Lorna Tolentino says, “I love my granddaughter, she’s my inspiration to really be strong.”
Sep 182015
Sep 182015
President Benigno S. Aquino III, together with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, share the stage with theheads of finance ministries across Asia-Pacific and top executives of multinational financial institutions who attended the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting held at Shangri-La Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu province on Thursday (September 10). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Count President Benigno Aquino III as among the men who are in awe of Filipino women’s strength and capabilities. During the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC’s) Women and the Economy fora in Manila on Thursday, Aquino hailed women leaders in government and economy. He went as far as saying, “Women, more often than not, are more strong willed and capable than men.” “Is it any surprise that the common Filipino male never questions the authority of Filipinas,” he added, to the amusement of the predominantly female audience. “I believe it is intrinsic to our society that we see women as superior in many aspects including prudent budgeting and focusing on the advancement of the family as a whole,” he explained. Aquino recalled that his mother, the late Corazon Aquino, had showed him “one of the clearest examples of conviction for one’s believe” when she would bring toiletries and extra clothes while campaigning. When he asked her why, the former president said she was just being ready in case she is arrested by agents of strongman Ferdinand Marcos. President Benigno S. Aquino III, together with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, share the stage with theheads of finance ministries Read More …
Sep 182015
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino leads the inauguration of an additional ferry boat for the Pasig River Ferry (PRF) System at the Guadalupe station, Wednesday. Promoted as an alternative mode of transportation, the PRF operates 11 boats that service 11 stations from Pasig City to Manila. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will finish two major flood control projects in Metro Manila before President Benigno Aquino III steps down next year, Secretary Rogelio Singson said on Wednesday. During the presentation of the DPWH proposed 2016 budget at the House of Representatives appropriations committee hearing, Singson said the Blumentritt Interceptor Catchment Area and the Mandaluyong Main Drainage Project and would be completed in March and June 2016, respectively. The P609.12-million Mandaluyong project is 64 percent complete, Singson said. Meanwhile, the P600-million Blumentritt catchment area is 84 percent complete, he added. Singson said the project incurred traffic in the area because the 3.3-kilometer catchment area was being built under the road from Blumentritt in Manila to the Tondo area. “In Blumentritt area, it’s a 3.3 kilometer long drainage … In Mandaluyong, the whole of Boni gets flooded with a little rain… These won’t get finished overnight. We’re doing it in existing roads so the water goes out to the Pasig river. We expect two major improvements to be finished April or May next year,” Singson said. “The projects were undertaking are not easy projects because they pass through major thoroughfares in Metro Read More …
Sep 182015
Really?: An alleged photo of Jeane Napoles, daughter of Janet Lim-Napoles who is at the center of the pork barrel scam that involves lawmakers in the Philippines, as she is supposedly “bathing” in a tubful of money that has been circulating on the internet. This one was posted in en.wordpress.com. MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a P101.7-million tax evasion case against the children of alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles. Facing a complaint for violation of Sections 254 and 255 under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) are officials of JCLN Global Properties Development Corporation (JCLN Corp.) together with its President James Christopher L. Napoles and treasurer Jo Christine L. Napoles. Sections 254 and 255 are about willful attempt to evade or defeat tax and deliberate failure to supply correct and accurate information in its Income Tax Return (ITR). The siblings, based on the complaint, violated the NIRC for taxable years 2008 to to 2011. The BIR conducted an investigation following media reports on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) probe on the over P10-billion pork barrel scam. The BIR inquiry showed that JCLN Corp. was able to acquire various properties in Pasig City, Quezon City, Manila, Taguig, Bulacan and Kidapawan, Cotabato worth P16.5-million in 2008, P36.07-million in 2009, P44.19-million in 2010 and P43.21 million in 2011. The acquisition included condominium units in G5 and G6 Residences Discovery Center, The Beaufort and Eastwood Lafayette One Libis. Read More …
Sep 182015
Senator Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares waves to her supporters shortly after her speech declaring her candidacy for the presidential election in 2016, at the Bahay Alumni in U.P. Diliman on Wednesday. Poe, running as an independent, finally ended months of speculation on her political plans. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Nationalist People’s Coalition expects to announce its preferred presidential candidate early next month. NPC spokesperson Mark Enverga said the party is having a hard time arriving at a consensus due to the personal preferences of its members. The NPC was well represented at yesterday’s announcement of Senator Grace Poe’s candidacy with at least six members in attendance. Enverga said the NPC appreciates that Poe is a good listener adding that questions about her citizenship is not an issue for their party. “Basing it on merits, it is not much of an issue. We believe that she is a natural born Filipino. So we believe that she is qualified to run for the presidency.” Enverga earlier said he and other NPC members were impressed with Poe’s speech especially after she laid out a 20-point agenda tackling various topics such as the lowering of income taxes, better health care for senior citizens and staggered work hours. “Napabilib kami ni Senator Grace. Siguro gusto kong ma-point out dito yung kanyang 20-point agenda. Talagang malapit na malapit yung mga issues na inilabas, yung gusto niyang malunasan. Yun ang pang araw-araw na hinaharap ng Pilipino. Yun ay napabilib kami dun sa kanyang pagtackle dun Read More …
Sep 182015
Security guards block around 200 anti-mining protesters, mostly indigenous people, during a rally against the International Mining Conference at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Paranaque on Tuesday. The groups oppose the militarization and the effects on the environment allegedly brought by mining operations. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has received “intelligence reports” that China may attempt to sabotage the Philippine elections in 2016, one of its ranking officials told lawmakers Wednesday. During the Comelec’s briefing for election preparations before the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said this is the reason why they transferred the location of the factory that will manufacture the voting machines that will be used in the 2016 elections from China to Taiwan. “We want to emphasize that the move to Taiwan was a product of the contract negotiations because we have received intelligence reports that there may be an attempt to sabotage the elections by China,” Lim said. Lim added the poll body en banc has made the transfer of the factory producing the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines “non-negotiable” for Smartmatic-TIM because they are concerned that the ongoing arbitration case between China and the Philippines may have an impact in the country’s national elections. “The commission made it non-negotiable that the provider would have to transfer the facilities to Taiwan at their expense,” he said. Beijing and Manila have been locked in a long-standing territorial dispute over portions of the South Read More …
Sep 182015
In this photo taken June 10, 2015, Rochelle Evaristo (left) makes a sandwich at a school run by the government’s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Manila. If you are holidaying on a Mediterranean cruise ship, celebrating your winnings at an Asian casino or dining with the president of the United States, the chances are a Filipino will be cooking your meal. Since the 1970s, the Philippines has been known for its mass export of workers, particularly poorly paid maids and construction workers who choose an uncertain life abroad above deep poverty at home. ©AFP PHOTO / Jay DIRECTO (Manila-AFP) – If you are holidaying on a Mediterranean cruise ship, celebrating your winnings at an Asian casino or dining with the president of the United States, the chances are a Filipino will be cooking your meal. Since the 1970s, the Philippines has been known for its mass export of workers, particularly poorly paid maids and construction workers who choose an uncertain life abroad above deep poverty at home. But in recent years there has been a trend towards higher-skilled and better-paying jobs, and cooking schools in the Philippines are now churning out tens of thousands of chefs a year for kitchens around the world. “I’ve always been interested in cooking, especially baking, even as a kid,” former bank clerk Rochelle Evaristo told AFP as she took a break from making sandwiches alongside other aspiring cooks at a Manila school. “I also want to work abroad. My cousin is Read More …
Sep 182015
McDonald’s USA and Canada to source 100 percent cage-free eggs within 10 years (OAK BROOK, Ill.) – To meet consumers’ changing expectations and preferences, McDonald’s announced that it will fully transition to cage-free eggs for its nearly 16,000 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada over the next 10 years. “Our customers are increasingly interested in knowing more about their food and where it comes from,” said McDonald’s USA President Mike Andres. “Our decision to source only cage-free eggs reinforces the focus we’re placing on food quality and our menu to meet what consumers truly want.” “We’re proud of the work we’re doing with farmers and suppliers to advance environmentally and socially conscious practices for the animals in our supply chain,” said Marion Gross, senior vice president and Chief Supply Chain Officer of McDonald’s North America. “This is a bold move and we’re confident in our ability to provide a quality, safe, and consistent supply.” On an annual basis, McDonald’s USA purchases approximately two billion eggs and McDonald’s Canada purchases 120 million eggs to serve on its breakfast menus, which includes popular breakfast sandwiches, such as the Egg McMuffin and Egg White Delight. Since 2011, McDonald’s USA has been purchasing more than 13 million cage-free eggs annually. “Animal welfare has always been important to us and our customers,” added Gross. “Today’s announcement is another big milestone building on our work with industry experts and suppliers to improve the treatment of animals.” Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, a family-owned and operated farm in Michigan, has worked Read More …
Sep 182015
Filipina theater actor Regina De Vera is the only Filipino who has qualified for the Drama Division of one of the most prestigious arts school in New York – The Juilliard School. Regina De Vera [via Rappler] Over 1,900 applicants from all over the world auditioned for the 4-year Masters of Fine Arts in Acting Program which starts this September. De Vera was among the 18 who passed the qualifications. De Vera received financial aid from Juilliard amounting to $28,000 while the total cost of her expenses including housing, basic supplies, and other academic matters reached up to $61,290. She started crowfunding on May 25 using the #GoFundRegina. Fortunately, she gathered the amount needed as a proof of her capability and get approval for her student visa. The theater actor started her career by joining a drama club in high school. From then on, De Vera became an advocate of local films and theater plays. She has steadily campaigned for the need to appreciate the ingenious Filipino talent. She is currently a resident actor of Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company from the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Related posts: Joel Torre wins Best Actor award in Korean Film Festival Alagwa wins Best Narrative Feature, Actor awards in Guam Richard Gomez, Aiko Melendez win in Portugal & London Pinoy mathletes bag 12 golds, 138 medals in Hong Kong
Sep 182015
Sfera revives hippie era for its Fall Winter collection.