February 2015 – Page 42

DOT in partnership with China Airlines and GTT International holds Fam Tour to acquaint travel agents on Taiwan, PHL destinations

Feb 052015

Fam tour affords travel agent-participants new resources and tools for promoting tourism products and services in both countries By Manny V. Ilagan, PDOT-Los Angeles Philippine Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim from Los Angeles, Manny V. Ilagan, Tourism Director-OIC, PDOT-Los Angeles, Depi Cheng of China Airlines, and Eliza Chung of GTT International/Majestic Vacations with the participants of the DOT-China Airlines-GTT International Fam Tour to the Philippines. MANILA – A guided Fam Tour recently conducted jointly by the Philippine Department of Tourism’s United States offices, China Airlines and GTT International/Majestic Vacations focused the spotlight on tourism destinations in both Taiwan and the Philippines. The Fam Tour, the first of its kind that showcased destinations in two countries, was held January 24 to 30, 2015 in line with the Department of Tourism’s marketing campaign to promote the Philippines as part of a twin destination tour packages or an extension vacation destination to other Asian countries. The joint Familiarization Tour, which is participated by Chinese-American, Vietnamese and some Filipino-American travel agents, is seen as an excellent way of increasing the tour operators’ product/destination knowledge to effectively promote, market and sell the Philippines to both individual and group travelers looking for destinations that cater to all kinds of travelers. Philippine Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim from Los Angeles, Manny V. Ilagan, Tourism Director-OIC, PDOT-Los Angeles, Depi Cheng of China Airlines, and Eliza Chung of GTT International/Majestic Vacations with the participants of the DOT-China Airlines-GTT International Fam Tour to the Philippines. The Fam Tour further aims to establish Read More …

Sharon to play Napoles in comeback film?

General

Feb 052015

Sharon to play Napoles in comeback film?

Sharon Cuneta (MNS Photo) Megastar Sharon Cuneta denied Saturday that her comeback film will be based around the life of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. In a Facebook post, Cuneta dismissed rumors suggesting that she will portray the Napoles in an upcoming biopic. She also denied that her daughter, KC Concepcion, will be playing the role of Jeane Napoles. “Why is there a rumor going around that my comeback movie will be based on the Janet Lim Napoles story, and with KC playing the role of her daughter?” she wrote. Napoles is currently detained for allegedly diverting millions in pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations. “No one has spoken to me about this, and so it is totally untrue,” Cuneta added. “I already have a comeback project waiting, and with a company that has my full trust and respect.” The veteran actress earlier made headlines after she announced her departure from TV5. “I am going to drop clues every now and then as to the things I will be working on which will start sooner than you think!” she said at the time. In 2012, Sharon signed a reported record-breaking P1-billion contract with the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned network. She hosted her own talk show entitled “Kasama Mo, Kapatid,” and became a co-host of a musical variety show “The Mega and the Songwriter” alongside Ogie Alcasid. She also starred in the comedy series “Madam Chairman,” which premiered on 2013. It was her first TV series in 35 Read More …

US funded SAF operations to get Marwan—source

News

Feb 052015

US funded SAF operations to get Marwan—source

Marwan. PHOTO FROM FBI.GOV ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Inside a beachfront resort here, several Americans planned the botched Jan. 25 operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, which killed Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, but also left 44 police commandos, 18 rebels and four civilians dead. A Philippine Daily Inquirer source who refused to be identified due to security reasons said the Mamasapano operation was “fully funded by the US.” “The Americans, who have a secret facility inside the La Vista del Mar Resort, planned and funded the operation,” the source said. La Vista del Mar Resort, located in Barangay (village) Upper Calarian some six kilometers from the city’s downtown area, is owned by the family of first district Rep. Celso Lobregat. Lobregat denied knowing anything about the operations to get Marwan or accommodating American operatives to plan the secret operations in his hotel. “I do not know anything about it,” Lobregat, in a text message to the Inquirer Thursday afternoon, said. The source described the “facility” inside La Vista del Mar as having a blue gate and having been “occupied by the Americans and the biggest number of elite forces of the 84th Special Action Force Company.” According to Joel New, the barangay chair of San Jose Gusu and a former employee of the resort, the facility belongs to Special Action Force (SAF). “It’s a camp of the SAF and it is located beside the resort. They (SAF) do tactical operations training and swimming, including speedboat operations, there,” New said. Read More …

PSEi falls below 7,700

General

Feb 052015

popular . Sterling Epic weekend, ‘Brave’ moment Talks for May 2 Pacquiao-Mayweather bout stalled anew Russian MP says homosexuals ‘mentally ill’ after lesbian selfie US toughens stand on sea row Kapampangan-style chicken-pork ‘asado’ Teenager chops hand off to cure Internet addiction Judy Ann Santos blasts President’s absence in SAF arrival honors; irks Kris Aquino? videos Plan to oust Aquino over Mamasapano carnage bared Cayetano: Mamasapano clash a terror attack, massacre Trillanes: Marwan death ‘absolves’ Aquino Fertility dance marks filing of SC petition to stop Obando landfill Police keep focus on doing job amid sympathy for slain SAF men THE LOCAL stock barometer slipped from the 7,700 levels on Thursday as investors locked up gains while the stock market spiked to record highs.The Philippine Stock Exchange index gave up 41.82 points or 0.54 percent to close at 7,674.24, tracking mostly sluggish regional markets.The decline was led by the property counter, which fell by 1.16 percent. The financial, industrial and holding firm counters likewise eased.The services and mining/oil counters, on the other hand, defied the day’s downturn.Value turnover for the day amounted to P10.1 billion. There were 84 losers versus 94 gainers while 38 stocks were unchanged.The day’s decline was led by FGEN, Megaworld, Jollibee and Petron, which all fell by over 2 percent. Shares of Petron were dragged down by the overnight fall in crude prices.SMIC, the day’s most actively traded stock, also declined by 0.99 percent. URC, ALI, EDC, BDO, DMCI, AC and SM Prime also weighed down the index.On Read More …

Date suggestion: Romantic dinner for two at The Nostalgia

General

Feb 052015

Date suggestion: Romantic dinner for two at The Nostalgia

At P1,500 per person, you can enjoy a romantic and luxurious dining experience at The Nostalgia Dining Lounge. MANILA, Philippines – Are you still in the process of planning the perfect date for you and your special someone on Valentine’s Day? Have you considered a romantic dinner for two within the metro? At P1,500 per person, you can enjoy a romantic and luxurious dining experience at The Nostalgia Dining Lounge. Created by French executive chef Jerome Cartailler, the romantic set dinner for two starts with a refreshing Frozen Bellini and followed by a light and tasty Seafood Bisque with Garlic Croutons. Next to please the palate is the appetizing choice of Chef’s Terrine, Red Onion and Mango Chutney with Freshly Baked Bread, or the Classic Caesar Salad or the Homemade Potato Gnocchi and Parma Ham. For the entrée, there’s a choice of Char Grilled US Beef Tenderloin with Alfalfa, Gratin Potato and Roast Shallot Sauce; or Chicken Supreme Filled with Mushroom Mousse, and light Gorgonzola Sauce; or a Pan Seared Macadamia Crusted Salmon, with Buttered Vegetables and Chardonnay Sauce. And to cap it off with either coffee or tea, the Fresh Strawberry Macaroon and White Chocolate Whipped Ganache and Superfruit Sherbet are sure to make everything even more memorable. The Nostalgia is an all-new restaurant that also houses three themed private function rooms namely, Bohemian Paris, Cosmopolitan Shanghai and The Old Manila. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: The special dining package for Valentine’s Day is available Read More …

Filipino deaths in Libya oil depot attack ‘unverified’ — DFA

News

Feb 042015

Filipino deaths in Libya oil depot attack ‘unverified’ — DFA

popular Aquino did not snub arrival honors for slain cops – Palace Aquino LP ally: Suspend BBL hearings 2 dead, 11 hurt as Taguig condo flooring collapses Philippines protests Chinese ramming of 3 fishing boats Cosco group strengthens foothold in Central Luzon ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ arouses sex toy boom Facebook page honors 7 fallen frat ‘brods’ What’s inside City of Dreams Manila? videos Purisima may face contempt over alleged role in Mamasapano clash -Ombudsman Plan to oust Aquino over Mamasapano carnage bared Cayetano: Mamasapano clash a terror attack, massacre Trillanes: Marwan death ‘absolves’ Aquino Fertility dance marks filing of SC petition to stop Obando landfill Department of Foreign Affairs building. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Reports that Filipinos were among the fatalities in an oil depot attack in Libya is “not verified,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday. “That’s not confirmed. We’re still verifying that report,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a text message to INQUIRER.net. The DFA on Tuesday, February 3, said three Filipinos were among the seven abducted by still unidentified men in an oil depot in Libya. The Agence France-Presse, quoting a Libyan security officer, however, said three Filipinos and two Ghanians were killed in the attack. The DFA in an earlier statement said the Philippine Embassy in Libya was monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and security of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the country. The DFA has raised crisis alert level 4 in Libya which means mandatory evacuation for Read More …

US gov’t tells immigration agents to see if their detainees are eligible for deportation relief

News

Feb 042015

US gov’t tells immigration agents to see if their detainees are eligible for deportation relief

LOS ANGELES — The Obama administration has ordered immigration officials to find out if undocumented immigrants they encounter are eligible for President Barack Obama’s recent plans to spare them from deportation. Agents at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been instructed “to immediately begin identifying persons in their custody, as well as newly encountered persons” who may qualify for protection from being deported, the Associated Press reported. The move complements Obama’s plan to focus resources on deporting immigrants who have serious criminal records or pose a threat to public safety or national security. Those whose sole offense is staying in the country illegally are not supposed to be a priority. The new order also marks a big change, as it has been the responsibility of immigrants or their attorneys to secure their own protection against deportation. Even with the recent change, immigrants caught crossing the border illegally are still a top priority, said Customs and Border Protection spokesman Carlos Diaz. One of the training documents issued lists encounter scenarios between agents and immigrants, and outlines the way in which agents should proceed. It also includes a checklist of questions to help figure out if immigrants are eligible for Obama’s new plan. Crystal Williams, executive director for the American Immigration Lawyers Association in Washington, told the Associated Press that the training will assist the government in its goal to filter those who should not be a priority. She also told the news agency that this is the Read More …

Daly City councilors are rivals for county supervisor seat

News

Feb 042015

Daly City councilors are rivals for county supervisor seat

Daly City Councilor Ron Canepa Daly City Councilor Mike Guingona DALY CITY, California — The election for San Mateo County’s District 5 seat is not happening till June of 2016, but two incumbent Daly City council members are already positioning for the Filipino vote, including that of Daly City Mayor Ray Buenaventura. Councilmembers David Canepa and Mike Guingona, both also former mayors of Daly City, are eyeing the post currently held by Supervisor Adrienne Tissier, whose four-year term ends next year. Daly City, where more than 55 percent of residents are Asian, is one of the biggest Fil-Am enclaves in the United States. Along with Colma, Brisbane, unincorporated Broadmoor and a portion of South San Francisco, it is part of San Mateo County’s District 5. On two separate occasions last week, Manila Mail had the opportunity to sit down with Canepa and Guingona, who have served together on the Daly City council for seven years but have known each other longer. Canepa was first elected as a councilmember in 2008, while Guingona became the first FilAm to be elected to the Daly City council in 1993 and the city’s first Filipino mayor three years later. Asian face As a favorite of the Fil-Am community, Guingona inspires dreams of finally having an Asian face on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. A team of Fil-Am supporters joined Manila Mail’s meeting with Guingona. They were: Daly City’s Planning Commissioner Ray Satorre and Bradley Roxas, former library commissioner; Walter Batara, Association of Read More …

DAP like a hot potato

General

Feb 042015

Once again, for the second time in less than eight months, the Supreme Court said that the scandalous P140-billion hot potato called DAP, the Disbursement Acceleration Program of the Aquino (Part II) administration, was unconstitutional. In other words, the program was simply illegal. The administration claimed that it used the DAP merely as an economic tool, and that the administration had nothing but good faith in its implementation. Despite the supposed economic benefits from the DAP, and no matter how spotless or righteous the intention of the saints who invented it, the fact remained that in dancing the DAP, somebody or some groups actually broke the law. According to reports, the SC also relented somewhat by saying that the SC also “recognized the encouraging effects of the DAP on the country’s economy and acknowledged its laudable purposes.” Well and good—the ultimate arbiter of the land of about 100 million people, perhaps thought that something illegal, which in the end could only mean something criminal, could bring about “encouraging effects” with its “laudable purposes.” What was it really now—a laudable act that should be encouraged because in the first place it was simply illegal? Truly, the new SC decision came only a few months after our leader Benigno Simeon (a.k.a. BS) went berserk with his personal launching of an aggressive attack against the SC. Remember—it was in July last year when the SC first decided that the DAP was, indeed, unconstitutional! Down here in my barangay, the guys could still hear Read More …

Trillanes urges PNoy to be careful with his words, actions following Mamasapano clash

News

Feb 042015

Trillanes urges PNoy to be careful with his words, actions following Mamasapano clash

The members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force may still be emotional now following the death of 44 of their colleagues in Mamasapano, Maguindanao but there are no signs of unrest among the ranks, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Wednesday. “For now, none,” the senator said in a text message to GMA News Online. However, Trillanes advised President Benigno Aquino III to be careful particularly as regards the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Basic Law. “I think emotions are running high at this point so any direct message by the President should be calibrated. How he deals with the MILF and BBL would be crucial,” he said. Forty-four SAF commandos were killed in a firefight with MILF members last January 25. The police officers were supposed to serve warrants of arrest against Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Basit Usman. During a speech before the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP SAF) last January 30, President Aquino tried several times to get the police officers before him to speak up and convey their concerns directly to him, but they stood in silence. — ELR, GMA News

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