Shamcey says she asked Stella Araneta if Gazini could attend Miss Universe PH pageant
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) pageant announced Monday that reigning queen Gazini Ganados will be on hand to relinquish her title to the eventual winner in the first separate pageant selecting the country’s representative to the Miss Universe pageant. Ganados won her crown in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in June last year. […] The post Shamcey says she asked Stella Araneta if Gazini could attend Miss Universe PH pageant appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Franki Russell appointed Miss Universe New Zealand 2024, country s first in 5 years
Filipino-Kiwi actress and model Franki Russell has been appointed as Miss Universe New Zealand 2024, making her the country's first representative to the annual pageant since 2019......»»
Catriona Gray reacts to Miss Universe s fake inclusivity issue
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray hoped that the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) would prove that the pageant's inclusivity shouldn't be seen as "token thing" after owner Anne Jakrajutatip had a leaked viral video about the pageant's alleged "fake inclusivity." .....»»
Herlene Budol reacts to pageant luto, Miss Universe fake inclusivity issues
Kapuso actress and beauty queen Herlene Budol believed that beauty pageants are really fair to every contestant. .....»»
Makati to file land dispute comment at SC
Makati City administrator Atty. Claro Certeza on Tuesday disclosed that the local government of Makati City will be filing a comment in response to the petition filed by the local government of Taguig City in connection with their land dispute. Certeza said that they will file the petition on behalf of Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who is now in London to attend the London Tech Week and attend a garden reception at 10 Downing Street hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “The city has not seen the supposed petition filed by Taguig. However, we have read a press release prepared for the mayor of Taguig. This is perhaps the first time that a petition has been brought before the Supreme Court on the basis of social media posts with dubious authorship, accuracy and credibility,” Certeza said. He also explained that the social media posts invoked by Taguig have made outrageous and irresponsible allegations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and the Supreme Court. “No right thinking lawyer would petition the High Court on the basis of these posts. Yet, Taguig, displaying unfathomable wisdom, has chosen to do so. Regardless, if we are asked to comment by the Supreme Court, we will file our comment,” said the city administrator. On Tuesday, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano on Monday had asked the Supreme Court to probe the Makati mayor’s “troubling claims” on the Fort Bonifacio case as the row between Taguig and Makati over Fort Bonifacio continues to heat up. The urgent manifestation and motion was filed personally by Cayetano asking the tribunal to look into Binay’s statements and to ask her and the Makati City government to show cause on why they should not be sanctioned. She cited Binay’s media statements where she reportedly said she received an order from the Supreme Court setting the Fort Bonifacio territorial dispute for oral arguments. The Supreme Court spokesperson later denied there was such an order. The social media posts, which came out days before Binay’s interview, claimed that the Makati mayor had spoken with top officials in the country, who supposedly promised to help reopen the case. Cayetano said she has “grave concern” over the developments. In a statement in April, the SC said that it has put an end to the Fort Bonifacio case. It ruled that the military reservation, where Bonifacio Global City now stands, is within the jurisdiction of Taguig and not Makati. It also denied Makati’s motion for reconsideration with finality, as well as Makati’s motion to refer the case to the en banc. The post Makati to file land dispute comment at SC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shamcey says she asked Stella Araneta if Gazini could attend Miss Universe PH pageant
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) pageant announced Monday that reigning queen Gazini Ganados will be on hand to relinquish her title to the eventual winner in the first separate pageant selecting the country’s representative to the Miss Universe pageant. Ganados won her crown in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in June last year. […] The post Shamcey says she asked Stella Araneta if Gazini could attend Miss Universe PH pageant appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Miss Universe Philippines releases statement condemning cyberbullying of delegates
The Miss Universe Philippines organization released a statement condemning the act of cyberbullying in all its forms......»»
Pia binasag nga ba si Heart sa ‘worth ng kababaihan’ campaign?
MAY “silent war” nga ba sina 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach at Kapuso international fashion icon na si Heart Evangelista? Yan ang nakakaintrigang tanong ng mga netizens nang mapansin nilang tila sinagot ni Pia ang lumang Instagram post ni Heart noong January, 2024. Usap-usapan ngayon ng mga Marites ang matapang na statement ni Pia para.....»»
Pia Wurtzbach s wax figure moves to Singapore temporarily
The wax figure of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach by Madame Tussauds is on display at the museum's Singapore branch until the first of September......»»
Pia Wurtzbach muling nakita ang ‘kakambal’ na wax figure sa Singapore
“HAPPY to see my twin again!” ‘Yan ang masayang caption ni Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach matapos niyang pangunahan ang unveiling ng kanyang wax figure sa Madame Tussauds Singapore. Sa kanyang Instagram post, proud na ibinandera ni Pia ang ilang snaps sa nasabing event. “Singapore, that was so much fun!” sey niya sa IG. Nagpasalamat.....»»
Franki Russell itinalaga bilang Miss Universe New Zealand
RARAMPA ang aktres at dating “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate na si Franki Russell bilang representative ng New Zealand sa Miss Universe. Sa isang Instagram post na ibinahagi ng Dubai-based magazine na XPEDITION nitong Huwebes, March 21, ibinandera nito ang opisyal na kandidata ng New Zealand para sa Miss Universe ngayong taon. “This is her official.....»»
Catriona Gray naka-focus sa kalusugan, may struggle sa scoliosis
NAGING bukas si Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray sa kanyang pinagdaraanang challenges dahil sa sakit niyang scoliosis. Sa kanyang panayam sa ABS-CBN News, ibinahagi nito na mas nararamdaman na raw niya ngayon ang epekto ng sakit. “‘I’m getting older, magthi-thirty na ako, sorry older in my context. I’m starting to really feel the effects of.....»»
Rama urges DPWH to replace busted subway lamps
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is urging the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to remove and replace busted lamps in the South Road Properties subway tunnel. Rama asked the DPWH to attend to the lighting of the subway tunnel immediately as there are already complaints and concerns from motorists.....»»
Piolo Pascual headlines solo concert tonight at Newport
‘An Ultimate Night with Piolo’ celebrates the actor-singer’s more than 25 years in show business Today, 20 October, Piolo Pascual headlines his third solo concert in his more than 25 years in the entertainment industry as an actor who also sings, hosts, and endorsers a myriad of products. "An Ultimate Night with Piolo" comes after "My Gift: Piolo Pascual First Time in Concert!" (April 2008, Araneta Coliseum) and "Ten: Piolo Pascual" (November 2007, Araneta Coliseum). It is produced by Cornerstone Entertainment and directed by Johnny Manahan, and takes place at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Newport World Resorts in Pasay City. “The goal is to not make it look like a variety show,” Piolo said yesterday in a media conference held at the KAO Manila restaurant in Newport Mall. He then broke into a smile. “Feeling ko lang naman legit singer ako. Pagbigyan n’yo na ’ko!” He went on to share more details about his concert: “I have a nine-piece band. I have a horn section. I have a full band and a backup. I was in the studio, iniikot ko ’yung rehearsal area, tuwang-tuwa ako. Naririnig mo ’yung sax, naririnig mo ’yung violin." “Kinikilig ako to be able to perform, to be able to sing with these talents na talaga namang, wow! Sabi ko nga, ang sarap pakinggan,” he added. Those talents who will perform with Piolo as guest artists are Erik Santos, who he described as one of his closest friends in show business; Jericho Rosales, his fellow hunky actor; and Arnel Pineda, his kumpare. Then there’s his son Inigo Pascual, who’s now making a name for himself both as an actor and a singer in the United States. The proud dad shared a bit of his conversation with his son: “Sabi n’ya, ‘I really just came home for your concert.’ ‘Oh?’ Sabi ko, ‘Akala ko may work.’ Sabi n’ya, ‘No, because you asked me to come. I’m here for your concert.’” Piolo couldn’t help expressing his joy in sharing the stage with Inigo. “Good thing he’s coming home. He’s singing with me.” Wait, there’s more to his guest list of performers: a female artist who has made him exclaim, “Okay, nakakatuwa.” Piolo then pointed out, “We have a really solid lineup, not just the guests. But all through my 25 years in this industry, all the songs I’ve recorded for the shows, movies, albums. It’s definitely a trip down memory lane. And some songs I grew up singing. And probably some grooving here and there. A fun night to celebrate life.” The post Piolo Pascual headlines solo concert tonight at Newport appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM administration eyes stiffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked the public to report agricultural commodity smuggling and hoarding to authorities as his administration eyes stiffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage. As the Chief Executive led another round of rice distribution in Capiz, Marcos told the Filipinos not to be afraid of reporting the smugglers to authorities if they had information against those involved in these transactions. "If you know someone involved in these types of transactions, do not be afraid to report them to the authorities," Marcos said. "No matter how big their syndicate is, just like the smuggler we apprehended at the Zamboanga pier last August, they can't even compare to our united strength," he added. Marcos also asked the public to help the government safeguard the local market from smugglers and hoarders, who continue to manipulate the prices of agricultural goods. The chief executive also assured that his administration is already coordinating with legislators to amend the Republic Act No. 10845, or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, and impose severe sanctions on these perpetrators and their accomplices. "We are also coordinating with Congress to amend certain laws to officially classify agricultural economic sabotage as a crime and to increase the penalties for it," he said. Marcos meets Mar Roxas Meanwhile, former Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas joined Marcos as they distributed rice in Capiz. Marcos said Roxas, a relative of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, is his "long-time friend" despite sharing different ideas of the political spectrum. "Mar Roxas is here. You might not know this, but Mar and I have been friends for a long time, and even though we sometimes don't see eye to eye in politics, we spent a long time together in New York," Marcos said. "I haven't talked to him in a long time... we had the opportunity to speak here in Capiz," the President added. Roxas and Marcos had been at odds with each other in several instances in the past. When Marcos said he was running for President in 2016, he told Roxas – who was the Interior and Local Government secretary at that time – to quit his job. Roxas is the party mate of former Vice President Leni Robredo, who is running against Marcos for President in 2022, and the late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, whose family is in competition with the Marcoses. The post PBBM administration eyes stiffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM administration eyes sniffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked the public to report agricultural commodity smuggling and hoarding to authorities as his administration eyes stiffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage. As the Chief Executive led another round of rice distribution in Capiz, Marcos told the Filipinos not to be afraid of reporting the smugglers to authorities if they had information against those involved in these transactions. "If you know someone involved in these types of transactions, do not be afraid to report them to the authorities," Marcos said. "No matter how big their syndicate is, just like the smuggler we apprehended at the Zamboanga pier last August, they can't even compare to our united strength," he added. Marcos also asked the public to help the government safeguard the local market from smugglers and hoarders, who continue to manipulate the prices of agricultural goods. The chief executive also assured that his administration is already coordinating with legislators to amend the Republic Act No. 10845, or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, and impose severe sanctions on these perpetrators and their accomplices. "We are also coordinating with Congress to amend certain laws to officially classify agricultural economic sabotage as a crime and to increase the penalties for it," he said. Marcos meets Mar Roxas Meanwhile, former Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas joined Marcos as they distributed rice in Capiz. Marcos said Roxas, a relative of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, is his "long-time friend" despite sharing different ideas of the political spectrum. "Mar Roxas is here. You might not know this, but Mar and I have been friends for a long time, and even though we sometimes don't see eye to eye in politics, we spent a long time together in New York," Marcos said. "I haven't talked to him in a long time... we had the opportunity to speak here in Capiz," the President added. Roxas and Marcos had been at odds with each other in several instances in the past. When Marcos said he was running for President in 2016, he told Roxas – who was the Interior and Local Government secretary at that time – to quit his job. Roxas is the party mate of former Vice President Leni Robredo, who is running against Marcos for President in 2022, and the late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, whose family is in competition with the Marcoses. The post PBBM administration eyes sniffer penalties for agricultural economic sabotage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go to DSWD: Help uplift lives in the grassroots
During a public hearing on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget, Senator Christopher "Bong Go" expressed his strong support for the department's financial allocation and took the opportunity to seek crucial updates on two major welfare programs: the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) program and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Go acknowledged the difficult situation many provincial migrants face in Metro Manila, especially during the pandemic. “Alam n'yo naman po nitong panahon po ng pandemya ay marami pong mga kababayan natin na mga probinsyano na natutulog na lang po diyan sa sidewalk dahil wala silang kamag-anak, wala silang tirahan, gusto nilang bumalik ng probinsya,” said Go. Go underscored the significance of the BP2 Program, and said that it was established through an executive order by former president Rodrigo Duterte. The Senate adopted a resolution in 2020, principally sponsored by Sen. Go, urging the executive department to formulate and implement a “Balik Probinsya” program. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian affirmed the program's effectiveness and the government's commitment to continue the program. “This is a very good program that we inherited, that we planned to keep and, in fact, use all the time. For the record, ang na-serve natin ho for 2023 is 2,426 out of the target na 4,572 families. Ang financial allocation n'ya is P3.5 billion thereabouts, at ang nagamit ho is P1 billion or 29 percent,” Gatchalian said. In 2020, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 114 which institutionalized the said program. As one of the main proponents of the BP2 Program, Go has earlier said that promoting employment and livelihood opportunities in the countryside will boost regional development consistent with the long-term goals of the program that is set to be fully implemented after the COVID-19 crisis. Meanwhile, DSWD plans to expand the program to include other types of interventions for families living in the streets. Gatchalian said, "'Yung BP2 is something that we want to expand, to include other types of intervention na magagamit sa mga pamilya na nakatira sa lansangan." Gatchalian also acknowledged that while local government units have responsibilities, DSWD has launched a mainstay program to assist families and individuals living on the streets. He said when these families return to their provinces, they receive community livelihood grants, which are monitored by the local government units. Go then inquired if street dwellers and beggars are also included in the program. Gatchalian confirmed their inclusion, saying, "Kasama po because we found out that a lot of them are actually stuck in Metro Manila na gustong umuwi rin, kasama na po sila." When asked where these individuals are temporarily housed, Gatchalian explained that the goal is not to keep them in housing facilities but to help them return to their provinces. Shifting attention to the 4Ps, Go highlighted that former president Duterte enhanced the standard benefits for beneficiaries. While the former president initially considered distributing rice, the decision was ultimately made to offer cash assistance instead. Gatchalian confirmed that an extra P600 has been added to the benefits under Duterte's term. He also elaborated that the amount given to beneficiaries depends on the family's circumstances. The maximum amount ranges from P3500 to P3800, depending on the number of school-aged children in the family. When Go asked about the number of 4Ps members, Gatchalian pointed out that the number is capped at 4.4 million families due to budget constraints. “Just to point out, nakasaad po sa GAA (General Appropriations Act) na lagi pong 4.4 million ang numero nila. So, hindi po sila dumadami; hanggang doon lang ang budget allocation. Sana mas lumaki pa dahil maraming waitlisted, pero ang allowed lang sa amin is 4.4 million families,” the Secretary said. Gatchalian also discussed the conditions under which families "graduate" from the program. Families may leave the program if they reach the seven-year limit, no longer meet the conditions, or fail to attend development sessions. At the height of the pandemic, Go appealed to the government to provide cash incentives to vaccinated 4Ps members to encourage more of them to get their COVID-19 vaccines instead of making vaccination mandatory. Such incentives will be on top of what 4Ps beneficiaries receive in accordance with the law. The post Bong Go to DSWD: Help uplift lives in the grassroots appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden’s son Hunter to plead not guilty to gun charges
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter will plead not guilty to charges of illegally buying a gun when he was using drugs, his lawyer said Tuesday. Hunter Biden, 53, was charged last week with two counts of making false statements when claiming on forms required for a 2018 gun purchase that he was not using drugs illegally at the time. On Tuesday, Hunter Biden's lawyer, Abbe David Lowell, asked the judge presiding over the case in the eastern state of Delaware to hold the first court appearance by video conference instead of requiring his client to attend in person. Hunter Biden currently lives in California. "Mr. Biden understands both the charges against him and his rights... and we believe the Court can be assured of that fact by conducting this initial appearance by video," Lowell said in the letter to US Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke. "Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by video conference," Lowell said. "Mr. Biden is not seeking any special treatment in making this request," he added. "He has attended and will attend any proceedings in which his physical appearance is required." Hunter Biden is also facing a third charge, based on the same statements, that he illegally possessed the gun during an 11-day period in October 2018. If convicted on all three felony charges, he could face 25 years in prison, though in practice the offenses are seldom punished by any jail time. The indictment came two days after Republicans in Congress opened an impeachment probe against Joe Biden, a Democrat, alleging that when the elder Biden was vice president he benefited financially from his son's foreign business dealings. They alleged, without offering hard evidence, that while vice president in 2015-2016, Biden intervened to protect an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden sat on the board. The gun charges against Hunter Biden were filed by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating him since 2018 over various allegations, mostly related to his overseas business deals. A plea deal between Hunter Biden and Weiss, covering the gun charge as well as alleged tax violations, collapsed two months ago. Hunter Biden is a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist, but his life has been marred by alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction and his indictment has cast a shadow over his father's campaign for reelection next year. The post Biden’s son Hunter to plead not guilty to gun charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nurturing agri growth: Marcos’ birthday wish
More people wish a head of State a happy birthday than typical, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will find as he celebrates his 66th birthday today. Wishes for good health and happiness and the success and accomplishment of all his commitments and obligations throughout his administration have flooded in. Before he spends his birthday in Singapore today, attending a summit and the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, Marcos expressed his wish for an improved agriculture sector. In an interview with reporters, Marcos said he wants the sector to be more productive and resilient to climate change. He also expressed his wish for the government to understand the weather better so it could better help farmers. “(My birthday wish is) for (the) agriculture (sector) to improve and for us to know the real weather, whether it’s the wet season or dry season, so that we can help our farmers. That’s still my prayer up to now,” Marcos said. Marcos issued Executive Order 39, imposing a price cap on rice to control the soaring prices. He also gave the responsible government agencies the job of reducing the number of agricultural hoarders and smugglers. But he considers the “best” birthday gift the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11953, or the New Agrarian Reform Emancipation Act. “As we chart a path towards a more self-sufficient and equitable Philippines, this administration reaffirms its commitment to enrich the lives of our farmers, ensure the rapid industrialization of our farmlands, and promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the countryside,” he said. He visited the Department of Agrarian Reform office in Quezon City to attend the release of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act and to sign the Executive Order extending the moratorium on the repayment of agricultural debts of farmer-beneficiaries. At the event, Daily Tribune asked government officials to present their birthday wishes for Marcos, who concurrently heads the Department of Agriculture. “May God give President Marcos Jr. good health and more wisdom as he leads our country to a brighter future,” said one senior presidential protocol officer. Amid the good wishes, others turned the President’s birthday celebration into a platform to remind him of the pressing matters he must address as the land’s highest official. “I am hoping for more fruitful years to come with Marcos’s administration, especially in easing the plight of the poor people and our (economic) situation,” one DAR employee said. Economic vision for the future As Marcos celebrates another year of life, he continues to chart his vision for the future of the Philippines. One key aspect of this vision is economic development. He has advocated for policies to spur economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction. His focus on economic issues resonates with many Filipinos who prioritize financial stability and opportunities for their families. In October last year, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that Marcos’s performance in his first 100 days in office was commendable. Zubiri lauded the President’s choice of Cabinet members, particularly his economic team. He also noted the frequent Cabinet meetings called by the President, which he deemed a positive practice. Best Phl salesman The President, he said, is the “best salesman” for the Philippines, sending signals to investors that the Philippines is open for business and investment. For context, the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that approved foreign investment pledges grew by 27.8 percent in the year’s second quarter. The PSA data released on Tuesday showed that total foreign investments approved by investment promotion agencies during the period amounted to P59.09 billion from P46.26 billion FI in the same quarter of 2022. Vision for agriculture Marcos has made agriculture one of the top priorities of his administration. His extension of the moratorium on farmers’ repayment of their agrarian debts by two years has benefited them as they don’t have to make payments until 13 September 2025. “I have just signed an Executive Order for the two-year extension of EO 4, 2023, because other beneficiaries were not covered when the IRR was introduced and when we implemented the original EO’s moratorium,” Marcos said. While acknowledging these achievements, engaging in a broader discussion of his presidency is essential, recognizing both the positive strides and the challenges faced during his time in office. As with any political figure, President Marcos’ legacy is complex and multifaceted. The post Nurturing agri growth: Marcos’ birthday wish appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Menchu Katigbak: The splendid life of a society swan
Hers is a story anyone would love to tell and retell, or hear and hear again. Chances are, as in the book of Menchu, so many things are left unsaid because if these were all said, a single book would not be enough. Carmencita “Menchu” Katigbak’s story is one of love, passion, hurts and disappointments, social triumphs and power in its subtle workings, but mostly the good life and the people who live it and make it happen. She is a woman of the world in the sense of one who has lived in, explored and enjoyed New York, Bangkok, Lausanne, Paris and, her current love, Singapore. Of course, her turf is in Manila with a Capital S and Capital P (as in Power), and Lipa the hometown of her roots. [caption id="attachment_180060" align="aligncenter" width="958"] MENCHU with best friend Susie and her daughter Marivic.[/caption] At a time when the term “socialite” can come cheap, trite or even undeserved, Menchu gives the appellation dignity, respect and the awe it once inspired. Her social credentials are, of course, impeccable. For starters, she attended the Chateau Mont-Choisi, a Swiss finishing school for debutantes and pre-debs belonging to royalty and the world’s upper crust. A socialite today, in loose modern parlance, is perceived as being frivolous, one who attends parties because these men and women are party animals, or party people, as one columnist has named her weekly jottings about the social events of the day. The enjoyment of life is what defines this breed and set, and yet, while Menchu, too, knows how to enjoy, and enjoy life with gusto, there is more to her and that differentiates her from the herd. No, she does not top her charmed life with an icing of well-publicized good deeds and philanthropic beneficence, even if she actually shares her bounty with those in need. Menchu is of a different mold. She is a society swan in the manner of Truman Capote’s chums — Babe Paley, Gloria Guinness, Lee Radziwill. In our part of the world, think Chona, think Minnie, think Chito. She may well be cast in the same crème de la creme mold, glamorous denizens of the inner circles of society, at the same time, ladies who have transcended the vagaries of time. Just recently, Menchu was referred to by a diplomat friend as a global influencer, a 21st-century appellation that only a few are accorded. This one is applied to one who was once a señorita, colegiala and, yes, society girl, again in the tradition of Chona, Baby, Nelly, Chito and Ising. ‘The Katigbaks talk only to the Kalaws’ They don’t need family names, each as important as the other and of the same significance in society. Still, it’s one thing to say that she is Baby Fores, and another if she is Baby Arenas. There were two Vickys, one of national import and memory being the lovely teenager who stood as her father’s First Lady in the early 1950s, and there was the Madrigal matron, Vicky nee Abad Santos, who was low-key and the daughter of the World War II patriot, Jose Abad Santos, who refused to pledge allegiance to the flag of the enemies. Menchu shares first name distinction with Menchu delas Alas Concepcion, also of Batangueña parentage, being the daughter of banker and finance guy and public servant Don Antonio de las Alas. Both aristocrats from Batangas, the two Menchus share many distinctions beauty for one, pedigree, for the other—but that’s as far as I would say, the aforementioned traits being obvious. But to drive his point, Joe Guevarra, the humorous and well-placed columnist known for his tongue-in-cheek pronouncements, once said of the olden times, when the genealogical boundaries were well-defined, “In Lipa, the Katigbaks talk only to the Kalaws, and the Kalaws talk only to the Katigbaks.” [caption id="attachment_180057" align="aligncenter" width="998"] DINNER in Pili with Fernando and Zobel, Tessie Sy-Coson, Guilly Luchangco, Federico ‘Piki’ Lopez | photograph courtesy of MENCHU KATIGBAK[/caption] This self-confessed social climber, as his 8-to-5-and-beyond job would require him to be, admits to not having met (okay, having been introduced to…) the ebullient society hostess, traveler, culinary maven and friend-to-the-powerful Menchu Katigbak. Everything that I am writing here, I learned from the lady’s biography, Menchu, authored by lifestyle journalism icon Thelma Sioson San Juan, the two being decades-old friends. Menchu, one finds out toward the end of the book, is the inspiration for her granddaughter Isabelle’s first tome, Abu, the Sad Princess. I look back on the pages I have read, the memories of Menchu’s lifetime so far, in all its seven glorious and electrifying decades, and I dare say, the description is most apt and is true as well in real life as Menchu today is “living happily ever after” having come to terms with the many issues that confronted her at various times, but more importantly, she is today a fulfilled mother and grandmother and a believer in Jesus Christ. But that is getting ahead of the story. ‘White Matter’ by Lao Lianben Jaime Ponce de Leon, dear Jaime, the man of the hour of Philippine arts for as long as Juan Luna’s missing masterpiece, remains ensconced at the Ayala Museum – gaining for the discoverer more than a foothold in our cultural history – asked me if I was interested in writing about the socially formidable Menchu Katigbak, and I readily said yes, having seen her photographs in the select and more discriminating society pages and columns. I thought to myself it would be an opportunity to meet the lady face to face and add her to my glossary of so-called newfound friends, but that was not meant to be. I was, oh, I was treated to the next best thing – a copy of Menchu which, to someone who aspires to be a bibliophile, is all that matters in the world, except that I am first a social climber. And since I have not been allowed an audience, I take solace in the book and, as my honeyed revenge, will tell you what I feel about the lady who, I understand, could be frank and outspoken. Abrasive is too strong a word, and unfair for I am not sure if I will ever meet her in my lifetime, but I am told the lady will never mince words, that’s probably why she has legions of true friends who probably can give as much as take, or so I am imagining. [caption id="attachment_180055" align="aligncenter" width="1475"] Lunch in the kitchen in Pili with Patty Araneta (left) and Monet Recio-Schem.[/caption] A painting that Menchu has kept all these years, “White Matter” by Lao Lianben, signed and dated 1997, has been featured as one of the rare pieces to be auctioned in Leon Gallery’s forthcoming magnificent September auction, with the starting bid of P2,600,000. So, there, if you’re wondering what Jaime, who moves around the best circles, has got to do with this enigmatic swan. ‘We are not rich’ But let’s stick to what the book says. While she intersperses in her narrative personal encounters with her subject, TSJ, for the most part, devotes the pages of this book to Menchu alone, and with our cosmopolitan lady, the many friends in the upper echelons whose lives she has touched and who have touched hers in turn. Menchu, once she was ready to be told, heard it straight from her mother, “Tandaan mo, baka akala mo mayaman tayo. Hindi tayo mayaman. Kung napadala ka namin sa Switzerland at si Tita at si Tony napadala naming sa America, kasi nagpawis ako ng dugo (Remember, you may think we are rich, we are not rich. If we sent you to Switzerland and Tita and Tony to America, it was because I sweated blood). If you think you’re going to inherit something from us, banish the thought. So if you don’t study well, bahala ka sa sarili mo (you’re on your own).” The perfect words for the Asuncionista (Assumptionista) who much preferred to bake food for the gods, brownies and upside-down cakes and do naughty things like hiding the bell used to signal the start and end of class periods. Her mother, the former Charing Roxas Dimayuga, who attended Assumption Convent, dealt in buying, developing and selling homes in the gated Makati villages. She also developed horizontal and vertical commercial spaces as well as imported retazos from abroad. [caption id="attachment_180056" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Wearing the Van Cleef earrings purchased before their public launch.[/caption] Her father, Enrique Luz Katigbak, on the other hand, was a top certified public accountant, an alumnus of the Northwestern University and a director on the boards of Monte de Piedad and Philtrust banks. Of his connections, none is more eminent than his friendship with His Eminence, Rufino Cardinal Santos, archbishop of Manila and the first Filipino Cardinal of the Catholic Church. It was not a happenstance that Menchu received the sacrament of confirmation from the Cardinal himself right in the Katigbak home, the first ever that was held in a private home if any other followed at all. Like most children, Menchu recalls in the book how she detested being “slapped” by the pious prelate. If she was any pleased about her family’s closeness to the holy man, it was that the Assumption sisters did not expel her for her not-too-infrequent infractions because they went to her father if they needed something from the Cardinal. Dona Aurora Recto for a ‘guardian’ Hers was a lonely childhood since her older siblings were away. They were the triple seven, which alluded to their being born seven years apart, with Menchu as the youngest. On certain days, her parents, both busy, would deposit her in the home of the statesman Claro M. Recto where she would play with his favorite granddaughter, Techie, who had all these toys, Menchu could not help realizing her parents did not buy her a toy. She played with her jackstones while Techie had a closetful of toys, including a toy “cash register.” Techie was so generous she was giving this fancy plaything to her, but Menchu refused knowing her mother would not approve. What she remembers best of that time was the sight of Dona Aurora, the first beautiful woman she beheld in her young mind and eyes, and from her, she learned her first lessons in etiquette, because the family ate with a full complement of silverware and flatware. (To be continued) The post Menchu Katigbak: The splendid life of a society swan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»