THE PACQUIAO - BRADLEY 2 BOXING MATCH is scheduled on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He would train early for his fight starting on February 10 and 11 at MP Towers, then flying to his domain at General Santos City to resume training at his Pacman Wild Card Gym on February 12. The eight-division champ Pacquiao is expected to get a guaranteed prize money of $20 million while Bradley is assured of $6 million. According to Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum, both Pacquiao and Bradley will also get a share of pay-per-view profit.
WHO'S THE OWNER OF FOUR WATER LILY PAINTINGS BY FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST CLAUDE MONET? FORMER PHILIPPINE FIRST LADY IMELDA MARCOS, OF COURSE! Vilma Bautista, 75, was sentenced on January 13 to two to six years in prison, convicted for scheming to sell for $32 million a Monet painting. She was a foreign service officer assigned to the Philippine Mission in the U.N. and later served as Imelda's personal secretary in New York. The four paintings from the Water Lily series were legitimately acquired by the Marcoses during the presidency. Bautista, mired in debt, resorted to sell the paintings and ultimately sold one of the paintings - Le Bassin aux Nymphease (Japanese Footbridge Over the Water-Lily Pond at Giverny) - to a Swiss buyer. New York prosecutors said some proceeds went to her debts, relatives and associates, and $15 million stayed in her bank accounts. Who authorized her to sell the four masterpieces? Mrs. Marcos who didn't testify at Bautista's trial knew nothing of the sale. Bautista's defense attorneys Susan and Fran Hoffinger said Bautista believed that Mrs. Marcos rightfully owned the paintings and that she had the "authority" to sell them for her. The defense said Bautista nerver had the chance to give Mrs. Marcos the money. Bautista also was ordered to pay about $3.5 million in state taxes. She was convicted in November 2013 of charges including conspiracy and tax fraud. She suffers from bad heart condition and had to be taken twice in a gurney during her court trials. She's out on bail for $175,000. Her lawyers plan to appeal her conviction.
Why is Mrs. Bautista wearing 2 pairs of eyeglasses?
2/9/14
THE PHILIPPINE COURT ON JANUARY 14, 2014 ORDERED MRS. IMELDA MARCOS, WIDOW OF THE LATE PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS TO RELINQUISH MORE THAN $100,000 IN JEWELRY TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. It is the third collection acquired by the government, the two other collections are estimated to be worth up to $8.4 million. The current President Benigno Aquino III has not decided whether to auction the jewelry. The government has recovered $3.7 billion of the Marcos' alleged hidden wealth over the years and is targetting at least $1.1 billion more. The amount includes more than $600 million in Swiss accounts set up in the early years of the Marcos Administration. The Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that the Marcos' wealth in excess of their legal income of around $304,000 from 1965 to 1986 "is presumed to be ill-gotten."
There was no immediate comment from Mrs. Marcos or her lawyer.
FORMER PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO HAS BEEN CONFINED AND UNDER HOUSE ARREST AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (VMMC) IN QUEZON CITY FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. This is a sad case, indeed. The Philippines as a democratic nation should be respectful of an elected president. Only from non-democratic countries do this kind of harassment and persecution of somebody suffering from sickness and injustice, not showing compassion at all. It's not the proper way to treat the former lady president. What was so insensitive was she was allowed to hear Mass at the VMMC Chapel but was taken away last December for still unknown reasons. It's good to know five Roman Catholic bishops visited her, said Mass and prayed for the intercession of God for the release from detention and swift recovery. The treatment of Mrs. Arroyo by the Aquino Administration is "inhumane" according to retired Lingayen Pangasinan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a former critic of Gloria. The same was said by her previous visitor former First Lady and now Ilocos Norte congresswoman Imelda Marcos.
THE PHILIPPINE COURT ON JANUARY 14, 2014 ORDERED MRS. IMELDA MARCOS, WIDOW OF THE LATE PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS TO RELINQUISH MORE THAN $100,000 IN JEWELRY TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. It is the third collection acquired by the government, the two other collections are estimated to be worth up to $8.4 million. The current President Benigno Aquino III has not decided whether to auction the jewelry. The government has recovered $3.7 billion of the Marcos' alleged hidden wealth over the years and is targetting at least $1.1 billion more. The amount includes more than $600 million in Swiss accounts set up in the early years of the Marcos Administration. The Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that the Marcos' wealth in excess of their legal income of around $304,000 from 1965 to 1986 "is presumed to be ill-gotten."
There was no immediate comment from Mrs. Marcos or her lawyer.
FREE GLORIA
__________________________________________________
CANDACE KENDALL CROWNED MISS NEW YORK-USA 2014
____________________________________________________
AUGUST 2005
THE BAD NEWS....There
are 6,000 Filipino residents
in Louisiana. All lost their homes to
the devastating fury of Hurricane Katrina. On Tuesday, August 30, they
have joined their families and neighbors, their brothers and
sisters, in crying for help when the whole city of New Orleans except the
famous French Quarter started flooding after a surprising breakage in the
17th Street levee. The levees I've learned can withstand 120 mph windstorm
but not a category 5 hurricane. Their homes were submerged in deep water
up to the roof about 23 feet high. There are so many untold and
heartbreaking stories of desperation and survival About 10,000 people may
be dead. Due to logistics and fast-moving events from many devastated
areas other than Louisiana, much-needed relief requested from the Federal
Government did not come until Friday for the people evacuated at the Superdome
and Convention Center. Most Filipinos joined their friends in Texas,
California and many other states. One Pinay living for ten years in
New Orleans lost everything that she sweated and worked hard for. Her
mother who's finally joining her this month from the
Philippines is no longer coming. Her daughter has no home to welcome
her to America. She became one of the unfortunate evacuees. A
"lucky" Pinoy by the name of Bernard who used to work as kitchen artist at
Marriot Hotel has now happily joined a friend in Washington,
D.C.
THE GOOD NEWS....Willy Santos, a 20-year old
Filipino from San Diego, California is one young millionaire. He's the
world champ in skateboarding and owner of his own designer store selling what
else but skateboards. He has received many championship awards in
skateboarding from all over the world.
Filipino from San Diego, California is one young millionaire. He's the
world champ in skateboarding and owner of his own designer store selling what
else but skateboards. He has received many championship awards in
skateboarding from all over the world.
Web Page: Baby Manila News
sorry for our kabayans in new orleans. i saw one who looks like a pinay on tv.
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft Corp. is developing a low-cost version of the Windows XP operating system to introduce personal computing to first-time Filipino PC users, a company official said. The Filipino language starter edition will be a stripped-down version of the popular operating system, said Mark Yambot, director for corporate affairs to Microsoft Philippines, Inc. Development on the system was started this year (2005), and no date has been set for its sale. "It's to improve access to technology, that's what it's trying to answer," Yambot said, adding that it will be bundled with low-cost personal computers. No price has been set for the Filipino starter edition. Those available in other countries cost about $30, less than half the amount of a full version of a Windows XP. [Baby Manila received the MICROSOFT BINTANA 2001 (WINDOW in ENGLISH) from award-winning E-mail contributor MSollosa this week. Since I have never been to the Philippines, it's about time PC users there get a Windows XP update - 2006 is just around the corner. Masyado tayong huli!]
ReplyDeleteTHE MICROSOFT BINTANA IS FUN TO LOOK AT! WAS IT MADE BY A FILIPINO SOFTWARE ENGINEER?
ReplyDeleteFind just what you're after with the new, more precise MSN Search - try it now!
THE BAD
ReplyDeleteNEWS....
On
Christmas day, 500 families became homeless when their homes and shanties were
gutted by fire in Quezon City. A mother and her 4-yr daughter were
having a row at their home where the fire started. They both died and
the only known fire victims.
In Subic Bay Free Port, Olongapo, Zambales, there's an ongoing investigation in
early November of 6 U.S. servicemen in the alleged rape of a 22-yr old
Filipina. Was she at the wrong place at the wrong time? This should
be a warning to all Filipino women - stay out and don't follow GI Joes or go to
houses of ill-refute. It's a bad thing. On Tuesday, December 27, 4 US servicemen
were formally charged by Filipino prosecutors and the lawsuit was dropped on
other 2.
THE GOOD
NEWS....
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA), who I'd like to be president up to
2010, seems to have defeated her political opposition, their phony
ridiculous threats of impeachment and PGMA bashers and haters for
now. I have met this brilliant leader and there's no doubt she has the
best capabilities among least able politicians in the Philippines to lead the
nation out of economic malaise and poverty. In fact, I could not see
any one on the horizon. In my opinion, the country's number one problem
contributing to very low standard of living is - overpopulation (82
million). Poor families are having 7 to 12 children! Why are
Scandinavian countries so rich and have the highest standard of living in the
world? Why, because of low population. I've told and written this
time and time again. I'm no economist and anti-Catholic but PGMA
should decree that there should be at least 2 children.
The Philippines did not have a US ambassador since Francis Ricciardone left in
May 2005. Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice personally picked Kristie Kenney,
most recent ambassador to Ecuador, as to be the first-ever woman US envoy to RP
(Republic of the Philippines). This may be a good thing to the stagnant
economy of the Philippines. Kenney's resume:
Senior advisor to the State Department.
Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
Economic counselor in Geneva.
Economic officer in Argentina.
Consular officer in Jamaica
SPEAK ENGLISH, PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteAccording to a recent survey in the Philippines, the
quality of English as a second language spoken by the Filipinos has fallen from
77% (2000) to 67% (2006). They are being told to improve their grammar,
diction and accent. I agree this is very important especially in the field
of international media communication and as contact employee of internet call
centers. My sister-in-law in Texas called AOL before because she was
having problem with her pc and she got connected to an AOL call center in
Pampanga, Philippines, and had no trouble communicating with the person because
they both spoke in Tagalog. I assumed she also spoke very good
English. Once, I had a complaint with AT&T with my billing
statement and I got connected to India and the guy was so helpful and spoke
very good English.
I must confess of all the mandatory subjects I took in
school, I had the lowest of the low grade in English. Up to this day, I
don't know a noun from a verb. My ADD mind refused to remember the
definition. Again, I must confess that I learned how to
read in my own native language by reading a lot of comic books and playing
picture cards. It's shameful I know that's why it's a good idea
for young dyslexics to read illustrated text books. It's very helpful and
kids learn fast.
Then I decided to study in the United States of
America, the land of the English-speaking people and the only country in the
world second only to mother England when it comes to superiority of elocution
and excellent communication of the English language. Well, well,
well...imagine my surprise. The hillbillies of the south, the
Blacks, the borough folks in New York, the Texans, and the
Mexicans have their own kind of English. I was so WRONG! It was
no use learning to improve my heavy accent (I never lost my hard tongue) and my
grasping of the English words when I talk.
Ahhh....ahhh....ahhh... I gave up.
However, however, my dear Filipino communicator in
English....you need not be like me. Do not be jaded like me and have your
own personal experience. Here are some troublesome reasons given by the
Grammar Police from India (sorry, I found no GP from America):
College professors in the US revealed in a recent
study that 80% of their students lacked basic grammar skills and were unable
to write clear papers.
There is 70% of high school enrollment in college
in the US but 28% of those students are immediately registered in remedial
courses.
Advances in technology are the culprits behind the
grammar crisis among elementary and high school students. Teenagers are
addicted to instant text messaging and online conversations where words are
abbreviated and interchanged such as "there" and "they're" and "their,"
and "ur" and "you're" and you name it. Students argue their grammar is
not important because everyone knows what they are talking about.
MT. EVEREST FOREVER-EST....Leo Oracion, one of the
ReplyDeletemembers of the First Philippine Expedition to Mt. Everest, was the first
Filipino ever to reach the peak and planted the flag of the
Philippines Tuesday, May 16. They climbed the southeast ridge on the
Nepal side of the tallest mountain in the world. Other four members are
still climbing the northeast ridge on the Tibetan side of the mountain.
The Oracion family and neighbors in Lucban, Quezon, were full of pride and
joy for their hometown guy. His students in Cebu City where he teaches
swimming and kayaking were equally proud of their teacher. Mt. Everest is
often called by the Nepalese Sagamatha (Goddess of the Sky). It
was first conquered in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hilary of New Zealand.
THE ARAB KINGDOM....The benevolent and most kind King
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia graciously welcomed President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo on her 4-day State Visit to the House of Saud. Why she
visited the kingdom was kind of shocking to me for I did not realize it
was that many - I mean, part of the reason she went to Saudi
Arabia was to win the release of more than 500 Filipino prisoners in
Saudi jails (200 others were released in February in anticipation of her trip)
and the other reason was an assurance of a stable supply of oil from the
kingdom. The first group of former prisoners include 10 who were charged
with homicide for whom King Abdullah paid blood money to families of their
alleged victims.
There are one million Filipinos working in Saudi
Arabia. I read before that Saudi employers prefer Filipinos over other
nationals. The foreign minister for foreign information,
Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Salama hailed and said, "Saudi employers prefer
Filipinos over other nationalities because of their honesty, friendliness,
dependability and most importantly, they don't cheat." After her return to
Manila Thursday, PGMA said, "The king told me how he cherishes our
workers." Now, what flummoxed me is I read there are hundreds more
Filipino prisoners left behind in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern
countries. Filipino workers suffer sexual abuses and harassment from
arrogant and strict employers, exploitative working condition, contract
substitution and withholding of wages. PGMA said, "The message to our
people is that you can rely upon your government to intensify cooperation
with Saudi Arabia to always take care of the welfare of our workers
there."
Saudi Aramco, partner of Philippine oil refiner Petron
Corp., will study the feasibility of building an oil refinery in southern
Mindanao and will proceed with a $300 million (euro 235 million) investment in
petrochemical plant in Bataan province west of Manila. Prince Alwaleed Bin
Talal Alsaud would also send a team to the Philippines to look in possible
investment in tourism.
It was all in all a very successful trip for
PGMA.
KIDNAPPED!....It used to be rich Chinese businessmen,
now the Indians are being targeted by kidnap gangs. There are
approximately 28,000 Indians in the P
Blame it on culture shock. Overseas Filipino Workers who are mostly Christians had to make adjustments with very strict Islamic customs and traditions. They miss their own food and culture.
ReplyDeleteThe Philippines as crime capital - there's crime everywhere.
Congratulations to kabayan Pinoys Leo Oracion, Erwin Pastour and Romy Garduce for reaching the top of Mt. Everest. (:-)
ReplyDeletePOTENTIAL UNLIMITED....in the giving heart of software
giant Microsoft. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is not only
combating the deadly malaria and AIDS in Africa and the rest of the world but
also now reaching out and providing help to human trafficking
victims. Microsoft is contributing a total of $9.2 million this year to
six Asian countries - India, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, and
Indonesia to combat forced labor, sexual slavery, child exploitation, and cyber
crimes. Cambodia, Indonesia, and India are in the U.S. State Department
watch list of increasing rates of human trafficking while the Philippines and
Thailand are one notch higher. The grants were distributed to
organizations and community technology learning centers that will train
human trafficking victims to gain computer skills needed to get jobs. The
program will also benefit people in the region of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal,
and Vietnam.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP....In a speech given by Chicago Vice
Consul Roberto Bernardo to members of the Order of Knights of Rizal on the
occasion of the Philippine national hero's 145th birthday, all former Philippine
nationals and their children (21 years old and below) may apply for Filipino
citizenship without giving up their present citizenship. You can still be
loyal and patriotic to your adopted homeland. He cited the following
benefits:
Being able to vote in the Philippine elections
Removal of the constraints of how much real estate
properties one can own and other investment (hoy kayo d'yan, you rich
Fil-Americans)
Unlimited stay especially for retirees (foreigners are
allowed only a maximum of one year and have to pay extension fees to stay
longer)
The processing fee is cheap - $50
Call the Chicago Consulate for more information (312)
332-6458
Let's go! Kabayan!
MOSPHIL.... American tourists are still the number one
visitors in the Philippines (So. Koreans are second, Japanese third) but will
the Russians be coming? Mosphil Aero Inc., a Filipino-Russian Airline,
will put up international and domestic flights in the southern island of
Mindanao. Other possible tourist destinations are Zamboanga, Jolo (Sulu),
Tawi-Tawi, and Davao.
PHILIPPINE DEEP REEF....A group of some 100 scientists
has cited the Philippines as center of marine biodiversity in the world not
Indonesia. Central Philippines had a higher concentration of species per
unit area than anywhere else in Indonesia and most of the endemic species are
found in Mindoro and Luzon. The Apo Reef located west of Occidental
Mindoro and northeast of Palawan is the second largest reef in the world
(Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest and the most famous). The
Philippines' coral reefs (26,000 sq km) contribute more than $1 billion annually
to the economy th
This is in response to the state of RP-US relations.
ReplyDeleteThe Philippines has the longest democracy in Southeast Asia with strong bond and deep-rooted friendship with the US. We Filipinos should stop trying to compete with other Asian countries like Vietnam that are getting the much needed boost in their economy. Do remember that the Philippines was (and still is) at one time the recipient of massive help from the US after World War II. The US is a capitalistic society, going to war-damaged countries where reconstruction and investments are very much needed and welcomed. The Philippines should stop begging for not getting enough reparations and start being self sufficient by having a good government.
Alisin natin ang inggit!