Category Archives: The Media

Politics, The Media

MAR ROXAS: THE ADOBO CHRONICLES’ PERSON OF THE YEAR

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imageSilicon Valley, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – It’s that time of year when The Adobo Chronicles names its “Person of the Year.”  Last year, we named actor Jackie Chan our person of the year for having survived persistent  news that he had passed away.  Talk about nine lives.

This year, the publisher and editors of The Adobo Chronicles had a fairly easy job of choosing the winner: Philippine Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

The “Person of the Year” is awarded to the individual or group that has made the most impact on national and international news.  We couldn’t have chosen any other person who has been in the  news as much as Roxas has.

During the aftermath of the worst typhoon to hit the Philippines, Roxas was seen in ground zero overseeing relief operations and giving aid to residents except those who were loyal to his and President Aquino’s political nemesis, the Romualdezes. When there was a shortage of garlic in the Philippines, he was seen carrying a sack of garlic on his shoulder.  When there was rumor about a rice shortage, he was seen  carrying a sack of goverment rice on his shoulder.  When Metro Manila experienced the worst traffic nightmare ever, he was seen directing traffic in one of Manila’s most congested street intersections.  When Metro Manila’s light railway system (MRT) was the subject of intense criticism for its overcrowding, inefficiency and mismagement, Roxas was seen riding the train on non-commute hours.

We couldn’t think of a better person deserving of the Person of the Year title.  It was a great 2014 for Mar Roxas and the Philippines.

And Roxas could just well be the next president of the Philippines! It comes with a bonus: controversial television news anchor Korina Sanchez will be First Lady.

International, The Media, Travel

CNN, FOX NEWS IN A FIERCE CONTEST TO SOLVE MISSING AIRASIA FLIGHT MYSTERY

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Screen grab, FOX News
Screen grab, FOX News

Atlanta, Georgia (The Adobo Chronicles) –AirAsia flight QZ8501 went missing from radar en route to Singapore. The plane lost contact somewhere over the Java Sea and while there was no emergency or distress call, the pilot did request an altitude change citing severe weather just before the plane vanished from radar.

Like the still unsolved mystery of the Malaysia Airlines  Flight 370, the  loss of contact with the AirAsia aircraft has triggered a fierce contest between cable news networks CNN and FOX News. Either network wants to be the first to solve the mystery.

CNN Aviation Analyst  Mary Schiavo said that  terrorism happens  when it’s nice out, not when there’s bad weather which seems to be the case with AirAsia Flight QZ8501.

“At this point, given it was extremely bad weather, the chances of this being some sort of a terrorist activity are very small.,” Schiavo said, on television. “Because most terrorist activity takes place in good weather.”

Today Fox News host Anna Kooiman invited former FAA spokesperson Scott Brenner to discuss the difference in the way American pilots and non-American pilots were trained and if maybe that had anything to do with what happened to the Air Asia passenger jet.

While it seems pretty clear Brenner was probably about to address the difference in pilot training, Kooiman took the opportunity to highlight the dangers of the metric system and “a difference in the way that we measure things.”

“Even when we think about temperature, it’s Fahrenheit or Celsius,” she pointed out. “It’s kilometers or miles. You know, everything about their training could be similar, but different.”

Brenner agreed with Kooiman, saying that the U.S. should convert to the metic system since “we are the only country still using the imperial system.”

Then Kooiman’s co-host Charles Payne proceeded to blame Asian culture, saying that all Asian people will humbly and unquestioningly obey procedure even if that means crashing an airplane killing hundreds of people lest they bring shame and dishonor on their family.

For up-to-date analysis, wild speculation, out-of-this-world theories about what may have caused the AirAsia jetliner to go missing, tune in to either CNN or FOX News in the next 90 days. They could use your support to boost their ratings.

Which news network will win the contest?

Film and TV, Politics, The Media

VICE GANDA’S INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT AQUINO WILL NOT AIR AFTER ALL

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Vice Ganda, left, in a scene from the film, 'Praybeyt Benjamin 2.'
Vice Ganda, left, in a scene from the film, ‘Praybeyt Benjamin 2.’

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The much-talked about one-on-one interview by Filipino comedian Vice Ganda with President NoyNoy Aquino will not be airing on January 4 as originally scheduled.

The reason? Vice Ganda’s entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), ‘Praybeyt Benjamin 2,’ did not win any award at Saturday’s closing ceremony. Aquino’s nephew, Bimby, son of presidential sister Kris Aquino, also stars in the film.

In the film, Private Benjamin “Benjie” Santos (Vice Ganda) has been promoted to colonel in the Philippine army and has made a name for himself as a modern day national hero. But when Benjie starts taking his reputation and his duties for granted, he is forced under the service of General Wilson Chua (Richard Yap) to try and thwart a terrorist plot to bomb areas around the Philippines. It just so happens that the only person who knows where the bombs are is a young boy named Bimby (Bimby Aquino).

The interview with President Aquino was arranged by Kris as a way to promote the film and gain favor with the film festival jurors.

Immediately after the announcement of the film festival awards — in which ‘Praybeyt Benjamin’ failed to garner a single award —  Malacañang (the presidential palace) announced that it was withdrawing permission to Vice Ganda to air the taped interview.

“We don’t want the Filipino TV viewers to be reminded about the poor performance of the film,” said Kris Aquino.

The taped interview was all about the film and how President Aquino feels about his actor nephew. No other topics or issues of national and international concern were discussed.

The big winner in the MMFF was the film about one of the Philippines’ great heroes, ‘Bonifacio.’