Maja Salvador also says something big is bound to happen to her career next year.
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Jul 102015
UNITED STATES President Barack Obama last week renewed the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Program until end-2017, allowing local agribusinesses and small enterprises to strengthen their export ties with one of the world’s biggest economies.
Jul 102015
THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) has clarified the registration process for locators registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) under a simplified procedure for companies enjoying tax perks.
Jul 102015
THE BUREAU of Customs filed on July 10 a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice against a sugar importer for smuggling.
Jul 102015
Julia Buencamino (MNS Photo) Actors Nonie and Shamaine Buencamino requested that their family be given privacy as they mourn the death of their daughter, Julia. Julia, 15, was found dead by their household help at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, according to PO3 Victorio Guerrero, the investigator assigned to the case. In a statement released Wednesday morning, the celebrity couple said they are making the appeal for privacy also on behalf of those close to them, who wish to remember Julia and celebrate her life in peace and quiet. They also extended their gratitude to everyone sending them love and support at this time. “We thank you for your love, understanding, and prayers of support during this time of profound grief. Julia led a beautiful and blessed life, and she will be fondly remembered and terribly missed by her family and friends,” the family’s statement read. Like her parents, Julia was an actress and was part of the ABS-CBN TV series “Oh My G!” Below is the family’s complete statement: We are deeply saddened to announce the death of our beloved daughter Julia Buencamino. We would like to make a firm request to allow us to mourn her passing in private. We make this appeal for privacy also on behalf of those close to us, who wish to remember Julia and celebrate her life in peace and quiet. We thank you for your love, understanding, and prayers of support during this time of profound grief. Julia led a beautiful and Read More …
Jul 102015
John Lloyd Cruz (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Actor John Lloyd Cruz feels sad that his upcoming movie, “Honor Thy Father,” did not make it to the official list of entries in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Cruz said he was looking forward to the screening of “Honor Thy Father” in the MMFF, believing that there are people who are looking for this type of movie. Still, the actor said he respects the decision of the committee. “Sayang kasi naniniwala talaga kami at ‘yung mga tao sa paligid namin. Naniwala talaga kami na mayroong ano, na mayroong naghahanap ng ganitong klaseng pelikula sa ganoong panahon, sa MMFF season,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBNnews.com and other reporters on Thursday on the set of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” in Bataan. “Malayo siguro sa criteria na mayroon ang MMFF, and we totally respect that. Siyempre, hindi naman kami ang committee, sila ang committee so they get to decide.” “Pero nanghihinayang lang kami kasi we really want the story to be out there at mapanood ng madaming tao. But then again, going back to their criteria, we didn’t make it so we just move on,” he added. Cruz went on to express his thoughts about the annual film festival. “Sayang kasi ang hinahanap ko lang din doon ay para mabigyan ng chance ang ganitong klaseng pelikula na mai-showcase sa ganoong season. Kasi I believe ang MMFF ay para sa lahat ng klaseng pelikula, hindi lang sa siguradong blockbuster o tumatabo sa Read More …
Jul 102015
BEIJING, China: President Benigno S. Aquino III shares a light moment with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Commonwealth of Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott during the 22nd Apec Leaders’ Meeting Tree Planting Ceremony at the Summer Garden of the International Conference Center at Yanqui Lake here on Tuesday (November 11). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Philippines has a “plan B” in case a United Nations arbitral tribunal will decide it does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines’ case to protect its sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). “We have a plan B, but we can’t disclose options at this time considering how sensitive this issue is,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose said in an interview. Jose, however, said the country is confident the court will continue to hear the case’s merits. He said going to the arbitral tribunal is the best option to resolve the issue with China, which had questioned earlier the court’s jurisdiction over the Philippine petition. China has insisted the best way to solve the conflict is through bilateral talks. In this photo taken Feb. 25, 2014 by surveillance planes and released Thursday, May 15, 2014, by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, a Chinese vessel, top center, is used to expand structures and land on the Johnson Reef, called Mabini by the Philippines and Chigua by China, at the Spratly Islands at South China Sea, Philippines. The Philippines has protested China’s reclamation of land in the disputed Read More …
Jul 102015
Marlon Garcia of Smartmatic Corporation shows the use of a Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Manila on Tuesday. Use of the PCOS in the 2016 elections is still up in the air after the Supreme Court voided Comelec’s maintenance contract with Smartmatic last April. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — A group composed of several bishops and a former senator has asked the Supreme Court to stop a P12-billion contract to lease more than 90,000 optical mark reader (OMR) units for the 2016 elections. In its petition, the group said the Commission on Elections committed a grave abuse of discretion when on June 2 it issued Resolution No. 1544 that allowed the realignment of P12.64 billion for the lease of 93,977 new OMRs. The group said the resolution was legally and constitutionally infirm for violating the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the 2015 General Appropriations Act, and the Supreme Court ruling against the Disbursement Acceleration Program. The SC ruling struck down as illegal several DAP-related acts such as the use of unprogrammed funds and unobligated allotments as savings, as well as the cross-border transfer of the executive’s savings “It is crystal clear that the intention of the Commission en banc in realigning the capital outlay requirement of the FY2016 NLE… amounting to billions of pesos was to meet the funding requirement for the lease with OTP of a total of 93,977 new OMR units, in violation of the Constitution, the 2015 GAA, and the Read More …
Jul 102015
Senator Jinggoy Estrada leaves the residence of his father, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, in Greenhills, San Juan on Monday, June 23, to proceed to Camp Crame to surrender following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him and several others in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Detained senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Monday bared that pork barrel scam witness Ruby Tuason has 89 bank accounts under her name. Interviewed after his bail hearing from plunder over the scam, Estrada showed to reporters a list of Tuason’s bank accounts furnished to his lawyers in compliance with their request for bank documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council. Estrada said this shows that Tuason was lying when she testified in a Senate Blue Ribbon committee probe on Feb. 13 that she had to sell her house to return to government P40 million in kickbacks because she didn’t have enough cash in bank. He said these banks were used to stow away her alleged kickbacks from the Malampaya fund scam. State witness Ruby Tuason takes her oath Thursday (Feb. 13, 2014) before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the pork barrel anomaly as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (right) and whistle-blower Benhur Luy (left) look on. (MNS photo) “(It means) she has a lot of money, kickbacks from the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Funds), and I assume more from the Malampaya fund,” Estrada said Estrada also said Tuason’s bank accounts is proof that she was lying Read More …
Jul 102015
Members of Bayan Muna hold a picket in front of Chinese consulate in Makati on Friday April 17 to protest against China’s reclamation activities in Panganiban Reef, part of the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea. Recent satellite pictures showed the Chinese constructing facilities in the area. (MNS Photo) Manila, Philippines (AFP) – The Philippines expects a United Nations tribunal to rule in its favor in an increasingly fraught dispute with China over territories in the South China Sea, a presidential spokeswoman said Saturday. Manila will argue its position against Beijing’s claim over most of the resource-rich sea at The Hague on July 7 to 13. China has refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings. The upcoming hearings will decide whether the tribunal has jurisdiction over the case. “We prepared a strong case. We believe we stand on strong legal ground,” presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told government radio. “We believe the tribunal will look at our case with favor. We are confident of the Philippine position on this matter.” Philippine foreign secretary Albert del Rosario will lead a government delegation to The Hague, assisted by US-based lawyers, foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose said. If the Netherlands-based court decides it has jurisdiction, Jose said the Philippines would be asked to argue the merits of its case in another round of hearings. “We have prepared well enough for these oral arguments,” Jose told reporters. The Philippines is among the most vocal critics of China’s South China Sea claims, which also overlap Read More …