Sisters Toni and Alex Gonzaga talk about love, life, and career in the YES! September 2014 issue.
Aug 222014
Aug 222014
Chicago, IL – The objective seems simple: eradicate poverty for 5 million Filipino families by 2014. But to everyone involved with Gawad Kalinga (GK), the task seems daunting. Their website describes GK as: “Gawad Kalinga, translated in English means to ‘give care’, is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty by first restoring the dignity of the poor. It employs an integrated and holistic approach to empowerment with values-formation and leadership development at its core. Established in 2003, The Foundation currently works with over 2,000 communities and has been recognized as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee & 2011 Skoll Awardee for Social Entrepreneurship.” But to others, it is more personal: “My transformation came from a GK village. Before my visit, I didn’t know anything about being Filipino. I was an American, born and raised here. That’s the only culture I knew,” said Tony Olaes, chairman of GK-USA. “But since I got involved and since my chairmanship of the board n 2009, I realize now that the highest form of being Filipino is GK,” he said, addressing the GK-USA board of directors in a meeting last weekend. GK-USA is a non-profit organization that supports the work of GK in the Philippines. “We exist to assist GK headquarters in the movement to create a culture of sustainability and scalability in the Philippines; while encouraging our Filipinos and Filipino-Americans here to connect to their country; so that together, Filipinos in the Philippines and Filipinos here, can create and promote shared values,” said Read More …
Aug 222014
Gia Janella Padiernos is crowned Miss GAPASCA. CERRITOS – The scholarship program of the Gapan City Association of Southern California (GAPASCA) got a big boost last August 9 during the inaugural ball of the new organization at the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel. Following the inspirational speech by GAPASCA chairperson Nimfa Castro, three benefactors contributed $1,000 financial grant each before the night ended. With the added funds, GAPASCA will be able to sponsor 12 graduating students from various high schools in Gapan. Each scholar will be given financial assistance of up to P40,000 each towards tuition. Castro said some officers and members of GAPASCA will hold a banquet for the scholars in March 2015 in Gapan. She thanked the members and benefactors for their overwhelming support to the scholarship program. The successful inaugural ball was full house and attended by Gapanenses from all over California. They were joined in the celebration by town mates from other states and from the Philippines. Gapanenses from different generations participated in the program and the inducted officers were also multi-generational. Nueva Ecija Vice Gov. GP Padiernos, a former LA resident and a native Gapanense, was the guest speaker. Larry Camus, president, and Nimfa Castro, chairman of the board, led the officers who were inducted by Vice Consul Mary Joy Ramirez. The first set of GAPASCA officers with Nueva Ecija Vice Gov. GP Padiernos and Vice Consul Mary Joy Ramirez. Also inducted were Gina Patulandong, VP Budget & Finance; Marissa Yamsuan , VP Membership; Ramil Garcia, VP Read More …
Aug 222014
MANILA, Philippines – The government wants to know the circumstances behind the recent purchase by business tycoon Antonio Cabangon-Chua – who served as ambassador to Laos during the time of former president Gloria Arroyo – of a majority stake in partly-sequestered RPN-9 network. “RPN-9 is one of the agencies under the supervision of our office, pursuant to Executive Order 4, series of 2010,” Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office wrote in an email to Palace reporters. “This office, together with the PCGG, had requested the board of directors of RPN-9 and its corporate secretary to submit all the requisite documents regarding the sale of the shares by Solar (television network),” he added. The National Government, through the Presidential Commission on Good Government, is a stockholder of RPN-9, owning 20.80 percent of the total shares. It is thus a “minority” in the board, Coloma acknowledged. Radio Philippines Network-9 was bought by Solar Entertainment Corp. who owns 34.16 percent of the formerly sequestered TV network that started its operations during the time of then President Ferdinand Marcos. Another substantial shareholder is Far East Managers and Investors, Inc. (FEMII), the group of former ambassador and Marcos crony Roberto Benedicto who owns 32 percent of RPN-9. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The remaining shares comprising of 13.04 percent of total shares are owned by private individual stockholders. Last Thursday, The STAR reported that media mogul Cabangon-Chua – who owns Aliw Broadcasting Corp. that operates radio Read More …
Aug 222014
MANILA, Philippines – The government needs to work on reducing the cost of doing business to allow small and medium enterprises (SME) to compete and take advantage of the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic integration. In a statement, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Alfredo Yao said SMEs would benefit from Asean economic integration if there are policies designed to improve their capacities to trade and to exploit expanding regional opportunities. “Make no mistake about it: PCCI views the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in a positive light,” he said. “But we acknowledge that the opportunities offered by greater openness can only be achieved if our local industries and SMEs are provided with the complementary support that will enable them to participate effectively and benefit from the global production network being built by ASEAN with its trade partners and important export markets,” he added. While there are efforts to engage the private sector in realizing AEC, he said receptiveness to embrace opportunities offered has been rather meager. This, as there are concerns on the level of competitiveness of local industries compared to ASEAN neighbors. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 In addition, Filipino SMEs participation in global production networks has been limited.
Aug 222014
MANILA, Philippines – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has tightened its ban on the issuance of pre-approved credit cards to bank clients. “The prohibition on the issuance of pre-approved credit cards by all BSP supervised financial entities with credit card operations… is enhanced by stressing, under said regulations, that the provisions of this circular shall prevail notwithstanding any contrary stipulations in the contract,” the central bank said. The new amendments are carried under Circular No. 485, which greatly details the acts “tantamount” to issuing pre-approved credit cards by the banks, quasi-banks, and non-banking financial institutions, and their subsidiaries or affiliate companies. These acts include sending credit cards to customers with no prior application or request that are required for application, and mailing unsolicited supplementary cards and other cards which are not a replacement of the consumer’s initial credit card. The BSP has also prohibited “unsolicited calls by credit card issuers requesting updated information from selected clients in order to be entitled to receive credit card as a reward for his/her continued patronage of the bank’s other financial products.” Unsolicited calls to clients telling them that they already have a credit card for having a “good standing” as a depositor are also not allowed. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Banks were also forbidden from “sending of mails with credit card enclosed which will be deemed accepted upon the receipt of such card by a receiver, whether authorized or not.” The central bank also stressed the ban against Read More …
Aug 222014
http://newfacla.org/ Los Angeles – The feeding program for the community is back at FACLA. The Filipino American Community of Los Angeles revived the food distribution, which was a “traditional of sorts” for the Filipino-American community then. “It’s good that the feeding program and food distribution started again” Filipino World War II Veteran Orencio Salem said. The Historic Filipinotown California Expo (HIFI CALI LLC), The Filipino Ministry of the Wilshire United Methodist Church (FM-WUMC) in cooperation with FACLA announced that they will conduct their monthly feeding program and food distribution beginning this Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at FACLA. Filipino civic leader Sid Balatan said “This will be the second time that the groups will provide indigent Filipino-Americans who lived around Historic Filipinotown with free food and distribute food packages for Filipino-American clients. “We invite the seniors and the needy to come for our feeding program in FACLA at 10 a.m. More than 30 Filipino American families availed of the feeding program of lugaw (poridge) and the food distribution held last July 26 also at FACLA, Balatan said. Balatan, FM-WUMC Pastor Rodolfo Sumaling, Dr.Veronico Agatep, Justice for Filipino American Veterans coordinator Arturo Garcia and S4PACE President Jovy Alejandrino and other volunteers will coordinate the event on Saturday.
Aug 222014
INDEED, when will the US ever learn? Hardly had the ink dried on the piece we wrote last week about the subject, than news of ISIS militants killing American journalist James Foley came out. In the irony of ironies, Foley was supposedly executed—Jihadi style—by a British-born militant; a person born to a country with the closest of ties to the US. Is there anything else to blame for this, apart from the United States’ way of dealing with international crises? At the risk of some foreign policy expert already coining the phrase, the best way to describe it is the “expediency doctrine.” By this, I mean the foreign policy equivalent of “the means justifying the ends.” Arguably, the threat of ISIS would probably not have surfaced, had the US done its homework in Iraq. But it decided to cram on exam day instead. With all the about-turns it has done with Iraq, the US looks like a schizophrenic college kid who could not make up his mind—deciding to become a doctor one day, only years later realizing he really wanted to play the piano instead. Against the Iranians, the Americans supported the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein. Once that conflict ended, Saddam became a pariah to them, and they decide to invade the country to get him out. Once they had the man out of sight, they duly support corrupt local politicians to rule the nation. And as the people rebelled in the streets against their crooked and inept leaders, Read More …
Aug 222014
A security guard was gunned down in Makati City Friday afternoon, and police are turning to Twitter to help track down the perpetrator. The Makati City police posted descriptions about the suspect on Twitter. “(The perpetrator is) 5’4″ (tall), military look, wearing red bulcap, (has a) mole on left cheek,” the Makati Deputy Chief of Police for Administration said. It also asked netizens Twitter to retweet the description. Police identified the victim as Valentin Gabasa Balasa, a security guard who died from two gunshot wounds to the head. “He was said to be buying a cigarette when fired upon,” it said. The suspect was last seen walking on foot toward a fast-food outlet at Buendia. “Suspect armed and dangerous. Kindly tweet us as soon as possible. Makati SWAT team and other personnel at location,” police said. Citing initial information, the police said the shooting occurred along Pasong Tamo corner dela Rosa Street in Barangay Pio del Pilar. A separate report by GMA News’ Ruth Cabal on “24 Oras” said the Makati police initiated dragnet operations against the gunman. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News
Aug 222014
President Benigno Aquino III has appointed 72 new prosecutors that will fill up the 20-percent vacancy in the National Prosecution Service. In a statement Friday, the Department of Justice, of which the NPS is under, said the new prosecutors would be assigned in Regions IV, VI, VII and X. “This is a timely development and a positive progress in the National Prosecution Service. The Department needs warm bodies to effectively discharge its mandate amidst the increase in cases filed with the department,” said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. She reminded the newly assigned prosecutors to abide by the Code of Conduct for Prosecutors. “We need men and women of high integrity to man the frontlines of the department,” de Lima said. “I am confident yhat we can achieve our vision for an expeditious administration of justice through honest and dedicated personnel,” she added. —Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News