Apr 062014
 
Maja says Anne inspired her to record

Maja Salvador (MNS Photo)  “The Legal Wife” star Maja Salvador said fellow actress Anne Curtis was one of her “inspirations” in recording her debut album titled “Believe.” Salvador said that just like Curtis, she also believes that “dreams do come true.” Curtis, a self-confessed non-singer, has held a number of concerts both in the Philippines and abroad, on top of her hit albums. « Isa si Anne sa inspirations ko. Kasi sabi niya, ‘dreams do come true.’ Totoo po ‘yun. Totoong totoo kasi kapag ikaw, tulad ng sinasabi ko lagi, kapag may isa kang pangarap, paniwalaan mo na mangyayari ‘yon and it will come true,” Salvador told reporters in a recent interview. Salvador said she is also thankful to her boyfriend, actor Gerald Anderson, for inspiring her and supporting her newest project. “Isa siya siyempre sa nagbibigay inspirasyon,” she said. “In fairness to him, very supportive, bumili siya ng album. She went on to express her appreciation to her handlers. “Happy rin ako na supportive sa akin ang aking Star Magic family,” she said. Salvador is set to launch her debut album on “ASAP” this Sunday. With “Believe,” the actress-dancer hopes to be a “total performer.” “Gusto ko po maging total performer so makikita niyo po akong sumasayaw at kumakanta. So baka pwedeng ipa-combine na po ‘yan ngayon. Sobrang mahal ko rin po ang pag-arte so actually after ‘The Legal Wife,’ magiging busy kami sa album tour,” she said. (MNS)

Apr 062014
 
Easter Brunch Made Easy

With Delicious Make-Ahead Egg Casserole Cheesy Bacon & Egg Brunch Casserole (Family Features) Plan an Easter gathering everyone can enjoy with a make-ahead menu that includes crowd-pleasing brunch casseroles packed with everyone’s favorite flavors – and leaves you plenty of time to spend with the family. “Combine all-star breakfast ingredients like eggs, bacon and cheese into a single dish in this Cheesy Bacon & Egg Brunch Casserole, seasoned with ground mustard and nutmeg,” said Chef Kevan Vetter of the McCormick Kitchens. “The best part about this recipe is you can assemble it the night before – just add an additional 1/2 cup of milk – chill it in the refrigerator and bake it off in the morning.” Serve a spring-inspired dessert topped with an array of fresh fruit to complement your brunch casserole. Find everything you need to create a complete brunch menu and more easy Easter-themed recipes at www.McCormick.com, www.Facebook.com/McCormickSpices and www.Pinterest.com/mccormickspices. Cheesy Bacon & Egg Brunch Casserole Serves: 12 8 slices bacon 1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup) 1 loaf (8 ounces) Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups) 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup cottage cheese 5 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk* 2 teaspoons McCormick® Mustard, Ground 1 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion Read More …

Apr 062014
 
Tuason to appeal immunity application

State witness Ruby Tuason reads her opening statement during the Feb. 13, 2014 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged pork barrel scam as Justice Secretary Leila del Lima (right) and whistle-blower Benhur Luy (left) listen. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The camp of Ruby Tuason plans to appeal her application for immunity from lawsuit before the Office of the Ombudsman after she was indicted for plunder charges. Tuason’s lawer Dennis Manalo said they were not surprised by the Ombudsman’s ruling given Tuason’s admission that she was involved in the pork barrel scam. He said they have five days to file a motion for reconsideration to resolve her pending application for immunity. Tuason, who is under the witness protection program on a provisional basis, is currently out of the country. “We are hoping that in the assessment and evaluation of Tuason’s application for immunity, things will turn around for the better insofar as she’s concerned,” Manalo said. “It is Mrs. Tuason herself who said a crime was committed and she was involved in the commission of that crime. She admits probable cause but what she is saying is that she is entitled to benefits of immunity as provided for under the law because she voluntarily stepped forward with her statement and cooperated with government in the prosecution of this case,” he added.(MNS)

Apr 062014
 
Foreign trade chambers, firms seek ‘inclusive solution’ to truck ban effects

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Local and foreign business groups have warned anew of a more serious economic damage that the expanded truck ban policy may cause when the volume of trucks coming in and out of the port of Manila picks up in the next two months. The situation will require better and more inclusive solutions that will ensure a more efficient use of the Manila port and better utilization of those in Batangas and Subic, according to the Joint Foreign Chambers and the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines Inc. in a joint statement on Sunday. “We are aware that individual stakeholders discuss solutions with individual affected parties at the moment, but the fact remains that only an inclusive stakeholders’ roundtable can assess the magnitude and the complexity of the issue and develop short, mid-term, and long-term solutions for the Manila port and the usage of the ports of Batangas and Subic,” the groups explained in the statement. “The business community is of the opinion that such roundtable should be headed by the national government, preferably a senior Cabinet member, to drive the search for solutions and see to it that those are implemented. In our opinion that inclusive roundtable should take place now, before the trade volume picks up in a month or two, which will aggravate the logistics situation,” they further stressed. Stakeholders that should be invited in the dialogue include the port operators; shipping lines; truckers; local government units of Manila, Caloocan, and Read More …

Apr 062014
 
GPH peace panel assures Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro within the framework of 1987 Constitution

(KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia) President Benigno S. Aquino III, escorted by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, signs the Guest Book at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya on Friday (February 28, 2014) during his State Visit to Malaysia. President Aquino and PM Najib are expected to discuss the upcoming signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. (MNS photo) MANILA(Mabuhay) – The Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel assured that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamaro (CAB) signed recently with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was within the framework of the Constitution. This was in reaction to the speech on Wednesday of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago during the graduation ceremonies of Gordon College in Olongapo City. “Honorable Senator is a brilliant professor and an expert in constitutional law. We certainly appreciate her insights and opinion on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. We assure the good Senator and the public that through every stage of the negotiations, we remained ever mindful of the President’s (Benigno Aquino III) instructions that any agreement we must conclude must be within the framework of the 1987 Constitution, and accordingly, the roadmap set by the CAB leads to Congress as the established lawmaking institution,” said GPH peace panel Chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer in a statement. “We will be seeking a meeting with the Honorable Senator and other legislators to extensively discuss the different provisions in the CAB and to allow for a deeper Read More …

Apr 052014
 
LTFRB to let other bus lines ply routes of suspended firm for Holy Week

For the coming Holy Week exodus, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will allow some bus companies to ply the routes of a bus firm suspended due to a deadly accident in Northern Luzon last February. The LTFRB will let these firms take the place of GV Florida Transport during this time, radio dzBB’s Rodil Vega reported Sunday. A separate report on Journal Online said the LTFRB may give special permits to bus firms with franchises in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera regions. The report said the special permit will be valid until September 11, 2014, or when the six-month suspension on G.V. Florida Transport is lifted. Filipinos are expected to flock to the provinces in the coming weeks so they can spend Holy Week with their families. GV Florida’s franchise was suspended for six months by the LTFRB last March 14, following a Feb. 7 accident where one of its units fell into a ravine in Mountain Province. Popular comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, 39, was among the 14 who perished in a horrific bus crash. He was an active advocate of many causes, including pork barrel scandal, reproductive health issue, and relief for disaster victims. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Apr 052014
 
DOJ supports AMLC bid to freeze assets of senators in 'pork' scam

The Department of Justice fully supports the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s (AMLC’s) bid to have a freeze order issued on the bank accounts and properties of the three senators implicated in the alleged pork barrel scam. According to a Friday report on GMA 7’s Saksi, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the council had started working on freezing the assets of the implicated lawmakers — Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada. “It is public funds, kaban ng bayan iyan, coffers ‘yan, national treasury ‘yan. So in the end, dapat i-recover ‘yan. That is part of the integral process of exacting justice in anti-corruption cases such as this — lalo na’t plunder,” De Lima added. Meanwhile, a source told GMA News that the AMLC has requested documents from the DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation to support the asset preservation order to be filed against the three senators. Last year, the DOJ filed plunder charges against Enrile, Estrada, and Revilla, as well as other former lawmakers for allegedly receiving kickbacks from so-called pork barrel scam operator Janet Lim Napoles, in an elaborate scheme to funnel their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) into ghost projects and NGOs. On Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman announced the indictment of Enrile, Estrada and Revilla for plunder, along with Napoles, over the P10-billion pork barrel scam. The Ombudsman has yet to resolve two other batches of government fund-related complaints filed last year by the DOJ and the NBI. One batch is connected Read More …

Apr 052014
 
Search for The Outstanding Filipinos officially launched

MANILA, Philippines – On its 27th year of searching for outstanding Filipinos, the Insular Life Assurance Co. and the JCI Senate Philippines recently held the launching ceremonies signaling the start of another six months of scouring the entire country for the three deserving individuals who will be bestowed the prestigious honor. 2008 TOFIL awardee for Arts & Culture Dr. Rustica Carpio shared her thoughts as a TOFIL awardee,  saying that from TOFIL’s creed emanates the recognition to outstanding Filipinos, not necessarily as a prize or a reward, but as a gesture of appreciation and encouragement. The recognition given to real-life heroes is a milestone in the history of Jaycees International and Insular Life Assurance Company in the service to the nation.  “When TOFIL institutionalized the awards, it meant a recognition of human endeavor for the enhancement of the quality of life, a timeless and undying devotion of people to other people.” According to Insular Life chairman and CEO Vicente Ayllon, “Leadership can come from anybody brave enough to open his eyes and see what needs to be done, and work with his community to bring about the reality they envision for themselves. This is a powerful message that TOFIL can impart to the younger generation. We need to mold leaders who are willing to forgo their ego to share their task of change with their community, and to stand resolute in the face of conflict both from within and outside their group.” Last year’s TOFIL awardees were: Arsenio B. Ella Read More …

Apr 052014
 
Exports seen rebounding 16.5% in Feb

MANILA, Philippines – UK-based Barclays projects exports growth could have finally picked up in February following two months of decline. “Improved external demand environment and dissipation of Lunar New Year effects to support an export bounce,” the financial services company said in a research note. Barclays forecast merchandise exports could have expanded by 16.5 percent in February, faster than the 9.3 percent recorded in January. Recovery in exports would be on the back of an improving global economy, which the International Monetary Fund in January said could grow by 3.7 percent this year. Barclay’s projection is slightly higher than the Fund’s 3.6 percent projection made in October last year. The IMF said global activity has strengthened in the second half of 2013 and this is seen continuing this year largely due to the recovery of advanced economies.  Official February exports data is set to be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Thursday, April 10. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Outbound shipments amounted to $4.382 billion in January, up 9.3 percent from $4.011 billion in the same month last year. The PSA said improvement in other manufactures, electronic equipment and parts, metal components, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, electronic products, machinery and transport equipment, and woodcrafts and furniture helped lift growth.  Electronic products made up bulk or 41 percent of the country’s exports. Government data show the country shipped $1.793-billion worth of electronic products in January, up 22.1 percent from the same month last year. Read More …

Apr 052014
 
Live a connected life in AMA Tower Residences

AMA Tower Residences combines central living and customized lifestyle for an enhanced urban life. MANILA, Philippines – Life has never been so ultimately connected until AMA Tower Residences rose along EDSA-Ortigas. Now, living in close proximity to your favorite lifestyle hotspots in Metro Manila and being always connected to the virtual world are possible. AMA Tower Residences lets you live in the heart of the metro – EDSA corner Fordham Street in Mandaluyong City to be exact – where several entertainment and business districts like Ortigas Center, Makati CBD, Araneta Center-Cubao and Eastwood City are just a short drive away. It will also feature high-speed Wi-Fi access in every corner of its 34 floors, enabling tech-savvies to check work emails, share photos and videos on various social networks or play online games anytime they want to. Connecting with friends, family and fellow residents will be more exciting with lifestyle amenities that encourage social interaction. These include swimming pools, a gym, a multi-purpose hall and landscaped areas. Commercial and retail spaces will be offered to interested entrepreneurs. Also, unit types are so diverse that they can match all kinds of preferences and spatial needs. Aside from studio, one- and two-bedroom flat units, it offers loft and bi-level types as well as units built with balcony. “AMA Tower Residences will connect its residents to everything they need for the full enjoyment of urban lifestyle,” said Marian Recto-Arrieta, vice president for sales of AMA Land, Inc., the mixed-use condo developer under the AMA Read More …