On June 7th, Balita Media, Inc., in cooperation with Pechanga Resort & Casino concluded its Anne Curtis “Annebisyosa” No Other Concert ticket giveaway and selected eleven winners. The first eight of these eleven winners will see Anne Curtis perform live with her special guests, Nina and Derek Ramsay at the Pechanga Theater. The remaining three […]
The ashes of Neriza Fojas, the Filipina who died when she got trapped inside a burning limousine in San Francisco, California, was brought home to her family in Tarlac, GMA News TV’s flagship newscast reported Tuesday evening. The victim’s husband, Carlo Moya, brought the ashes from the United States to the Philippines, a report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho said. Moya and Fojas were married in a civil ceremony last year. They had planned to have a church wedding in the Philippines on June 19. Fojas was having a celebration with eight of her girl friends inside the limousine, when it caught fire on the night of May 5. They were heading across the San Mateo-Hayward bridge in San Francisco for a bachelorette party at a hotel. Aside from Fojas, four of her friends also died, while the other four survived. Mechanical failure has loomed as a probable cause of the limousine fire, according to a Reuters report on June 7. — Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/ELR, GMA News
Senators allied with President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party (LP) were the “most tardy” during the 15th Congress. A report on GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali” on Tuesday said based on the Senate Journal Service, the following senators had the most number of session where they failed to arrive in time for the roll call: Serge Osmena III Francis Pangilinan Ralph Recto Manny Villar Alan Peter Cayetano Pangilinan and Recto are LP members while Osmeña, an independent, is a known Aquino ally. Villar and Cayetano are members of the Nacionalista Party, which allied itself with the LP for the 2013 midterm elections. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro-Tempore and now acting Senate President Jinggoy Estrada and former majority leader Vicente Sotto were not only the most punctual senators, they also had a perfect attendance during the 15th Congress, or from July 26, 2010 to June 8, 2013. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, meanwhile, had incurred the most number of absences due to her bone marrow condition. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KBK, GMA News
The report of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the May 9 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters has already been submitted to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. De Lima, however, refused to disclose the contents of the report, saying it will be forwarded immediately to President Benigno Aquino III. “Yes. Might submit it to the President today,” said De Lima in a text message to reporters when asked if the report has already been submitted to her. De Lima had earlier said once she gets a copy of the report, it would be submitted to Aquino first before it will be released to the public. NBI deputy director Virgilio Mendez has earlier confirmed to GMA News Online the transmission of the report to De Lima. “Per my information, it will be delivered now to the DOJ,” Mendez said earlier in the day. Two weeks ago, eight NBI agents flew to Taiwan to conduct their probe on the incident. The team inspected the fishing vessel of the victim and interviewed his companions when the shooting happened. The NBI also interviewed the medico-legal expert that autopsied the victim. The team were also allowed to view the video of the autopsy. A seven-man Taiwanese team also went to the Philippines for a four-day parallel investigation on the incident. The fatal shooting of the 65-year-old fisherman had caused a rift between the Philippines and Taiwan. Both the Philippines and Taiwan insisted that the incident happened within their respective territories. — Read More …
MANILA, June 5 (Mabuhay) — President Benigno S. Aquino III assured on Wednesday that his administration will ensure an even playing field for investors as he expressed his gratitude to the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers Of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) for its continuing support for the education sector. In his message Wednesday during the […]
A weak southwest monsoon may bring rain to parts of Southern Luzon and Visayas in the next 24 hours, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. PAGASA, in its 5 p.m. bulletin, said the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. “Mimaropa, Bicol region, (and) Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,”it said. It added Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” For Wednesday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 32 degrees Celsius, while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 25 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 24 to 32 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest to west will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to opcassionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest with slight to moderate seas, it said. — TJD, GMA News
Filipinos going outdoors to take part in the celebration of Independence Day may have to bring umbrellas and rain gear, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. In its special weather forecast for Independence Day, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will bring rain particularly to Southern Luzon and Visayas. “Bicol region, MIMAROPA and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered light to moderate rains and thunderstorms,” it said. It added Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” Independence Day is considered a regular holiday. President Benigno Aquino III is to lead Independence Day rites at the Liwasang Bonifacio on Wednesday morning. On the other hand, the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit will offer free rides at 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. For its part, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reminded motorists the number coding scheme is lifted for Wednesday. — TJD, GMA News
by Rey Andres A nonprofit group in the Cavite, a province south of Manila in the Philippines, has been busy at work rescuing, abused, abandoned and orphaned children from the streets of Manila and training them to begin a more productive life in society. These unfortunate children who when left to their own resources will […]
A government official said Tuesday that five tons of confiscated elephant tusks will be destroyed as part of a global campaign to raise awareness against the illegal trade of so-called “blood ivories.” The seized tusks represent a portion of the 13.1 tons of Tanzanian elephant tusks seized in 2005 and 2009 that are kept in a government vault, said Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau head Theresa Mundita Lim. “This action is meant to send a message that the Philippines is against the illegal trade of ivory and the merciless massacre of elephants,” Lim told AFP. She said the haul will be crushed using a road roller and burned in front of anti-ivory trade advocates next week as the country works to shed its image as a major transport hub for illegal ivories. The rest of the seized ivory will remain under lock and key and will be used as evidence against illegal traders or as educational materials. The Philippines is a signatory to the Geneva-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), which bans the trade of ivory in a bid to combat drastic declines in the numbers of elephant populations in Africa. It cited the Philippines as among nine countries considered as “priority concerns” because they were used as a smuggling hub for illegal ivories, Lim said. The maximum penalty for possessing illegal ivory in the Philippines is four years in jail. Authorities last year launched an investigation into religious icons made from ivory Read More …
LOS ANGELES – In two weeks, Filipinos in the Southland will don their best Filipiniana attire at a grand ball June 15 to commemorate the 115thanniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel, 711 South Hope Street. The theme this year is “Ambagan Tungo as Malawakang Kaunlaran.” Guest speaker […]