Tag Archives: Manila

PHILIPPINE VP JOJO BINAY TO DELIVER TSONA

July 25, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

During good times: Binay, left, and Aquino

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – In the United States, whenever the president delivers his State of the Union Address (SOTU), the opposing political party designates someone to deliver an official response. That has not been the case with the Philippines’ State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Until now.

The Office of the Vice President, Jejomar Binay, has announced that he will be delivering a TSONA — Totoong State of the Nation Address (True State of the Nation Address) after President Aquino delivers his SONA on July 27.

It is common knowledge that unlike in the U.S., the Philippines’ president and vice president don’t necessarily have to belong to the same political party, as is the case with Aquino and Binay. Voters vote for prez and VP separately.

Binay had a falling out with Aquino recently, prompting the vice president to resign from his cabinet position. Since then, Binay has been attacking the Aquino administration, its policies and failures.

Binay has declared that he was running for president in 2016. Aquino, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon who he is endorsing as his party’s nominee for president.

SONA or TSONA, it will be a classic case of he said, he said.

International, Music, Travel

IN AFTERMATH OF CHRIS BROWN’S DEPARTURE HOLD IN MANILA, MADONNA CANCELS PHILIPPINE CONCERT

July 23, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Just days after she announced she was holding a one-day-only concert in Manila in February next year, Madonna said she was cancelling the Philippine leg of her Rebel Heart tour.

The shocking announcement came on the heels of the departure hold order for American Chris Brown, who was in Manila for a one-day concert this week. Brown’s departure was stopped by Philippine immigration authorities in connection with a complaint filed against the him for allegedly defrauding a concert promoter earlier this year. Brown failed to show up for a scheduled New Year’s eve concert at the Philippine Arena after being paid $1 Million in advance.

Madonna sympathized with Brown and said that what happened to the singer is an insult to the freedom and integrity of international performers. She said she was afraid that the same thing might happen to her when she visits Manila for the first time next year.

Madonna fans were extremely distraught over the news as they were preparing to purchase their tickets which go on sale on July 26. Ticket prices ranged from P3,150 to P57,750 ($71 to $1,312).

Entertainment, Music, Travel

SINGER CHRIS BROWN HELD UP IN MANILA, LEARNS HIS LESSON NOT TO MESS WITH FILIPINOS

July 22, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Grammy Award-winning singer Chris Brown has been in trouble many times before, but this time around, he chose to get in trouble in a country that would not put up with his shenanigans.

Brown was barred from leaving the Philippines because of a contract dispute, the official Philippines News Agency reported Wednesday.

Brown was stopped Wednesday morning while preparing to depart on a private jet from Manila’s international airport on his way to Hong Kong for a concert, the news agency said.

The Philippine Department of Justice said that an order had been issued Tuesday night to stop any attempts by Brown, 26, to leave the country.

Brown performed in a Manila concert that evening as planned, but the order was put in place to compel him to pay back money that promoters said was owed to them after he failed to appear for a previous appearance scheduled for last New Year’s Eve.

Encouraged by the departure hold order, promoters of the New Year’s Eve concert amended their complaint against Brown, asking the Department of Justice that they not only be paid what was owed to them but an additional 50% interest compounded monthly.(We’re not good at math but we suspect that with now almost six months since Brown incurred the “debt,” it could mean lots and lots of money for the aggrieved promoters.)

The promoters have the full backing of Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares whose agency is sure to benefit from taxes that will be collected from promoters if and when they get paid by Brown.

Rumors are circulating that Brown is currently detained in an airport holding cell and is being fed rice and chicken adobo three times a day. He had earlier requested for a McDonald’s cheeseburger but the request was denied.

It wasn’t clear how long Brown will be held in Manila but he certainly has learned the lesson of his lifetime: not to mess with Filipinos!