Diether Ocampo (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Diether Ocampo finally broke his silence on allegations that he is hiding from the production staff of an independent film which he produced after failing to pay them. Ocampo became a hot topic online when accusations surfaced that he did not pay some of his staff members despite their rendered work. In a statement, Ocampo said he is taking full responsibility for what happened. “As the executive producer of Tandem Entertainment, I take full responsibility. There are matters beyond my control that led to this predicament. I will never run away from my responsibilities,” he said. Ocampo said his camp has already arranged a meeting with his staff in order to resolve the problem. “I treasure the people behind the project and I would not allow them to suffer. I assure the staff that I will give them what is due them,” he said. One of the staff members agreed to an interview but refused to show his face on camera. “Actually nagbigay siya sa ibang mga staff ng post-dated check last January. Naka-date ‘yun ng February 10. Pero noong ‘yung iba nagpapalit na, hindi daw napondohan. All in all, siguro mga milyun-milyon ang utang ni Diet sa aking estimate,” he said. While some production staff members were paid in installments, the staff member said there are others who were not paid at all. “Yung ibang staff, hanggang second down payment pa lang ang nare-receive and the other staff, wala pa talaga. ‘Yung Read More …
President Benigno S. Aquino III receives officials of Unilever headed by Paul Polman, Global Chairman and CEO of Unilever; Rohit Jawa, Chairman of Unilever Philippines; Ramon Gil Macapagal, Vice Preisdent for Corporate Affairs; and Carl Cruz, Vice President for Customer Development during a courtesy call Friday, Febryary 20, 2015 in Malacanang. Unilever is a manufacturer and distributor of home goods, food and beverage items, dairy and personal care products. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S.C. Aquino III received conflicting reports while the deadly Mamasapano clash was ongoing, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said Monday. At the resumption of the Senate probe on the bloody Jan. 25 clash between elite PNP-Special Action Force and Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants, Roxas told the senators: “The President asked some questions in the nature kung ano ba ang nangyayari… PNoy was getting in other reports that are conflicting [with] each other.” Roxas then recalled sending a text message to PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina asking for more information. “We did not know that there was such an operation launched. We cannot put into context how many were at risk,” he added. Espina was also informed about Oplan Exodus after the operation was carried out. On January 25, the President was in Zamboanga City to check on the security situation there following a car blast that killed two people and injured 52 others. At the same hearing, resigned PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima informed the President that the PNP-Special Action Force Read More …
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan Garcia and Eduardo Oban Jr., take their oath as they appear in the Senate probe on the Mamasapano incident for the first time. In between Garcia and Oban is former PNP Chief Alan Purisima. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Resigned Police Director General Alan Purisima finally admitted during a Senate hearing on Monday that he was the one who informed President Benigno Aquino III of the Special Action Force (SAF) raid on Mamasapano, Maguindanao, last Jan. 25. During the last hearing of the Senate committee on public order, joint with committees on peace, unification and reconciliation, and finance last Feb. 12, Purisima refused to say who informed Aquino about the raid, saying he has yet to get clearance from the President. But when he returned to the Senate this Monday, the resigned police chief readily obliged when Senator Grace Poe, who heads the hearing, asked him to read his exchange of text messages with the President on Jan. 25. Purisima said he began texting the President at 5:45 a.m. of Jan. 25 when he informed him that terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, had been killed and that a SAF trooper was wounded in the encounter. “The body of Marwan was left behind but pictures were taken,” he said, reading his text message to the President. He said the President replied at 7:36 a.m: “Why was its left behind, the other two targets?” Aquino was apparently referring to Marwan and the other suspected terrorist, Abdul Basit Read More …
IF YOU are an avid watcher of the Oscars like me, then you’ll more than likely be invited to an Oscar theme party this year. Two days before the real Oscar Awards last Feb 21, invited guests, brokers, sales agents and elite consultants gathered in an Oscar-themed party at Waterfront Insular Hotel for the Mahipus Realty Awards Night. Women brushed down their ball gown and swag bags while men put on their tuxedo to get ready for a night at the red carpet, with flashing cameras all over the place. The night was truly dedicated to recreate the glitz, glamour and excitement of the Oscars. Just as the man of the hour arrived Atty. Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Sr., his lovely wife Mrs. Rosita R. Mahipus together with son Atty. Diosdado Mahipus Jr. and the entire family, the fun started, everyone was busy catching up with each other at the red carpet, splurge on hors-d’oeuvre and cocktail picks. You can see that everyone was checking on who is the best dressed among them, and I as the host, so privileged to be part of the glitz and glamour, can’t help but feel the sensation of joy and spike of happiness as the night gets all things sparkly and golden. The night captured that film festival excitement with distinctively scene setting songs and scores from the Oscar’s, hats off to the efforts of Ms Aleiah Guhao dela Victoria and her team. Mahipus Sr. gladly welcomed guests and land developers at the party. Read More …
popular Pregnancy out of wedlock not grounds for dismissal, says SC ‘SAF unit failed to follow plan’ Laughing in Mindanao LIVESTREAM: 29th Edsa People Power Anniversary No plea for ex-CJ Renato Corona in tax evasion cases Why Peping wants Aquino out Purisima admits informing Espina about Oplan Exodus later than Aquino’s order DOTC, Megawide ink deal videos PBA: Ginebra’s LA Tenorio comfortable on the floor with Emman Monfort PBA: Agustin credits good defense, big men performance for win over Purefoods PBA: Warner’s maturity big thing for Globalport, says coach Gonzales Crime watchdog wants advisory body composed of bishops, inter-religious leaders Former Tarlac Governor calls Aquino to resign MANILA, Philippines – The Embassy of South Korea in the Philippines will be imposing stricter requirements for tourist visa applications effective March 1, 2015. From the previous three documents, the Embassy now requires four, all of which “must be issued within three months on the date of application.” RELATED STORY More Filipinos visiting South Korea—SoKor embassy Get Inquirer updates while on the go, add us on these apps: Related Stories: Australia investigates ‘paedophile’ father in Thai baby scandal Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About Read More …
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Customs Deputy Commissioner Jessie Dellosa said “top Sulu politicians” were behind the attempt to smuggle Vietnam rice — which authorities seized Monday — to Western Mindanao. “Top Sulu politicians owned the smuggled rice,” Dellosa said Tuesday. Pressed for more details, he said: “Not now, just top Sulu politicians.” On Monday, authorities – including the Philippine Navy – intercepted five vessels (not four as earlier reported) off Pata Island in Sulu around 3:25 a.m. Initially, Rear Admiral Reynaldo Yoma, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao told the Philippine Daily Inquirer there were more or less 130,000 sacks of rice seized from the vessels by elements of the Navy’s PG 388 and PG 387 under Lt. Commander Richard Rosales and elements of the 64th Marines Company under 1Lt. Leonelle Marvin Mapalo. Among the seized vessels was the Vietnam-registered M/V An Bien-89-ALCI and its 16 crew under Captain Nguyen Van Loi had been taken into custody. Seized from the foreign vessel were 116,000 sacks of imported rice – out of its original cargo of 152,000 sacks – consigned to an Alfarsi Tan Hasiman of Jolo, Sulu. Reports from the ground units revealed that the foreign cargo vessel arrived on Thursday (February 19) from Mythoi Port in Vietnam with 152,000 sacks of cargo. It started to unload its cargo on February 20 off Pata Island to local vessels that transported the contraband to various Mindanao areas. Aside from the Vietnam registered ship, four more local vessels were also seized Read More …
Marian Rivera helps children with physical defects, “Para mas lumalaki sila nang maayos…mas maganda ang buhay nila.”
Sarah Geronimo reveals her endorsements help boost her self-esteem
MANILA, Philippines–Local banks have enough buffers to weather massive loan defaults, which will help ensure the economy stays stable in the event a major crisis takes place, however unlikely. Recent simulations show the banking industry, as a whole, have enough capital to withstand “extreme but plausible” bouts of stress that may affect their balance sheets, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said. The central bank’s stress tests were designed to mimic past conditions, such as the Asian Financial crisis in the late 1990s, or future bouts of stress that may arise due to conditions overseas. Tetangco said the recent stress tests indicated that banks, with their current capital buffers, should be able to withstand significant hikes in interest rates abroad and a sharp depreciation in the peso, which could affect the ability of borrowers to make payments. Banks also have enough buffers to absorb massive defaults in their real estate portfolios, he added. “They remain above the minimum capital requirement,” Tetangco told reporters on Tuesday. He said different banks passed these tests in varying degrees: some got through comfortably, while others emerged near the threshold. But Tetangco stressed that none failed the tests that were conducted using 2014 data. “There’s a continuing regulatory discussion and consultation between the BSP and the banks,” he said. Stress tests are part of the BSP’s continuing effort to ensure the stability of the financial system. These tests are done by stimulating the effects of losses that eat into banks’ capital Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – While it is a legitimate, indulging occupation in itself, gawking at Porsches can get frustrating very quick—for the simple reason that the temptation proves overwhelming. At some point, you will want to get your hands on the Stuttgart supercar maker’s beautiful vehicles. You need a tactile experience—hands on the wheel, foot on the gas pedal, and butt on the driver’s seat. This makes the recent Porsche World Roadshow (PWRS) at the Clark International Speedway a most rewarding fix – and eye opener for people who hadn’t driven (or driven lately) any of the growing number of stallions in the Porsche stable. Conceived as a marketing strategy to present its lineup to “prospects and existing customers,” the PWRS invitation is extended to members of the motoring media wherever it is held. Facilitated by Porsche-certified instructors specifically flown in for the event, PWRS allowed drivers to not only get up close and personal to the range of Porsche vehicles, but to experience what makes them stand out as among the most coveted cars in the world. Before getting into the cars, participants were walked through a sundry of Porsche features, as well as the kind of workmanship and technology that goes into each vehicle. Distinct, too, is the vastly increased option of customization that allows owners to realize a new breadth of options for their own vehicle. First and foremost, however, Porsche is a vehicle built to go fast. “Porsche is synonymous to racing,” said instructor Dario Garcia. “Everything Read More …