MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles ® ) – The Adobo Chronicles ®  today announced the recipients of its 2015 Outstanding Achievement Awards in politics, media and socio-economic development.

The following honorees will be formally recognized and receive their award plaques at a gala event to be held on July 1, 2015, at the Manila Overseas Press Club headquarters on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City (The occasion also marks the second anniversary of the Chronicles) :

• Photobomber of the year – Torre de Manila for its successful backdrop appearance at Luneta Park, site of the Philippines’ national hero (Dr. Jose Rizal) monument. The controversial 49-story condominium project has also popped up in major U.S. cities like San Francisco, Honolulu, New York and St. Louis. (See previous Chronicles story)
• Broadcaster of the Year- Kris Aquino. No other media personality has mastered the art of exposing his or her own private life than Ms. Aquino. Her talk shows and social media accounts are always full of exciting revelations about her  career, her exes, kids and other love life, and her battle with STD.
• Outstanding Mass Transportation – MRT. Thousands of Metro Manila commuters are out in the sun, standing in long queues each day to get to the trains, not to mention getting to work or school late.
• Pontius Pilate Award – President NoyNoy Aquino. It’s always someone else’s fault. He has mastered the art of washing his hands in public, just like this award’s namesake.
• Best wedding cake design – Alfredo Barrazza. The Colombian fashion designer gained prominence with his concoction of a wedding cake gown for the Philippines’ bet in the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant, MJ Lastimosa.
• Newsmaker of the Year – Philippine Daily Inquirer. The newspaper made headlines when its banner headline announced the execution of Filipina convict Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia. “Death Came Before Dawn,” the headline read. Next morning, Veloso was seen being escorted back to her jail cell. Her execution was stayed by Indonesian authorities.
• Tax Collector of the Year – Can you all just ask Manny Pacquiao?
• Outstanding Public Servant  – Mar Roxas. The Philippines’ Interior and Local Government Secretary is seen everywhere — distributing relief goods to typhoon victims, carrying a sack of garlic on his shoulder, carrying a sack of rice on his shoulder, directing traffic in Metro Manila streets, and riding the MRT train during non-commute hours. Photo ops, they’re called.
• Outstanding City Mayor – Binay, Binay and Binay! What would the city of Makati be like without Jejomar, Elenita and Junjun?
• Outstanding Real Estate  –  Makati City Hall Building Garage, the cost of which is a staggering 1,000 times the rate of inflation.
• Exporter of the Year – Canada . Does anyone know if the Canadian trash and toxic waste are still sitting in containers at Manila’s port?
• Best Beauty Pageant Question Answer – It’s a tie between Miss Philippines-Universe Pia Wurtzbach  (“Think before you click,” in answer to Internet censorship question) and  Miss Philippines- Earth Angelia Gabrena Ong (“I’m all for sex marriage,” in answer to a question about same-sex marriage.)
• Top Financial Investor – Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, always in the top ten list of stock investors. Unfortunately, your weekly contributions into the Sunday collection basket do not count as shareholder stocks.