Filipino Fashion Designers To Picket President Duterte’s First SONA

July 18, 2016 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Contrary to tradition, the red carpet will not be rolled out when Philippine President Rod Duterte delivers his very first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.

The SONA has always been an event that many look forward to every year, especially by female members of Congress and the wives of the lawmakers. It is Hollywood Philippine style where Filipinos and the media are more interested in who’s wearing what than the actual message by the president.

It is therefore not a surprise that the country’s top fashion designers have banded together to picket Duterte’s SONA.

Duterte, now known for his simple, unconventional fashion style like the maong tagalog (denim pants to match his rolled-up-sleeves barong tagal0g), has advised SONA attendees to wear business attire instead of formal wear.

The protesters complained about their loss of income as a result of the red carpet cancellation.

Aside from the Pinoy fashion designers, people in the jewelry business are also joining the picket. And so is Alfredo Barraza, the Colombian designer responsible for the much-maligned national costume of former Miss Philippines MJ Lastimosa which many say cost her the Miss Universe crown in Doral, Florida.

Law Enforcement

Jeane Napoles’ Lawyer Just Admitted His Client Falsified U.S. Public Documents

July 18, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

LOS ANGELES, California (The Adobo Chronicles, Los Angeles Bureau) – Jeane Napoles may avoid paying taxes to the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), but she could face fraud and felony charges in the United States, thanks to her lawyer, Atty. Stephen David.

In an attempt to help her client avoid paying taxes to the BIR on her real properties in the U.S., David said this week that such properties were registered in her name only because she was applying for US citizenship.

“Pinangalan namin sa kanya iyan kasi at that time she was applying for a US citizenship. Alam n’yo naman kung mag-apply ka ng citizenship kailangan mo ipakita na meron kang mga holdings, may properties ka,” David claimed.

Jeane is the daughter of suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles.

David’s admission will now serve as Exhibit A in a potential fraud case that could be brought against him and his client — for falsifying documents submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Sometimes, lawyers talk too much, and in the process, incriminate their own clients.

Beauty, Government, International

Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach Appointed To President Duterte’s Cabinet

July 18, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

President Duterte and Wurtzbach (Photo credit: Jonas Gaffud)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Arnell Ignacio. Jimmy Bondoc. Freddie Aguilar. Celebrities all. And they’re all appointees or potential appointees to top administration posts under President Rod Duterte.

Now, yet another celebrity has been appointed to join the president’s cabinet — none other than reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Duterte announced Wurtzbach’s appointment shortly after the Filipina beauty took a selfie with the president during a visit to Malacañang, the presidential palace in Manila.

Wurtzbach will assume the position of secretary of the newly-created Department of Pageant Affairs (DPA). She will be responsible for coordinating the hundreds, if not thousands of national and local beauty pageants held each year throughout the country, including the major contests that determine the country’s representatives to international pageants like Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International.

Because of her existing contract with the Miss Universe Organization, Wurtzbach will assume her new cabinet position after she hands the crown to her successor later this year.

Duterte and Wurtzbach also discussed the Philippines’ bid to host the next Miss Universe Pageant in Manila.