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May 042015
May 042015
“This victory is a testament of the people’s hard work and sacrifice to educate and galvanize the broader public in contributing to the over 185,000 signatures of international support, initiating dialogue with the Indonesian Consulate, an internet campaign that earned top ten tweeted stories, and holding rallies and vigils all the way up to the final hours of Mary Jane’s scheduled execution,” explains Angelica Cabande, NAFCON Northern California Regional Coordinator. San Francisco, CA. – Filipino leaders and supporters from across the Bay Area gathered in Bayanihan Center to celebrate halting the scheduled execution of trafficked victim Mary Jane Veloso by the Indonesian government on April 28. Organized by the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and Migrante Northern California, the event was attended by community members who hailed the people power that ultimately convinced Indonesian President Widodo to delay Mary Jane’s execution. “This victory is a testament of the people’s hard work and sacrifice to educate and galvanize the broader public in contributing to the over 185,000 signatures of international support, initiating dialogue with the Indonesian Consulate, an internet campaign that earned top ten tweeted stories, and holding rallies and vigils all the way up to the final hours of Mary Jane’s scheduled execution,” explains Angelica Cabande, NAFCON Northern California Regional Coordinator. Filipinos from all walks of life expressed their thoughts and emotions as a community that looked beyond themselves to save their kababayan or fellow Filipino. Attendees narrated how they were constantly monitoring the news of any update that give them Read More …
May 042015
Heart Evangelista (MNS Photo) Actress Heart Evangelista is enjoying life as wife of Senator Chiz Escudero. She gladly wakes up “extra early in the morning” to do household chores, including preparing breakfast for her husband who needs to roll out of bed by 4:30 a.m. for work. Apart from that, Heart tries her utmost to fulfill her role as stepmother to his twins, citing how she has started a scrapbook project with them so they would have something to bond over. The 30-year-old actress shares, “Masaya ’yung feeling kasi I could really feel na as a woman, ang laki ng ni-mature ko at ang laki na ng patience ko. (I learned) to be more multi-faceted in a way na you have to make time for everybody and everything in your life and not forget yourself at the same time.” Heart takes inspiration from Chiz, whom she describes as the “perfect husband.” “(His perfection) pushes me to be better and to learn more kasi siyempre he’s older, he’s advanced. So parang 10 steps ahead na siya sa akin pero gusto ko siyang maunahan para ma-surprise naman siya,” she says. Asked if Chiz imposes rules on her, she says, “I’m very lucky na hindi siya ’yung tao na pipilitin ka to be a certain way or dress a certain way. I don’t have to really tailor fit my life to anything. He always tells me to be myself and nothing has to change.” Meanwhile, their plans to have a baby has to Read More …
May 042015
By Mynardo MACARAIG Filipino boxing icon and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBC/WBA welterweight champion American Floyd Mayweather Jr. face off during their official weigh-in on Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for their welterweight unification bout on May 2. (MNS Photo) Manila, Philippines (AFP) Sunday 5/3/2015 – Boxing fans in the Philippines cried foul and groaned in bitter disappointment on Sunday as national hero Manny Pacquiao lost to American rival Floyd Mayweather in the “fight of the century”. Filipinos filled gymnasiums, cinemas and bars as the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people stopped for Pacquiao’s battle with Mayweather in Las Vegas, which he lost in a unanimous points decision. A devastated Pacquiao said immediately afterwards that he thought he had won, and many at home agreed with him as they lashed out at the judges while heaping praise on their inspiration. “Pacquiao was cheated. Mayweather didn’t land a single solid punch,” cable television technician Romeo Rivera, 41, told AFP. Rivera was among thousands of mostly poor people who had gathered in the main public square of Manila’s Marikina suburb to watch the battle on a giant screen mounted on the back of a flat-bed truck. In the southern port city of Zamboanga, loud boos echoed inside an army gymnasium where thousands of soldiers and their relatives watched Pacquiao given just the sixth defeat of his career. “The decision was unfair. From the start, the commentators were for Manny. Everyone Read More …
May 042015
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III , assisted by Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala, in a tour of the rice milling center during the inauguration of one of the mega projects of the province – the P63.4-million Negros First Rice Processing Center in Bago City in Bacolod City thursday, April 30, 2015. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A senator on Friday reiterated her call for an end to age discrimination in the workplace. “Job fairs organized by government agencies and private firms have become staple activities every year on Labor Day. But how many jobseekers above 30 years old actually get hired in these fairs?” Senator Pia Cayetano said in a press statement. Cayetano said the practice of some employers favoring younger applicants or setting preferred age limits for jobs that can generally be performed by any qualified employee, regardless of age, has unduly deprived ‘older’ workers of employment opportunities. “We see age discrimination openly being flaunted in job fairs and classified ads, where companies or employment agencies set specific age requirements for job seekers, such as between 20 to 30 years old. It is also in the employment policies of some industries, although sometimes discreetly,” she said. She added that the Constitution guarantees equal employment opportunities for all, and yet there is no law that prohibits age discrimination at work, not even an aggressive campaign by the labor department to seriously address this unfair practice. Cayetano is pushing for the passage of her proposal, Senate Bill No.29, or the Anti-Age Discrimination Read More …
May 042015
Celia Veloso, mother of Mary Jane Veloso, raises her fist before answering questions at a briefing at the Migrante headquarters on Friday. She blames the Philippine government for her daughter’s conviction and death sentence for trafficking illegal drugs in Indonesia. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Despite their family’s gratitude toward the outpouring of love and support for Mary Jane Veloso, her mother Celia Veloso on Friday aired her grievances towards the Aquino administration. In a press conference following their arrival from Indonesia, Celia thanked supporters, particularly those who introduced them to Migrante International. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo, nang dahil sa inyo ay nakilala kami nila Ma’am Connie [Regalado, Migrante International chairperson]. Matagal na panahon na natulog ang kaso ng anak ko. Nagpapasalamat kami sa mga pari, teacher, kabataan na sumusuporta sa anak ko at sa mga nasa ibang bansa. Kung hindi sa inyong tulong ay hindi ko alam at baka nawalan na ako ng bunso,” she said. She added: “Ngayon ay nandito na kami sa Pilipinas ay marami kaming sisingilin sa gobyerno. Sabi nila sa kanila nanggaling kung bakit hindi natuloy ang bitay ng anak ko, hindi totoo ‘yon.” To President Benigno Aquino III, Celia said, “Hanggang sa ngayon, niloko pa rin kami. Akala namin, siya ang gumawa ng paraan para mailigtas ang anak ko.” Celia also accused the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of hiding them from the Indonesian media while they were there waiting on the fate of her daughter. “Isa pa ‘yung DFA, para kaming itinatago. Hirap Read More …
May 042015
Mourners take part in a memorial for the victims of the Mamasapano encounter in front of the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Quezon City Tuesday. The groups demand truth and accountability from those involved in the bloody clash, which resulted in the death of 44 PNP-SAF officers, 18 Moro rebels, and 7 civilians. (MNS photo) MANILA, May 3 (Mabuhay) – Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman, the target of a massive government dragnet since the January 25 Mamasapano mission where he escaped as police commandos were closing in on Malaysian terrorist Marwan, was killed before noon Sunday, according to reliable military intelligence sources. Usman and two comrades were shot dead when his group, along with a unit under a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander, ran into State forces in Guindolongan town in Maguindanao, the sources said. “Yes, Usman is dead, It’s confirmed,” a high-ranking intelligence officer said, though an official military confirmation has been withheld “pending verification on the ground.” Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman and Civil Relations Service (CRS) chief, “We’re still getting verification and confirmation on the ground.” The encounter happened at aroun 11:30 a.m. in Barangay Mote near Camp Afdal, according to the intelligence source. There had been reports, since the military launched an offensive to get Usman, that the alleged bomb-maker said to have been trained by Marwan (real name: Zulkifli bin Hir) and his men were being coddled by one Commander Marlboro’s unit, under the 106th Base Command of the Read More …
May 042015
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. of the U.S. lands a left to the face of Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines (R) in the 11th round during their welterweight WBO, WBC and WBA (Super) title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 2, 2015. (MNS Photo) MANILA, May 3 (Mabuhay) – With the undisputed best fighter of their generation decided, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had to acknowledge his felled opponent. “He’s a hell of a fighter, I take my hat off to Manny,” Mayweather said after he defeated Pacquiao and unified the WBO, WBC, and WBA Welterweight titles Sunday (Manila time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mayweather won via unanimous decision 118-110, 116-112, 116-112, in the matchup of the best boxers of their generation. “Now I see why he’s one of the guys at the pinnacle of the sport.” Pacquiao was the aggressor of the fight but Mayweather had him with his setups and counters. “I outboxed him,” Mayweather said. “He’s a tough competitor.” (MNS)
May 042015
Victor Basa sports a buzz cut.
May 042015
Fabio Ide says it’s hard finding the balance in being a dad, actor, and businessman.