Category Archives: Government

Film and TV, Government

P5 Million Spent For Pampanga Teachers To Watch “Bituing Walang Ningning;” Tarlac Teachers Treated To “My Little Bossings”

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image.jpegSAN FERNANDO, Philippines – The City of San Fernando in the Philippine province of Pampanga spent P5,528,170 ($117,582) out of its Special Education Fund (SEF) to let 2,479 public school teachers watch the stage version of the film,“Bituing Walang Ningning” at Resorts World Manila in October of 2015. This was according to findings by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The COA report indicated that the trip to Manila was part of the 2015 Teachers’ Day celebration, and was tagged as an out-of-town “Professional Enhancement Training.” Each teacher received an allotment of P2,230 ($47) as part of the activity.

Meanwhile, The Adobo Chronicles learned that during the same Teachers’ Day celebration, public school teachers in the province of Tarlac were treated to  free local screenings of the movie, “My Little Bossings,” starring Senator Tito Sotto’s brother Vic, television host and then presidential sister Kris Aquino, and her son Bimby Aquino-Yap. (Tarlac is the hometown of the Aquinos).

It wasn’t clear if any public funds were used for the Tarlac film screenings or whether they were intended to be part of Sotto’s campaign for his Senate re-election bid. It wasn’t clear either if the screenings were intended by the Aquinos to garner votes for administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas.  Roxas lost to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

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Beauty, Government, International

Senator Tito Sotto: Give Employees 13th Month Pay In Advance So They Can Purchase Their Miss Universe Pageant Tickets

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Reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Yesterday, we reported that Senator Tito Sotto III has filed a bill that would grant private sector employees a 14th-month pay in addition to the already-mandated 13th-month salary.

Today, Sotto introduced an amendment to his Senate Bill No. 2, ordering the government and private employers to immediately release their employees’ 13th month pay, instead of waiting for December this year.

The reason?

Sotto said  that the advance 13th-month pay would enable Filipinos to purchase their tickets to the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant which will be held on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena.  This is the third time that the Philippines plays host to the international beauty contest. Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is the reigning Miss Universe.

Tickets for the coronation night are now available for purchase  — from P35,200 for Special VIP tickets to P3,700 for general admission.

Because of the Filipinos’ penchant for beauty pageants, especially Miss Universe, organizers expect to sell out quickly.

“With the steep ticket prices, we need to provide our ordinary workers with the capacity to secure their seats for the coronation night,” Sotto said.  He urged his fellow senators to give his bill the highest priority so that the workers’ 13th-month pay can be released immediately before tickets to the pageant run out.

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Government, Politics

Daylight Saving In The U.S., Two Additional Calendar Months In The Philippines

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Sotto (Photo: Voltaire Domingo/NPPA Images)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – As Americans prepare to gain back the hour they lost this year due to Daylight Saving Time, Filipinos are gearing up to welcome an additional month to their yearly calendar, thanks to Senator Tito Sotto III.

A bill requiring employers in the private sector to give their employees 14th-month pay every year has been filed at the Senate.

Sotto filed Senate Bill No. 2 which provides that all non-government rank and file employees should be entitled to a 14th-month pay aside from the regular 13th-month pay they receive every year. (Yes, the Philippines already has 13 months in the existing calendar!)

Is it any wonder then that most Filipinos look younger than their actual age?  They get an extra month before they turn a year older. If Sotto’s bill passes, they get an extra two months. Not to mention extra pesos in their pockets.

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