, Philippines—Carrying an old film camera, Bacolod businessman Medardo Marquez was passing by a village of shanties in Binalbagan town in his home province of Negros Occidental 10 years ago when he chanced upon children blissfully at play. “I was really attracted by how oblivious they were of their situation. They didn’t even know they were poor. For outsiders, we feel pity for them. But they were just playing with whatever they had,” said Marquez, a photography enthusiast. “I told them, ‘Whoever can show me the most teeth, will get a tootsie roll.’ That was the moment I captured (the shot),” said Marquez, who took to photography as a hobby while managing a hauling business. The result: A black and white photo of three children in a moment of laughter, unmindful of their bad teeth and bare backs. “They probably have teeth now,” joked the 55-year-old father of two who, in the age of digital photography, still relies on his trusty film cameras. Best photo For capturing “Calidad Humana” (human spirit or compassion) in one photo, Marquez was declared the new winner of the Chilean Embassy’s “Smiles for the World” photography contest. Marquez took the place of confessed photo plagiarist Mark Joseph Solis. “Children are among the best examples of ‘calidad humana’ because of their spontaneity, innocence, warmth, sincerity,” Marquez said Thursday in accepting his prize. “But children are like unpolished gems. We have to go through [life] to learn things. Day by day, we have circumstances that come to Read More …