1. Actually, basically, honestly, as a matter of fact. Favorite opening lines, no matter what follows.
Millions working abroad help their nation get by, but not prosper. It’s a life of lonely, risky sacrifice.
Filipinos are certainly getting into mainstream America and into the world. We ‘made it’ to the David Letterman Show!
This is for every Filipino who embrace who they are and strive to maintain their Filipino identity…
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MANILA, May 24 (Mabuhay) — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to declare Martial Law in Mindanao was “necessary” to suppress “lawless violence” and “rebellion.”
Duterte, who was on an official visit to Russia, made the declaration of Martial Law Tuesday night. Philippine security forces have placed Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur Province, under siege to drive out the Maute terrorist group.
“In order to suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for public safety, it is necessary to declare Martial Law in the entire island of Mindanao including Sulu, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi for a maximum of 60 days,” the DFA said in a statement.
Fighting broke out after government troops attacked a hideout used by key Muslim extremist leader Isnilon Hapilon. Washington has a $5 million bounty for his capture.
“The Philippine Government is in full control, and fully aware that the Maute Group/ISIS groups have the capability (although limited) to disturb the peace; they have shown no hesitation in causing havoc, taking innocent lives and destroying property,” the DFA said.
United States embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina said the US is “aware of the reports regarding martial law in Mindanao and are following the situation.”
A small group of US military anti-terrorism advisers are still in Southern Mindanao.
The US and other western states have issued travel advisories on possible terrorist attacks in the Southern Philippines, including in the island of Palawan – a popular tourist destination – warning their citizens of kidnapping operations against foreign nationals.
Duterte previously threatened to impose martial law, but in the context of the campaign against illegal drugs. The bloody crackdown on prohibited drugs has left at least 7,000 drug suspects and civilians dead, sparking alarm in the international community and human rights groups. (MNS)
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte stresses that those who sow terror will receive a harsh response during his speech upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 on Wednesday (May 24, 2017). President Duterte declared Martial law in Mindanao and had to cut short his official visit to the Russian Federation to oversee the terror crisis which erupted in Marawi City. He also thanked Russia President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government for giving the Philippine delegation a warm welcome in Moscow.(MNS photo)
MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) — A human rights group on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s “casual” reference to the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law should be a cause for alarm.
In a statement, Human Rights Watch Legal and Policy Director James Ross said Duterte’s mention of Marcos was akin to summoning the ghost of the late strongman.
“And for Filipinos who lived through martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte’s casual reference to the late dictator should be especially alarming,” he said.
Duterte signed Proclamation No. 216 while in Russia on May 23 placing Mindanao under martial law after around a hundred militants trying to get recognition from ISIS attacked Marawi City as security forces were dispatched to the area to serve an arrest warrant on Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.
On his flight back home after cutting his Russian trip short, Duterte said his martial law would not be different from Marcos’ martial law, pointing out he would be “harsh.”
HRW’s Ross stressed that during Marcos’ martial law, security forces carried out “massive arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, and countless extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances for which very few were ever punished.”
But Duterte also assured that there would be no abuses during his own martial law. Ross, however, said that the President’s war on drugs was lawless with police and agents killing over 7,000 drug suspects.
“Military restraint in Mindanao may be wishful thinking,” he said.
HRW, thus, urged the Congress and the Supreme Court to hold back “wildly abusive” Duterte.
“Congress can revoke the martial law proclamation by majority vote and the Supreme Court can rule on the factual basis for its declaration. Martial law can’t be used to suspend the constitution, the courts or the legislature, and military courts can’t try civilians if the civil courts function. Anyone arrested must be charged by a judge within three days or released,” Ross said
“But words on paper are just that. The coming days and weeks will see if the Philippine Congress and courts are up to the task of keeping a wildly abusive president in check. Since Duterte took office nearly a year ago, they haven’t been,” he added. (MNS)
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte stresses that those who sow terror will receive a harsh response during his speech upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 on Wednesday (May 24, 2017). A day earlier, President Duterte declared Martial law in Mindanao and had to cut short his official visit to the Russian Federation to oversee the terror crisis which erupted in Marawi City. He also thanked Russia President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government for giving the Philippine delegation a warm welcome in Moscow. (MNS photo)
MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) — Public satisfaction with President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration remained “very good” in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Wednesday.
The SWS said of the 1,200 adults surveyed, 75 percent were satisfied with the national government while 9 percent were dissatisfied and remaining 16 percent were undecided.
The results, which were first published on BusinessWorld, gave the Duterte administration a net satisfaction rating of +66, up by 5 points from the fourth quarter 2016 SWS survey result of +61 (73 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied).
The survey was conducted from March 25 to 28 via face-to-face interviews. It had sampling error margins of ±3 points for national percentages, ±4 points for “Balance Luzon” and ±6 points each for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The Duterte administration received a “very good” rating in only one subject out of 15 performance issues which comprise a Governance Report Card. Last year, it got 6 subjects with a “very good” score.
It retained its “very good” rating in “helping the poor.” However it was down by three points from the +66 score in the December survey.
The survey said that the respondents believe the Duterte administration was “good” at:
developing science and technology (+49), down by one point and one grade from December’s +50;
fighting terrorism (+47), up by six points from +41;
defending the country’s territorial rights (+46), down by eight points and one grade from December’s “very good” +54;
providing jobs (+43), down by eight points and downgrade from December’s “very good” +51;
fighting crime (+41), down by nine points and downgrade from December’s “very good” +50;
eradicating graft and corruption (+39), down by six points from December’s +45;
solving the problem of extrajudicial killings (+37), down by three points from December’s +40;
reconciliation with communist rebels (+32), up by two points than December’s +30;
foreign relations (+46); and
reconciliation with Muslim rebels (+33)
Both “foreign relations” and “reconciliation with Muslim rebels” has remained unchanged from the preceding quarter.
The other issues that the Duterte administration got “moderate” ratings were:
ensuring that no family will ever be hungry (+22), down by 12 points and one grade from December’s “good” +34;
fighting inflation (+13), down by 12 points from December’s “moderate+12;
recovering the “hidden wealth” stolen by former President Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies (+22), down by two points from December’s +24; and
resolving the traffic problem (+21)
The SWS, meanwhile, said that it had included traffic woes in its government report card for the first time.
The survey firm said that the satisfaction rating in Duterte administration’s bailiwick also remained “excellent” with +79, up by one point from December’s +78.
Satisfaction with the administration stayed “very good” in Visayas at +67 which is nine points up from December’s +58.
Metro Manila had +62, up by nine points from the preceding survey score of +53, and Balance Luzon with +60, up by four points from +56 in 2016’s final quarter.
The survey firm said the Duterte administration’s satisfaction rating from the “masa” or Class D has received +66, up by five points from December’s +61.
The administration’s net satisfaction scores across socioeconomic classes also stayed very good: +69 for Class E (up by seven points from December’s +62) and +61 for Class ABC (up by six points from December’s +55).
The SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of at least +70 as “excellent”; +50 to +69 as “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”; +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad” as well as -70 and below as “execrable.(MNS)
Megan Young (MNS photo)
She is optimistic about having an international career. And Megan Young isn’t afraid to move out of the country in pursuit of it.
The former beauty queen said her work takes priority over everything else, even marriage.
“Kung ang nasa puso mo ay kasal, gawin mo,” she told the late-night talk show, adding: “Pero kung ang puso mo ay career, push for it kasi minsan lang nandiyan iyan while the love of your life will always be there for you no matter what.
“Kahit late na kayong magpakasal, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the relationship you have.”
Young is currently in a relationship with actor Mikael Daez, her boyfriend for more than 7 years. She said that they have talked about settling down, but there hasn’t been any concrete plans yet.
Young will be travelling to New York soon, as she aims to start an acting career abroad. Last year, she signed a five-year contract with US-based Innovative Artists Agency.
“It’s another chapter in my life, if ever,” she said.
Young was crowned Miss World in 2013. Prior to that, she was an actress under Star Magic. (MNS)
KZ Tandingan (MNS photo)
KZ Tandingan on Tuesday launched her second album “Soul Supremacy” under Star Music.
Tandingan noted that it has been four years since she recorded her debut album.
“Kung ano ‘yung nakita niyo sa akin sa audition noon sa ‘X Factor’ mas makikita niyo dito. Nagra-rap ako and singing ballads. Sa first album ang pinarinig ko sa inyo ay ballad side ko, ‘yung roots ko sa Pinoy soul. Sa album na ito mas nagra-rap na ako, very technical pa din ‘yung music, pero mas light na. Hindi na kasing lungkot noong una kong album,” Tandingan said.
“Mas hands-on ako sa album na ito. Super naging honest ako with my opinions (sa pagbuo) nito. Mas ako ang album na ito,” she added.
For the new album, Tandingan composed a song (“Halik Na Lang”) and also wrote the lyrics for another (“Intro Lude”).
Other songs included in the album are “Labo,” “Nag-Iisa Na Naman,” “Dapithapon,” “Imposible,” “Afraid,” “With You,” “Siya’y Darating,” “Sayang,” and “Sa Aking Mga Kamay.”
The additional tracks are “Sa ‘Yo,” “Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako” and “Ikaw At Ako Pa Rin.”
Tandingan’s sophomore CD is available in all digital stores worldwide but the physical album will be available soon at record bars nationwide.
Aside from a local release, Tandingan’s “Soul Supremacy” will also be launched in Singapore via The Academy of Rock Singapore.
“To be able to be given a chance to release an album dito sa Pilipinas ay napakalaking blessing na ‘yon dahil di lahat ng artist nabibigyan ng ganoong pagkakataon. Pero ‘yung makapag-launch ka sa ibang bansa that’s another story, ibang milestone ‘yon sa career mo,” Tandingan said. (MNS)
It’s a date! World-renowned artist-singer, Gary Valenciano, once again hits center-stage in Pechanga Resort & Casino Theater on June 3 at 8p.m., in his one-of-a-kind special World Tour 2017 performance. Due to overwhelming response, all tickets are now sold out. Thank you for all your passionate support.
Pechanga Resort & Casino is well-known for hosting the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers such as Megastar Sharon Cuneta, the singer/actress and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, popular comedian and actor Vice Ganda, winner of “Star Power Search 2011” Angeline Quintos, international actress and top endorser Anne Curtis, and Pop Star Princess Sarah Geronimo – who all gave wholesome entertainment to the delight of the crowd.
Not only fine dining, relaxation and entertainment, Pechanga Resort & Casino wish to provide the ultimate experience especially, to Filipino-American patrons. Thus, Gary V, with 31 years of solid international exposure in the field of singing and dancing will ‘wow’ the crowd in this year’s opening extravaganza.
Gary V, a singer/songwriter/musician, was born to a Puerto-Rican mother and a Filipino father. He remains consistently visible in the public eye since he began his career in 1983. At 18, he first burst on the Philippine music scene with look-a-like antics of Michael Jackson and Al Jarreau’s pyro-techniques.
Of late, Gary V has released 32 albums including those released in the USA and the Asian Region. The Pop idol has the most illustrious track record in the Philippine recording scene winning a total of 12 Awit (Song) Awards (US counterpart of Grammy Awards) in the Best Male Recording category alone. Aside from the critical acclaim given to his album releases, he has also been consistently collecting Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum awards for the sale of his products. His songs enjoy millions of hits online. The wide acceptance of his recordings has led many film producers to use his songs in the soundtrack of their movies. Likewise, Gary has starred in 14 full-length movies over the span of his career.
As a concert performer winning global audience, Gary V stands head and shoulders with the world’s best. He has performed with some of the most respected musicians and singers including Brian McKnight, George Duke, Julia Fordham, George Black, The Emotions, and Ricky Martin, to name a few.
A UNICEF Ambassador of Goodwill, Gary V is also an international endorser of the prestigious Sennheiser microphone, alongside with other famous singers as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Julio Iglesias, the Backstreet Boys and Sting. This led Gary V to perform at the Musik Messe in Frankfurt, Germany— the world’s largest exhibit and convention of musical instruments and equipment dealers.
At the height of his singing career, Gary V goes to great lengths to share his blessings to those who are less fortunate and as enduring artist maintains a regular Sunday show- ASAP 20 – aired in Manila and also globally through a Filipino cable network.
Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-the-art and acoustically perfected sound. Enjoying favorite artists at Pechanga versus other venues proves effortless with free valet and self-parking for guests, complimentary casino/resort shuttles, gourmet and casual dining options on site, plus comfortable chairs and an up-close view from every theater seat.
About Pechanga Resort & Casino
Pechanga Resort & Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the Number One Casino in America by readers of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino provides an unparalleled getaway. Offering more than 3,400 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 517 hotel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort & Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort & Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www.Pechanga.com.
Masquerade Concert
Sa kahilingan ng nakararami, muling magtatanghal sa isang konsiyerto ang mga batikang Pilipinong mang-awit na sina Martin Nievera at Lani Misalucha sa Pechanga Resort & Casino Temecula, California, sa Mayo 13 sa ganap na 8p.m. Ito’y matapos ang matagumpay na pagtatanghal noong nakaraang Setyembre 2016.
Bilang ‘Hari ng Ballad’, si Nievera ay nagkamit ng ‘ Box Office Entertainment Awards’ para sa Best Male Concert performer of the Year noon Abril 17, 2016, mula sa GMMSF, Inc.Sa loob ng 33 taon, inaaliw ni Nievera ang kanyang mga tagasunod hindi lamang ng mga awiting halaw mula sa Original Pinoy Music (OPM), kungdi’y di mabilang na mga awiting isinalin nito mula sa mga pamoso’t kilalang mang-aawit sa buong mundo. Nito lamang Agosto, si Nievera ay naglabas ng bago album— “The best of Martin Nievera—- Kahapon…Ngayon” mula sa pagtaguyod ng Polyeast recording. Isang Pilipinong mang-aawit, manunulat-awit, at aktor, si Nievera ay tumanggap ng 18 platinum, limang dobleng platinum, tatlong tripleng platinum at isang quadriple platinum na mga albums sa kabuuan ng kanyang career.
Back-to-back, kasama ni Nievera ang “ Asia’s Nightingale,” Lani Misalucha, ang unang Asiano na bumandera sa main showroom ng Las Vegas strip na nagtatanghal kasama ang Hawaii’s Society of Seven sa Jubilee Theater ng Bally’s. Si Misalucha ay nagtataglay ng napakaraming talento, kung saan ang hanay ng mga awitin nito’y mula sa pop, rock, jazz, soul rhythm at blues at operatic areas.
Sa mas pinabuti at pinag-ibayong konsiyerto, si Nievera at Misalucha ay magbibigay sa inyo ng isang patok na pagtatanghal na inaasahang magdudulot ng saya’t galak sa mga patrons at bisita ng pamosong Pechanga Resort & Casino sa Temecula, California. Ang espesyal na pagtatanghal ay kapwa kabilang sa kanilang US, Canada Concert Tour 2017. Ang Tickets ay mabibili na sa Miyerkules-Linggo mula tanghali hanggang alas-8p.m. mula $125, $100, $78 at $58 at maaaring mabili rin sa Pechanga Box Office, 877-711-2WIN (2946) o online sa www.Pechanga.com o sa Starmediaentertainment.com
Ang mga pagtatanghal sa Pechanga Theater ay nagdudulot ng komportable at natatanging karanasan sa konsierto. May 1,200 na mag upuan sa teatro, habang bawat isang pagtatanghal ay naghahandog ng mga makabago at naayong tugtuging akma sa pandinig. Sa paglilibang sa mga paboritong artista sa Pechanga kumpara sa ibang lugar ay walang hirap na pagpapatunay lamang kabilang din ang libreng valet at sariling parking sa mga bisita, libreng casino/resort shuttles, gourmet at kaswal na kainang pagpipilian sa lugar, at komportableng mga upuan at malapitang tanaw habang nakaupo sa teatro.
Patungkol sa Pechanga Resort & Casino
Inaalok ng Pechanga Resort & Casino ang isa sa mga pinakamalaki at malaganap na kasiyahan na pang resort/casino kahit saan sa United States. Ibinotong numero unong casino ng mga mambababasa ng USA Today at hinirang na “Four Diamond property” ng AAA mula pa noong 2002, ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay nagbibigay ng walang katumbas na paraan para sa isang araw o pang-matagalang marangyang bakasyon. Naghahandog ng mahigit sa 3,400 sa pinaka mainit na slot machines, table games at world-class entertainment, 517 mga kwarto sa hotel, kainan, spa at championship golf sa Journey sa Pechanga, ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay tampok na destinasyon na tumutugon at humihigit sa kagustuhan ng mga panauhin nito at ng komunidad. Ang Pechanga Resort & Casino ay pag-aari at palakad ng Pechanga Band ng mga Luiseño Indians. Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, tumawag ng toll-free sa 1-877-711-2946 o pumunta sa www.Pechanga.com.
| We might say yes!